Ah yes…it’s Derby Day!  This year’s field is full of great contenders, check out the horses and odds on this table from Vegas Insider:

 I would love to have one of the longshots come in!  To learn more about the horses, owners, trainers and jockey’s, visit the Kentucky Derby website (click here) for all the details!

My pick?  I’m going torn between Harry’s Holiday and Wicked Strong…how about you?

Vicki Reed

Yes, it’s that time of year again…Oscar time!  I love movies, but some of the Oscar nominated films are so far from mainstream, I don’t get them!  And let’s talk past winners…Titanic for example…guess what folks…the boat sinks!  and I didn’t need 3 hours and 15 minutes to know that!  Truly, I just love the fashion, from the horrific (Bjork and the swan dress) to the fantastic (seriously, does Helen Mirren EVER make a misstep???)    I watch bits and parts of the awards, but I’m checking out all the arrivals!

Have you seen any of this year’s best picture nominees?  For full synopsis and more information, click here to visit MSN Entertainment’s Academy Award section, for now…here’s my very short synopsis…

12 Years a Slave – Southern living in the 1840’s

American Hustle – drugs, boobs, comb-overs and scams!

Captain Phillips – Pirates…but not Jack Sparrow!

Dallas Buyers Club – AIDS and HIV treatments

Gravity – Lost in space

Nebraska – Father, son and those pesky sweepstakes

The Wolf of Wall Street – Crooked banker with a penchant for overindulgence

Her – Strange man in love with a computer

Philomena – Unwed mothers, adoption and mean old nuns!

How about Actor and Actress?  Suporting roles?  Here are your nominees:

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Bruce Dern — “Nebraska”
Leonardo DiCaprio — “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Chiwetel Ejiofor — “12 Years a Slave”
Matthew McConaughey — “Dallas Buyers Club”
Christian Bale — “American Hustle”

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchett — “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock — “Gravity”
Judi Dench — “Philomena”
Meryl Streep — “August: Osage County”
Amy Adams — “American Hustle”

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Barkhad Abdi — “Captain Phillips”
Bradley Cooper — “American Hustle”
Michael Fassbender — “12 Years a Slave”
Jared Leto — “Dallas Buyers Club”
Jonah Hill — “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Jennifer Lawrence — “American Hustle”
Lupita Nyong’o — “12 Years a Slave”
Julia Roberts — “August: Osage County”
June Squibb — “Nebraska”
Sally Hawkins — “Blue Jasmine”

And we musn’t forget Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron — “Gravity”
Steve McQueen — “12 Years a Slave”
Alexander Payne — “Nebraska”
Martin Scorsese — “The Wolf of Wall Street”
David O. Russell — “American Hustle”

Who are your choices?  I’m sure Ellen will do a great job hosting, I just don’t have the attention span to sit through it all, but I love reading the highlights and you know I’ll be checking out the fashion!

I’m talking about the drivers not turning on their headlights at 5:30 p.m. –there’s not enough daylight then to see your dark colored car/van/suv/truck.  And the ones who don’t know what that lever on the left-hand side of the steering column is for.  I can’t read your mind, I just have to slam on the brakes when you decide to change lanes or turn at the next street. Given the terrible condition of the roads, that’s not easy.

Then there are the usual suspects that come out when the snow falls:

The ‘Look at ME – I have 4-wheel drive’ idiot that goes flying by.

The ‘Oh gosh, there’s snow on the ground’ idiot that goes 10 miles an hour on a clear road.

The ‘Let me keep turning the wheel AND braking’ idiot trying to figure out which end of the vehicle will actually be headed in the right direction.

The ‘I can’t see any lines marking lanes so I’ll just drive wherever I want” idiot that makes a left turn from the far right lane.

I know we add new drivers every winter so remember to pass on some of your knowledge to those around you:

–           Carry a blanket, scraper, shovel, kitty litter and working flashlight in your vehicle

–           Start slowing before you try to stop, don’t slam on your brakes

–           Take your foot off the gas & brake when fish-tailing

–           If you’re stuck in snow, rock the car back & forth to get some traction

–           If no one’s coming at a 4-way stop, coast on through

–           Don’t pour hot water on a frozen lock or windshield, heat up the key then insert into lock and use rubbing alcohol to loosen ice

–           Show some leniency toward your fellow man/woman

Yes, it’s winter in Indiana and that means snow and slush and icy conditions. I’m sure you have an ‘app’ that tells you the weather or a co-worker that keeps IM’ing you with updates.  It won’t be any better till after the IHSAA Basketball Champion games so get over it!

What I LIKE

• Hearing “have a nice day” from the shoe shine guy.
• Having someone hold a door open for me – chivalry still exists!
• Please and Thank You, Excuse Me, Go ahead, you only have a few items.
• Smelling the baking aroma from the ‘flavor factory’ as I drive past I465 and Park 100.
• Catching up with old friends.
• Hugs, kisses & phone calls from grandkids.
• Unexpected mail (not a bill or ad).
• A funny, clean joke.
• Not-for-profit employees – they do it for the benefit of helping others.
• A ‘loaner’ in Euchre.
• The library.
• Rest stops along interstate highways.
• Baby pictures – any baby – they’re all cute.
• Post-it notes.

What I DON’T Like

• Drivers that tailgate – I’m going the speed limit – Back OFF!
• Co-workers that take the last drop of coffee from the pot and don’t make another one; my usual response is a quote from ‘ The Old Man’ from A Christmas Story: “sons ‘o bitches!”.
• Spit on the sidewalk – at least do it in the gutter.
• Smelling the  ‘s**t factory’ smells when the wind blows up from the south.
• Loud cell phone talkers – we don’t need to know your business.
• TV news ‘teasers’ – just give us the news, NOW!
• Politicians – most of them are crooks one way or another.
• Reality shows; drama in real life is enough for me.
• One-ply toilet paper.
• Litter/trash along the road/sidewalk.
• The word ‘like’ 20 times in one sentence.
• Dirty snow.