Kentucky Derby Headache
I hate horse racing because I love horses. I used to be the nation’s biggest horse racing fan — I could quote stats and bloodlines in my sleep. And then I saw too many horses die needlessly, so I’m now sickened by the whole thing. This is the weekend that twenty years ago I longed for in the way a five year old longs for Christmas. It’s the weekend of the Kentucky Derby, the annual parade of lambs to the slaughter.
My relationship with horse racing was committed, but horse racing cheated on me and I still sting from the betrayal. So the time of the year I used to look so happily upon is now my most dreaded weekend of the year. Perhaps there is a day in yor life which is the anniversary of something you dread to recall –the death of a friend, the wedding day of a disasterous marriage, or Black Friday.
In other words, I have a dreadful headache and it’s all my fault.
Stress And Sinuses
It’s probably no coincidence that I’ve been having such incredibly bad sinus and headache problems this week, as well as a lot of nausea. The pollen level has been incredibly high around the greater Philadelphia area (where I live), buit I have never had trouble with seasonal allergies until the last couple of years. If I follow the pattern of the last couple of years, the allergy symptoms will suddenly decrease sharply after the Triple Crown is over and done with on the first Saturday in June.
I know I should get over it. Hell, I’ve gotten over breaking up with my ex-es better than I’ve been handling my break up with horse racing. But knowing it and doing it are two differnt things.
I’m hoping that by naming my demon (by owning up to being stupid enough to be a horse racing fan for so many years and then getting sick every first week in May ever since), I can look back at what I’ve written, laugh at it and the pain will go away.
After Reading What I’ve Written So Far
Nope. Pain still is with me. I think my best bet is to get as numb as I possibly can this weekend.
July 16th, 2008 at 11:30 am
[...] of work by English equine and canine artist Sir Alfred Munnings. Although I do not condone horse racing, I do still admire the horse racing and foxhunting paintings of Sir Alfred, which only make up a [...]
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