Snowed In... Again!

2010 is proving to be the snowiest year on record, just in case you haven't noticed! Northeast Ohio got hit last night for the third time; Old Man Winter must have some bad karma on us. Or is it good karma?

There are some definite pros to having two feet of snow on the ground. It's certainly prettier to look at and live with than two feet of rain - no mud or flooded basements! We have gigantic icicles hanging from the roof that are on the verge of turning into a solid ice wall, rather decorative. Trees are weighted down with the stuff, and no longer look so barren. As I've been saying for almost two years now, happiness in winter is a Nordic dog! Xavier and I take off running through the white landscape at least once a day. Well, I try painfully to run, and he just does the kangaroo hop! When he's in the kennel run, he has to make at least three snow angels. He's finally decided to keep a longer winter coat - less shedding in the house.

As for the cons? Driving is a nightmare. Nancy gave us the day off today, which means I won't be grooming until Thursday. Those icicles are at the right height where I can smack my head right into them!

Seems like there's a lot more good that the snow brought than bad. I'd say the cons are frustrations, but they'll soon pass, once the roads are clear again. After that, I'll be grooming, playing with Xavier, and enjoying hot chocolate at the end of a fulfilling day.

Most people I know can't stand the snow in the least. If there's such a thing as past lives, I'd be willing to bet I was a Viking!

Down and Back Up Again

Well, I called it when I said there would be a battle of the salons. It all belonged to me, however, and I decided that a high-volume environment is not right for me. Perhaps I'll be able to achieve that someday, but I still prefer to work a little more closely with the dogs. Don't get me wrong, my former salon does a fine job, and part of it is because the routine they have is genuinely theirs; they've refined it for over a decade, and have it down to a T. For a newcomer like me, it just isn't in the cards.

The other salon, although slower, is looking promising. Ran by a good friend of mine, it's an environment that I can readily adapt to, and also where I can really hone and fine-tune my skills. Efficiency really is everything, and it's an area that is currently under construction for me. Even though it's the slow season, I'm using it to my advantage; a low volume of dogs means more time for me to develop a finer eye for detail and better dexterity with my tools. Needless to say, I'm excited to see how far I go in the coming months!

Working in a high-volume environment was uncomfortable for me at this stage. It was like the foot I had in the door of grooming got slammed hard. For this opportunity, I just stuck my other foot right back in! Now it's time to wriggle myself the rest of the way!

We Are Tired!

Xavier and I are currently on the verge of passing out. This late at night, we engage in one of our favorite pastimes: curling up and watching King of the Hill together!

I realize it's been a while since my last entry. Since then, I've picked up two jobs at two different salons! One of them is very high-volume, and the other one is rather slow this time of year. I have a feeling that there might be a battle over where I stay, but I'd like to keep both. One will help me focus on speed--especially for baths--and the other will help my accuracy, as I might get to do a little more of the grooming there. Between the two, I have a lot of valuable information to obtain. Hot topics right now include snap-on combs, stripping out dead coat with something other than the Furminator, and re-learning a few patterns that are more "correct" for their breeds.

Tomorrow is going to be exhausting, as I'll be focusing primarily on speed bathing. It's definitely a subject I need to work on, but then again, what isn't right now? I take it all as a learning experience. It's like I said in class one day, "I'm willing to try what might come down the pike, and I'll only dismiss something if I KNOW it's stupid!" Hehe. Good times.

Also, Xavier's birthday was yesterday. He turned five, as far as we know. He got Buddy Biscuits, Evo treats, and a giant beef shank. Let's just say that after all that overindulgence, he paid for it this afternoon - whoops! Luckily, he's easy to put back on his normal digestive track. A little rice with his food works wonders - thanks to this advice from my vet, he has spring in his step again. Good thing birthdays only come once a year!

OK, time for King of the Hill!

Stir Crazy!!

So what's been going on now that I'm a grad? Well... not much, actually. I'm in the balance of possibly working at two salons. I won't know for sure until my interview on Saturday. More details to come.

Right now, however, I feel like I haven't styled a Schnauzer or scrubbed a Sheltie in ages! Xavier is going for his bath tomorrow; an afternoon of de-shedding is always fun! I miss working on 4 to 5 dogs a day though. Maybe that means I'm ready for a high-volume salon?

All I want to do is groom. It's coming in due time, but I'm definitely feeling stir crazy. Since I don't have access to dozens of doggies, I'm just listening to Michael Franti's All Rebel Rockers... although that's not really helping any. Now I just want to dance! Hehe!

Back Home/Merry Christmas to All!

It's hard to believe that my time at the Nash Academy has come to a close, already! Graduation was short, but sweet. It was kind of funny at the end when I said I had something to say, and everyone thought I was going to burn some bridges, when all I really wanted to say was that there would always be another dog show, haha! Guess I can be a little tactless sometimes...

It kind of sucks that Sunny and I had to leave now, when we were all getting so close. People are so funny. We form bonds with others, even despite the fact that we have different mindsets, knowing that said bonds must be at least temporarily broken at some point. This will make for an even more rockin' awesome Groom Expo 2010 though, as Debra said they try to have a mini-reunion. I'm already looking forward to it... yes, even more than before!

Hopefully everyone had a nice little Christmas like mine, or better! This year I bought presents for all the family's dogs. Two of them--Nylabones--are already long gone. Apple biscuits will be next, unless my aunt's Pitty mix decides to chew her new Kong extreme into pieces!

Xavier got a little karate dog plush (which he adores, go figure, hehe!), chicken-flavor cookies, Snooks, venison dinner, a Milk Bone chew buddy, and liver snaps. So far I've noticed that when a dog opens up a present, I feel like they share the same joy that a little kid does. Who doesn't like to receive at this time of year?

I wonder, if you have a really awesome dream, does that mean you've treated yourself with a little Christmas gift? Hehe. I looked in a dream book earlier and put all of the elements together. If all the things in my dream play out--compassion (presence of a hero), good fortune (inside a church), and contentment (memorial service)--then 2010 is going to be amazing!

Now that I'm done with school, it's time to go for that reach. I have my Excel worksheet to track my finances ready to go. Will I reach Intergroom or Animal Behavior Associates first? Only time will tell. Now all I need is some income. Job search is starting as soon as the car is back in working order--go figure it dies after I get home! Stay tuned!

Winding Down to the End...

...and what a week it's been.

Dogs are coming in nonstop, and I've learned more lessons, both about dogs and people. Never again will I finish a groom for a sick dog just because mommy didn't want to come back later. When you expect the unexpected, you'll be better prepared when a bombshell (or bombshells, for that matter) gets dropped. Once an image is sullied, it's darn near impossible to restore it exactly the way it was. And above all? People who come from different schools of thought can indeed become excellent friends, and friends need to stick together.

Everything is too much detail for me to go back into, plus I'd rather put most of this week (and apparently other days) behind me. The perspective has done an almost 180 degrees, but my eyes are still on the prize. Not to mention that I now have a greater obligation to carry on a legacy, as we lost John Nash on Thrusday of last week. There are those of us who will join me in taking up this task, and there are those who won't. The choices are already made; I'm not here to dispute them, but make my stand. Here's to my fellow classmates who will carry the luminous torch of the grooming industry - kudos to you! /cheers

Their strength is one thing that has kept me going for this homestretch, but I was reminded last night that I still have muses of the four-legged and two-legged variety who add to it exponentially. Sometimes it's so easy to get wrapped up in tense moments and frustration, but I've gathered up that strength and inspiration, and I'm taking them with me. Maybe I'll keep it all in my pocket? Hehe!

It's crunch time now. I'm here for the dogs!

I'm Glad I Stayed

So far this extra week has been nuts, and it's only going to get wilder from here on out! With thirty dogs coming in tomorrow, looks like it's going to be an early morning as well!

It's amazing how much I've already learned in the past few days. Here's a list of things that I would've missed out on, had I said I wasn't sticking around:

-I rock Bichon heads, haha!
-White Scotties and nail polish just go together!
-Hold the paw low and out of the way if the dog is being a noodge for nails.
-Sometimes it's best to just get through the mats with a #10 blade, but don't forget that the owners might be in a bind themselves!
-Even if you think you have people figured out, things still aren't always as they seem. Let them in, you may end up surprised.
-Hesitating to schedule a Schnoodle for a groom (try three months) will result in ears that closely resemble an enchanted forest - what I thought ear plucking was REALLY like!
-Sometimes a dog will unload everything they have at you. Never say that they're empty!
-Cockers can be jumpy as anything - ALWAYS one hand on the dog!!
-White Schnauzers still rock.
-A thinning shear swap (from 5-star to T-series) is a wonderful thing.

To elaborate a little more on those last two--as the others are fairly self-explanatory--my classmate Dianne got a surprise over the weekend when her husband called and said that she had a new puppy! Hannah, as she is currently named, is a baby white Schnauzer who is coming to live with them and their Great Dane very soon. Dianne is trying to come up with a nice German name; so far I like Hilde.

Dianne also ordered a pair of 5-star thinners from Kenchii; they were back ordered, so she received the T-series thinners (an upgrade) instead. She offered them to me in exchange for my 5-star thinners. Like I said, upgrading is a wonderful thing!

I'd love to close this entry in saying that all is smooth and wonderful down here. However, these next few coming days will be very hard for the school, and I'm not talking about all the dogs. Everyone, please keep us and the Nashes in your thoughts.