"Um, is this thing on??"

So I really had nothing to write about today. It was a big day for the pacers and trotters--that is to say it was Little Brown Jug Day in Ohio. (No, not the big football game between Minnesota and Michigan for a similarly titled piece of small crockery!) The Little Brown Jug is the 2nd jewel in the Pacing or Trotting Triple crown. So all the best trotters and pacers descended on the Delaware County, Ohio, fairgrounds for the races. And these are tough races with multiple heats. Well Said carried the day and all in the pacing community seemed satisfied that a good day--with ample attendance--was had by all.

I thought about writing about the race and doing something about The Great Dan Patch (my personal favorite pacer/trotter of all time) or even about how pacing is different from trotting gait wise, but that topic, I'm sorry to say, didn't inspire me.

And yet, after my slightly wine-influenced manifesto I really felt I should follow up strong. I fear that is not to be, alas.

I'm no less impassioned than I was yesterday, just less verbose. (I know, I can hear those sighs of relief across the Northeast as I type...)

Even Project Runway, another of my television obsessions was disappointing today. For you non-Runway types out there, the winner was, in words I hope Tim Gunn might use, inexplicable. Fellow Minnesotan Christoper did a fantastic piece as did Epperson...I loved both dresses and think they both are much more talented and have a much clearer POV than Nicholas (the winner) did. And the judges in seasons past have always stressed POV...your Point of View as a designer. It should influence your take on everything...even costume and period clothing. I didn't see too much POV in Nicholas' design. Plus, I think he's rather a whinging putz. (Sorry, I know that's not nice!)

The new Chanel bio-pic, Coco Avant Chanel, got a very good review in today's NYT by A.O. Scott. I've been dying to see it might have to be high on the priority list. Shallow, maybe, but true. There's always time for Chanel.

And note to the Big 10 schedulers, how dare you fuck up the Minnesota-Michigan rivalry this season. It's for the aforementioned Little Brown Jug and it's one of the oldest and best contested rivalries in all of collegiate sports. Shame on you Big 10 lackeys!! (That last bit was for my dad!) For the record, and in the interest of full disclosure, I went to college in Chicago so I have nothing more than a sporting interest in either educational institution.