A friend of mine from way back, lives in Colorado and owns a ranch where she raises horses and donkeys. Being a city girl, I know nothing about such matters so I was excited to get a recent email from her documenting the birth of a new donkey named Franklin. Apparently Jaime had gone out to feed the animals right as this birth was happening, so she was there to witness and assist. She had to do a "umbilical dip" which entails putting iodine on the cord or else it will become infected and the animal will die. All of this is pretty interesting I think, as I've never witnessed a birth of any kind. I asked her to explain the process to me, so here is the story in her own words:
donkeys are unlike horses in that they are a more "wild-type". Basically, that means they will not physically show pain until the end is near. There are all manner of things that can go wrong with equines, but donkeys are more fit for survival in an un-domesticated environment (ie if they show pain, they are a target for predators). Horses have been so domesticated & selectively bred, that they are much more honest when it comes to showing pain. When donkeys give birth they basically lie down, shoot the kid out & get it over-with as soon as possible. Again, it's the "wild-type", survival instinct sort of thing. Since the Jennet (mother) gets up right away (to protect the baby & save herself from potential predators smelling the grossness) the umbilical cord is broken. She still has the placenta inside her & will pass it as she is caring for the kid. Now, this is what's amazing. The kid was standing (wobbly) & the placenta was passed within 15 minutes. (I am assuming that's because the mother, Aimee, knew it was a safe environment.) I've heard stories about delayed birth that make me extremely nervous. So as soon as the kid gets up you have to be sure it nurses. The mothers milk has colostrum which contains antibodies & all manner of things that will help protect the baby & boost it's immune system. The other thing I have to do which is a bit nasty, is check the placenta once it is passed. I have to make sure it is in one piece & has 2 horns & lalala.....If the placenta is retained, it can be managed in horses, but donkeys (especially Sicilians-what I have) are difficult, because they are so small. A retained placenta creates a toxic enviroment in the body which causes havoc systemically. It can cause inflammation in equines hooves resulting in a conditon called Founder. They can't stand or walk. It is horrifically painful. So you have to make sure of this nasty placenta business. The iodine dip is necessary for domesticated animals. No matter how clean you keep a stall, run, or any kind of enclosure there will be bacteria. In the wild, the kid will have to be moving pretty quick & there will not be the concentration of urine, manure, or whatever else there is in the ground or bedding. So it should be safe from infection.
So I listen to/discover alot of new music through music blogs (and also EVR which I'll write more about when they finally upgrade their website ahem). One of the sites I've been to before, Tofu Hut, has just compiled the most extensive, comprehensive list of music blogs, categorized into genres, that I've ever run across. I recognized more than a few he's mentioned so I know he knows what he's talking about. I suggest checking it out. And then go to PEEL and download (buy) their application that let's you collect all the mp3s from these blogs (kinda like itunes) and you'll be good to go! Happy Discovering.
Harpers ran a short selection of journal writings written by Werner Herzog during the filming of Fitzcarraldo in 1982. Its an interesting, surreal perspective of life in the South American jungle, including an account of an albino turkey copulating with a beheaded duck. Check It Out.
My friend Nicole bought tickets to the sold out Bonnie Prince Billy show this past wednesday for my birthday present. It was at Santos Party House and marked the first time I've ever seen Mr. Oldham live. He did not disappoint. Also the first time I've been to Santos which seems to be replacing the Knitting Factory in that neighborhood. They have a giant heart shaped disco ball suspended from the ceiling. I think the sound system could have been better, but it is a bar, not Lincoln Center. If anyone saw him the following night at the Apollo theatre I'd be interested to hear what that was like.
I couldn't find any video of his new york visit but this is a video from N. Dakota a couple months ago.
"Only with patience and tenderness might a person surrender his barbed armor for a softer shield. Perhaps in this, I thought, lies the key to the good life—not rules to follow, nor problems to avoid, but an engaged humility, an earnest acceptance of life’s pains and promises."
There's an interesting article in The Atlantic this week on happiness and the elusive search for it. Its not different than most articles on the subject in that it doesn't provide an answer (surprise) and there are alot of contradictions. The article is about a Harvard study which follows a group of men throughout their lives since the study's inception in 1937 until their deaths. Through the peaks and valleys, their lives are followed and meticulously recorded in an attempt to figure out what constitutes a happy productive life. The article is grey throughout without any definitive outcome, but its an interesting conversation about what life is and isn't, expectations, hopes, doubts, and disappointments and who navigates all this successfully (but what is success?) or not. and why or why not. Its worth perusing.
Saw a crazy kool interesting movie at MOMA last night, Gaea Girls, a documentary by Kim Longinotto. Filmed in 2000, its about professional female wrestling in Japan (at least one group) and it is no joke. These chicks are serious, and they don't mess around. Its like WWF, but real. The film centers on the training and new recruits of GAEA, a team from the professional wrestling world. It is shot almost entirely at their gym in rural Japan and the grueling training and lifestyle they live in order to achieve their dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. One of the main focuses is a young recruit, Saika Takeuchi. She tries once to pass the test to become accepted into the group and fails, miserably. She gets beaten and bloodied (think double footed sidekick to the mouth) and ultimately denied. She tries a second time and after another annihilation, is finally accepted. The founder of the group, is Chigusa Nagayo, a serious butch female and relentless, sadistic disciplinarian. She's an unapologetic abuser and is in fact proud of the way she treats "her girls". She views herself as their mother and tries to impart her philosophy of anger and revenge down to them. She was severely abused herself by a military father and has spent her life becoming tougher than him. And she is. I would go nowhere near a ring with that woman. The documentary is at turns funny, revolting, violent, and perplexing. This a glimpse of yet another fascinating aspect of Japanese culture. (a more comprehensive summary.)
I encountered these birds outside my building. At first I thought they were mating, it is spring after all. But on closer inspection I think they were having a vicious fight! They were rolling around and making squawking noises, I was standing really close and they didn't seem to care. As you can see from the pix they had their claws on each others faces and legs. They'd roll around and then get tired and just lay there. I watched them awhile and then got tired myself and moved on. I wonder what they were fighting about?
This week's episode of The Office was so much fun. Michael turned his former office/closet space into a disco cafe where workers can take a break and dance and drink espresso. This is a great idea! Someone should seriously turn this into a business. I would love to go somewhere on my lunch break and dance and drink espresso, fun!
So, I had no idea Jim Jarmusch had a new movie out. I went to the theatre tonight resigned to see just about anything because I just felt like sitting in a movie and the only one playing around the time I was there was The Limits of Control. Let me see what this is about I thought. I read the little blurb....from acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch.... that's as far as I got. Holy shit. So of course I bought a ticket amazed it wasn't sold out or there wasn't a line. The theatre was pretty empty actually. Until a woman and a man came in late and of course had to sit next to me. As the movie was playing the woman had to rustle through her plastic bag, and not being able to find what she wanted, she felt free to rustle away till she found her chips or whatever food she had to eat. Then was drinking out of a glass bottle that she proceeded to drop, luckily it didn't break but it made some nice loud clinking and banging sounds on the way down, and then finally as all this activity exhausted her, she feel asleep and was audibly snoring. The man never bothered to nudge her awake. So yeah. Oh, how was the movie? Eh. There was very little dialogue, very little action. Alot of silence and long film shots (cinematography by Christopher Doyle). It seems almost Lynchian except without the anxiety and neuroses. Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind and will like it better on second watching, but this seems self indulgent and lacking some of the raw energy of some of his other movies. I don't like all of his movies after all (re: Dead Man, Coffee and Cigarettes) so this might be added to the list. The title is borrowed from a William Burroughs essay but has nothing to do with the movie's content. The film centers on The Lone Man, a calculated, controlled killer who is never distracted from his mission. The camera follows him the whole movie while he meets various connections to collect obscure, cryptic clues. The viewer remains in the dark throughout. We're supposed to focus on the "characters" and music and panning film shots but I don't think its interesting enough to sustain attention. At least for me tonight. I should probably give it a second watch before officially giving it thumbs down.
I ran across this documentary, The Rain Man Twins, and find it fascinating. Its about Flo and Kay, the world's only female, identical twin, autistic savants. They can remember every single thing that has ever happened to them in their entire lives and are particularly genius w/music, dates and math. They grew up in unfavorable conditions shrouded in misunderstanding and ignorance. Only after their parents died and a younger sister took them in did they really get to experience the world (and be discovered by it) and thrive. They've been obsessed with Dick Clark since the first time they saw him on tv and consider him their savior and substitute father. Amazingly Dick Clark calls them every year on their birthday. Which, I think, is an incredibly touching gesture. In a way they are really lucky to be twins as they can keep each other company and are able to share their perspective and experiences with each other. I imagine, its a little less lonely considering they are the only people in the world with their characteristics.
A friend of mine from way back, lives in Colorado and owns a ranch where she raises horses and donkeys. Being a city girl, I know nothing about such matters so I was excited to get a recent email from her documenting the birth of a new donkey named Franklin. Apparently Jaime had gone out to feed the animals right as this birth was happening, so she was there to witness and assist. She had to do a "umbilical dip" which entails putting iodine on the cord or else it will become infected and the animal will die. All of this is pretty interesting I think, as I've never witnessed a birth of any kind. I asked her to explain the process to me, so here is the story in her own words:
