Another year, another book!

Considering this is technically the first post of the year (the last one was about a trial that occurred in 2011, so I count that as last year!), I was loathe to make it about the darn book -- But alas, I don't really have anything else to talk about at the moment, so the first post in the next book will be -- about the book! lol

Volume Two of our "blog-to-book" series is currently in production! I spent all day working on it yesterday and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Since I went with purple for Volume 1, I felt it was almost required to go with PINK for Volume 2. :o) Oh my, where will I go for Volume 3??

Despite having six fewer posts in 2011 than I did in 2010, this book actually ended up being 12 pages longer than the last (164 pages to 152)! I believe that's due to me taking a bazillion more pictures in the last year, though. You know, those ribbon pictures really add up! My posts from Championships were also epically long, so that more than made up for it, I guess.

I am finally almost through with reading Volume 1 and have only a handful of pages to go. It has been so much fun to look back on that first year and I am equally as excited to be able to sit down and read through our adventures of the last year. Again, if anyone else is interested in doing the same thing, be sure to head on over to blurb.com to make a book of your very own!

Being the first post of the new year, one is inclined to sit down and create some goals. If there is one thing I've ever really, truly sucked at it is having goals. I'm more inclined to just float all willy-nilly through life without a clearly defined path. While I am satisfied with where this has taken me (well, more or less), I do know that I'd probably be more successful if I sat down and actually came up with goals.

So here I sit, thinking.... I don't really HAVE any big goals for the year. Due to financial reasons, I can't really commit to or set a goal to attend any National events this year. NADAC Championships is going to be held in Utah this year, which is a 24 hour drive for us! I know I am not capable of that, so it is not even on my horizon for possible goals. And while we aren't competing in USDAA at this time, even their National event is out in Colorado, which isn't attainable, either.

That would bring us to local goals, then, I guess. Obviously a goal for Secret this year would be to get her first NATCH. She's really not all that far off from it at this point (the nine Chances Q's are going to be the hardest, obviously). Once we reach that goal I suppose I will have to reassess and see where we're at. I still would like to branch out and do other organizations with Secret, but I just don't see how feasible that is right now. It's hard to start from the beginning! And, well, Secret hasn't been on a teeter for a year now. Oh my.... How did I let that happen??

I would like to continue to increase Secret's speed at trials. The number I always have in my head is 6.0 yps. I would love for her to knock out Jumpers & Tunnelers courses at that speed, at the very least. We'll just keep plugging away at upping the speed & motivation factors. In a somewhat related vein, I would REALLY love for her to play at trials. We've come so far with regard to upping the value of toys at home, but Secret is still very much a foodie at trials. I would like to get her tugging more and not relying so much on treats in the trial environment. I feel this would be a large factor in getting more speed out of her as well.

On a personal level, I would really, really love to dig myself out of debt. Sadly, the only thing I can really cut out of my life is agility trials. :o( So.... I will probably end up doing fewer trials this year and traveling less. That is fairly depressing, considering how much I cut back last year. Oh well, you do what you have to do. I am still waiting for my sugar daddy to arrive -- if you find him, please send him my way! lol

Meanwhile, we are having record breaking temperatures here in Wisconsin -- and for once, it's to the GOOD side of the thermometer! Yesterday we actually hit 53 whopping degrees, but sadly I had to work at the shelter last night and couldn't set a course or otherwise take advantage of the nice weather. It looks pretty nice outside at the moment and we will be leaving shortly to go for a walk, so I look forward to soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the lovely winter we are having. It makes life so much less depressing to have sun & warmth this time of the year! I have hit the December entries of my first book and it was SO MISERABLE last year. I will take this weather any time, even if it does point to global warming. ;o)