The original title of this dispatch was Failings. But I just changed it to Successes because this is much more appropriate. I try my best, in my dispatches, to be upbeat and positive. I really don’t want to depress my readers. This isn’t in my job description. If my readers (all three of them) wish to be depressed, they can tune in to Fox News. No, depressing people is not my calling in life.

I wrote yesterday and today about small and large triumphs, defining and then giving examples of both. Jon Katz’s post really resonated with me. Sometimes we read things and they change our self-perspective. This was such an instance.

I have always considered myself to be a failure, my writing career being a good example of this. Daily, I read brilliantly written prose and about the successes of those with large readerships, Jon Katz included. This is not true of me. I write lackluster prose and have a small readership. My lifelong belief (acquired in the third grade and carried through to my adult years) is that I’m an okay writer, but not quite good enough for the big time.

And on the horse front – Raudi and I have not done all that well together if you consider ribbons and trophies and accolades to be a measure of a horse and rider’s accomplishments. Vickie and Hunar – those two are the local superstars.

Scratch the above paragraphs and begin anew. It really is the small triumphs that shape self-perception. For instance, tonight I’m going to be one of a threesome in what is going to be a very special reading. This going to take place at the Sutton library. Pete is going to do the introduction and talk about Red Horse Press. I will then talk some about memoir and point of view. We will have an intermission. I will then introduce Bill Schmidtkunz, who will read from his new book entitled Home.

This reading is indicative of a collective triumph. Pete has done an excellent jo of getting both books in print form. And I have done a good job in getting Raudi’s Story into written form and assisting Bill with content editing.

There would be no reading at all if Bill hadn’t taken the initiative and approached Nancy Bartells (Nancy Bar Bells, this is what we call her) about our Sutton reading.

As for things on the horse front – both clinics are FULL. I emailed Susan Harris and told her about this and she wrote back and said that since this clinic is going five days, that she’d give us a discount. I told Pete this, and he said that I should put the money saved towards a trip to Iceland. There I will do an internship. And I’m now making progress with Raudi – next week I’ll work with three instructors, on various things.

Things is happening. The above, second half of this dispatch shows how the very real positive negates the very real negative. Verily unto you all I proceed. And there but for the grace of dog go I.

Next: 155. 6/12/15: Triumphs