So for the first time since I started working at the station (a year and eight or nine months if you count my part-time stint, a year and three or four months if you just count producing), I met with and talked to the Big Boss. My boss's boss. The station manager.
I know right? How had I not talked to him yet?
Well, here's the thing. I pretty much fly under the radar since I leave at about 8:00 or 8:30 in the morning, when the first few "daytime" people are on their way in. So I think what happens is that people sort of forget that I work there. Which isn't always a bad thing, but it does prevent me from having any actual interaction with a lot of people, other than via email.
Well, Big Boss emailed me at some point during the week and said he wanted to meet with me sometime soon. Of course that made me want to mess myself a little bit, because it's like getting called to the principal's office; you have a feeling that either you're in deep doo-doo, or something really good is about to happen. So you spend the next however many hours until that meeting racking your brain for something you could have possibly done that would get you in trouble.
But in this case, it turned out he just wanted some one-on-one time because we've never talked before.
So I stopped by his office to ask when would be a good time, and we settled on Monday morning. We talked for about five minutes and he basically told me he just wants to get an idea of what I'd like to do when my contract is up in October. Then he gave me a gift card for Kroger's, which he said is something he likes to do for new people (but of course since I've never talked to the guy, I'm getting this now since my two-year contract is expiring in a matter of months.)
Anyway, that was super-nice of him. And I went grocery shopping. And that led to this:
A full refrigerator!
This is the first time I can ever remember filling up my fridge. And I really tried to get healthy foods (not counting the beer. Ignore the beer). And that doesn't count the boxes of cereal and dried fruit and canned soup in my pantry! (And the also not-so-healthy ice cream and frozen dinners in my freezer). I even bought celery! And I tried to get a lot of foods with fiber. That's a good thing, right?
Anyway, I know one of my New Year's resolutions was to eat healthier and to have a more balanced diet, so I have to thank my Big Boss for helping me do that.
And speaking of resolutions, I need to go to the gym now! The elliptical machine is waiting there for me to rock out on it with my mp3 player!
This is a story about something that happened a week or two ago, but I thought it might be fun to put on the blog...
Some people I know from doing civic shows are quite a bit younger than me, so I always try to watch what I say and do around them. But I often underestimate just how much kids know at a younger age these days ("these days?!" Who am I, my grandmother?). So one day when one of these younger folks asked me if I had any booty calls, I was a little shocked.
But one of the other younger ones was sitting there as well and said, "What's a booty call?"
Considering someone her age had brought it up, I was half-ready to leave it to her peer to explain that one. But we all remember how that went in junior high and how "well-informed" we all were after going to our friends for enlightenment on more mature subjects...so I did my best.
Me: Well...it's like when you're just hanging around by yourself and you're lonely or bored, so you call up someone you know to get...some...
Kid: Coffee?
Me: Yes! Coffee. So you call this person up and say, "Hey, you wanna have some coffee together?" But it's not someone you'd have...coffee...with on a regular basis, like all the time.
Kid: Ohhh ok, I think I get it.
I think this kid was old enough to know what I meant by coffee, but now I'm just worried that a few years down the road when she's at college, she's going to think everyone in her dorm is addicted to coffee because they're going on booty calls. But let's face it, no one really calls it a "booty call" anymore anyway, do they?
I think I'm safe.
~~~
OK, also, I just wanna say that I caught up on Lincee's Bachelor blog (link to the right) and the Madrosed recap on YouTube, and I feel like people are missing something here:
Kirsten Storms was referred to in all these Bachelor recaps as some "random girl" from General Hospital. Does NO ONE remember who she is?! Am I the only person who was watching the Disney Channel in the early 2000s?!!
It's Zenon, you guys!!! Zenon, Girl of the 21st Century! Am I the only person who cried out, "It's Zenon!" while watching the Bachelor this week?!!
OK, sorry, just had to get that out there. And yeah, I watched the Disney Channel in high school. I'd still be watching it now, if I had cable in my apartment. Deal with it.
OK, time for a nap because it's gonna be another fun and exciting day at the station! Yaaaaaay snow! (I really do like the snow; not being sarcastic.)
OK, this is gonna be as short as possible because it's been a long day and I need to get to sleep.
Singing Contest: Winner - Molly Style - Fast Food Funny
Other standout performances - Sha-Nay-Nay's rap (in the style of Jason from last season, of course!) Stephanie's old lady lounge act (I had to look away and turn down the volume) :/ Jillian's Coyote Ugly routine (is it just me or is she awesome no matter what?) Lauren's "professional" Jewel-inspired ballad (and did you love when the soundtrack guys treated it with a little guitar strumming underneath in the final edit?!) She is mad that Jason didn't pick her because "the contest was supposed to be for the best song." Yeah, Jason, come on! It has nothing to do with whether it makes you feel special! You're such a freaking Paula!!! Don't you know this show is about REAL talent...er...wait...
Molly wins the one-on-one date, which is a fast food picnic and a backyard campout, after which Molly gets to do the Walk o' Shame back into the hen house. She was "nervous" about it, but let's be honest--if she really didn't want to make the impression that she spent the night with Jason, wouldn't she have changed back into her own clothes? Of course, I'm sure the producers didn't really give her the option anyway.
And have we noticed all the scarf and tank top ensembles in this show? Am I going to be expected to do that this summer?
Group Date: Playing Doctor Jason takes the girls to the set of General Hospital where they get acting lessons from our favorite girl of the 21st century, Zenon!!! You guys remember that, right? Well, Zenon is also a soap actress and she gives the girls a few acting tips, and then the girls get to work on the set. Melissa makes gag faces every time she sees Jason screen-kiss another girl, Shannon thanks her lucky stalker stars that she's finally in an environment where Jason has to mandatory kiss, and Megan decides to ignore the "cut" call and suck all of Jason's teeth out of his mouth in one take. Naomi has fun offering to wipe the leaves on Jason's ficus tree (Mr. Deeds, anyone? Anyone?) and Lauren gets frusterated that her future husband is making out with all these other random chicks.
Hey, Lauren? Take another look at your GH script and get a grip on reality. He's just playing your husband in this scene, so let's not get carried away.
The wrap party afterwards is ever so Hollywood -- it's full of beautiful people, funky furniture, and tons. Of. Drama. The girls all take turns crying all over poor Jason. Expect for Lauren, who is a bit, shall we say, Lady MacBeth? She takes it upon herself to make up Jason's mind and chooses herself as winner of the date rose. When Naomi wins it instead, Lauren decides to pick this bone with Jason later.
Two-on-One Date: Dancing Queens It's Pageant Patty and Disney Princess in the most awkward third-wheel date I've ever cringed through. These two ultra-polite, sweet, harmless ladies take rotations cutting in on each other's waltzes with Jason until he dizzily directs them to the dinner table. After chatting with Nikki about her ex-bf of 11 years and talking to Stephanie about how much she wants to kiss him, he sadly cuts Nikki from the finalists, which she handles with all the grace of a seasoned pageant contestant who just lost her local. Natalie could learn a few things from her! Stephanie and Jason twirl the rest of the night away.
Rose Ceremony After awkward force-kissing with Shannon and getting scolded by Lauren, it's time for Jason to send two more girls home. With Molly, Naomi, and Stephanie already safe from date roses, there are only three remaining. The first goes to Melissa (yessss!) and the second goes to Jillian (yessss!!!). Then Jason pulls a DeAnna and breaks the rules of the game, refusing to give out the final rose because it's not fair for him to lead on any of the remaining girls.
Lauren is pissed because, once more, Jason did NOT follow the rules of the game. Whatever. She secretly breathes a sigh of relief because the producer has a friend who knows a guy whose roommate is the late-night janitor at a recording studio, so she's ready to start breaking into the biz with her sweet new connections. Sha-Nay-Nay announces she's gonna go home and make out with her dog, and Megan cries and creates a tear-stain spot on the front of her satin dress.
Next week, more twists in store as the girls travel to Seattle with Jason and, it looks like, Ty. My theory was that DeAnna would come back when Megan left, so we'll see.
OK, bedtime! Make sure to check out Lincee (linked on the right) and go to EW.com for Bachelor Host Chris Harrison's week-by-week behind the scenes blog! And don't forget to visit Madrosed on YouTube for their Beyond Reality recap!
(Links to all later. Too tired right now. Night night!)
Our new President (and so far the U.S. Senate) is pushing forward with a plan to delay the nationwide switch from analog to digital TV broadcasting from its previously agreed-upon date of February 17 to a new cut-off of June 12.
Booooo!!!
As a member of the TV industry, I can tell you this is NOT good news for us. Right now it's costing us thousands of dollars extra to broadcast because we're currently emitting analog AND digital signals. We have to keep that analog signal running until the cut-off date. For bigger stations, this is not as much of a problem, but for a small station like the one where I work, it's very bad news. This D-TV switch was mandated by the government over three years ago, giving stations time to budget for the switch. Among other things, that budget includes converting all of our equipment (field cameras, studio cameras, lenses, sets, switchboards, etc.) as well as spending extra moolah on broadcasting those dual signals. Now with the economy on the decline and just less than a month to go, we might have to continue to broadcast both signals for four MORE months, which is NOT in the budget.
Now, from a consumer standpoint, why do you care if the DTV switch happens on time or not? Well, you might not. Maybe you're already set up; you got your converter box or you're already hooked up with Comcast, and you're all ready to go. Maybe you never watch TV anyway and you don't give a crap. That's fine.
But let's say you like TV. Here are a couple of the benefits that you as a TV viewer will enjoy: more channels, better picture and clearer sound.
Let's say you don't care about TV, but you DO care about energy conservation. Did you know that it takes about a fifth of the power to broadcast digitally as it does to broadcast in analog? So why is a President who says it's fundamental for America to cut down on its energy uses advocating a plan that will be costing America millions of dollars to consume five times the amount of energy that it could by making the switch now?
Here's why: the Obama administration is concerned because an estimated 6 million households still aren't ready for the switch.
Are you KIDDING ME?! Where have you people been??!!! We've been running nonstop promos, stories, and commercials on national and local levels for at least over a year (ever since I started working here) telling people what they need to do to get ready, and we've made it very clear when that deadline would be.
Now the government has run out of money to aid people with discounts on their converter boxes, and I honestly don't know whose fault that was. Maybe the government researchers didn't get an accurate number of how many folks out there are still using rabbit ears to watch the tube. I don't know. And if that's holding people up from getting DTV-ready, I'm sorry. But still, you've had over a YEAR to get this done! It's not like this snuck up on you and we all-of-a-sudden said, "Hey, by the way, you're gonna need to either get a new TV or a converter, or sign up for cable or you won't be able to watch TV anymore." We said that long enough ago that if people really wanted to watch TV, they would have time to get prepared, whether that meant getting help from Uncle Sam or saving up to buy a converter at the full price (somewhere in the ballpark of $50).
Grrrrrr this is frusterating. Sorry, I'm just ranting. I've gotta get back to work now.
At least a new Bachelor episode will be waiting for me online when I get done with work! :)
OK, as you may know, I am a little puppy crazy right now. And the plan is to start looking at breeders in June and get a puppy this summer. And up to now I had made up my mind on what to get:
A miniature schnauzer. I did my research, consulted my dad (who is a veterinarian), and finally came up with this choice. And I mean, I was set on it.
Until this weekend.
I went home to my mom and dad's for the weekend (which was awesome. It started with me calling Dad for help with a burnt-out headlight Saturday and ended with me packing up for an overnight stay that included working on the car with Dad in the garage all afternoon, doing my laundry FO' FREE ("Unforgivable," anyone?) and going out for dinner and drinks with the people my parents ride Harleys with and watching Indiana's Katie Stam WIN Miss America! Wooo! But anyway, back to the dogs...)
OK, so my dad says, "We had a puppy come in to the clinic and it made me think, 'You know what would be a great dog for Lisa? A pug.'"
Me: "OK, what?! That's what I had originally wanted to get but you said it had too many health problems!"
Dad: "What? I don't remember that."
Me: "Uh...I do. That's why I started looking for other ideas. That's how I came up with miniature schnauzer!"
Dad: "I don't remember you saying you wanted a pug. They're fine; they don't have too many problems, and they don't shed. And miniature schnauzers bark a lot."
Me: "Nice flip-flopping, Dad! Who are you, Mitt Romney?"
So now I'm trying to decide between the two. And I know what you're probably thinking...(a) why do I care, (b) why are you freaking out, it's only January, or (c) you've stopped reading by now so you're probably thinking about what's for lunch.
But I'm just trying to consider my options. So here is the famous Liz Lemon list of pros and cons:
Miniature Schauzer Pros: Very intelligent and easy to train Loyal, protective Doesn't shed Good swimmers (this dog has to go to the lake, so that's important) Good with other pets and children Good watch dog Cute beard and bushy eyebrows
Pug Pros: Fairly intelligent and trains well Loyal, likes to cuddle Doesn't shed Loves people "Comedian" of the dog world Super-cute curly tail and buggy eyes
Miniature Schnauzer Cons: Hair has to be groomed often Barks at strangers Will tear things up if he gets bored
Pug Cons: Susceptible to some eye injuries/infections and breathing issues Not sure how he'll do in the water (but they do make doggie life jackets!):
(is it bad that this video makes me laugh so hard?!)
And I'm sure a big part of the decision will come down to what's available when I start looking. But if you want to weigh in on this or if you've ever owned any of these breeds, let me know what you think!
So I forgot the rest of the game from the previous post: if YOU want to play, just leave a comment saying so and I will give you a letter! (I think it's just arbitrary letter assignment...back me up, Kels?)
Because what fun is a game if other people can't play? Unless you're playing solitaire. And sometimes even then.
So yeah, if you want in, let me know and I'll give you a letter!
OK, so Kelsey let me in on this game where you are assigned a letter and then you name ten things you like that start with that letter. So heeeeere we go!
1. Tap dancing - I was just talking to someone about this last night at musical rehearsal, actually. We were both agreeing that tap dancing is so fun because it's so hard and yet once you learn it, you could do it in your sleep. Also, it sounds really cool.
2. Time off - I don't get a lot of time off, so on weekends and rare vacations, I really live it up...which usually means sleeping a lot! Haha!
3. Talking - ask anyone. I love to talk so much it's insane. You can probably tell by how long my blogs are, because if I were talking to you instead of writing it all down, it would be a lengthy conversation. I love talking about shows, movies, philosophy, religion, and even politics sometimes. I just love to talk!
4. Television - I know it's my job, but I honestly do really like TV. Not just working in it, but watching it. Sitcoms, dramas, reality shows, news, sports, the Disney Channel...I even like watching commercials!
5. Technology - (Cue Kip from Napoleon Dynamite: I love technology, but noooot as much as you, you see...but stilllll I love technology, always and forever...) I am so bad at keeping in touch, so I thank God that I have a cell phone with people's numbers saved inside, and Facebook, and email! And GPS for the car! (Not really for keeping in touch, but for not getting lost lol).
6. Theatre - "The theatre, the theatre...what happened to the theatre?" White Christmas, anyone? Anyone? Yeah, if you have read some of my previous posts or know me at all, you'll know that I love going to see plays and musicals as well as performing in them!
7. Traveling - This is something I really enjoy, but I would like to do more of. I was lucky that I got to travel a lot in college with the Purduettes, but since then it's been tough to go anywhere. But I love flying and I love airports, and I love road trips! I don't even sleep most of the time! And I truly believe that half the fun is getting there. And the other half is getting back. No, I'm totally kidding! :)
8. Tank Tops - (Is this like Scattergories? Do I get more points for that one?) Aren't tank tops great? You can wear them in the summer, layer them under stuff, sleep in them, put them over your swim suit...so versatile! And thanks to places like Old Navy, you can get them in pretty much every color ever.
9. Tube socks - I started wearing these this summer to play softball, and then I started wearing them to HSM rehearsals, and then we all started wearing them all the time! They are fun and comfortable and (like tank tops) come in many colors!
10. Tina Fey - my hero!!! Hire me, Tina!
OK, that's my Then things that start with T! Thanks, Kels, for letting me play! :)
As they say out east (I think it's a Jersey thing, anyway), I'm gonna need freak-out control!!!
Everyone's favorite mockumentary web series is ba-aaack! I just saw the Season 2 trailer posted on YouTube and flipped my lid!
Here it is:
In other news, I just found out that I have to work until 11:15 Monday through Wednesday next week. So goodbye to my daily eight hours of sleep, but hel-loooo overtime paycheck!
That's all I got. Speaking of sleep, I need to get some pronto.
OK, it took me forever to watch this episode, so this is gonna be kind of a random-thought recap.
~ How much do you love Stephanie? What an amazing lady! It was so precious to see her surprised by her little girl and to see Jason in tears! :) I have a thing for guys who can cry like that. I loved the Lego rose, too...wow, what a special date!
Group Date: "Rub the Man Down!" as the sailors say...or wait, that was Erica.
~ I will say it was cool to see something that could potentially be a trashy, "let's all skip to second-base" date actually be treated with a lot of respect and meaning. And especially by Megan, who is so deep (just ask her).
~Megan tells Jason she's been a little down since she got here because she loves helping people and being a non-profit role model, and going 10 days without helping people has been really hard on her...because no one has appreciated her, thanked God for her, or thanked her. Is it just me, or is serving others supposed to be about...well...others?
~Erica's trashin' on Megan again. That is getting old.
~Poor Nikki and her awkward silence! Pageant Patty did not get a high score in the interview portion this round. She seems like a really good person; I just wish she'd loosen up and relax.
~Melissa is just too adorable! She is obviously very comfortable with Jason even when she is feeling insecure. And her faces reacting to what's going on with the other girls crack me up! She has to be genuine because she doesn't mask a single facial expression. I'm pulling for her in the top four, along with Stephanie.
~And Jillian. She seems so stinkin cool. Poor Nikki is choking on her words and Jillian is like, "Let's see who can jump the highest on this Austin Powers-inspired mattress!" Jillian is like the girl I would want to actually be friends with, and if I got a rose and she didn't, I'd be like, "Here, girl, take my rose and write me letters! I'll be rooting you on from home!"
~Poor Sha-Nay-Nay does not have a good group date. I think the more I see of her the more I like her, despite the fact that she comes off as a little desperate. And crazy?
Natalie's One-on-One: Material Girl
~Natalie is running super-late, leaving poor Jason in the lioness den with the other ladies. I love what Melissa says, "You have to wait till later in the relationship to do that." As a girl who is constantly running, shall we say, "fashionably late," I do know that a guy has to really love you to wait around while you change shoes seven times. And so far the only guy who loves me that much is my dad. So good point, Mel.
~Natalie has an annoying habit that I call the "extension pull," where she sort of constantly gathers her hair up and puts it to one side really carefully like she has extensions that are going to come out if she pulls too hard. If you want it all on one side, put it in a side pony, for goodness' sake!
~Jason enjoys having some serious arm candy for a swanky night out in Vegas, but wants to dig deeper into Nat's personality. And here's what he gets: "I heart bears. Wait, what were we talking about? Don't stereotype me just because I'm gorgeous and love to party." Fun, but not enough for Jason to build a marriage on. And when Material Girl doesn't get what she wants (for probably the second or third time in her entire life), she gets sooo mad. My thoughts: "This is gonna be one heck of a Diary of the Departed." She finally says what, unfortunately, I might have stereotyped her to say: "I am hot. And guys would literally kill to be with me. And he's just Jason. What am I supposed to do, swoon? Ew. What is wrong with him?"
~When Natalie doesn't come back, the girls are almost as surprised as Natalie. And they have a party to celebrate.
Rose Ceremony: More Kisses!
~Poor, perfection-crazed Nikki finally gets her kiss, which she all but ruins by trying to talk and laugh in the middle of it. Relax, Max!!!
~I think it's cool to see a Bachelor who has been through the show's process before and can really relate to the girls on that level.
~Molly reminds me of a friend of mine. She is really cute and freckly and tomboyish, so other girls tend to underestimate her. But put her in a strapless dress and heels and she's got it going on, and she will surprise you with how sophisticated and elegant she can be!
~Jason tells Molly about Natalie's last words, so Molly relays to the other girls that Nat may have dropped some names in the anger of the moment. Megan is quick to show, once again, how much more mature she is: "I would've bowed out gracefully."
~Poor Sha-Nay-Nay is so stressed out and upset. Megan criticizes her for this, but I think it was actually good to see the real Shannon other than her Jason Trivia knowlege! She's growing on me.
~Stephanie finally gets her kiss too! And she totally plays it Mr. Darcy style! Nice!
~Lauren rats out Megan and Erica, the "two drama queens of the house." But she does so at Jason's request. Megan eavesdrops, probably thanks to an eagle-eyed PA tipping her off. Poor Jason is really confused by all this lady drama, and Chris Harrison helps him out by forcing some honesty out of the girls. This turns into the Megan and Lauren show, until Shannon throws up. :( Then Jason hands out the roses to...
Molly (yay!) Lauren (not a surprise, but I'm neutral about her) Melissa (woo!) Naomi (meh) Shannon (aww poor thing. Glad she got a rose.) Nikki (glad for her, but I hope she'll continue to loosen up) and...dun dun dun...Megan!!! GASP!!! The music gets so loud at this point that I can't even hear what her reaction is. Erica and Kari go home. It will be interesting to see how Megan does without Erica antagonizing her...but I still feel like she'll be trouble.
And next week...Jason doesn't give away the final rose?! What's that about? And more importantly, when the heck is Deanna gonna show up at Jason's doorstep?!
OK, as always, the folks who do it better than me: Lincee Chris and Beyond Reality:
Mondays are tough. Especially this time of year, it barely seems worth it to abandon the coziness of your bed and put on a brave face for work. That being said, here's something I found on YouTube last night that got my Monday off to a good start, and I hope it does the same for you!
Here's how my version of this little film clip went today:
Hobo Girl (me): (throws herself onto the rock [or work desk] crying) "What's the use of trying? They tore down my computer and all of the video edit settings on this one are wrong, and I can't find any of the websites I need because my favorites aren't saved on this computer!"
Charlie: Buck up! Never say die! If it weren't for Mondays, we wouldn't love the weekend so much, and besides, tonight is a brand new episode of The Bachelor!
Hobo Girl: (with determined fist pump) That's right, Charlie! We're gonna get to see Stephanie reunite with her daughter and hopefully Jason will send Megan and Erica packing!
So imagine whatever your version of this lovely little film would be today, and let Charlie do the cheering! (Isn't he adorable, by the way? I wish I had a Charlie Chaplin to hang out with all the time!)
I think it started when I got my first pair of high-heel tap shoes in dance class (probably at age 9 or 10). Sure, they were only about an inch tall, but oh, the glamour!!! And oh, the sounds you could make with high-heel taps!!! The dance instructors used to make us sit on the floor with our feet in the air while they gave us directions just so we would all stop tapping -- it was that much fun!
And then came junior high, when it started to become acceptable to wear heels not only in the dance studio, but in church and at school, too. That was the same point in my life that I stopped growing; at age 13 I hit 5'2" and stopped, instantly becoming one of the shortest girls in my class.
That was also the same point that flare jeans came into popularity. (Remember that?) And all of them were too long for me to wear with tennis shoes, so I had to start wearing heels if I wanted to wear my cool new jeans.
That's how it started. From there, it just kind of snowballed.
This was back in the day before everyone started cranking out those cute little ballet flats; when I was in high school you had limited shoe options; you could wear tennis shoes, boots (which back then were like hiking boots, not Uggs or anything similar), flip-flops...or heels. Tennis shoes were out of the question for me unless I was wearing my windsuit (all of us on the swim team had 'em...they were bright purple, and we always thought we looked like big grapes). I wasn't really into wearing the boots, and flip-flops were only for summer. So heels it was.
When I went to Hoosier Girls State, my mom took me shopping for some "business dress" clothes, since you spend the whole week running for office and doing interviews. I got this super-cute outfit with white pants and a pink jacket, and we went on the hunt for the perfect pink shoes to go with the ensemble. We found these adorable alligator-skin round-toe pumps with big silver buckles on the sides, and I fell in love. I still have those shoes, and they are still one of my favorite pairs of all time. Ever since then, through the rest of high school and college, I just kept collecting more and more pairs of heels.
So I wear heels whenever I can; to work, to church, to go out on the town...and I love it! Even if it makes my feet hurt a little bit more, even if it slows me down just a hair, knowing that I stand a full 5'5" or 5'6" in my adorable shoes just makes me feel good!
But some older lady always tries to spoil it. Does that ever happen to you?
It's always some lady in her late 50s or older, and she's usually a total stranger. And she usually says something to the effect of, "I don't know how you walk around in those heels all day." Or, "You've got some guts, walking around in those heels!" This happens to me a LOT. Last Sunday, I was heading down the church hallway to go work in the nursery, and some lady who I definitely don't know sort of yelled after me, "She's pretty brave to be wearing heels in the nursery!" It was clear she wanted me to hear that, but I just kept walking, because it was like being made fun in a high school hallway, only I was in church and being made fun of by a senior citizen.
I always wish I had some sort of clever zinger for these old biddies sneering at me as I hoof it across their paths in stilettos. But I always sort of feel bad about the thought of sassing older people.
I just don't get why they all have a problem with young ladies wearing high heels!
I mean, some of these ladies were my age in the 40s and 50s. I know they had high-heeled pumps back then! And others of these ladies were living it up in the 60s and 70s, when platforms came into style. So I can't help feeling like these ladies have galloped around town in heels a time or two in their day. Why do they feel like giving me a hard time about it?
I promise that when I get older, even if I have vericose veins and arthritis caused by all my high-heeled younger days, even if I can't stand to wear anything that makes me taller than 5"3 and a half, I will never give a girl in her teens or twenties a hard time about wearing heels. I might even say something lame like, "Work it, girl!" Or maybe just, "I love your shoes!"
OK, so here's my little crew I'm cheering for after seeing this episode: Jillian - I really like her. She seems very much herself around Jason and doesn't seem like she's trying too hard. Lauren - I like her too, but she is a smidge high maintenance. We'll see. Melissa - Awww! Yeah, she's still adorable. Stephanie - I. Love. Her. So sweet and genuine. Nikki - She seems like she's pretty cool, and a lot more mature than many of the other girls. Molly - I know she's a little bit of a schemer, but I can't help rooting for her.
Surprise Pool Party and Impromptu One-on-One Date
I'm glad Shannon has a new nickname: "Sha-Nay-Nay." The girl is crazy. Throwing ice = lame. And I don't think she has an internal monologue; it's like everything that crosses her mind, then crosses her lips.
I loved that Nikki was coaching poor, sweet Stephanie on how to steal Jason away from Natalie! The poor thing is so gentle, she wouldn't hurt a bug, much less a blonde. I think Jason was probably impressed by her tact in not breaking up his conversation to take him away.
I think Jason is doing a really good job of getting to know the girls on his own terms. I loved that he surprised them at the pool; I think he really wants to get to know them in a more relaxed setting, without them being all dressed up and made up. I thought it was hilarious that the girls were freaking out because they had no make-up and ponytails! He seems very at ease and seems to genuinely want them to have a good time, unlike Deanna, who threw a fit when no one was paying attention to her (remember that from last season?!!).
He picks Jillian for an impromptu one-on-one, which makes Lauren totally jealous. Until she thinks about how frantic she would be... "I mean, she didn't have very much time to get ready. I would be freaking out, and I don't know what I'd do with my hair. I'd have to wear it curly. No, I'd have to put it in a ponytail!!! Ok, I'm glad it wasn't me."
Lauren is pretty high-maintenance and Jason is picking up on this. I think he's looking for someone who can roll with the punches, which is probably a lot of what being a step-parent is about. We all know how high-maintenance Deanna was, and I hope Jason steers clear of that this season.
Jason's date with Jillian is at Disney Hall, which you may remember from the movie Get Smart. Very cool. And inside is Robin Thicke with a full band, singing for just the two of them! (How awkward would that be to be up there performing with a full set for just two people who were dancing/watching/smootching the whole time?)
Melissa gets to go on the other one-on-one date. At first I'm worried that she's going to turn into a brat and not have a good date, but when Jason feeds her the oyster and she obviously hates it, and then admits that she thought it was gross, I was back to cheering for our little cheerleader! She is just too cute. And then the Good Year Magic 8 Ball Blimp came by to answer some questions. And Melissa asked some good ones, including "Will I get a rose?" and "Will I get a kiss?" And as Jason knows from personal practice, when it comes to kissing...ask and you shall receive. Well played, Melissa. Or, as she would say, "Nicely done."
Group Date
Jason takes the girls shopping (aww!) and then it's back to the pool so he can hang out with the ladies in their bikinis and show off his wonderfully sculpted torso again. Molly gets a rose on this date after showing Jason her "secret talent," which is kissing, and also showing her goofy side by coordinating a synchronized swimming dance with Sharon and Kari.
Molly is slick; you have to hand it to her. I know the other girls got mad at her for the "secret talent" thing and for spending time with him when she'd already gotten a rose, but I think she knows that if you play too nice, you go home, and she's showing Jason that she's there for a reason.
Naomi told Jason that she'd be his friend no matter what. I had to ask myself if she was seriously asking to be put in the Friend Zone. Then to get him to kiss her, the line she used was, "Do friends kiss?" Sigh...yes, Naomi, sometimes friends DO kiss. That's called a friend with benefits. And that's not the same thing as a fiancee.
Erica says something to Jason about having certain standards that he needs to meet...or something like that. I didn't really get what she was saying. Then she tells the camera that it's hard for her to see Jason with the other girls, because she was cheated on in her last relationship and that's why it ended. "She was 52," she says.
Wait, did I hear that right? I had to rewind and play it again. "She was 52." Yup! That is what she said. So Erica's last boyfriend was either stolen by a senior citizen woman, or her last boyfriend WAS a senior citizen woman. I'm still not clear on that.
Raquel pulled kind of a creeper move by climbing into Jason's car and waiting after he dropped the other girls off after the group date. (Does anyone remember when one of the guys...Twilley, I think...did this to Deanna? I do, and I think it was equally awkward this time around.)
On to the Rose Ceremony...
Megan...kinda sucks. Nothing is working out for her. First the fake elimination rose, then she doesn't get a date, and then Molly pops by with her rose in the middle of Jason's conversation with her and takes him away (and is it just me, or did Jason look relieved?). That led to a completely pointless fight between her and Erica. And to put a cherry on top of her Bachelor Disaster Sundae, she decides to find out more about the mysterious Stephanie and "what her deal is."
"So, we haven't gotten to know much about you, " she starts out in her nervous, abrasive manner. "What happened with your ex?"
Then Stephanie, the angel of this cast of contenders, tells this beautiful, tragic story about how her husband died in a plane crash. And then she shows her poise and grace by turning the conversation's focus back to Jason instead of keeping everyone's sympathetic attention on her. This woman is too sweet to be on reality TV.
Lisa tells Jason she has to leave the show because her grandma is terminally sick with cancer. Boo. I was really hoping we'd get to see more of her. And wow, the girls don't even try to act like they feel bad for her. "One less girl for me to worry about!" they all said. Geez!
Nikki tells Jason she is worried some of the girls are not there for the right reasons, or aren't prepared to settle down and be a mom. There's always one in the bunch, folks. Someone who is ready to sell out their fellow competitors because they care about the Bachelor so much (or the Bachelorette; it happens with the guys too). I like Nikki, but I think it's always a dangerous move to try to turn the object of your desire against other contestants. I'm just worried someone's gonna put gum in her hair while she's sleeping.
At the end of the night, Jason only has to eliminate two girls because Lisa left voluntarily. The roses go to: Megan (booo.) Nikki (duh.) Lauren (again, duh.) Naomi (not quite in the Friend Zone yet.) Stephanie (YESSSSS!!! with arm pump.) Kari Natalie Sha-Nay-Nay Melissa (one-on-one date) Jillian (on-on-one date) Molly (group date rose) Erica - (booo...and she does this whole trashy thing where she goes, "Stop doing this to me!" because he called her name last, and she makes him put his hand on her chest so he can feel her rapidly pulsating heart.)
Sharon is sent home to find a new job, since she gave up her old one to be on the show. Oops. Raquel salsas into the sunset, snuffing our hopes for an international hometown date. Oh well.
Next Week... We'll get to see an amazing one-on-one date with Stephanie as she is surprised by a visit from her darling little girl! I think I caught Jason crying during their reunion, but we'll just have to see.
Oh, at the end of the show, they played a clip of Stephanie's numerous bags of luggage and (of course) she let all of the girls try on and borrow anything they wanted to. Is this lady for real?!
I can't wait for Deanna to come back. When do you think that will happen?!!
Supplemental Reading... Lincee (for the funniest recaps on the planet) Chris (for those of you who, like me, are fascinated by what happens behind the scenes of a reality show...and this is also a hilarious read!)
And of course the ladies who go Beyond Reality...see what they have to say this week:
Quick note - because I'm in the middle of working and it's 10 minutes till crunch time!
Yesterday morning my meteorologist asked me if I was dating anyone. I said no. And then she goes, "Well, do you have guy friends that you hang out with--"
"Yeah!"
"--that you want to date? Or that you're interested in?"
"No. Why?"
"Well...I just think you'd be a good girlfriend."
Yeah. I would be a good girlfriend. If I wanted to be one. But I don't want to be one. My mom really understands that, which is great because I know she probably wants grandkids and I'm not helping out with that right now. I know my dad is A-O-K with me not putting myself in any potentially heartbreaking situations, as long as I'm happy with that decision. And they're both cool with me being more focused on my career than on my personal life right now.
But sometimes it's like other people don't get that.
Which is fine. It's not my problem...but sometimes I get annoyed that I have to defend my reasons for not jumping back into the dating pool.
Plus, the meteorologist is getting married, like just about everyone else in the world that I know, so I think that always makes me feel a little more alone in the world. Not alone in the sense that I have no significant other, but in the sense that I don't feel like I have any friends my age who are single and content with that. Even my sisters... Michelle is already planning a wedding in her mind, and she and her boyfriend are already having those "when we're married" conversations. She is a VERY hopeless romantic. And my little sister Marla is in a new relationship, and she has this ability to just sort of move smoothly from one relationship to the next without having to take a year off for "me-time" like her second-oldest sister (that's me, if you didn't catch that).
So I think that's what makes me feel lonely sometimes. It's not the loneliness of not having a special guy in my life...just the loneliness of not feeling like anyone else is in the same boat as me.
And sometimes I get tired of paddling alone. Just sayin'.
Ok, 5 minutes to crunch time! Gotta go! The news won't wait! :)
Tonight at musical rehearsal, a couple of the girls told me they loved my clothes.
"You always look so fashionable," they said. "You could be a model!"
Now, I know that's a load of crap, but it still made me feel good. Here's the funny thing -- I have always admired people who are able to sort of "put it together." But when I was in high school and even college, I never really felt like I knew how to do it, so I usually opted for the jeans-and-t shirt look.
It wasn't until probably my junior or senior year of college that I started trying to put it all together clothes and accessory-wise. For me, a "matching outfit" meant no clashing of black/brown or black/navy. It took awhile for me to just start getting how jewelry and shoes could pull an outfit together or that layering was more interesting than just wearing a t-shirt or sweater by itself. (The whole layering thing is still kind of a puzzle to me.)
And then after college I got to the point where I decided to wear whatever I wanted, because my job description doesn't really include a dress code. That gave me an excuse to take some risks and try some things that I was too chicken to try to pull off in college.
And now apparently some people think I'm fashionable.
So it just goes to show you how new people can be a litmus test for how much you've changed over the years. And I don't just mean on the outside, but also how you've changed you're opinions or your level of acceptance or your ability to branch out and try new things. I feel like every time I meet new people, I kind of find out more about the person I've become and how my experiences have taught me and influenced me to change. It's pretty cool.
On a separate note, another comment tonight made me and a couple other people laugh. My friend Chris, another guy in the show named Jeff, and I are all in the 24-25 age range. And at one point in the rehearsal, the kids sitting behind us made some comment about the three of us, referring to us as the "cool college kids." And we all three sort of went, "Pshhh, we're not in college! We're old! We're not that cool!" I think it's really funny how much we all get over ourselves once we graduate. You sort of get smacked in the face with real life, and then it doesn't matter how good your grades were, or how many clubs you were the president of, or how many friends you had, because they are all history and now you are a little fish trying not to get eaten in a very, very large pond called The World. It is very humbling to be a twenty-something.
OK, here's my last bit -- It used to be that when I was in junior high, high school, and even college, people always thought I looked older than what I was. But starting when I graduated, people have always been surprised to find out how old I am. I'm hoping it's because I stopped looking older and not because I display a lack of maturity! And either way, I'm not complaining; I'm getting to the place in life where it's a huge compliment for people to think I'm younger than what I am, and I hope it continues. But it's weird to go to a bar and have to get that suspicious eye from the bouncer after you've been legal for three years! I was always sort of afraid that because I matured early as a kid and teenager that I'd also age quickly as an adult. And it's nice to think I won't have to worry about that just yet.
Do you remember looking in the mirror as a kid and wondering what your adult face would look like? Now I catch myself looking in the mirror sometimes and thinking, "Oh! I guess this is it!" That's so weird. I still feel like I'm waiting to turn into a grown-up. I keep forgetting I am one.
This came from a Facebook game, and I'm not asking anyone to play it here...although it does make for a kind of fun blog post if you want to try it! I just thought I'd post mine on here for that very reason.
(The Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, you choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you.)
Here are my 25 REALLY random things:
1. I am a social networking junkie. I have a blog, two YouTube channels, a Twitter feed, and (of course) Facebook! I don't have MySpace, though. Do people still use that?
2. I wouldn't say I hate cooking, but I don't enjoy cooking just for myself. (And I don't mean making burgers in the George Foreman or scrambling up an egg omelette -- in my book it only counts as cooking if you actually measure out ingredients and stuff.)
3. I do enjoy living on my own, even if that does mean cooking (or frying, or microwaving) for one!
4. I love my job. Even on the days when things don't go well. It doesn't matter how much money I make...I just love what I do.
5. I'm left-handed. Did everybody know that?
6. I have so. Many. Shoes. Most of them are heels because...
7. I am 5'2". Just like Reese Witherspoon, Ashley Tisdale, and Amy Poehler!
8. My dream jobs include: Marci Klein's job at SNL, Gellman's job on Regis & Kelly, being a personal assistant to Tina Fey just so I could soak up her awesomeness (did you catch how that's a reference to Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey?!), producing my own TV show, performing on Broadway.
9. I'd really like to write and publish a book someday.
10. I am so proud of my friends; so many people I know from high school, church, college, and after college are incredibly talented and I can't wait to see them make it big so I can cash in on those friendships. Totally kidding. But I truly believe that so many people I know have absolute star quality!
11. I have lived without cable television for 3 and a half years. I still keep up with a lot of TV shows; I just watch them all online or buy them by the season on DVD.
12. I do not, and probably never will, like the taste of coffee. I think it smells good, but tastes gross.
13. I don't remember a moment in my life where I stopped believing in Santa Claus. Most people can tell a story about how they found out, but I have no recollection of that happening...which makes me think I probably still believe in Santa Claus.
14. I also don't remember a point in my life where I started believing in God and in Jesus. Most people have a story to tell about that moment, too. But for me, the belief has just always been there, although that belief has definitely evolved and been challenged and dissected throughout my lifetime.
15. Back to accessories...I also love handbags and hats. I think my love of hats is what gets me through the winter.
16. I think it'd be really cool to live in the South, but I love-love-love the change in seasons that we get here in the Midwest. I would have a hard time giving that up.
17. I want a dog, really really a lot. I think everyone knows that. Hopefully I'll have one by this summer!
18. A lot of people ask me this, so in case you're wondering, here's what my work/sleep schedule is like: I go into work around midnight. I stay until 8 AM (give or take, depending on how much other work I need to do), then I go home and go to bed, usually from 8 or 9 AM until 4 or 5 PM. I don't have black curtains or heavy shades to block out the daylight. I'm just nocturnal, like an owl or a vampire.
19. My all-time, hands-down, no-contest favorite song in the world is "More Than Words" by Extreme for three reasons: (1) it reminds me of being at the lake (I don't know why), (2) the harmonies are beautiful, and (3) I love the lyrics and I think they have an awesome meaning. YouTube it and listen.
20. $20 bills are the worst. It seems like most bank machines and cash-back options always start at $20, which annoys me because usually I just need 5 bucks to put on my laundry card and I don't want to spend money just to break the 20, and I feel like a jerk just walking up to a random cashier and saying, "Hi, I'm not gonna buy anything, but will you just break this for me?" And it's hard for me to actually go to the bank and get cash in the amount that I want because I'm usually asleep during bank hours.
21. There's an episode of "The Office" where everyone was naming the five movies they'd bring with them if they were going to be on a desert island (the game is called "Desert Island" and it's supposed to be books, but I guess everyone was mildly illiterate, so they did movies). So anyway, here are my Desert Island 5: Big Fish, Singin' in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz, Ferris Beuller's Day Off, and Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. I think. I'm never completely sure; I like a lot of movies!
22. My favorite color is pink. I feel like everyone knew that one too. My dad actually ordered me a pink phone without me having to ask. Isn't that awesome?!
23. On your 23rd birthday, you go off your parents' insurance. When I turned 23 I was working two part-time jobs, so I didn't have any insurance. It was that way for a few months until I got hired full-time at the TV station. Luckily, nothing bad happened.
24. I have a lot of fake foliage in my apartment. Fake flower vines around my kitchen, fake lilies in a vase on my counter, fake ferns on my window sill, a sconce with a fake bouqet on my wall, a vase of fake flowers in my bathroom, and a big fake flower sitting on my dresser in my bedroom. Low maintenance beauty, folks. That's what it's all about. Although I do enjoy real flowers too.
25. My favorite magazine is "Lucky." (I just bought one today, so that's what made me think of it.) I like it because you don't have to see any stories like "most embarrassing moments" or "101 sex tips." It's just all about clothes, which is my only reason for reading fashion magazines anyway.
And that's it! You might give it a try...just start at one and write about the first 25 things that sort of just pop into your head!
OK, I'll try not to go on too long about this, but WOW, what a great season premiere! I actually had to take notes!
The Girls
Jillian I like her. She seems cute and genuine, and her dress was gorgeous! She has invented a personality test based on hot dog condiments, which she used on Jason. She found out that he's a "mustard guy," which means he's the kind of guy you want to settle down with. I'll have to test out this theory in the future. I was glad she got a rose.
Stacia I liked her too. She is a cute, single mom but I don't think she really got to talk to Jason a whole lot, so we didn't learn much about her. I was sad she didn't get a rose.
Dominique Oh my goodness, so adorable! She looks like my friend Caitlin C. (aka real-life Disney Princess) and has the personality of a D.P. as well. And when she talks, it's like a mix of Sarah Palin and Kirsten Dunst's character in Drop Dead Gorgeous. She didn't get a rose, which is too bad because she would've made for some funny TV.
Nikki OK, I got it wrong...Stephanie is not the Pageant Patty; NIKKI is! They went to her house and shot b-roll of her cleaning house in her "Miss Illinois" sash and letting her niece wear her crown. In last night's episode, she scored well in evening gown and interview, garnering her the first impression rose. We'll see.
Jackie She's kind of the sad girl of the bunch; apparently she's been engaged, broken it off, married, divorced, and now she's a wedding planner. She didn't get a rose and was actually really mad about it. But what's that they say? "Always the wedding planner, never the bride?" No, that's not it...
Stephanie Not Pageant Patty but a smidge Stepford-ish. That being said, I love her. She is a really sweet lady and her older age gives her an advantage among the other girls, as she's mature and truly sweet about meeting people, not old and bitter. But we'll get to Megan in a bit. She got a rose, yayyyy!!!
Naomi She looks like Eva Mendes' cousin who also gets hired to do Eva's stand-in stuff in movies. A little rough around the edges, but should be entertaining. She got a rose.
Megan Oh lord. I'm scared of her. She seems to play the Mom Card a LOT. She does it to get closer to Jason, to bond with the few other single moms in the crowd, and to belittle her cuter, younger, friendlier competition. She got a rose "courtesy of the other women" and we will talk about that soon. She has a potty mouth. Ty is going to learn LOTS of new things from her!
Lisa (a.k.a. Suri) I like to call her Suri, because I think she looks, sounds, and so far acts like Suri from Whatever Hollywood (she's the one all the way on the right and sometimes she writes me emails! She's the coolest!) So far, Lisa/Suri is cool too, which is good because I don't want someone with my name turning out to be a spazz. She got a rose. (Yesssss!)
Lauren It's Lauren's birthday. She makes Jason guess how old she is while almost bouncing out of her dress. Then Jason brings her a birthday cake, but she thinks it's going ot be the first impression rose, so she tells the camera, "I'm obviously getting the rose, duh!" It would've been a pretty embarrassing birthday for Lauren, but at the end of the night... She did get a rose.
Melissa I've said it before and I'll say it again. Awww! She is so stinkin cute. Yay, she got a rose!
Sharon She quit her job to be on the show. So far, it's paid off. She got a rose.
Natalie She looks like she's gonna be one of those girls who looks like she's thinking, "I'm hotter than you so you know I'm going to be better than you at life" but she was so nervous when she met Jason that it was endearing! And like me, she doesn't have TV. She got a rose. Yay!
Treasure Not the free spirit I thought she was -- at least I don't think so, because we didn't learn anything about her except that "Treasure" is not her stage name. I think it would've been funny if she'd have followed up with, "Actually, my stage name is Pat." Or you know, something really boring. Treasure did not get a rose.
Raquel Cue the Latin music. Literally, every time she walked into the room, spoke, walked out of the room, or was mentioned anywhere around the room, they started playing her theme music. She got a rose.
Molly A straight-shooting Midwesterner. I like her so far. She got a rose.
Erica Ehhh...let's just say formal occasions are not her strongest suit. But she did get a rose.
Nicole (also wanting to be called Nikki) Although not the nut job I was afraid she'd be, she did wear an orange dress (and black shoes...what?!) because orange is Ty's favorite color. But Ty wasn't there and he certainly wasn't handing out roses, so... She didn't get a rose. Sigh...so long, Janice.
Renee She looked and sounded about 10 years younger than she was, but she (not Treasure) turned out to be the free spirit, saying her vision board had said she was meant to be with Jason. And the thing about vision boards is, everything you put on it comes true. Except for the one time when she went on The Bachelor and didn't get a rose.
Emily She looks as scary on TV as she does in her picture. She is like Scary Barbie (which is what my sisters and I called Space Barbie because she looked scary). She did not get a rose, so it's back to Seattle...Jason's hometown. Yup.
Julie Cute, teaches first grade. That's about all we got out of that. No rose.
Ann Meehhhh...who? No rose.
Shannon ABC has already gotten us to think of her as The Stalker. In the opening sequence, she's running on a treadmill and says, "I'm coming for you, Jason!" Whaaaat. Then there's the infamous MyStalk conversation. But I think Jason was won over when she got out of the limo with her fake hillbilly teeth in, and it didn't matter that she was a stalker because she was a funny stalker. And she got a stalker. I mean, a rose.
Shelby She reminded me of a news anchor; she has the perfect hair and face for it, and she seemed to be conducting interviews with everyone. She didn't get a rose. But I think the Early Show should hire her to replace Julie Chen.
Kari Good thing she wrote and read aloud a poem for Jason, because that's all I remembered about her. She got a rose.
The Twist They borrowed a wooden box off of the set of Lost and told the girls they had to vote on a girl they thought should leave the house. I wonder if they just thought the girls just weren't being catty enough and some production assistant said, "I know, let's go Survivor on these biotches!" Anyway, the award for Biggest Bitch went to Megan (surprise surprise). But then the girls found out she was actually winning a rose, not a trip back home. That announcement was followed by Megan calling the rest of the girls @#$**&##@s (I don't even know what she called them, they had to bleep and fuzz so much of it out) and then went up for a super-classy rose awarding... "Megan, will you please accept this rose?" "Yes, I'd be happy to!" (Stink eye to the rest of the gals.)
That, along with the rest of the bleeps and fuzzies used to cover whatever was coming out of Megan's mouth the rest of the time, was enough to make her a shoo-in for Ty's new mom, no doubt.
OK, that's it for week one. But the sneak peek into the rest of the season was insane, because guess who's coming back...
DEANNA!!!
That's right, just like Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, and Hillary Clinton, SHE IS BACK. You just can't keep a good girl down. Or...something like that. Yes, Deanna comes back, apparently to ask for a second chance, and the girls. Are. Mad!!!
I love reality TV! :)
Remember, check out Lincee (linked on the right), or if you don't like reading recaps, watch these girls (they are hilarious!)
Enjoy! And please tell me your thoughts on the season premiere!
OK, if you for any reason follow my Twitter, you may know that I'm currently trying to catch up on the last season (or so) of Scrubs. Why? Well, (1) because I kind of stopped watching it a year or so ago, and even then I was about a season behind, and (2) I just got new inspiration for catching up with it because now that NBC has dropped it, its distributor ABC is picking it up to run the 8th (and possibly final) season this year! And I'm going to need something to fill the void since another of my favorite shows on ABC, Pushing Daisies, is getting cancelled. PD is just one of those shows that is too good for TV, unfortunately.
Anyway, so today I got about halfway through Season 6 of Scrubs, and as sad as this sounds, it's kind of like talking to an old friend...there are all of these characters and running jokes and things that I had forgotten about, and it's just so nice to see all of them again! This show literally makes me laugh out loud frequently. And the episode "My Musical" guest-starring the girl from Avenue Q actually made me cry a little bit. Lol.
But anyway, tonight...as I'm typing this...is the season premiere of The Bachelor, which I am so excited to watch in the morning :) And this season is like, the ultimate payoff for me because Brad Womack's season of The Bachelor was the first one I watched faithfully all the way through. Then the runner-up from that show was the next Bachelorette, Deanna, and of course I watched that all the way through as well. And now they are making history by taking Deanna's runner-up, Jason, and putting him in as the next Bachelor! And he's a single dad, which is also a first for the series. So I have the full back-up story on this dude, the girl who dumped him, and the guy who dumped her!
It's going to be a wacky ride.
And for any of you who'd like to ride along, please feel free to leave your comments and check back because I will probably be discussing the show every week. You are also going to want to check out Lincee's postings...her blog is the ultimate study guide for all things Bachelor -- she does hilarious recaps every Tuesday after each episode, as well as keeps us updated on the "where are they now's" of past Bachelors and Bachelorettes. In fact, go check her out now because she's already made her picks for the final four (who needs March Madness when you've got this show, seriously?! Kidding.)
And I'm not going to make my predictions yet, but I have browsed the list of bachelorette candidates, and here are some girls I think we should be looking out for:
Emily - This girl's bio says she's 23, but I have a hard time believing that. Which isn't to say I think she's a liar...just a truth-stretcher. She does live in Seattle, same as Jason. Which makes me wonder...why did she have to go on a national TV show to meet him? You don't think a little MySpace action would've been enough to get that set up?
Erica - Is it just me, or is this one of the only girls on the roster who looks like a real person? That alone has me cheering for her. Watch, she probably got eliminated tonight.
Megan - a.k.a. Deanna 2.0. This is who everyone seems to have picked as the front-runner. I think she looks a smidge scary, like she might have that same "I'm about to go Hollwood" gleam in her eye as her original version. Just sayin'.
Melissa - Awww! Right? I just think she looks like she could be Ty's mom. Or Jason's sister. Which could be creepy. But still...awww!
Nicole - I'm just gonna call it right now and say I think this girl is gonna be one of the crazies. I don't know why...maybe just because she looks like Janice from Friends?
Raquel - I'm cheering for her just because she's from Brazil and that would be a sweet hometown date.
Renee - one of the oldest in the group, she is one of the only bachelorettes capable of "robbing the cradle" where Jason is concerned (he is 32). How will all these 23-24-25-year-olds measure up to her? We'll just have to see...
Shannon - poor girl. I'm guessing she went home tonight (see the Bachelor "sneak peek" promo where she goes all stalker on Jason), but if she doesn't, she will be one to watch! She has done her homework and already knows everything there is to know about our Bachelor, his son, his brother, and apparently everyone else attached to him on MySpace. You gotta admire a good researcher.
Stephanie - Gaack! Did someone say Pageant Patty? Here's why I want to watch her: she's 34 (so, also a cradle-robber), a single mom, and she looks the same age as Emily. And I want to know how all of that is possible.
And finally, everyone's favorite - Treasure! - a single mom from Salt Like City, I peg her as a free spirit because of her lack of make-up, her big earrings, and...her name. So I think she'll be an interesting one to watch as well.
OK, that's it for me. Check back in tomorrow to see if I was right about any of these girls. And make sure to read Lincee's blog! Trust me, she makes it worth watching the whole season.
Gotta go wash dishes as part of my commitment to my New Year's resolutions.
OK, I think that time of year is just about over. But really, it's that time of year when we all make a list of things we're going to do (or not do) in hopes of becoming a better person, having a better year, and making it a better world.
New Year's Resolutions.
And I feel like the act of making them is kind of a cliche, and something we as a culture don't really take seriously anymore. But I think there are some things in my life I want to improve, and I might as well make goals now, right? And I think writing them down will sort of make me commit to them and hold myself more accountable. Plus, then I can blog about them, which I'm sure will help too!
(I have to mention that as I'm writing this, I'm listening to the playlist I just attached to my blog and it's really fun to write while these songs are playing. I hope that it's not annoying that music starts playing on my blog, and you don't have to listen to it, but if you don't mind turning it up a bit while you read, think of it as a soundtrack for my blog. These aren't just songs I like; they all have a reason for being on that playlist.)
OK. Here we go.
1. I'm going to get into and stay on a regular workout plan. (The ultimate New Year's resolution cliche, right?!) But over the past few days, I feel like I've eaten enough sweet stuff to give myself diabetes. And I keep reading all these news stories about how much the average person should work out, and I'm realizing that more and more, I can't put myself in that group, which is pretty sad. So, I'm going to start out by saying I will work out three times a week. That's really not that hard. And I'd like to do more than that. But I think I'll start with something I know I can do realistically, and then once I've been doing that for a few months, reset the goal for something higher. But I'll start at three days a week.
2. I'm going to save money. That is kind of hard for me to do; my paycheck does not stretch very far. But I got a small raise recently, I'll be getting paid for coaching color guard, and I just worked a holiday, so that should give me a great springboard for saving. I mean saving significant amounts of money, not saving one month just to use it all up the next. I really want a dog, and I'm waiting until I pay off my car so I can use that money every month to save/use on doggie expenses. But I'd like to have a bigger cushion before then. Speaking of which...
3. I'm going to get a dog. The plan has been in place for months and months, but why not add it to my list? I will finish paying off my car in May, so the plan has been to start looking at breeders in June. That way I have the summertime to house-train and everything, not to mention have the financial means to take care of a dog. And here's an added motivation for Item #1 on this list - the kind of dog I want to get (miniature schnauzer, for anyone who has forgotten) has a tendency to get fat and unhealthy if it doesn't get a lot of exercise and good nutrition. Sound like anyone else you know? So I think if I can get a healthier lifestyle in place by the time I adopt a puppy, I can do a better job of taking care of and raising a dog!
4. Speaking of nutrition, that's something I also want to work on. I kind of phase in and out on this, and I eat WAY less fast food than I did a year ago, but I want to keep improving on this. Sometimes it's hard to eat regular, balanced meals because my schedule is so weird, but I've been at it for a little over a year now, and I think I can figure out how to make it work. I'm going to eat more fruits and vegetables. I'm going to eat more meat. I'm going to eat two balanced meals every day. (That has to include some sort of meat and some sort of produce; not just peanut butter and crackers or a bowl of cereal.) I'm going to start rehearsals for a play soon, and I know that's going to make it harder to eat right, but I've already been through this schedule during the summer, and I know I can do it.
5. I'm going to do some housework every day, instead of waiting until the end of the week to do all my cleaning. Whether it's washing dishes, taking out the trash, surface cleaning, laundry, sweeping, or just picking up around the house, I always feel better when I do a little bit here and there every day than when I let it pile up and then spend my whole weekend doing all of it. Plus, when I get a dog, I'll probably have to do some cleaning every day anyway :-P
6. I'm going to consider my career options. I'm going to look around and see what's out there. I'm going to keep staying here as an option for one more year. I'm not going to limit myself by what I think is realistic; if Good Morning America still has a segment producer opening available when my contract is up, I'm going to apply for it. I'm not going to be too afraid to go for something big. I'm not going to be discouraged if the job market is frozen and the best option is to stay here. I'm not going to feel pressured or obligated to stay if that's not the best thing for me to do. I'm going to trust God to help me make a decision and to take care of me whatever I decide.
7. I'm going to use up all of my vacation time and comp days this year. Five days will absolutely be for a trip to the lake with my family. The five-plus-comp days I would like to use to visit my sister in Florida, take a trip to New York with family or friends, possibly use for job interview trips, and maybe even take another trip to the lake with friends now that we have the new cabin. I'm entitled to those days and I'm going to take them. Just because it's hard for them to cover my job while I'm gone doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to use my vacation time up. I have just as much right as anyone to take time off. I'm not going to feel bad about it anymore. I'm just going to schedule it, and not worry about it. I've got it down to a science now how to prepare the person filling in for me, so it shouldn't be that hard.
I feel weird stopping on seven, but I think those are my big things I want to accomplish this year. I'm actually proud that I accomplished a lot of things in the past year -- I'm living on my own, supporting myself, I got involved with a church that I go to regularly, I made big changes and improvements to my show at work, I got involved in civic theatre, I made new friends, I've done a better job keeping in touch with people, and I feel like I've improved and cultivated my relationships with my parents and my sisters. Of course I want to keep working on all of those things, but I think you need to be able to look back on your year and be proud of what you've accomplished, so that you realize you are capable of achieving the goals you've set for the year ahead. Life is good, and it can be better.
