Let's Go to the Rodeo!

"Rodeo embodies the frontier spirit as manifested through the aggressive and exploitative conquest of the West, and deals with...the reordering of nature according to the dictates of this ethos. It supports the value of subjugating nature, and reenacts the 'taming' process whereby the wild is brought under control" - Lawrence. (I found this on a rodeo website. I'm not sure who Lawrence is but he sounds like the Dr. of Rodeo).


Yesterday, Kristin and I went into NYC to see the new Paul Thomas Anderson movie "There Will Be Blood" It was amazing with a capital A (so I guess that would mean it was Amazing). But that's not what I want to talk about now. That's a later, more thought out blog.

What I want to discuss today is the rodeo crowd that descended upon Madison Square Garden last night. I'm not sure of the nature of the rodeo or what the official name of the event was, but believe me, Penn Station was full of Midnight Cowboy lookalikes.

Cowboy hats bounced up and down above the crowd of train riders. Families line danced in place to the absence of music, clapping at their clumsy whiteness. I even saw a little 3 year old running around with a hat autographed on 4 sides by some sort of rodeo celebrities. One day, he will grow up and pass that down to his son and tell of tales of the old west on 33rd St and 8th Ave.

There was even a sparse group of picketers outside holding up signs that read "Bulls buck because their owners kick them!!!" and "A Bull isn't brave. He's scared". That was verbatim too. What a stupid sign.

Our train ride home was chocked full of middle aged lesbians (literally) with skin tight, acid washed jeans, Garth Brooks t-shirts, and Cowboy hats. Then there was the four person family next to them; truck driving dad, frumpy wife, two pale children of European decent with pin straight bowl cuts. I enjoyed this nice change of pace. This was a fun crowd, who love a good calf roping.

I'm not really sure the point of this post. I just wanted to let everyone know about the rodeo, because if I weren't there last night, I would have been none the wiser.