I was just looking at the CBS promos for tomorrow morning and realized that I haven't watched a SINGLE episode of Big Brother this summer! Not one! I guess that's because I have a life now.
In other news, I just got this crazy idea today that I might try to relocate to California for my next job. Keep in mind that I won't be going ANYWHERE for at least another year...I still have 14 months on my contract. But I'm just saying, this time next year I'll probably be looking for another producing job, hopefully in a bigger market. And mostly I've been thinking Chicago or Indianapolis (and I barely have the guts to think about New York)...but today I starting thinking, why not somewhere on the West Coast? OK, it's just a thought. Not like I'm gonna pack up my bags and move out any time soon. Just saying.
OK, back to work! My morning meteorologist's last day is today and then she's taking a new job up north. Boo. But we want to have a great last show for her, so I better get crackin'!
Showing posts with label Big Brother. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big Brother. Show all posts
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
BB Rant Time...
I know I haven't talked about Big Brother in a long time, but yes, I have been keeping up! I just don't usually get to watch the episodes as they air; I have to watch them online later, so it's hard to keep up on here on a weekly basis.
But we're to what is my favorite part of the game. It's down to the top 5, and this is where it really becomes a game about playing smart and playing strong. It's not so much about who likes you or doesn't like you, but how big of a competitive threat you are mentally and physically. It truly becomes a strategy game, and we viewers really get to see what people are made of and why they are still in the house.
And we also get to decide who we'd like to see in the final two and pick our favorite candidate for half a million dollars!
First off, James finally got evicted this week. It's too bad for him, but it had to happen. The guy played an incredible game; I haven't been keeping score, but it seems like he's won the most competitions, and he stayed in that house as long as he did by sheer willpower and determination. He proved early on to be a true player, therefore becoming the biggest target for eviction week after week, and he continually pulled himself off the chopping block by winning the Power of Veto. He really deserved to win the whole game just based on how strong of a competitor he was, but the cards (and houseguests) were definitely stacked against him for just that reason, and it was just a matter of time until he finally was strong-armed out of the game.
And now he's off to Sequester House, and then back to being a homeless bicycler.
Here are the final five players left in the house:
Sharon - I would love to see Sharon win, but it largely depends on her ability to win some true allies in the house. Luckily, this is something she's good at. I love Sharon because she is probably the one person who has played this game in a smart, strong, and sincere fashion. Sure, she's strategized, but she's played her cards so well and earned the name "Sharon the Saint" among her housemates. She honestly hasn't done a single thing bad to anyone in the house. She's sweet enough that no one feels good about voting against her, but smart enough that she doesn't buy anyone else's strategic bullcrap. And she is a very caring person, which people like to have around after three months without their families and loved ones. Sharon is a rare piece of work because she's actually made her "playing nice" strategy work for her. Usually in this game, playing nice gets you out of the house because you're too weak of a player. But Sharon has managed to stay in the house, despite being the ultimate pawn, surviving week after week on the chopping block. If she makes it to the final two, there is NO doubt she will be voted the winner by her competitors in the Jury House because she hasn't made a single true enemy during the whole game, and she'll definitely get the votes to win.
Sheila - There is always one player who somehow sneaks through week after week without winning any competitions or making any huge contributions to the house, until they end up in the top six, and then you're like, "How the heck is this person still here???" This season, that is Sheila. Sheila is definitely the weakest player in the house, but she has luckily aligned herself somehow with the strongest players, managing to be a part of the "winning" team without actually doing anything to deserve it. She also plays her strategy based solely on her emotions, rather than with logic. She loves you one minute for saying or doing something nice, then she hates you the next for doing something to better your own game. She turns on people because they hurt her feelings; she sides with people because they sweet-talk her. She gossips a LOT, but somehow she's managed to turn her gossip sessions into powerful game-altering maneuvers that turn the fate of the house on its ear. I think Sheila is borrowing time at this point in the house.
Natalie - Now that James is gone, Natalie is without a doubt the biggest threat in this house. She surprised everyone by showing her physical and mental tenacity as forces to be reckoned with, and the guys have kept her around because of this. The thing I don't like about her is her Bible-thumping way of talking up her alliance, which she dubbed, "Team Christ," and referencing the Bible to allude to all others outside of the alliance as "evildoers." Natalie is always having dreams and seeing signs that help her predict what will happen in the game, and I think it's truly a spiritual gift; however, I don't think she realizes how self-righteous and judgemental she sounds. Not to mention totally mental. She sees herself as "good" and others as "evil," which is not a realistic or helpful way to play the game.
Adam - As crazy as this guy is, he seems like a decent dude. He actually has been one of the most normal, truthful, and compassionate people in the house. He plays a pretty honest game. I would definitely like to see him in the top 3. I think he is the only person in the house who would have a ghost of a chance againt Sharon in the final two, although I still think Sharon would win. But he seems to have a gift of clearly dividing his relationships in the house between what is game play and what is friendship, and I think a lot of the other players will want to stay in touch with him once the game is over.
Ryan - I'd kind of like to see him in the top two as well. Ryan had a rocky start in the game; his partner, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's partner were some of the least savvy players in the house, and he suffered through several weeks of being associated with them through no fault of his own. Once they all got eliminated and Ryan finally got to play his own game, he instantly proved to be a smart player and I think he saw further ahead in the game than anyone else, strategically. He did get James evicted as HOH, only to have the house instantly vote James back in and then turn right back around and target James for eviction week after week. Ryan playes with an extremely cool head and is great at keeping relationships intact, while knowing when it's time to cut someone loose for his own good. His biggest challenge from this point on will be moving carefully and choosing the right allies. I also like that he plays a pretty straightfoward game. He doesn't lie to people, and he is pretty clear about what he wants to accomplish, and he easily gains the trust of others.
OK, after last night's episode, here's what I'm thinking...and this is the part of the game where you can really visualize how the next few weeks will play out just based on who ends up HOH...
A-number-1, Natalie has to go. The WORST case scenario for everyone this week is Natalie becoming HOH. And it's unfortunate that this week's HOH comp was an endurance one because 1) we don't get to see how it ends and 2) Natalie is an absolute beast at endurance. Now that James is gone, the game in the house can finally move forward; he's been the target for so long that nothing has really been accomplished in the house. I think everyone sees Natalie as the biggest threat right now (and she is), and if they don't get her out this week, she may never leave. If ANYONE but Natalie wins HOH, there is a really good chance she will be the next to go home. The second-worst thing that can happen is that she wins POV and takes herself off the block. Natalie has the ability to control everyone else in the house, and the only way she goes home is if she doesn't win HOH and everyone in the house unites against her this week.
If Sharon won HOH, that would be HUGE. That would be the house's best chance of getting rid of Natalie, because despite all the girl-talk between Sharon, Sheila, and Natalie and their "girls stick together" plan, everyone knows Natalie would be the last person to align herself with other girls. She loves being the center of attention and so she's surrounded herself with boys as allies, and so far that's been working for her, so I don't see her changing that at this point in the game. Plus, she knows she wouldn't win if it came down to herself and Sharon.
Adam can't be HOH because he was just it last week. He's going to have to be extremely careful about who he talks to and sides with this week, or there is a good chance Natalie will, by some means or other, send him home this week to get him out of the way. Because if Adam leaves, it's Natalie, Ryan, Sharon, and Sheila. Then Sheila is out because she's weak, and Sharon's out because she's nice and Natalie and Ryan will know they have to get rid of her because she's a sure winner if she makes it to the top two.
Speaking of which, Ryan will also have to be very careful this week. If he chooses to side with Sharon, Natalie will come after him and he probably will get sent home because he is a huge threat in the house as well. If he sides with Natalie, he may have a better chance of getting to the final 2, but I think he knows he can't trust her. He has a secret alliance with Sharon, but that will only last as long as it points him in the direction of the top two. It will be absolutely game-altering no matter who Ryan decides to allign himself with. If Natalie is HOH this week, he'll be her friend. If not, he'll probably join forces with the rest of the house to evict her. For Ryan, it's just going to depend on who is HOH every week and what is best for him.
Sheila needs to hang on this week, as overdue as her eviction may be, just to make sure Natalie leaves. If Sheila won HOH, that would really shake the house up, and could possibly mean the end for Natalie, Adam, or Ryan. The only person I just don't see her turning on is Sharon. Sheila loves Sharon, and Sharon's never done a thing to Sheila, so I believe Sharon would be safe if Sheila is HOH. But Sheila hasn't won any competitions yet, so...yah.
If Ryan is HOH, Natalie will probably try to get him to turn on Adam; he seems to be her target. Based on his performance in the endurance comp last night, though, I doubt he won. If Ryan is HOH, he will use the opportunity to eliminate whoever he thinks his biggest threat is. Hopefully that will be Natalie.
OK, I'm done. See why the game gets so good at this point? One difference can change the entire remainder of the game! At this point you have to try to look at the big picture and play it out week by week in order to make the right moves. It's not a popularity contest anymore, and it's not just trashy entertainment anymore. It's fun...yay!
And that's all I've got. We'll see what happens! Until then...
But we're to what is my favorite part of the game. It's down to the top 5, and this is where it really becomes a game about playing smart and playing strong. It's not so much about who likes you or doesn't like you, but how big of a competitive threat you are mentally and physically. It truly becomes a strategy game, and we viewers really get to see what people are made of and why they are still in the house.
And we also get to decide who we'd like to see in the final two and pick our favorite candidate for half a million dollars!
First off, James finally got evicted this week. It's too bad for him, but it had to happen. The guy played an incredible game; I haven't been keeping score, but it seems like he's won the most competitions, and he stayed in that house as long as he did by sheer willpower and determination. He proved early on to be a true player, therefore becoming the biggest target for eviction week after week, and he continually pulled himself off the chopping block by winning the Power of Veto. He really deserved to win the whole game just based on how strong of a competitor he was, but the cards (and houseguests) were definitely stacked against him for just that reason, and it was just a matter of time until he finally was strong-armed out of the game.
And now he's off to Sequester House, and then back to being a homeless bicycler.
Here are the final five players left in the house:
Sharon - I would love to see Sharon win, but it largely depends on her ability to win some true allies in the house. Luckily, this is something she's good at. I love Sharon because she is probably the one person who has played this game in a smart, strong, and sincere fashion. Sure, she's strategized, but she's played her cards so well and earned the name "Sharon the Saint" among her housemates. She honestly hasn't done a single thing bad to anyone in the house. She's sweet enough that no one feels good about voting against her, but smart enough that she doesn't buy anyone else's strategic bullcrap. And she is a very caring person, which people like to have around after three months without their families and loved ones. Sharon is a rare piece of work because she's actually made her "playing nice" strategy work for her. Usually in this game, playing nice gets you out of the house because you're too weak of a player. But Sharon has managed to stay in the house, despite being the ultimate pawn, surviving week after week on the chopping block. If she makes it to the final two, there is NO doubt she will be voted the winner by her competitors in the Jury House because she hasn't made a single true enemy during the whole game, and she'll definitely get the votes to win.
Sheila - There is always one player who somehow sneaks through week after week without winning any competitions or making any huge contributions to the house, until they end up in the top six, and then you're like, "How the heck is this person still here???" This season, that is Sheila. Sheila is definitely the weakest player in the house, but she has luckily aligned herself somehow with the strongest players, managing to be a part of the "winning" team without actually doing anything to deserve it. She also plays her strategy based solely on her emotions, rather than with logic. She loves you one minute for saying or doing something nice, then she hates you the next for doing something to better your own game. She turns on people because they hurt her feelings; she sides with people because they sweet-talk her. She gossips a LOT, but somehow she's managed to turn her gossip sessions into powerful game-altering maneuvers that turn the fate of the house on its ear. I think Sheila is borrowing time at this point in the house.
Natalie - Now that James is gone, Natalie is without a doubt the biggest threat in this house. She surprised everyone by showing her physical and mental tenacity as forces to be reckoned with, and the guys have kept her around because of this. The thing I don't like about her is her Bible-thumping way of talking up her alliance, which she dubbed, "Team Christ," and referencing the Bible to allude to all others outside of the alliance as "evildoers." Natalie is always having dreams and seeing signs that help her predict what will happen in the game, and I think it's truly a spiritual gift; however, I don't think she realizes how self-righteous and judgemental she sounds. Not to mention totally mental. She sees herself as "good" and others as "evil," which is not a realistic or helpful way to play the game.
Adam - As crazy as this guy is, he seems like a decent dude. He actually has been one of the most normal, truthful, and compassionate people in the house. He plays a pretty honest game. I would definitely like to see him in the top 3. I think he is the only person in the house who would have a ghost of a chance againt Sharon in the final two, although I still think Sharon would win. But he seems to have a gift of clearly dividing his relationships in the house between what is game play and what is friendship, and I think a lot of the other players will want to stay in touch with him once the game is over.
Ryan - I'd kind of like to see him in the top two as well. Ryan had a rocky start in the game; his partner, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's partner were some of the least savvy players in the house, and he suffered through several weeks of being associated with them through no fault of his own. Once they all got eliminated and Ryan finally got to play his own game, he instantly proved to be a smart player and I think he saw further ahead in the game than anyone else, strategically. He did get James evicted as HOH, only to have the house instantly vote James back in and then turn right back around and target James for eviction week after week. Ryan playes with an extremely cool head and is great at keeping relationships intact, while knowing when it's time to cut someone loose for his own good. His biggest challenge from this point on will be moving carefully and choosing the right allies. I also like that he plays a pretty straightfoward game. He doesn't lie to people, and he is pretty clear about what he wants to accomplish, and he easily gains the trust of others.
OK, after last night's episode, here's what I'm thinking...and this is the part of the game where you can really visualize how the next few weeks will play out just based on who ends up HOH...
A-number-1, Natalie has to go. The WORST case scenario for everyone this week is Natalie becoming HOH. And it's unfortunate that this week's HOH comp was an endurance one because 1) we don't get to see how it ends and 2) Natalie is an absolute beast at endurance. Now that James is gone, the game in the house can finally move forward; he's been the target for so long that nothing has really been accomplished in the house. I think everyone sees Natalie as the biggest threat right now (and she is), and if they don't get her out this week, she may never leave. If ANYONE but Natalie wins HOH, there is a really good chance she will be the next to go home. The second-worst thing that can happen is that she wins POV and takes herself off the block. Natalie has the ability to control everyone else in the house, and the only way she goes home is if she doesn't win HOH and everyone in the house unites against her this week.
If Sharon won HOH, that would be HUGE. That would be the house's best chance of getting rid of Natalie, because despite all the girl-talk between Sharon, Sheila, and Natalie and their "girls stick together" plan, everyone knows Natalie would be the last person to align herself with other girls. She loves being the center of attention and so she's surrounded herself with boys as allies, and so far that's been working for her, so I don't see her changing that at this point in the game. Plus, she knows she wouldn't win if it came down to herself and Sharon.
Adam can't be HOH because he was just it last week. He's going to have to be extremely careful about who he talks to and sides with this week, or there is a good chance Natalie will, by some means or other, send him home this week to get him out of the way. Because if Adam leaves, it's Natalie, Ryan, Sharon, and Sheila. Then Sheila is out because she's weak, and Sharon's out because she's nice and Natalie and Ryan will know they have to get rid of her because she's a sure winner if she makes it to the top two.
Speaking of which, Ryan will also have to be very careful this week. If he chooses to side with Sharon, Natalie will come after him and he probably will get sent home because he is a huge threat in the house as well. If he sides with Natalie, he may have a better chance of getting to the final 2, but I think he knows he can't trust her. He has a secret alliance with Sharon, but that will only last as long as it points him in the direction of the top two. It will be absolutely game-altering no matter who Ryan decides to allign himself with. If Natalie is HOH this week, he'll be her friend. If not, he'll probably join forces with the rest of the house to evict her. For Ryan, it's just going to depend on who is HOH every week and what is best for him.
Sheila needs to hang on this week, as overdue as her eviction may be, just to make sure Natalie leaves. If Sheila won HOH, that would really shake the house up, and could possibly mean the end for Natalie, Adam, or Ryan. The only person I just don't see her turning on is Sharon. Sheila loves Sharon, and Sharon's never done a thing to Sheila, so I believe Sharon would be safe if Sheila is HOH. But Sheila hasn't won any competitions yet, so...yah.
If Ryan is HOH, Natalie will probably try to get him to turn on Adam; he seems to be her target. Based on his performance in the endurance comp last night, though, I doubt he won. If Ryan is HOH, he will use the opportunity to eliminate whoever he thinks his biggest threat is. Hopefully that will be Natalie.
OK, I'm done. See why the game gets so good at this point? One difference can change the entire remainder of the game! At this point you have to try to look at the big picture and play it out week by week in order to make the right moves. It's not a popularity contest anymore, and it's not just trashy entertainment anymore. It's fun...yay!
And that's all I've got. We'll see what happens! Until then...
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
BB-hind
I'm so behind on my BB recaps that I can't even think about catching up. I'm actually watching it right now...Ryan and Aly are up on the block, so were Matt and Nat but they just won POV, Adam and Sheila are fighting (surpise...), Sharon and Josh are HOH. Nat is throwing herself at Matt, which is kind of--no, REALLY pathetic to watch (why am I watching it?) and OH MY GOSH...Matt is totally playing Sharon, kissing her, blah blah...cut to Matt in diary room saying, "Sharon is playing right into my hands right now." Then cut to Sharon in diary room saying, "That's his plan to romance me? Whatever, I'll play along but this is just a game." Oh wow. That just happened! Sharon even tells Josh about it..."he was all kissing me and I was like 'ok' just playing along." Wow. Wow. People are nuts.
I didn't even watch Sunday night so I don't know what happened...I mean obviously A&A got sent home, and Sharon and Josh won the HOH but that's all I got. And I don't remember what was happening the last time I posted...and I'm too lazy to look...so let's just move on.
More importantly, what's going on in my life right now...
Our female morning anchor had her last day at the station Friday. So now we have a new anchor, who was previously anchoring the weekends. She's doing great, but I know it's overwhelming to change to such a tough schedule...having to be at work at 3:30 in the morning! But she has a great attitude and always puts a smile on her face. I think it'll help that our male anchor, like her, has a young family and understands how hard it is to balance this kind of schedule with a family, so I know he'll be very supportive and a big help to her.
Also, I got a new laptop after my old computer suddenly died. It was really sad, but I can't lie...I love my new lappy! And I actually really like Windows Vista. I just want to use my computer all the time. Also, it's red. So is my mouse. So that is pretty awesome! So pretty. And now when I go home or anywhere, I can take my computer with me!
The downside--I have to go through all my back-up discs and put my files on this new computer. And I know there is a lot of music and stuff I DON'T have backed up, so...that's gonna stink. Although I might have them on my mp3 player...we'll just have to see.
Also, I'm really enjoying the fact that I have a couple of closer friends at the station...people my age I can hang out with, blow off steam with, and relate to. It's awesome.
Ok, so that's the skinny...nothing else new really going on here. Until later!
Lis
I didn't even watch Sunday night so I don't know what happened...I mean obviously A&A got sent home, and Sharon and Josh won the HOH but that's all I got. And I don't remember what was happening the last time I posted...and I'm too lazy to look...so let's just move on.
More importantly, what's going on in my life right now...
Our female morning anchor had her last day at the station Friday. So now we have a new anchor, who was previously anchoring the weekends. She's doing great, but I know it's overwhelming to change to such a tough schedule...having to be at work at 3:30 in the morning! But she has a great attitude and always puts a smile on her face. I think it'll help that our male anchor, like her, has a young family and understands how hard it is to balance this kind of schedule with a family, so I know he'll be very supportive and a big help to her.
Also, I got a new laptop after my old computer suddenly died. It was really sad, but I can't lie...I love my new lappy! And I actually really like Windows Vista. I just want to use my computer all the time. Also, it's red. So is my mouse. So that is pretty awesome! So pretty. And now when I go home or anywhere, I can take my computer with me!
The downside--I have to go through all my back-up discs and put my files on this new computer. And I know there is a lot of music and stuff I DON'T have backed up, so...that's gonna stink. Although I might have them on my mp3 player...we'll just have to see.
Also, I'm really enjoying the fact that I have a couple of closer friends at the station...people my age I can hang out with, blow off steam with, and relate to. It's awesome.
Ok, so that's the skinny...nothing else new really going on here. Until later!
Lis
Thursday, February 21, 2008
I know EXACTLY how you feel!
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
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
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!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Being a Grown-Up is Boring.
It's just as I suspected. Being a grown-up is boring.
Here's what's happening in my life: I go to work. I come home. I eat something. I go to sleep. I wake up. I work out (sometimes). I take a shower. I go to work. And that's my week. And even though I'm used to the schedule, my work week still feels more like one really long day during which I just take lots of long naps. Honestly, the best part of my day is from 5 to 7 a.m. Now who else in the world can say that? I have the most fun of my day when we're doing the morning show.
I talked to Ryan yesterday and literally had nothing new to tell him. Because there's nothing new in my life right now. I have a few things to look forward to, but other than that, I'm just doing the same thing every day.
I feel like things will pick up this summer, and here's why. As you may know from reading my last post, I have two major goals for this summer: to get a puppy and to be in at least one summer civic theatre show. I really hope I can be in a play for this summer because once I started rehearsing, I'd have something to do other than work, which would be great! Also, once I have a puppy I will have a lot more to do, like clean up after it, take it outside all the time, and train it. Even the hard parts of owning a dog sound fun! That's how boring my life is right now.
Don't get me wrong; I love my job. It's just the rest of my day when I'm not at my job that's so boring.
And lately I haven't been motivated to do much of anything, like clean my apartment or go work out. I'm just tired of doing this stuff every day! But, welcome to the rest of adult life, right?
Oh! Here's one thing I'm excited about: For the first time since living on my own, this month will be the first that I've actually been able to save a significant amount of money! Tomorrow is a pay day, and I'll be able to pay all my living expenses and still have money left over to speak of! It seems like a small accomplishment, but it's actually a big deal to me, especially since I'm budgeting for a dog in the future.
OK, quick media picks.
Movies: I went to see Katherine Heigl's "27 Dresses." It was great, and I am now completely in love with James Marsden. The movie was one part "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," one part "Runaway Bride," and one part "My Best Friend's Wedding," add James Marsden, shake, strain, and pour into a martini glass. Yum...everything a chick flick should be! My favorite part involves a slightly drunken duet between Heigl and Marsden singing "Benny and the Jets" in a packed roadhouse...it was very adorable (especially Marsden...did I mention I'm completely in love with him?)
TV: Thanks, WGA for not letting anyone get back to work. This is getting really old. I did see that NBC.com posted episodes 1, 3, and 5 of season 4. I still need to watch season 3 on DVD, but now I'm caught up for the most part on the current season, so I really hope the strike ends soon since I'm almost ready to be a weekly Office watcher! Plus I'm waiting for more "Pushing Daisies" on NBC. On the other hand, Big Brother is just around the corner and I can't wait! CBS has been promo'ing its new show line-up for February sweeps, and so far the only thing I'm interested in is Big Brother. Although for Survivor fans they're doing a "Fans vs. Faves" season, which I think is a great idea. They need to do that for BB as well...that would be hilarious.
Music: I don't listen to music anymore. Just kidding. But I haven't listened to anything new lately. I need to dig through my CDs and find some old stuff that I haven't heard in awhile.
Ok, that's it for now. Hopefully next time I write, I'll have something new to say!
Here's what's happening in my life: I go to work. I come home. I eat something. I go to sleep. I wake up. I work out (sometimes). I take a shower. I go to work. And that's my week. And even though I'm used to the schedule, my work week still feels more like one really long day during which I just take lots of long naps. Honestly, the best part of my day is from 5 to 7 a.m. Now who else in the world can say that? I have the most fun of my day when we're doing the morning show.
I talked to Ryan yesterday and literally had nothing new to tell him. Because there's nothing new in my life right now. I have a few things to look forward to, but other than that, I'm just doing the same thing every day.
I feel like things will pick up this summer, and here's why. As you may know from reading my last post, I have two major goals for this summer: to get a puppy and to be in at least one summer civic theatre show. I really hope I can be in a play for this summer because once I started rehearsing, I'd have something to do other than work, which would be great! Also, once I have a puppy I will have a lot more to do, like clean up after it, take it outside all the time, and train it. Even the hard parts of owning a dog sound fun! That's how boring my life is right now.
Don't get me wrong; I love my job. It's just the rest of my day when I'm not at my job that's so boring.
And lately I haven't been motivated to do much of anything, like clean my apartment or go work out. I'm just tired of doing this stuff every day! But, welcome to the rest of adult life, right?
Oh! Here's one thing I'm excited about: For the first time since living on my own, this month will be the first that I've actually been able to save a significant amount of money! Tomorrow is a pay day, and I'll be able to pay all my living expenses and still have money left over to speak of! It seems like a small accomplishment, but it's actually a big deal to me, especially since I'm budgeting for a dog in the future.
OK, quick media picks.
Movies: I went to see Katherine Heigl's "27 Dresses." It was great, and I am now completely in love with James Marsden. The movie was one part "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," one part "Runaway Bride," and one part "My Best Friend's Wedding," add James Marsden, shake, strain, and pour into a martini glass. Yum...everything a chick flick should be! My favorite part involves a slightly drunken duet between Heigl and Marsden singing "Benny and the Jets" in a packed roadhouse...it was very adorable (especially Marsden...did I mention I'm completely in love with him?)
TV: Thanks, WGA for not letting anyone get back to work. This is getting really old. I did see that NBC.com posted episodes 1, 3, and 5 of season 4. I still need to watch season 3 on DVD, but now I'm caught up for the most part on the current season, so I really hope the strike ends soon since I'm almost ready to be a weekly Office watcher! Plus I'm waiting for more "Pushing Daisies" on NBC. On the other hand, Big Brother is just around the corner and I can't wait! CBS has been promo'ing its new show line-up for February sweeps, and so far the only thing I'm interested in is Big Brother. Although for Survivor fans they're doing a "Fans vs. Faves" season, which I think is a great idea. They need to do that for BB as well...that would be hilarious.
Music: I don't listen to music anymore. Just kidding. But I haven't listened to anything new lately. I need to dig through my CDs and find some old stuff that I haven't heard in awhile.
Ok, that's it for now. Hopefully next time I write, I'll have something new to say!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
My First Snow Day!
(File this under things I never want to forget.)
So, today was my first "snow day," as they call it at the station.
All week the weather team was forecasting snow for late last night and this morning. And they were absolutely right! It snowed last night when I was on my way in to the station, and kept snowing all night long.
We already had a plan--someone was going to do a live shot from the outside deck so everyone could see the snow. And I was counting on some breaking news; a crash or something like that, or at least police reports of bad road conditions.
But it wasn't until about 3:15 this morning that I heard anything. The scanner had been mostly quiet, and then I heard it; the big story.
A Greyhound bus had slid off the road on the interstate. At least eleven injuries, broken bones, head and neck injuries. I called our video guy to go shoot it. Not long after that, it sounded like almost every emergency vehicle on duty was being sent to this crash.
Then the anchors came in, excited about the show. Then the tape guy came in, not excited about the live shot. In fact he was, I think, 65 percent sure that it wasn't going to work.
And he and our anchorman got in an argument about it.
So now the tape guy is in a pissy mood.
And then the calls started to roll in. Schools with 2-hour delays.
Wait, wait. Before the calls came, the anchors gave me this rapid-fire crash course in how to answer the phone, and they choose to do this as I'm trying to edit videos for the show:
"If you have time, ask them why they're closing school--"
"But no matter what---"
"That way we can get the information just in case--"
"And Lisa--"
"--we need it. But if you're getting tons of calls, don't worry about. And--"
"Can I finish please? Lisa, whatever you do, make SURE you repeat back to them what they told you. Because you don't want to get it wrong. You may think you understood them, but then you'll hang up and think, 'I'm not sure what they said, alternate kindergarten or NO kindergarten?'--"
"Yes, and make sure you understand the difference because you might hang up and then think, 'Did they say alternate kindergarten or NO kindergarten?'--"
"--And you'll get mixed up, like, 'Was it Clinton Central or Clinton Prairie, or Prairie Central'--"
"Yeah, so write it down because you won't be able to post it that fast and other calls will be coming in--"
And that's how that went. And THEN the calls started coming in. And then the show started. And then the live shot didn't work. And then we were two minutes heavy. And then the live shot worked. And then we were four minutes heavy. And then the phone was ringing off the hook in the newsroom, but not in the control room. So I was sprinting back and forth to answer the phone to get the school delays, meanwhile trying to figure out how to get rid of four minutes of content.
Finally the engineer found out what was wrong with the phone in the control room: someone had disconnected it. So he plugged it in, and immediately it started ringing. From then on, I was juggling a show that was four minutes too long, a frustrated anchorman and tape guy, and a phone that was ringing non-stop. Literally every time I went to post a school delay, I got interrupted because another school was calling. And then a school called because they had called ten minutes ago and didn't see their names on the crawl, and I had to explain to them that I couldn't get the schools' names up because people kept CALLING. But finally the calls died down, and I got them posted on the live crawl. And finally I found four minutes to cut out of the show.
And then it was like a train slowing into a station; we hit a rhythm, got everything under control, and we finished the show. I felt like I had just waded through crap, or mud, or something thick and nasty, but I was proud of myself for getting to the other side. And everyone felt pretty good about it, once the anchorman and the tape guy calmed down.
Then I stayed for two extra hours to do live cut-ins with updates, and then the video guy came outside and helped me get the snow off my car while he did hilarious impressions of all the people who work at the station. Then I got in my car and came home! What a day!
And now I'm sitting here at my computer, with a beautiful scene to my right through the open blinds of a wintery wood out my window. And I'm inside, cozy and warm, and hungry! I think I'll make cheese dogs and maybe some chips and salsa.
Oh! Also some quick updates.
I put up a Christmas tree. My first one. It's artificial, but it's 6 feet tall and the perfect size for my apartment. It has white lights, gold glass bulbs, and a gold tree skirt. Nothing under it yet because I don't have enough money to go Christmas shopping until my next paycheck. The only thing under it is a bag full of clothes that I need to take to Goodwill. I can't wait to wrap my gifts and put them under the tree to wait for Christmas!
OK, media favorites of the moment:
-Music: The "Enchanted" soundtrack. It's written by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, who basically turn to gold eveyrthing they touch. It was really fun driving through the snowy town with this whimsical music as a background!
-TV: The Office is my new addiction. It's so funny that I laugh just thinking about it. I've watched all the episodes available on NBC.com. I'm going to have to buy Season One on DVD and start from the beginning. I hope the writer's strike ends so I can see more episodes from this season! Also, I'm very excited because CBS is going to do a winter edition (first ever) of Big Brother! As you know, I was totally addicted to this show over the summer, and I think it's a brilliant way to deal with the writer's strike. And it comes just in time; Kid Nation is two episodes away from being over, and The Bachelor is long finished, so I'm going to need another reality vice to sink my teeth into.
-Movies: I've been revisiting the Austin Powers franchise...with the commentary. And it's really great! Mike Myers seems like a really sweet guy in real life; it's so funny that he can come up with such raunchy characters. Those movies are funnier every time I watch them.
Ok, that's it for me. I've been away from this for so long, and I can't do that anymore because I end up writing too much when I do come back. So hopefully it'll be sooner than later when I write again and I won't have to worry about that!
I'm starved. Cheese dog time! Happy snow day!
So, today was my first "snow day," as they call it at the station.
All week the weather team was forecasting snow for late last night and this morning. And they were absolutely right! It snowed last night when I was on my way in to the station, and kept snowing all night long.
We already had a plan--someone was going to do a live shot from the outside deck so everyone could see the snow. And I was counting on some breaking news; a crash or something like that, or at least police reports of bad road conditions.
But it wasn't until about 3:15 this morning that I heard anything. The scanner had been mostly quiet, and then I heard it; the big story.
A Greyhound bus had slid off the road on the interstate. At least eleven injuries, broken bones, head and neck injuries. I called our video guy to go shoot it. Not long after that, it sounded like almost every emergency vehicle on duty was being sent to this crash.
Then the anchors came in, excited about the show. Then the tape guy came in, not excited about the live shot. In fact he was, I think, 65 percent sure that it wasn't going to work.
And he and our anchorman got in an argument about it.
So now the tape guy is in a pissy mood.
And then the calls started to roll in. Schools with 2-hour delays.
Wait, wait. Before the calls came, the anchors gave me this rapid-fire crash course in how to answer the phone, and they choose to do this as I'm trying to edit videos for the show:
"If you have time, ask them why they're closing school--"
"But no matter what---"
"That way we can get the information just in case--"
"And Lisa--"
"--we need it. But if you're getting tons of calls, don't worry about. And--"
"Can I finish please? Lisa, whatever you do, make SURE you repeat back to them what they told you. Because you don't want to get it wrong. You may think you understood them, but then you'll hang up and think, 'I'm not sure what they said, alternate kindergarten or NO kindergarten?'--"
"Yes, and make sure you understand the difference because you might hang up and then think, 'Did they say alternate kindergarten or NO kindergarten?'--"
"--And you'll get mixed up, like, 'Was it Clinton Central or Clinton Prairie, or Prairie Central'--"
"Yeah, so write it down because you won't be able to post it that fast and other calls will be coming in--"
And that's how that went. And THEN the calls started coming in. And then the show started. And then the live shot didn't work. And then we were two minutes heavy. And then the live shot worked. And then we were four minutes heavy. And then the phone was ringing off the hook in the newsroom, but not in the control room. So I was sprinting back and forth to answer the phone to get the school delays, meanwhile trying to figure out how to get rid of four minutes of content.
Finally the engineer found out what was wrong with the phone in the control room: someone had disconnected it. So he plugged it in, and immediately it started ringing. From then on, I was juggling a show that was four minutes too long, a frustrated anchorman and tape guy, and a phone that was ringing non-stop. Literally every time I went to post a school delay, I got interrupted because another school was calling. And then a school called because they had called ten minutes ago and didn't see their names on the crawl, and I had to explain to them that I couldn't get the schools' names up because people kept CALLING. But finally the calls died down, and I got them posted on the live crawl. And finally I found four minutes to cut out of the show.
And then it was like a train slowing into a station; we hit a rhythm, got everything under control, and we finished the show. I felt like I had just waded through crap, or mud, or something thick and nasty, but I was proud of myself for getting to the other side. And everyone felt pretty good about it, once the anchorman and the tape guy calmed down.
Then I stayed for two extra hours to do live cut-ins with updates, and then the video guy came outside and helped me get the snow off my car while he did hilarious impressions of all the people who work at the station. Then I got in my car and came home! What a day!
And now I'm sitting here at my computer, with a beautiful scene to my right through the open blinds of a wintery wood out my window. And I'm inside, cozy and warm, and hungry! I think I'll make cheese dogs and maybe some chips and salsa.
Oh! Also some quick updates.
I put up a Christmas tree. My first one. It's artificial, but it's 6 feet tall and the perfect size for my apartment. It has white lights, gold glass bulbs, and a gold tree skirt. Nothing under it yet because I don't have enough money to go Christmas shopping until my next paycheck. The only thing under it is a bag full of clothes that I need to take to Goodwill. I can't wait to wrap my gifts and put them under the tree to wait for Christmas!
OK, media favorites of the moment:
-Music: The "Enchanted" soundtrack. It's written by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, who basically turn to gold eveyrthing they touch. It was really fun driving through the snowy town with this whimsical music as a background!
-TV: The Office is my new addiction. It's so funny that I laugh just thinking about it. I've watched all the episodes available on NBC.com. I'm going to have to buy Season One on DVD and start from the beginning. I hope the writer's strike ends so I can see more episodes from this season! Also, I'm very excited because CBS is going to do a winter edition (first ever) of Big Brother! As you know, I was totally addicted to this show over the summer, and I think it's a brilliant way to deal with the writer's strike. And it comes just in time; Kid Nation is two episodes away from being over, and The Bachelor is long finished, so I'm going to need another reality vice to sink my teeth into.
-Movies: I've been revisiting the Austin Powers franchise...with the commentary. And it's really great! Mike Myers seems like a really sweet guy in real life; it's so funny that he can come up with such raunchy characters. Those movies are funnier every time I watch them.
Ok, that's it for me. I've been away from this for so long, and I can't do that anymore because I end up writing too much when I do come back. So hopefully it'll be sooner than later when I write again and I won't have to worry about that!
I'm starved. Cheese dog time! Happy snow day!
Saturday, August 11, 2007
And We're Baaaack!
Just back during some downtime at the station to update on a couple things. As you know if you've been reading, I'm addicted to BB8, and it's really starting to get intense. One contestant is Eric, America's Player, which means that he is sort of "controlled" by anyone who wants to vote in the U.S., and they submit votes every week to tell him who to try to put up for eviction nominations, and most importantly, who to vote out of the house. This is hard for Eric, because he came into the house with his own game plan and now has to modify to what America requests from him, and the last two eviction elections, America told him to vote against his alliance, which was very risky. Well, everyone in the house sort of figured out that it was he who was casting the wayward votes, and last week Daniele as HOH had a personal vendetta to get Eric out of the house. He was almost back-doored, but some loyal alliance votes saved him...for this week. Now his best friend in the house, Jessica, is HOH, which would be good for him except that she really questions her ability to trust him after all the talk last week.
Here is where I have to say...America, what are you doing?! I know some people have said they don't like Eric, and I'm sure that some are trying to sabotage him to get him out of the house, but I think that once that happens, all those voters will regret it, because now they will have nothing to do but sit and watch the show, having no input or feeling of control with the show. Furthermore, the whole reason Daniele went on her campaign anyway is because during an endurance competition in the backyard, someone flew over the BB house with a banner saying that Eric was a liar. If it weren't for negative outside influence, Eric would still be playing the game without any backlash like he's getting now. My personal opinion is that Eric is kind of a tool, but I have to admire the way he plays the game, incorporating his assigned tasks with his own style. He's smart, and he deserves to stay in the game because he's playing it smart. Now everyone thinks he voted the way he did because he was trying to set someone up, but the truth is that he was just doing what he had to do as part of the game. I can't wait to see what happens when Dick and Daniele find out Eric's role in this game.
Enough about that! I know it's kind of lame to be into that kind of stuff, but it's fun, and it's all that I get on TV besides crime shows. CBS needs to run more sitcoms, by the way. We've got three different CSIs, Without a Trace, Cold Case, Close to Home, Ghost Whisperer, 48 Hours Mystery, NCIS, and The Unit. Gimme a break, I need something fun to watch!
Current music tastes: I've been listening to Christmas music (already getting excited for the Purdue Christmas Show as usual) and any other recordings of PMO, just because I'm excited to see upcoming shows as the new season begins. I also feel like the Christmas music may help me think chilly thoughts and stay a little cooler during this heat wave! (I feel bad complaining about the heat; Michelle is in the middle east and I know it's hotter there than it is here!)
Movies I'm into at the moment: Anything by the Chris Guest/Eugene Levy troupe (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, This is Spinal Tap). I just watched Spinal Tap for the first time and it was great! So funny to see these guys when they were younger! I'd like to get my own copy of Waiting for Guffman, and I'd also like to find the new one they made last year called "For Your Consideration," but I haven't seen either anywhere. I also decided yesterday that I should own more musicals. All I have is The Wizard of Oz and High School Musical (does that really count?), so last night I went to Target and bought "Hello, Dolly!" and "The Wiz." I love Dolly...I think if I could ever have a dream role, that would be it, that meddling, fast-talking lady! I was actually in The Wiz in high school, and the movie is so much cooler, and Ryan had expressed a desire to see it awhile back, and it was only five bucks, so that's why I got that one.
Final notes: Today at the restaurant it was so busy that nobody got to leave until the night time shift got there, and even then everyone was there for about an hour getting everything caught up. I was finally excused at 5:00 because I was supposed to have been at the station at 4! With freshman orientation around the corner, everyone was in town for the "last supper" and, apparantly, everyone decided to come to our restaurant! At one point this afternoon, I thought, "I hate this restaurant." Let's just say if you want to know how I like my job, ask me tomorrow! I am still in my uniform right now; I didn't go home to change over the dinner break after the first newscast because I wanted to stay to make up the hour I lost while at the restaurant. And look what I'm doing! Clearly, it's a slow night at the TV station.
That's all for me today. Really.
Lis
Here is where I have to say...America, what are you doing?! I know some people have said they don't like Eric, and I'm sure that some are trying to sabotage him to get him out of the house, but I think that once that happens, all those voters will regret it, because now they will have nothing to do but sit and watch the show, having no input or feeling of control with the show. Furthermore, the whole reason Daniele went on her campaign anyway is because during an endurance competition in the backyard, someone flew over the BB house with a banner saying that Eric was a liar. If it weren't for negative outside influence, Eric would still be playing the game without any backlash like he's getting now. My personal opinion is that Eric is kind of a tool, but I have to admire the way he plays the game, incorporating his assigned tasks with his own style. He's smart, and he deserves to stay in the game because he's playing it smart. Now everyone thinks he voted the way he did because he was trying to set someone up, but the truth is that he was just doing what he had to do as part of the game. I can't wait to see what happens when Dick and Daniele find out Eric's role in this game.
Enough about that! I know it's kind of lame to be into that kind of stuff, but it's fun, and it's all that I get on TV besides crime shows. CBS needs to run more sitcoms, by the way. We've got three different CSIs, Without a Trace, Cold Case, Close to Home, Ghost Whisperer, 48 Hours Mystery, NCIS, and The Unit. Gimme a break, I need something fun to watch!
Current music tastes: I've been listening to Christmas music (already getting excited for the Purdue Christmas Show as usual) and any other recordings of PMO, just because I'm excited to see upcoming shows as the new season begins. I also feel like the Christmas music may help me think chilly thoughts and stay a little cooler during this heat wave! (I feel bad complaining about the heat; Michelle is in the middle east and I know it's hotter there than it is here!)
Movies I'm into at the moment: Anything by the Chris Guest/Eugene Levy troupe (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, This is Spinal Tap). I just watched Spinal Tap for the first time and it was great! So funny to see these guys when they were younger! I'd like to get my own copy of Waiting for Guffman, and I'd also like to find the new one they made last year called "For Your Consideration," but I haven't seen either anywhere. I also decided yesterday that I should own more musicals. All I have is The Wizard of Oz and High School Musical (does that really count?), so last night I went to Target and bought "Hello, Dolly!" and "The Wiz." I love Dolly...I think if I could ever have a dream role, that would be it, that meddling, fast-talking lady! I was actually in The Wiz in high school, and the movie is so much cooler, and Ryan had expressed a desire to see it awhile back, and it was only five bucks, so that's why I got that one.
Final notes: Today at the restaurant it was so busy that nobody got to leave until the night time shift got there, and even then everyone was there for about an hour getting everything caught up. I was finally excused at 5:00 because I was supposed to have been at the station at 4! With freshman orientation around the corner, everyone was in town for the "last supper" and, apparantly, everyone decided to come to our restaurant! At one point this afternoon, I thought, "I hate this restaurant." Let's just say if you want to know how I like my job, ask me tomorrow! I am still in my uniform right now; I didn't go home to change over the dinner break after the first newscast because I wanted to stay to make up the hour I lost while at the restaurant. And look what I'm doing! Clearly, it's a slow night at the TV station.
That's all for me today. Really.
Lis
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Moving
Wow, lots and lots of things going on since I've written. Mostly that I've moved to my first new place all to myself! I can't tell you how exciting and even a little scary it is. It's so much fun to have my own place to do whatever I want, but I also worry sometimes about where all the money is going to come from. I mean, I really looked into things to make sure I could afford them, but sometimes it's hard not to buy something I want for my apartment or for myself because I need to save that money for something more important. Just part of growing up!
Mom, Dad, and Marla are at the lake as of tonight, and this is the first year of my life that I won't be there with them. It's kind of weird, but I realized a year ago that this could very well be the case, so I was mentally and emotionally prepared for it. Right now I just literally can't afford taking a week off of work. Just another part of growing up!
It's weird that people are getting ready to come back to school and I'm not. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing, and I love that! It's so exciting to not worry about homework, rehearsal or show call times, or classes. I'm so excited about visiting the Purduettes and going to some of their shows. It's just so great to be on a different schedule, one that I have a little more control over. I really miss the girls in Purduettes, though, and I will miss singing every day and having my voice in great shape. But I've gotten so much out of PMO, and I'm ready to be a part of PMO alumni.
Marla bought me a fish for my birthday, and I put it in a bowl, and about 24 hours later, it died. Pretty sad to flush a fish down the toilet when you haven't even had him long enough to think of a name for him. On the other hand, we weren't very attached to each other, so it wasn't as sad as it could've been. I'm going to get a new one, and this time get a tank that has a filter or pump or whatever, because I think the fish will have a better chance of living that way. I know this all might sound lame, but having someone to come home to, even if it's just a fish who doesn't remember what happened 60 seconds ago, is a comfort, and gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day.
I haven't had much time to be lonely though, because I'm usually working, and when I am home I'm working on putting the apartment together. It's already starting to look like my own cute little place. My bathroom is all finished, except for hanging pictures on the wall. It's so cute; it's blue and tangerine, and everything matches, from the shower curtain to the faux flowers and vase to the candle to the organizing rack. I always just kind of got everything in different colors and never had things matching up, like an entire room, but that's what I'm trying to do with my place now and it's working out really well. I just finished getting my bedroom organized, and it was pretty easy to match all that with a color scheme I like: pink, black, and white. I got a new pink comforter which is so perfect and cushy, and everything else I own that goes in my bedroom matches the color palette, so all I had to do was get it all organized. All I need to do there is hang up pictures and posters on the walls and maybe add a few more accessories. (And a full-length mirror! I haven't seen my whole body in a few days! That's weird!) Really the things that still do and will take the most time and work are the kitchen and the living room.
Before I go, some media highlights for anyone interested. Did I already tell you to go see "Hairspray?" If I have, I'll tell you again. The cast is amazing; not only is it stacked with stars who all play their parts to perfection, but the newcomer lead, Nikky Blonski, is such an amazing performer. She is adorable, and from the moment you see her as a lump under her bedcovers moving to the beat in her head, you are rooting for her. The soundtrack also stands alone as a great album. Right now I am catching up on Big Brother 8. Mindless entertainment? Yeah. Fun to watch? Uh...yeah!!! I am totally rooting for Dick and Daniele, estranged father and daughter stuck in the house together. I like both of them for some reason and I really hope they get their relationship to a true father-daughter relationship, and it looks like they're on the right track. I also have to say that Julie Chen has the biggest hair on television.
OK, time for me to go find a fishy tank and a fishy! Maybe I'll post pictures when I get my apartment finished. More later!
Mom, Dad, and Marla are at the lake as of tonight, and this is the first year of my life that I won't be there with them. It's kind of weird, but I realized a year ago that this could very well be the case, so I was mentally and emotionally prepared for it. Right now I just literally can't afford taking a week off of work. Just another part of growing up!
It's weird that people are getting ready to come back to school and I'm not. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing, and I love that! It's so exciting to not worry about homework, rehearsal or show call times, or classes. I'm so excited about visiting the Purduettes and going to some of their shows. It's just so great to be on a different schedule, one that I have a little more control over. I really miss the girls in Purduettes, though, and I will miss singing every day and having my voice in great shape. But I've gotten so much out of PMO, and I'm ready to be a part of PMO alumni.
Marla bought me a fish for my birthday, and I put it in a bowl, and about 24 hours later, it died. Pretty sad to flush a fish down the toilet when you haven't even had him long enough to think of a name for him. On the other hand, we weren't very attached to each other, so it wasn't as sad as it could've been. I'm going to get a new one, and this time get a tank that has a filter or pump or whatever, because I think the fish will have a better chance of living that way. I know this all might sound lame, but having someone to come home to, even if it's just a fish who doesn't remember what happened 60 seconds ago, is a comfort, and gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day.
I haven't had much time to be lonely though, because I'm usually working, and when I am home I'm working on putting the apartment together. It's already starting to look like my own cute little place. My bathroom is all finished, except for hanging pictures on the wall. It's so cute; it's blue and tangerine, and everything matches, from the shower curtain to the faux flowers and vase to the candle to the organizing rack. I always just kind of got everything in different colors and never had things matching up, like an entire room, but that's what I'm trying to do with my place now and it's working out really well. I just finished getting my bedroom organized, and it was pretty easy to match all that with a color scheme I like: pink, black, and white. I got a new pink comforter which is so perfect and cushy, and everything else I own that goes in my bedroom matches the color palette, so all I had to do was get it all organized. All I need to do there is hang up pictures and posters on the walls and maybe add a few more accessories. (And a full-length mirror! I haven't seen my whole body in a few days! That's weird!) Really the things that still do and will take the most time and work are the kitchen and the living room.
Before I go, some media highlights for anyone interested. Did I already tell you to go see "Hairspray?" If I have, I'll tell you again. The cast is amazing; not only is it stacked with stars who all play their parts to perfection, but the newcomer lead, Nikky Blonski, is such an amazing performer. She is adorable, and from the moment you see her as a lump under her bedcovers moving to the beat in her head, you are rooting for her. The soundtrack also stands alone as a great album. Right now I am catching up on Big Brother 8. Mindless entertainment? Yeah. Fun to watch? Uh...yeah!!! I am totally rooting for Dick and Daniele, estranged father and daughter stuck in the house together. I like both of them for some reason and I really hope they get their relationship to a true father-daughter relationship, and it looks like they're on the right track. I also have to say that Julie Chen has the biggest hair on television.
OK, time for me to go find a fishy tank and a fishy! Maybe I'll post pictures when I get my apartment finished. More later!
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