Behind the Inhaler Pt.9

Yet another interesting week in the world of Stephanie. It's the first weekend in November which means multiple things.

1. First Speech and Debate tournament of the season! 
2. Breeders Cup
3. Next week is one of my least favorite week out of the year. 

 Speech and Debate is one of the most accredited programs our school has to offer. To clarify a common misconception, S&D is not just people arguing for 45 minutes. I for example compete in humorous duo interp. Which is exactly what is sounds like. It's duo so I have a partner, it's humorous so you should laugh, and it's interpretation meaning I did not write the piece nor did my partner. Our cut How to Rule the World: The Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator is both funny and witty.  I hope we can pull it together this weekend and be successful as a duo and as a team. I highly recommend S&D to anyone. If you have any questions on the events offered just ask me! But remember S&D is highly competitive. You must have stellar grades and a clean record to make the team, even then you're not guaranteed a spot. 


The class itself is incredibly comical. The people in the class are just as diverse as the events. Don't get me wrong S&D is incredibly hard. Not many people can memorize a ten minute speech and preform it in front of others. Not many people can argue until they're red faced and seconds away from lashing out at another. And only three people on the whole team are daring enough to be given a random current event, write a ten minute speech on it, memorize it, and present it...in thirty minutes (extemp'ers are insane). Aside from all this hard work we manage to have an amazing time.

This weekend is also the Breeders Cup Classic. The Breeders Cup although not as known as the Kentucky Derby is just as prestigious. I am not a fan of horse racing. I've seen the cruelty first hand and I know the horrible secrets of the trade. But I am a fan of some of these talented horses. This years Breeders Cup will go one of two ways. It will be one of the greatest upsets in racing history, or one of the greatest moments in racing history.

Fun fact the term "upset" comes from thoroughbred racing. Man o' War one of the greatest racing horses of all time lost one race in his career to a horse named "Upset." Ever since whenever an underdog won it was know as pulling an "Upset." Just as the horse did. Bet you didn't know that!

Anyway, back to why this race will go one of two ways. This year the returning Breeders Cup Classic Champion is running again. Why is this such a big deal? Because she  is 19 in 19. She is six years old (ancient in the horse racing world), and because this is her last race. Zenyatta, was purchased in auction as a filly for the rock bottom price of $60,000 (this is nothing in the horse racing world). And throughout her career she has earned over $8,000,000. One million of which coming from last years Breeders Cup classic. Why am I emphasizing that Zenyatta is female? Because it horse racing very rarely does a trainer dare race his girl against the boys. It's not sexist it's the truth. Male horses are larger, faster, and have more stamina. But Zenyatta rose to the challenge and has gone 19 in 19 against the boys. If she wins this weekend she will end her career as the greatest mare of all time (knocking Ruffian out of her title). This mare has caught the heart of many and I hope that come Saturday at 6:48 her teal and pink colors are crossing the line first.

I'm not going to go into detail as to why I hate the week containing November 10th this week. I think I'll save most of it for next week. I should warn you all thought that November 10th is a very hard day for me to get through. It's been three years since I lost my Grandy to cancer. She was my best-friend, and I loved her very much. It's very difficult for me to talk about still, but I think that sharing her story next week might make me feel better. Even though it's been three years the pain still feels very real. I've never been good at letting go, and I've never been good at goodbyes but I'm getting better. I'm not one to sit around and drown in my own self pity but when it comes to my Grandy it's as though I shut down.

Before I work myself up into a fit I should tie this into class, post a few pictures and a video to piss Colin off and leave it at that for this week.

This week we started reading through a play based around a jury and it's struggle to convict a boy of murder. I've played #12 everyday and has grown to know him as an odd, crazy, and un-decisive person much like my brother who was called to jury duty this summer, but avoided it using a note from work.

Speech and Debate shirt!

Dolly 1, (we have a Dolly 2) I have learned some of the most important lessons when it comes to riding on this mare in the six years I've known her. She is one of the biggest [term for female dog]'s our barn has, she's mean, beautiful, talented, and moody and she knows it. It's fitting that the last time I road this mare I flipped off and was nearly crushed by her (I fell in front of her). I will always remember her for what she is a [female dog], moody, crazy, mare, that was one of the best jumping mounts, ever. I will miss her dearly. But saying goodbye is part of the sport. I will miss her "make me" attitude, her "arphing" (she grunts like a walrus when you ask her to do something she doesn't approve of), and her forward brave jump.

Taken directly from the Columbus Dispatch. Look at the kids and that woman's face!

My video wouldn't upload tonight, I'll try again Sunday.