Meet the Writing Team!

As you sit at home blissfully reading posts on The Art of Dressage, you may think that I am the only one slaving away to put together interesting reading material.  What you didn’t know is that The Art of Dressage (lets call it AOD for short) is not just myself, it takes an entire team to provide you with the perfect balance of educational information with the added  infusion of whit and humor.  That is what I strive for anyway.   I don’t want to write textbook any more than you want to read it. Tonight, I thought I would put up a post dedicated to the “whole” AOD team.

Other than myself, my husband can receive editorial credit on many of the articles posted.  Now…neither of us are professional editors, as I’m sure many of you have noticed.  We do the best we can and my hope is as long as you enjoy reading and understand my point, my job is done.  Most of the articles I go back and catch a few things, are ones he doesn’t get the chance to read.  Since all of my articles are sent to his email via the subscribe option, I hear about everyone of those mistakes.   I have taking a basic editing course to bone up my skills as a writer on my “to do” list some time in the future.  Maybe it will help you grammar gurus out there from cringing when you see me misuse a semicolon or something.

My husband refused to let me put up a picture of him.  Honestly, if I were in his shoes, I don’t think I would let him put up my photo either.  I will say… he is pretty darn cute and intelligent most importantly for his decision to marry me.

The rest of the team…

Cody in his usual spot. I always have to watch the wheels on my chair. If you put down your feet, he lays on them too.

Cody is the primary supervisor of all AOD activities.  Although he tends to do much of his supervising with his eyes closed, you always know he is watching and better not take too many coffee or facebook breaks.  Such breaks or slacker-like activities may be tolerated only if a cookie is awarded before taking part.  He is a benevolent supervisor easily won over by food. Wouldn’t it be nice if all supervisors were so gracious and easy to please. Cody was originally my husband’s dog who I have carefully over time stolen away from him.  Possibly it is the fact that he prefers a quite spot in an air conditioned house over taking his chances with the noise and shower of sparks he finds outdoors attempting to sit next to my husband’s welder.  I like to think it’s really my irresistible company that keeps him coming back each evening.

Maya serves AOD primarily in a supportive role.  She encourages insightful prose with the frequent hand or leg lick.  Her talents can be expanded to  include the occasional toy squeak. Amazingly enough she has been able to master such toy squeaking in a rhythm allowing maximum thought provoking on behalf of the writer to take place.  This is quite a feat from a canine lacking in opposable thumbs.  Possibly, I have decided she  could be rented out as a muse to “real” writers and make millions.  Nope.. I don’t think that will work.  I would miss her too much.

Cute Maya is always close by when I am writing. Ready to give a few licks of encouragement if needed.

Little Maya came to us a rescue dog who selected us to be her family a little over a year ago.  She was rescued from an owner who kept her chained in the yard and only fed her the occasional food scrap.  Personally, I think anyone that treats an animal like that should have the roles reversed for awhile to see how well THEY handle it.

When we first got her, she was very thin with a dull coat and quite terrified of most everyone, especially men.    I went to see her at the rescue place after passing over a face too cute to resist on petfinder.com.  Yes, another guilty pleasure of mine.  I beleive after Maya, the mini horse, and oh wait… and the goats, I am officially banned from the site by my husband.   What is funny is between the two of us, I think he is even softer than I am.   I met Maya at the rescue and watched amazed as the little, scruffy, thin dog,  gathered up  the courage to come over and lick my hand. That was all it took.. in the car and home with me she went.  I can’t even start to express in words what joy that sweet, fuzzy dog  has brought to our lives since her arrival.

Oh and by the way, after a few months of good food and a loving family she is gorgeous!

Now you have met the entire AOD team. Hopefully you can fully appreciate the group effort to keep this blog at its best.   I’m sure many of you have a team of your own at home.  They support us and love us unconditionally.  Who could ask for a better team than that!

Tags: Writing Team