Tom Barnes's Blog: Tom's 'RocktheTower' Blog - Posts Tagged "preakness"
Movies, The Preakness and Politicians
Let’s go to the Movies
Part 17
The flap with the Hays office over ‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn’ was just one of dozens of problems that David Selznick had to resolve between the time filming was complete in early July 1939 to the Atlanta Premier on December 15th.
If there were a problem it would eventually land on Selznick’s desk. But of course that’s the task you assume as motion picture producer.
Just to name a few items; editing the long film down to a reasonable time, hiring someone to write the onscreen titles, a kind of narration that sets up coming scenes. Ben Hecht took the assignment and did an excellent job, even with Selznick looking over his shoulder.
Writing the music and recording the score onto the film is a huge undertaking and is extremely important to the finished film. Max Steiner, a great talent, was hired for the job and as was Selznick’s practice he hired a back-up composer to write a second score just in case Steiner didn’t come through on time. Fortunately Steiner’s worked tirelessly and got it out on time.
His score for Gone With the Wind was much acclaimed and was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to The Wizard of Oz.
Distribution and ticket prices were an issue, remember box office tickets at the time were about a quarter but a special price structure had to be worked out for Gone With the Wind, general admission prices we seventy five cents for morning and afternoon showings, a dollar at night and a dollar fifty for preferred seating.
There was a protracted discussion with the Screen Directors Guild regarding the onscreen credit for director. Remember, several men worked on the film and were contenders for the screen credit. George Cukor, Victor Fleming and Sam Wood all contributed to the film and at one time it was thought all three might share in the credit, however in the end Victor Fleming was given the sole credit.
The film was officially completed on December the 11th with the World Premier scheduled for Atlanta, Georgia on December 15th.
Here’s a typical report of the event at the time:
The focus was on Atlanta last week when David Selznick brought his film version of Gone With the Wind to that Southern city. And he brought Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable with their spouses Lawrence Olivier and Carol Lombard along with a host of others.
I won’t try to name all the celebrities attending that great opening because I’d probably leave your favorite off the list and you’d be ticked off at me.
But I will say that Kay Brown, Selznick’s New York Representative, without whom there might not have been a movie version of Gone With the Wind, was in Atlanta.
This writer was also there. I lived with my family at 1424 South Gordon Street in West End Atlanta. And from the mind of that little boy I can still see those giant Klieg lights hurling those beams of light, crisscrossing the Atlanta skyline and into the sky. They looked so close I felt I could reach out and touch them. Of course I couldn’t because they were about five miles away. I felt the excitement though and was fully aware that they were lighting up the sky for a movie about the South called Gone With the Wind.
Something else, and I didn’t know the significance at the time but at the Cascade Theatre located just around the corner from our house, the current movie playing there was ‘The Wizard of Oz.’
Victor Fleming directed both ‘Oz’ and ‘Wind’ and years later I had the opportunity to work on stage opposite Bert Lahr (the Cowardly Lion) in the Pulitzer Prize winning play ‘Harvey.’
(To be continued)
Golf and Horse Racing – an Unlikely Paring
Honor and integrity seem to have vanished from the lexicon of the sports world save Golf and Horse Racing.
Are there ever any suspect moments in those two sports, of course there are, but they are rare compared to other sports.
My personal example of lost integrity is in baseball’s home run derby. I personally have put a mental asterisk after every name in the record book since Hank Aaron.
Of course that’s just my personal opinion about steroids and I expect it runs against the tide – but then I always was a rebel.
My point is jockey Calvin Borel who rode Mine that Bird to a whopping upset in the 2009 Kentucky Derby was aboard Rachel Alexandra the day before for the Kentucky Oaks Grade 1 race winning by 20 lengths.
Rachel Alexandra has won 7 out of 10 races and during the last five stakes wins Calvin Borel was the jockey. He made a commitment earlier in the year to ride the filly and he sticks by his word.
Hall of Fame and Eclipse award winning jockey Mike Smith gets the call to replace Borel on Mine that Bird – and from where I sit, not a bad call.
Bennie Woolley’s choice of veteran Mike Smith to pilot the Bird is backed up by past performance. Mike won the Kentucky Derby aboard Giacomo in 2005, and the Preakness aboard Prairie Bayou in 1993.
Excerpt from the Baltimore Sun tells what happened during the running of the 2005 Preakness:
‘At the time, Prairie Bayou, ridden by, Mike Smith was starting his move along the inside rail about 14 lengths off the pace and was moving up from 10th place to his eventual victory.’
Mike said, "I was lucky enough to miss him; he broke down right in front of me," Smith said of Union City. "When horses break down and fall, they usually fall right or left. But he stayed straight and I ducked around him at the last second."
Smith still had nearly half a mile to go, and a lot of traffic to negotiate in order to catch Personal Hope, who held the lead along the rail. But Smith made his move at the head of the stretch when he took Prairie Bayou outside, angling five-wide and circling the pack. He drew into the clear and ran straight down the track to eventually beat the favorite
Writers Notebook:
Here’s a plea for political writers and humorist to look back at a few examples of true humor and wit without malice.
Here are three by Will Rogers.
‘Be a politician, no training necessary.’
‘We’ve got the best politicians in this country that money can buy.’
‘With congress, every time they make a joke it’s a law; and every time they make a law it’s a joke.’
Now who would argue with that logic? Politicians of course.
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com
Part 17
The flap with the Hays office over ‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn’ was just one of dozens of problems that David Selznick had to resolve between the time filming was complete in early July 1939 to the Atlanta Premier on December 15th.
If there were a problem it would eventually land on Selznick’s desk. But of course that’s the task you assume as motion picture producer.
Just to name a few items; editing the long film down to a reasonable time, hiring someone to write the onscreen titles, a kind of narration that sets up coming scenes. Ben Hecht took the assignment and did an excellent job, even with Selznick looking over his shoulder.
Writing the music and recording the score onto the film is a huge undertaking and is extremely important to the finished film. Max Steiner, a great talent, was hired for the job and as was Selznick’s practice he hired a back-up composer to write a second score just in case Steiner didn’t come through on time. Fortunately Steiner’s worked tirelessly and got it out on time.
His score for Gone With the Wind was much acclaimed and was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to The Wizard of Oz.
Distribution and ticket prices were an issue, remember box office tickets at the time were about a quarter but a special price structure had to be worked out for Gone With the Wind, general admission prices we seventy five cents for morning and afternoon showings, a dollar at night and a dollar fifty for preferred seating.
There was a protracted discussion with the Screen Directors Guild regarding the onscreen credit for director. Remember, several men worked on the film and were contenders for the screen credit. George Cukor, Victor Fleming and Sam Wood all contributed to the film and at one time it was thought all three might share in the credit, however in the end Victor Fleming was given the sole credit.
The film was officially completed on December the 11th with the World Premier scheduled for Atlanta, Georgia on December 15th.
Here’s a typical report of the event at the time:
The focus was on Atlanta last week when David Selznick brought his film version of Gone With the Wind to that Southern city. And he brought Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable with their spouses Lawrence Olivier and Carol Lombard along with a host of others.
I won’t try to name all the celebrities attending that great opening because I’d probably leave your favorite off the list and you’d be ticked off at me.
But I will say that Kay Brown, Selznick’s New York Representative, without whom there might not have been a movie version of Gone With the Wind, was in Atlanta.
This writer was also there. I lived with my family at 1424 South Gordon Street in West End Atlanta. And from the mind of that little boy I can still see those giant Klieg lights hurling those beams of light, crisscrossing the Atlanta skyline and into the sky. They looked so close I felt I could reach out and touch them. Of course I couldn’t because they were about five miles away. I felt the excitement though and was fully aware that they were lighting up the sky for a movie about the South called Gone With the Wind.
Something else, and I didn’t know the significance at the time but at the Cascade Theatre located just around the corner from our house, the current movie playing there was ‘The Wizard of Oz.’
Victor Fleming directed both ‘Oz’ and ‘Wind’ and years later I had the opportunity to work on stage opposite Bert Lahr (the Cowardly Lion) in the Pulitzer Prize winning play ‘Harvey.’
(To be continued)
Golf and Horse Racing – an Unlikely Paring
Honor and integrity seem to have vanished from the lexicon of the sports world save Golf and Horse Racing.
Are there ever any suspect moments in those two sports, of course there are, but they are rare compared to other sports.
My personal example of lost integrity is in baseball’s home run derby. I personally have put a mental asterisk after every name in the record book since Hank Aaron.
Of course that’s just my personal opinion about steroids and I expect it runs against the tide – but then I always was a rebel.
My point is jockey Calvin Borel who rode Mine that Bird to a whopping upset in the 2009 Kentucky Derby was aboard Rachel Alexandra the day before for the Kentucky Oaks Grade 1 race winning by 20 lengths.
Rachel Alexandra has won 7 out of 10 races and during the last five stakes wins Calvin Borel was the jockey. He made a commitment earlier in the year to ride the filly and he sticks by his word.
Hall of Fame and Eclipse award winning jockey Mike Smith gets the call to replace Borel on Mine that Bird – and from where I sit, not a bad call.
Bennie Woolley’s choice of veteran Mike Smith to pilot the Bird is backed up by past performance. Mike won the Kentucky Derby aboard Giacomo in 2005, and the Preakness aboard Prairie Bayou in 1993.
Excerpt from the Baltimore Sun tells what happened during the running of the 2005 Preakness:
‘At the time, Prairie Bayou, ridden by, Mike Smith was starting his move along the inside rail about 14 lengths off the pace and was moving up from 10th place to his eventual victory.’
Mike said, "I was lucky enough to miss him; he broke down right in front of me," Smith said of Union City. "When horses break down and fall, they usually fall right or left. But he stayed straight and I ducked around him at the last second."
Smith still had nearly half a mile to go, and a lot of traffic to negotiate in order to catch Personal Hope, who held the lead along the rail. But Smith made his move at the head of the stretch when he took Prairie Bayou outside, angling five-wide and circling the pack. He drew into the clear and ran straight down the track to eventually beat the favorite
Writers Notebook:
Here’s a plea for political writers and humorist to look back at a few examples of true humor and wit without malice.
Here are three by Will Rogers.
‘Be a politician, no training necessary.’
‘We’ve got the best politicians in this country that money can buy.’
‘With congress, every time they make a joke it’s a law; and every time they make a law it’s a joke.’
Now who would argue with that logic? Politicians of course.
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com
2009 Belmont Summer Bird, Dunkirk and Mine that Bird
Birdstone’s success and Desormeaux’s redemption:
Sons of Birdstone: Summer Bird and Mine that Bird finished first and third in Saturday’s Belmont.
The youngsters were true to their breeding showing tenacity and stamina passed along to them by Papa Birdstone. While the Belmont didn’t produce a Triple Crown this year it might have done just as much for racing by highlighting an overlooked stud. Of course now that the secrets out Birdstone will be getting more respect and I predict his stud fees will be going up by a sizeable figure.
The most honest part of horse racing is the horse. Owners, trainers and jockeys are all guided by a human factor, ego followed close on by ignorance.
Last year it was Big Brown’s trainer making outrageous remarks about how great his charge was. This year Mine that Bird’s jockey Calvin Borel was the culprit.
An odd thing happened on the way to the finish line – redemption for Kent Desormeaux.
A couple of Cajuns Desormeaux and Borel riding competing horses from the same sire, Desormeaux came both mentally and physically prepared to win the Belmont, Borel didn’t. While Borel was enjoying his fifteen minutes of fame on TV’s Late Shows and seeing New York Desormeaux was studying his past performance record at Belmont, including a couple of losing efforts in the Belmont stakes. He was also working to secure mounts for the day of the Belmont and wound up with three wins on the early card prior to the big race. That race day experience of riding solid mounts over Big Sandy gave Desormeaux an edge.
Now we are aware that the Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird has a very talented half brother Summer Bird.
But don’t forget Dunkirk, the horse with the speed that carried the race and came in second.
What Desormeaux knew from past experience over the giant Belmont oval could only be learned by multiple races over the track. Big Sandy as the Belmont track is called is as different from Churchill Downs as the Indianapolis brickyard is to Talladega, Alabama in auto racing.
Kent Desormeaux and Summer Bird had something else going for them, Nick Zito the winning New York trainer. Summer Bird and his trainer Tim Ice were welcomed into and housed in Zito’s barn for their stay in New York.
Zito has spoiled the chances of several Triple Crown threats with wins in the Belmont, which includes Birdstone’s win over Smarty Jones in 2004.
Of the first three horses to cross the finish line Dunkirk was the only one to sustain an injury, a fracture in his left hind cannon bone. Fortunately it’s not life threatening, but it will keep him out of racing for a while.
Belmont winner Summer Bird returns to his Louisiana Downs home base for some rest. Then according his trainer Tim Ice he’ll begin to train for the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park on August 2nd. The next goal will be the Grade 1, $1 million Travers at Saratoga on August 29th.
Mine that Bird’s trainer Chip Woolley said his horse came out of the race in great condition and was set for an eight-week rest.
In the meantime the owners and Woolley are aiming for the Breeders Cup Classic at Santa Anita on November 7th. To prepare for that race they want to keep him on the dirt and run him against three year olds.
The horse seems to have gotten through the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont better than his trainer. Woolley admitted that hobbling through the grind of a Triple Crown campaign on crutches and a broken leg finally took its tole on him.
‘Talk about whipped, about half way through dinner last night I just said guys I’m done. And I’m not that type at all. I couldn’t believe how I hit the wall last night. I never thought I’d be sitting here sort of down about running third in the Belmont. This has been a lifetime dream.’
Coming Attractions:
‘Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone’
‘Doc Holliday’s gambling skills, six-gun and caustic wit created a western legend. But Sister Mary Melanie, Margaret Mitchell and ‘Gone With the Wind’ tell the rest of the story and give us the real Doc Holliday.’
‘The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle’
Washington orders military to develop hurricane-warning system. Navy vets back from Pacific War form Squadron 114 and flying out of Masters Field, Miami, Florida chased and charted eleven tropical storms and hurricanes the season of 1945, which started the process and development of our present Hurricane Warning System.
For updates go to www.TomsHurricanes.com
Writers Notebook:
A How to Book that Works:
My Review
Dan Poynter’s Self Publishing Manual is what the title implies – and a whole lot more. The book is also a marketing guide and goes a long way in the public relations area.
During the course of reading the book I jotted down a dozen or more subject notes and I’ll share some of them with you.
Poynter talks about reviews, testimonials and how your web site is at the heart of your promotional campaign. The section on news releases gives you an example of their format and how to tailor the release to your material.
The chapter titled “Advertising Your Book,” not only gives mail and print information you are told how to obtain radio interviews, which gives you free airtime to promote your book.
Those are just a few of the great ideas. Anyone with a book in the works or one that’s ready for the market will benefit from this manual.
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
www.tombarnes39.com
www.TomsHurricanes.com
www.RocktheTower.com
Sons of Birdstone: Summer Bird and Mine that Bird finished first and third in Saturday’s Belmont.
The youngsters were true to their breeding showing tenacity and stamina passed along to them by Papa Birdstone. While the Belmont didn’t produce a Triple Crown this year it might have done just as much for racing by highlighting an overlooked stud. Of course now that the secrets out Birdstone will be getting more respect and I predict his stud fees will be going up by a sizeable figure.
The most honest part of horse racing is the horse. Owners, trainers and jockeys are all guided by a human factor, ego followed close on by ignorance.
Last year it was Big Brown’s trainer making outrageous remarks about how great his charge was. This year Mine that Bird’s jockey Calvin Borel was the culprit.
An odd thing happened on the way to the finish line – redemption for Kent Desormeaux.
A couple of Cajuns Desormeaux and Borel riding competing horses from the same sire, Desormeaux came both mentally and physically prepared to win the Belmont, Borel didn’t. While Borel was enjoying his fifteen minutes of fame on TV’s Late Shows and seeing New York Desormeaux was studying his past performance record at Belmont, including a couple of losing efforts in the Belmont stakes. He was also working to secure mounts for the day of the Belmont and wound up with three wins on the early card prior to the big race. That race day experience of riding solid mounts over Big Sandy gave Desormeaux an edge.
Now we are aware that the Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird has a very talented half brother Summer Bird.
But don’t forget Dunkirk, the horse with the speed that carried the race and came in second.
What Desormeaux knew from past experience over the giant Belmont oval could only be learned by multiple races over the track. Big Sandy as the Belmont track is called is as different from Churchill Downs as the Indianapolis brickyard is to Talladega, Alabama in auto racing.
Kent Desormeaux and Summer Bird had something else going for them, Nick Zito the winning New York trainer. Summer Bird and his trainer Tim Ice were welcomed into and housed in Zito’s barn for their stay in New York.
Zito has spoiled the chances of several Triple Crown threats with wins in the Belmont, which includes Birdstone’s win over Smarty Jones in 2004.
Of the first three horses to cross the finish line Dunkirk was the only one to sustain an injury, a fracture in his left hind cannon bone. Fortunately it’s not life threatening, but it will keep him out of racing for a while.
Belmont winner Summer Bird returns to his Louisiana Downs home base for some rest. Then according his trainer Tim Ice he’ll begin to train for the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park on August 2nd. The next goal will be the Grade 1, $1 million Travers at Saratoga on August 29th.
Mine that Bird’s trainer Chip Woolley said his horse came out of the race in great condition and was set for an eight-week rest.
In the meantime the owners and Woolley are aiming for the Breeders Cup Classic at Santa Anita on November 7th. To prepare for that race they want to keep him on the dirt and run him against three year olds.
The horse seems to have gotten through the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont better than his trainer. Woolley admitted that hobbling through the grind of a Triple Crown campaign on crutches and a broken leg finally took its tole on him.
‘Talk about whipped, about half way through dinner last night I just said guys I’m done. And I’m not that type at all. I couldn’t believe how I hit the wall last night. I never thought I’d be sitting here sort of down about running third in the Belmont. This has been a lifetime dream.’
Coming Attractions:
‘Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone’
‘Doc Holliday’s gambling skills, six-gun and caustic wit created a western legend. But Sister Mary Melanie, Margaret Mitchell and ‘Gone With the Wind’ tell the rest of the story and give us the real Doc Holliday.’
‘The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle’
Washington orders military to develop hurricane-warning system. Navy vets back from Pacific War form Squadron 114 and flying out of Masters Field, Miami, Florida chased and charted eleven tropical storms and hurricanes the season of 1945, which started the process and development of our present Hurricane Warning System.
For updates go to www.TomsHurricanes.com
Writers Notebook:
A How to Book that Works:
My Review
Dan Poynter’s Self Publishing Manual is what the title implies – and a whole lot more. The book is also a marketing guide and goes a long way in the public relations area.
During the course of reading the book I jotted down a dozen or more subject notes and I’ll share some of them with you.
Poynter talks about reviews, testimonials and how your web site is at the heart of your promotional campaign. The section on news releases gives you an example of their format and how to tailor the release to your material.
The chapter titled “Advertising Your Book,” not only gives mail and print information you are told how to obtain radio interviews, which gives you free airtime to promote your book.
Those are just a few of the great ideas. Anyone with a book in the works or one that’s ready for the market will benefit from this manual.
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
www.tombarnes39.com
www.TomsHurricanes.com
www.RocktheTower.com
Preakness, Jefferson Davis, Civil War and Destiny
This Week
Super Saver Wins Kentucky Derby
Civil War Journal
Writers Notebook: Memories
Preakness next for Super Saver
A fist pump was all the emotion trainer Todd Pletcher showed after Super Saver came through to give him his first Kentucky Derby win.
The quiet Pletcher let the others do the shouting after Super Saver and jockey Calvin Borel beat Ice Box by 2½ lengths.
There was no long night out on the town either. Pletcher headed back to the hotel and joined friends and family for dinner — before heading to bed.
By Sunday morning it was back to work. That's the way it's always been for the D. Wayne Lukas protege. Less than 12 hours after Super Saver's triumph, Pletcher was in the barn checking on his newest star and thinking about the Preakness.
Trainer Nick Zito isn't sure Ice Box, who finished a hard-charging second, will be ready to run on such a short layoff. The Florida Derby winner took six weeks off before running under the twin spires.
Pletcher isn't ready to talk about winning the Triple Crown. He simply answered "no" on Sunday when asked if he's thinking about what lays ahead over the next five weeks. Yet he has high praise for his agile, well-rested horse. The Derby was the third race of the year for Super Saver. That was part of the plan all along, one that could benefit him in the weeks ahead.
"He's the kind of horse that makes his own trip," Pletcher said. "He's not at the mercy of what's going on around him."
Bob Baffert, trainer of Lookin at Lucky waited a week to see how his colt bounced back from his troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby before opting to head to Pimlico. So it's on to Baltimore. Baffart also said his luck can't get any worse in the Preakness than it was in the Derby. Lookin At Lucky will only have to deal with a 14-horse field at Pimlico so it could be a better trip.
There will also be a jockey change, Garrett Gomez, who has been on board for all nine of Lookin At Lucky's starts, will instead ride Dublin for trainer D. Wayne Lukas in the Preakness. Baffert said Martin Garcia will likely get the call on Lookin At Lucky on Saturday.
Yet no jockey in the Preakness is hotter than Calvin Borel, who has won three of the last four Triple Crown races and isn't backing off his claim that he and Super Saver can become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
Super Saver is due to arrive in Baltimore on Thursday and has been established as the early 5/2 favorite with Lookin at Lucky 4/1 and Patty O'prado 6/1.
The probable entry list stands a 15 today but could be down to 13 after the post position draws on Thursday.
The backstretch and barn area is just beginning to come alive as some of the Preakness contenders arrive by van.
Civil War Journal
May 12, 1861
Washington – President Lincoln's blockade of the Federal coastline is beginning to take form. Ten war steamers were reported on blockade service as of yesterday.
Balloons Go to War
Providence, R.I. – Balloons are joining the war effort, presumably for reconnaissance work.
Governor William Sprague of Rhode Island has ordered two of them sent to Washington. They are in charge of an experienced astronaut and will be used, when necessary, under the orders of General Winfield Scott, the Union Army Commander.
Two More Secede.
The Legislatures of Tennessee and Arkansas voted Monday to join the Confederacy.
Pensacola, FL – The Commander of the Confederate forces here, Brig. General Braxton Bragg, has reported to Montgomery that he lacks essential munitions and therefore is powerless to stop Union Operations in and around Ft. Pickens.
Montgomery, AL – Jefferson Davis is being handed more and more power to govern the people of the South. And like any other new state or form of government, the easiest way not to have too many heads is simply to have one.
Writers Notebook:
Charles Bronson, Perry Como, Rita Hayworth, Charlton Heston, Burgess Meredith, Ronald Reagan, Sugar Ray Robinson and Norman Rockwell.
Destiny wrote the play that gave us this notable cast of characters, and destiny's name is -- Alzheimer's.
A review you'll not soon forget.
Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey: Ruth’s Story
By Fran Lewis
Reviewed by Dr. Maxine Thompson
Where does the love go when one has Alzheimer’s Disease? This is the question posed in Fran Lewis’ moving memoir, Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey: Ruth’s Story. Of course, the love goes nowhere; it just changes forms. The main place it remains is in the “precious memories” and in the hearts of the loved ones.
Lewis wrote this book as a tribute to her mother’s life before and after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Ruth had once been a vibrant, loving woman who was the matriarch of the family, and a friend to many in her community.
Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey: Ruth’s Story, shares the journey of the author’s mother, Rush Swedloff, who has lived with the disease for the past six years. It also shows the impact of Alzheimer’s Disease on the family and on the community. According to http://www.alz.org/documents_custom/r... Alzeimher’s Disease affects 5.3 million people and is the seventh leading cause of death.
In a panoramic sweep,Fran examines the life of her mother, Ruth Swerdloff, through the eyes of those who love her, through her mother’s blog before the Alzheimer’s disease progressed, and at one point, through the point of view a toy bunny, which was at her mother’s side during a serious surgery.
Memories are Precious is an eclectic collection of photos, letters, and poems from Ruth’s grandchildren, from her adult children, from her neighbors.
The book changes voices throughout the story, which gives the book a fresh human twist. The collection of journal-sounding entries, poems, and memories from others who have been affected by the disease adds layer to this true human story.
The book opens with Ruth’s own words. We learn about her life as a child, then as a young woman, and as an older woman. She tells how she experienced the early signs of the disease, from forgetting things, to eventually getting sick. She provides insights into the disease that many people are still mystified by.
In turn, Francine relates what she saw as changes in her mother’s behavior, from forgetting to wandering to getting lost.
The story tells some of the medical challenges her mother went through before the Alzheimer’s set in. One of my favorite sections is how, in 1993, Francine flew her mother on a private jet to have surgery in California. There were a series of mishaps, but they made it. The author went through the proverbial hell and high water to make sure her mother got the best of medical care, and it worked. Subsequently, with her mother’s strong spirit and Francine’s advocacy, Ruth lived through this critical operation.
Another favorite letter in the book was one written from Ruth’s granddaughter. It showed the granddaughter’s memories of how her grandmother stuck by her side through a childhood accident.
The book provides a guide as to signs of Alzheimer’s Disease, tips for how to survive as a caregiver, and resources both online and offline that can help family members provide care.
As painful of a subject as this book covers, I read it twice. Why? Not only is this book a cry for scientists to try to find a cure for the disease, it is also a shining example of what family can be.
Too often, society writes off people when they are ill. Friends no longer visit. Sometimes even family shuns the sick person. As a result, many people are shuttled away to nursing homes where they may or may not get adequate care.
For me, Memories are Precious speaks to the power of love and family to overcome any problem.
This book shows what lengths a family will go to help their loved one when they are sick. After all, what is family for?
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels Tungee's Gold, The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
Facebook and Twitter
www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com
http://thehurricanehunter.blogspot.com
Super Saver Wins Kentucky Derby
Civil War Journal
Writers Notebook: Memories
Preakness next for Super Saver
A fist pump was all the emotion trainer Todd Pletcher showed after Super Saver came through to give him his first Kentucky Derby win.
The quiet Pletcher let the others do the shouting after Super Saver and jockey Calvin Borel beat Ice Box by 2½ lengths.
There was no long night out on the town either. Pletcher headed back to the hotel and joined friends and family for dinner — before heading to bed.
By Sunday morning it was back to work. That's the way it's always been for the D. Wayne Lukas protege. Less than 12 hours after Super Saver's triumph, Pletcher was in the barn checking on his newest star and thinking about the Preakness.
Trainer Nick Zito isn't sure Ice Box, who finished a hard-charging second, will be ready to run on such a short layoff. The Florida Derby winner took six weeks off before running under the twin spires.
Pletcher isn't ready to talk about winning the Triple Crown. He simply answered "no" on Sunday when asked if he's thinking about what lays ahead over the next five weeks. Yet he has high praise for his agile, well-rested horse. The Derby was the third race of the year for Super Saver. That was part of the plan all along, one that could benefit him in the weeks ahead.
"He's the kind of horse that makes his own trip," Pletcher said. "He's not at the mercy of what's going on around him."
Bob Baffert, trainer of Lookin at Lucky waited a week to see how his colt bounced back from his troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby before opting to head to Pimlico. So it's on to Baltimore. Baffart also said his luck can't get any worse in the Preakness than it was in the Derby. Lookin At Lucky will only have to deal with a 14-horse field at Pimlico so it could be a better trip.
There will also be a jockey change, Garrett Gomez, who has been on board for all nine of Lookin At Lucky's starts, will instead ride Dublin for trainer D. Wayne Lukas in the Preakness. Baffert said Martin Garcia will likely get the call on Lookin At Lucky on Saturday.
Yet no jockey in the Preakness is hotter than Calvin Borel, who has won three of the last four Triple Crown races and isn't backing off his claim that he and Super Saver can become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
Super Saver is due to arrive in Baltimore on Thursday and has been established as the early 5/2 favorite with Lookin at Lucky 4/1 and Patty O'prado 6/1.
The probable entry list stands a 15 today but could be down to 13 after the post position draws on Thursday.
The backstretch and barn area is just beginning to come alive as some of the Preakness contenders arrive by van.
Civil War Journal
May 12, 1861
Washington – President Lincoln's blockade of the Federal coastline is beginning to take form. Ten war steamers were reported on blockade service as of yesterday.
Balloons Go to War
Providence, R.I. – Balloons are joining the war effort, presumably for reconnaissance work.
Governor William Sprague of Rhode Island has ordered two of them sent to Washington. They are in charge of an experienced astronaut and will be used, when necessary, under the orders of General Winfield Scott, the Union Army Commander.
Two More Secede.
The Legislatures of Tennessee and Arkansas voted Monday to join the Confederacy.
Pensacola, FL – The Commander of the Confederate forces here, Brig. General Braxton Bragg, has reported to Montgomery that he lacks essential munitions and therefore is powerless to stop Union Operations in and around Ft. Pickens.
Montgomery, AL – Jefferson Davis is being handed more and more power to govern the people of the South. And like any other new state or form of government, the easiest way not to have too many heads is simply to have one.
Writers Notebook:
Charles Bronson, Perry Como, Rita Hayworth, Charlton Heston, Burgess Meredith, Ronald Reagan, Sugar Ray Robinson and Norman Rockwell.
Destiny wrote the play that gave us this notable cast of characters, and destiny's name is -- Alzheimer's.
A review you'll not soon forget.
Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey: Ruth’s Story
By Fran Lewis
Reviewed by Dr. Maxine Thompson
Where does the love go when one has Alzheimer’s Disease? This is the question posed in Fran Lewis’ moving memoir, Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey: Ruth’s Story. Of course, the love goes nowhere; it just changes forms. The main place it remains is in the “precious memories” and in the hearts of the loved ones.
Lewis wrote this book as a tribute to her mother’s life before and after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Ruth had once been a vibrant, loving woman who was the matriarch of the family, and a friend to many in her community.
Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey: Ruth’s Story, shares the journey of the author’s mother, Rush Swedloff, who has lived with the disease for the past six years. It also shows the impact of Alzheimer’s Disease on the family and on the community. According to http://www.alz.org/documents_custom/r... Alzeimher’s Disease affects 5.3 million people and is the seventh leading cause of death.
In a panoramic sweep,Fran examines the life of her mother, Ruth Swerdloff, through the eyes of those who love her, through her mother’s blog before the Alzheimer’s disease progressed, and at one point, through the point of view a toy bunny, which was at her mother’s side during a serious surgery.
Memories are Precious is an eclectic collection of photos, letters, and poems from Ruth’s grandchildren, from her adult children, from her neighbors.
The book changes voices throughout the story, which gives the book a fresh human twist. The collection of journal-sounding entries, poems, and memories from others who have been affected by the disease adds layer to this true human story.
The book opens with Ruth’s own words. We learn about her life as a child, then as a young woman, and as an older woman. She tells how she experienced the early signs of the disease, from forgetting things, to eventually getting sick. She provides insights into the disease that many people are still mystified by.
In turn, Francine relates what she saw as changes in her mother’s behavior, from forgetting to wandering to getting lost.
The story tells some of the medical challenges her mother went through before the Alzheimer’s set in. One of my favorite sections is how, in 1993, Francine flew her mother on a private jet to have surgery in California. There were a series of mishaps, but they made it. The author went through the proverbial hell and high water to make sure her mother got the best of medical care, and it worked. Subsequently, with her mother’s strong spirit and Francine’s advocacy, Ruth lived through this critical operation.
Another favorite letter in the book was one written from Ruth’s granddaughter. It showed the granddaughter’s memories of how her grandmother stuck by her side through a childhood accident.
The book provides a guide as to signs of Alzheimer’s Disease, tips for how to survive as a caregiver, and resources both online and offline that can help family members provide care.
As painful of a subject as this book covers, I read it twice. Why? Not only is this book a cry for scientists to try to find a cure for the disease, it is also a shining example of what family can be.
Too often, society writes off people when they are ill. Friends no longer visit. Sometimes even family shuns the sick person. As a result, many people are shuttled away to nursing homes where they may or may not get adequate care.
For me, Memories are Precious speaks to the power of love and family to overcome any problem.
This book shows what lengths a family will go to help their loved one when they are sick. After all, what is family for?
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels Tungee's Gold, The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
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I do a variety blog and post every Wednesday. I am an actor, writer and hurricane hunter and my subjects are generally written about those fields. During Hurricane Season I do at least one story every
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