Let's give this a try

I have been suitably absent from blogging but I just got the blogger app on my phone (well, to clarify, I actually logged in today... I got it ages and ages ago)... So here I am giving it a try!

Creek Hollow Show

Smiley got five clean changes, Smiley got five clean changes, HURRAH! Actually, Smiley's changes have been pretty freaking awesome the last few weeks (his absolute weak point) since LJ rode him for a few days. I think LJ also really got through to me in explaining Smiley's changes and when he teaches me has changed the verbage he uses and it just clicks in my mind and makes Smiley's changes really simple. Apparently the half passes were quite good too...

Smiley did an awesome job at the Creek Hollow Ranch show in Ramona this past weekend. We got two 63% at 3-3 and had two really solid tests, with comments like "nice uphill horse" which pretty much made my month. Rene and I drove down in the range rover, hauling Smiley... managed to get lost a few times. LJ and Derick were far ahead of us.

Going to head over to the Flintridge show next weekend to hang with Kathy and help LJ and Rene get ready for the show. I am so glad I am not showing for once! I think it will be super fun to be able to sit back and relax, enjoy the show, and help some friends.

I need to head off to bed, but I am dragging my feet. I am so tired but... well... no excuses... bedtime...

Ooohhhh, I am SO excited. In just 14 1/2 hours, it will be SUMMER

YES!

:)

I am so excited. Now, I actually WILL miss class, but these last few weeks of craziness will not have me missing parts of it. I still have about a thousand earmarks to enter that should have already been done (oops). But my hope is that I can start blogging about my rides and horses and places I might go (let me give you a clue, it's probably going to be a big deal if I go to, say, Pasadena).

Venturo is doing really fantastically. Staying super relaxed and supple these days, and I can see improvements constantly in some form or another. He has changed *so* much in the last year, and all for the better. This consistent work with LJ style training has just completely done wonders for him.

Smiley had awesome changes today! We're getting ready to go to Ramona for the weekend with LJ and Sonnie and Rene and Royal (and Derick) to show 3-3 again. Excited to get in the ring again and to kick off the summer with a great show with some super people.

Memorial Day weekend: Look for LJ and Sonnie in the 4 yo class @ Flintridge. I'm not showing, but will be on hand all weekend to support TeamBanks.

Anything else new? Well, I cleaned my room today. It looked like an atomic bomb had exploded from me being gone and busy for so long. It's amazing what you can do when you're procrastinating (like writing this blog entry- imagine that!).

In other news, everywhere I go they are playing that song "Hey Soul Sister" by Train, and I cannot get enough it. Nor can I get enough of "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay.

Is there a better time to update your blog than when you are procrastinating?

Unfortunately, I was unable to accomplish this last night while writing my papers for International Organizations and Gender and Politics. Instead of further procrastinating by doing things unrelated to the task at hand, I decided to do things that were tangentially related, such as watching Ze Frank's video on procrastinating and complaining ("collaborating") with fellow classmates about our unfinished papers. Here's a shout out to everyone that wallowed with me- wouldn't have been possible without ya!

Spent some quiet time with Venturo this morning (not sure if this was just because my eyes were glazed over and I happened to be in his stall, but I digress) and it's such a beautiful day! Planning to ride this afternoon, will save up all energy to accomplish this task and then collapse at home. Now that I have a week to procrastinate until my next paper is due, I'm going to do something absolutely worthless tonight, like watch Big Love, or Twilight... or, who am I kidding? I'll probably catch up on the Daily Show and facebook. I even procrastinate quality procrastination!!!

Sadly, the days of procrastination are waning. Soon, there will be a long expanse of time that is undefined. Let's review what's on tap until then.

Tomorrow:
Dress rehearsal for research competition

Next week:
Disarmament paper
San Jose Research Competition

Week of 5/3:
Gender paper on literature
Comprehensive economic research paper on Hong Kong's role in global economy
CI Research Competition
Thurs- support TeamBanks @ Fiesta show

Week of 5/10-
FINALS
Paper due on news for Dr. Grove

Of course, interspersed would be finishing all my readings for the semester, riding full time, and a trip to San Jose (going to be leaving my baby Venturo for the first time in several months). I'm riding Smiley the next two days, then most of next week. I think we might go to Ramona for a horse show the weekend after finals, but I don't know... entries due May 1.

What do you think? Should we stay or should we go?

Getting ready for the CSU Research Competition

Started off the day with 50 jumping jacks in the kitchen... recommend doing them on ground level so you don't wake the whole house!!! Out of the house by 5:30 and on my horse by 6:50. Then, jumped in the car after taking care of Smiley and bounced up the freeway to grab a sandwich at home, sped off to CSUCI. Went to two classes, fascinating conversations on gendered images in the media and then documentary on genocide in Rwanda. Managed to insert my foot in my mouth after class. Ran over to Venturo- forgot my stirrup leathers @ LAEC. Borrowed Savannah's. Hopped on, had a fantastic ride. Seriously... is he the greatest horse or the greatest horse ever? :) I am so excited everyday to ride him and see the progress. I am learning so much from LJ and picking apart little things in my riding that make a big difference. Then I go and apply them and have this great balance of assistance and self discovery.

So, then Venturo had a bath... was not impressed with standing in the crossties at feeding time so he went back to his stall to munch. He's finally been gaining weight and is looking better and better. Dodged home for a little while, and then off to my LEAST favorite activity- the gym. Spent the evening talking with Melissa about our presentation at the San Jose research competition.

I think blanketing season is almost over... maybe a few more weeks? I am super excited for the end of blanketing season, because now it is too warm to blanket before dark, so I have to squeeze in at twilight (around 8) and get over there pretty early.

It's bedtime! Late late late... No idea what tomorrow will bring. Depends on who wins out...

My favorite lines in songs... to get me inspired and going! Can anyone guess what songs? No cheating!

Does that make me crazy? Does that make me crazy? Does that make me crazy? Possibly.

Hey now, you're an all star, get your game on, go play.

There's only two types of people in the world. Ones that entertain and the ones that observe.

Do you love me (I can really move)... now that I can dance

I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor... Don't bring me down!

Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you

There's a chance that we can make it so far, we start believing now that we can be who we are

You're the one I have decided, who's one of my kind... the way you move ain't fair you know... I'm so glad you have a one track mind like me, you gave my life direction, a game show love connection

Pay my respects to grace and virtue, give my condolences to good...they always did the best they could... and so long to devotion, you taught me everything I know

Let's get it started in here

Those kicks were fast as lightening, in fact it was a little bit frightening, but they fought with expert timing

Take a deep breath
No more time left
This is what I thought I wanted
Why am I afraid

This is what I want to be, Suddenly I see, why the hell it means so much to me

But just as I thought it was going alright, I found out I was wrong when I thought I was right, it's always the same, it's always a shame, that's all

Pre Show Day

Early mornings seem to be my new reality. Wheeee! Somehow I always end up with one of the first lessons of the day- in Burbank. Snaps! Smiley and I show tomorrow in the 3-3open - had a good schooling day today in the Equidome. He was a little tight in the beginning but loosened up quickly and we ran through all of the test- everything felt really good. For some reason I thought I rode in ring 3 tomorrow, but I ride in ring 4- that's the fun one with the signs on the wall! Yee Haw! I can't remember ever riding Smiley on that side, so that could be a fun one.

I ran into an old friend and fantastic vet from Alamo Pintado. Dr. Lindsay Brown was an intern @ APEMC and literally was an integral part of saving Smiley's life. She was in the surgery with him and sat up countless nights, monitoring him. She helped him recover post-op and was there every step of the way. She was so excited to see Smiley and I now have a vet in LA! Seriously, there are few people I can literally thank for saving my horse's life, and she is one of them. With her, Dr. Erin Byrne, and Dr. Mark Rick (the latter who did the surgery), Smiley would not be with us... and not taking names at third level!

Have all my tack cleaned for tomorrow- need to finish up my boots. Need to clip Smiley up and braid him tomorrow morning. Going to go work Venturo before I head to the show (another EARLY morning!)

There was a super fancy young horse at the show ridden by LJ Banks, Sonningkonig that had a beautiful and successful first test in the large oval. Look for her the rest of this weekend, and definitely with the blue neck ribbon around her neck in the future! She won her 4 year old class today with an 8.4+

TeamBanks has a big day of showing tomorrow. First at bat is Danielle with Niki's Great Gatsby (I think I'm reading for her), then LJ and Sonnie, Danielle and Gatsby, and Rene and Royal. Smiley goes last at 2:44 in the Equidome. I won't get to see the last three (before me) because they are right before I need to get on. So Good Luck guys!!!!

I'm off to bed now. Watching me some Big Love as I drift off...