Breeders Cup 2007

Well, it's over for another year with its attendant buzz and letdown. (Though getting free of the commercials will be good- 7 hours of the same ones at every break is a bit much.) Now starts the racing hibernation, at least for those of us not near a track, until next spring. It was 2 great days of racing despite the slop though there was a sad note in the Classic. I had already started mentally composing this entry with thanks that no injuries occurred but then in the last race the British superstar George Washington broke a leg and had to be put down. As a fan it's always hard but especially so when it happens on racing's big day.

Some highlights:

-I picked 5 winners which is good for me (I'm a better historian than handicapper). My winners were Mayfield, Indian Blessing, War Pass, Midnight Lute and Ginger Punch.

-The track announcer and official voice of the Breeders Cup, Trevor Denmen, always has a great call but the one for Indian Blessing was especially fun-as she romped he said, "pick up your feet you wanna catch me".

-I am always happy to see ESPN racing coverage as they prominantly feature my TV sports crush, Randy Moss (the commentator not the player), but Randy might have some competition now from Laffitt Pincay III who made his debut today as the Winner's Circle reporter. All I can say is hubba hubba.

Note to Self

I am writing this down so in the future, when speaking of a new pet that has just come into my life, I wait longer than 3 days to pass written judgement.

Meadow is actually crazy.

No, I don't really think she is mentally ill just really, really hyper. She's not much more than a baby herself and I think it has finally hit home to her that she no longer has kittens to be responsible for and so is enjoying a second kittenhood. I have never actually seen a cat do cartwheels or bounce off the wall literally but now I can testify it can happen.

Next time I will know better.

I Get the Message Already

Sometimes there's something around or in the air that everyone is talking about or that keeps popping up. Call it zeitgeist, whatever, it can act as a personal tipping point. It's like with recommendations. Tons of people tell you to read or watch something so it's on your list but then there is a particular comment that grabs you and moves that item from on the list to the top of the list.

So a few weeks ago a friend e-mailed how much he was looking forward to the new Edward Hopper exhibition in DC which was interesting in the way that learning which artist people admire can shed some light on them. Then the new Weakerthans record comes out and in the interviews for it John K. Sampson says what a Hopper fan he is and how the orginal intent for Reunion Tour was an entire concept record inspired by that artist. What actually made it on were 2 songs, "Light in an Empty Room" and "Night Windows" (of course if there were to be 2 pop songs inspired by Hopper they would be called "Light in an Empty Room" and "Night Windows") which are, of course, my two favorite songs on the album (so far at least).

Now I won't say it doesn't take a brick to fall on my head cause honestly sometimes it does take a brick to fall on my head but this time I get it. The clue phone is ringing with a call from the universe and I am answering it. For whatever reason I'm supposed to check out Hopper-I get it. I'm on it and heading to the library right now.

The Weakerthans-More Canadian Cool

The Weakerthans
October 24, 2007
The Magic Stick - Detroit

Of all the shows where I thought I might be thrown up upon the Weakerthans, with their dense lyrics (in the liner notes they are always printed as paragraphs) and complicated melodies (not really hummable in the traditional sense) wouldn't have even been in the top 10. But there we were standing and the guy just lost it. Through some complicated physics I don't quite get (blowback?) some got in my hair but it did not deter me from having a terrific time at this great show.

I had not seen them before and despite the recent lack of music in my life and my slow warmup to their new record Reunion Tour, their previous one Reconstruction Site was so amazing it would be hard to follow, it was just what I needed. We waited patiently through 2 opening acts-Jim Bryson (no relation to Peabo) a sort of one man band singer/songwriter with everything but those cymbals you play with your knees and Broken Social Club, who sounded like Mazzy Star if they had been discordant instead of languid. (Joe offered me a dollar to shout Mazzy Star during the quiet songs but I declined.)

Finally though it was time. With several band members' punk backgrounds the Weakerthans can totally rock as on my favorite "Our Retired Explorer (Dines with Michel Foucalt in Paris 1961)" which is fast then faster then faster still but they can also put over the slow ones as with "One Great City!" during which you could have heard a pin drop. And I don't know if it's the super loyal Canadian fans, who I have frequently written about before, but the crowd knew all the words which did make for some unusual sing a longs. I mean when everyone is singing along with "Thunder Road" it doesn't surprise but when everyone is singing along with "Plea from a Cat named Virtute" (which gets my vote for the best cat song ever) "I swear I'm gonna bite you hard/and taste your tinny blood/if you don't stop these self defeating lies you've been repeating/since the day you brought me home" well, that's another thing. And I was happy to be one of them.

I Wish I Was in New Jersey

This weekend is Breeders' Cup! Now I am a total carrot and stick girl (the editor's note in this month's Real Simple magazine talked about how she tried to think of things to be grateful for when she is first beginning her day and I was going to make fun till I realized I do the same except I think of things I am looking forward to) and am delighted that my favorite sporting event has rolled around again. Of course I love the Derby, being a Louisvillian it's in my blood, but the Breeder's Cup is like a whole day full of Derbies. And this year they have added 3 new races on Friday-the Filly & Mare Sprint, the Juvenile Turf and the Dirt Mile. Even more fun spread out over 2 days? It's a darn festival.

I am still doing my handicapping so picks will be forthcoming. Oh, how I wish I was in New Jersey!

Some Simple Advice

Now I realize that not everyone enjoys a good medical story like I do. Given their zeal(stereotypical I know) of sharing the most intimate medical details I will make a fabulous senior citizen when the time comes. I've already got the aches and pains. So I won't go full bore with this story except to say if someone comes at you with a needle in their hand and they are wearing scrubs on which Tweety Bird is dressed as a fairy-run.

New TV

Yes, I was a kid in the 70's and yes, I was a fan of "The Bionic Woman". I did not have the lunch box but did have the board game and I do clearly remember some sort of bionic game the kids in my neighborhood used to play. Despite my early fandom though I was not troubled by the new remake, in light of "Casino Royale" I was optimistic about recharging old faves. I mean the special effects had to be better right? We've come so far since 70's slo-mo speed (insert bionic noise here).

After few episodes I have to say.. it's just okay. The new bionic woman looks good and the new science explains a lot (I always wondered if you really had bionic legs wouldn't your spine just snap out of your back when you took a sharp turn?) but they don't really seem to be playing up the "La Femme Nikita" twist as much as they might. What I do like is the baddie bionic babe who first generation parts are breaking down, that's where the drama is so far.

The show I really like is "Life" which I only watched to check out "Deadwood's" Robin Weigert in a non Calamity Jane role. (That part is weird I gotta say.) It's pretty interesting so far, like he did in "Band of Brothers" Damien Lewis plays a character with a good heart stuck in a bad situation. I'm curious to see how it's all going to play out.

About Meadow

Well, so far the new cat has just been golden. She knows about scratching posts and litter boxes and though she has her claws I have yet to feel them. She's quiet but quick to purr, awake at night but not annoyingly so. She didn't know bathtub ping pong but was open to learning (note to self remove ping pong before showering). Though it sounds like damning her with faint praise she's just really a good girl.

My New Best Girl

She's a splashy black and white cat with enormous gold eyes. Her name is Meadow (it may not stand-too "Sopranos", too hippy dippy) and I adopted her today. She belonged to a mentally ill man whose sister works at my store. When his family had to commit him she inherited Meadow and (surprise!) Meadow's 5 new kittens. The little ones all found good homes and now Mom has too. We've both been through a bit of weather lately so hopefully we will be good for each other. I think we're off to a good start, she's taking a bath on the couch right now.

Good Hears

As I have written before I love to be read to. The following are some audio books worth checking out:

True Grit by Charles Portis (read by Donna Tartt)

I was intrigued by the reader on this one when I spied it on the shelf at the library. That Donna Tartt? Author of A Secret History? Yes, it is and she performs it beautifully. From her included audio essay it sounds like her whole family has been obsessed by the book since its 1968 publication and it shows in her performance. The listener gets the idea it's one she really loves and knows well. A Southerner herself, she has just the right accent too. I also agree with her answer to the question why doesn't True Grit get it's due as a classic like Huck Finn? Two words for you-John Wayne. His cinematic Rooster casts a long decidedly non literary shadow (not that the movie is a bad one mind you, it's just the usual story, not as good as the book) which has kept it off of required reading lists it rightfully belongs on. I had forgotten, much like with To Kill a Mockingbird, how funny the book is. Both female protaganists amuse with their stubborn singlemindedness and keen observances of others.

Montana 1948 by Larry Watson (read by Beau Bridges)

This novella was the Livingston County Reads! book last year but I never picked it up till I saw the audio at the library. That Bridges is a total pro does not surprise but this was such a perfect match of book and reader you wanted it to be longer though it was so well written you couldn't imagine anything had been left out. I think Watson's seemingly simple prose was just made to be read aloud.

Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessel (read by Emily Janice Card)

If you are allergic to whimsy you should stay far, far away from this book. Its hypersmart prodigies and cutesy arrangement (each chapter is named after and reflects the themes in a classic book) will only piss you off. If, however, you like cleverness and can remember enough high school hell to be empathetic you should give it a listen. Card reads it well, even bringing to life the many footnotes and voluminious index.

Hoyden Hints for the Suddenly Single

So the worst has happened and now you're alone. I offer the following coping devices. Mostly common sense, they are time and road tested.


-Take pleasure in your new space. There's a certain satisfaction in having your things where you want them. Take your time getting it right. Put out things that you like, comforting familiar things. Compared to other things yes, it is a small pleasure but one to be enjoyed nevertheless. Make your nest your own.

-Keep it neat. Your natural inclination may be to wallow in squalor. That's a perfectly natural feeling but you must resist it. Seeing an army of flies fly out of your mountain of unwashed dishes will only make you feel worse.

-Find your sanctuaries-those places that make you feel calm. They'll be different for each person-mine have included a lake, the library and the Humane Society. Figure out what yours are and use them religiously.

-Write a letter a day. E-mail and phone calls are great too but if it's true you have to write a letter to get a letter you gotta get writing-nothing cheers you up like real mail. I'm also a big believer in the power of the unsent letter because what's good to get out isn't always good to send.

-Let people help. They want to help, really. Hopefully, they'll just dive in without waiting for you to ask but if they don't or they're not offering what you need, ask. You'd do the same for them right?

-Choose your crutches wisely. Drink and drugs are not good crutches. Bad TV is fine. DVD box sets and pets are better.

-Take walks. Even if you're not a hiker it's good for you. Nature doesn't give a damn about your broken heart and sometimes that can be comforting.

-Do things for other people. I firmly believe that you are the most yourself when you are thinking the least about yourself and last thing you want to be thinking about now is you. It doesn't have to be an official volunteer gig but those do get something else on your calendar.

-Cook for yourself. It's sure easier to eat some oatmeal over the sink or bring something in again but don't. Make an actual meal and sit down and eat it. Or better yet, have a friend over and cook for them.

-If someone asks you to do something do it. You're not going to feel like doing anything so just make yes your answer. It might be painful or boring sometimes but it'll get you out of the house.

-Road trip! Sometimes getting the hell out of town is the best possible idea.


Most importantly, take it easy on yourself. You've been knocked down, it takes a bit to shake your head clear sometimes but it'll happen. Remember that.