2 legit 2 quit

So I have been feeling a little low these past few rainy days - maybe it's been the lousy weather, the incessant runny puppy poo, the worn off novelty of having finished school, the missing of my newfound international friends, the days spent with nothing to do but watch the rain, hunt down long lost pals on facebook, watch pirated TV on You Tube and create new Malibu-based cocktails...
Anyhoo, needless to say, amidst my Googling, I researched so many theatre companies that all looked the same, that once again I started to feel hopeless about the future of professional theatre artists in Canada - true, bored, poor and free.
Then yesterday afternoon the sun decided to come out just as I decided to check a rarely visited e-mail account. In my inbox was an unexpected e-mail from the Canada Council for the Arts informing me that I had been selected to receive the JBC Watkins Award for Theatre! Wow!
Now, I don't know if this means that I'm now not eligible for the actual grant that I applied for, but Philippe's champagne was popped nontheless. Celebration was mandatory. How wonderful to feel, perhaps for the first time (and as Nick so aptly pointed out in the middle of his "proud of Cat" speech, lovingly applauded by the dogs), that I have been recognized and supported by the Canadian government as a legit artist. I think a big part of the proudish feeling comes from the fact that this is not an award you can simply apply or be nominated for (I looked into it months ago). No. Based on certain criteria, someone examined my grant application and said "this woman should get this prize," and others agreed. Wow!
The funniest thing is that just the night before, I was looking at the prize online and listing off all the reasons why I wouldn't or couldn't be selected for it.
Sometimes the weather is on your side.
Now, if only that puppy would start pooing on the grass...