Team Melissa lives to cheer another day!

All of us on Team Melissa have a new place to cheer!

Due to a last-minute injury to one of the celebrity contestants on Dancing with the Stars, ABC has filled the gap with...who else...our favorite spurned bachelorette Melissa!

I'm sure this was a HUGE peace offering from ABC (not to mention the fact that they got to show that embarrassing dump reel a few more times) and although I can see how there may be some exploitation involved, I'm just glad we get to see more of Melissa!

She got two days to train and rehearse for the first competition, and she pulled off a gorgeous waltz to "Moon River" that made the most of her ballet training and cheerleader agility, with plenty of perfectly executed developpes, port de bras, and attitude pirouettes. I even cried a little at the end of the dance when she broke into a huge smile and her partner, Tony Dovolani, kissed her on the forehead! Why have I not been watching this show??!!!



I'm sure it'll be nice for her to get some objective critique and fan support from week to week instead of wondering if she's going to get a rose/engagement ring. I hope she makes it past the first round of votes! Go Team Melissa!!!

fire up the grill, get out the mustard, and put on your boots!

I'm ba-aaack!

OK, so this is the first REAL blog post I've had time to post in a while. And I know all the drama has been discussed all week, but I'm gonna go ahead and give you my personal reflections on the Bachelor's final two episodes.

*Melissa gets her "meet Ty" date with Jason and the little munchkin. Mel and Ty are VERY cute together. Thanks to her impressive stockpile of silly jokes, Ty takes to Melissa like a fish to water.

*Melissa seems to get what being a step-mom will be about: it's not about babysitting.

*Mel meets the parents, brothers, and sister, who all give her a really hard time about the fact that her parents wouldn't meet Jason on the show. And Jason doesn't do anything to try to make this easier for her; instead he says his favorite phrase: "It really sucked that I didn't get to meet Melissa's parents." Honestly, though, I get it. There's no way I could get engaged without my parents first meeting my intended. But there's also no way I could get engaged on a reality show.

*Did anyone notice how at dinner, Jason's family and Melissa all were seated on one side of the table...just like in a play! Or the "Last Supper!" I'm sure it was for the cameras, but it looked super-awkward.

*Ty loves Melissa.

*Dad loves Melissa.

*Now it's Molly's turn. She shows up with her usual raccoon make-up on. I don't dislike her, it's just that I'm on Team Melissa, and I think Molly needs to get a new look between the eyeshadow and ponytails.

*Ty hates Molly.

*Molly goes to meet the family; we can tell she's gonna hit it out of the park, especially with all this parent talk...her parents love Jason, Jason loved her parents. Jason's family is just drooling hearing about all this parental interaction.

*Does anyone else think Jason's sister looks like Claire Danes as Beth in Little Women? Why don't I have that movie on DVD?

*Jason has a heart-to-heart with Mom. He sounds infatuated with Molly. "Momma, what should I dooooo?" Mom tells Jason that marriage is "not always a bed of roses." Then she throws a wink to the on-scene producer as if to say, "You're welcome, ABC. That one's on the house."

*I feel like Jason's siblings are trying to talk him into picking Molly. Jason, stop talking to them and leave!

*Meanwhile, back at the ranch...or...New Zealand resort...Melissa calls her folks and asks if they'd be willing to talk to Jason on the phone and they agree.

*Mel's last date with Jason. She hops out of the car and slams the door with a cute little expression on her face that says, "Dammit I'm cute!" I love it.

*Melissa and Jason enjoy a wet n' wild cruise on a boat named "Cool Change" which I think is a shout-out to Little River Band.

*Now it's Molly's turn, and she's taking charge! Only her umbrella keeps turning inside out and ruining her plan to paint a picture for Jason of how good she would look in rainy Seattle.

*Umbrella hates Molly.

*Molly reveals to Jason her plan to take over the date. "Because I'm a winner," she says, just like Anna Sophia Robb's Violet in Charlie in the Chocolate Factory.

*Molly gets in her bikini and gives Jason a "sensual massage" (please read this out loud in your best Austin Powers voice, because that's how I'm saying it). I had to cover my eyes AND the screen here. I could not watch it.

*But wait, there's more! Molly makes stir-fry and then sits down with Jason to show him something she made for him...A SCRAPBOOK!!! This girl did her homework and knows that Jason loves crafting, especially for last dates before the final rose ceremony. She points out a very special scrap of paper: "This is the actual piece of paper I wrote my song on." Then in her head she finishes this sentence: "So we can sell that on E-Bay and set up a trust fund for Ty."

*Jason is now all alone in his deliberation suite. And uh-oh, there's a knock on the door. It's DEANNA!!! Poor, poor Jason. He is so confused and clearly uncomfortable when she demands a hug out of him. Deanna mentions that she feels more comfortable around Jason than she does around any other man she knows. Really? Because I'm pretty sure you two haven't been talking.

*Deanna first attempts to ask for another chance with Jason without appearing to be begging. And Jason has to swallow very hard to keep from laughing in her face.

*OK, so no more chances at stealing the show and a little more publicity. No matter. Deanna switches games and instead plays the role of the Ghost of Girlfriends Past, telling Jason to choose the safe person, not the wild card. Because she chose the wild card, and pissed off her parents, and then got bored, realized she hated snow and snowboarding, as well as Jesse's Quiksilver wardrobe.

*After Deanna leaves, the jeweler shows up to show Jason some sparkly rings. I always love this part of the show because it's kind of our final reminder of how ridiculous the concept of this show is: "Here is your very beautiful but limited selection of choices. You can't go outside and go looking on your own; you can only choose from what we've picked out and brought here for you. And whatever you end up choosing, you're expected to stick with for the rest of your life." Right? Every time we get to this part of the show, I'm like, "well that's not fair! He should get to go ring shopping on his own and pick something he really likes instead of having to pick from the handful of rings ABC picked out for him. Ohhhhh wait..."

*Molly arrives first to be proposed to. I always wonder if the limo drivers are rooting for a certain girl. Do you think they pick favorites? Place bets? Is Molly aware of any other way to wear her hair other than in a ponytail?!!!

*Molly keeps whispering to everyone. Is that what she does when she's nervous?

*Jason keeps saying "amazing." I think we know what that means...she's getting dumped.

*Jason delivers what I am convinced is a required ABC-mandated line: "I'm in love with someone else." Why do they always say that?! Everyone knows who "someone else" is!!!

*Molly tries to remember what Dad said ("no crying") and chokes 'em back while telling Jason she thinks he's making a mistake. The words that will go down in infamy in his mind.

*This goodbye is way too long. Keep this up, Jason, and you're gonna make her think you've changed your mind, or that you're punking her.

*After putting Molly in the car, Jason has an emotional breakdown. Ohp! Here's that famous balcony scene!

*Melissa shows up, and I think she looks like she's expecting to get dumped. She's already got a stiff upper lip. Poor girl.

*When she sees Jason, Mel does her signature jump n' hug, and almost does her signature move of wrapping her legs around him, but then remembers she's in a formal dress.

*When Jason proposes, I LOVE it that she turns around and screams! This girl has managed to stay very genuine in front of all the cameras. Then she gets down on her knees to join Jason and says, "You wanna marry me?!" Aww...what a beautiful happy ending! Now let's stay tuned to see how ABC ruins it.

*Final footage is of Melissa and Jason playing with Ty and jumping in to the pool with all their nice clothes on. A beautiful little family. But I realize there's another whole hour of "after the rose" drama coming up. I feel like I'm about to have my soul crushed.

*Ok, this "After the Rose" happened six weeks after the proposal, to put things in perspective. So they've been "together" for a month and a half...which is almost as long as they've known each other. And most of that time, they don't get to see each other, because they have to keep the relationship a secret. So...you know, just to put things in terms of reality here.

*Jason looks BAD. He tells Chris Harrison that he's still in love with Molly. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

*Chris tries his hardest to convince us to stay on Jason's side with this. But it's not happening for Team Melissa. We're all thinking right now that Jason is a chump.

*Melissa comes out and I think it looks like she knows this isn't going to be good. She's been dumped a few times before, if you remember. When he tells her he feels like things are different with them and that he's still in love with Molly, she said what we're all thinking: "You're such a bastard."

*What did they GIVE Jason before he came out here? He's so uncharacteristically calm and void of emotion. Sedagive, anyone?!!

*Mel gives back the ring and storms off of the set. The cameras stay on Jason, who we can tell is trying very hard to squeeze out some tears, but he can't. The guy who cries through most of his entire season can't muster up a damn tear for this. He obviously doesn't care. And that makes me glad he dumped her now instead of later.

*And now, here comes No-Tears Molly! She looks like she's adjusted pretty well to life after the Bachelor. Apparently she's also been introduced to headbands. No ponytail today!

*Chris is really trying to set this up, asking Molly if she wishes Jason would change his mind and take her back. She has to know something is going on. Do they give these folks a reason why there's no audience? That has to at least tip them off that this isn't a typical "After the Rose" taping.

*Jason declares his love for Molly, seemingly minutes after dumping his former fiancee, Melissa. And after a couple obligatory phrases like "we still need to talk some things out," Molly starts sucking face with Jason, happy that she's the winner. And most of us are pissed. But here's the thing -- if this were a movie, and the guy broke up with his fiancee whom he didn't love and immediately went to find the true girl of his dreams and they kissed right then and there, we'd all be cheering. But when you try to put that in the context of real life, it just looks trashy. Also, I'm sure that in the movie, we would all kind of hate the fiancee, which would justify in our minds the "true love's kiss" at the end of the show. But you can't hate Melissa. It's just not possible.

*I don't feel like there's much to talk about in the Tuesday night special episode. Melissa is doing fine on her own, Molly and Jason are happy together, Stephanie agrees with what Jason did, Naomi is mad at Jason for hurting her girl Mel, and Kari is apparently one of our favorite bachelorettes of this season? The REAL news is that Chris Harrison announces who the next season's Bachelorette is, and we all cheer and applaud when we find out it's Jillian!!! She comes out on stage and talks about it a little bit, and looks very classy, and we all smile in anticipation of watching her sort out the mustards from the ketchups and sauerkrauts starting in May! We also all vow to wear boots with everything in support of our new favorite Bachelorette...wait, we didn't all decide on that? OK, nevermind.

OK, that's it! In other news, Children of Eden is off to a great start, and tonight my parents are coming and so it the local play critic who will write our review in the local paper. That makes me a little nervous, although the nice thing this time is that I don't have a main role so I don't think I have to worry about being personally picked on in the review...mostly I just want the show, our director, and the very sweet and talented leading ladies and gentlemen to get a good review tonight.

I'll let you know how it turns out! Until then!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (The Bachelor Final Rose)

Uh...what the WHAT?!!

I was going to go through and give my thoughts on everything...but now I just feel like, what's the point?

Maybe I'll do it later. Holy moley. Right now I am just...in shock. Even though I think we all knew it was coming.

Please make sure to check out my favorite recaps to see what they have to say. Especially Chris Harrion's blog. I think we're all gonna want to hear what he has to say.

OK, until later!

The Bachelor..."I thought I had the cat in the beg!"

My thoughts on this week's special "women tell all" episode of The Bachelor...

1. I forgot about half of these girls existed until they showed up on this episode. Wow!

2. "Where are they now" segment: I love how Chris Harrison reminds us that Trista and Ryan aren't the ONLY successful couple, but the producers obviously had to go waaaay back in the Rolodex to find another couple that was still together. 4 years back, to be precise. And they haven't even been together this whole time; they dated, broke up for a year, and then got back together. And why do you think it worked this time? Probably because they had more to base their relationship on than 7 weeks of on-camera dates while competing for each other's attention. But I did really like what Ryan said about his and Trista's relationship and why it works: they don't put any pressure on it to be a fairy tale; they just treat it like a relationship. Notice, that also has nothing to do with the Disney-subsidiary magic of meeting on an ABC reality show. Oh, also I am glad Trista is on Team Melissa too! Yay!

3. I have to admit I'm a little sad that Fred is taken. I was kind of hoping he was still floating around Chicago single somewhere...but his girl Noelle is adorable and they are obviously very perfect for each other. We got to see a whole lotta adorable Windy City b-roll of the two of them in cute hats and scarves and mittens and big puffy coats...so glad to see good ol' Fred is happy!

4. Well, Jesse has MOVED ON! Deanna who?!

5. I loved the huge welcome cheers Stephanie and Jillian got! Yeah girls!

6. Are the girls all sitting in martini glasses?!

7. I forgot about how much of a brat Natalie was! Way to go Chris for calling her OUT.

8. Poor Jillian. She thought she had the cat in the "beg" (aww, cute Canadian accent) and so did we. She totally made up for her ugly pink dress and boots with this green dress; very cute! And her final hot dog diagnosis on Jason: 70% mustard, 30% ketchup. Yup. And WOAH...is Jillian going to be the next Bachelorette?!! Does this play into the whole "dramatic final episode" thing?!! Is this just a question to throw us girls off the scent of how this is all gonna shake down??? Am I using waaay to much punctuation?!?!:;"...?

Yeah, probably.

Jillian was very cool with Jason, which I respect, but she also called him out on what the rest of us were thinking: if you're just not in love, you're just not in love. Don't make other excuses for it.

9. This episode definitely did NOT need to be 2 hours.

10. Kinda sad we didn't get to check in with Lisa, who left the show because her grandma was sick. But I'm probably the only one who remembers her anyway.

Next week is all the REAL action! Until then, you know where to find all my favorite recaps.

I'm going to bed.

I want to go to there.

"I just wish I could start a relationship about 12 years in where you don’t really have to try anymore and you can just sit around together and goof on TV shows and go to bed without anybody trying any funny business."
~Liz Lemon, 30 Rock

So this weekend I went out to lunch with a couple of friends from the Children of Eden, which was really fun. Firstly, it was nice because it's a rare occurance that I get to spend time like that with people my actual age. And secondly, because we all get along so well and share a sense of humor. (Back me up on this, Sara.) But one of the coolest things about the day was this...the guy in our group is married and is obviously very happy about it. And it's not one of those sickening newly-wed things that some people my age have; it's a three-year-old marriage that, while still new when compared to marriages like our parents', has been broken in a little bit. And it's clear that he has found that person who really makes him happy. And just listening to him talk about his marriage and talk to his wife on the phone, I was like...jealous. Of a married person! For being married! That almost never happens to me.

He told us about how they're really at the point where they just enjoy going home to hang out with each other, and sit around drinking beer and watching TV together. And that just sounded...really good to me!

Or as my hero Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there."

Here's the thing -- I am still not ready to do the whole dating thing...the asking/being asked out, the first few slightly uncomfortable dates, forking over more and more of my time to someone else, the obligation of talking on the phone (ughhhh) every day, and having to "check in" all the time (blech). Now, I realize that if a relationship was really worth it to me, I probably wouldn't feel obligated to go through that process, but rather be excited about it. And that's how I know I need to stay on the bench for now. And I also realize that I have to go through all the dating, time-sacrificing, phone calls, and so on, in order to get the sweatpants and the beer on the couch with the TV. But sometimes I just wish I could skip all the weird stuff and just get to the good stuff!!!

It's not possible, I know. But I'm just saying. It would be nice.

And speaking of instant relationships...who's excited for tomorrow's episode of The Bachelor? The women are gonna tell all and personally I just can't wait to see poor ol' Shannon! Plus I think we're gonna see some of our favorite ghosts of bachelors past! Should be fun.

Until then!

The Bachelor Week 7: Time to Choose a Team!

I'm officially stating my choice.

I'm on Team Melissa! I feel like she is a bit of an underdog after the whole hometown date fiasco. And we all know what a champ Molly is...after all, her mom and and dad have taught her throughout her whole life that she's a winner. But Melissa has never disappointed me through this whole game and I think I'd rather see her getting engaged to Jason in the end.

Who do you want to see get the final rose? And who's excited for the "Women Tell All" episode next week?! Remember how much fun this show used to be with all these catty, crazy, coo-coo ladies running around the mansion?! I know I miss those days. I just can't wait to get Sha-Nay-Nay back! I've really missed her. Plus, apparently ABC got tired of dragging the 2.5 successful Bachelor couples into the final few episodes, and decided to spice up the "Where Are They Now" segment by showing us where they ALL were last night! All I know is, poor science teacher from Deanna's season looks like he's in over his head.

And I'm still not convinced that Deanna is coming back to ask for a second chance with Jason. I think she's coming to tell him not to propose because she made a mistake in trying to find a husband on national TV. Would ABC let her do that? Yes, if it gets them the sweeps ratings they know they're going to get.

And what's with all the "most dramatic ever" labels on every single thing this season? Last night was supposed to be the "most dramatic rose ceremony ever." Why? Because he's a nice guy and actually cares about all of these girls, and they're actually all nice people too and aren't backstabbing each other to the camera? I feel like everything this season has been called the "most dramatic ever" without much warrant. So when they tell me that the "after the rose" episode was so dramatic and emotionally difficult that they taped it in the most intimate setting possible, I have my doubts. But I'm still extremely curious.

OK, that's all for me! Time for bed. Recaps by the best in the biz:
Lincee
Chris
Beyond Reality

The Bachelor Week 6: Home Sweet Hometown!

I'm keeping this short because I'm sick and I need to get to sleep, so I shouldn't stay up very late past my bedtime!

Hometown Date Week! I think they always make these dates look like bigger disasters in the promos than what they actually are in the episode. But some things were just as bad as advertised this season.

Jillian - Oh, Canada!
First, I love Canada. And I love how proud Canadians are of their country. So I was extremely glad to see Jillian's family greet Jason like an Olympic champion and wrap him in a big Canadian flag! I also got a kick out of their accents, especially when they said the word "again." It seemed like Jason got along really well with everyone, and Jillian was able to be herself, which is very cool.

Molly - Michigan WASPs
Jason meets Molly at the Country Club for a round of golf, bringing back memories of their first meeting. Molly is really pushing the WASP look, in an argyle sweater and hot pink polo with popped collar. Wowie. Then you meet the rest of her family, all of them in sweaters as well, and we find out that Molly's mom either is or wants to be a child psychologist because she does several tests to evaluate Jason including wearing different hats, drawing a picture, and a Rorshach test. Just kidding about the last one, but I was half-expecting her to try that next.

Naomi - Cali Crazy
Naomi meets Jason dressed as a cowgirl, which he mentions several times. They meet up with Naomi's mom, who has taken a page out of Michael Scott's book of crazy and wants to hold a funeral for a bird. Jason is assigned the "honor" of giving a eulogy. The ONLY other place this would happen would be on The Office. We see what may have been a big reason for Naomi's folks splitting up; Dad is a Judeo-Christian and Mom is an adult Indigo. You can tell from Dad's conversation with Jason that he's worried about his daughter being equally yoked. And I think it's very interesting that Naomi later says she wishes she would've talked to Jason about her religious beliefs before this point. Ya think?!!! Get with the program, sister! You think you're "in love" with someone and you haven't even talked about this?! Well, Mom is equally as passionate about her beliefs, and I had to look up what it means to be an "Indigo" because I didn't really get her explanation. According to New Age beliefs, Indigo children are kids who have an indigo-colored aura and are of a higher level of human evolution; they may have paranormal abilities like ESP. Huh. Mom believes Naomi is an indigo child.

I just wonder how I would've turned out if I had been raised in this kind of spiritual environment?

Melissa - Texas...Friends in Low Places
Mel drops the bomb on Jason that her parents don't want to be on TV, so he'll be hanging out with all of Melissa's married friends instead. Mom and Dad just aren't comfortable with all the "publicness"...which, by the way, is not a word, and if they were gonna show that clip ten times, they could've at least let her have a do-over using "publicity" instead of the word she made up.

I'm sorry, but don't you think ABC could've arranged for the parents to meet Jason off-camera and then just film the friends stuff for the episode? What's really going on here?

I do have to say that Mel's friends seemed like really good people to have around; they are obviously very supportive of her and I would imagine they are just as hard on her boyfriends as any parent would be! But they also said they'd never met Melissa's family, which I again thought was fishy.

I think Jason knows something is up too.

Rose Ceremony
Woah, is that a big room or what?!!

The roses go to Molly, Jillian, and Melissa. Naomi goes home, telling the limo cameras that she's done with having a romantic life after this heartbreaking experience.

Next week Jason takes the girls to New Zealand! And oh, yes, the big D herself is coming back to spend a little time with Jason. They show a clip of him saying, "Well, what brings you to New Zealand?" Don't you just hope she says she was in the neighborhood? That's what all stalker-ex girlfriends do, right? We know Shannon would! I miss her.

OK, time for bed. Until later!

one step at a time...

(cue Jordin Sparks...)

OK, so I've been poking around some websites and what I'm finding is that yes, Virginia, there ARE jobs out there. But I can't start applying for them until I update my resume. And maybe make a resume tape. Yikes to that second part.

So, I think what I'm gonna do now is work on my resume and then start applying for these jobs. And I'm gonna go ahead and say right now that some of them are going to be a long-shot. But you can't do any harm by trying, right? So, I'm not expecting the calls to come flooding in, BUT...I know what I need to do next, and then if and when any offers for interviews arise, I'll just cross that bridge when I get there.

Here's something I am worried about -- timing. My contract here isn't up until October, but my lease is up in May. So this is why I feel a sense of urgency about this whole stay-or-go thing. Options:

1) See if I can work out something with the apartment office, like a six-month lease or something?
2) Find a new job before May and hope that they'll let me out of my contract early (wait, I'm not going to be ready to move in May! I don't like this option. I don't think they'd let me out of my contract that early anyway. Forget it, this is not a realistic option).
3) Find a new job and finish out my contract here, and move out of my apartment and live...with my parents? And drive an hour to work every night and an hour back every morning? Ick. I think my sister will be in town all summer/fall...maybe I could work out something with her instead. Ugh, I don't want to be a squatter.
4) Re-sign the lease, but NOT re-sign my contract (lots of people don't re-sign), and work here until NEXT May, by which time hopefully I'll have another job lined up.

Blech. I wish this was just like working out your class schedule at college. I wish you could put everything into a computer and make it spit out an answer, then print it out on a little sheet that you can hang on your fridge and send home to your parents so they know where you'll be in the next year or so of your life.

OK, back to taking things one step at a time: all I need to do right now is update my resume and look into making a tape. And then start applying. And that's it.

Deep breaths.

Looking forward to watching The Bachelor later this morning. Can't wait to swap recaps! :)

Until then...

have a dilemma? ask jimmy!

I'm happy to say that the doggie dilemma has been decided by none other than Jimmy Fallon.

Ok...well maybe he was just saying that. I think in reality it's just gonna come down to gut instinct. Which should be criterion enough to choose a dog, since that's how a surprising amount of Americans choose a President.

Today was a bag of mixed nuts. I woke up this morning to a call from my friend Chris who informed me that he slipped and broke his ankle on the ice Friday night "like a geriatric" and now he's out of Children of Eden. Buh-MER. Not only am I super-sad not to get to hang out with him at rehearsals, but Chris is very talented and left a very big role for someone else to fill a MONTH before this show opens.

Yikes.

I didn't celebrate the Super Bowl this year, but most people did, so we moved up rehearsal to 4:00 instead of 7:00. This kind of cut into the middle of what would normally be sleepy-time on a Sunday, so I got like an hour of sleep before rehearsal. Then when I got home I heated up a frozen pizza and watched Miss Congeniality, which was relaxing. Then I tried to get some sleep, but that didn't go well. Then I OVERslept and got to work late, which isn't really a big deal on the weekends.

But I do have that kinda gross feeling you get when you haven't slept enough. And I didn't wash my hair because I was running late, so it looks a little flat. And I have my meeting with Big Boss today. So...yeah.

And now I'm really starting to feel the pressure of figuring out what my next move is. I've been sort of looking forward to this point for the past year and a half, but now that it's here, I am a little reluctant to deal with it. I keep thinking, "It would be so much easier to just stay here for another year."

And ironically, that's how I know it need to start looking elsewhere.

Whenever I get to the point where I'm not being challenged, I get this way. Looking forward at what would be the next step up, I always get really tempted to stop where I am because it's comfortable, easy, familiar. And when I start to feel that way, I know that means it's time to be a big girl and move on.

That's not to say that staying here for awhile isn't an option anymore. I just need to make sure I seriously look at and apply for some other jobs, instead of chickening out. And here's my plan: I'm only going to move on if the job is

a) something I think I'll enjoy equally as much as or more than my current job
b) something I'll be getting paid as much as or more than I am getting paid here

Otherwise, it's honestly not going to be worth it. There's no reason I should move on to something I won't like as much (even if they pay me more money), because I really like it here. But basically I'm gonna go big, or go home. Or, stay home, I guess...lol.

OK, speaking of work, I better get back to it! Hope everyone has a happy Monday! Do you think DeAnna is coming back this week on the Bachelor?!! My prediction was that she'd show up the week after Megan left to keep the drama going. Check in tomorrow to see if I was right!

Until later! :)

definition of a booty call

This is a story about something that happened a week or two ago, but I thought it might be fun to put on the blog...

Some people I know from doing civic shows are quite a bit younger than me, so I always try to watch what I say and do around them. But I often underestimate just how much kids know at a younger age these days ("these days?!" Who am I, my grandmother?). So one day when one of these younger folks asked me if I had any booty calls, I was a little shocked.

But one of the other younger ones was sitting there as well and said, "What's a booty call?"

Considering someone her age had brought it up, I was half-ready to leave it to her peer to explain that one. But we all remember how that went in junior high and how "well-informed" we all were after going to our friends for enlightenment on more mature subjects...so I did my best.

Me: Well...it's like when you're just hanging around by yourself and you're lonely or bored, so you call up someone you know to get...some...

Kid: Coffee?

Me: Yes! Coffee. So you call this person up and say, "Hey, you wanna have some coffee together?" But it's not someone you'd have...coffee...with on a regular basis, like all the time.

Kid: Ohhh ok, I think I get it.

I think this kid was old enough to know what I meant by coffee, but now I'm just worried that a few years down the road when she's at college, she's going to think everyone in her dorm is addicted to coffee because they're going on booty calls. But let's face it, no one really calls it a "booty call" anymore anyway, do they?

I think I'm safe.

~~~

OK, also, I just wanna say that I caught up on Lincee's Bachelor blog (link to the right) and the Madrosed recap on YouTube, and I feel like people are missing something here:



Kirsten Storms was referred to in all these Bachelor recaps as some "random girl" from General Hospital. Does NO ONE remember who she is?! Am I the only person who was watching the Disney Channel in the early 2000s?!!



It's Zenon, you guys!!! Zenon, Girl of the 21st Century! Am I the only person who cried out, "It's Zenon!" while watching the Bachelor this week?!!

OK, sorry, just had to get that out there. And yeah, I watched the Disney Channel in high school. I'd still be watching it now, if I had cable in my apartment. Deal with it.

OK, time for a nap because it's gonna be another fun and exciting day at the station! Yaaaaaay snow! (I really do like the snow; not being sarcastic.)

Until later!

The Bachelor Week 3...Surprise, Surprise!

OK, it took me forever to watch this episode, so this is gonna be kind of a random-thought recap.

~ How much do you love Stephanie? What an amazing lady! It was so precious to see her surprised by her little girl and to see Jason in tears! :) I have a thing for guys who can cry like that. I loved the Lego rose, too...wow, what a special date!

Group Date: "Rub the Man Down!" as the sailors say...or wait, that was Erica.

~ I will say it was cool to see something that could potentially be a trashy, "let's all skip to second-base" date actually be treated with a lot of respect and meaning. And especially by Megan, who is so deep (just ask her).

~Megan tells Jason she's been a little down since she got here because she loves helping people and being a non-profit role model, and going 10 days without helping people has been really hard on her...because no one has appreciated her, thanked God for her, or thanked her. Is it just me, or is serving others supposed to be about...well...others?

~Erica's trashin' on Megan again. That is getting old.

~Poor Nikki and her awkward silence! Pageant Patty did not get a high score in the interview portion this round. She seems like a really good person; I just wish she'd loosen up and relax.

~Melissa is just too adorable! She is obviously very comfortable with Jason even when she is feeling insecure. And her faces reacting to what's going on with the other girls crack me up! She has to be genuine because she doesn't mask a single facial expression. I'm pulling for her in the top four, along with Stephanie.

~And Jillian. She seems so stinkin cool. Poor Nikki is choking on her words and Jillian is like, "Let's see who can jump the highest on this Austin Powers-inspired mattress!" Jillian is like the girl I would want to actually be friends with, and if I got a rose and she didn't, I'd be like, "Here, girl, take my rose and write me letters! I'll be rooting you on from home!"

~Poor Sha-Nay-Nay does not have a good group date. I think the more I see of her the more I like her, despite the fact that she comes off as a little desperate. And crazy?

Natalie's One-on-One: Material Girl

~Natalie is running super-late, leaving poor Jason in the lioness den with the other ladies. I love what Melissa says, "You have to wait till later in the relationship to do that." As a girl who is constantly running, shall we say, "fashionably late," I do know that a guy has to really love you to wait around while you change shoes seven times. And so far the only guy who loves me that much is my dad. So good point, Mel.

~Natalie has an annoying habit that I call the "extension pull," where she sort of constantly gathers her hair up and puts it to one side really carefully like she has extensions that are going to come out if she pulls too hard. If you want it all on one side, put it in a side pony, for goodness' sake!

~Jason enjoys having some serious arm candy for a swanky night out in Vegas, but wants to dig deeper into Nat's personality. And here's what he gets: "I heart bears. Wait, what were we talking about? Don't stereotype me just because I'm gorgeous and love to party." Fun, but not enough for Jason to build a marriage on. And when Material Girl doesn't get what she wants (for probably the second or third time in her entire life), she gets sooo mad. My thoughts: "This is gonna be one heck of a Diary of the Departed." She finally says what, unfortunately, I might have stereotyped her to say: "I am hot. And guys would literally kill to be with me. And he's just Jason. What am I supposed to do, swoon? Ew. What is wrong with him?"

~When Natalie doesn't come back, the girls are almost as surprised as Natalie. And they have a party to celebrate.

Rose Ceremony: More Kisses!

~Poor, perfection-crazed Nikki finally gets her kiss, which she all but ruins by trying to talk and laugh in the middle of it. Relax, Max!!!

~I think it's cool to see a Bachelor who has been through the show's process before and can really relate to the girls on that level.

~Molly reminds me of a friend of mine. She is really cute and freckly and tomboyish, so other girls tend to underestimate her. But put her in a strapless dress and heels and she's got it going on, and she will surprise you with how sophisticated and elegant she can be!

~Jason tells Molly about Natalie's last words, so Molly relays to the other girls that Nat may have dropped some names in the anger of the moment. Megan is quick to show, once again, how much more mature she is: "I would've bowed out gracefully."

~Poor Sha-Nay-Nay is so stressed out and upset. Megan criticizes her for this, but I think it was actually good to see the real Shannon other than her Jason Trivia knowlege! She's growing on me.

~Stephanie finally gets her kiss too! And she totally plays it Mr. Darcy style! Nice!

~Lauren rats out Megan and Erica, the "two drama queens of the house." But she does so at Jason's request. Megan eavesdrops, probably thanks to an eagle-eyed PA tipping her off. Poor Jason is really confused by all this lady drama, and Chris Harrison helps him out by forcing some honesty out of the girls. This turns into the Megan and Lauren show, until Shannon throws up. :( Then Jason hands out the roses to...

Molly (yay!)
Lauren (not a surprise, but I'm neutral about her)
Melissa (woo!)
Naomi (meh)
Shannon (aww poor thing. Glad she got a rose.)
Nikki (glad for her, but I hope she'll continue to loosen up)
and...dun dun dun...Megan!!! GASP!!! The music gets so loud at this point that I can't even hear what her reaction is. Erica and Kari go home. It will be interesting to see how Megan does without Erica antagonizing her...but I still feel like she'll be trouble.

And next week...Jason doesn't give away the final rose?! What's that about? And more importantly, when the heck is Deanna gonna show up at Jason's doorstep?!

OK, as always, the folks who do it better than me:
Lincee
Chris
and Beyond Reality:


Until later!

The Bachelor Week 2!

Another 2-hour episode...good lord!

OK, so here's my little crew I'm cheering for after seeing this episode:
Jillian - I really like her. She seems very much herself around Jason and doesn't seem like she's trying too hard.
Lauren - I like her too, but she is a smidge high maintenance. We'll see.
Melissa - Awww! Yeah, she's still adorable.
Stephanie - I. Love. Her. So sweet and genuine.
Nikki - She seems like she's pretty cool, and a lot more mature than many of the other girls.
Molly - I know she's a little bit of a schemer, but I can't help rooting for her.

Surprise Pool Party and Impromptu One-on-One Date

I'm glad Shannon has a new nickname: "Sha-Nay-Nay." The girl is crazy. Throwing ice = lame. And I don't think she has an internal monologue; it's like everything that crosses her mind, then crosses her lips.

I loved that Nikki was coaching poor, sweet Stephanie on how to steal Jason away from Natalie! The poor thing is so gentle, she wouldn't hurt a bug, much less a blonde. I think Jason was probably impressed by her tact in not breaking up his conversation to take him away.

I think Jason is doing a really good job of getting to know the girls on his own terms. I loved that he surprised them at the pool; I think he really wants to get to know them in a more relaxed setting, without them being all dressed up and made up. I thought it was hilarious that the girls were freaking out because they had no make-up and ponytails! He seems very at ease and seems to genuinely want them to have a good time, unlike Deanna, who threw a fit when no one was paying attention to her (remember that from last season?!!).

He picks Jillian for an impromptu one-on-one, which makes Lauren totally jealous. Until she thinks about how frantic she would be... "I mean, she didn't have very much time to get ready. I would be freaking out, and I don't know what I'd do with my hair. I'd have to wear it curly. No, I'd have to put it in a ponytail!!! Ok, I'm glad it wasn't me."

Lauren is pretty high-maintenance and Jason is picking up on this. I think he's looking for someone who can roll with the punches, which is probably a lot of what being a step-parent is about. We all know how high-maintenance Deanna was, and I hope Jason steers clear of that this season.

Jason's date with Jillian is at Disney Hall, which you may remember from the movie Get Smart. Very cool. And inside is Robin Thicke with a full band, singing for just the two of them! (How awkward would that be to be up there performing with a full set for just two people who were dancing/watching/smootching the whole time?)

Melissa gets to go on the other one-on-one date. At first I'm worried that she's going to turn into a brat and not have a good date, but when Jason feeds her the oyster and she obviously hates it, and then admits that she thought it was gross, I was back to cheering for our little cheerleader! She is just too cute. And then the Good Year Magic 8 Ball Blimp came by to answer some questions. And Melissa asked some good ones, including "Will I get a rose?" and "Will I get a kiss?" And as Jason knows from personal practice, when it comes to kissing...ask and you shall receive. Well played, Melissa. Or, as she would say, "Nicely done."

Group Date

Jason takes the girls shopping (aww!) and then it's back to the pool so he can hang out with the ladies in their bikinis and show off his wonderfully sculpted torso again. Molly gets a rose on this date after showing Jason her "secret talent," which is kissing, and also showing her goofy side by coordinating a synchronized swimming dance with Sharon and Kari.

Molly is slick; you have to hand it to her. I know the other girls got mad at her for the "secret talent" thing and for spending time with him when she'd already gotten a rose, but I think she knows that if you play too nice, you go home, and she's showing Jason that she's there for a reason.

Naomi told Jason that she'd be his friend no matter what. I had to ask myself if she was seriously asking to be put in the Friend Zone. Then to get him to kiss her, the line she used was, "Do friends kiss?" Sigh...yes, Naomi, sometimes friends DO kiss. That's called a friend with benefits. And that's not the same thing as a fiancee.

Erica says something to Jason about having certain standards that he needs to meet...or something like that. I didn't really get what she was saying. Then she tells the camera that it's hard for her to see Jason with the other girls, because she was cheated on in her last relationship and that's why it ended. "She was 52," she says.

Wait, did I hear that right? I had to rewind and play it again. "She was 52." Yup! That is what she said. So Erica's last boyfriend was either stolen by a senior citizen woman, or her last boyfriend WAS a senior citizen woman. I'm still not clear on that.

Raquel pulled kind of a creeper move by climbing into Jason's car and waiting after he dropped the other girls off after the group date. (Does anyone remember when one of the guys...Twilley, I think...did this to Deanna? I do, and I think it was equally awkward this time around.)

On to the Rose Ceremony...

Megan...kinda sucks. Nothing is working out for her. First the fake elimination rose, then she doesn't get a date, and then Molly pops by with her rose in the middle of Jason's conversation with her and takes him away (and is it just me, or did Jason look relieved?). That led to a completely pointless fight between her and Erica. And to put a cherry on top of her Bachelor Disaster Sundae, she decides to find out more about the mysterious Stephanie and "what her deal is."

"So, we haven't gotten to know much about you, " she starts out in her nervous, abrasive manner. "What happened with your ex?"

Then Stephanie, the angel of this cast of contenders, tells this beautiful, tragic story about how her husband died in a plane crash. And then she shows her poise and grace by turning the conversation's focus back to Jason instead of keeping everyone's sympathetic attention on her. This woman is too sweet to be on reality TV.

Lisa tells Jason she has to leave the show because her grandma is terminally sick with cancer. Boo. I was really hoping we'd get to see more of her. And wow, the girls don't even try to act like they feel bad for her. "One less girl for me to worry about!" they all said. Geez!

Nikki tells Jason she is worried some of the girls are not there for the right reasons, or aren't prepared to settle down and be a mom. There's always one in the bunch, folks. Someone who is ready to sell out their fellow competitors because they care about the Bachelor so much (or the Bachelorette; it happens with the guys too). I like Nikki, but I think it's always a dangerous move to try to turn the object of your desire against other contestants. I'm just worried someone's gonna put gum in her hair while she's sleeping.

At the end of the night, Jason only has to eliminate two girls because Lisa left voluntarily. The roses go to:
Megan (booo.)
Nikki (duh.)
Lauren (again, duh.)
Naomi (not quite in the Friend Zone yet.)
Stephanie (YESSSSS!!! with arm pump.)
Kari
Natalie
Sha-Nay-Nay
Melissa (one-on-one date)
Jillian (on-on-one date)
Molly (group date rose)
Erica - (booo...and she does this whole trashy thing where she goes, "Stop doing this to me!" because he called her name last, and she makes him put his hand on her chest so he can feel her rapidly pulsating heart.)

Sharon is sent home to find a new job, since she gave up her old one to be on the show. Oops. Raquel salsas into the sunset, snuffing our hopes for an international hometown date. Oh well.

Next Week...
We'll get to see an amazing one-on-one date with Stephanie as she is surprised by a visit from her darling little girl! I think I caught Jason crying during their reunion, but we'll just have to see.

Oh, at the end of the show, they played a clip of Stephanie's numerous bags of luggage and (of course) she let all of the girls try on and borrow anything they wanted to. Is this lady for real?!

I can't wait for Deanna to come back. When do you think that will happen?!!

Supplemental Reading...
Lincee (for the funniest recaps on the planet)
Chris (for those of you who, like me, are fascinated by what happens behind the scenes of a reality show...and this is also a hilarious read!)

And of course the ladies who go Beyond Reality...see what they have to say this week:

first impressions (bachelor week 1)

OK, I'll try not to go on too long about this, but WOW, what a great season premiere! I actually had to take notes!

The Girls

Jillian
I like her. She seems cute and genuine, and her dress was gorgeous! She has invented a personality test based on hot dog condiments, which she used on Jason. She found out that he's a "mustard guy," which means he's the kind of guy you want to settle down with. I'll have to test out this theory in the future.
I was glad she got a rose.

Stacia
I liked her too. She is a cute, single mom but I don't think she really got to talk to Jason a whole lot, so we didn't learn much about her.
I was sad she didn't get a rose.

Dominique
Oh my goodness, so adorable! She looks like my friend Caitlin C. (aka real-life Disney Princess) and has the personality of a D.P. as well. And when she talks, it's like a mix of Sarah Palin and Kirsten Dunst's character in Drop Dead Gorgeous.
She didn't get a rose, which is too bad because she would've made for some funny TV.

Nikki
OK, I got it wrong...Stephanie is not the Pageant Patty; NIKKI is! They went to her house and shot b-roll of her cleaning house in her "Miss Illinois" sash and letting her niece wear her crown. In last night's episode, she scored well in evening gown and interview, garnering her the first impression rose.
We'll see.

Jackie
She's kind of the sad girl of the bunch; apparently she's been engaged, broken it off, married, divorced, and now she's a wedding planner.
She didn't get a rose and was actually really mad about it. But what's that they say? "Always the wedding planner, never the bride?" No, that's not it...

Stephanie
Not Pageant Patty but a smidge Stepford-ish. That being said, I love her. She is a really sweet lady and her older age gives her an advantage among the other girls, as she's mature and truly sweet about meeting people, not old and bitter. But we'll get to Megan in a bit.
She got a rose, yayyyy!!!

Naomi
She looks like Eva Mendes' cousin who also gets hired to do Eva's stand-in stuff in movies. A little rough around the edges, but should be entertaining.
She got a rose.

Megan
Oh lord. I'm scared of her. She seems to play the Mom Card a LOT. She does it to get closer to Jason, to bond with the few other single moms in the crowd, and to belittle her cuter, younger, friendlier competition. She got a rose "courtesy of the other women" and we will talk about that soon. She has a potty mouth. Ty is going to learn LOTS of new things from her!

Lisa (a.k.a. Suri)
I like to call her Suri, because I think she looks, sounds, and so far acts like Suri from Whatever Hollywood (she's the one all the way on the right and sometimes she writes me emails! She's the coolest!) So far, Lisa/Suri is cool too, which is good because I don't want someone with my name turning out to be a spazz.
She got a rose. (Yesssss!)

Lauren
It's Lauren's birthday. She makes Jason guess how old she is while almost bouncing out of her dress. Then Jason brings her a birthday cake, but she thinks it's going ot be the first impression rose, so she tells the camera, "I'm obviously getting the rose, duh!" It would've been a pretty embarrassing birthday for Lauren, but at the end of the night...
She did get a rose.

Melissa
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Awww! She is so stinkin cute.
Yay, she got a rose!

Sharon
She quit her job to be on the show. So far, it's paid off.
She got a rose.

Natalie
She looks like she's gonna be one of those girls who looks like she's thinking, "I'm hotter than you so you know I'm going to be better than you at life" but she was so nervous when she met Jason that it was endearing! And like me, she doesn't have TV.
She got a rose. Yay!

Treasure
Not the free spirit I thought she was -- at least I don't think so, because we didn't learn anything about her except that "Treasure" is not her stage name. I think it would've been funny if she'd have followed up with, "Actually, my stage name is Pat." Or you know, something really boring.
Treasure did not get a rose.

Raquel
Cue the Latin music. Literally, every time she walked into the room, spoke, walked out of the room, or was mentioned anywhere around the room, they started playing her theme music.
She got a rose.

Molly
A straight-shooting Midwesterner. I like her so far.
She got a rose.

Erica
Ehhh...let's just say formal occasions are not her strongest suit.
But she did get a rose.

Nicole (also wanting to be called Nikki)
Although not the nut job I was afraid she'd be, she did wear an orange dress (and black shoes...what?!) because orange is Ty's favorite color. But Ty wasn't there and he certainly wasn't handing out roses, so...
She didn't get a rose. Sigh...so long, Janice.

Renee
She looked and sounded about 10 years younger than she was, but she (not Treasure) turned out to be the free spirit, saying her vision board had said she was meant to be with Jason. And the thing about vision boards is, everything you put on it comes true.
Except for the one time when she went on The Bachelor and didn't get a rose.

Emily
She looks as scary on TV as she does in her picture. She is like Scary Barbie (which is what my sisters and I called Space Barbie because she looked scary).
She did not get a rose, so it's back to Seattle...Jason's hometown. Yup.

Julie
Cute, teaches first grade. That's about all we got out of that.
No rose.

Ann
Meehhhh...who?
No rose.

Shannon
ABC has already gotten us to think of her as The Stalker. In the opening sequence, she's running on a treadmill and says, "I'm coming for you, Jason!" Whaaaat.
Then there's the infamous MyStalk conversation. But I think Jason was won over when she got out of the limo with her fake hillbilly teeth in, and it didn't matter that she was a stalker because she was a funny stalker.
And she got a stalker. I mean, a rose.

Shelby
She reminded me of a news anchor; she has the perfect hair and face for it, and she seemed to be conducting interviews with everyone.
She didn't get a rose. But I think the Early Show should hire her to replace Julie Chen.

Kari
Good thing she wrote and read aloud a poem for Jason, because that's all I remembered about her.
She got a rose.

The Twist
They borrowed a wooden box off of the set of Lost and told the girls they had to vote on a girl they thought should leave the house. I wonder if they just thought the girls just weren't being catty enough and some production assistant said, "I know, let's go Survivor on these biotches!" Anyway, the award for Biggest Bitch went to Megan (surprise surprise). But then the girls found out she was actually winning a rose, not a trip back home. That announcement was followed by Megan calling the rest of the girls @#$**&##@s (I don't even know what she called them, they had to bleep and fuzz so much of it out) and then went up for a super-classy rose awarding...
"Megan, will you please accept this rose?"
"Yes, I'd be happy to!" (Stink eye to the rest of the gals.)

That, along with the rest of the bleeps and fuzzies used to cover whatever was coming out of Megan's mouth the rest of the time, was enough to make her a shoo-in for Ty's new mom, no doubt.

OK, that's it for week one. But the sneak peek into the rest of the season was insane, because guess who's coming back...

DEANNA!!!

That's right, just like Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, and Hillary Clinton, SHE IS BACK. You just can't keep a good girl down. Or...something like that. Yes, Deanna comes back, apparently to ask for a second chance, and the girls. Are. Mad!!!

I love reality TV! :)

Remember, check out Lincee (linked on the right), or if you don't like reading recaps, watch these girls (they are hilarious!)



Enjoy! And please tell me your thoughts on the season premiere!

The ABCs of my TV viewing habits

OK, if you for any reason follow my Twitter, you may know that I'm currently trying to catch up on the last season (or so) of Scrubs. Why? Well, (1) because I kind of stopped watching it a year or so ago, and even then I was about a season behind, and (2) I just got new inspiration for catching up with it because now that NBC has dropped it, its distributor ABC is picking it up to run the 8th (and possibly final) season this year! And I'm going to need something to fill the void since another of my favorite shows on ABC, Pushing Daisies, is getting cancelled. PD is just one of those shows that is too good for TV, unfortunately.

Anyway, so today I got about halfway through Season 6 of Scrubs, and as sad as this sounds, it's kind of like talking to an old friend...there are all of these characters and running jokes and things that I had forgotten about, and it's just so nice to see all of them again! This show literally makes me laugh out loud frequently. And the episode "My Musical" guest-starring the girl from Avenue Q actually made me cry a little bit. Lol.

But anyway, tonight...as I'm typing this...is the season premiere of The Bachelor, which I am so excited to watch in the morning :) And this season is like, the ultimate payoff for me because Brad Womack's season of The Bachelor was the first one I watched faithfully all the way through. Then the runner-up from that show was the next Bachelorette, Deanna, and of course I watched that all the way through as well. And now they are making history by taking Deanna's runner-up, Jason, and putting him in as the next Bachelor! And he's a single dad, which is also a first for the series. So I have the full back-up story on this dude, the girl who dumped him, and the guy who dumped her!

It's going to be a wacky ride.

And for any of you who'd like to ride along, please feel free to leave your comments and check back because I will probably be discussing the show every week. You are also going to want to check out Lincee's postings...her blog is the ultimate study guide for all things Bachelor -- she does hilarious recaps every Tuesday after each episode, as well as keeps us updated on the "where are they now's" of past Bachelors and Bachelorettes. In fact, go check her out now because she's already made her picks for the final four (who needs March Madness when you've got this show, seriously?! Kidding.)

And I'm not going to make my predictions yet, but I have browsed the list of bachelorette candidates, and here are some girls I think we should be looking out for:

Emily - This girl's bio says she's 23, but I have a hard time believing that. Which isn't to say I think she's a liar...just a truth-stretcher. She does live in Seattle, same as Jason. Which makes me wonder...why did she have to go on a national TV show to meet him? You don't think a little MySpace action would've been enough to get that set up?

Erica - Is it just me, or is this one of the only girls on the roster who looks like a real person? That alone has me cheering for her. Watch, she probably got eliminated tonight.

Megan - a.k.a. Deanna 2.0. This is who everyone seems to have picked as the front-runner. I think she looks a smidge scary, like she might have that same "I'm about to go Hollwood" gleam in her eye as her original version. Just sayin'.

Melissa - Awww! Right? I just think she looks like she could be Ty's mom. Or Jason's sister. Which could be creepy. But still...awww!

Nicole - I'm just gonna call it right now and say I think this girl is gonna be one of the crazies. I don't know why...maybe just because she looks like Janice from Friends?

Raquel - I'm cheering for her just because she's from Brazil and that would be a sweet hometown date.

Renee - one of the oldest in the group, she is one of the only bachelorettes capable of "robbing the cradle" where Jason is concerned (he is 32). How will all these 23-24-25-year-olds measure up to her? We'll just have to see...

Shannon - poor girl. I'm guessing she went home tonight (see the Bachelor "sneak peek" promo where she goes all stalker on Jason), but if she doesn't, she will be one to watch! She has done her homework and already knows everything there is to know about our Bachelor, his son, his brother, and apparently everyone else attached to him on MySpace. You gotta admire a good researcher.

Stephanie - Gaack! Did someone say Pageant Patty? Here's why I want to watch her: she's 34 (so, also a cradle-robber), a single mom, and she looks the same age as Emily. And I want to know how all of that is possible.

And finally, everyone's favorite - Treasure! - a single mom from Salt Like City, I peg her as a free spirit because of her lack of make-up, her big earrings, and...her name. So I think she'll be an interesting one to watch as well.

OK, that's it for me. Check back in tomorrow to see if I was right about any of these girls. And make sure to read Lincee's blog! Trust me, she makes it worth watching the whole season.

Gotta go wash dishes as part of my commitment to my New Year's resolutions.

Until later! :)

ooh! one more thing!

I just wanted to say really quick that the countdown is ON for the next season of The Bachelor, and this time I will actually watch it all the way through (usually I only watch The Bachelorette; I always seem to forget about The Bachelor and then realize it's happening about two episodes from the season finale). But not THIS time, because this season is special for two reasons:

1) The Bachelor is Jason from Deanna Pappas' Bachelorette season, so this is the first time a Bachelor season will spin off from a Bachelorette season.

2) Jason is a dad! He has a little boy, so all these ladies are signing onto the show knowing that they're not only dating a bachelor, they're also dating a kindergartener. And of course, I'm sure there will be a LOT of contrary opinions from child psychology and parenting experts, discussing whether this is harmful for the kid, or whether it's a healthy process for him to get to meet all of these ladies and help his dad pick a new mom...is this season gonna be good or what?! (OK, I love reality TV a little too much lol.)

And in preparation for the January premiere, I have added the best Bachelor Recap Blog ever to my links here on my blog, so if you are following along this season, you will know where to find it. This girl writes the most hilarious recaps after every episode; it just makes the season that much more fun to watch unfold!

OK, that's it, for real!