Tv blabs, movie blabs, book blabs. Lots of blab, but no flab.

Monday, November 1

Non Event

The first Tuesday of November every year at about 3:10pm is the 'race that stops a nation'. Strangely enough, I rarely stop. I'm an alien in my own land. For me the Melbourne Cup is about as interesting as, well, any other horse race. I just don't get it. There's no sport in it; they don't run against a clock.

As with human athletes, everyone is so surprised when a horse is found with drugs in it's system. As a person who has seen racing horses up close, they are just as twitchy as any drug addict hanging out for the next hit.

Apologies. I digress.

Such a big event. It lasts for about 3 minutes. Now I could make the obvious analogy, but I'll refrain. Lets just say that nearly everyone leaves disappointed.

I've not been to the actual event, and I may have a different perspective if I had, but it all seems to much about nothing.

I won't even start on all of the 'social functions' that occur along with the Cup.

6 viewers interjected with:

Blogger Hugh said...

Lol...it's seems like it goes longer than three minutes.

I don't get it either. It's just another horse race.

I have only worked at one place which would turn the afternoon into a total piss up, however I didn't work on a Tuesday at that place, so I missed it, twice.

"The Race That Stops A Nation" is just media hype.

2/11/04 8:24 am

 
Blogger Casyn said...

Last year was the first Race related work thing I've gone to. Being a theatre, none of the technical staff (with a show to do that night) were drinking. So the most exciting thing for me was the nibblies. :-)

I got a call this afternoon and the person asked, "did you watch the race?" and after I remembered what race, I realised it had happened only minutes before. I think this is a firm case against my weakness for hype.

2/11/04 3:57 pm

 
Blogger Pickwick said...

I too showed no interest in this afternoon's *competition* and even managed to convince 20 16-year olds that they weren't missing anything in skipping it either. I can't believe so many staff take their students to the hall to watch something so irrelevant to their lives.

I have, however, been to the race. I have frocked up, donned the hat and been influenced by bubbly at a far from respectable hour. Whilst it was a great day, I actually missed the race. We were far too busy just entertaining ourselves.

It's the best way to be, I think. I recall standing on an esky to get a better view of another race, only to find that my next memory had me on my back on the grass with lots of faces peering down at me, enquiring if I was alright... Racing is dangerous stuff!

2/11/04 5:17 pm

 
Blogger MuzeKez said...

Ohh, here I am being the odd one out yet again. ;-) I've watched The Race every year since leaving school, I think. I even managed not to miss it the one year I had to work - lucky for me we had a TV as a potential prize (at the video game arcade that used to be my place of employment) so myself and the supervisor hooked it up to watch the Cup.

I had a good run with picking winners a few years straight, but I had no success today, nor last year. Seems I have lost my (limited) touch. Ah well. Gambling is bad!

2/11/04 5:41 pm

 
Blogger Ben said...

It was brilliant in Brisbane. Everyone was inside and the streets were empty. Like one of those movies when you stumble outside to discover you are carry the sole hope for the future of humanity.

But then the race ends and you are suddenly surrounded by people smoking! I think your analogy is indeed spot on!

2/11/04 9:59 pm

 
Blogger Casyn said...

Bugger. In my last comment, I meant to say that we WEREN'T drinking. Whoops!

I am glad you stuck to your guns Pickwick. I'm not so sure any school should be promoting any form of gambling. Except the School for Bookies that is.

That makes me smile. Pickwick frocked up and flat out. :-)

I hope you didn't lose too much on your bet today Muzekez. Perhaps you should be betting with the alternative TAB, the one where you pick the losers instead! I think this is a great idea. If you are going to gamble, why shouldn't you be rewarded for picking a loser?

Everyone was inside and the streets were empty? Sounds like 3pm on an average Saturday afternoon around here. :-)

There's nothing like the alluring aroma of second hand cigarette smoke to make one feel alive.

2/11/04 10:47 pm

 

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