Well, it seems if you don't have a set work schedule, it can be difficult to get work if you apply with a puppy in tow. At least, that's what I'm concerned about. I went to an info session last week, two puppy training classes on Monday night, and an interview this morning, and have determined that as much as I do want to pursue raising a service dog, this is not the right time. As a freelancer, I've no idea where and for whom I'll be working in the next year, so I can't know that any editor I approach will be fine with me bringing a dog into his or her newsroom.
There is a chance, however, that if I can get myself on a schedule, I could get a puppy in a few months and just take jobs that I can either do from home or are in newsrooms where editors are happy to have me bring the puppy. It's do-able, but I'm going to wait till after Christmas and until this upcoming job I've got in Dec. and Jan. is over because I know that with this particular editor, at least, he's just not cool with me bringing the dog. Fair enough. Bit of a bummer, but I'll see where I'm at in another two months.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Fall Classic
Yesterday I ran the New Balance Fall Classic 10 km at UBC. It was cold. It was very cold. Some parts of the course were icy. I hadn't trained, so I didn't get a PR, though according to the organizers, I did. My elapsed time was 56:14 on the website, but I say that's bull since I timed myself and it took almost exactly 58 minutes to cross the finish. Not impressed with this race for several reasons, but mostly because the chip time clearly didn't work. That's what you pay for when you do an organized race -- official chip time. Well, that and the t-shirt, but they didn't have that in my size.
Definitely not planning to do this one again. The only good thing I can say about it is the money goes to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, so at least it's not a financial waste. And a run is a run is a run. So yeah, I got my excersize for the day.
Definitely not planning to do this one again. The only good thing I can say about it is the money goes to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, so at least it's not a financial waste. And a run is a run is a run. So yeah, I got my excersize for the day.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Puppy Love?
In less than a month, I could have an eight-week old golden labrador puppy wriggling in my arms, licking my face, peeing on me out of sheer excitement at being alive.
Tonight I went to an information session for the Pacific Assistance Dog Society (PADS) to find out how to become a puppy raiser. Turns out it's a lot of work and a lot of fun and they need people DESPERATELY to take a puppy home for a year right away. The litter is three or four weeks old, which means they've got to be matched with their handlers (puppy raisers) just before Christmas. Bad timing for most people, of course, especially me, actually, since my brother is getting married on New Year's Eve, but that's life.
I want one. I want one SO BADLY it hurts. They had two little 12-week old golden labs at the info session wearing their smart little yellow capes and they just made everyone smile. How could they not? They're the epitome of cute.
These dogs are super adorable, but they're also incredibly impressive, even at such a young age. They already know to come on command, lie down, and to stay quietly at their handlers' feet. They're also probably already worth about the same as my car.
A puppy handler (hopefully me, in a month) gets the dog at eight weeks and begins a 12 month journey of a 24-hour per day, seven day per week volunteer job that involves socializing the dog before it goes for formal training with professionals. There is nowhere these puppies cannot go: school, work, the mall, the movie theatre, restaurants, SkyTrain, ferries, hospitals, libraries, churches, concerts, Safeway, you name it. Handlers actually get to carry a card that officially states the Governor General gives them permission to take their puppies anywhere a disabled person would take their service dog. Which is everywhere. I love the idea of walking into Holt Renfrew with a big ol' lab!
But these dogs learn right from day one that when their yellow cape is on, they're working. No playing, no biting, no barking, no distractions. People should not pet these dogs and puppies. They shouldn't even ask if they can pet them. They're working. However, when the cape comes off, it's like Jekyll and Hyde and the dog becomes a regular goofball puppy again.
I love the idea of a dog being at my side all day, every day. Of course, I don't like the idea of having to give him to someone else after a year, but knowing it's not just anyone but someone who will make the best use of (and hopefully really love) the dog is well worth it. The challenge is huge, I suppose, but then again, anything worth doing is difficult.
When I was 13 I got a lab-cross puppy and she was inordinately destructive and took forever to be housebroken. But in the end, she turned out better than alright, and I wouldn't have passed up the chance to have a wonderful 12 years with Velvet. And despite the inevitable agony of having to say goodbye to another k-9 friend again, at least this time it won't be a permanent farewell, but a toast to the promising future of this well-socialized dog who will be starting a very important job with his or her ecstatic new owner.
So, fingers crossed, I'll be the proud new (temporary) owner of a little bundle of furry joy in a few weeks time.
Tonight I went to an information session for the Pacific Assistance Dog Society (PADS) to find out how to become a puppy raiser. Turns out it's a lot of work and a lot of fun and they need people DESPERATELY to take a puppy home for a year right away. The litter is three or four weeks old, which means they've got to be matched with their handlers (puppy raisers) just before Christmas. Bad timing for most people, of course, especially me, actually, since my brother is getting married on New Year's Eve, but that's life.
I want one. I want one SO BADLY it hurts. They had two little 12-week old golden labs at the info session wearing their smart little yellow capes and they just made everyone smile. How could they not? They're the epitome of cute.
These dogs are super adorable, but they're also incredibly impressive, even at such a young age. They already know to come on command, lie down, and to stay quietly at their handlers' feet. They're also probably already worth about the same as my car.
A puppy handler (hopefully me, in a month) gets the dog at eight weeks and begins a 12 month journey of a 24-hour per day, seven day per week volunteer job that involves socializing the dog before it goes for formal training with professionals. There is nowhere these puppies cannot go: school, work, the mall, the movie theatre, restaurants, SkyTrain, ferries, hospitals, libraries, churches, concerts, Safeway, you name it. Handlers actually get to carry a card that officially states the Governor General gives them permission to take their puppies anywhere a disabled person would take their service dog. Which is everywhere. I love the idea of walking into Holt Renfrew with a big ol' lab!
But these dogs learn right from day one that when their yellow cape is on, they're working. No playing, no biting, no barking, no distractions. People should not pet these dogs and puppies. They shouldn't even ask if they can pet them. They're working. However, when the cape comes off, it's like Jekyll and Hyde and the dog becomes a regular goofball puppy again.
I love the idea of a dog being at my side all day, every day. Of course, I don't like the idea of having to give him to someone else after a year, but knowing it's not just anyone but someone who will make the best use of (and hopefully really love) the dog is well worth it. The challenge is huge, I suppose, but then again, anything worth doing is difficult.
When I was 13 I got a lab-cross puppy and she was inordinately destructive and took forever to be housebroken. But in the end, she turned out better than alright, and I wouldn't have passed up the chance to have a wonderful 12 years with Velvet. And despite the inevitable agony of having to say goodbye to another k-9 friend again, at least this time it won't be a permanent farewell, but a toast to the promising future of this well-socialized dog who will be starting a very important job with his or her ecstatic new owner.
So, fingers crossed, I'll be the proud new (temporary) owner of a little bundle of furry joy in a few weeks time.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Snowball effect
It's raining and cold and I'm thinking I would love to just stay inside all day, but I know I should run. Not just because I need the exercise and the mental health boost, but because I've got less than two weeks to train for a 10 km race.
The thing is, I haven't run more than twice since I've been back from Alberta, and it's kind of a snowball effect when it comes to making or breaking a habit: If it's going well, then things keep getting better. Success builds on success. But every day that I put off running, it becomes that much more difficult to get myself out the door.
One thing I've discovered this year about running, however, is that not all is lost if I don't put on my runners for a few weeks (even months). If I get off track with training, it's still worth it to go for a jog around the block, even just to get some fresh air. And if I haven't been training, it's still worth entering races, because, so far, even races I haven't trained for have been good. And they give me a tangible goal to work towards.
Not just in a physical sense, but also in maintaining any kind of descipline, baby steps are never wasted. It's taken me ages to learn that lesson, because I'm stubborn and tend to want to chuck any progress I've made out the window as soon as it starts to go sideways. Hopefully I'm starting to see the error of my ways in always thinking of things in black or white, either-or, and am slowly coming to a more mature understanding of balance in all things.
So I haven't been running in more than a week, and I sure don't feel like it today, but I'm going to go anyway because I'll be happy I did when it's done. And then I can put another red dot on the calendar for today to mark my effort.
The thing is, I haven't run more than twice since I've been back from Alberta, and it's kind of a snowball effect when it comes to making or breaking a habit: If it's going well, then things keep getting better. Success builds on success. But every day that I put off running, it becomes that much more difficult to get myself out the door.
One thing I've discovered this year about running, however, is that not all is lost if I don't put on my runners for a few weeks (even months). If I get off track with training, it's still worth it to go for a jog around the block, even just to get some fresh air. And if I haven't been training, it's still worth entering races, because, so far, even races I haven't trained for have been good. And they give me a tangible goal to work towards.
Not just in a physical sense, but also in maintaining any kind of descipline, baby steps are never wasted. It's taken me ages to learn that lesson, because I'm stubborn and tend to want to chuck any progress I've made out the window as soon as it starts to go sideways. Hopefully I'm starting to see the error of my ways in always thinking of things in black or white, either-or, and am slowly coming to a more mature understanding of balance in all things.
So I haven't been running in more than a week, and I sure don't feel like it today, but I'm going to go anyway because I'll be happy I did when it's done. And then I can put another red dot on the calendar for today to mark my effort.
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