The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Well, it's all "said and done," and Clayton Fredericks of Australia galloped home yesterday with the Rolex win. It was a weekend of ups and downs (literally) but I hear that a good time was had by all. I'll get back up there again myself next year and join my friends for all the glorious festivities next time around!

(Photos by Michelle C. Dunn and Amy Dragoo)

A place, where nobody dared to go...

I love, love, love the movie "Xanadu," starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. The songs (an ELO-heavy soundtrack is always a good sign that the movie is fabulous), the roller skating, the dancing, the cartoon love-scene sequence, the roller disco ensemble fiasco at the end...it's just the greatest in classic 80's cinema. I remember being very into the hair barettes with the ribbon woven through them and trailing down the side of my head just like Kira's in "Xanadu." I was the most awesome, back in 1982.

But now, oh I can hardly believe it!!! "Xanadu" has come to Broadway! I was very excited when ABBA's music came to Broadway in the form of "Mama Mia," but this has got to be the best show ever. I'm dying to go. Anybody want to go to NY some weekend and relive the magic? "Everybody all around the world, gotta tell you what I just heard/There's gonna be a party all over the world." :)

Day 1

So, after the first day of dressage, it looks like Missy Ransehousen and her horse, Critical Decision, are in the lead (no surprise, since her mother was the great US team dressage rider and trainer, Jessica Ransehousen). Phillip Dutton is just slightly off the lead, in 3rd place, which is not shocking. I'd already billed him as a major contender, and he hasn't disappointed, with still one more horse for him yet to go tomorrow.

Let's hope for better weather in Lexington in the morning so that there are fewer soggy dressage rides.

Fashion, Fashion, Fashion

Oh, the spectacle of the first veterinary jog at Rolex. Looks like everybody pulled out all the stops! Sometimes, eventers do wash up pretty. Will has finally gotten quite good with the color coordination and found a suit that matched his Stetson. And, Ryan's adorable little hat and pin-stripes are just priceless!

Nice. Now, let's just hope you boys are as elegant and impressive in the dressage ring. :)

Roley, Baby!!!

It's Rolex time in KENTUCKY!!! I'm not going this year (see previous post for my pathetic and tragic reasoning) but I'm holding out hope that Will and Brad steal the show this year (that's Will and Brad in the picture to the left). Phillip is going to be such a contender, as will be Clayton Fredericks from Australia (who resides in the UK with his equally amazing and talented wife, Lucinda). I'm still putting my bets on Will.

Here's to a great weekend of wonderful competition, to fun times for all the spectators, and to safe rides for all.

Day at the Races

I know I posted last week that our Central Marketing team was going to Keeneland for the day, and we had a blast!! I won't go into detail about how much people ate, drank, lost on the ponies, or about the unfortunate experience of seeing a horse fall and fracture its leg in the Royal Chase steeplechase (that's 2 equine fatalities for me, in as many weeks. I'm staying home from Rolex this weekend, because I'm not about to jinx Ryan or Will).

Everyone had a great time and it was just good to let our hair down and be friends among co-workers, instead of just grunts among fellow grunts. Here are a few pictures. (That's me and Erika in the one photo...I'm in the pink leather jacket, and that's Dawn, Kristen, and Kate from Cincy in the other). Too bad we don't get to do this every Friday!

Karma

So, I am frequently caught up in all my little daily personal dramas, and yesterday was no different. Remember a few posts ago when I talked about the new book I just bought, "You Know Your Life is a Soap Opera If..."? Well, in my world, yesterday went a little like this: "You Know Your Life is a Soap Opera If...you listened to your mother, you would have married that up-and-comer at your father's law firm." But, we never listen to our mothers, right? And, sometimes, we hear our friends saying things to us, but it's more like, "Oh, Missy just doesn't understand the situation." Perhaps I should listen to my mother more. Or, perhaps I should give my friends credit for knowing more than I'll admit to. Regardless, I talk to my friends a lot when I have things to say, vent, or complain about. And, sometimes these things that I say, vent, or complain about have to do with other friends. I'm not exactly talking behind those other friends' backs, but rather holding a discourse about these other people, when maybe I should just keep those thoughts to myself.

At any rate, a fellow Wilbur marketing guru has the following Sufi quotation as her IM tagline: "How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours." I frequently feel as though I'm a really good person who is sometimes mistreated by other relatively decent people, due to no fault of my own. Instead of verbally lashing out at those relatively decent people, perhaps I should think about my own karma and just leave well-enough alone...no matter how irritated, grossed out, or annoyed I am by those people or by their behavior. To tell you the truth, most people irritate me, gross me out, or annoy me, so that's why I have horses. My horses never disappoint me and never compel me to say things to other people that are most likely going to end up buying me an express train ticket straight to hell.

Yummy Monday!

Yep, It's Monday, which means I (we) need some Becks in order to get through. ENJOY!