Good News, Bad News

Last week, I had to have a biopsy performed on a mole. I've been waiting a week for the test results, and thankfully, it wasn't melanoma. Unfortunately, it was "abnormal cells," so I have to have the rest of the thing removed. At some point, I need to figure out when I'll be able to take some time off work, since I'll have a bandage on my face (and that sort of thing doesn't look very good on-air). But right now, I'm just breathing a sigh of relief.

Now, the bad news. I got an email today from an old boyfriend, Matt. Right when I started dating him, back in the fall of 1992, Matt got a puppy, which he named "Niijii" (Ojibway indian for "Great Golden Friend"). Niijii was a sweet little guy, and I still think about him, despite the fact that Matt and I broke up over a dozen years ago. In fact, just today, I saw a little golden retriever puppy and wondered if Niijii was still hanging in there.

Tonight, I got an email from Matt with some sad news... He had to put Niijii down on Sunday. As I read Matt's emotional letter, I shed more than a few tears. At the end of the email, he attached this picture, the last one taken of Niijii.

Farewell, Great Golden Friend.

Rainy Days and Tuesdays...

It just started raining... and that has me a little cheesed off right now. See, Cory and I are planning to go see a baseball game tonight. The Palm Beach Cardinals are in town, and Colby Rasmus, a kid that I used to cover back when he was playing high school baseball, is playing for them.

I got to see him play on Saturday night... I was shooting the game for that night's newscast. But Cory hasn't had a chance to see him play. Ever. Not in Little League, Babe Ruth or High School. And since the Cardinals drafted Colby in the first round last year, Cory would really, really, really like to see him play. And if it rains, that won't happen.

Best-case-scenario? It rains just long enough to delay the start of the game (it starts at 7:05 and Cory usually gets off work around 7:00). Keep your fingers crossed.

Something is Missing

Specifically, my credit cards and cell phones are missing. Some crook robbed me on Saturday.

I was working at our local arena, shooting video of our Arena Football (AF2) team for that night's newscast. I brought my messenger bag into the arena with me, which contained a spare camera battery, a spare tape, and my usual stuff (wallet, contact lenses, sunglasses, makeup, hair brush, etc.)

At some point, during the hour and a half or so that I was at the arena, somebody walked into the press box, opened up my bag, and searched for stuff to steal. And I mean, they searched. They absconded with both of my cell phones (from two separate pockets in the bag). They also went into my wallet and took my credit cards, along with the $12 in cash I had with me.

Oh, and by the way, my bag was no more than five feet away from me.

Fortunately, I discovered my stuff was missing fairly quickly. I cancelled my cards and cell phones and filed a police report. The only problem is that now I don't have a debit card for at least another week... and I live off of my debit card (That $12 in cash was probably the most cash I've had on me in months).

If this has ever happened to you, you're probably thinking of the word "Violated." And while I do feel violated, really, I just feel stupid. Seriously. How can you not notice someone stealing your sh*t five feet away from you???

Hopeful News

One day after reading that Barbaro wasn't expected to make it until the end of the week, there's a little better news.

Once again, from the Associated Press:
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. -- Barbaro was doing "much better" Friday morning, a day after his veterinarian said the Kentucky Derby winner was a "long shot" to survive a potentially fatal hoof disease.
"He had a good night last night, and even slept on his side," Dr. Dean Richardson told The Associated Press early Friday before re-entering the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals to check again on the 3-year-colt. "He's doing much better."
Richardson was less positive Thursday, when he announced that Barbaro has a severe case of laminitis in his left hind leg -- a painful, often fatal disease caused by uneven weight distribution in the limbs.
"If he starts acting like he doesn't want to stand on the leg, that's it. That will be when we call it quits," he said.
Richardson, who has treated Barbaro since the colt suffered catastrophic injuries in the Preakness on May 20, said 80 percent of the horse's left hoof wall was removed Wednesday with the sudden onset of the disease.
Though he looks just fine, that doesn't reflect the true nature of his condition, termed "poor" by Richardson.
"I'd be lying if I said anything other than poor," he said. "As long as the horse is not suffering, we are going to continue to try to save him. If we can keep him comfortable, we think it's worth the effort."


As glum as that all sounds, it's much better than yesterday. Still, it sounds like he's probably a lost cause. By the way, when the great Secretariat was put down, it was because of a case of laminitis.

Obligatory Sports-Related Post

I know, I know... I'm the Sportslady, for God's sake, and I haven't even mentioned the All-Star game or the Home Run Derby.

So, in brief, I'm not really a fan of all-star games. I typically like the pre-game showcases (NHL Skills competition, Slam Dunk Contest, Home Run Derby) a lot more. We watch enough games during the regular season, I like seeing these guys do other things. And no, it doesn't matter to me that "this game counts" for home field advantage... just like it didn't matter to me when the NHL had the "North America versus The World" format.

As for the Home Run Derby, I was happy to see Ryan Howard win. First of all, he really impressed me during spring training. It seemed like he hit a home run every damn game. Second, Cory's brother used to live down the hall from him in college, so I have some kind of six-degrees-of-Ryan-Howard thing going on.

Tonight's All-Star game had the unfortunate timing of airing opposite "Rock Star: Supernova," "Last Comic Standing," and "My Life on the D-List." I watched bits and pieces of the first four innings, then finally let Cory have control of the remote for the remainder of the game. Except for the ninth inning, it was pretty dull. And by tomorrow afternoon, I'll already have forgotten who won.

Rockin' and Rollin'

Last week, while watching the first episode of "Rock Star: Supernova," I voted the band "Supernova" (The so-called supergroup of Tommy Lee, Gilby Clarke and Jason Newsted) as "band most likely to blow up before ever playing a single gig." Interestingly enough, it just dawned on me that the word "Supernova" itself describes an explosion of galactic proportions.

Hmmmmm...

Despite my better judgement, I've been sucked in by another season of "Rock Star." One "rocker" has already been eliminated by the band... trust me, it wasn't a great loss. He had an o.k. voice, but started out singing "Yellow" by Coldplay. Not the best choice to audition for a band comprised of former members of Motley Crue, Metallica, and Guns 'N' Roses. So, they told him that he really needed to pick a song that "rocked" a little more. He came back with Duran Duran.

Now, I like Duran Duran as much as any other girl who was a teenager in the 80s. But seriously... did this guy really think that they rock? I mean, he didn't even play a late-80s D2 song... when they got a little grittier. Nope. He played something from their first, and most poppy album.

Ok, so there are 14 "Rockers" left. My thoughts? First of all, the women, as a whole, are much, much more talented than the men. Here's my summary, from best to worst:

Storm- By far, the best of the women on the show. She can sing, she can scream, she has the rock-star swagger. She even has a cool name, which she claims is her real name. I find her phenomenally annoying to watch, but she could start today as a lead singer for an ass-kicking rock band.
Lukas- As far as the men go, he's the best. The first night on the show, he sang Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell," and he brought the house down. He has a great gritty voice, amazing stage presence, and unique style. But his eyebrows are going to drive me crazy.
Dilana- Whoa. A little bipolar. Crazy, gritty, dirty voice, but she can sing. I worry about the metal stud she has in her chin. It makes me nervous.
Magni- He's apparently a big star in Iceland. Seriously. That isn't a joke. He's the lead singer of some rock band in Iceland, and they have two gold albums. The first episode, I was pretty uninspired by him, but then he sang "My Generation" tonight, and was great. My take? He won't get the "Supernova" gig, but his band will have a couple hits in the US as a result of his appearance on the show.
Patrice- Her voice is a little too good to be a rock singer. But she can play guitar and has a lot of tattoos, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. And she's old like me, so I'm rooting for her.
Toby- Cute. Talented. Australian. A nice voice, and he can rock, too. But sometimes looks a little confused on stage.
Jill- The first night, she was a little too pretty. She looked like Pamela Anderson trying to be a rock star (Which might work for Tommy Lee... but what about the rest of the band). Tonight, she overcompensated and tried to do some kind of Courtney Love impression. Except, unlike Courtney Love, she can sing.
Jenny- She's good... but a little blah. The fact that I can't remember what she sang on the show an hour ago says something.
Dana- A really nice voice. Too nice. She sounds like Kelly Clarkson. And though Kelly Clarkson is a talented pop star, she's not a rock singer.
Ryan- Kind of the male version of Jenny. He's an o.k. singer, but I've already forgotten what song he did tonight. Maybe a Franz Ferdinand song? I really can't remember.
Chris- Ruined "Roxanne" by The Police on the first show. One of the Supernova guys (Gilby maybe?) Actually said "that sucked" to Chris after the performance. And while he redeemed himself on the elimination show, he just doesn't impress me very much.
Josh- Thinks he's on "American Idol." He looks like it, acts like it, and in particular, sings like it. He should have auditioned there instead. Oh, and his mom is a karaoke DJ, so that's where he learned to sing. You can't make this sh*t up.
Phil- Couldn't carry a tune if you gave him a bucket. He's almost always in the wrong key for at least the first verse of every song.
Zayra- A nightmare. Horrible voice, can't find the right key to save her life. Weirdo stage presence. Oh, and she offended each and every member of the band, so I guess she's going out with a blaze of glory.

Bumpy Road

Barbaro's health continues to suffer. The latest, once again, courtesy of the Associated Press:

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. -- Barbaro's perilous road to recovery has suffered its biggest setback yet.

The Kentucky Derby winner faces major problems for the first time since surgery to repair the right hind leg he shattered in the Preakness seven weeks ago. And the colt's veterinarian says "we're in tough times right now."

Barbaro had a new cast applied for a sixth time Monday -- the fourth change in a week. The latest development followed three hours of surgery Saturday night when doctors replaced the titanium plate and many screws and also treated an infection.

"I think we're in for tough times right now. I think we're going to have some tough days ahead," Dr. Dean Richardson said at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center. "I'm being realistic about it. When a horse has a setback like this, it's a problem."

Only In Florida

My drive to work every day is only eight miles, but it's eight very diverse miles. I go through the Cape, where Cory and I live, which is an enormous suburb. Then, I drive through what we call "NoFo," another suburb, but not quite as affluent (not that the Cape is particularly ritzy).

NoFo is kind of strange. It's going through a renewal of sorts, so in about five minutes, I drive through some normal middle-class neighborhoods, a huge subdivision under construction (average home cost: $450,000), a little riverfront area where they're building a new high-rise "yacht club," and a pretty run-down area rife with trailer parks (and no, I don't mean "manufactured homes." I mean trailers. If these people really wanted to, they could hook their houses up to their trucks and drive away.)

Then I cross the bridge into "The Fort." The downtown area is small, but very cute. There's tons of construction along the riverfront, with high-rise condos popping up everywhere. Because the downtown area is all one-way streets, I have to drive about two miles out of my way to get to work. I drive through a cute little neighborhood called "Dean Park," and right after that, I go through a pretty run-down area that's on the cusp of a scary neighborhood. Then, I turn left on another one-way street, and I'm back on the riverfront with all the luxury high-rise condos. I work right across the street from some of the newer construction.

I'm telling you all of this because it leads up to today's "Only In Florida." We live in one of the fastest growing cities in the Sunshine State. Only Port St. Lucie is expanding at a quicker pace. And while there is already a housing glut, thanks to soaring real estate prices and low wages, developers keep building more and more and more high-end housing.

One of those communities is being built about a mile from our apartment. In addition to a high-rise, they're also building some parks and a yacht club in the surrounding area. For months, I've been driving by a pretty big chunk of land that's all dirt. Then, one day, a sign appeared:



That's right. "Paradise is Nature Preserved."

Is this some kind of a joke?

Irony, thy home is Florida.

Get-Well Wishes

I'm concerned about Barbaro. Tonight at work, I read that he's been having trouble.

Courtesy of the Associated Press:
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro hasdeveloped "potentially serious" complications to his injuredright hind leg, and underwent surgery to treat a new infection.
Late Saturday, the 3-year-old colt, who shattered his leg at the start of the Preakness on May 20, had a titanium plate and a number of screws replaced after developing discomfort in the leg and a "consistently" high temperature.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Dean Richardson at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center.
In a statement released Sunday, Richardson emphasized that the complications are "potentially serious."
It is the third procedure in less than a week for Barbaro. He had the cast on his injured leg replaced and some new screws inserted Monday, and on Wednesday another new cast was applied.
Also, Barbaro is being treated for a small infection on the sole of his uninjured left hind hoof, according to the hospital.

Poor horsie.

The Brushback

I've been a fan of The Brushback for some time now, thanks to my sports director. Sure, a lot of the humor is obvious... but it's still usually pretty funny stuff if you're a sports fan.

My favorite from this week's issue? This article. Oh, Isiah.

The Birthday Girl

I promised baby pictures of little Zoe, and that's what I'm delivering.

A little background. In the summer of 1995, I moved into a rental house in K-ville with a roommate, Michelle. Not long after we moved in, a stray cat started coming by. She was a pretty little calico, and looked very young (she wasn't very large at all). She was also very scrawny. We took pity on the skinny little kitty, nicknamed her "Chloe," and in spite of our better judgment, we started feeding her. She didn't come by every day, just a few times a week, and she was very social and let us pet her.

One Thursday night in July, I was at a bar called the "Golden Spike." I remember it was a Thursday because the bar had stand-up comedy on Thursdays (and every other night, it was a country bar that I avoided like the plague). Michelle came bursting into the bar, plunked down at our table, and said "We have babies!!!!"

Chloe, the skinny little kitty, apparently had been pregnant that whole time. And she trusted us. So she chose one of our basement window wells to have her litter of kittens.

There were three little kittens: one nearly all black, one tuxedo, and one grey tabby. We helped Chloe take care of her babies as much as possible. We brought her food and water, provided her with a little towel to lie on, covering her window well with an umbrella on really rainy and sunny days, and chasing stray dogs out of the yard.

A few days later, her little kitties opened their eyes. I'm convinced that Zoe impressed on me as soon as she could see.

Chloe moved her three little kittens around quite a bit that summer. Once a dog found them, she'd move her litter to another window well, or to another house altogether. They lived under the house next to ours for a while, spent some time in a window well two houses down, and would travel back and forth between our three houses for several weeks.

One morning, I got a scare. I was showing the kitties to a friend of mine, and there was a raccoon in there with them! As it turned out, the raccoon was dead. I have no idea how it died. I like to think that Chloe killed it while protecting her babies.

Anyway, Chloe didn't mind leaving some of the babysitting up to us. She'd let us pick up and play with the kittens, and shed' go off looking for food, knowing that her babies were safe with us.


It's pretty obvious which kitten was my favorite. The little grey tabby, who had been the runt of the litter when they were first born (the tuxedo kitten was the largest, by far. The little black one was the smallest once they got to be about a month old). Once the kitties got to be about seven weeks old, we distributed them through the neighborhood. Michelle had moved away, and I had a new roommate, Darren. I don't know if he liked cats, or even wanted a cat, but he got one. I got first dibs on the kittens, since I was their second mommy, and of course, I picked Zoe.

She didn't have a name for a few weeks. Darren and I had a dry-erase board in the dining room, and we spent a lot of time writing and erasing potential names. One of the names we didn't choose, "Madison" became the name of Jason and Peter's new kitten (not from Zoe's litter).

We actually came up with the name "Zoe" while watching the TV show "Cybill." (Cybill Shepard's character had a daughter named Zoe on the show). It was a cute name, and it sounded kind of like "Chloe," the name we'd given to her mother, the calico.

Little Zoe was an endless source of amusement for us (except when she went through her peeing-on-everything phase at about 5 months old). Zoe's original "Daddy" now lives in Arizona, but Cory's taken over and dotes on her as though she was his own. And she adores him, too.

Happy Birthday, Zoe!

A Special Message...

For a special kitty:

Happy Birthday, Zoe!!!

Our little baby turns 11 years old today (or sometime around today). Perhaps, if I have time on Wednesday, we'll take a little trip down memory lane and look back on Zoe's childhood. There might even be baby pictures, if I have the time.

Y, Stevie, Y?

Sad News in Hockeytown today. We all knew it would happen, but when the NHL free agency period started and Steve Yzerman still hadn't retired, a little part of me thought he might come back for just one more year.

To no avail. Today at 1:00, Stevie Y announced his retirement. Cory keeps telling me "I'm sorry" and patting me on the shoulder like somebody died.

As if things aren't bad enough in Motown. First, the auto industry goes down the crapper. Then they announce plans to tear down Tiger Stadium. Now this.

Steve Yzerman:
Stanley Cup Champion- 1997, 1998, 2002
Olympic Gold Medalist- 2002
NHL All-Star- 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000
Lester B. Pearson Award- 1989
Conn Smythe Trophy- 1998
Selke Trophy- 2000
Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy- 2003
Red Wings Captain- 1986-2006

I didn't even get to watch his last game, thanks to crappy Gary Bettman and his crummy deal to televise games on NBC and OLN.

Sigh.

At least the Tigers are still in first place.