An op-ed in today’s New York Times regarding this afternoon’s Belmont Stakes got me thinking about another crime perpetrated by the horse racing community, namely the names.
If Big Brown wins today he’ll be the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown. “Affirmed”? What kind of name is that for an animal? “Big Brown” at least makes some sense, but “Funny Cide”, “Casino Drive”, “Touch Gold”, “Empire Maker”? Those aren’t names. They’re just words strung together, some vaguely related to gambling. When they’re brushing these animals in the stable do they actually use these absurd monikers? I hope not.
Maybe I’ll call my cat “Window Dressing” or “Furball Dancer”.
UPDATE: Big Brown loses.
Filed under: Animals, Current Events, Sports on June 7th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
I just watched a chicken chase a cat from my yard, across the street to my neighbor Elke’s house. Even if I’d had my camera in my hand at the time it wouldn’t have done any good; you had to see it motion to appreciate the absurdity of it.
UPDATE: Moments ago the same chicken chased after a blue-jay that landed on the lawn briefly. Blue-jays are typically tough birds, but I guess the lesson here is that chickens have an undeserved reputation for cowardice.
Filed under: Animals on May 31st, 2008 | No Comments »
I once asked a sassy black lady how she was doing and she answered, “I’m too blessed to be stressed.” Perhaps it is a testament to my generally placid existence that I sleep the sleep of the untroubled. But last night I had a dream, I had an awesome dream.
I went to a carwash staffed by cats. They were all black, and several of them had headsets with built-in microphones which they used to communicate with the others. They dipped their paws in buckets of sudsy water and washed the cars, and when they were finished they used their tails to guide the cars out of their parking spaces. Those cats did good work.
Filed under: Animals, General on April 2nd, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Happy Vernal Equinox!
I love spring because it means the cold days are almost over, and cold has become my enemy. Alas, it also means the windy days are here, but it’s a fair trade. Still, the days are getting longer, and that, coupled with the early introduction of daylight saving time, makes me happy.
Most of my appreciation of the outdoors comes from my time on campus these days, and it is actually quite pleasant. The azaleas are just about finished, and leaves are replacing flowers on dogwoods and Japanese magnolias. But the orange trees are still blooming like mad, and before too long the confederate jasmine will flower. Those are two magnificent aromas.
On the Reitz Union lawn this morning I was walking my bicycle (the seat was wet from a rain last night), and as I passed a sweet gum tree I heard a squirrel barking. I looked all around the branches but couldn’t see the critter. Finally I found him; his little head was poking through a hole in the bark where a limb had been. It was adorable. Of course, it only happened because I left my camera at home, and awesome things always happen when I don’t have my camera, like the time this one girl riding a bike was wearing ass-less pants.
Above you can see a series of photos I took of the Shumard Oaks on the Reitz Lawn as they got their leaves.
Filed under: Animals, Current Events, Gainesville, Meteorology, Photography, School on March 20th, 2008 | No Comments »
I cross the Reitz Union Lawn nearly every day, en route to class or work. It is practically the very hub of my campus wheel. This is a pleasant time of year on the lawn, since the Shumard Oaks are getting their new leaves of bright green, the azaleas are blooming in magenta or white, and best of all, a small orange tree is covered in blossoms that smell heavenly.
My favorite smell remains almond, but orange blossoms are a not too distant second. Even if I forget about the tree, it is impossible to miss, since the breeze sends it’s fragrance across the lawn. Yesterday I was so taken by it, that I decided to brave the bees and steal a bud for myself, and I put it in my shirt pocket. For the rest of the afternoon at work I could smell the flower in my pocket. It was a delight.
I must not be the only one who loves the Reitz Lawn: there are always students laying about on sunny days, and it is common for organizations to set up tables and displays along the sidewalks there. Earlier this week as I was crossing from Weimer Hall I saw a flock of large white birds hopping across the grass. They were scared off by a bicyclist and flew to a nearby pine tree. They attracted a great deal of attention as they moved, and as I pulled out my camera to snap some photographs I was asked by a passer-by if they were frequent visitors. I see mockingbirds and cardinals everyday, and red-tailed hawks are not uncommon, as are robins during winter. But I hadn’t seen these birds before, and there were dozens and dozens of them.
As I was taking a picture a girl called to me and asked what kind of camera I was using. She came over and took a closer look, seeing I use a D70. She said she had a D80 that had just been stolen, and was distraught. I’d be, too. I take pictures ever single day, and occasionally professionally. If I lost my camera it would be a great hardship. And, really, hardships are the worst kind of ships.
Filed under: Animals, Musings, Photography, School on March 6th, 2008 | No Comments »