Poor Horsey

Well, another Triple Crown season has come and still in my lifetime there's no winner of the elusive prize. For those that don't follow, Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby and was picked to win the next two races after his Secretariat-like performance at the Derby. Well, as you can see below (see the horse in the middle and in the back? look at the back right leg), his trip ended 200 yards after the start of the Preakness.

Horse racing is a family thing for us McKenzies. From Chris and Donivan's near death experience, to dad not putting his two bucks on the horse I picked -- like he said he would --its just something we used to do pretty regularly. Oh, that mess up by dad cost us a good $350. Yo Daddy. I'll never forget it. Although, part of me believes that dad just said he didn't bet and cashed in on my good fortune. :)

Anyway, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and the Belmont are the only horse races I make time to watch. Same goes with the Indy 500. They're just big enough events that I make a point to at least check out. Its just something my family did growing up. And until the past 3-5 years of watching Nascar consistently, we always made a point to watch the Daytona 500. So, I watched the Preakness and I saw that something was wrong with the horse before the announcers did, and it just made me feel for the poor horse. I mean, yeah, it's just an animal, and I wasn't in tears like the crowd was, but it did break my heart a little. I'd really like to see a Triple Crown winner in my lifetime, and seeing a Kentucky Derby live is on my list of things to do before I die.

On another note, I was pulled out of retirement to play softball with a group of friends from my old waiting tables gig. I'm the best player on the team, which isn't saying much considering I haven't done anything baseball/softball related in over three years. Needless to say, we got our asses kicked in both games, and I was running ragged trying to do all I could. I'll be sunburnt and sore tomorrow (more than I already am). Either I'm not active enough, or I'm getting to old. :-)

That's all I got for now. One more full week of work, then my vacation time hits. Can't wait.

So long dear friend

Today was the series finale of probably my favorite show of all time (to date), The West Wing. I have watched this show from the first episode. I remember I heard about it before it started up and it just sounded interesting, then I watched it and I was hooked. From the pediconferencing to the quick witty dialogue, it was not only mentally stimulating as far as content, but the production (always having been interested in that side of things) was just wonderful in and of itself.

7 seasons, 155 episodes later, it's all over. It was a fun ride, and there's always the reruns (which I watch religiously through the magic of TiVo and even though I know a lot of the lines, I will sit and recite with glee). Incidentally, other shows I watch are The Office, My Name is Earl, 24, Alias (almost over as well), The Amazing Race, Las Vegas, Family Guy and a few assorted others. Anyway, goodbye West Wing, and maybe someday, I'll be in Josh Lyman's shoes and be able to say to a junior congressman/woman, "The President does hold grugdes (puts on sunglasses with the capital in the background), that's what he pays me for." or "Victory is mine, victory is mine, great day in the morning, people, victory is mine. I drink from the keg of glory, Donna, bring me the finest muffins and bagels in all the land." Love it.

On my way back from Dallas this afternoon, I was listening to my handy-dandy XM Satellite Radio and there was a R.E.M. song that I hadn't heard before. I started thinking about songs and bands and the memories and people I associate them with. For instance, Chris always comes to mind when I hear R.E.M. or They Might Be Giants. Andrew, C.C.R. or Queen. The Rolling Stones and ZZ Top bring dad. Mom and the Beatles. Being from Oklahoma, I have the opportunity to still overhear Garth Brooks, which brings the ex-c (rhymes with bunt) to mind. I don't have any of those for my sisters-in-law just yet. But since I don't hear Butterfuly Kisses on any kind of basis, Bridget at her wedding doesn't normally come to mind :-p.

That said, I was listening to the 90s station for a while, and I tried to place a memory to every song that came on. Now, I should say that Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch's Good Vibrations didn't bring anything to mind, or Ace of Base's for that matter, but then that wouldn't be true. (Watching videos after getting home from school with Andrew, Ashley Hess and Kim Haskins, and talking to Jana Miller on the phone in 8th grade, respectively.) It got me thinking about the box of 150-200 CDs of mine out in the garage. If I go thru all of them, I could probably establish a pretty good soundtrack for the last 10 years of my life. I haven't yet because I might be embarrassed by some of the shit I actually enjoyed listening to back then. But to that, I say Post Hoc, Ergo Propeter Hoc.