The Kentucky Derby Field Part 1

Here's the first half of the full field - the second half will come tomorrow. The notes are as follows: Horse's name, odds; second line is Post Position, Jockey, Trainer.

Cool Coal Man 20-1
PP1 Julien Leparoux Nick Zito

This son of former Horse of the Year Mineshaft and grandson of amazing sire AP Indy should have the pedigree and class to go the distance, and he’s got a few races under his saddle cloth to show for it. His last race wasn’t great – he finished ninth in the Blue Grass ahead of Pyro but behind winner Monba – maybe due to not liking the synthetic surface. Prior to that he won the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream by hanging off the pace. He’s already won an allowance over the Churchill Downs track, but it was an allowance. The post position shouldn’t hurt him, and he beat quite a few of these other horses in the Fountain of Youth, so with his pedigree, connections, jockey and history, he’s a real threat.

Tale of Ekati 15-1
PP2 Eibar Coa Barclay Tagg

The Louisiana Derby – won by Pyro – was his 2008 debut. He started out dead last after a bad break and ended up sixth, not showing much at all. He settled into fourth at the start of the Wood Memorial behind the front-running War Pass, then moved up into second, challenging the hard-running War Pass and winning at the wire by a nose. Those were his only two starts this year. He’s got a lovely pedigree, descended from such greats as Storm Cat and Sunday Silence, but I haven’t seen enough to be sure he can beat 19 other horses in the Derby, despite his nice Wood Memorial win.

Anak Nakal 30-1
PP3 Rafael Bejarano Nick Zito

By the Derby runner-up and Belmont winner Victory Gallop, Anak Nakal has the pedigree to go the distance, and he had a nice career at 2, but he’s never quite impressed at 3. Trained by powerhouse Nick Zito, he won the Kentucky Jockey Club last November and has failed to finish in the money since then. He was nowhere to be seen in the Fountain of Youth and finished eighth. He had a poor effort in the Rebel too, finishing 7^th and casting doubt on his three-year-old ability. In the Wood Memorial, he finished fifth. He’s never really showed us he can handle a race like the Derby and win it.

Court Vision 20-1
PP4 Garrett Gomez Bill Mott

Two thirds in two starts this year – in the Fountain of Youth and later the Wood Memorial – mean this strong closer isn’t getting as close as he needs to mount his finishing charge. Trainer Bill Mott is putting him in blinkers, and based on reports of strong yet relaxed workouts from trackside experts this week, I think we haven’t seen his best. His pedigree says he can do the distance, but he’s got to get it together and charge hard. To his benefit, Mott says this horse can be on the rail, out wide, it doesn’t much matter. Being flexible will serve him well in the chaos of Derby day. On top of that he has jockey Garrett Gomez aboard, the nation’s leading rider last year. Neither one has a Derby win – yet.

Eight Belles 20-1
PP5 Gabriel Saez Larry Jones

This is the race’s lone filly – a large dark roan with a multi-hued tail who is starting to remind a lot of people of another big roan filly – 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors. She’s won her last four starts by a combined 30-plus lengths and she’s undefeated in 2008. Plus, she has nine races under her saddlecloth, so she’s experienced, and experience is helpful when dealing with bumping, noise and general chaos on Derby Day. She’s working out great this week, she has an impressive pedigree as a daughter of Unbridled Song, and she likes to sit off the pace. In short, she’s in peak condition for a Derby win. Trainer Larry Jones, who you may remember had last year’s Hard Spun, likes the girls to run against the girls and the boys to run against the boys, but he likes her so much, he’s willing to ignore that. Only three fillies have done it – besides Winning Colors there were Regret and Genuine Risk, but so far Eight Belles looks like she could be the fourth.

Z Fortune 15-1
PP6 Robby Albarado Steve Asmussen

Not to be confused with Z Humor, Z Fortune’s only win this year was in the Lecomte in January, but he’s behaved respectably since then. He’s been second in the Risen Star behind the hard-charging Pyro, and second in the Arkansas Derby, but then there’s the fifth in the Rebel. He’s got great connections in star trainer Steve Asmussen and star jockey Robby Albarado, and he likes to lay close to the lead, which should hopefully keep him out of traffic trouble. His trainer is concerned though that he’ll bounce in this race, since his last race was a tough one – meaning, he’ll have a poor effort. He’s not working out as well as some of the other horses, but he looks well muscled and took his paddock schooling lesson this week like a pro. I’d be surprised if he got up to win it all, since this is his first Grade One test, but I don’t think he’ll embarrass himself either.

Big Truck 50-1
PP7 Javier Castellano Barclay Tagg

The longest priced shot on the board is coming off a clunker in the Blue Grass, where he finished 11^th – might have been the synthetic surface. Prior to that he’d done well enough – a close second in the Sam F Davis and a win in the Tampa Bay Derby. What I’m hearing is that he takes a while to get into stride, so the longer distance could be more to his liking than some of the other horses. He just hasn’t done enough to gather a lot of attention. His pedigree isn’t spectacular, although he does have Derby winner Go for Gin on his dam’s side. Still, his sire was a sprinter, and one of two things will happen with Big Truck – he’ll finally hit his stride JUST in time to make a difference in the race, or he’ll find a mile and a quarter just too far. I wouldn’t bet money on him to win, but the Daily Racing Form says you might consider him for a trifecta or superfecta.

Visionaire 20-1
PP8 Jose Lezcano Michael Matz

This late runner is trained by Michael Matz, trainer of the late Barbaro, so you know he’s in good hands. His fifth in the Blue Grass was his most recent start; prior to that this year he won the Gotham and came in third in the Risen Star – there was no way anybody was going to beat Pyro in that race. The Gotham is hard to handicap, though, considering the heavy fog that caused the track announcer to finally just say, “The three-year-olds have disappeared,” and when they reappeared, Visionaire was nipping Texas Wildcatter at the wire. The big question with him is distance – does he have the ability to handle a mile and a quarter? His workouts are pretty awful, so I’m hearing, so they’re not worth banking on. I do hear however that if the track comes up sloppy, he’s the horse to bet on, as his win in the Gotham was in the slop. I don’t dislike him, I’m just concerned that as a deep closer, he’s going to get caught in traffic. If he can get clear and the leaders tire, he might make you some money.

Pyro 8-1
PP9 Shawn Bridgmohan Steve Asmussen

Pyro was the golden boy of the set after War Pass defected due to an injury – and then he stunk it up in the Toyota Blue Grass at beautiful Keeneland, finishing tenth on the synthetic surface. He’d turned on some heavy afterburners prior to that in the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby – both on dirt. He likes to sit off the pace and then hit the gas, so he remains a legitimate threat, and I’m just as happy to throw out the Blue Grass. He looks great, according to trackside reports, and he’s working out very well. He’s also got trainer Steve Asmussen behind him, and Steve is racing’s latest training star. A soft-spoken bearded man, Steve knows talent – he trained last year’s Horse of the Year Curlin, after all. Don’t let all the naysayers talk you out of this horse – I still like him and I still think he’s got things to show us – as long as he stays on dirt.

Colonel John 4-1

PP10 Rafael Bejarano Eion Harty

The class of the West Coast, this son of two-time Breeders Cup Classic winner Tiznow has won four of six races and never finished worse than second. The big question is, is he just a synthetic surface horse? Three of those wins have come at Santa Anita, which is a synthetic surface, like most California surfaces. That includes the Santa Anita Derby. Colonel John likes to sit just off the pace and he’s run well in his races this year. There’s a lot to like about this talented horse, the question just remains, can he handle regular dirt tracks? The buzz is he can and his workouts say that too. I like him a lot. His works have been fast, he looks great, and he’s starting to get a lot of attention.

Meet My Buddy Earl

Earl likes the seed I put out for the birds, and he's been coming by regularly to sample whatever they leave behind. He's out there right now, as a matter of fact. If there isn't enough seed on the ground in the tray, he crawls around like an acrobat to get into the feeder itself.

I think the reason he's so fat may be my fault.

I Am a Slacker

I've been reminded I have been terrible about updating this blog - only it was said a lot nicer than that, that's just me admitting my slackerness. Maybe I should have made that one of my goals for the year - keep up with my blog! I have a second, more specialized, blog, and I've been working on that one for a while. When it rains it pours though; I'll start posting and then post a LOT in a short time.

Things have been crazy - weddings, accidents, relationship drama (none of it mine), friendship drama (some of it mine), writing, scrapbooking, television - I don't know where my time goes, but I have to say, if I was in a relationship I don't know how I'd fit it in!! Plus I've been keeping up with a lot of podcasts on TV and entertainment, and car racing, and horse racing, and who knows what else. That's not an excuse for being a slacker - it's just my lame explanation for not posting lately. I know I have one reader still! Thanks for being so dedicated, Heather!! hee hee

On an up note, the weather is spectacular - but I know it won't last - and gas prices are horrific - and I KNOW they're going to last. Guess you can't have it all, can you? :-D

Partial Movie Review for 'Hitchhiker's'

I was fully intent upon writing a review for "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", which I recently taped off Sci-Fi. But upon watching it I came to the conclusion that I really shouldn't.

I just don't get it.

I don't get the big deal over Douglas Adams' seminal work. I find it only vaguely witty but mostly disturbing - and I have read it, although that was years ago. I know a lot of people find it almost a religious experience. Me, I just don't. I don't get it at all.

So writing a movie review seems a little silly.

I realize this is a form of British humor, and while I appreciate some British humor, sometimes it has to grow on me. (I prefer the murder mystery, myself. The British mysteries are among the best anywhere.) I felt that way about Monty Python, which did grow on me after time. But Hitchhiker's generally hasn't.

I will say that Sam Rockwell has a hilarious time as Zaphod Beeblebrox, and it's really odd how much Zooey Deschanel (Trillium) resembles her sister Emily, who plays Temperance Brennan on 'Bones.' And I can say that Marvin the depressed robot plays better on screen than in the book, especially when voiced by Alan Rickman. And there are cameos by John Malkovich and Bill Nighy, among others. But I found Beeblebrox's two heads really rather disturbing, and the Vogons look like rejects from 'Dark Crystal.' It's that surreal sci-fi that leaves me feeling a little squirmy.

I'm sure in some way I'm missing what's witty and clever about it - I can admit that there's a lot going on there; it just doesn't appeal to me, nor do I feel that I connect to it, and that's essential to humor. Anyway, if you know what it is I'm missing about this, feel free to let me in on the secret.

In the meantime, I'm sticking to the far-less-surreal world of British murder mystery. There's a stack of Midsomer Murders, Maigret and Mrs. Bradley DVDs just waiting for me.

Too Many Drivers, So Few Victories

In my family, car racing is like a religion. If you don't have somebody to worship - I mean, follow - in every league, you might be assigned one. And in my case that could mean Kevin "Crash" Cogan, who once took Mario Andretti out of the Indy 500 in the first lap, meaning my mother didn't want to speak to me for the rest of the race.

But with all the drivers changing leagues, I decided to look over which drivers I've either rooted for the in past (I figure once I pick a driver, I'm sticking with them regardless of league) or am rooting for now - or both. Trust me, it gets a little wonky. And that's if you can keep track of the name of each league. (WHY is NASCAR called 'Sprint Cup' when they run long races????)

NASCAR - Patrick Carpentier, Scott Riggs, Jamie McMurray
Last season I thought, "Gee, I don't have anyone to root for, and I really should. Riggs is closer in age to me, and McMurray's cute. That'll work." Neither one did bupkas last year. Then Carpentier, who was one of my longtime open-wheelers (who disappeared for a while) popped up in NASCAR this season. So he's my #1, and the other guys are backups. This is all because Terry Labonte retired, and there was NO WAY I was rooting for Kyle Busch in the Kellogg car.

CHAMP Car - Katherine Legge
I always try to root for every woman, in any league. I'm all about girl power and shutting up people like Robby Gordon, who bitched about Danica Patrick being lighter and thus having faster times in her car. Um, Robby, you're just pissed cuz she's a better driver than you. Or even Richard Petty, who basically said women don't belong in racing. I want them to eat their words in a crow sandwich. Anyway, since Champ Car used to be CART and such, my drivers have all changed a couple of times, and now this league is like mini Formula 1. And so Katherine's all I've got in this league now!

IRL - Here's where it gets weird - Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick, Scott Sharp, and to a much lesser extent, Milka Duno.
I started pulling for Sarah and Scott first (this is even assuming he's going to run IRL this year because he's not listed on the web page). Then Danica came in and created a huge fuss. So of course I've got to pull for her - because that woman deserves a win, and to shut people up. And then like I said, I pull for all gals. Thus Milka too, but to a much lesser extent.

American LeMans Series
Okay, now that I've done some research, it looks like Sharp is now running in this league, even though he's not on this web page either. So I guess I'm pulling for him here. *shrug* Otherwise, I just don't care.

Misc Road Racing
Scott Pruett is an old open wheel favorite of mine (I think he looks like a nice guy) - and he recently was part of the team that won the Rolex 24 hours at Daytona. He does a lot of road racing, 24 hour endurance stuff, and who knows what else. So whenever he shows up, I root for him. But it's kind of sporadic.

Formula 1
Bores me, so I don't have a driver here.

Um. Yeah. This is the sign of a sick family, isn't it?

One TV Guilty Pleasure

With only a little bit of shame, I admit to occasionally watching "World's Wildest Police Videos." It's not so much that I get a kick out of police chases per se, but that it reminds me what law enforcement officers, firefighters and others have to deal with daily - how they risk their lives repeatedly in the line of duty, sometimes dealing with psychotic crazy drugged-out people who don't care about anybody else but themselves.

I love it when the semi drivers get involved in a police chase, blocking the road. And I don't remotely feel bad when the crazy armed robber, who just threaded through city road traffic, gets his ass pulled from his car and is slammed to the pavement as the cops make sure he's no longer a danger.

And I do admit to a bit of a thrill when the police dogs get involved. Mess with the poochie, get the teeth.

Fresh Air

A couple of weeks ago we had a weather warmup - the kind where the ground starts to thaw and the air starts to smell like earth and just the faintest bit green. It was heavenly - I think I even opened the door to the balcony, just to get some fresh air, even though it was really too chilly still for that.

And then of course we plunged back into the cold; it's been snowing the beat the band - usually the day when I have to hop in the car and head somewhere more than a half hour from home. We haven't had any more blizzards, per se, but I'm certainly ready for spring. All the more so because getting bundled up in my coat with scarf and hat is starting to feel confining, and I'm ready to wear lighter layers.

Maybe soon.

Movie Review: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

I recorded this off IFC; the movie is from 2002.

When first we see Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell), he's standing heavily bearded in a hotel room, watching Ronald Reagan's inauguration, and he's stark naked. He's unraveling after a life of making tawdry stupid game shows (the Dating Game, the Newlywed Game, the Gong Show - all of which I used to watch) and working as a hitman for the CIA. His erstwhile on and off girlfriend Penny (Drew Barrymore) is confessing her love for him but he turns her away. That's when we delve back into the past to figure out how he ended going all Howard Hughes.

By the way, Chuck has a lovely ass. Which is a good thing, since we see a lot of it. He spends a good chunk of the early movie in bed with somebody. (His brief scene with Maggie Gyllenhaal is funny just because she could be watching television for all the interest she shows.) He decides to get a job in TV and moves up the management ladder mainly as a way to meet women. Then he meets Jim Byrd (George Clooney) who recruits him to the CIA. From there on he not only creates game shows, he runs around killing people in weird locations. Byrd is his regular contact throughout the entire film, showing up regularly with assignments.

A lot of women love Clooney because of his movie-star good looks, his boyish attitude, his rollicking sense of humor. Me, it's that voice. So I was glad to find out he actually had a role in his directorial debut, but a small one. Still, he does it well, as he usually does, even if he's wearing a ridiculous mustache.

Rockwell is really pretty good in this movie; I admit I'm not familiar with his work but he's got an extensive repertoire and he seems to enjoy playing this randy, tawdry, self-loathing man, especially when he gets to sport 70s bellbottoms, big Kramer hair and a fedora. He struts like he's fallen out of Saturday Night Fever. And Barris never really seems to age - neither does anyone else for that matter - but Rockwell does a good job showing us Barris' changing mindset, which eventually devolves into paranoia.

Because this is a Clooney movie, and it's partially a comedy, keep a sharp eye out for Clooney's good friends. (Is there a name for this bunch? Clooney's Goonies? The Pitt Pack? Julia's Boys?) Julia Roberts has a fairly sizeable role as a shady contact with whom Barris carries on a long affair, and I just never got the feeling somebody like Julia would really get into licking Sam Rockwell's face - so there's never any real chemistry there. Barrymore is much more believable, and I did think at some points of this film that she looks good in clothing from the 40s and 50s - and her unique beauty gets much better treatment in this film than in, say, "Music and Lyrics", although she's shown in profile a couple of times, and that just emphasizes her sharp chin and nose.

The screenplay is vintage Charlie Kaufman - a mix of weird humor and pathos, peculiar behavior, strange on-screen visions. But it also has a much more realistic feel than some of his other work. Then again, this kind of film just doesn't quite grab me. This was an interesting movie but it's like angel food cake. It tastes good, but will you really remember it much later?

Animals: No animals are harmed, but "If I Had a Hammer" is severely abused a couple of times.

Overall: Not a bad movie, but not really memorable, Rockwell's backside notwithstanding. Two and a half stars out of five - that half star is for Clooney getting his friends to show up.

Movie Review: Sweeney Todd

Hey there! I know it's been a while since I posted anything; the holidays were so crazy and now I'm getting ready for the upcoming wedding, and that's pretty busy too. So I'm a little behind about posting this movie review, but better late than never, right?

For those of you not familiar with Sweeney Todd, it's a musical, based on a play, so there's a lot of singing. That said, this isn't a typical musical with petticoats and love stories and the like. I call it a musical for horror movie fans. And fans of Helena Bonham Carter's cleavage. But more on that in a second.

Here's the basic plot of the film: barber Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) is happily married with an infant daughter when a randy judge (Alan Rickman) decides he wants the wife for himself. He has Barker arrested on some trumped-up charge, and Barker is sent up the proverbial river for 15 years. When he comes back, he decides to go by Sweeney Todd. He's hellbent on revenge, even more so when he learns his wife poisoned herself, and his bosomy daughter Johanna is now the ward of said Judge Turpin. He's just a shade cracked, is Sweeney, and he retrieves his old barber knives (oddly enough, although silver, they have not tarnished a bit) and takes up residence above the bakery of Mrs. Lovett (Carter). Then he learns Judge Turpin - no stranger to 'crazy' himself - wants to marry Johanna. From there, things get bloody. Let's just say when Mrs. Lovett cooks up a meat pie, you might want to check for rings, toenails and other unsavory items before you consume.

To say this movie is bloody is the understatement of the year. You might want to skip eating anything during this film, and definitely don't bring in cherry Kool-Aid. Sweeney Todd, exacting his manic revenge on strangers, slits so many throats with his barber's knives that the movie is essentially three colors - black, white, and very very red. This is not a movie for those with weak stomachs. I spent a lot of the bloodiest scenes covering my eyes. Then again, it's Tim Burton. You couldn't expect anything else from him. Even watching Mrs. Lovett make a pie in the early part of the film is enough to make your stomach turn. It even disgusts Sweeney in one of the funniest sequences. (The by-the-sea scenario Mrs. Lovett cooks up is absolutely hilarious.)

Depp and Carter play off each other most of the movie, and they have good chemistry; his singing voice is that of a rock star, not a Broadway show, and her singing voice is thin but she can carry a tune. Rickman doesn't sing as well as I'd expected, but he's passable, and he and Depp sound pretty good together. Jayne Wisener, who plays Johanna, and Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Anthony, Todd's friend and Johanna's wooer, both sing very well. I don't know if either has a past in theater but I would assume so. (Bower though is so utterly pretty that I expect he's got a brand spanking new legion of teenage girl fans.)

Depp is as usual intense, but because Todd is generally a miserable man, wrapped up in his grief and anger, the role doesn't give Depp much chance to shine beyond those particular emotions. Carter certainly looks the part for this film - her cleavage alone deserves its own screen credit. And with her large eyes darkened with shadows and paints, she looks sickly and as though someone took a perfectly beautiful doll and then went all Marilyn Manson on it - still attractive but very very creepy. (Not that I'm saying Manson is attractive. You get what I'm saying.)

Ed Sanders plays the part of Toby, a young lad who has a substantial part in the film, but I won't tell you more for fear of spoilers. But he's got a nice singing voice, and I expect we'll see him again. Watch for an unctuous cameo from Peter Pettigrew himself, Timothy Spall, and Sacha Baron Cohen as well.

Animals: It's never good to be a cockroach. Or a man in need of a shave. I don't recall any animal abuse but people get enough horror-show treatment on their own.

Overall: I had to sit down and think about it, but this movie really creeped me out more than anything. It's well put together, the casting is good, the singing is credible, etc, but it's just not my thing. I've got other Depp movies I'd rather watch again. Two and a half roses out of five.

Domestic Bliss

I got a new vacuum for Christmas and just put it together. My brother and his wife had gotten a Bissell as a wedding gift and raved about it so my folks bought me one designed for pet hair. I just put it together and took it for a spin down the hallway, which I just vacuumed not too long ago. ('Not too long ago' in my lexicon is 'within the past three weeks'.)

You would NOT believe the pet hair and people hair this new vacuum sucked up. I know you think it's gross that I would even tell you, but seriously, isn't there something of a fascinating ick factor here? (After all, it is my hair, and the cat's hair, which is all significantly less gross to me than someone else's mess would be.) Anyway, this new vacuum propels itself - I was kind of afraid it might take off on me in a wild spree, a la the brooms in 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' - and it really almost does make vacuuming fun, as my SIL said it would.

I'm also seriously interested in what else will come up when I get the living room cleaned up and can take the Bissell for a spin there.

Ew. And yet....coooooolll...

Darwinism at its Finest

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aDd0dqDLi8nM&refer=us

Let me let you in on a little secret. If you tease the tiger by climbing into its pen, and it finally retaliates and kills you, it's not the tiger's fault.

So don't blame the freakin' zoo, you idiot.

If you tempt nature, and it kicks your ass, I'm on nature's side 100%.

Halp! Said the snowflake

When I went to bed last night, there was a light covering of snow. When I got up this morning, there's almost a foot drifted on my balcony and several inches on the cars below in the parking lot. I am so glad I am not driving anywhere today. I am still in my pajamas.

I tried to go to my niece's birthday party yesterday; parts of my county were fine, but the further north I went the slipperier the highway was, until I finally bailed about 1/3 of the way into the trip (knowing I would either have to come back that night, and that didn't sound good, or come back the next day, when we were all buried in snow). I can give her her present at Christmas. But I still feel like a bad aunt.

But it was either that or struggle on the highway there and back or miss work Monday. And after I saw a truck rolled over on the other side of hte highway in the drifting snow, I decided to call it a day.

Another Gem

I know I've been a bit of a grump lately. There's just so much going on in my head, it's kind of full. I could explain it, but it wouldn't make much sense to you. Or it would sound silly. So...a little bit of joy.

I'm at home watching 'Mary Poppins', which I taped off ABC Family last night only to recall today that I actually have that movie on VHS. Oh well.

How can you not love this movie? The music is fantastic, the animation with live action was before its time and the leads are charismatic. Dick Van Dyke is actually kind of adorkable, and Juie Andrews is exquisitely lovely. Plus it's just fun. I could sing 'Chim Chim Cheree' all day.

Besides, how can you not love a musical that includes a line that goes, "Although we adore men individually, we agree that as a group, they're rather stuuuuuupid" ?? :-D

One of Life's Little Niceties

Is there anything nicer than getting into a newly-made bed? Clean crisp sheets that still smell a little like fabric softener (which I happen to find very comforting and homey), blankets that haven 't yet been yanked this way and that - I get too warm and kick blankets off, then get too cold and yank blankets back on - pillows with fresh pillowcases. And a distinct lack of cat hair, which will be remedied in no time.

Just a little something worth appreciating.

Some Television Rambling

Most of you know I happen to like my TV on, and it's generally on regardless of what I'm doing. This morning while I was reading the paper and catching up on the circulars (I love to see what's for sale even if I have no intention of going shopping) I turned on CMT's 'Crossroads' because a couple of my friends raved about it, and I'm watching LeAnn Rimes and Joss Stone really tear it up. (Plus, it's nice that it's a show I can listen to instead of actually having to watch intently.) They both have such incredible voices, and while their musical styles are entirely different, they really mesh well together. I saw a video once of a song Martina McBride and Pat Benatar did, and I wish I'd seen that show.

Earlier today I caught up on last week's Men In Trees. Well, parts of it. I skip all of the parts except the ones with Pastor Eric in them. (X-Files fans will recognize my favorite villain in the role, and he's such a doll in this part I just get all gooey watching it. Really. Goo.) I want one just like that. Except for the celibacy part. Well, and I don't see myself actually dating a pastor. But you get my point. He's freakin' adorable.

I've been catching up, a little, on Battlestar Galactica - SciFi replayed some of S3 (my shorthand for Season Three) and it's been nice to watch one of those and get a little caught up on the storyline. (So they don't talk about the other five models of Cylon? Really?) It's a little tough to fill in the blanks between episodes; I'm reading synopses of the episodes they're not showing so I know what's going on. It's so intense, and I love hearing the dialogue - well-written dialogue just brings me to my knees, really - and seeing how the characters have been written - how they take even the smallest part and it's written so well you never feel short-changed on backstory or find yourself not buying what the show's selling. So yeah, I don't just watch TV, I really LOOK at it - how were the characters written? What's the language like? ('Firefly' is a great example of excellent language - meshing today's language with that of the old west and the future - man, is that well done.)

Plus I'm catching up on The 4400; Isabelle is wreaking havoc wherever she can to keep Shawn by her side and nobody but Tom is taking her threat seriously. And Tom's girlfriend just left to keep herself safe from prosecution. This show has the weirdest premise, yet it's all so seamless and it always feels real to me, even when it wanders off into something quite unreal.

And while all this is going on, I'm cleaning house, wrapping presents, reading the paper, doing dishes, writing Christmas cards, that kind of thing. Sometimes if I want to watch something AND get something done, I'll let a taped program run instead of fast-forwarding through commercials, and clean house during ads. Today I just downed a high-caffiene tea and I expect to get a lot done! This house is kind of a mess - I finished most of my Christmas shopping yesterday - and I'm ready to tackle some wrapping! Wahoo!

Maybe I should get out of my jammies first?

A Case of Being Too Fussy?

Since this has been on my mind lately, I thought it would be fun, enlightening and maybe a little frightening to list what it is I'm looking for in my perfect guy. Then you can tell me I'm being too fussy. Everybody inevitably does.

He must be a non-smoker. That's non-negotiable. I hate the way it smells and tastes. And why kill yourself a step at a time?

He must be a non-hunter. Another non-negotiable. Killing for fun, not my idea of a good time. Better yet, he should be an animal lover. That's too much a part of who I am.

Another non-negotiable - He must have a job. Or be in school to get a good job, not just in school to avoid working. And have a vehicle. And a place to live that does not involve his parents. In short, he's independent. He does not in any way have to be rich - I'd rather that he wasn't, I would never survive in that world - but my ideal guy (yes, perfect scenario) would have some cash and manage his money well, just so that we're not struggling (I've done that already, thanks). It would even better if he knew more about money than I do. At the very least, he's not an idiot with his money and is getting by. And he's not cheap. He tips well, and enjoys his money. He saves some and spends some, he doesn't hoard it.

I'm not particularly fussy over whether he's blond or brunet or what. (I'm into the tall, dark, and handsome look these days - Pastor Eric or Samuel Anders on my telly - but that's not a hard and fast rule.) I like a really nice friendly smile, though. A nice guy face.

I'm not saying he's got to be movie-star handsome. That's intimidating. Sure, it'd be swell if he was kind of good-looking without being pretty or arrogant. But good looking comes in a lot of forms. Nice guys get better and better looking the more you get to know them, while jerks get uglier. It's a fact. But I'm honest enough to say if I don't find him at least a little attractive, uh, I'm not going there. Sorry, it is what it is.

He doesn't have to be a six-pack stud - that's an ideal I can't live up to. But he's got to take care of himself to some degree. I'm not perfect physically and I don't expect anybody else to be either - not that it wouldn't be nice (she says with a knowing grin) but I'm not getting involved with a slob who doesn't give a crap about what he looks like or if he's taking care of himself - and by that I mean, not sitting around 24-7, never exercising at all, or doing anything physical. I'm not 100 pounds, but nor am I getting involved with anybody who is obese. It's another way of killing yourself slowly.

On the other hand, he doesn't mind my sloppy Saturdays and I don't mind his, where we schlup around in comfy pants and watch movies.

The perfect guy is just tall enough that when he hugs me, I fit in under his chin. And he gives good hugs.

He's got a good sense of humor without being a joker or a nut. He in no way needs to be the center of attention, and he doesn't belittle me for entertainment or play practical jokes for laughs.

He's very patient, especially with me.

He's calm and together without being smug, and isn't afraid sometimes to admit that he's angry or scared or unsure. I know a guy to whom everything is a piece of cake. It comes off as though he's just that much smarter than the rest of us, and it's annoying. I want someone who is human. Who has flaws. But I don't want a guy with a hair-trigger temper. Nor do I want someone who is impulsive. Spontaneous yes, but that's different. I'm too much of a thinker, so he's got to balance me out somewhat, but if he just makes decisions without considering his options or thinking about his choices, mistakes get made.

He's honest. Duh.

He treats me really well. But he doesn't try to idealize me or put me on a pedestal that I can't live up to. I don't need to be spoiled. I need to be treated like he finds me special and appreciates me. One guy I dated would spoil me if it looked good. I don't think it had anything to do with me.

He'll stick up for me if somebody is picking on me or harassing me. Not that that happens often, but you kind of want a guy who is going to tell another guy at the bar to lay off - and who is going to be just intimidating-looking enough to pull it off without starting a brawl or getting his ass handed to him on a platter.

He doesn't mind kids and he's good with them, but he doesn't want any. He's got a good family structure or wants one, without being disturbingly close to his mother. Or sister.

He's reasonably smart. He doesn't have to have a college degree necessarily but I want someone I can really talk to about abstract concepts and current events, as well as stupid stuff.

I would love it if he was a good cook, as I am not.

He wants to work at the relationship, to communicate, to work with me through my issues. He doesn't expect me to be perfect either, but he's got to be better at this than I am. I want to be better, I just don't have the experience.

He's not terribly religious. I'm not, and I don't see myself with someone who is.

He's socially liberal.

It would be great if he had some of the following interests: horse racing (uh, yeah), television, traveling, sports, music, creativity. He is in no way required to scrapbook. *grin* But he's got to support my varied hobbies and tastes.

He likes board games, or at least is willing to play. That's big with my family. He likes big noisy family gatherings and nights with friends as well as nights alone. Maybe he's not the most talkative person in the room, but he's easy-going, gets along with people, and best of all, likes the people I like.

Yeah, I'm asking a lot. But this is the ideal, remember. The perfect scenario. There are probably a million other things that I could specify too, I suppose, but well, this is what I've come up with now. What are your ideals?

Busy? Oh, I Know From Busy...

I feel the need to share this because it's cracking me up!! Here's the holiday rundown and next year:

Friday: office Christmas party, at which I am to bring a white elephant gift - which is not ready to be presented yet.
Saturday: Vet visit for regular checkup for cat; holiday shopping should be finished up; Hanukkah party at friend's house
Next Saturday: Birthday party for niece, which will require overnight visit - present still to be wrapped
24th-26th: travel to visit family, Christmas, post-holiday shopping; planning of bridal shower for Charleston wedding
31st-1st: travel to visit friends for New Year's and girls' day out.

Jan 15th: presidential primary (for which work will be very busy)

Jan 19th: bridal shower/bachelorette party for cousin; requires overnight stay

Late Jan: I get older, consider mid-life crisis, realize I am still single, consider weeping copiously

March 6th-12th: Charleston visit for wedding, which is also a family vacation

First Sat in May: may or may not throw Derby party

July or Aug: must throw bridal shower/bachelorette party

Aug or Sept: wedding at which I am co-maid of honor

Oct: contract is up at work; may need to look for another job if contract not renewed

Miscellaneous: must finish wedding gifts, which are being handmade. Must finish Christmas decorating, Christmas cards, shopping and wrapping gifts; must plan bridal shower/bachelorette party; must find red shoes for Charleston wedding; must plan own part of Charleston wedding/vacation, while simultaneously organizing with all other family members; must try on dresses and generally help bride in the fall wedding in whatever way needed, as other co-maid of honor is out of state; must buy said dress, shoes, accessories, bridal shower gifts, etc; must coordinate with other bridesmaids for fall wedding, all of whom are out of town, and one of which is notoriously reticent and unreliable; must keep up with birthdays, anniversaries, children's parties, friends' events, family events, etc; must keep up with work and housework; must reorganize finances; should keep up with enjoyable hobbies like scrapbooking, cross stitch, genealogy, television and movies. And I don't even have kids.

Here's what I'm thinking: You can call me selfish, whatever you want, I honestly don't care. 2008 is going to be a really busy year, and a little bit expensive too! lol. If I have the money, I think I might just take a long weekend for myself around May or June. So...what should I do? A spa weekend? A road trip? Spend some money for something I really want? I considered going to Gainesway Farms in KY to see Afleet Alex, but that requires plane tickets or lots of driving.

I want to do something really self-indulgent, if I can afford it. I have a lot of friends who would say 'come visit!' but I'm thinking something else - yes, something that ends up being all about me and my interests. (I said you could call me selfish - I plan to be selfish.) I just don't know what I should do. Any ideas?

Why Do We Even Say It?

I was reading the funnies today and one of them is in the middle of a story involving a mom dealing with her teenage daughter who is concerned with how she looks. In the last installment, the mom said, "It doesn't matter how you look, it matters what you do."

She's half right.

Of course it matters what you do. How many really good-looking people have you met who turned out to be total jerks? They sure get less attractive as they go along, don't they?

But it's absolute bullshit to say 'it doesn't matter how you look.' It ABSOLUTELY matters.

People judge you immediately by how you look. Let's look at your clothes. Is this person rich or poor? Does this person dress like I do, thus making them more relatable? Are they clean? Do their clothes fit them? Do they care about how they look?

And let's look at physical features. Do I find this person attractive? Are they thin or fat? Do I approve of how they look?

If we run around pretending looks don't matter, maybe we're aiming for that time when they really won't. But the fact is, they do. I'll admit it - I don't want to sleep with someone I don't find attractive on both levels - mentally AND physically. If he doesn't take care of himself physically - doesn't shower regularly, or is grossly overweight, or just doesn't appeal to me - that's going to cut into my attraction to him, regardless of whether he's the sweetest guy in the world.

Plus, when we tell kids that stuff doesn't matter, we're not preparing them for how it works in the real world. There are studies that say that attractive people are perceived to do better in their jobs. They get more respect, more attention, you name it. Other studies show that overweight people, on the other hand, are treated with less respect, regardless of how well they actually perform their jobs. How do YOU look at the woman who wears the Grandma Christmas sweater to work over Sansabelt pants and orthopedic shoes? Chances are you treat her totally differently than her same-age, same-job coworker who gets her hair done regularly, who carries a Coach purse and wears a suit every day over pointed-toe kitten heels.

I'm not saying we should ONLY pay attention to how people look. That's remarkably shallow, and really, in the end, it DOES matter most what you do. How many people you might call 'unattractive' or 'ugly' become more attractive to you the more you know about them? But I think we do kids a disservice by saying that stuff doesn't matter AT ALL. It's in your best interest to present your most attractive self, in work, in play, anywhere. It will help you make friends, meet people, do well at work and socially.

I'm NOT advocating living by Cosmo's rules of dressing or Elle or whatever people read. Or living by designer labels. You can do that all wrong too - and any of you who know me know that's not who I am. But I AM advocating being honest when we try to boost kids' self esteem - only for them to find out the hard way that that stuff is still going to matter once you leave the hallowed high school halls. You make the choices about how you look and how you present yourself. You can make the choice not to pursue style over comfort. But recognize it's going to affect how you are perceived, from when you are old enough to dress yourself, until you die. So will all the things you can't control - how you're built, for example. You might just get the short end of the gene stick. You can learn to make it work for you instead of pretending that 'that stuff doesn't matter.' It sure does.

And maybe there's a way we can be honest about that, without crushing kids and making them think it's just going to be like high school for the rest of their lives, or that people only want to know what they look like, not who they are or what they do. I just wish I knew how to be honest without creating more problems in the process. I just don't think we should lie to kids and say, "Hey, it doesn't matter that Sally will be a size 2 for the rest of her life and will always be hella gorgeous." That's crap. It DOES matter. She WILL be treated differently than a person who is just as smart and rich as she is, who does just as many good things as she does, but who happens to be considered by society to be less attractive. They could even wear the same labels in appropriate sizes and get their hair done the same way. Sally will 9 times out of 10 be treated better.

And to pretend any differently, is to delude ourself about how our world works.

Trading In This Body for a New One

If only that were possible. I would sign up right away.

This morning when I got up my old vertigo kicked in. It's very mild, comparitively speaking, but it does make for some unpleasantness (not to mention drunken walking) until the allergy pill and/or the Dramamine can kick in.

Docs have said it's likely an allergy thing. But it hasn't bothered me in a couple of years. And look, here it is again.

Not to mention the dodgy tum you've all heard me gripe about, and a few other annoying but hardly life-threatening problems.

Now, if I trade this body in for a new one, I'd like it to be taller and thinner, please. And more athletic if you can swing it. Thx.

How I'm Going To Handle the Writers' Strike

I have a plan. A real plan for surviving all the reruns that come with the holiday season and that could stretch out before us afterward, if the writers strike goes on forever. Yeah, and I like lists. And before you say it, of course I can read and do other things. I already do a lot of things while the TV is on. (Don't remind me of the craft projects I haven't finished!! Or my Christmas shopping. Or the dishes that need doing.) I'm just talking about my viewing.

1. I'll catch up on all the new episodes of my favorite shows, as they air. Pretty basic, and makes sense. Why not see what there is to see new while it's out there? Some shows are holding onto new episodes to air in mid-December or early January, even though they've already been filmed. That makes it all seem less dire. Plus I always tape a lot of stuff I haven't had time to watch yet, so I can catch up on those shows and at least one other tape of horse racing from this spring that I haven't watched yet. (If I had a DVD burner, I would spend a lot of my time transferring horse races to DVD. A girl can dream about her Christmas present under the tree, right?)

2. TV shows on DVD, of course. I have a season and a half of The 4400 on DVD to watch and return to a friend, and as far as I'm aware, there's at least one other season of that show on DVD that I can rent. Plus I have a ton of shows on DVD that I love and could easily rewatch - Buffy, Angel, X-Files, and a few other goodies - Firefly, Harsh Realm, Keen Eddie. Plus, I've been rewatching S2 of Supernatural on tape and listening to the accompanying podcasts.

3. TV shows online. I just realized that part of the second half of S3 of Battlestar Galactica is still online. Sure, I'd rather watch them all and in order, but if it comes down to it, I can easily fill in the blanks later when reruns air. Might as well know most of what's going on so that when S4 starts, I'm at least mostly up to speed. I DON'T plan to download episodes from I-Tunes; no point in paying for what's going to air eventually on TV anyway. Plus, well, I'm cheap.

4. Catch reruns of shows that are new to me. Everybody raves about 'Pushing Daisies' - if I know that it's going into reruns (as opposed to being replaced by reality TV) I'm considering watching it. There are probably other shows floating around out there that are just as worthy of watching.

5. Cable, baby. Reruns of Mythbusters, Dirty Jobs, Cold Case Files, Forensic Files, and those shows that I am still catching up on, like The 4400. There's a whole lot out there worth watching that I just haven't had time to see. Plus I can always watch old CSIs, guilty pleasures like World's Wildest Police Videos, you name it. In the summer I watch a lot of educational programming - I've probably seen every program on Egypt that's out there - and I can always do that now instead.

6. There are always movies. I'm not a big movie watcher anymore, but I can always, if need be, find a film or two I haven't seen that I'm interested in. I can rent 'em, borrow 'em or watch 'em on Turner Classic Movies.

So which of my shows might not survive the strike, in terms of my viewing? I think the writers and the shows are kind of shooting themselves in the foot. If I get out of the habit of watching a show, I'm going to have to want to get back into the habit. Bionic Woman is the show most at risk of being ditched. It's been inconsistent and I just don't care about the characters like I should. I've been watching it for BSG alums, mostly. I half-watch CSI:NY, mostly on On Demand and for the scenery.

I already ditched Prison Break this season - I just felt like with Sarah's death, it jumped the proverbial shark. I ditched CSI: Miami from last season - too many holey plots, and if I start picking apart your plot, you've got gaps.

Of course, then I'm worried about the shows that I love that might not survive the strike if it goes far too long, in terms of cancellation. Supernatural is the most likely one; it's barely hanging on as it was, and the CW has been messing with it pretty hard. I'd be peeved if I lost Reaper or Chuck too; I think Chuck's safe, but Reaper tends to be kind of repetitive. Moonlight could also suffer, but I'm not emotionally invested in this show, really. It's fun, but not appointment TV.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have one last tape of GhostHunters to watch...while I darn my socks.