What a funny theory our dear friend, the anon.  HP, is espousing.  Don't
show, he says.  Hello!  He might as well be telling me 'don't have
ferrets'?
 
Sharing photos is going to give me the same thrill as attending a ferret
show?  I share my photos all the time.  HP, honey, it's NOT the same thing.
Not even close.  Do other contests?  Like what, fun matches where my ferret
runs through the same tube as 50 other ferrets, 45 of which I've never seen
before?  Costume contests?  Twenty minutes of struggle to get the ferret
into the costume while they fight tooth and toenail?  Now THAT is a real
stresser - for both me and the ferret!  I raise money for ferret shelters,
and while I enjoy this tremendously, I still find real ferret SHOWS to be
one of the greatest things about having my ferrets.
 
What?  You don't agree?  You think differently?  This is not a problem.
It's not a right/wrong kind of thing.  After all, if everyone found shows
to be as much fun as I do, the lines to get in would stretch around the
block.
 
As for choices, no, my ferrets have no choice but to go where I tote them.
Do I ask them if they want to go?  Of course?  Do they look happy when I
take them out of their carrier under my plane seat and tell them in a few
more hours we will be there?  Yep, they sure do.  They like being in
planes.  They like new things, new sights, new smells.  Am I risking their
lives?  Same answer as for anything else.  Every minute of every day.  Life
is a gamble any way you slice it.  You might as well have a little fun as
you go along, 'cause you just never know.  Do I worry about stress poops?
Yes, I do.  And while I'm at it, I also worry about my own internal system!
"Hey guys, how 'ya doin', how about you all take a little nappie, and I'll
sip this nice prune juice, and we'll all be just fine".
 
Ribbons?  You mean the ones I proudly have hanging on my cube walls at
work?  The things that remind me why I'm working?  Of course, the fact that
I used to manufacture award ribbons probably has something to do with my
sensitivity on the topic... My ferret's ribbons are treasures to me.  They
put their best feet forward, kept their teeth out of the judges arms, and
managed to look healthy, robust, clean and well cared for.  They put their
little hearts into winning me ribbons.  Even Welly, who came in 17th out of
20 in his color class!  His 17th place ribbon means just as much to me as
Kouri's specialty class trophy, or his championship ribbons.
 
One of the fun things about going to ferret shows is that you get to meet
all those great people you communicate with via this medium.  You get to
see some really tremendous ferrets, and to add to your 'ferret gear'.  If
you are one of those lucky people who didn't have to buy a plane ticket to
go to ferrets shows, you can even come home with a NEW FERRET.  That is not
an option I enjoy, since most planes limit pets to 2 in coach, 1 in first
class, and I take 2 with me.  Boy, does that sound whiny!  I get to fly,
and I can still find a way to whine!
 
Ok, so I'm nutty about ferret shows.  That's not all.  My ferrets also cook
and paint.  They LIKE to cook.  Being up on the counter, or having me sit
on the floor peeling things.  They think it's the cat's meow!  I must
admit, they are not all that excited about painting.  But hey, in this
house you learn to take the bad with the good.  Here, we take the slogan
'If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy' real serious.
 
Georgia - the show addicted one on the left coast...
[Posted in FML issue 3065]