So...I waited all night for it to cool off enough for me to get in a good hoop practice. 10:30 PM and it finally gets out of the 80's, the neighborhood is heading off to bed and I head out on to my back deck. I am quiet, I try not to bang my hoop even, and I listen to my iPod. I'm a respectful neighbor. But the neighbor's freaking Chihuahua barked his head off at me NON-STOP until I just had to go back inside.
I would give anything for a nice large air-conditioned space of my own! If only...
I would give anything for a nice large air-conditioned space of my own! If only...
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North Carolina
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Re: distractions and frustrations
Sun, September 9, 2007 - 8:07 PMHow frustrating! Have you looked into renting a studio? That's what I finally did after months of enduring the truck drivers honking at me, stepping in dog crap, listening to the bum fights, etc. at the park. Often studios have two different rates: one if you are renting to teach a class (make money) and another for rehearsal (no income). The rehearsal rate can be quite reasonable (as low as $11-$15 in the big city), especially if you are flexible with when you use the studio. I hesitated about spending the extra money on studio rental for a long time, but once I did it I wished that I'd done it sooner. It's totally worth it to have a quiet enclosed private space with nice even floors and no distractions. Try looking at local dance studios, yoga studios, martial arts studios, etc. Some gyms let you have access to their dance rooms when they aren't having classes too. -
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Re: distractions and frustrations
Mon, September 10, 2007 - 1:18 AMHmm, I did not know it could be that cheap! I may look into this when I go to the studio tomorrow to check about the hoop class I want to take. At least in class I will not have to deal with barking dogs! LOL -
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Re: distractions and frustrations
Mon, September 10, 2007 - 2:15 AMThrow a large lump of meat over the fence. That should keep the dog quiet for a while, especially if you wrap it in newspaper first and it has to get it out to eat it.
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Re: distractions and frustrations
Mon, October 8, 2007 - 6:42 PMI know this is a month later but...
You need to talk to your neighbors. That is just rude. My "pet peeve". =)~
My neighbor leaves his dog outside when they are gone. It barks incessantly
and they don't even know it because when they come home it's as happy
as can be. We have written letters to them and the HOA and it helps.
PLUS (here it comes) I have a chihuahua. They bark a lot to compensate for their
size and to protect their owners from...whatever. They just need to be trained
or kept inside. They will understand if trained lovingly and properly. (I love my dog!)
Talk to them.. -
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Re: distractions and frustrations
Mon, October 8, 2007 - 8:04 PMYou'll like this poem then Lucian. It's by Billy Collins, one of my favorite poets.
Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun In The House
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking.
He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark
that he barks every time they leave the house.
They must switch him on on their way out.
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking.
I close all the windows in the house
and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast
but I can still hear him muffled under the music,
barking, barking, barking,
and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra,
his head raised confidently as if Beethoven
had included a part for barking dog.
When the record finally ends he is still barking,
sitting there in the oboe section barking,
his eyes fixed on the conductor who is
entreating him with his baton.
while the other musicians listen in respectful
silence to the famous barking dog solo,
that endless coda that first established
Beethoven as an innovative genius.
- Billy Collins
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Re: distractions and frustrations
Mon, October 8, 2007 - 8:39 PMOMG! That is too funny!
"the famous barking dog solo"
thx
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Re: distractions and frustrations
Tue, October 9, 2007 - 5:44 AMThank you for sharing that, I hadn't read that particular poem by him, but Billy Collins is one of my favorites. I love hearing him read his own stuff. -
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Re: distractions and frustrations
Sun, November 25, 2007 - 1:27 PMyeah I know what you mean. I have space in my living room to practice, but I have a large family that uses that space as well, so I've started to stay after school and just take advantage of all that big space. I can use it even when there's some sort of team practicing in the gym cause the hallways are so big. If the weather's nice, try to find a field or open glen in the forest to practice in, just be sure that you're not tresspassing and ask to make sure it's ok with whoever owns the land. That's not a problem of course if you're in a park or something.
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