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Last Saturday was the Dick Dalakian Memorial Sweepstakes Race, hosted by the JSSDRA. The mushers I usually train with were there, along with new folks from the surrounding states. I took photos at the event, since I wasn't competing. I also tried to soak up all the knowledge I could from everyone -- so much experience all in one place! I spoke to a few people about upcoming litters, so hopefully by next year, I'll have a pup to train.
Along with meeting mushers, Saturday offered the opportunity to look at a ton of dogs and several different rig styles. While the hound mixes and Alaskans are awesome athletes, I don't think they're what I want in a dog. I love the fluffy, show quality Siberians. I also really like the historic, racing-line Seppala Siberians. I foresee my future team being a mixture of the two. And Dexter, of course.
As for rigs, my little green cart will suffice for now. In the future, I can see myself splurging on an Outlaw rig, or a Greiner-Hahn rig, since the guy who makes them mushes with us. I better start saving now.
I'd like to take a moment to stop talking about nerdy, dog-related things for a little while. I've been thinking about the future a lot. I'm always meticulously planning every detail of everything, so it's no doubt the next few years hold a lot of expectations.
As of right now, my goal is to survive as a freelance designer and photographer. To get to that point, I need a solid resume and a killer portfolio. Working at my current job is building both these things. While the company itself isn't a household name, the brands I incorporate into my work are huge -- Nikon, Samsung, Canon, and Sony, for example.
The scary thing about freelancing is the uncertainty of it. What if I can't find work? My plan is to continue with full-time employment and do freelance on the side, then slowly wean myself off the full-time job. I could go part-time, then become a steady freelancer for the company, as well as taking on other jobs. Ultimately, I want to have more jobs available than I can accept.
I really just want to be my own boss. I like working on my own -- I'm a control freak and often find others to be unreliable. OK, so my people skills might need some work. I can work with others, as long as they're as motivated as I am.
I work best in unconventional ways. If I have a project, I might work on it for days at a time -- only stopping to sleep and eat. Breaking work up into 9-to-5 days doesn't always make sense, especially for artists. You wouldn't expect a painter to work every day from 9-to-5. They're in their studio when they feel like creating. Same goes for designers.
Vacations are also important. I don't like being told when I can take off. I'm not in school. This is my life, and in 60-something years, I'm going to die. Let me enjoy it while I can.
This rant sounds like I'm unhappy, and the truth is, I'm not. The work week flies by because I'm busy with holiday marketing material, and I enjoy doing it. But I don't want my life to simply fly by. It's already December! I want to savor every moment of this month, not to mention every month following.
I have an undeniable fear of growing up. I thought moving out would make me happy, but I honestly miss living with my family. Especially at Christmas time. I just want to shrink back to my 8-year-old self and play with my plastic dinosaurs in my backyard.
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