Merry Christmas my friends...

My children are beside themselves.  The turkey is roasted, showers done, dressed for church and we are heading out into the night for our annual Christmas Eve festivities and my children are so excited that they cannot stand it.  I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and rediscover the joy and excitement that my children have.  Love to you all.

5 more days

My children are bouncing off the walls.   Does anyone remember that excitement before Christmas that we all once had?  Counting down the days, waiting anxiously to see if Santa brought the items on the list.  Well that is where we are.  No more school and the days cannot go by fast enough.  At 9 and 6 this could be the last year that Santa is real and I am trying to milk it for all that it is worth.  I must say though that if anyone is feeling a little "grinchy" you must only speak to a child and get their take on the next few days and it will help you to regain the Christmas spirit.  We are off to the mall, and then hoping to bake cookies with friends.  Smile everyone, 5 more days and no I am not done but I will be.  I have to be.  Santa is coming!

Finally made it to Hogwarts...

As most of you know I have had a busy fall and am just now trying to get back in to the swing of things.  If you have ever read anything that I have written you must know what a major Harry Potter fan I am.  Now I have not yet seen the movie but we finally made it to Universal this past weekend.  Yep, that's right people, I have seen Hogwarts and loved every minute of it.  The children loved it and I was like a kid in a candy store (Honeydukes actually).  The rides were awesome and the castle itself was so well done that I must go back just to see everything I missed.  If you have the opportunity, well you know what to do. 

Hello Everyone!

Hello my friends.  I miss you all terribly.  I finally think that I am starting to get used to this full time work thing and I seem to be coming out of my funk.  I know that I have been gone for awhile but I have been trying to keep up with everyone as best I can (I read and lurk as any good stalker would).  Obviously the Christmas season is not the best time for me to begin blogging again in earnest but I miss just having something for me.  Sooooooooooo I will be sporadic over the Holidays but I am coming back after the first of the year.  And boy do I have some opinions about the state of my shows and about life in general.

While I was gone I attended my 20 year high school reunion (and may or may not have ridden a bull), celebrated an anniversary, dressed up like Little Red Riding Hood, fried a turkey for Thanksgiving and attempted to find the humor in life again.  By the way I found it.

We are heading to Disney this weekend for the Very Merry Christmas extravaganza and then finally going to see Hogwarts at Universal (so excited about this).  I will let you know how it goes and will get back in touch next week with everyone.

love to you all

PS  anyone going to check out Top Chef all-stars tomorrow night?

I am out for awhile...

As much as I love my blog and as much as I love my blogger peeps, I need another break.  I am having a difficult time these days and I need to step back and get my shit together.  I am not being a very good mom and when it comes right down to it, that is the most important thing that I do.  I love you all and hope that I will be back very soon....

My Work and Week

As many of you know I am a preschool teacher.  I used to teach Elementary school but when the children came along the hours of preschool worked better with their schedule.  Plus, I brought much less work home.  This year I am working 5 days a week with 2 different two year old classes.  I have a Monday/Wednesday/Friday class and a Tuesday/Thursday class.  For most this is their first school experience and the last week has been a little stressful, to say the least.  I have a few screamers who literally cry the entire 4 hours (9-1) that they are with me.  I am trying to laugh and trying to stay positive but it has been a hard start to the school year. 

Then to top everything off, I got my bridesmaids dress yesterday in the mail (oh yeah my husband's sister is getting married in 2 weeks).  It's a size 16!  A size 16!  Now on a big day I am an 8.  I know I bitch about my weight (a lot) but this is only because I was a size 2 (or 0) in college (don't ask) and I miss that body sometimes.  But I am not a 16!  The problem I have with this is that I have to get this dress altered before the wedding and it is falling off of me.  So the dress is enormous and I look like a gold tomato. 

Yeah I might start drinking on Tuesdays.  

"Maybe its a Spaceship" on The Bachelor Pad

OK, I know I laugh at this show every week, yet I continue to watch.  Deal with it!  The stupidity of the show takes me away from life's little realities.  The Bachelor Pad has become a joke and I cannot turn away.  So this week the group was narrowed down to the final 3 couples but before this happened, here are the high points.

•  Chris Harrison walks in and says that 3 girls are going home immediately.  After a stupid game of spin the bottle, we say farewell to Nikki, Gwen and the other girl.  Did anyone actually think that Kiptyn or Kovacs had the balls to not pick Tenley or Elizabeth?  
• Next up a super fun (so much sarcasm here) game of catch with water balloons.  The minute that Jesse and Peyton lost we all knew that they were going home.  They were not part of the cool kids and should have known that this was the end.  But, ABC had to fill another hour so...
• Natalie and Dave won the balloon toss and got the date.  When the clue came and it said a "night under the stars" no lie one of the brilliant girls stated, "maybe you are going on a spaceship". Well sweetie with ABC anything is possible.  
• No spaceship, just a Lamborghini and a night at a house with a hot tub for Natalie and Dave.  Wow that's different.  
• To get some alone time Elizabeth and Kovacs snuck into the fantasy suite.  They did the deed, and then Elizabeth got the guilts.  So a fight ensued about how Kovacs made no effort with her.  Now I am just guessing but if the guy gets what he wants in the fantasy suite without much efforts, why is that going to change?  
• Meanwhile Jesse and Peyton are trying to save themselves.  Talking with Natalie and Tenley we are led to believe that there might be a chance but no ABC is just filling space.  
• After the rose ceremony we say so long to Jesse and Peyton.  Our final 3 couples are Elizabeth and Kovacs, Tenley and Kiptyn and Natalie and Dave.  Wow the cool kids win again.  

The sheer stupidity of the girls on this show is unbelievable.  Not only that but can someone please inform these girls that sex and hooking up does not equal a relationship.  Oh its fun but it is not going to be long-term.  Next week is the finale' and it will be interesting to see who wins the money.  We all know that no love connection has been made, right?

Project Runway - Is anyone else feeling used...

After watching Project Runway last night, I was left with this floopy feeling.  Maybe it was manipulation, maybe it was lies or maybe, just maybe it was fancy editing and a wish that all people watching the show are just that gullible.  We have established that Gretchen is a bitch (and if Tim Gunn says it, it must be true).  We have also established that Ivy is the flying monkey to her wicked witch.  However, when did Michael C become the underdog (or the sentimental favorite).  Don't get me wrong, I like the guy (much more so than Gretchen and Ivy for sure) but he is no Suede or Kayne.  I will say that after all the smack talk about him last night, it was nice to see everyone's faces when he announced he won.  Gretchen looked like she swallowed a fish head.  I just have to wonder about the judges and their over exuberance for Michael C.  Gotta admit, I liked Mondo's dress better (or do I just like saying his name).  This season seems to be heading into a tailspin and I am not sure what happens next.  Maybe that was the plan all along.  Something to ponder for sure.  On another note, I was sad to see Peach go.  I think that she and I could be friends, she reminded me of many of my old sorority sisters.

At least Project Runway is holding my attention which is more than I can say for Top Chef right now.  So the producers are smart and I am gullible.....later all.

Top Chef - a little surprising

I was not expecting Tiffany to get sent home last night.  She has been so strong, especially in the last few weeks, and I felt like they would have taken that into consideration before sending her home.  And to see how shocked everyone was, was a testament to how good she was.  This entire season has been a little dull admittedly and now without the hope of Tiffany winning (and we long ago lost the showdown between Kenny and Angelo) I am pulling for Kevin (of course).  I know this is a longshot because based on everything I have read, he will be the next to leave.  But if Angelo wins (and he will) I will be disappointed.  Did anyone else hear him discuss how he made love to his dish last night.  Just a weirdo people, just a weirdo....  

The Emmys in my opinion...

I am not sure why I write that it is in my opinion because of course everything on this blog is my opinion.  But anyway I digress and want to let you know what I thought about last night.  No one will ever touch NPH as a show host (sorry you know I love him) but I thought that Jimmy Fallon was absolutely wonderful last night.  Some will disagree but I was pleasantly surprised by his spunk, talent and all around likability.  A few high points for me were

•  The show opener.  He got everyone and their brother to participate in the Glee-ful tribute and it worked well for him and the stars that poked a little fun at themselves.  
• I adored how Jimmy (can I call him Jimmy) introduced the different sections of awards.  It was almost like Cougartown (damn this show for not getting a nomination, love you Busy Phillips) where everything was a song and Jimmy made it work with members of the audience.
• The tribute to Lost, 24 and Law and Order was his shining moment.  Fallon as Boys to Men, Green Day and Elton was spot on (on all three) and I have now watched this section 4 times.  Excellent touch and a fitting goodbye to 3 amazing shows.  

I know many will comment on Jimmy's seemingly nervous banter and uncomfortable pauses but I think that this is just him.  For a first timer he was great and the show moved faster and easier than it had in years.

A couple of other highlights for me were (of course)

• Jane Lynch winning her Emmy.  She looked beautiful and so happy.  
• Also kudos to Eric Stonestreet.  He is so funny and plays a gay man so well.  just love him
• Speaking of Modern Family, their little video with George Clooney was fun and unexpected (probably not needed either) but so nice to see George having fun with the cast.  Very cute.
• Some will disagree, but Jewel singing the "In Memoriam" tribute was classic and well done.  Always a hard thing to watch (especially when one always wanted to be Dixie Carter) and she did it well and her voice sounded so sweet.

I do have to finish my post with the best and worst dressed for me.  Worst was hard (because sadly there were so many) but here are my two worst (and I hate this because I love them).  January Jones and Anna Paquin.  January looked like a bridesmaid from hell and Anna looked like a gladiator.  (Emily Deschanel was an honorable mention though).
                                         
                 

And my best dressed had to be Claire Danes.  I will also mention Kelly Osbourne and Jane Lynch because both looked stunning but Claire Danes just took my breath away.

So that is it; last night in a nutshell.  What did you think?  Were you happy with the winners?  Sad for the losers?  Or ambivalent about the whole thing?  Let me know.  Later all. 

Tonight is the night....

The Emmy Awards are on tonight.  And I, creature of habit that I am, will be watching, eating Chinese food and trying to tweet as many comments as possible.  I do have a tendency to not watch in real time because of the dreaded commercials but I will do my best.  I have a few wants tonight (like wanting either Kyle Chandler or Connie Britton from FNL to win) but I also am excited about seeing my favs from this past season on the red carpet.  I adore Jimmy Fallon and here is hoping that he makes the most of the show.  I am sure I will have some comments tomorrow.  Go all my shows!

Quick Word on Project Runway...

I just wanted to say one quick thing about Project Runway last night.  I just finished watching the episode and I must give a shout out to A.J. Thouvenot.  A.J. was the designer sent home last night and he went home with a great deal of class.  I disagree with the judges decision to send him home, although his shirt dress was a nightmare, but he left with his head held high and his integrity intact.  A.J. did not speak harshly about his teammates and took responsibility for his catastrophic design.  Others did not (Ivy, Gretchen etc).  Wonderfully, great episode last night and so nice to see Project Runway getting its groove back. 

PS  I like Michael C and his shirt was one of the only things about that collection that I liked.  Just sayin!

Sadly still watching...

Yep another Monday and another night of the Bachelor Pad.  I must be off to work but a few little tidbits about last night:

•  As most of you know, Wes is an idiot.  Not only does he "love" Gia but he played her that stupid song (the one we heard over and over again on Jillian's season).  Then he started threatening his friends to try to keep Gia safe.  Not the best game strategy.

• I adore the use of the word relationship in this game.  Apparently you can be in a relationship if you speak to each other more than once.  And you are "together" after one night in the fantasy suite.  If only all dating could be this easy.
• I loved the kissing contest.  Does anyone worry about germs anymore.  May I quote one of the players "I got tongue from everyone".  Nice!
• Natalie seems a little slutty.  Hook up with one guy, get asked on the date, flirt, remove top, get rose.  Enough said.
• I did feel bad for the weatherman (Jonathan).  He will never live down the "bad kisser" rep.  It was probably time for him to leave but he did not receive any respect.
• As for Gia, so long.  You cried too much, you had trouble pronouncing words, and you believed Wes.  You might need to reevaluate your life and figure out who you are and what you want.  Not the sharpest tack.  

So another night of absolutely stimulating television.  And I am still watching.

Back to school...

Last Tuesday was my children's first day back to school.  Today was my first day back to work.  I have to say that as tired as I am, I have missed being on a normal schedule.  I eat better, I sleep better and I am generally happier when I have some semblance of a structured day.  So here is to a new school year ( and hopefully a great one).  By the way my year started wonderfully in that I got a raise.  Not a bad way to begin, right?

NPH is having a good month...

First I had to congratulate him for the impending birth of twins, now this.  Neil Patrick Harris won two Emmy's at the Creative Arts Emmys Celebration the other night.  One was for the Tony awards and the other was for the guest appearance on Glee!  He is having a wonderful August and I do hope that it continues.  By the way, if you missed NPH on Glee, the performance of Dream On with Matthew Morrison and Mr. Harris is pure joy!  http://www.fox.com/watch/glee/87688503001

Bikini vs Bush

I don't normally watch commercials.  I Tivo a lot and like to fast-forward through commercials.  However, tonight while watching something in real time a commercial caught my eye and I had to comment.  Has anyone else seen the new commercial for the Schick Quattro for Women?  This is apparently the new razor and bikini trimmer in 1.  Sounds great I know, but I just noticed that all of the planted bushes in the commercial become a new shape after the woman walks by (triangle, landing strip etc).  I like the double entandra (bush and trim kind of thing) but it took me watching the commercial twice before it became apparent.  Just a heads up.  The reviews on this razor are great.  Maybe the commercial worked, I might need to go pick one up.  Here is the commercial.  http://www.quattroforwomen.com/media_trimstyle.php

Am I Really watching This Show?

Last week after watching the train wreck that is Bachelor Pad, I read a few blogs and one of the headlines made me laugh.  Some innovative writer headlined her recap of the show "STD you soon".  I found this so true and so hilarious.  But yet as I watched last night, Oh yes I watched, I could not turn myself away.  The remaining 17 contestants have the cumulative IQ of my 6 year old (actually that is an insult to my 6 year old) and I cannot get enough.

This week the contestants had to win a pie-eating contest in order to get the date and be safe from eliminations.  Gia, the swimsuit model, and Jonathan, the weatherman, both finished their pastry first and received the much anticipated "date box".  I need to take a moment and just let ABC know, Jonathan's name is not weatherman.  The network has decided that it is hilarious to just post weatherman next to his one-on-one interviews.  Now, not only is he the smallest and the shortest and maybe the dorkiest (OK Craig is there as well) he is without a real name,  Bless his heart.  So anyway, Gia and Jonathan get to go on dates with their 3 choices.  Jonathan saves Gwen (old lady) with his rose and Gia saves Wes.  Now here is where is gets interesting.  Gia had promised her rose to Craig but then Wes began his diatribe about his feelings for her and what a cool girl she is.  Here we go again people.  Gia, being an intellectual heavyweight, believes everything Wes has to say and decides to go against her peeps and save him.  My oh my this man must just be the shit. 

Back at he house, the second rose ceremony has the normal amount of drama.  Tears abound and many get stabbed in the back.  After the dust settles, Craig (damn that Gia) and 2-timing Jesse S. (some girl I don't know) are sent packing.  So the question is, who is winning thus far?  I am going to have to go with Wes.  He convinced some girl (albeit a stupid one) to give him a rose after she had already promised it to another and she has a boyfriend.  Yes he is that good people.  And next week he starts to sing that stupid ass song again (Oh you know the one from Jillian's season).  I cannot stop watching. 

*I read another review where the reviewer admitted to yelling at the television w hen she realized that Gia was eating up Wes lines.  I must admit, I too yelled at the television. 

Worst TV Show endings ever

What happens when I don't sleep?  I watch stupid television and remember the shows that I once loved.  While watching the final two episodes of Will and Grace, it got me to thinking about sucky endings to otherwise stellar shows.  So here is my list for my favorite shows with the worst endings (in no particular order). 

 

Will and Grace - I loved this show for the majority of its run but the final episodes left me flat.  Are we supposed to honestly believe that Will and Grace stopped talking to each other for nearly 18 years.  It was hard to digest and even though the two found each other again, it still left me sad to think that they missed out on each other's children growing up.   

Angel - The spin-off of Buffy filled the gap for me when Buffy left the air.  I loved David Boreanaz and his band of misfit crime fighters but the final season left a lot to be desired.  Combined with the fact that the finale did not bring Buffy to Angel for one more scene, no questions were answered and nothing felt completed.  Then to throw Wesley's death and the stupid Illyria character into the whole mix it just felt unfinished.  

That 70's Show - Once Ashton Kutcher and Topher Grace left the show, it floundered and it was most evident in the final season.  I was pleased that Eric and Donna ended up together but to match Jackie and Fez up left me feeling a little sick to my stomach.  Clearly Jackie needed to be with Hyde (although my friend and I fight about this because she thinks that Kelso was the one for Jackie).  Whether Hyde or Kelso, either one of them would have been better than Fez.

ER - I wanted more.  I wanted more closure, I wanted more flashbacks, shit I wanted more of everything.  I invested half my life into this show and the ho-hum finale was all I got in return.  Disappointing ending to an otherwise wonderful show.

The West Wing - This is another example of wanting more for me.  I was invested in these characters.  Where did they go, what did they become?  Did all of them just walk away and that was it?  After 8 years, it seemed as if we would have known what they were going to do next. 

Am I being too picky?  Did any of these endings bother you as well?  I know that if you go further back many will mention Seinfeld, Roseanne, Cheers etc.  These are mine that stand from the last few years.  What did I forget (and before you say it I did not watch the Sopranoes).

Congratulations to NPH

As most of you know I adore Neil Patrick Harris.  If I were to have a gay boyfriend, he would be it (after David Dust of course).  So I was pleased to get his tweet today (of course I follow him) about expecting twins in the fall. His tweet was as follows.... So, get this: David and I are expecting twins this fall. We're super excited/nervous/thrilled. Hoping the press can respect our privacy... So excited for he and his long time partner.  I love good news!

Not Sleeping Sucks

I cannot fall asleep and nighttime television leaves a lot to be desired.  I have been unable to turn my brain off lately and I cannot seem to relax enough to sleep.  oh what to do what to do....

This is all I want to do.  Fingers crossed it happens soon...

You know you are bored when...

Tonight a new show started and I must admit I watched.  This new show is called the Bachelor Pad.  The sad, repressed people on this show have all been on the bachelorette or bachelor at some point over the past seasons.   Let me reiterate, I watched the show.  However, it was like a huge orgy.  All of these people (19 total) had to stay in the same house and sleep in the same room.  Chris Harrison hosts once again; along with Melissa Rycroft.  Each week there is a competition and whoever wins gets a rose.  Once a rose is received the winner can elect to go on a "special" date with the person of their choice.  At the end of the week, the women will vote the men off and the men vote the women off.  Kind of like Big Brother with more hook-ups I guess.

• Wes is back!  The country crooner from last year's bachelorette makes another attempt to receive his 15 minutes of fame.  He still seems a little skeezy to me.
• The oldest person on the show is Gwen from SEASON 2 (do you know how long ago that was?).  She will not allow the network to post her age on the screen when she does her personal interviews.  Bless her heart. *this just in Gwen is 39 (everyone else is a lot younger but she looks good in her bikini)
• I just have to wonder if this is going to become like the Real World/Road Rules challenges.  All we need is plenty of liquor, some fisticuffs, a hot tub and a dress up night.  
• There is absolutely no loyalty between the girls and the guys.  Everyone talks smack about everyone else. 
• Some girl named Michelle "locked" some girl named Tenley in the bathroom and "yelled at her.  My, my this is getting good.
• I will admit that the bodies on these women makes me a little envious.  Oh to be 28 again!

Twister is the first game of the competition, in bikinis no less.  Does this tell you anything about the show?  So the first people to go are Juan (I actually remember him) and that mean girl named Michelle.  I might actually might watch next week. 

* I wonder which guy or girl will hook up with the most people (different people).  Hmmmm...

This Season of Friday Night Lights

My husband and I finished watching the last 4 episodes of Friday Night Lights: The Fourth Season last night and I have a few things to say about the best show on television. 

• Watching Tim Riggins walking into the jail in the final scenes actually made me cry.  Taylor Kitsch had an excellent season and broke my heart every week (which is a good thing).  

• I loved, loved, loved the fact that the season finale allowed Landry to come into his own.  He was always a source of comic relief and to actually stand up for himself and then to be the game hero was absolutely satisfying.  I also adored the final words that the coach had with Landry before he kicked his field goal and was it my imagination or did he call him Landry (instead of Lance) finally?
• There is no way that Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton do not deserve Emmy awards.  The two of them had a phenomenal year.
• Speaking of Ms. Britton, she really amazed me the last 3 or 4 episodes.  We are always supposed to identify more with the Coach (the show is called Friday Night Lights) but she too has a career that she adores and is exceptional at.  From the meetings with Becky to the press conference to the final scene when she steps down as the principal; my heart went out to her and it felt so real.  Thank you Connie Britton for keeping it real and giving us everything you have in this character.  Tami Taylor is beloved by us all.  

• Moving in to the fifth and final season (why does this make me tear up) I look forward to watching Vince, Luke, Tess and Becky grow and I was not saying that when we began.  
• So long and thank you to the wonderful characters of Matt, Landry, Julie and Tim Riggins.  Come back and visit (a lot).  We have enjoyed growing with you.  

I know that I sound completely cheesy about this show.  If you watch you understand.  The characters get under your skin and you become invested in their lives (this is what makes a wonderful show).  If you don't watch, well then you are missing out.  Thank you Friday Night Lights for a terrific 4th season. Good luck to you all at the Emmy awards.
   
                                                                      

Who's Got the Funk?

I am in a funk.  I don't know why.  Next week school starts so summer is almost over.  I miss my friends in North Carolina.  My house is disgusting and needs to be cleaned and I hate cleaning.  No money equals no fun.  The weather is crappy and has been for the last 3 days.  I gained 5 pounds on vacation.  I assume I could go on and on.  I am just being a brat and feeling sorry for myself.  I would like to think that I will snap out of it in the next few hours, days or weeks.  Sorry for being so whiny but thanks for listening. 

I love the 80's

My husband and I watched Hot Tub Time Machine last night and we actually really laughed (a lot).  It has been awhile since I watched a movie that was such a throwback to a decade.  Plus this movie was dumb but smart at the same time.  Sounds weird I know but think about John Cusack's movies.  The Sure Thing, Say Anything, High Fidelity etc are all those dumb movies that have a smart meaning backing them up.  If you watch the movie try to find all the 80's throwback actors as well.  Chevy Chase was there but so was the mean guy from Karate Kid and the weird one from Back to the Future.  I loved it and almost want to watch it again.  Let me know what you think...

I used to love this show...

I have always been a fan of the show, Entourage.  My husband and I started watching a few years ago when we went to the Cayman Islands (random but we were exhausted and the hotel had HBO).  Last night we caught up on the last 5 episodes of this season and I left feeling empty, disappointed and sad.  This used to be such a great show and now it has become so predictable (obviously Vinny is heading for rehab).  Does anyone else watch this show?  Am I being too picky?  I think with the new comedies that I have enjoyed this past year (Modern Family, Cougartown etc) my expectations are higher and Entourage is not living up to these other shows.  What do you think?

Finally I am home....

I have returned from my North Carolina adventure and I must say, I am happy to be home.  I ate my Bojangles, saw my family, drank a little Sun-drop, and visited friends.  Now with 2 weeks to go before school starts, I am happy to be home and ready to gear up for the school year.  I have missed you all but have tried to keep up with your blogs in my free and quiet moments.  I will continue to play catch up these next few days and that includes catching up with my shows as well.  Let me know if I have missed anything exciting and I look forward to talking very soon. 

PS I have been trying to read this book for 3 weeks.  I will keep you posted.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Heading up North (North for me anyway)...

It is time my blogger friends!  Time for me annual trek to North Carolina to visit family and friends.  I will be gone for about 3 weeks and during this time I will try to keep up but posting will be limited (or nonexitent).  When I come back in August I will be ready for some Project Runway and the new season of shows to begin (sadly its the little things).  Think of me in the car for 12 hours by myself with 2 kids.  Oh and think of me when I cross the South Carolina line and can stop at the first Bojangles I see and have this for the first time in over 6 months!

 So very excited.  Later all!  Have a wonderful July!

So You Think You Can Dance - Results

As most of you know (if you watch the show), Alex Wong (one of the best dancers ever on the show) had to bow out of the competition last night due to an injury.  This is a guy who made it on last year's So You Think You Can Dance only to be denied by the Miami Ballet to be let out of his contract.  So he tried again this year and made it (of course).  He has been good, great and spectacular!  Alex's hip-hop number with Twitch was one of my favorite moments of the season.  So I was sad to see him go and left wondering, if Alex had not had to leave who would have gone home last night?  The other two in the bottom three were Billy Bell and Ashley.  Now Ashley had a great night Wednesday night.  Her hip-hop with the smarmy Dominic was inspired and fun and she "made it through" the dreaded quickstep.  Now Billy on the other hand has just not impressed me this season.  I know, I know he is an outstanding dancer but at some point he has to WOW me and it has not happened.  Its a mute point because Alex had to go but I am left wondering who is next?

Just a couple of other things;  obviously the judges play favorites as proven by the critique of Adechike.  For some reason they (Adam, Nigel and Mia) do not like this kid and I cannot figure out why.  Mia's apology last night was warranted but I am not sure, by the look on Adechike's face, if he was in a very forgiving mood.  On the other side of the coin, Jose' is obviously a favorite.  And while I like his smile and exuberance to learn new things he is not in the same class of dancers as the rest of the finalists are.  The judges have to stop pushing him because he cannot keep up and it is time for him to go. 

What did you think of last night's show.  Was anyone else sad to see Alex go? 

Emmy Nominations for FNL finally

Just a quick shout out to Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler of Friday Night Lights for finally (finally) getting Emmy nominations.  I am so excited for the two of them and so happy for the show.  Maybe all of the fan love helped a little. 

This has to be said about FNL

I was reading a comment from the wonderful Joy (Babble On)  in which she made a mention of the marriage of Eric and Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights  "Didn't you just love that conversation the Taylors had about the kiss and how they handled the whole thing?" and I have to say Joy yes I did.  For those of you unsure about what we are talking about, Friday's episode of the show had the Taylors discussing a drunken pass made by one of Tami's work colleagues.  The entire conversation that the Taylors had about the kiss was both poignant and mature.  While they both realized that their marriage was something they needed to work on, neither was insecure enough to think that this would be detrimental to their relationship.  Not only does this couple have the strongest marriage on television, their marriage is what I aspire to.

A few other observations about the show, I loved that Friday's episode had a few things that were happy.  I need that with my Friday Night Lights and I know others do as well.  I have a strong feeling that Vince is going to become my next Matt Serecen.  Nothing seems to go right for this kid and when it does you (or I) do not trust it because it is fleeting.  Oh and I love Landry (always have to get that in there).  The two of them and the pat on the chest was priceless.  My heart goes out to Becky and I was impressed with Luke and his reaction to her pregnancy news.  All kinds of things are happening in Dillon.

If you are not watching this show, you are missing out!

Eclipse - Take it for What its Worth...

I am feeling better (thank goodness).  The house is still a wreck (this is what I get for serving fried chicken, corn on the cob and brownies).  The floors are trashed but this will all get fixed tomorrow (my favorite phrase by the way).  But while I procrastinate I figured I would discuss my adolescent addiction to the embarrassingly cheesy Twilight series (and explain why I had to see the latest movie on the opening night).

For everyone out there who is a literary critic and hate everything about Twilight; I get it.  The books are simplistic, predictable and complete fluff.  And do not get me started on those that compare Twilight to Harry Potter (as most of you know I am a huge fan of J.K. Rowling and think that Harry Potter books are synonymous with the Bible, there is no comparison).  But (always a but), there is something so simple about the Twilight books and the ease with which you read them that it is difficult to put them down.  Plus the movies have pretty boys in them.  And OK they cannot act (not really) but (again a but) they are cute to look at and fun to fantasize about. 

 Don't judge!  Lately we have all had very few things to really smile about.  If a book (or movie) can transport you for a few hours and not make you think too much, I see no problem with it.  Now the obsession is a bit much (I will not remind you that I do have a Team Jacob shirt) especially for the younger girls but hell its all in good fun.

The movie, Eclipse, was the best of the bunch so far.  I am not sure that the leads have become better actors but the computer generated (because of the werewolves) fight scenes were well done and fun to watch.  I also believe that the "powers that be" do not want to screw with the formula too much because the scripts are staying pretty true to the books.  It was fun, it was fluff and there were cute boys.  Its summer, that's about all I need. 

Happy 5th of July

I hope that everyone had a wonderful 4th of July yesterday.  I have been ignoring the blog these past few days (actually these past few weeks).  Summer days are lazy and hard to get my brain out of vacation mode.  Plus I thought it made perfect sense to volunteer to have everyone over to my house for the 4th.  So now, not only am I hungover but I also have to clean.  Not fun!  I do have a few things to mention about Eclipse that I saw last week and I want to make a few comments about Friday Night Lights and So You Think You Can Dance of which I will try to do this week.  Now I am going to take some Advil, turn on a movie for the kiddos and take a nap.  Have a great day everyone!

Eclipse - Tonight!

I have tickets to the 7:00 showing of Eclipse tonight.  For those of you that live under a rock Eclipse is the 3rd movie in the Twilight saga.  Obviously it will be a Girl Fest as it was last time we ventured to one of these movies.  I am going to try to steer clear of any reviews or mentions of the movie today.  It will be hard since I actually know women (read women not girls) that went last night at 12:01am.  I just do not want anyone to ruin it for me.  Team Jacob all the way and I will let you know tomorrow what I thought of the movie.  Now have a great day as I try to refrain from hanging on the computer all day. 

Tom Cruise's Career is Over? Really?

I just read this article on AOL.com (here) about how Tom Cruise will never recover from his 3rd place finish of his movie opening this weekend.  Apparently the movie only opened with $20 million and came in behind Toy Story 3 and The Grownups. 

OK I have made mention of this before.  Tom Cruise is a strange bird.  There is no doubt.  I certainly do not agree with his beliefs and he seems to get overly passionate about things (or he does not think before he speaks maybe).  But (always a but) he seems to love his family (all of them) and is always out doing things with his children.  Also as an actor, there are very few of his movies that I have not enjoyed.  I read one of the comments related to the AOL article where someone stated that he had not made a good movie since Top Gun.  Jerry Maguire, Mission Impossible 1 and 3 (I hated 2), and so on.  He is a Movie Star!  Completely and totally and whether you agree or disagree with his politics or religious beliefs he is here to entertain us and he still does.

As for the mention of the lackluster opening of his movie this weekend; those of us that would normally attend one of his flicks cannot afford a night out right now.  Babysitter = $40 or $50, Movie tickets $30 (at least) and dinner too, it is just not happening right now.  We take the children to see a movie because it is summer and we need an activity during the day (hello Toy Story 3).  Adult movies get postponed until they come out on Netflix (hell I never even saw Sex and the City 2).  Except for Twilight and that is a whole other story (Girls Night does not count).

I just think Tom Cruise has a lot more to do and an abundance of entertainment left in him.  Don't count him out just yet.  Oh and by the way, as much as I love Cameron Diaz, why does no one question her career and her ability to carry a movie?

Entourage is back...

 I just watched the season premiere of the HBO show Entourage (I can't sleep) and I must say I was happy to have it back.  I have always loved this show, although the last few years have been tough to watch.  Vince as a has-been is never fun.  I like the decadence that is Hollywood.  The assholery of Ari Gold makes me smile.  And the shear grit of Johnny Drama is fun and sad at the same time.  The last few seasons when the real world started to rear its ugly head I found that I was not as interested.  Hell we have the real world right here.  So here is to hoping that the show gets back to its roots.  Tonight was a great start...

So You Think You Can Dance - Last Night

Just a quick word about the show last night. 

Billy Bell krumping may have been the single funniest moment of the show last night.  I like Billy and I think that he is an excellent dancer but he is not going to win any awards for being "buck" any time soon.  Bless his heart...

I enjoyed watching Lauren come in to her own last night.  Her lyrical hip-hop number was well danced and I thought that she really showed the judges that she can dance without being too cheerleadery.   Once again I loved Kent and his smile.  He was having fun with his jazz number and he and Courtney seemed to work well together.  I was also impressed with Jose' last night.  His Bollywood number was not great but he gave it his all. 

So who goes home?  I voted but will it help my favorites?

Moody, Moody

I have been in a proverbial bad mood lately.  I apologize if I have been a bit snarky but I think I just have the blues a little.  As I was trying to snap out of my mood the other day I ran in to an old acquaintance and she looked at me and said, "How are you?  You look tired."  Code for "You look like shit" as most of you know.  Well this just threw me in a tailspin and started trying to come up with other phrases that stupid people say that will put you over the edge.  I came up with a few...

"You look healthy"  code for "You look like you have gained weight or you look fat"

"That outfit is so interesting"  code for "That outfit is weird as shit and I cannot believe you wore it out of the house"

"Did you get those shoes on sale?"  code for "There is no way in hell that you could have paid full price for those."

"I am just being honest."  code for "I can say something bitchy and use honesty as my excuse."

These are just a few that I came up with.  One of my Twitter friends said that she was asked "when are you due?" and she was not pregnant (ouch!).  Do you have a phrase that just makes you want to slap someone?  Share please....

SYTYCD Update

Just an update...I was surprised that Alexie went home on SYTYCD.  I thought with her bubbly personality and wonderful technique she would have plenty of people voting for her.  Shoot, I was shocked at the bottom three all around.  Never allow me to make your picks in Vegas, that is for sure.  Still getting used to this new format and I was actually surprised that the judges made the final decision.  Has it always been this way? 

So Who Goes Home?

The show has begun.  As most of you know; So You Think You Can Dance is one of my favorite reality shows.  I enjoy and admire true talent and dance is one talent that is so far out of my realm that I admire those that are good at it.

Before I discuss who I think should go home I wanted to vent a few of my little frustrations with the new format of the show.  One of the things that I love (loved) about SYTYCD was the couples chemistry we were able to witness in the previous Top 20 format.  Now with the new "all-star" format we will never get to see two untested dancers create their own chemistry.  Each of the Top 11 will move from "all-star" to "all-star" every week.  And so many of the "all-stars" are scene stealer's.  It is difficult to tear my gaze away from Mark or Ade (and some say Pasha) to watch the contestant.  Also, who decided the "all-stars"?  Now don't get me wrong some of the choices are great (Ade, Mark, Twitch) but I am not a Comfort fan (and she was never a good partner) nor was I ever a huge Courtney fan (and neither were the judges by the tone of surprise that each had when she made the top 4 in her season).  I guess this is another "wait and see" moment as I try to enjoy the season with the changes.  Still getting used to the judges table as well.

As for last night, the dancers that I am assuming will be on the chopping block are probably (based on judges response) Lauren, Melinda and Ashley.  I will throw Jose in there as well but he seems to already have a following and NapTab numbers are normally very popular with the voters.  Of course, nothing will compare to the standing ovation that Alex received or the pure joy of Kent (he is just so excited to be on the stage).  I will be interested to see who goes home.  Any thoughts?

Han Solo Gets Married

As a child I was a huge Han Solo fan.  I was never a huge Star Wars fan (I know that this is blasphemy to some) but I watched because Han Solo was so hot.  And then there was Indian Jones and then Working Girl and then The Fugitive and then...you get the picture.  What this all means is that I love Harrison Ford.  I love the fact that he loves to act but hates to be famous.  I love the fact that you  hear very little about his private life.  In a world of press hungry people he keeps his life to himself.  So congratulations to Mr. Ford and Calista Flockhart who have just gotten married.  I hope that you are both very happy.
   
                                                        

You Say Its Your Birthday....

I turn 38 years old today. I know I know I am old. No longer a member of the mid-30's club I have moved up to LATE 30's. One thing that does make me smile today is the discovery of the star that shares my birthday.

Yep you guessed it, the man who never lets me down and always entertains....NPH! Neil Patrick Harris shares my birthday (he is a year younger but whose counting).

So Happy Birthday to me and Happy Birthday to Neil (and Happy Birthday to Courtney Cox too but she is older and looks really good in a bikini...bitch). Maybe just maybe Neil will want to hang out with me (maybe I will become a stalker in my LATE 30's).

The Last 2 Weeks of Friday Night Lights

With everyone puking I have been remiss about discussing the best show on television. I just wanted to say a few things about Friday Night Lights and the amazing last two episodes.

2 weeks ago we discovered that Matt's father died and we experienced the mourning process for Matt. Zach Gilford was amazing (and everyone has said this). I found most moving the last scene when Matt's (Zach's) hands are bloody as he fills in the grave.

As for this week; I loved seeing Lyla with Riggins again but we knew it was short lived. Also did anyone else think that the football game was one of the quickest in history. I was sad to see Matt go but it had to happen sooner rather than later. The boy needed to leave Dillon and it was time. As always, I heart Landry and love to watch his face when he finds himself in an uncomfortable situation (when being grilled by Tami Taylor especially). Oh and one other thing that made me smile, Luke and Vince watching the game tapes in Sears. The picture was worth...well you know.

Speaking of which as much as I adore the show I am ready for a few uplifting episodes. It was too soon for the Lions to win a game I know but I do need a little joy in Dillon.

Later all.....

Toddlers and Tiaras

Sadly I am home with a sick child today. We cannot seem to shake the throw ups (no fun by the way and I am just waiting to get them as well). So I am watching a marathon of Toddlers and Tiaras (look there is nothing else on). As I watch this train wreck of a show I am left wondering why?

Why are all of the women who put their children in pageants (or at least on this show) larger women?

Why does every woman fall into some sort of stereotype? And you know what I mean here. The mom that is reliving her glory days; the mom with no money who thinks this is so important; the mom that thinks her child is perfect etc etc

Why do all of the moms make multiple comments about how her child "wants" to be on stage (at age 2 really?)?

Why must 3 and 4 year olds look tan? And why do 6 year olds have to get fake teeth (or a flipper) when they lose their teeth because it is more attractive?

I know that you should never bitch about something that you are voluntarily watching but this show is just hard to turn off. Its a whole different world out there people.

Glee!

I just wanted to say a few quick things about Glee last night (I have to go to work); Awesome, awesome and awesome! The fact that our Gleek kids went back to what made us love them in the first place and sang a collection of Journey songs made me all warm and fuzzy inside. I loved the whole performance (a little disappointed that we had less Mercedes and Kurt but beggars cannot be choosers) and really thought that they were going to win. Vocal Adrenaline was good (OK the performance was great) but it seemed a showcase for Jesse St. James and no one else (just saying). The Sue factor was expected (I thought she would vote for them eventually) but the Emma thing was a little out of the blue (we will have to see what happens with that one). I really enjoyed the whole thing and liked the nice twist of Shelby adopting Quinn's baby girl (everyone deserves a second chance). Is anyone else sad to see the show go for the summer? I am actually excited about the reruns this summer. What did you think of last night?

A Prince was born today...

Today is the birthday of Prince. Prince (born Prince Rogers Nelson) was born June 7, 1958. I have to be honest I never got the appeal of this man. Now don't get me wrong; the man is talented (or was) but sexy, I don't think so. I had a friend in college who was just so attracted to him (and this was a sane, smart girl) and I never understood. Anyway, Happy Birthday to Prince!

Oh and my favorite Prince song; gotta go with Purple Rain or When Doves Cry but will give a shout out to Get Off...any others?

Absence Makes the Heart...

I am so sorry that I have been gone for awhile. My children finished school this past Thursday and we have been inundated with end of the year activities. Then when I picked up my computer to blog this weekend my computer had a virus (does anyone know how much I love my computer?). So I am back (hopefully) and will try to catch up with everyone this week. Happy Summer to you all!

My Favorite Dennis Hopper Role...

Today Dennis Hopper died at the age of 74. Known for playing a bad boy or a rebel I will remember Mr. Hopper for a much different role. On my list of favorite movies is a movie called Hoosiers. Gene Hackman starred in this wonderful story of the little team that could. The most amazing performance in the movie is given by Dennis Hopper as a down on his luck drunk who happens to be the father of one of the players on the team. As we watch him long for the good old days of high school and the exulted status most sports stars receive, you either love him or hate him but you cannot deny he is a true master of acting skills. In fact he was nominated for an Oscar for this role. As far as his off-screen antics and rumored bizarre attitude, this is the role that I will remember him for. May he rest in peace!