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June 29 my little superstarRoo and I had our first agility class yesterday. It ended up being a lot of fun. Leading up to the class I was simultaneously excited and nervous. I’ve been looking forward to this class for a while—I wanted to do something with the dog that would be just for us. I was excited to see what Roo’s reaction would be to the class, whether she would be distracted, love it/hate it, etc. I was a little concerned about my ability to control the dog in that kind of setting and whether she would pay attention or be willful during the training.
It started off bad. I was late leaving work, I dropped my laptop in the street, I couldn’t find the place because the directions had no street address. Let’ s just say I was a bundle of nerves by the time I got there. Then I pull into the driveway and noticed the place was a horse farm…uh oh…because Roo is fascinated by farm animals and likes to watch and bark at them. Then I discovered that everyone in the class had previous agility experience…except Roo and I. Another Uh-oh feeling. I mentally prepared myself for the evening--go in with the right mindset, don’t get frustrated with the dog, stay upbeat, and give lots of treats… or as Roger stated yesterday afternoon: “Don’t go all Bobby Knight on Lil’ Roostie, ok? Be patient and you both will do awesome!”
Well, there ended up being no cause for concern…Roo is a natural at the agility training! I didn’t have to go all Bobby Knight on her because my little girl is a superstar. I was such a proud owner yesterday. She learned all the new tricks FAST. I was pleased as punch to hear the instructor exclaiming what a ‘quick learner’ Roo was and how ‘fast’ and ‘attentive’ she is. It helps that I brought Roo hungry to the training, so she was super responsive to the treats.
There are a total of 6 dogs in the class. The first part of the class focuses on basics—familiarizing the dog with the obstacles and practicing. During the second half of the class, each dog gets a couple of turns at running the course.
The key to agility training is: high positivity levels, an upbeat voice with the commands, and lots and lots of training treats and pettings. Positivity, positivity, positivity was the key message to the trainers. If the dog does something incorrect you never use the word ‘No’. Instead you use expressions like “uh oh” (still in a really upbeat tone).
Roo first learned “Jump”. This is where the dog jumps over a bar as part of the course. She liked this. She even liked jumping three hurdles in a row. So cute.
Next she learned “tunnel”. This is the expando tunnel that the dog needs to run through quickly. At first she didn’t want to go into the tunnel. The trainer was great though—she had me partially climb into the tunnel on one end with some treats in my hand. Then she held Roo on the other side of the tunnel. We arranged the tunnel so that Roo could see me on the other end. Then I just needed to call her “Roo, Tunnel” and encourage her with a lot of positive reinforcement and tasty treats. We did that a couple of times. After Roo realized there were some Al’s Grill at the end of the tunnel she was all about running through it. Roo loves her some Al’s Grill treats (shaped like little burgers, I cut them into ittty bitty morsels).
Next she was introduced to the teeter. For the newbies they place the board on the ground. It still moves around a little bit and makes a clanging noise. The goal was to just get Roo to step on it…and maybe walk a little bit on it. She was rewarded with treats anytime she stepped on the board. She was a little hesitant with the teeter (apparently most dogs don’t like it) but with all the treats I was passing out, she was all up on that board in no time.
Finally, she learned “table”. This is where the dog runs up onto the table, and then sits or lays down depending on the command. This was a pretty easy trick for her.
After all the basics were reviewed we ran a mini version of the course with the obstacles she learned and she did great. She required a lot of positive reinforcement and I had to get her attention a couple of times, but I am very proud of my little girl. She's got talent. The hardest part of the training was keeping up with her and pulling treats out of my pocket as fast as she was running the course and performing the tricks. After class she was so bushed. She drank a quart of water and just laid her head on my lap during the drive back home.
We have some homework over the next couple of weeks. I need to learn how to clicker train the dog and I need to teach her the “touch’ command—which means sending her away from me, touching her nose to an object, and then returning to me for a treat.
So we’ll see how this class goes. It is kind of a pain in the butt to drive out to Redmond during rush hour, but it is worth it. Roo had the big-ass doggie smile at the end of the class…and I got some QT with Roostie. Who knows, maybe some day we’ll enter a novice competition and ya’ll can watch her in action. However, in order to fit into the training world I might need some dumpy attire—like a visor, some khaki shorts and a polo shirt J June 28 PerceptionsYou get into habits in your daily work life. My building has a number of security guards all over the place because the 4th floor is a federal courthouse and EPA occupies most of the floors. There are a few security guards that I say hello to as I am coming or going. Today I said good morning to my favorite security guard in the lobby and he said something today that gave me pause.
"Well, hello there! How are you today? You are always just darting about between the elevators that I never get a chance to just chat with you."
After his initial comment I responded that yes, in fact, I am always running about between meetings and events. He responded that it is a good thing because being busy makes the day go faster. I suppose so. Sometimes I long for those temp days or yore-- answering phones and filing papers, watching the time eek by, and having zero responsibility. It was boring, but totally stress free. I need to remind myself that when I was temping, I hated it because it was boring and unproductive...but I loved the hours, and the long lunches. It must be interesting to be a security guard in my building. You get to interact with a bunch of people every day. Seems pretty mellow for a job but I bet the hours drag.
Simple enough conversation with the security guard, but it got me thinking as I rode the elevator up to the 16th floor. All of a sudden I envisioned what I must look like to people when I am darting about between the elevators or in the lobbies. It is true! I am always rushing about in the building, carrying a bunch of crap--presentation boards, my file box of papers, my laptop, tubes of drawings, etc. I am almost always on my way to a meeting or workshop and so it must appear to this guy that I am just some kind of frenzied lady with a distracted yet determined look on her face, arms full, and almost always running late--thus the darting about (though miraculously I seem to make it to the meetings on time). I wonder what people, who don't know me but only see me wandering around the building, must think of me. Actually, they don't think of me at all, maybe a fleeting thought as they see the crazy young woman storming down the lobby hall. I came to the realization on the elevator--I rarely stroll. When I walk, I walk fast. Or I walk with a purpose. I don't dilly dally about. Couple that with my crazy work schedule, and yeah, I can see how someone would think I am a fleeting bundle of energy bouncing between elevators or pealing out of the parking garage. Do I always appear so frenzied? I think yes...I'm not a very relaxed person. I need to slow down the pace a bit. June 21 That's My Jam!I listen to the radio a lot. Pretty much hours a day. It started when we lived in the Cherry St house but now it is mostly due to the amount of driving I do around the region. Having the intercom at the Cherry Street house was one of my favorite things about the house. You just can't beat an intercom that can broadcast music throughout each room. Blasting the radio while cooking or cleaning was a lot of fun. I especially loved listening to NPR while washing the dishes. I don't know why, it just always worked out that way. Bursting into song or making up your own lyrics while singing into the intercom can be a fun pastime.
When we went to Jamaica, Roger and I were glued to the radio station--we found a great station and turned it on as soon as people got up. Besides us, I think maybe only Mark liked having it on all the time...but what can I say, I'm kind of addicted to good radio...and that was our chance to listen to classic Jamaican jams.
Listening to the radio can be both rewarding and frustrating here in Seattle. The good--some awesome independent radio stations available, playing a broad range of genres. The bad-- overall the selection of radio stations on the airwaves are miniscule compared to the sheer quantity you can find in LA or the Bay Area. For example, when I first moved to Seattle, I had to adjust to having only one hip hop station. It was a source of frustration that there were no oldies station (oldies in the way I know them...not just classic rock). You make do with what ya got. I listen to the following stations exclusively (and in this order of priority): 90.3 KEXP, 93.3 KUBE, 91.3 KBCS, 94.9 KUOW, and 95.7 KJR FM. If those aren't grabbing me, then I turn to 89.5, the Nathan Hale HS station.
Unfortunately, the independent radio stations get static-y fast...along the I-5 corridor KEXP is spotty once you get in the Kent/Des Moines area, picks up again somewhere near Federal Way, then drops out again around Fife. I was very disappointed when KEXP closed down their S. King/Pierce station 91.7. KBCS works on the eastside, but tends to fall out driving south, yet works out on some of the islands. Two of my stations are not available to me when I am driving around the Sound. Ugh. I can only take so much of NPR before I feel all depressed and miserable about life. It gets to you. When I want escapism while driving (most of the time), I need upbeat music and thumping bass. I end up listening to a lot of KUBE. This also has downsides...like the 30 minute playlist and the qty of commercials-- how many times do I need to hear about E.E. Robbins? I already have a wedding ring. Man, I hate Clear Channel.
Last week, while riding in a City vehicle with a client, I noticed that they had the radio on low and I was lovin' each song. It kind of sounded like KUBE's old school lunch, but it wasn't KUBE. I noted the station and decided I'd give it a try the next time I was in my truck. Ah ha! With KEXP's pledge drive last week, I had to tune away quite a bit (I can only take so much of John and Cheryl 's voices on the airwaves. They love to hear themselves talk when they are together). So I tried the new MOVIN 92.5 otherwise known as KQMV. I am LOVING this station. This station was made for me. It is really funny because they advertise it as feel good, upbeat music from your school days to the present. The target audience? 28-40 year old women. Hey, that's me! The music is kind of like a cross between Alice and KUBE's Old School Lunch. What I like is that they do 42 minutes of straight music followed by 4 minutes of commercials. Love that. I find myself exclaiming while listening to the station "That's my Jam" or "Ooh, what a great karaoke song" (of course I am always on the prowl for new karaoke material).
The station plays its share of Madonna, Prince, Mariah, Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, etc. But they also mix in the old school jammies like Freakazoid, I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me, I Saw You and Him Walkin' in the Rain, Hey Mr. DJ, etc. I mean all the jams I listened to in school--just like they advertise! They also play some present day hip hop, but they seem to play quite a bit of year-old hip hop...like the hits from last summer and fall. That's nice because that way I'm not all tired of the songs--it is like reminiscing. The best part--I've been listening to the station for about a week straight and it wasn't until yesterday that I heard repeat content--Me Myself and I, by De La Soul. In the grand scheme of things, that is a GREAT song to hear twice in one week. What a jam. I don't think there are any DJ's on this station. They just have content running and pre-recorded happy sounding people welcoming listeners to the new station. I like that.
It is about time Seattle got a station like this. I'm feeling so happy about having this station to add into my options list. The one downside is that it too has some spotty reception in certain areas. It can be static-y in places in Seattle, but clear as a bell in Issaquah. June 14 Are you there Blog? It's me, Gina.Yes, it has been weeks of neglect. I'm sorry. I just don't seem to have the time to dedicate to the blog anymore. There was a near death experience for you, oh dear blog (I just about deleted you last week), but this morning I find time for an update. Pretty much the same ol' hectic lifestyle the past 3+ weeks since I last updated. Crazy work schedule, training for my blue belt test, and hanging out with my man and dog. Mix in some friend time and that about sums up the past three weeks.
I can't believe it is mid-June. I love the month of June. When I was a kid, I liked June because it meant the end of the school year and my birthday. After becoming an adult and moving to Washington, I love June for other reasons including:
Seems unlikely that I will be able to update the blog very regularly for the foreseeable future. So thanks for your patience and don't give up on me. |
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