Ups and Downs

I was adding up convention costs yesterday, trying to tie up transportation ends, when my transporter tells me she has no record of my confirmation e-mail.... I lost my convention transport. So I scrambled and found someone else, more expensive but just as good. Thanks Scott!

I'm not going to send ANY rabbits to show at convention. period. And I'm not going either. So now I have a $350 ticket in lingo... what to do with it.

This year has been pretty hard on me, I've been to a few shows and failed them all (I have not gotten a BOB all year), which is the first time in like, hell along time (5 or 6 yrs or more). I did pretty well at Nationals, so I bred 10 does for Convention, so all of those babies were non-purposeful since I'm not going now. The offspring I did get was amazing, so I don't regret that.

I haven't been able to sell rabbits. Period. I've culled more than I like to JUST because I can't sell. I realize culling IS essential, but not when it means dead-ending animals just because the economy blows (which is what I have blamed it on).

I don't have the money to invest in shows, when they are not beneficial finacially anymore. And I'm not in it for the money, DO NOT get me wrong, but I am a college student, and I have LOTS of bills to pay!

I have, considered, the possibility of selling out.

I cried last night for a few hours until my roomates came home, because it was very hard to consider. I have come SO far these past few years, creating a good line, having great rabbits and a hobby I truly enjoy! I became a registar because I eventually wanted to become a judge, and still do have that goal but maybe just not right now.

I have tried the herd reduction thing, and still... just not working. Granted I did manage to sell a couple for Convention... seniors too, but it still is just not enough. I will be updating my for sale page either today or tomorrow, visit it, and e-mail me if interested. Prices not as important as finding them good homes.

Week one complete!

Don't let anyone try to fool you that college is easy, because it's quite the opposite.

My first week back to college was stressful. Monday was my birthday and well, it didn't go all that great and I ended up going to bed early because I wasn't feeling well.

Tuesday was suicide. I have my first class at 8 am. I then have a 2 hour break where I can go home. But then I have to be back on campus at 11 for a 3 hour Bio lab. And, I really hated it because they "monitor" labs so you can't go at your own pace and get out early. It was really frustrating having to power-walk to my next class. My next class, was an Education class for my Agriculture Education minor. It is also, 3 hours long. I got out a little early since it was the first day, but that still left me running home, grabbing my keys and having an off-campus Steer A Year meeting in the nearby town. That alone was another three hours, so I didn't "land" until almost 10 pm. Every Tuesday will run like this.

Wednesday was short, but filled with work, readings and home work. Thursday was short, just a class and a two hour lab at the ranch, but I had errands to run and lots of stuff to do. So when I rolled out of bed this morning to go speak to a class, and then two hours of class, I was very excited to believe it was FRIDAY!

As far as the rabbits go, I really don't know how they are doing. I have plans of showing 4-6, I want to sell 2 but *if* I don't go, I'm not going to send those 2. That would leave me showing a SJB, BJB, SJD & a BJD. :)

As far as convention goes, yes, it is now less than a month away. I still have my ticket, which has gone un-changed so far and with only one week of school down, I can't say if I've made a decision. I had changed my mind and decided to go, and educational wise I could go now, taking less credits. And, monetarily, I could swing it. But, I should probably save my money, I just spend about $500 in books and still have two more months of rent, electricity, internet, groceries and gas to pay for. We'll see. Hopefully I would have made a decision by next week.... :(

I might go home next weekend, cull some more rabbits and make my convention entry "final".

Well...... Bring it on

So today is Sunday, the day before school starts.
And yes, Oregon university schools start at the end of September, we are weird, we know.

I start my 2nd year up here, I am almost a junior credit wise and I still don't know what I want to do with my college career.

I had an advising appointment on Friday with a different department, Agriculture Education. Where it sounded intriguing in May, it still stands in my "number one" career interest spot, so I'm just going to follow through with it. It's not a lot of extra work, just a few extra classes to fill the basic requirements and pre-licensure core.

In all of the years that I spent thinking 'what I would be when I grew up', becoming a teacher never occured to me, I never even considered it. But, I do realize, I love interacting with kids, and I love teaching, which is really the reason I became a 4-H leader! So I guess it's in me, its possible and it's within my reach. Here goes to the next four years!

Anyways, tomorrow is pretty easy, classes @ 9 and 10 am and a short Livestock Evaluation meeting at 3.

And.... It's my 20th birthday tomorrow, and I have to go to school... great eh? :)

Junior Selections

I love how 53 yielded babies, just 6 of them will make it to convention.

1 SJB - Matthew
1 SJD - Brianna
2 BJD's - Ashlyn & Lila (for sale)
2 BJB's - Henry & Money Maker (for sale)

I made some cull selections out of Kristie, Taylor and Melinda's litters.

I got rid of a SJB out of Taylors litter, a SJD & 2 SJB's out of Kristie's litter, and three from Melinda's litter.... I also got rid of Chestnut & Theodore's little broken doe, and Tessa and Kiah... I could not pose them at all and Henry is just so nice it wouldn't be advisable to keep a doe too.

After all of that... I am down to 29 (including babies). Several of those I will chuck when they get older and make my permanent selections and some of them are for sale. I am keeping just under 20 until the spring.

oye.

My Stockton report

Left Friday morning as early as possible, meeting up with a breeder in Sacramento.
I hate Sacramento... even the airport exit pissed me off. I am used to two lanes of freeway traffic; not eight. I am used to courteous polite people who drive the speed limit and use their directional signals.

Get into Stockton, head to the fairgrounds. It's an open barn. Puzzled on how they are going to cram in thousands of animals in there before the show starts in the morning I drove back towards my cousins's house to find out they are sick, so we find a hotel. Have to carry 3 big carriers upstairs. Wonderful.

Go out to dinner with my uncle and one of my cousins that weren't sick. Hit the bed, had to be up at 6.

Load the rabbits into the car and hurry to the fairgrounds. When I paid my entry to Rita I asked where to set up my reigistation stuff and she told me next to the raffle and there was an empty table there.

Mistake #1. Little did I know, that empty table was where they used to have the secretary's table. A simple line in the catalog noting that there was a change in location would have been nice. I had to tell about 200 people, and several of them youth, that no, I was not the secretary, I would not take their money and had to give them directions where the secretary's new table was. Now, if that happened a dozen times, I wouldn't have minded.... but it was really irratating and half the time I just left and went and talked with breeder friends.

Mistake #2. Putting all BIG entries in the "arena". Big entries mean lots of people, silly people so why cram a bunch of people in one square. I had troubles getting in there, so I became really agile and learned how to hop chain link fences while dodging all of Chris's carriers below.

Mistake #3. Leaving the lights on when its 103*F out. WHYYYYYY. Selling bottled water for $1.50.... im surprised they didn't charge tax too. No fans for the buns.... WTH. By the time it coooled off, we were leaving!

Mistake #4. Sitting next to the raffle table. Never again. People assume you are "in-charge" of the raffle and then to come out and ask you who's in charge.... I don't know lady!, I'm from Oregon! Not to mention, when they finally pull tickets for the raffle, just leave the area. I had a crapload of kids ON my table, affecting the work I was doing and deterring people from bringing animals to register. I could have doubled my work if it wasn't for that darned raffle.

Mistake #5. Having bathrooms that don't work and furthermore not supplying toilet paper or paper towels... or HAND SANITIZER for that matter.

Mistake #6. A lot of the above could have been avoided if the superintendant had given a 'welcome' message at the beginning of the show. A simple, here is this, the secretary's table is over there, or these breeds will be starting under these judges..... I would have been a wreck had I been a newbie exhibitor trying to find my way around....

There is more... I know it, I just can't think of it at the moment. Are there any positives? Sure, I made enough money to pay for this months rent, I got to see some of my family that were'nt sick and only got chased by one African American man... we made it through the bad part of town pretty safely. My uncle drove me through Stockton, telling me about all the buildings that have changed since I lived there, and took me up to the Port of Stockton and got to see a HUGE frieghter boat.

I come back with no pictures, the only pics I got were of family and the bunnies in the hotel really... I was driving so no I-5 memories.

Overall, it was a decent show. I've been to worse, but the Pacific Northwest puts on lots better shows and that's what I'll stick to from now on. :)

Stockton Results

The rabbit's end was excellent :)

Brianna AND Henry amazed me and took 4th in ALL 3 of their shows. Class sizes were 20-25, but with some DQ/Scratches/and Adds, I will wait till my show report... but other wise, big competitive classes :) Matthew took a 6th and 9th, I think I still might keep him, he's pretty typey, just lacking some development.

I got rid of 3. And I transported several to help with gas.

I got to breed one of my does, to Chris's buck "Techron".... who is just "jaw-dropping" beautiful. I will be getting his son at Convention who should work as my next herd buck.

I'm alive!

We have the internet temporarily hooked up... there's an issue with the wireless router so we have to share it and can only use it on one place... hopefully they'll have it fixed by the time I come back!

I'm going to leave for home tomorrow evening, or Thursday morning at latest. I have a lot to do, in far as getting rabbits ready and plan on who I'm bringing, washing clothes and packing.

But I'm ready for Stockton, now it looks more like a daunting task, but at the same time it does look fun. :) I'm excited to see my bunny friends and talk CONVENTION!

Speaking of convention, there is a lot of talk of trying to put one on in the NW Reporter. It's a lot easier said than done, and our DDirector just posted on the D1 web (link) a "surface" as to what goes on, to know what people would be getting into but also to put in some serious considerations for it.

Here to Stockton! Wishing for safe travels :)

Home sweet Home!

The Crescent City show went well. I can't say excellent but it wasn't a complete disaster.

Obnoxious took BOSB in two shows, to pick up her 3rd & 4th legs. I don't suppose I need to show her anymore, she proved her self by going on the show table after a big litter! Thedore took BOV in the 3rd show for his 3rd leg to Grand. Theodore has just lost his show gleam, so I'd like to get another litter from him and move him on. Matthew took 1st in all of his classes, but that big beefy senior buck was just too good to beat. Brianna, took 1st in 4/5 of her classes. And even a BOSB in Show C? I know BOSV for sure and I'm highly sure BOSB, so I'll wait for the show report to post that one. All judges RAVED over Rylee and especially Brianna and Matthew, and at only 3 months old to get those comments, I know my feelings are correct about them in sending them to Nationals.
LHHR's Swimmer went BOB in one of the shows and LHHR's Awesome Affair 'Jack' won BOV's and BOB in the Youth show, I don't know a total of legs these boys have won but it's up there. :) Congrats Lacey!

I sold two rabbits... lets just say this new breeder got an *especially* good deal, so I hope they realized it and appreciated it because I felt horrible about it. But that's two more holes down, and seniors I didn't have to cull.

Monday morning I headed back up to Corvallis. Traffic was good most of the way on Labor Day and started to clog just after Eugene. I transported a rabbit up there, and have some transports on my way back home next week.

Monday I just put stuff in the house and relaxed. Hung out with friends and watched a movie. Tuesday was entirely unpacking and organizing. The job would be SO much easier if I wasn't OCD, but when it comes to decorating and organizing 4 girls's stuff in an already small house, you have to look on the bright side and be OCD! Did some shopping and laundry.
Yesterday, I had an interview at 9am at the Dairy. There are 20 students applying for 3 positions, so just trying to be optimistic but will be job shopping again this afternoon. I really need a job, being a college kid trying to stay out of debt in this economy, let me say that again... IT's HARD and I had to be an idiot to even attempt to go to college right now. But I'm making it, and making the best of it.... so splitting expenses with 3 other girls is a GREAT idea... it helps with rent/electricity/internet and food. Sometimes we'll even split books if we have the same courses.

I plan on sending out my Stockton entry today, because I don't know when our internet will arrive. We ordered it yesterday and it takes 3-5 days to get here, so being positive, it *could* be here Friday, but more like Monday or Tuesday. I'm not going to show much, because I will be hopefully registering a lot and working on selling my animals. I think I will just be showing a trio of juniors. Brianna, Matt and either Money Maker or Lila. I can do DOS entries for the specialty, so I'm not too worried on that one.

Until Stockton.... :)

Well.... here's to the beginning

Here's to the beginning of "real" 09 show season, and heading back to college!

Tomorrow morning I head to Crescent City for a triple open on Saturday and a double open on Sunday. I hope the rabbits do okay, I'm more interested in selling though than placements!

Sunday evening I meet up with a breeder to transport a rabbit up to Corvallis. In this trip I'm packing up the remaining of my belongings, plus Roxy my house rabbit.

Monday morning I'm headed out for Corvallis for 10 days. I have a lot to do up there, and I should be rather busy moving in, job interviews, Steer A Year stuff and "pre-studying".

I don't know when I'll be getting the internet hooked back up, so I'll have a bunch of updates when I do!

Junior Love

Start the cuteness early -- LHHR's MS1 - Bkn Chinchilla Buck, 3 weeks
Lila - Bkn Chestnut Jr Doe (3 months)

Henry - Bkn Steel Jr. Buck (3 months)

Brianna - Chestnut Jr Doe (3 months)

Rylee - Chocolate Chestnut Jr Doe (4 months)

Matthew - Chestnut Jr Buck (3 months)