Crush alert: Anthony Bourdain

It's true...a bit of a dirty little secret I have to admit but lately I've just had a *thing* for Anthony Bourdain! I mean, hello, he's tall and he makes dang good money by traveling around the entire world EATING for goodness sakes.

How have I managed to miss his show called "No Reservations" all these years? There's just something intriguing about the rise and fall of his voice as he narrates. He's also a writer, which is hot. Of course he has a serious potty mouth and some of the things he eats, I would die before putting in my mouth, but based on sound alone though, I think he could even make diet supplement reviews sound interesting. I like that he searches for more than just cuisine from the locations he visits. I felt happy for him on the episode where he FINALLY got his shellfish tower LOL Anthony, slice me off a piece of whatever you are serving!

Papa John's vs. The Cake Boss

Is it just me or does that guy John Schnatter from Papa John's look alot like that guy Buddy Valastro from the Cake Boss?

I love finding this kind of stuff!! :) Too funny...

Yay, it makes me happy =]

Is it wrong for me to be *this* excited that The Office is back on with new episodes? I just watched the season premiere. Great way to start a new season. All the characters were pretty much spot on...that Micheal has some serious issues! Congrats Pam and Jim...now get married already.

Next up, pack your bags and call up some long distance moving companies because "You're going to Vegas!!!" I love watching the So You Think You Can Dance (dance, dance, dance) tryouts and this week they are in Phoenix, Az. I don't know what some of these people are thinking! That's not dancing, that's just weird. Day 2 is strange...and what is with the screaming guy? Sheesk! LOL Nigel: How close are we to Roswell? Good question! Next stop, Bean Town.

Where, o where o where is 'Gavin and Stacey'?

Did anyone else watch this show? 'Gavin and Stacey' was on BBC America and it seems like FOREVER since they've had a new episode! Have they been canceled or what? They left us on a clif hanger, of course...and I need me some 'Gavin and Stacey'!!! It's like watching 1/2 of a really great movie and then getting up and leaving, never to see how it comes out. Ugh! Why must they leave us hanging like this? Maybe they are off discovering the new best diet pills for Smithy and Nessa....how many cameras are actually on them? LOL Just joking, that's part of their charms! BRING BACK GAVIN AND STACEY ALREADY!!

America, you done good! Kris Allen wins American Idol!

This season of American Idol was pretty good. I can't say it was my favorite though. I didn't feel particularly partial to any one contestant this year. If I had to pick, I'd say my favorite was Danny Gokey. I liked his story and his performances. After he was eliminated, I really thought Adam Lambert was going to win.

I mean, Adam has all the attributes to be the next biggest thing on the goth/emo scene! I just couldn't stand to hear him screaming anymore. There's a fine line between carrying a note and screeching and he crossed that line. Alot. I just figured the emo and goth kids who text to the friends they are standing next to rather than speaking in case an adult would happen to hear them, would have burned up the airwaves voting for Adam. The kids these days can text in their pockets without even looking! I didn't even bother voting to be honest, because I thought it was a waste of time and effort...it'd be like calling a Pleasanton motorcycle accident attorney even though the bike went down in Sturgis. You know what I'm saying?

But America voted well! I think Kris Allen is great and I'm glad he won. Congrats Kris! The finale show was great and I enjoyed most of the various performances. Adam fit right in on stage with Kiss (good to see someone does)!!! It was especially satisfying to see Tatiana being corralled by security as she tried to sing her way back into the competition. Never give up hope, sista! LOL In the end, Kris was awarded the winner and I'm excited to see what he will be busy doing in the upcoming months!

Favorite quotes from Southland: Episode 1

#1 "What are you, Canadian?"

#2 "Wanna know how to stop all this gang bangin'? Give em' all free marijuana!"

#3 "What did you think the gun was for? Show and tell??"

#4 "I had the day from hell...I got arrested."

If you missed the start of this great new show on NBC, feel free to watch them over on Hulu.com and get caught up on Southland. It's a great show!! Each week I'm going to post my favorite quotes to tease and/or remind you. I'm a little behind so I have some catching up to do. If you watch the show, feel free to comment with your favorite quotes!

Susan Boyle's got it going on!

Surely by now you've heard this performance on Britain's Got Talent last week. Susan Boyle sang so beautifully, I'll bet Simon felt under dressed! It was like all of a sudden being at a fine operatic performance and perhaps he should have been wearing a tuxedo instead of a t-shirt.

None the less, Susan gave a wonderful performance and I really hope this isn't the last we've seen/heard from her. I read one blog that talked about her age and love of cats and the fact that she was still single gave women hope that would otherwise be thinking 'it's too late for me'. Maybe there's something to that, but doesn't she wish she would have tried before now to get discovered? She wasted alot of time and maybe she did try and nothing ever worked out. It's great that she continued to put herself out there. Maybe Simon can give her a kiss and that would kill 2 birds with 1 stone! Just joking...she hasn't waited this long to throw it away on someone like Simon Cowell! LOL

Let this be a lesson to everyone about jumping the gun and judging the book by it's cover, shall we? You never know the beauty inside of a person just waiting for an opportunity to burst out!

My Name is Earl: Karma theology

I have really enjoyed the sitcom My Name is Earl. I've watched the show since it began! I get a kick out of the situations they find/get themselves in and how Earl uses karma theology to right wrongs from his past. It's great entertainment!

Tonight's show entitled 'Witch Lady' seemed a bit after-school-special to me. It was nice to see Betty White working again but the 'let's not put labels on people' set-up and speech by Earl was a bit predictable to say the least. Hopefully they won't have any trouble raising the content bar back up to it's previous level in the future. It's been a really funny (and odd) show for me, wouldn't want to have nix it!

The Hole in the Wall game show

Have you seen this game show on Fox called 'Hole in the Wall'? It's a great concept for a game show. It's originally a Japanese game that became wildly popular around the world.

There's 2 teams of 3 players and points are given for clearing through the walls that are moving towards the players. The walls are made of thick foam cut out into different shaped openings and the players have to contort themselves in order to clear them. You also have to land in the 'play area' or else it's a 'not clear' and there are no points. Also, *just* behind the play area, is a pool of water and if any part of you ends up in the water, that's also a 'no clear' too.

The melodramatic host and over glamorized female assistant with 80's hair and scantily clad clothes are a bit over the top. But it's understandable considering there's really no 'content' to the show, there's alot of empty time to be filled considering each wall encounter takes about 15 seconds...and that includes the replay. LOL

But it's so fun to watch them try to clear the walls! When they do, your jaw drops down and you can't believe it! Some of the wall combinations are IMPOSSIBLE to clear. Literally. And then, the winning team gets a chance at the blind wall as the sort of 'bonus round' for extra winnings. They pick 1 teammate to be blindfolded and the other 2 have to give directions to how they should position their arms and legs and everything else in order to clear the wall, which rarely happens successfully. But I just finished watching the newest episode and these 3 girls just took home $125,000 for winning the game for $25,000 and they actually successfully cleared the blind wall for an extra $100,000!!! You can watch full episodes of Hole in the Wall on the website. Too funny! It's very entertaining.

It's time, to face the hole!!!

That's it! Tatiana is schitsophrinic.

The judges finally nailed it tonight on American Idol. They finally figured out that there are many faces to Tatiana :)

I personally think she sings just fine but she is (as my friend Patrick says) crazy! She's very entertaining to say the least. She's up, she's down...even when she seems on an even keel, you can't help but to think some crazy is *just* about to seep out from her. They should have put her through just for the entertainment value alone!

And what's up with that, all of a sudden she speaks with a new accent we've never heard before? Viva Las Crazy, fo sho! My condolences to all the Tatiana fans who are disappointed to see her off the show for real this time....unless someone has to drop out in a couple weeks....Tatiana! There's still hope, again!!!! ;-)

I have to stop watching television!

Watching TV just makes me want to go on vacation. Every time I see a show filmed in England, I want to take a European vacation! Every time I see a show filmed on the strip in Vegas, I'm looking online to price Vegas vacations! I realize it's been a year since I went away on a trip, that explains the 'itch'! I suppose for now, I'll just have to stick to dream world in the boob tube. With this economy, I don't think anyone is going anywhere anytime soon.

Biden Vs. Palin Debate

Overall, I think both Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sara Palin did good jobs debating the topics on last night's Vice Presidential debate. I watched the entire event held here in St. Louis at Washington University and honestly thought they would cover a wider variety of topics. Perhaps that is because I have never watched a Presidential or Vice Presidential debate before, I had no idea what to expect. In the end, it was a good healthy debate, each side putting forth their best efforts. No one was completely bombed and frantically looking for the exit sign. All in all, a great debate! Although I can appreciate Biden's tidy professional 'Washington' demeanor, I really enjoyed how Palin seemed more down to earth and personal while standing strong on her topics.

I can't help but be reminded of the Saturday Night Live skits they've rolled out over the past few weeks. I knew Tina Fey would make a great Palin, I called that one a couple of weeks before SNL even started their new season. Basically, as soon as I say Sarah Palin, I said, "Wow! There's Tina Fey! Guess she'll be coming back this season fo sho!"

I am so easily amused...

It's only 1 minute and 15 seconds long but it has me in stitches every time!

It's amazing what sticks with you

I'm sure I have watched at least 2 or 3 years worth of hours of television over the course of my 34 years. It may even be more than that! There are 8,760 hours in a year....it's quite possible to have wasted more time that I realize with my old friend the 'boob tube' if you are counting all the time even since I was a child. (why do people call it a boob tube?)

Anyway, there have been some shows during that time that have really stuck with me. Now I'm not taking about entire series of shows, like Friends or Growing Pains, I'm talking specific episodes or documentaries and the like. I remember a few that made such an impact on me, I just can't forget them, even now.

I can still recall a documentary on like PBS when I was maybe 8 or 9 years old on people who worked or lived with or near asbestos and now suffer from all sorts of things but mesothelioma, more specifically. I remember being so sad and upset that these people were sick and it could have been prevented somehow. Maybe it was a show I shouldn't have been watching for that age? Maybe it was the type of thing where I was just coming into certain realities from childhood and the stories were extreme and therefore made impressions on me.

I can also recall some type of crime show I watched when I was maybe 11 or 12 that told a story of this older couple found dead in their home. I just couldn't believe someone was out there doing such a thing. It must have made a huge impact on me for my mind to bring that back from time to time.

I'm still amazed by the criminal mind and how much sin is running rampant all around us. Shows like 'The First 48' or 'Crime 360' still grab my attention to this day. It's just amazing what sticks with you when you have so many hours of television under your belt. I still think of those people and wonder if they were ever caught or if they are still in jail and how all the families are dealing with the outcomes of illnesses and crime. This world is not my home!!

Speaking of getting frustrations out

You know, home gyms are another great way to work out some pinned up frustrations. I've been watching the Biggest Loser this entire season and I am having some serious gym equipment envy! I have a treadmill, by the grace of God (literally) and I do love to walk on it (although I haven't in a while). But there is just something about the way those contestants use the equipment in alternating ways to get a better work out. Even when I had a gym membership before, I didn't utilize the equipment to the extent they do.

I guess it pays to have a bull headed trainer pumping you along the path as well. That's another reason I like to watch the show, to learn. Now, the application of that learning is where I fall severely short! Only a few more episodes to go before the finale! I still want to go on that show, that would be awesome!

Tuesday nights are alright with me

Yesterday was Tuesday. You know what that means, don't you? No not a fun filled day of succession planning. It's the night for:

Me likey!!! I hadn't even heard of The Biggest Loser show until late last year and then I only saw a couple of episodes here and there. I thought, "What a great idea for a show! I've always said, I could lose the weight if the only thing I had to do was focus on working out and learning to eat right!" This show creates just such an environment. I even have my mom interested in watching it now. I went online to the website to find out about trying out for the new season (the one on air now). I don't have a video camera to take videos to submit, I need to recruit the help of my friends for that. Also, they film during tax season. Kind of a no-go around my office. My boss is flexible with some time off, but not during tax season. Although, when I approached him with the idea, he said, "Do whatever you have to do." Not sure he knew the time line though.

The only other thing I couldn't figure out, how do you pay your rent and care payment and all your other bills for those 3 months (hopefully I'd be gone that long!!) if you aren't working??? Any ideas? Anyone?

...KIT KAT BAR!!!

Ok, was anyone else *shouting over and over* "...break me off a piece of that KIT KAT BAR!!!" at the television last night during The Office? Andy is an idiot, we all know that, but come on, 'break me off a piece of that Fancy Feast'? Wow.

At one point, I actually wished Jim (or Pam or any of them!) would have picked up a piece of office furniture and whacked him in the head with it! Maybe that would jar his memory.

I think I need to lay off the Sopranos...

Mmmmmm...pears

I just ate the yummiest pear I've ever had!

Nigella Lawson might have said it more like this: (not a direct quote, insert strong English accent here)
Just look at these ripe, round, scrumptious pears. They're so tender and fresh. The peeling just gives way with simple pressure. I can see the blade of my knife disappearing into the milky meat of it. This pear has so much life in it and will surely satisfy your craving for a healthy snack. Just look at it! It's dripping with summer goodness!

I love her show, have you seen it? Nigella Feasts is on the Food Network in the USA, I believe on Sunday mornings...it should be on everyday! Thanks Jen for turning me on to it!!

Spoiled by technology

I have been officially spoiled by technology. It was bound to happen, really. Maybe you've heard of a little device called a DVR?

My digital video recorder is such a great treat! I've had it for about 2 years or so. I don't know how I ever got along without one in the past! Recording shows for to watch at my convenience, rewinding live TV and even just to pause live TV in case of interruptions too! It's a busy person's dream for television entertainment. All TVs should just come with one built in or something! I am so very spoiled by it that I get frustrated when I'm at someone's house and they don't have it. Maybe I've stopped paying as close attention as I should because I've become a tad reliant on it??

Try this one on for size: I'm listening to the radio, right. I was only 1/2 paying attention between songs and I heard, "...blah...blah...call now....blah....could win $10,000! Don't forget to mention the secret word we just gave you, good luck!"*

WHAT??!!?!?!?!? What was the secret word???? And I promptly lifted my hand to the radio controls to rewind it so I could hear it again. Yep, nope. Now I'm frustrated for not being able to rewind live radio!? LOL It's only a matter of time....mark my words!

*The radio scenario was a dramatization...

The Duggars - 17 kids and still going!

I have seen many television shows featuring this Arkansas family of 19 and counting. I always watch with amazement and delight to see the love they have for everyone in their family. I love that mom Michelle is their teacher, too. I can't think of a better way to run a huge family, they certainly have to stay organized to be able to keep things in any kind of order.

They use the buddy system which helps to insure the smaller kids can adjust as they go along. They are all assigned 'jurisdictions' which are chores. Until recently, they only had 1 washer and 1 dryer to try and keep up with the 10+ loads of laundry required per day.

They live a debt-free lifestyle. Yes, you heard me right. They feed then entire bunch for around $2,000 per month. About 3 years ago, they began and recently completed a 7,000 sq. foot steel frame house. They were all too ready to move in and get settled. With the help of a designer, they furnished the house and made the bedrooms into welcoming spaces for the kids as well as mom and dad. They were able to purchase an entire commercial kitchen set up for a fraction of the cost because it was used. They also have 8 commercial washer and dryers now!

I just really enjoy this family, I appreciate the way they share their faith in conjunction with their family story, what they do to stay together and how they take care of each other. I pray the Lord will continue to bless them and hope to see more tv specials in the future, so I can see those kiddo's grow up! Congrats, Duggar Family!!