'THOUGHTS FROM THE HEART OF ANNETTE MAZE"    How long have you been married? I have survived 30 years of marriage by knowing the best words for a marriage ... they are simply " Yes Dear, that's a great idea ..." Then in a few days he forgets and we have a happy marriage!! I tell folks that I married Mr. Maze back 30 years ago when I looked good naked and had resale value. Children: I am fortunate to have three adopted children ...Mark, Debbie and Cricket make the team work. I got so lucky because I have the greatest kids and no stretch marks! As for ages .... we are all old! What kind of work do you do? I work at a Goat Registry somewhat like ADGA, but not as big. We register meat goats for folks and provide the money to have scholarship programs for kids. Hobbies Well, certainly crafts ..all kinds, mostly those that can make goat stuff and the Internet, which I adore. To have the world just a click away is the greatest achievement since electricity! How long have you been in goats? Thirty years this Christmas will be my anniversary. Everett got me a goat for Christmas those many years ago and they have had my heart and my wallet ever since. A great great lady said once ....... The first year you have goats, from then on ... they have you. That is very true, don't you think? ( Editor's Note: YEP!) Why goats? Because they love you. They look for their treats and cry for you when they can't help themselves. They look to you to make their sick babies get up ... and we just can't tell them that they are gone. They need us almost as much as we need them. You cry when you loose them and your heart just bursts when the kids learn to run and fall over because they did not know they could actually run that fast ... and about a thousand reasons that have come up in 30 years.  Why did you run for ADGA director? Because I wanted to make a difference ... I tried to make a difference, but unfortunately my thoughts were unpopular to some. However, I wouldn't stop, I just kept on coming, and finally a few did listen and then more and more. It was worth all the hard work to make this Dairy Goat industry a true industry. That was important to let the public know that we are not a back yard farm, garbage eating bunch of kooks. Goat milk and meat were good and I was going to talk about it until someone actually listened. I made it onto national television and public speaking engagements. That's why I went to Washington. I worked for research dollars for Dairy goats, and why I stayed and fought all those years.  Why did you decide to become a judge?  Because I saw some judges make children cry...because I saw some judges do things that were not right. Because I wanted to make sure that the last person in line did not leave the ring with their head hanging , and because I just like people and love Dairy goats. It was a chance to visit folks all over the country and a chance to see more than just the road to Walmart. What do you like best about raising goats? I like the fresh goat milk in my frig. I like the smell of babies. I like to see the line of them coming in off the hill, and see who is first in line and know who is last and needs to be put up for kidding. I like the cheese cooking in my kitchen. I like to see who made the front page of the goat trade papers. I like to see the bucks prancing in the fall and the does dancing for them all. The anticipation of spring and the best of all, letting the new mothers and their twins into the big pasture for the first time., just all of them all at once. I sit for hours watching the spectacular antics! What would you like to see changed about ADGA? I want Bill Gates or somebody to come fix our computer. It has been the most distressing thing to me in all my life. Somebody surely has to know how to do it. Call Michael Dell, call somebody that can make it work! What would you like to see happen between ADGA and its members? I want everybody to know that they are actually on the same page. I judge in a state and everyone forever seems to be fighting. I get a chance to sit down with those folks one on one and and they are wonderful people. I just want them all to feel harmony and get on with the gift of raising goats. .And, of course, what do you think of the Sable issue? That answer is simple. ADGA just has to get a hold on its own expenses and computer problems before anyone can come on in. Sables, Nigerians, anybody. One must get their house in order to accept more work. ( my comment)Pro or con is not the issue, (Annette's reply) We have our own programs now in some strain because of the awful budget problems we are facing as an associations. Reasons why? That is my only reason. You do not have to go into that latter if you do not want to Thank you for that statement, but I do not avoid any questions. I have always felt if you want to know the answer ...ask the question .... Perhaps you could just state opinion on adding new breeds, problems you see ( Annette: I just did) whatever you want to share with us. What I really want to share with all of you is the absolute joy of Dairy goats. ( I also have meat goats, too) But, just sitting on my milk stand, the radio going in the background, the sound of the milk changing its tune as the bucket fills ...it is a song that can make you calm. It can make you realize that you really have a great life. It is a blessing to be on this side of the sidewalk and that it is a good thing. It makes a joyful sound as you sit there. It is a good thing we have this friendship with goats, this marvelous animal that we have been entrusted with. Enjoy them ...love them ...and quit fighting. It will make you old and sad. That's not what these Dairy goats are for ...truly you have to believe that it is for our personal goodness. Believe that and you will have a wonderful life. I surely have due to goats. I believe it with all my heart. Try it ...you will love the difference it makes in your life. "Don't let the start stop you!" All the very best and one great "Buck" to you all, Annette Maze (NON IMPORTANT PERSON ! ) (Editor's note) Annette Maze is a delightful person whose heartfelt feelings should make us all think. I think we should all feel honored to have Annette as not only great District director for her district, a hilarious, but very fair and competent judge, a dedicated advocate of the Goat, but as a truly wonderful and gracious person.)