"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too."
~Samuel Butler, Notebooks, 1912
When I sit down at my piano with a pen and notepad, I banish Eddie from the house for fear of feeling inhibited in my "creative process." When I record an audition video, or just a video for fun, I go so far as to close all the windows in the house so that not even the neighbors or passers by can hear me. But of all the hours I spend experimenting, practicing, and making awful noises in my small music room, I have one audience member who is supportive, attentive, and constant. Joy, my dog. She patiently endures my out of tune screeching, repetitive mistakes, and frustrated yells. She was my comfort when Duchess passed away. She is my companion when I feel alone. She is my running partner, my traveling buddy, my amusement, and my friend. She is one of the few in the world that I can make a complete fool out of myself in front of and it's okay, because she does it right back.
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