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Saphira77
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Name: Kelly
Country: United States
State: Kentucky
Metro: Lexington
Birthday: 7/17/1984
Gender: Female
Interests: dressage, sport pony, reading, writing, soccer, hockey, sleeping, design, and whatever floats my fancy that paticular moment.
Expertise: Writing, Design, in other words, I make things pretty and useful.
Occupation: Journalist.
Industry: Other
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
AIM:  tempichange717
MSN: tempichange@hotmail.com
Member Since:
12/28/2005
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| Uphill both ways
No one ever said sports were easy. Mine alone takes a life time and a few horses to master.
I've known several people to not only sacrifice their families, their time, but their bodies and most of their income on something they would never see a return for.
I've wished for a long time for certain things to happen, and now, they're slowly started to occur. Most of it is bridge building. But I'm still not satisfied. I want to begin training full-time again, five days a week up and going with a full string of three horses. I want my USDF medals. I want flexibility with my job and not be so reliant on a faceless corporation.
Slowly, this is happening. Slowly I'm building the bridge that will carry me into something I want and will spend the rest of my life doing. It's just frustratingly slow.
This week I spent outside of the arena, just going out and galloping. The weather had a huge part of it as well. Crisp weather, and open fields.
The open fields did the pony good, about four miles of slow galloping work a day probably got the 20x60 box temporarily out of her mind. Went back to the box today with some improved results. I also need to get back to wine blogging. Haven't done anything recently.
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| One more time with energy
Even though it's October down here, it's still 80 something degrees during the day, and 50 degrees in the evening. It's enough to drive a person nuts.
We debuted at second level this weekend at Meadowlake Equestrian Center. You can definitely see the drought effects on the land, the arenas had to be watered numerous times throughout the day and the grass was dead.
While the pony was fit enough, the heat, nor my fairly stressed back didn't do her any good. She didn't have enough energy the first day (complete with my top hat falling off...) and the second day she just didn't nail the mediums and was above the bit for a few of the simple changes. Even the pictures resonated the tightness and my nervousness. We came out with a pair of 55's and still managed to top the field of imported warmbloods.
It was a small show, ending at around 1pm for both days, and attracted the usual crowd of DQ's, wannabes and serious pros. I had enlightened company along who gave helpful suggestions and stated the obvious. But for the most part I need to ramp up the training if I'm going to get anywhere with the mares.
Despite 20/20 hindsite, I'm still proud of the pony.
And I'm disappointed with myself because I thought I had prepared her well enough for it. I thought the clouds would honestly part and this level would be a breeze. Two scores and bam... done with the entire thing and moving on to bigger and better items such as third level, piaffe and changes. The fun stuff.
But something just didn't click for this round. So, it's back to the drawing board for December's Snowbird.
Meanwhile I have a list of "stuff" I need for next season including:
- three new pairs of breeches (one white, two schooling)
- boots to show in
- one new show shirt
- bag to organise it all
- 3 farm polos to wear in clinics/business
For now, I want this week to be easy.
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| Yakitty Yak.
I played hookey from work today.
Not because I wanted to but because I damned well deserved it. Especially after Black Tuesday last week and being grilled on Monday. That and I have the LSAT in less than 48 hours.
To add insult to injury, my manager wanted me to work this weekend. Told him flat out no. Not for at least another two weeks.
The day was spent sleeping in to 7, spa day for the pony, complete with clipping her winter coat (she was unamused) out for next week (final show of the season!) and getting her shots (really unamused). Then off to the CDE for mimosas, porches and CDE. Topped it off with sandwich, beer and ben and jerries. It was a very relaxed day.
Tomorrow I get to hang out in academia land at UK and do lunch with the boy, oh yeah, sleep in more too.
But my day today isn't without highlights.
I'm making it no secret that I'm trying to escape from the Jungle before it goes into the cannibalizing mode of peak season. I've been there for a year now and I haven't progressed beyond the basic job specs. In fact, I've maxed out the job itself. I'm in the most tenured department, on top of being one of the top members of team and being in Quality Assurance (one of ten people in the entire building carrying out audits). Unless I stay there for about 5 years (ala Canadian's method, which is semi-successful at the moment) and have certain male anatomy with an military background, I'm not ever going to be considered for management. Despite degree(s), success
I've hit the glass ceiling.
I'm smart, able and I can run circles around 90 percent of current population. I'm worth more than current pay and I have low tolerance for what's occuring. I've put out feelers since last week and I've begun to get some small response from the crowd. I have my first interview next week. Will post an update.
Everyone else is fine, Sinari is preparing for her second level stuff for next week. Bella is working fabulously. And we're preparing for the freestyle debut with S, Dr. Who Soundtrack OST Series 3 and 4.
I'm just hoping I don't get any backlash from taking off...
Still need to pay car insurance.
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| These stones will shout
Since August 17th, I've been waking up at 5 and not going to bed until 9. The Jungle had instituted mandatory overtime, a feeble attempt to count its way out of the mess that others had created. While for the most part it has worked on a basic level, it still hasn't addressed the larger problem at hand. Corporate bureaucracy at its finest. It doesn't help that it's become a ex-army boys club.
The first two weeks were utter hell, I was back in Inventory, and the mind melt of counting just was horrendous. Came home crying a few times. I was thankfully redeemed and put back into my regular group which made the overtime much more bearable.
But because of the overtime, I haven't had time/brain function for updating unless it was necessary. My entire life has been the Jungle and horses. The house work has taken a dive (much to the dismay of the boy) and my articles have been thrown to the wayside.
I still feel half dead between social functions (two point five birthdays and a wedding).
The horses have become an interesting bunch, Sinari has popped her first, purposely done flying change, schooled half steps, and done more half pass work. The traverse and renverse has come along, but needs more angle. She was recently viewed by Poulin, and in short, I think I'll have a Grand Prix pony on my hands in a few years. We're incredibly pleased. But we, of course have what feels like an infinite amount of work that needs to be done. I think I have pictures from this weekend.
May is still very pregnant and I'm contemplating her future again. Everyone just loves her, and I would like to try to keep her around as a embryo recipiant when I do ET on Sinari. I've had a few people suggest I breed to a reining futurity horse for the next project. While I'm not a reiner by trade, I've been told that these crosses are hot now due to the money, with most of them selling in-utero. An added bonus would be a Kentucky-bred foal, it would qualify for all Breeder Incentive Fund dollars in addition to all the sweepstakes money for half arabians.
Bella is doing fabulous, also viewed by Poulin, she's ready to move forward in training, but needs more fitness and more of... everything.
I have several business ventures about ready to take place, and I can't wait to start them. I'm looking into options with the Jungle to accomodate the school schedule, but if push comes to shove-- I'm looking into more flexible positions elsewhere.
I also got to ride my first reiner ever. It was like sitting on a sports car with eight gears, sharp breaks and tight suspension. I already had a huge appreciation for those who ride the sport, but I wish my seat was as good as some of these guys. The reiners have also taught me a thing or two about the changes which should come in handy.
Would also like to say sorry in advance for those who have called and I haven't called/emailed/smoke signaled back. I know there's a pile of messages waiting to be answered-- and I'm sorry that I haven't gotten back, but I promise I'll touch base sometime in the coming week.
But right now, I'm happy.
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| Got no time
I'm in a love/hate relationship with fall nowadays.
Its been this way for quite sometime. Fall used to signify going back
to school, championship season time, the death knell of showing season,
the accumulation of the year's efforts, and the time where I could
begin to sigh with relief to begin some experimental projects that were
shelved over the summer.
And truth be told, I love fall for the most part. Colder weather,
color, the way certain smells come back, cold rain and worn jeans, it's
comfort at its best.
The hate comes from the current situation. Fall means winter. Winter
means holidays. It means peak season, it means the jungle box
corporation demands my body for what feels like an eternity. It also
means every rugrat is an walking black plague.
The job has also left a sour note in my mouth. They officially took me
off of QA and put me into rotation. I'm back in IC ("general
population" of the department), and I feel like hell. I learned this
week I have no future with this company. That, I indeed, am an
expendable number. I've already begun motions to escape.
It was only highlighted when the Kentuckian once again broke the shaky
truce when he didn't call labor day to let the Canadian and I know that
we didn't have to work. Normally I don't care, but I'm exhausted, I
could have used the sleep. Instead I was paid and sucked up four hours
in hell.
His excuse was the lame duck that broke the camel's back. While the
Canadian attempted to circumvent me snapping, a lack of sleep and just
utter anger over rode the choke hold. I ripped him what felt like a
deserving new one, unfortunately it was public and made things much
worse.
While I don't mind public reemings, I still need to remind myself I
still have to deal with this individual for another 11 months, as does
the Canadian. Manners, and apologies were firmly in check to appropriate
people. I now maintain a polite distance, per the boy's suggestion.
The begning of fall also means rain, which we've been sorely lacking. A
normal fall has rain at least once a week out here, and the grass is
usually a vibrant green well into November. Until two days ago-- it was
a deep fried brown.
Everything suffered from it, including the ponies, who soldiered on in
what felt like one of the hottest weeks to date. They were good this
week, and I wish I could say the same for me. I had repetitive brain
farts.
Fall means birthdays.
I have three of them I need to celebrate now. The boy's, the Canadian's and the boy's father.
I went through 2/3rds of them this weekend. Part of it unsuccessfully.
After eating with the boy, I became ill. At first I thought it was from
over eating, food poisoning or maybe drinking too much red wine, but
after pitching a fever of 100, nausea and suffering flu-ish conditions,
with some interesting sinus cavity upchucking, it was clear I was just
ill.
It was probably due from stress (which shot the immune system), lack of
sleep and a deep running depression. Probably compounded with every
child going back to school and their parents becoming walking germ
factories.
I didn't survive Saturday, I crawled out of bed long enough to make the
final presentation on a project, take care of the pony and then was
forcibly grounded to bed until Sunday morning.
But everything else is fine. This week is again busy, with next week
being busier (double booked clinic and wedding) and I fear sleep, will
once again be lacking. Plus need to get my ass in gear for school. | | |
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