Blogger is being a little freaky. I keep typing over stuff unless I hit enter and send the rest of the text to the next line, completely independent of my own insert toggling. Weird.
My week so far...
Monday: I went to an all-day meeting co-sponsored by the Bluegrass Medical Libraries and the Kentucky Health Sciences Library Consortium.
The class was very interesting; it gave me some facility in using jargon with financial types, for one thing. I did grow a bit concerned when the presenter, who holds a Ph.D. and has headed various libraries, got flustered with the technology and when asked about a specific aspect of the problem he was showing us, stated that 'the numbers themselves' don't matter. Sure. It was a $2000 mistake; no problem. That's probably the attitude that led to the Enron debacle.
Quote of the day (or actually, a paraphrase, since I don't have my notes with me, but I did get permission from the author): "There is nothing so sexy as consumer health." (Thanks to Lonnie Wright of Central Baptist Hospital, I laughed myself silly, in the middle of a financial seminar, no less!) [Okay, you had to be there. We were discussing ways of using unforseen funds, and someone suggested setting up a sexy, top-of-the-line kiosk to deliver consumer health information. It's a big topic out there.]
Tuesday: The horsey-girlie girl in me mourns...
Twenty-five years ago today I watched a relatively unknown colt named Seattle Slew win the Kentucky Derby in what was to be the first jewel in a Triple Crown. Born and bred in Kentucky, he was a dark horse who seemed very clumsy early on and few would have picked him as a potential winner. Not does he hold a record for winning the Derby undefeated, he also sired another Derby winner, Slew O'Gold.
It was about that time that I started reading horsey-girlie books, ones like National Velvet, Black Beauty, and my favourites, those by Marguerite Henry (author of so many books, but especially that of my favourite Derby winner, Black Gold.) So began a fascination with these wonderful creatures (and their somewhat related fantasy cousins, unicorns) which would last through my teens. I hadn't been on a horse since I was three; I never learned to ride--I only knew of a stable on one Air Force base when I was growing up, and they didn't give lessons. But I drew them obsessively and read all I could.
Just the other day, prior to the latest Derby, the Lexington Herald-Leader ran a story on Seattle Slew because he was the only living Triple Crown winner. Today, on the anniversary of his win, he died surrounded by the people who loved him, and was buried on the property of a nearby horse farm.
Over the years some of the magic has worn off--I've learned I'm allergic to horses and a little afraid of how big they are, but the part of me that fell in love with the idea of a horse is still in me somewhere. I went to see the touring Lippizanner stallions a couple of years ago. I suppose I don't have any excuses anymore, living in true horse country. We have a museum/park centre devoted to horses, and I could easily take lessons now. Somehow, hearing of Seattle Slew makes me wistful and a little willing to see if I could learn to ride after all. It's one of those things like ice skating, though--it's easier to imagine than do!
Oh, I finished Narcissus in Chains. Unlike many other Anita Blake fans, I loved this book. Anita's growing emotionally (about time) and finally gets someone in her life who isn't either whiny or goth. (Also about time!) There's so much development that there simply isn't room for a lot of the peripheral characters.
Also on the vampire front, however, was Charmed sisters smiting Cole, who was sister Phoebe's husband (and the source of all evil, but hey...) I always liked Cole, even at his worst. Laugh if you want, I know neither are, on par with Shakespeare, but Buffy, Charmed, and CSI are about the only TV I watch (hence the jettisoning of cable). If I want depth, I read or turn the channel to documentaries.
Wednesday:
I went with D and Dee :) to look for a treadmill for D and A. We came, we saw, we conquered. Turns out the store had a treadmill sale, so he got a really nice one (regularly $1099) for several hundred dollars cheaper. Then we went to a furniture store and found a table and chair set, already marked down, where he haggled another 10% out of the sales clerk due to a scratch or two. :) We finished the evening at Kashmir, an Indian restaurant, where I had the first spinach nan I'd had in years. Yum!
The cable went off today, which was a full week after I'd placed the order, so I guess I can't complain. I really wasn't watching it anyway. Now, when the DSL cuts off, that'll be harder. But hopefully, cutting back on things now will help me get in a place where I can comfortable afford diversions without worrying about the dinero.
Today:
Once again I have been persuaded to do a bulletin board for our annual employee appreciation week. Last year had a '50s theme. This year will be a carnival. Much easier, in a way. Actually, I like doing the bulletin boards, so long as it's not several a month. It's like being a kindergarten teacher without having to deal with lots of small, cranky children. Hmmm...Oh, and the first wild rose of the season has bloomed by the creek I walk along to work. Everything is so lush--people are mowing like crazy, and the grass is still taller than most birds. My only trouble has been with the mugginess. I think we've had enough rain for awhile, not to mention flooding and (at least where my mom lives) softball-sized hail. The farmers haven't been able to put out their crops because the fields are too waterlogged. Granted, that's mostly a problem for tobacco (it mildews easily,) and I'm not a big fan of tobacco, but as someone whose family grew it for generations, it's a hard thing to lose a crop.
One good thing, the area doesn't seem to be having trouble with foal losses like last year at this time. Because the temperature's been down, the tent catepillars that are suspected have stayed in their webs. If you don't know what I'm talking about, last year there was a terrible outbreak of an illness that caused miscarriages, resulted in foal deaths, and threatened broodmares that swept the Bluegrass. Some believe that the tent catepillars, which feed on fruit trees, especially wild cherry, may have excreted cyanide taken from the trees into the grass to be eaten by the mares. A lot of farms took down the trees last year in an effort to stop the losses. This year, they've been keeping the mares inside, feeding on grain, just to be on the safe side. Last year people started pulling their horses out of the region or barring them from transporting to other states. They're still not sure how much it all cost in terms of lost revenues, because some of the effects won't be known until the yearling sales later this year. In the meantime, the University of Kentucky is keeping an eye on things here.
Oh, I guess I've rambled enough tonight.
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