I’m in Deland visiting Judy and David. Here are some things that happened today: I watched the whole second season of Fleabag- it was excellent (and I’m trying to be happy about this rather than feel guilty), worked on design stuff at coffee shops, prayed the evening thunder storm wouldn’t turn into a tornado, got water in my camera. Like, in in my camera. There was some spastic involuntary shutter sound happening. I am not panicking because I’m too tired. I’ve decided I will put it in my car tomorrow and let it get super hot and then everything will just dry out. Seems logical. I don’t know if someone who knows about cameras would recommend this course of action but that’s what’s going to happen. I’m choosing not to think about how this could derail my whole trip.
Judy in DeLand, originally from Canada.
Rodeo in Arcadia. This is the Grandaddy of them all - that’s the official name of the rodeo. I think it happens once or twice a year. It was Sunday, there was prayer, afterwards there was a statement about how everyone is welcome, but, you know, it didn’t really feel that way. I don’t usually feel uncomfortable in new situations, unusual situations and I felt a little uncomfortable here- lots of very cool and nice people- but there was a general din of…aggression, don’t tread on me happening. Is it because I’m older and the camera makes it seem like I have a real job- I don’t, people! No worries there- and that I’ve been hired to take the pics for someone specific, like an animal rights organization? Am I being paranoid? I don’t look like a student just messing around, easily ignored. Also, it probably doesn’t help that I did tell some ladies I was shooting for an alumni magazine and couldn’t remember any colleges in Florida and said UFC. And they acknowledged it and nodded their heads, but there’s no school here with those initials, and as I walked away I heard them asking each other where UFC was. So, I’m sure I’m not helping my cause by being shifty about what I’m doing, but I did think that since I was already where I wasn’t supposed to be- behind the scenes because a very nice lady lent me her badge- it’d be better for me to be shooting for something official rather than just myself. Right?
This is kind of a crappy event, I mean, I guess most, all, of these events are pretty shit for the animals- but in this one, this little calf is released into the arena and two guys on horses come and surround him on either side and one ropes his horns and the other ropes his hind legs and I then when it goes wrong they pull too hard in opposite directions and this is a terrible thing to witness.
Always nice when the horse wins.
This cowboy was from Brazil, but lives somewhere in Florida now. Also, you’re about to get on a bucking bull, is it better to be sober or not so much? It seems not so much.
Wrist wrapping.
So, this is another event- it’s supposed to be fun for the kids- but, again, probably terrifying for the animals. What happens is they ask all children under a certain age, like twelve- to come down. Then they release three calves into the arena, these three calves are very cute and very excited to be free at last, until the kids - probably 50 or a 100? - are released, like hounds- and told to grab the ribbon that’s been lightly affixed to their tails and the first ones to grab it win a prize. So, at first, the calves are curiously running towards these still (ish) children and then the kids take off towards the calves and immediately you see the panic in their eyes as they do a 180 and attempt to run back towards the gates that just released them. But it’s no use, children are crazy little monsters and they’re no match for the promise of a prize of a twizzler or shoelaces or whatever was being given away, and they quickly get surrounded.
Cowboys just hanging out til it’s their turn at their eight seconds of fame. RIP Luke Perry.