Remember when you were a kid and you wore your [ballet tutu/soccer uniform/whatever] for a week straight? I'm doing that now with my new riding boots.

Except I'll be taking them off shortly because leather is painful before it's broken in.

The lady at the tack shop gave me an earful about caring for my boots and half-chaps and tack I don't even own yet. "When you start riding every day you'll need to do this and this before that and after this." Wait, what? I walked out of the store with a business card for the Central Texas Hunter Jumper Association feeling a little bit dazed and stressed about all of the work I had ahead of me.

No no. Nevermind. I'm taking lessons once or twice a week. I don't even have a leading rope or a brush to call my own. Stress: gone.

Why do people always expect all or nothing? In spring semester of 8th grade I asked my private lesson teacher for clarinet if I could switch my lesson day from Wednesdays to Tuesdays because I was going to be riding Monday/Wednesday/Friday. The next day during band class I had a letter sitting on my chair from her. She "really enjoyed teaching me" and "saw such potential in me," but she "could not continue our lessons if clarinet was not my top priority."

In retrospect, WHAT?!

I quit band after that year literally just to spite her.

I guess obsession loves company. Like when you are looking past the stomach ache to conquer that second round of cake/pie of the day, and your sister says "I'll do it if you do."

Something like that.