I know, I know, the first "real" eviction ceremony happened live on BB9 tonight, and there's much to be discussed in the trashy reality-TV world...but I'll get to it later. I've got more important things to talk about!
I just got a message from an old friend who said they read my blog and really related to what's been going on in my life, and it made me so happy that I had to write about it! I've gotten a few similar messages and phone calls from friends who are the same age as me and are, like me, venturing out in the world, getting first jobs, first apartments, and trying to figure out their role in the universe. I just bubble up with joy when I get these comments from people reaading my blog, because this is EXACTLY why I started writing it--I think all of us "twenty-somethings" feel like we're floating around in the world all alone, but I know we're all feeling the same way and going through the same stuff, and I hoped that by writing about it I could maybe provide those other twenty-somethings with the comfort of knowing that someone out there knows exactly how they feel.
Most of the time it feels like it's all pay checks, rent checks, cooking for one, trying to save money, and trying to figure out whether hanging out with your coworkers outside of the office would be a good idea, since there really isn't anyone else to hang out with. And a lot of the time, that sounds really boring. But the truth is, we are all at a phenomenal point in our lives. A time when, unlike college, we don't take any social engagement for granted and get excited when we actually have plans for the weekend. A time when we call our moms to tell them what we cooked for dinner just because we're so proud of ourselves for not picking up Subway on the drive home. A time when we appreciate what we have so much more because now we have to fork over most of our paychecks to have it. A time when we come home from work and don't have to do homework, clean up after anyone, or go to five different extra-cirricular meetings or practices.
There will (hopefully) come a time when we have money saved up, a family to come home to, and a retirement plan to worry about. But right now, it's just us. We only have ourselves to look after, and we only have ourselves to depend on. And it's scary, but it's exciting too. And even though we feel like losers because sometimes we go to bed at 9:30 on a Friday night, we're so lucky to be where we are, knowing that our jobs, our social lives, and our financial situations can only get better from here on out, but also knowing how to find the joy, the triumph, and the humor in our present circumstances.
So hang in there, all you twenty-somethings. I know EXACTLY how you feel!
Much love,
Lis
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
BB9 Episode 4
Twists and Turns
The first thing I noticed tonight was that something was wrong with the opening credits. So far they have shown the players' pictures in pairs, according to partnerships in the house. And as is tradition, the evicted houseguests are shown exiting the house with their luggage. But tonight, Sharon's picture was shown with Joshuah's, Neil wasn't shown in the credits at all, and only Jacob was shown leaving the house. Wha??!! Back to that in a second.
First, we've got some silly stuff going on in the house. It's trouble in paradise as Amanda and Alex start to have problems in their tiki-themed HOH room. Amanda likes to prance about the house in skimpy clothes, and there is an obvious attraction between her and Parker. Alex, who has feelings for Amanda, is jealous when he sees them massaging each other and otherwise flirting.
Meanwhile, Joshuah goes to the diary room, where he's told that Neil had to leave the show for some personal business, and that he could choose one of the previously evicted players to have back as his new partner. Briefly weighing the decision between Jacob and Sharon, he says this is a no-brainer (and it is!) and picks Sharon. Interesting, since Joshuah is a self-professed bisexual, that he would end up having both a male and female partner in the duration of the game. When Sharon comes back, the rest of the guests drop the bomb on her that Jen and Ryan are a couple outside the house. She says she feels a little betrayed by Jen for keeping it a secret.
More shinannigans...Jen and Ryan are being disgusting, or as they put it, "cuddly," and decide they've gone two weeks without having sex so they occupy the bathroom to do so. Parker walks in and hears them, looks right at the camera, and laughs. That is a classic BB moment...quality entertainment for all. Meanwhile, Chelsia tells James what Aly and Sheila told her--that they are lesbian partners. Oh yeah--with an adopted child.
So now Chelsia and James are thinking that maybe there are more twists in this game. James walks around the house "looking for clues" and looks at a little puzzle piece object in the hamster cage. Because it has four different colors, James decides this means there are four relationship "twists" in the house. He discusses this with Alex, saying that three of the twists are Jacob and Sharon, Ryan and Jen, and Sheila and Aly. Who is the fourth? Jealous Alex says...Amanda and Parker!
This triggers a ring of confrontations between Alex and Amanda, Amanda and Parker, Parker and Alex, Parker, Alex, and James, and Amanda and Alex. And all we find out is that Alex is jealous of Parker because he has feelings for Amanda that aren't being returned. And he calls Amanda out on her skimpy attire and flirtatious antics, and then says that since he and Amanda aren't going to "get physical" with each other, that they shouldn't be involved with anyone else in the house because they are a team. Amanda reacts to this by saying in the diary room that Alex is being "mean." She's five, apparently.
Power of Veto Time! A&A draw a chip out of a bag to determine who, besides themselves and the two nom'd couples, will be playing for POV. And it's Matt and Nat! So the Big East is playing against the Jen and Ryan mess of an alliance. Matt tells Parker before the game that he'd use the POV on Parker should he win it, but he says in the diary room that was just to pacify Parker.
Joshuah is the game host.
It's a sort of circus theme, and the girls have to strap themselves to these large heart-shaped verticle turntables and hold down a panic button. The boys have to spin the girls 300 turns. The first couple to complete 300 turns without letting up on the panic button wins the Power of Veto. Ryan and Aly are eliminated first because Aly's finger slips off the button. Then Amanda lets go, eliminating herself and Alex. Cut to Diary Room: "My partner doesn't know this, but I let go on purpose." Amanda says she threw the competition strategically to make A&A look weaker, since she knew as the first HOH they'd soon be targeted for eviction because of their strong gameplay. Alex is upset. Poor guy; this isn't his week. So we're down to Jen and Parker and Matt and Nat. Jen is barking at Parker to "spin it! Spin it!" And Parker is being a girl and getting too tired. Motion-sick Natalie just keeps her eyes closed and cheers on her pahd-nah. Matt and Nat win, keeping the POV within the Big East.
At the Veto meeting, Parker is expecting to get saved by Matt, but Matt and Natalie announce that they've decided not to use the POV because they agreed with the reasons for the HOH eviction nominations (didn't I tell ya?). Parker's Diary Room response: "This game blows. I don't even care. Whatever."
Dumb Move of the Day: Probably James for thinking that a hamster toy had something to do with the game and then telling someone about it. I'd keep those thoughts to myself until I gathered a few more "clues," buddy.
My Predictions for Evictions:
Alex and Amanda -- this is tough. Alex will be ready to get rid of Parker for the same reason Amanda won't want to let him go. But because Jen is such a horrible player and Parker is such a distraction, the smartest thing for them to do would be to vote out Jen and Parker. And since they've been pretty smart so far, I'll predict them doing that.
James and Chelsia -- I don't know of any preference these two have for either nom'd couple, but since Jen and Parker have caused more drama, I'll predict that they vote on those two.
Matt and Natalie -- Matt really likes Parker, but not enough to use the POV on him, so if they vote with their alliance, it's another one for Parker and Jen.
Joshuah and Sharon -- because Sharon expressed some feeling of betrayal from Jen for keeping her relationship with Ryan a secret, I'll guess another vote for Jen and Parker.
Adam and Sheila -- there is no way Sheila would vote out her girl Allison. Another vote for Jen and Parker.
So my prediction is a unanimous vote by the house to evict Jen and Parker. And even if it's not unanimous, I still think they'll garner enough votes to be sent packing.
Tune in next time to see if I was right!
The first thing I noticed tonight was that something was wrong with the opening credits. So far they have shown the players' pictures in pairs, according to partnerships in the house. And as is tradition, the evicted houseguests are shown exiting the house with their luggage. But tonight, Sharon's picture was shown with Joshuah's, Neil wasn't shown in the credits at all, and only Jacob was shown leaving the house. Wha??!! Back to that in a second.
First, we've got some silly stuff going on in the house. It's trouble in paradise as Amanda and Alex start to have problems in their tiki-themed HOH room. Amanda likes to prance about the house in skimpy clothes, and there is an obvious attraction between her and Parker. Alex, who has feelings for Amanda, is jealous when he sees them massaging each other and otherwise flirting.
Meanwhile, Joshuah goes to the diary room, where he's told that Neil had to leave the show for some personal business, and that he could choose one of the previously evicted players to have back as his new partner. Briefly weighing the decision between Jacob and Sharon, he says this is a no-brainer (and it is!) and picks Sharon. Interesting, since Joshuah is a self-professed bisexual, that he would end up having both a male and female partner in the duration of the game. When Sharon comes back, the rest of the guests drop the bomb on her that Jen and Ryan are a couple outside the house. She says she feels a little betrayed by Jen for keeping it a secret.
More shinannigans...Jen and Ryan are being disgusting, or as they put it, "cuddly," and decide they've gone two weeks without having sex so they occupy the bathroom to do so. Parker walks in and hears them, looks right at the camera, and laughs. That is a classic BB moment...quality entertainment for all. Meanwhile, Chelsia tells James what Aly and Sheila told her--that they are lesbian partners. Oh yeah--with an adopted child.
So now Chelsia and James are thinking that maybe there are more twists in this game. James walks around the house "looking for clues" and looks at a little puzzle piece object in the hamster cage. Because it has four different colors, James decides this means there are four relationship "twists" in the house. He discusses this with Alex, saying that three of the twists are Jacob and Sharon, Ryan and Jen, and Sheila and Aly. Who is the fourth? Jealous Alex says...Amanda and Parker!
This triggers a ring of confrontations between Alex and Amanda, Amanda and Parker, Parker and Alex, Parker, Alex, and James, and Amanda and Alex. And all we find out is that Alex is jealous of Parker because he has feelings for Amanda that aren't being returned. And he calls Amanda out on her skimpy attire and flirtatious antics, and then says that since he and Amanda aren't going to "get physical" with each other, that they shouldn't be involved with anyone else in the house because they are a team. Amanda reacts to this by saying in the diary room that Alex is being "mean." She's five, apparently.
Power of Veto Time! A&A draw a chip out of a bag to determine who, besides themselves and the two nom'd couples, will be playing for POV. And it's Matt and Nat! So the Big East is playing against the Jen and Ryan mess of an alliance. Matt tells Parker before the game that he'd use the POV on Parker should he win it, but he says in the diary room that was just to pacify Parker.
Joshuah is the game host.
It's a sort of circus theme, and the girls have to strap themselves to these large heart-shaped verticle turntables and hold down a panic button. The boys have to spin the girls 300 turns. The first couple to complete 300 turns without letting up on the panic button wins the Power of Veto. Ryan and Aly are eliminated first because Aly's finger slips off the button. Then Amanda lets go, eliminating herself and Alex. Cut to Diary Room: "My partner doesn't know this, but I let go on purpose." Amanda says she threw the competition strategically to make A&A look weaker, since she knew as the first HOH they'd soon be targeted for eviction because of their strong gameplay. Alex is upset. Poor guy; this isn't his week. So we're down to Jen and Parker and Matt and Nat. Jen is barking at Parker to "spin it! Spin it!" And Parker is being a girl and getting too tired. Motion-sick Natalie just keeps her eyes closed and cheers on her pahd-nah. Matt and Nat win, keeping the POV within the Big East.
At the Veto meeting, Parker is expecting to get saved by Matt, but Matt and Natalie announce that they've decided not to use the POV because they agreed with the reasons for the HOH eviction nominations (didn't I tell ya?). Parker's Diary Room response: "This game blows. I don't even care. Whatever."
Dumb Move of the Day: Probably James for thinking that a hamster toy had something to do with the game and then telling someone about it. I'd keep those thoughts to myself until I gathered a few more "clues," buddy.
My Predictions for Evictions:
Alex and Amanda -- this is tough. Alex will be ready to get rid of Parker for the same reason Amanda won't want to let him go. But because Jen is such a horrible player and Parker is such a distraction, the smartest thing for them to do would be to vote out Jen and Parker. And since they've been pretty smart so far, I'll predict them doing that.
James and Chelsia -- I don't know of any preference these two have for either nom'd couple, but since Jen and Parker have caused more drama, I'll predict that they vote on those two.
Matt and Natalie -- Matt really likes Parker, but not enough to use the POV on him, so if they vote with their alliance, it's another one for Parker and Jen.
Joshuah and Sharon -- because Sharon expressed some feeling of betrayal from Jen for keeping her relationship with Ryan a secret, I'll guess another vote for Jen and Parker.
Adam and Sheila -- there is no way Sheila would vote out her girl Allison. Another vote for Jen and Parker.
So my prediction is a unanimous vote by the house to evict Jen and Parker. And even if it's not unanimous, I still think they'll garner enough votes to be sent packing.
Tune in next time to see if I was right!
BB9 Episode 3
(First off, I realize I'm a day behind. I'll get caught up! Also, my new laptop is in the mail and on its way to my door, so soon I'll be able to keep up with my blogging again!)
I would like to title this episode "Jen-o-cide." You'll see why in a bit.
Where we left things...
Alex and Amanda are HOH. Sheila and Adam hate each other. Ryan, Allison, Jen, and Parker are in a forced alliance, which Allison is very upset about. Like, unbelievably upset. Suck it up and play the game!
A&A realize that Matt and Nat are strong competitors, but also people they seem to easily get along with. Matt and Alex have some sort of bond about Boston and New York...they're kind of like frat brothers from the School of Hard Knocks or something. Mr. New York and Mr. Boston, or as I'm going to call them from now on, the Big East. And their pahd-nahs, Amanda and Natalie, both seem like pretty sweet, likeable girls so far. So the four of them commit to form an alliance. Smart move and here's why: Alliances are going to be more important than ever this season bcause so far everyone has been throwing their ONLY allies--their own partners--under the bus left and right. I might have to eat my words later, but I like this alliance. And I may root for them...we'll see.
The memory wall is up, and as everyone admired their pictures, Jen remarks that hers is in the first spot because she's going to win. Stupid stupid stupid. Parker is pissed because he knows they're already compromised by Ryan and Allison, but Jen has continued to paint a giant target on Parker's giant 'fro. He reprimands her for speaking without thinking, while Allison gives Ryan an earful about how much she dislikes Jen. Poor Ryan--his girlfriend is an idiot of a gameplayer, and he has to defend her to his own jealous partner while trying to show some loyalty to that partner at the same time. Ryan is, I'm sorry to say, falling victim to everything horrible about females. And the worst part is, Jen, Parker, and Allison are chasing each other around without consulting Ryan on anything.
Allison is cracking under the pressure of her situation, which is making Jen and Parker nervous, so they decide to tell everyone about Jen and Ryan's relationship before Allison gets the chance to sell them out. (Where is Ryan in this decision?!) Of course everyone is shocked by this and Allison takes major offense to Jen, Parker, and Ryan's (?!!) actions. She then goes around crying to everyone about how she wasn't going to tell anyone but now her game is in trouble because of the other three. Then she and Jen tell each other off. Ohhh boy.
It's so hard to be Allison..sniffle sniffle...so she decides to relate to the only woman in the house who is older, scarier, and witchier than herself--Sheila. And they decide to spread a rumor that they are lesbian lovers. And they decide to tell the person in the house they think will be most likely to spread it around (and, I think, the person most likely to be turned off by lesbians): Joshuah. Of course, he tells Neil, and it's hilarious. Watching two gay guys talk about lesbians is pretty funny. Also, they tell Chelsia.
OK, so it's nomination time. And A&A prove again they they're playing smart by nom'ing Ryan and Allison, Jen and Parker for reasons strictly strategic--they have an unfair advantage on the rest of the house and it'd be best for everyone if either Jen or Ryan goes home. Plus, pitting allies against each other is a good idea at this point because they are much more likely to save themselves than each other should they win the Power of Veto. And we can see this is already true with Ryan and Jen; both have declared they are in it to win it. Plus, there isn't much of a chance that if anyone other than the nom'd couples wins the POV that it'll be used, since it looks like everyone is ready for either Jen and Parker or Aly and Ryan to go. AND if one of the nom'd couples DOES get POV, they can use it on themselves and put up Sheila and Adam, and then try to keep their alliance intact by trying to sway everyone to evict those two. (But I doubt Ryan could talk Aly into saving Jen or putting Sheila up, and I don't think Jen and Parker are smart enough to think up any sensible strategy in the first place.)
Dumb Move of the Day goes to Jen, Jen, and Jen, for the perfect trifecta of stupidity: 1) Running her mouth, 2) Spilling the beans, and 3) Not consulting Ryan on about ANYTHING she's done in the entire game so far. Jen says she's a huge BB fan...so why doesn't she seem to know how to play the game?
Next time, POV competition and final noms, and I'll try to predict where the votes will go and who will be evicted. Until then!
I would like to title this episode "Jen-o-cide." You'll see why in a bit.
Where we left things...
Alex and Amanda are HOH. Sheila and Adam hate each other. Ryan, Allison, Jen, and Parker are in a forced alliance, which Allison is very upset about. Like, unbelievably upset. Suck it up and play the game!
A&A realize that Matt and Nat are strong competitors, but also people they seem to easily get along with. Matt and Alex have some sort of bond about Boston and New York...they're kind of like frat brothers from the School of Hard Knocks or something. Mr. New York and Mr. Boston, or as I'm going to call them from now on, the Big East. And their pahd-nahs, Amanda and Natalie, both seem like pretty sweet, likeable girls so far. So the four of them commit to form an alliance. Smart move and here's why: Alliances are going to be more important than ever this season bcause so far everyone has been throwing their ONLY allies--their own partners--under the bus left and right. I might have to eat my words later, but I like this alliance. And I may root for them...we'll see.
The memory wall is up, and as everyone admired their pictures, Jen remarks that hers is in the first spot because she's going to win. Stupid stupid stupid. Parker is pissed because he knows they're already compromised by Ryan and Allison, but Jen has continued to paint a giant target on Parker's giant 'fro. He reprimands her for speaking without thinking, while Allison gives Ryan an earful about how much she dislikes Jen. Poor Ryan--his girlfriend is an idiot of a gameplayer, and he has to defend her to his own jealous partner while trying to show some loyalty to that partner at the same time. Ryan is, I'm sorry to say, falling victim to everything horrible about females. And the worst part is, Jen, Parker, and Allison are chasing each other around without consulting Ryan on anything.
Allison is cracking under the pressure of her situation, which is making Jen and Parker nervous, so they decide to tell everyone about Jen and Ryan's relationship before Allison gets the chance to sell them out. (Where is Ryan in this decision?!) Of course everyone is shocked by this and Allison takes major offense to Jen, Parker, and Ryan's (?!!) actions. She then goes around crying to everyone about how she wasn't going to tell anyone but now her game is in trouble because of the other three. Then she and Jen tell each other off. Ohhh boy.
It's so hard to be Allison..sniffle sniffle...so she decides to relate to the only woman in the house who is older, scarier, and witchier than herself--Sheila. And they decide to spread a rumor that they are lesbian lovers. And they decide to tell the person in the house they think will be most likely to spread it around (and, I think, the person most likely to be turned off by lesbians): Joshuah. Of course, he tells Neil, and it's hilarious. Watching two gay guys talk about lesbians is pretty funny. Also, they tell Chelsia.
OK, so it's nomination time. And A&A prove again they they're playing smart by nom'ing Ryan and Allison, Jen and Parker for reasons strictly strategic--they have an unfair advantage on the rest of the house and it'd be best for everyone if either Jen or Ryan goes home. Plus, pitting allies against each other is a good idea at this point because they are much more likely to save themselves than each other should they win the Power of Veto. And we can see this is already true with Ryan and Jen; both have declared they are in it to win it. Plus, there isn't much of a chance that if anyone other than the nom'd couples wins the POV that it'll be used, since it looks like everyone is ready for either Jen and Parker or Aly and Ryan to go. AND if one of the nom'd couples DOES get POV, they can use it on themselves and put up Sheila and Adam, and then try to keep their alliance intact by trying to sway everyone to evict those two. (But I doubt Ryan could talk Aly into saving Jen or putting Sheila up, and I don't think Jen and Parker are smart enough to think up any sensible strategy in the first place.)
Dumb Move of the Day goes to Jen, Jen, and Jen, for the perfect trifecta of stupidity: 1) Running her mouth, 2) Spilling the beans, and 3) Not consulting Ryan on about ANYTHING she's done in the entire game so far. Jen says she's a huge BB fan...so why doesn't she seem to know how to play the game?
Next time, POV competition and final noms, and I'll try to predict where the votes will go and who will be evicted. Until then!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
BB9 Episode 2
"You know what they say...Fool me once, strike one. Fool me twice...strike three."
~Michael Scott, The Office
So unfortunately, my computer died on Wednesday, so until I get a new one, I have to check in from work...which means coming into work early to do it. Which sounds pathetic, but at the same time, not having a computer at home means not having much to do around the house except clean, read, sleep, eat, and play with my hair...and you can only do those things for so long before you go insane, so going to work a little early doesn't sound so bad.
Anyway, I missed my recap of Wednesday night's BB, so I'll hit that up now...
First of all, I was confused about the whole Power Couple thing. I thought they were the first HOH couple, but I was wrong. For some reason the BB producers just made up a one-time position called the "power couple" seemingly for the sole purpose of getting one couple evicted right off the bat. So Jen and Parker were the Power Couple, which meant they had the power to single-handedly evict whichever couple they chose. And they pretty much had the choice made for them thanks to Jacob (you'll remember that he and Sharon were the ex-boyfriend and girlfriend who were "randomly" matched up in the house). Jacob decided to stir up some trouble in the house to "make things fun." (Wha?!!) So Jacob sits down with a few fellow houseguests, Jen being one of them, and says some people in the house were calling Parker a snake. Jen, of course, immediately reports this to her partner Parker, who declares he won't tolerate secrets and wakes up everyone in the house to find out who told Jacob he was a snake. Uh...the title of "power couple" obviously being taken to heart by this guy.
So what we discover is that (naturally) no one is going to own up to the name-calling, making Jacob pretty much look like a total toolbox. Which...he is. He then gets an earful from blind-sided Sharon, who realizes this is a serious misstep in their game and will probably get them evicted. I feel kinda sorry for this girl, and I think it's safe to stay that this couple will never make up and get back together. Because Jacob's short-sightedness, selfishness, and thirst for drama is probably what led him to cheat on Sharon in the first place. What an idiot. I was hoping he'd turn out to be a nice guy, but...he's a jerk. So Sharon makes a last-ditch effort to save her game by going to Parker and shifting the target from herself to Ryan, who she hints is the name-caller. Interesting, since Ryan, unbeknownst to the rest of the house, is dating Parker's partner. We could all guess where that was going!
Naturally, when Sharon indicated to Parker that Ryan didn't like him, Ryan was Parker's first pick for the power-couple eviction. Ryan and Allison had already proved to be strong competitors, so they already were fair targets WITHOUT any help from Sharon and Jacob. But of course when Parker suggested evicting Ryan and Allison, Jen balked at giving her BF the boot. Now here is where Jacob's one stupid move had a domino effect on the rest of the game: Jen could have easily found a way to convice Parker that Ryan was merely being used as a scapegoat by Sharon to keep her and Jacob in the game; after all, no one had spoken up in the meeting, so maybe Jacob had just been trying to cause trouble. But instead Jen decided to tell the paps her secret (always a bad decision)..."We can't evict Ryan because he and I are dating." She doesn't even consult Ryan before she does this, she doesn't think about it, the just DOES it. AGH! So then they pull Ryan in to let him know Parker is wise to their secret. And now, it's only fair that Ryan tells Allison, who is clearly disappointed no only because this seriously compromises her strategy, but also because she was obviously hoping for some sparks to fly between herself and Ryan, and now she's openly jealous of Jen.
Sharon's face-saving attempts aren't enough, and Jen and Parker send the ex-couple packing. I have to say this eviction was kind of disappointing because it wasn't live and there wasn't any follow-up with Julie outside the house afterward. But oh well. I don't really get the point of BB starting the game this way, other than just eliminating couples quickly to save future space for returning regular-season shows.
Now that first blood has been drawn, it's time for the first (real) HOH competition. The game is a silly matching game based on how well the couples could guess each other's personal preferences in a mate's physical attributes, as well as each other's sexual fantasies. But the best part is...the game is hosted by BB8's Jess and Eric!!! (My favorite players from last season!) Didn't I tell you they were the inspiration for this season's theme?! So the showmance-turned-real-life couple host the show, and the close-fought game comes down to Matt and Nat (who get along much better than I'd expected) and Amanda and Alex (who also get along VERY well). A&A win, and are dubbed co-HOH. People seem to be happy; apparently these two are pretty well-liked throughout the house.
Overall, kind of a disappointing episode; how can all of this be happening already?! I was hoping we'd get to see some sneaky gameplay from Jen and Ryan for at least a couple weeks before the secret got out! The best part of the whole thing was seeing Jess and Eric.
Dumb Move of the Day goes to Jacob for starting ALL the trouble AND getting his ex-girlfriend evicted. But a close, CLOSE second goes to Jen for just being a loud-mouth idiot.
That's all for Episode 2...Episode 3 coming up!
~Michael Scott, The Office
So unfortunately, my computer died on Wednesday, so until I get a new one, I have to check in from work...which means coming into work early to do it. Which sounds pathetic, but at the same time, not having a computer at home means not having much to do around the house except clean, read, sleep, eat, and play with my hair...and you can only do those things for so long before you go insane, so going to work a little early doesn't sound so bad.
Anyway, I missed my recap of Wednesday night's BB, so I'll hit that up now...
First of all, I was confused about the whole Power Couple thing. I thought they were the first HOH couple, but I was wrong. For some reason the BB producers just made up a one-time position called the "power couple" seemingly for the sole purpose of getting one couple evicted right off the bat. So Jen and Parker were the Power Couple, which meant they had the power to single-handedly evict whichever couple they chose. And they pretty much had the choice made for them thanks to Jacob (you'll remember that he and Sharon were the ex-boyfriend and girlfriend who were "randomly" matched up in the house). Jacob decided to stir up some trouble in the house to "make things fun." (Wha?!!) So Jacob sits down with a few fellow houseguests, Jen being one of them, and says some people in the house were calling Parker a snake. Jen, of course, immediately reports this to her partner Parker, who declares he won't tolerate secrets and wakes up everyone in the house to find out who told Jacob he was a snake. Uh...the title of "power couple" obviously being taken to heart by this guy.
So what we discover is that (naturally) no one is going to own up to the name-calling, making Jacob pretty much look like a total toolbox. Which...he is. He then gets an earful from blind-sided Sharon, who realizes this is a serious misstep in their game and will probably get them evicted. I feel kinda sorry for this girl, and I think it's safe to stay that this couple will never make up and get back together. Because Jacob's short-sightedness, selfishness, and thirst for drama is probably what led him to cheat on Sharon in the first place. What an idiot. I was hoping he'd turn out to be a nice guy, but...he's a jerk. So Sharon makes a last-ditch effort to save her game by going to Parker and shifting the target from herself to Ryan, who she hints is the name-caller. Interesting, since Ryan, unbeknownst to the rest of the house, is dating Parker's partner. We could all guess where that was going!
Naturally, when Sharon indicated to Parker that Ryan didn't like him, Ryan was Parker's first pick for the power-couple eviction. Ryan and Allison had already proved to be strong competitors, so they already were fair targets WITHOUT any help from Sharon and Jacob. But of course when Parker suggested evicting Ryan and Allison, Jen balked at giving her BF the boot. Now here is where Jacob's one stupid move had a domino effect on the rest of the game: Jen could have easily found a way to convice Parker that Ryan was merely being used as a scapegoat by Sharon to keep her and Jacob in the game; after all, no one had spoken up in the meeting, so maybe Jacob had just been trying to cause trouble. But instead Jen decided to tell the paps her secret (always a bad decision)..."We can't evict Ryan because he and I are dating." She doesn't even consult Ryan before she does this, she doesn't think about it, the just DOES it. AGH! So then they pull Ryan in to let him know Parker is wise to their secret. And now, it's only fair that Ryan tells Allison, who is clearly disappointed no only because this seriously compromises her strategy, but also because she was obviously hoping for some sparks to fly between herself and Ryan, and now she's openly jealous of Jen.
Sharon's face-saving attempts aren't enough, and Jen and Parker send the ex-couple packing. I have to say this eviction was kind of disappointing because it wasn't live and there wasn't any follow-up with Julie outside the house afterward. But oh well. I don't really get the point of BB starting the game this way, other than just eliminating couples quickly to save future space for returning regular-season shows.
Now that first blood has been drawn, it's time for the first (real) HOH competition. The game is a silly matching game based on how well the couples could guess each other's personal preferences in a mate's physical attributes, as well as each other's sexual fantasies. But the best part is...the game is hosted by BB8's Jess and Eric!!! (My favorite players from last season!) Didn't I tell you they were the inspiration for this season's theme?! So the showmance-turned-real-life couple host the show, and the close-fought game comes down to Matt and Nat (who get along much better than I'd expected) and Amanda and Alex (who also get along VERY well). A&A win, and are dubbed co-HOH. People seem to be happy; apparently these two are pretty well-liked throughout the house.
Overall, kind of a disappointing episode; how can all of this be happening already?! I was hoping we'd get to see some sneaky gameplay from Jen and Ryan for at least a couple weeks before the secret got out! The best part of the whole thing was seeing Jess and Eric.
Dumb Move of the Day goes to Jacob for starting ALL the trouble AND getting his ex-girlfriend evicted. But a close, CLOSE second goes to Jen for just being a loud-mouth idiot.
That's all for Episode 2...Episode 3 coming up!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
BB9 Premiere Night!
Wow, this is going to be a Big Brother for the books! I think the producers were largely inspired by last season's estranged father-daughter team of Dick and Danielle, and the budding romance team of Eric and Jessica, because this season's twists are all about team couples with a twist.
The House:
It's a cozy ski-lodge theme, with plaques everywhere about love. And all the bedroom doors are locked.
The Twists:
First, Sharon and Jacob were a serious couple, but broke up when he came home from the Marines because he had cheated on her. They haven't seen each other since, and they didn't know that the other was in the house.
Second, Jen and Ryan are a current, live-in couple, and they know they are both going to the house. But they have to play it single while trying to work together to make it to the final two...or so they think. Also, let me just say that am I right, or am I right? The special ed teacher-turned-bartender and the eternal college student. What a perfect couple!
Third, Julie reveals that the houseguests all have a "soul mate" in the house...apparently they're perfectly matched according to personality research, etc. (I think the matchmaking probably has more to do with the producers than with eharmony.com.) The couples will sleep in the same room, compete in HOH and food competitions together, and be evicted together. So all the tricks of the BB book can be tossed out the window...or can they? I hope the fans in the house who watched last season have learned a few things from Jess and Eric!
The Couples:
Alex and Amanda (Mr. New York and Mary Tyler Moore) - They have already expressed their individual happiness and attraction to each other, so they're off to a good start. They were born one year and one day apart. Both seem like pretty nice people. We'll see!
Chelsia and James (Biker Girl and Bike Boy) - Both kind of wild and crazy party kids, but she like Harleys...and he is homeless and rides a bike everywhere. They seem to be making an effort to get along.
Matt and Natalie (Boston and the Bible Bikini Barista) - This is not going to work out well...she is supposedly very religous, and he's a total tool. But they competed well together.
Jen and Parker!!! - He's the paps and she's the undercover lover. So we've got the girl with the biggest secret matched with the guy who gets paid to reveal people's secrets. Hmmm.
Joshuah and Neil - The gay couple. And now that they've been outed and defined as such, that's really all that's been said about them.
Jacob and Sharon!!! - Jacob is glad because he doesn't want to see Sharon with another guy who could potentially be her soulmate. I guess you should've thought about that before you cheated on her, pal. Sharon is pretty pissed.
At this point in the coupling announcements, Julie informs the remaining couples that all the rooms are taken...so the last two couples get sleeping bags. Nice.
Ryan and Allison - Ryan is already getting jealous about seeing Jen with another guy. Allison is very, very concerned with her gambling addiction, which she says could hurt her if discovered, but also could help her find the weaknesses in her housemates. I'm not sure if these two have even spoken to each other yet.
Sheila and Adam (The Couple from Hell) - ...or, the Cougar and the Casanova. He gets off to a bad start with her by calling her "Mom." She already hates him because he's not Ryan, her "tall dark and handsome" type. So right off the bat, we've got some sparks flying in the house...not the good kind, of course. Although both kinds are good for the producers!
The HOH Competition: "Falling for You"
The first HOH contest is an endurance challenge. One team member lays on a bed, and the other is harnessed to hang from a cord horizontally. The harnessed person holds onto the teammate, and both are hoisted in the air, where they have to hang longer than everyone else to win HOH (or as it's being called in this season, "power couple").
Sheila pretty much immediately craps out, and she and Adam are out. They hate each other, and so does everyone else, I think. I just don't get it...he's a designer, and she's a model. How could that not work out?!
The gay couple goes next, because they're pretty much lazy and figure they're not gonna win. Then Amanda, who dubs herself "the heaviest girl here" decides she's too heavy to keep hanging in the air, and she quits, eliminating herself and Alex. Sharon and Jacob do some bickering and then Sharon drops, so they're out.
Now half of the couples are eliminated, so Julie presents the next challenge. In the beds below the hanging couples are heart pillows worth $10,000. If the couple can retrieve the pillow using only their hands, they get the money. But if they fall, they lose everything. Everyone goes for the money except Natalie and Matt. Allison and Ryan go for the pillow, get it, drop it, and then Allison falls, so they're out. Allison blames her greedy and competitive nature (a.k.a. gambling addiction) for her blunder. Chelsia and homeless James get the pillow, but later fall.
So now it's down to Jen and Parker, Natalie and Matt. Jen and Parker have successfully retrieved their $10,000 pillow and make a deal with Nat and Matt that they will be safe if they concede to Jen and Parker. Nat and Matt agree, and drop.
So the first HOH Power Couple is: Jen and Parker.
They now must decide who to evict.
Is Ryan safe with Jen in power? Will Adam and Sheila be eliminated for their lame negative energy? How will the elimination and power of veto work with the couples system kicking people out of the house twice as fast as a normal BB season? Is this a way to end the show quickly in case CBS gets some of their normal shows up and running before the spring now that the writer's strike is ready to end? The answers to these questions and more tomorrow night! Have a good one.
The House:
It's a cozy ski-lodge theme, with plaques everywhere about love. And all the bedroom doors are locked.
The Twists:
First, Sharon and Jacob were a serious couple, but broke up when he came home from the Marines because he had cheated on her. They haven't seen each other since, and they didn't know that the other was in the house.
Second, Jen and Ryan are a current, live-in couple, and they know they are both going to the house. But they have to play it single while trying to work together to make it to the final two...or so they think. Also, let me just say that am I right, or am I right? The special ed teacher-turned-bartender and the eternal college student. What a perfect couple!
Third, Julie reveals that the houseguests all have a "soul mate" in the house...apparently they're perfectly matched according to personality research, etc. (I think the matchmaking probably has more to do with the producers than with eharmony.com.) The couples will sleep in the same room, compete in HOH and food competitions together, and be evicted together. So all the tricks of the BB book can be tossed out the window...or can they? I hope the fans in the house who watched last season have learned a few things from Jess and Eric!
The Couples:
Alex and Amanda (Mr. New York and Mary Tyler Moore) - They have already expressed their individual happiness and attraction to each other, so they're off to a good start. They were born one year and one day apart. Both seem like pretty nice people. We'll see!
Chelsia and James (Biker Girl and Bike Boy) - Both kind of wild and crazy party kids, but she like Harleys...and he is homeless and rides a bike everywhere. They seem to be making an effort to get along.
Matt and Natalie (Boston and the Bible Bikini Barista) - This is not going to work out well...she is supposedly very religous, and he's a total tool. But they competed well together.
Jen and Parker!!! - He's the paps and she's the undercover lover. So we've got the girl with the biggest secret matched with the guy who gets paid to reveal people's secrets. Hmmm.
Joshuah and Neil - The gay couple. And now that they've been outed and defined as such, that's really all that's been said about them.
Jacob and Sharon!!! - Jacob is glad because he doesn't want to see Sharon with another guy who could potentially be her soulmate. I guess you should've thought about that before you cheated on her, pal. Sharon is pretty pissed.
At this point in the coupling announcements, Julie informs the remaining couples that all the rooms are taken...so the last two couples get sleeping bags. Nice.
Ryan and Allison - Ryan is already getting jealous about seeing Jen with another guy. Allison is very, very concerned with her gambling addiction, which she says could hurt her if discovered, but also could help her find the weaknesses in her housemates. I'm not sure if these two have even spoken to each other yet.
Sheila and Adam (The Couple from Hell) - ...or, the Cougar and the Casanova. He gets off to a bad start with her by calling her "Mom." She already hates him because he's not Ryan, her "tall dark and handsome" type. So right off the bat, we've got some sparks flying in the house...not the good kind, of course. Although both kinds are good for the producers!
The HOH Competition: "Falling for You"
The first HOH contest is an endurance challenge. One team member lays on a bed, and the other is harnessed to hang from a cord horizontally. The harnessed person holds onto the teammate, and both are hoisted in the air, where they have to hang longer than everyone else to win HOH (or as it's being called in this season, "power couple").
Sheila pretty much immediately craps out, and she and Adam are out. They hate each other, and so does everyone else, I think. I just don't get it...he's a designer, and she's a model. How could that not work out?!
The gay couple goes next, because they're pretty much lazy and figure they're not gonna win. Then Amanda, who dubs herself "the heaviest girl here" decides she's too heavy to keep hanging in the air, and she quits, eliminating herself and Alex. Sharon and Jacob do some bickering and then Sharon drops, so they're out.
Now half of the couples are eliminated, so Julie presents the next challenge. In the beds below the hanging couples are heart pillows worth $10,000. If the couple can retrieve the pillow using only their hands, they get the money. But if they fall, they lose everything. Everyone goes for the money except Natalie and Matt. Allison and Ryan go for the pillow, get it, drop it, and then Allison falls, so they're out. Allison blames her greedy and competitive nature (a.k.a. gambling addiction) for her blunder. Chelsia and homeless James get the pillow, but later fall.
So now it's down to Jen and Parker, Natalie and Matt. Jen and Parker have successfully retrieved their $10,000 pillow and make a deal with Nat and Matt that they will be safe if they concede to Jen and Parker. Nat and Matt agree, and drop.
So the first HOH Power Couple is: Jen and Parker.
They now must decide who to evict.
Is Ryan safe with Jen in power? Will Adam and Sheila be eliminated for their lame negative energy? How will the elimination and power of veto work with the couples system kicking people out of the house twice as fast as a normal BB season? Is this a way to end the show quickly in case CBS gets some of their normal shows up and running before the spring now that the writer's strike is ready to end? The answers to these questions and more tomorrow night! Have a good one.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
BB9 Time...Almost!
It's the ultimate guilty pleasure of the year...only this year I'm getting a double dose, thanks to the WGA. Big Brother 9, the first-ever winter edition, premieres on CBS Tuesday! And now there will be something other than crime shows on CBS at least three times a week! (Keep in mind, the only reason I got so into this show is because the only TV station I get at home is the one I work at, a CBS affiliate.)
I went online and checked out the bios of the incoming house guests. I thought it'd be fun to write up my own impressions of them now and then come back after the Tuesday premiere and see if I was anywhere close to what they're like on TV! Here we go...
Adam - a fashion designer who describes himself as self-centered, a "Casanova," and agressive in an arguement. The producers struck gold here...if his housemates can stand him long enough to keep him in the house for more than a week. He has his own design label...so I wonder how many times a day he'll bring that up.
Amanda - born one day after I was, she's a paralegal, and a hopeless romantic. This girl is straight out of a romantic comedy; single, twenty-something career girl trying to make it on her own, Mary Tyler Moore style. I might like her.
Alex - born one year after I was (exactly), he is Mr. New York. He lives in Staten Island, he lost his dad in 9/11, and he owns a DJ business.
Allison - she comes off as the scary power-woman. Intimidating resume, intimidating good looks, and...intimidating. She says women hate her. Can't imagine why...
Chelsia - she loves Harleys, describes herself as the "hot party girl," and has tons of tattoos. I like Harleys too, but that's all I have in common with this girl. The judgemental part of me says, "trashy."
Jacob - the all-American. He's a hard worker (electrician), former Marine, and faithful church-goer. He also might turn out to be the "nice guy" of the house.
James - he doesn't have a college education, he doesn't have a job, and he doesn't have any desire to conform to mainstream social standards. This is that guy who gets attention by trying really, really hard to be different and weird.
Jen - this is the true college party girl who never grew up. She got a degree in special ed, but she's working as a bartender. She's also a huge BB fan, so we might see some recycled strategy on her part.
Joshuah - another gold mine for the producers, he is an ad media buyer who is bisexual, an exhibitionist, and doesn't care what people think. Hello, sweeps period!
Matt - the ultimate tool. He has a Boston accent, keeps his exes around for "booty calls," and lost on Couples "Fear Factor." I predict that he'll be wicked obnoxious.
Natalie - Three words: Bikini. Barista. Bible.
Neil - a realtor, who tried and never succeeded at several things, including choosing a major, graduating college, and modeling. So I don't see him lasting very long on BB either.
Parker - he's the freaking paparazzi! Seriously, that's his job. He works for TMZ. I can't wait to watch this guy because I hate the paps. And because this is another ratings treasure chest; it's going to be tough for his housemates to keep secrets from him...or get him to keep any of their secrets! I say get him voted out, first thing Wednesday!
Ryan - he's a student at OSU, so I automatically have some Big Ten football hatred for him...but then I see that he's 27 and apparently majoring in partying, so I don't feel so bad.
Sharon - this realtor describes herself as "loud, dramatic, over the top." So...she's asking for it. And by it, I mean eviction.
Sheila - the cougar of the house. She is a 45-year-old single stay-at-home mom. Is that even possible? It is when you were Penthouse Pet of the Year in 1984 and used to be a model and live-in millionare's girlfriend. Her star has faded, but it's still paying, I guess.
OK, that's the rundown. I'll check back Tuesday night (hopefully) and we'll see how close I was, and I'll make some more predictions.
In other news, I got my hair cut! I realize the picture I have on here is me with short hair...I grew it out and now it's short again, and a really cute blonde!
That's enough for now...more later!
I went online and checked out the bios of the incoming house guests. I thought it'd be fun to write up my own impressions of them now and then come back after the Tuesday premiere and see if I was anywhere close to what they're like on TV! Here we go...
Adam - a fashion designer who describes himself as self-centered, a "Casanova," and agressive in an arguement. The producers struck gold here...if his housemates can stand him long enough to keep him in the house for more than a week. He has his own design label...so I wonder how many times a day he'll bring that up.
Amanda - born one day after I was, she's a paralegal, and a hopeless romantic. This girl is straight out of a romantic comedy; single, twenty-something career girl trying to make it on her own, Mary Tyler Moore style. I might like her.
Alex - born one year after I was (exactly), he is Mr. New York. He lives in Staten Island, he lost his dad in 9/11, and he owns a DJ business.
Allison - she comes off as the scary power-woman. Intimidating resume, intimidating good looks, and...intimidating. She says women hate her. Can't imagine why...
Chelsia - she loves Harleys, describes herself as the "hot party girl," and has tons of tattoos. I like Harleys too, but that's all I have in common with this girl. The judgemental part of me says, "trashy."
Jacob - the all-American. He's a hard worker (electrician), former Marine, and faithful church-goer. He also might turn out to be the "nice guy" of the house.
James - he doesn't have a college education, he doesn't have a job, and he doesn't have any desire to conform to mainstream social standards. This is that guy who gets attention by trying really, really hard to be different and weird.
Jen - this is the true college party girl who never grew up. She got a degree in special ed, but she's working as a bartender. She's also a huge BB fan, so we might see some recycled strategy on her part.
Joshuah - another gold mine for the producers, he is an ad media buyer who is bisexual, an exhibitionist, and doesn't care what people think. Hello, sweeps period!
Matt - the ultimate tool. He has a Boston accent, keeps his exes around for "booty calls," and lost on Couples "Fear Factor." I predict that he'll be wicked obnoxious.
Natalie - Three words: Bikini. Barista. Bible.
Neil - a realtor, who tried and never succeeded at several things, including choosing a major, graduating college, and modeling. So I don't see him lasting very long on BB either.
Parker - he's the freaking paparazzi! Seriously, that's his job. He works for TMZ. I can't wait to watch this guy because I hate the paps. And because this is another ratings treasure chest; it's going to be tough for his housemates to keep secrets from him...or get him to keep any of their secrets! I say get him voted out, first thing Wednesday!
Ryan - he's a student at OSU, so I automatically have some Big Ten football hatred for him...but then I see that he's 27 and apparently majoring in partying, so I don't feel so bad.
Sharon - this realtor describes herself as "loud, dramatic, over the top." So...she's asking for it. And by it, I mean eviction.
Sheila - the cougar of the house. She is a 45-year-old single stay-at-home mom. Is that even possible? It is when you were Penthouse Pet of the Year in 1984 and used to be a model and live-in millionare's girlfriend. Her star has faded, but it's still paying, I guess.
OK, that's the rundown. I'll check back Tuesday night (hopefully) and we'll see how close I was, and I'll make some more predictions.
In other news, I got my hair cut! I realize the picture I have on here is me with short hair...I grew it out and now it's short again, and a really cute blonde!
That's enough for now...more later!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Whisk
I just got excited because I'm making chili and I get to use the new whisk I asked for for Christmas.
That sentence alone says "I need to get out more" on so many different levels.
*Disclaimer: I really do love my new whisk. I asked my mom for it for Christmas and she got me a great one, and I am so grateful to her for getting it for me. I in no way regret the fact that I asked my mom for it, and that she got it for me. If you ever read this, thanks Mom!!!
That sentence alone says "I need to get out more" on so many different levels.
*Disclaimer: I really do love my new whisk. I asked my mom for it for Christmas and she got me a great one, and I am so grateful to her for getting it for me. I in no way regret the fact that I asked my mom for it, and that she got it for me. If you ever read this, thanks Mom!!!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
I Like It When It Rains
I'm totally supposed to be working right now, but I just had to say this...I love when it rains here at the studio. The way you can hear it on the roof, it sounds just like it does in the cabin up at the lake. I don't even need to turn on any music; it's just so soothing to hear the rain on the roof!
Back to work...
Back to work...
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