Yeah, that’s right, today I tried out for a reality show. Not as a job prospect, actually, not even on purpose. As I was doing my usual troll through Craigslist ads, I filled out a form for one that I thought was just for a free haircut. I see ads for free haircuts on Craigslist all the time, and I’m getting pretty darn shaggy, and with interviews (hopefully) coming up, and my financial situation in question, it seemed like a pretty natural thing to sign up for.  I didn’t stop to think why they would be posting for free haircuts in the jobs section, and it wasn’t until I was probably 3/4 finished with the online form that I realized that it was for some sort of reality show. At that point, though, I figured I was nearly done with it anyway, and it still was a free haircut, so I might as well at least finish up the form.

They called me yesterday and set up an appointment for this afternoon. With the horrible weather today, it seemed like perhaps a bit too much effort to go through to save fifteen bucks, but I’m not one to cancel appointments.  The truth is, it out to be a lot of fun.  I went over and chatted with this woman for maybe fifteen minutes while being taped, which was a bit weird, but I tried to ignore it.  It was kind of like a job interview, but instead of trying to impress anyone and talking about employment and goals and strengths and weaknesses and skills, I just gushed about my favorite bands and told the story about when I played ukulele at a Guided By Voices tribute show (she actually claimed her friends played at the same show, which is amazing if that’s true) and some other fun topics.

At the end she told me a little bit about the show, which she says is about how people develop real relationships with their stylists at salons, and how she, herself, tells her stylist everything. I think I made it clear that I’m more interested in free or cheap, quick and easy haircuts than any sort of bonding experience, but obviously “reality television” is just a name, and I don’t think it would be too disingenuous for me to try to be friends with some dude cutting my hair and pretend that this is something I seek out generally. Who know, maybe I’ll make a new friend or enter into some sort of salon therapy relationship. God knows I could use some sort of therapy. So we’ll see if I get a call back about that. I’d be getting my hair cut on either the 21st or 22nd. And probably not too short - she said she liked it shaggy.

But, yes, that is not a job. She was one of 4 people that I contacted thus far who got back to me - all of which I filled out online forms for instead of sending a resume with cover letter email, which is telling, I think. One of the others turned out to be for a political PARTY as opposed to a political ORGANIZATION, which definitely made me uncomfortable about the whole thing. I’m a political guy, and I’ll happily get behind a wide range of issues, but if it’s a party with an entire platform and everything, I want to make sure that I’m not fighting for 5 positions I believe in deeply, and one I’m mortified by.

The other two were both for staffing companies, which are frustrating in how they rope you in. They post for a single job, and you follow the series of links as though you are applying for said job, but you end up signing up for a staffing company instead. They want to place you as a receptionist, executive assistant, or the like, but would also happily get you temp jobs, which, I think, is a more lucrative outcome for them. I saw each of them this morning, which was an interesting experience.

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Just the other day, a friend and I were talking about the wonder that is Robert Downey Jr., and how he has managed to turn lemons into lemonade.

And although we all now know that he spent the majority of his early career high on something, I still think one of his best performances was in 1987’s Less Than Zero, a film that still pertains today as much as it did back then.

The film is full of sex, drugs and money, as well as Robert Downey Jr. playing a drugged-out wastoid to perfection, Andrew McCarthy playing a goody-two-shoes Yuppie, Jami Gertz playing arm candy, and James Spader playing a bad boy.

Less Than Zero put the spotlight on the decadent 80s, and although it looked glamerous on the surface, the film showed that it was pretty much all yuck underneath.

The film is sexy, it’s gritty and it almost makes viewers uncomfortable–at least it does so for me. And it makes me thank (insert-your-god’s-name-here) that I never got into drugs.

Also, the soundtrack features a great 80s single (”Hazy Shade of Winter” by the Bangles) that, whenever I hear it, makes me think of the film.

The Walk the Line star is cutting an album of his own with the help of Tim Burgess. Apparently, Joaquin took a liking to playing the guitar and singing for his role in Walk the Line so he wanted to make his own album.

Tim had this to say, “Once he learnt guitar he found that he had quite a lot of demons inside himself that he wanted to expel through music. All the tracks…were brilliant.  But I think he just kept scrapping everything or redoing everything. I’m sad to say that I think it’s one of those records that may never come out, to be honest with you.”

I sure hope he finishes the album. I thought he did a great job singing Johnny Cash’s songs in the movie and on the soundtrack.

In a recent interview Madonna spoke about pal Britney Spears and defended her bazaar behavior over the past year.

“She didn’t get to grow up and make mistakes privately… she’s been under a microscope since she was a teenager, which I think is really tough, it’s hard to evolve that way.”

If you are looking for a serious relationship you have to get your act together. Love doesn’t come easy nor does it happens overnight. The key to successful dating is knowing yourself and what you need from a mate. Once you have that figured out, dating will be much easier.

My advice is to compose a list of what you need and desire from a significant other. Think about what is important to you and what you want from a relationship. Here is an example:

Non-smoker

Someone who makes me feel special

Enjoys healthy living (food and exercise)

Wants Children

I find them attractive

Loving

Honest

Caring

Outgoing

Enjoys eating out

Wants to live in New York forever

Has an established career

The list can go on forever, but try limiting it to what you feel are crucial items. Once the list is completed post it somewhere where you can use it as a reference. Remember the purpose of this checklist is to keep you on track. If you start dating a person who is a smoker and wants to move to London, you’ll have to ask yourself if you can truly see yourself with this person long-term.

That being said, don’t take the list too seriously. You never know who’ll you meet or how your views will change from year to year. Keep in mind that you should never change who you are for someone nor should you try to change someone else.

The nation has always been hungry for voyeuristic details of the lives of strangers. As a country, we have delighted in the suffering and mistakes of previously unknown people that are displayed on our television screens. This may have come into focus with “The Real World,” but that was not the starting point.

Consider the crime shows that can be found on just about every station on the television. Bill Curtis is the daddy of reality tv.

Who is Bill Kurtis, you ask? For shame! Bill Curtis is my hero, wrapped up in a type buttoned up suit, with a faint hint of lip gloss.

Bill Kurtis is the host of American Justice, and that man can say murder in a way that makes the hair on your neck stand up. Yes, I admit it, Bill Kurtis is dead sexy. Okay, only dead sexy in the way that grandpa is, but he’s a good looking older man, and I love him.

Not only do I love him, but I am hereby crowning him as the king of reality television. It was my dear Bill that got me interested in some old lady from rural Indiana. It was Bill who brought me into the homes of hundreds of different people. It was Bill who had one hundred variations of the blue suit.

I would like to propose a toast to Mr. Bill Kurtis, the reality television guru.

Good accomodations can mean the difference between a vacation you’ll always remember and one you just want to forget. But how do you know whether that hotel is really as great as it looks in the pictures? I know one couple that stayed on the first floor of a well-known chain hotel with a reputation for wholesome family accomodations - and had to deal with people knocking on their sliding door all night long, mistaking it for that of the drug dealer in the neighboring room. Then there was the Caribbean hotel with the air conditioner that had only an on/off switch, no temperature control or auto shut-off, so you could either leave it off as you went sight-seeing all day and come back to a sweltering room, or leave it on and come back to an ice box with drops of condensation all over the tv, mirrors and windows. I had the pleasure of staying in that one.Now I always check the ratings over at Trip Advisor before I reserve a hotel. They’re left by people who have actually stayed at the hotels and give their honest opinions. I keep in mind that some people are hard to please, and while a speck of mildew in the shower might be a deal breaker to some it’s not to me, but if a place receives consistently bad or mediocre reviews, I stay away. Ever since I’ve begun referring to Trip Advisor I’ve felt much more confident in my hotel choices - I highly recommend it. (And no, they didn’t pay me to write this.)

Well already some very interesting tidbits have come out of Matt Walsh and the tapes he has turned over to the NFL. It seems the New England Patriots in the past have also taped offensive signals and matched them up with plays to give them an unfair advantage. Many people do not think that is possible, but it looks like that could very well be the case. Now I’m sure in the coming months after everything is found out that these tapes could be very damaging to the New England Patriots and what process they have used in the past to get an advantage.

Now many people say that the Patriots should be penalized for this latest incident, but I will bet you if the truth was known this is rampant in the NFL. Every team tries to get whatever advantage they can without getting caught. It is part of the game no matter if you like it or not. Teams will do whatever it takes to win and the proof is on those tapes. I am sure more teams do it they just have not been caught yet.

Okay I will admit it; I watch Dancing with the Stars. There I have said it. I am a closet reality show watcher. It is crazy but I can’t seem to stop. I like to say that it is my dance background that makes me watch but that doesn’t chance the fact that I have also watched America’s Next Top Model and Kimora Life in the fab lane. Yes I am airing all my dirty reality show laundry.

It’s like I hate them but I can’t seem to stop watching and up until this year I was probably one the only people in America that could say that she hadn’t watched American Idol. But now thanks to a little hedging from my cousin even that is gone and now even though I can’t say all their names (however I can at least name them now I mean really there are only 3 left and 2 of them have the same name) I have watched. And not only have I watched I also have a favorite. I can’t tell you how much this ticks me off.

Now I did grow up during the birth of reality shows. I was there when the first seven strangers moved into their house in New York to find out what happen when people stopped being polite and started being Real. Yes, I was a Real World junkie and even thought of applying once but I was too young. Then Pedro died and I cried and yelled and was done with the real world because I had become to invested in these people’s lives that I could be that emotional about someone I didn’t even know and thus my dislike for reality shows was born. Little did I know that in but a short decade there would be nothing on but CSI (in every state), Law & Order (in every department) and reality TV shows (in every country).

It’s not so much that I don’t think they are really “real” (even though I don’t) it’s the fact that they get you to forge this bond with these people because you feel as though you know them. How many like myself were sad when the Newlyweds split up? I felt like one of my friends was getting a divorce. Or how many ladies wished they could be the one that the bachelor is proposing to even if they know that it’s not going to work because really, just look at the track record? It’s like they put these people in these un-realistic spaces and then “act” as if it is real. I worked for a weight loss center and I can tell you that if one of our clients came in and lost 10 pounds in a week we would have tested for drugs. It’s not real. Plus I think I even heard one of the past contestants say that the weigh-ins aren’t weekly as they are portrayed on the show. Even the American Idols aren’t completely real. Sure there have been like 5 or 6 but where are they now and how well did their records sell and most didn’t start to gain momentum until their second cd not the first. So are these shows really helping these people are not.

I know that we all want our 15 minutes of fame. We want to know that we will be remembered and cherished, but is this really the way to get it? Most people I talk to are sick of the reality shows. They would like a good comedy or sitcom. And if these shows are so real then why did some almost go off during the writers strike? I admitted my reality show watching but if I had to chose between Idol and good quality television then Idol would loose every time no matter how crazy and in-coherent Paula Abdul got. However, this is the world that we live in. So when they finally launch that reality show about women who sit on their butts and write for a living while eating popcorn in bed I am so going to kick butt!

Admittedly I don’t have the same priorities as my dad. Some would think that is a bad thing and some would thing it is okay but it’s just the way the chips got stacked. To me cleaning out the refrigerator at 10 in the morning when trash doesn’t pick up until the next day is not a stop, drop and roll sort of thing but to him it is. Yet to me the electricity going out just because it is hot outside and not being able to be online is a stop, drop, and roll thing but to him it isn’t. I know that I spend way more time on the internet then I should (and this is so a topic for another blog) but it is how I communicate with a lot of my friends and clients. It is how I make money and it is just plan fun. The point is that when it comes to little things everyone has a different priority. So how do you know what to do?

What I am learning is that it is just that: learning. Everyone is not the same and no one can be in anyone’s head but them. So you just have to take it one moment at a time or one argument at a time. You have to learn to stop, drop and roll not only according to your time but others as well. Think about it; you’re at work and your boss comes out and asks you to book a flight for him and his wife to Jamaica. Yes you are busy typing up the notes that he said he needed ASAP but do you really want to tell him you don’t have the tickets when he come back out. You could even do retail (which I am far too familiar with). If a customer calls and tells you she needs a skirt for a dinner that she is having in a week she expects you to find it that day not the day before her dinner party. Never mind that it is two weeks before Christmas and you have 12 customers in front of you waiting to be rung out; she wants you looking for that skirt right then. Thus is the way of the world.

We live in a right now society and to everyone their problems or questions are always a stop, drop, and roll thing whether it is big or small. Does that mean we are always going to stop what we are doing and jump on their band wagon? Of course not. We have our own stop, drop and roll things to consider. It just means that at least we are prepared for the fall out and in the end isn’t that why we roll.

The “odd”s are you’ve seen this site already, but the humor behind OddTodd.com just never gets old. It probably doesn’t hurt that my then co-workers and I discovered this site in the early part of the decade, right after the dot.com crash made our jobs at an e-commerce site seem quite fragile. Ah, nostalgia.

In any case, the animated woes of out of work Todd and some of the strange characters who inhabit his life and mind are still amusing all these years later, even as the OddTodd.com has expanded into games, daily tips and merchandising. Watch Todd deal with unemployment, lack of money, and complete lack of social life. To this day, Pringles and cookies seem like a balance meal, and coffee is pronounced “Coff-ay”.

Hello men, and welcome to the Mother’s Day post! Although it’s only two days away, you still have time to create a wonderful day for the woman who carried you for nine months and gave you life…it’s the least you can do .  I am going to suggest some things you can plan for your mama’s special day. Take her out to her favourite restaurant: This says to mom that you care about her choices and what makes her happy. You may want to round up your siblings, wife, kiddies, and anybody else who wants to take part in this special occasion. Be sure, though, to ask mom what she wants…she may want to just have it be a quiet dinner out with the immediate family. Cook dinner for mom: Invite mom over to your place and wow the heck out of her. You may also want to make this a surprise, so make sure no one in your fam spills the beans.  Concoct a three course meal; if you’re going Italian, I suggest starting off with a sliced fresh mozzarella over sliced tomato, drizzled with a light vinaigrette. For the second course, make a homeade pasta with a light tomato or meat sauce (this can easily be found on allrecipes.com). For the last and most fun “course,” I suggest baking for your mom. Try to stick with a seasonal dessert or make mom’s fave! To add to this special occasion, I suggest buying mom some gorgeous roses: pink roses say that you appreciate your mother and everything she’s done for you, one single red rose says that you truly love your mom, and yellow roses say, “I care.” You may want to combine colours and write a little note of what each color signifies. She’ll absolutely love it! If you have young children: You should consider a little something from the heart from your kiddies; have your son or daughter create “mommy coupons.” These coupons can be redeemable for various chores around the house, cuddle-time, or anything else your wife may enjoy from the kiddies. Whatever you choose to do for mom, make her feel like the Queen that she is!

Welcome to Freebie Fridays at Thrifty Shopping. Every Friday, I’m going to try and provide you with some links* to free samples that you can get sent to your home.

*These are not affiliate links.

Did you know that you can get free samples from Walmart? I just discovered this the other day. Visit often, as their available samples change frequently. As of today, they are offering samples for Crystal Light On The Go, Benefiber, John Frieda hair care products, Ban Deoderant, and Poise Bladder Protection.

If you are a parent with a daughter who has recently started receiving her monthly visitor, you can get a free sample kit of Always pads & Tampax tampons for her. Kit must be requested by a parent.

Dove is offering free samples of Pro Age Beauty body lotion.

If you have dogs or cats, get them a free sample of Greenies chews or treats. *Note: page is sometimes slow to load*

Register at juicyjuice and get a free juicyjuice sippy cup.

Free offers are generally only available in the United States, and are offered while supplies last. Offers were still available at the time of this posting.

Be sure to check back next week for more freebie offers!

Paris has been sporting a new ring from boyfriend Benji Madden, some say it is a promise ring. Paris says it is a just because ring.

Paris and Benji were both on David Letterman last night and Dave asked her about her relationship with Benji and the fact that he is her BFF’s bouyfrieds twin brother and this is what Paris had to say, “Yeah, they’re twins. It’s actually perfect. We’re like sisters and they’re twins, so it works out well. Nicole and I would be sisters-in-law. We talk about it. I’m so happy. I’m so in love. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with Benji , my boyfriend. I know I want to be with him forever. If you saw us together, you’d understand. He’s my best friend.”

I have some friends that seem like they get mad at me when I start dating someone new. To me it seems like they call me more, just to find that I’m unavailable, and use that against me in order to say I’m blowing them off.

One friend of mine would always get jealous and would try to get me to stay single by badmouthing every guy I went out with. And then she’d get mad at me if she wanted to go out and I was busy with other plans.

I would never blow off one of my friends just to go out with a guy, but in this case no plans had been made with the friend, so I went ahead and made a date with a guy.

Does anyone else seem to have any problems with friends vs. boyfriends? If so, how do you handle it?

When she is of legal age of course. Hugh told Extra last night at the Playboy Mansion he would love to have Miley pose in the magazine when she is of legal age.

This is what Hef had to say,“Sure, she’d be welcomed in the magazine. Very pretty lady. And I think to make such a big to do over something as innocent as those photos, I think is a reflection on how schizophrenic America is about sexuality.”

An interesting thing about Reiki is that it is felt differently by different people, practitioners and receivers included. What I mean is, the person sending the Reiki may feel tingles, heat (once I felt as if I was wearing hot gloves while sending Reiki), cold, magnetic-type sensations, or even discomfort (once my hand felt almost like it really hurt while sending Reiki). There are also cases where the practitioner feels nothing at all; but the recipient feels the energy. The receiver could experience heat, tingles, color, light, soothing warmth, relaxation, calm, energizing sensations, magnetic sensations, or feel as if under a heavy, warm blanket, or even feel nothing at all. Regardless, the Reiki is being channeled from practitioner to recipient, and is being received as the recipient is open to accepting it.

People who learn Reiki experience the strength increasing as a result of the amount the person works with the energy, and the way the person learns, grows, and yes, even heals him or herself through self-treatment. Reiki is always helpful on some level, whether it is felt or not.

For me, learning Reiki has been very enlightening. I experienced the biggest shift in the strength in which I perceive energy when I was attuned to Reiki level two.

Comments are always welcome, as are requests for distance Reiki.

Peace.

Continuing on with the theme of inspiring stories to hopefully get you in the mood to talk to more people, I bring to you another coffee shop story. Keep in mind that two years ago, stuff like this would never have happened to me. Sure I was sociable, but I rarely broke the social convention of talking to strangers for no “real” reason.

There used to be a very cute girl from Turkey that worked at my favorite coffee shop. In fact, the first time I saw, I was actually on a date with another girl! I couldnt’ possibly start striking up a conversation in front of this other girl with the cute Turkish girl could I? Well, I guess you’ll just have to stay tuned to find out what happened! (Dont’ you just love cliff hangers?

Today we are going to look at where Barak Obama stands on the issues. As of right now he looks like he will become the Democratic party’s candidate for president. The fight between him and Hillary continues but the numbers are leaning in his favor.

Abortion: Opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v Wade. Disagreed with Supreme Court ruling to uphold the “Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.” Did not cast a vote on Prohibiting Funds for Groups that Perform Abortions amendment in 2007.

Education: Would reform No Child Left Behind, ensuring access to high-quality early childhood education programs and child care opportunities, recruit well-qualified and reward expert, accomplished teachers. Make science and math education a national priority. Reduce the high school dropout rate and empower parents to raise healthy and successful children by taking a greater role in their child’s education at home and at school.

Environment: Would implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the level recommended by top scientists. Would make the United States a leader in the global effort to combat climate change by leading anew international global warming partnership. Would establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) to speed the introduction of low-carbon non-petroleum fuels. Would create a Technology Transfer program within the Department of Energy dedicated to exporting climate-friendly technologies to developing countries. Would offer incentives to maintain forests globally and manage them sustainably. Would develop domestic incentives that reward forest owners, farmers and ranchers when they plant trees, restore grasslands or undertake farming practices that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Healthcare: Would create a national health insurance program for individuals who do not have employer-provided health care and who do not qualify for other existing federal programs. Allows individuals to choose between the new public insurance program or from among private insurance plans that meet certain coverage standards. Requires employers who do not provide health coverage for employees to pay into the national health insurance program. Does not mandate individual coverage for all Americans, but requires coverage for all children. Allows individuals below age 25 to be covered through their parents’ plans. Cost estimated between $50 billion and $65 billion, to be paid for by eliminating Bush tax cuts for those earning over $250,000.

Iraq: Opposed use of military force in Iraq. Voted for war spending bill that would have withdrawn most U.S. troops by March 2008. Supports phased redeployment of U.S. troops. Opposed Bush’s plan to send additional troops to Iraq. Had once called for troop withdrawal to begin by the end of 2006.

Sam-sex marriage: Opposes same-sex marriage, but also opposes a constitutional ban. Supports civil unions.

Taxes: Opposed extending 2003 Bush tax cut law through 2010. Supports eliminating marriage penalty and extending child tax credit. Supports scaling back capital gains and dividends tax cuts and re-examining tax benefits for the top one percent of earners.

Everyone seems to have fallen in love with Kimbo Slice. He went from myth to internet legend, to superstar MMA fighter.  He is a great natural athlete and is tearing up the MMA scene. However, Kevin Ferguson AKA Kimbo Slice does have some haters. Over at MVN.com, Jesse Motiff took this interesting take on MMA’s newest star.

“Mixed martial arts has come a long way in this country since the original UFC pay-per-view in November 1993. It has been a non-stop journey uphill to not only get the sport to catch on in mainstream America but to show the legitimacy of the sport and the fighters as truly great athletes. Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Rampage Jackson and Forrest Griffin are not only great athletes but epitomize the face of an all-around great fighter. All the blood and sweat and hard work are on the verge of being thrown away. On May 31st, the majority of the country will get to see a man that could not be worse for the sport, Kevin Ferguson better known to fight fans as Kimbo Slice.

Make no mistake about it, Kimbo Slice is NOT a mixed martial artist, he is nothing more than a glorified street fighter in a cage. If you don’t believe me, just check out some of his ‘fights’ on Youtube. Slice has entered the Cage three times as a professional and has seen a total of two minutes and 14 seconds of action. He submitted Ray Mercer with a guillotine choke in 1:12. He won via TKO with strikes over Bo Cantrell in his EliteXC debut in only 19 seconds. His latest fight came against MMA ‘legend’, Tank Abbott in February. That fight lasted all of 43 seconds before Slice knocked out Abbott.

Slice comes out to his opponents like a freight train and there is no doubt he packs a punch. His opponent on CBS will be James Thompson and he is the perfect foil to continue to build the Kimbo legend. Thompson is a six foot, five inch giant that will give the illusion of over-matching Slice. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Thompson has a glass jaw that will likely shatter and send him sprawling when Kimbo starts throwing his haymakers.

EliteXC will likely continue to feed Kimbo fighters that have no hope of beating him but will lose in spectacular fashion to build his ‘reputation’.  If you’re a fan of train wrecks, then Kimbo Slice is your man. The smart move would be to tune in to check out the freak show and never, EVER watch another one of his fights again. Better yet, just tune into Spike TV that night as they will pay homage to Chuck Liddell, a real mixed martial artist.”

Let me know what you think about Kimbo!

In a survey conducted by National Geographic , India and Brazil are regarded as the greenest countries. You can see the results of the survey at Greendex and read a bit more about their methodology. Not surprisingly, the United States came in last, setting records for the largest output of pollution and the least green-friendly consumer habits. They surveyed people on their individual choices including foods, transportation, and environmental attitudes. Indian habits were rated best in terms of eating, with 84% of Indians eating locally produced food at least once a week.

Nick Nuttall, spokesperson for the United Nations Environment Program, had the following to say about the survey results:

“It is certainly illuminating and perhaps overturns the common perception that it is only consumers in the rich countries who are environmentally aware and eco-active on the High Street and in their purchasing habits.”

Have you ever left your plate of food unattended in front of the television set only to come back minutes later and find it clean of any food? I have, lots of times. And if you’re a dog owner and lover like I am, you have the usual list of suspects.

Before we had children, my husband and I liked to eat in our living room in front of the television. We would use our big coffee table as our table and sit down for a relaxing night together. Our two dogs at the time, Sweetheart and Bo, especially loved this because we would sit on the floor, closer to them.

One night, we ordered pizza and had just put our plates on the coffee table. The phone rang and my husband got up to answer it. I also got up to get some extra napkins. Our plates piled with pizza were left unattended for just a minute or two but that was all the time our little dogs needed to help themselves.

I returned just in time to see Bo sneaking toppings off a slice of pizza and watch as Sweetheart rounded the corner of the couch dragging a piece of pizza bigger than she was in her mouth. She took the pizza behind the couch and devoured it. It was such a funny sight!

I am just giddy. And heartbroken. And elated. And confused.

Firstly, I must say that this really is one of the best Survivor seasons. Ever. No question. How many seasons have we had to sit through that have maybe one or two surprising Tribal Councils at best? We have had four HUGE episodes with amazing TCs in a row.

Honestly, the challenges have gotten so typical and predictable lately that it’s hardly worth watching them — all we want to see is strategizing! As soon as we saw that Erik was going to win immunity (which was clear about 8 seconds into the immunity challenge), I honestly was salivating wondering what the plan was going to be since they couldn’t vote off Erik. OR COULD THEY?!

There really is not one remaining contestant on this season that doesn’t deserve an enormous amount of credit for strategy. Usually by this point there’s that one hanger-on (who presents their case in the final Tribal Council by going on about how the cleverly flew under the radar, when really all they did was ride coattails and everyone knows it), but the ruses these ladies have been pulling off have been ensemble productions.

It was almost a joke when the idea of trying to get Erik to give up immunity first came up. Even Erik didn’t let Natalie finish the sentence the first time. Then when the idea started to make sense, he asked the important question — “Why don’t we just vote Amanda off and I don’t give you my immunity?” Somehow Natalie (and others) miraculously convinced Erik that it would be a brilliant publicity stunt that would earn him love from the jury. “Redemption.” Redemption?????? Poor, sweet Erik. I have no idea how he didn’t realize that he probably had the fewest enemies on the jury out of all the remaining contestants. Yet somehow, due to what seemed mostly to be hero worship and flattery, he bought it.

Even at the last moment, I didn’t think he’d go through with it. But the ladies put on quite a show — Parv and Amanda raking Erik over the coals for all his “lying,” Cirie and Natalie remaining silent to look like they were about to vote with him. And at this point we had no idea whether or not Parvati had even looked for the last Hidden Immunity Idol and, more important, what the backup plan was. Who was getting voted off if Erik had kept his immunity? My guess would be Natalie, though that’s pretty harsh considering how insturmental she was in this masterpiece of a scheme.

Alas, Erik succumbed and presented his immunity to Natalie. At that moment I wondered what the rules are about “changing your mind” when you give immunity away? If there were any loopholes about that, you’d imagine the second Erik saw the jury’s reactions he would’ve taken the thing right back.

Beautifully done on the part of the directors/producers, then, just coming right out and showing us each person’s vote. What would be the point of doing otherwise when we were all just reeling? I have to say that Erik really seems like a sweetie, and it was difficult to watch. Not that I don’t love that they did it and that they pulled off such a stunner, but it was a tiny bit heartbreaking to watch him be so publicly suckered.

I loved James’ celebration as his gave up his crown as “Dumbest Survivor Ever.” And after back-to-back-to-back blindsides, that was a tough crown to earn.

I am actually sad that the finale is in two days. This has just gotten too good to give up. And I love that I don’t have the first clue what’s going to happen now.

What do you think? Will Parvati stick to her guns and have no part in voting off Amanda? Will the Faves stick together or will someone notice that Cirie really might be a dark horse since so few jury members seem to realize much of the scheming has originated with her? Will Amanda win it all this time to make up for her loss last time after being such a front-runner but blowing it in the final Tribal? Does Natalie stand a chance? Has this been the greatest month of Survivor episodes ever????

My personal thoughts on this issue are quite simple. I was born with the skin that I have and biologically I don’t feel that it’s flawed or ugly just because it’s pale. I feel that there are reasons that we are different. Not everyone is the same and we should not force people to cook their own skin in an effort to look better.

Factually, whether you are tanning outside or tanning indoors it is not healthy for you. Having darker skin when you do not have it naturally is not nor will it ever be good for you.

So, I ask you all too please take care of the skin you have and be proud of what you look like. There is no need to change your self to fit into a mold of what has become popular in society. If we all stopped buying into the propaganda then in essence the problem would dwindle down.

In case you wanted to know what I looked like I decided to include a picture of myself. 

This was drawn by my four year old daughter. My hair is a longer and I hope my ears don’t stick out quite so much (note the detail of my ear canal). Yes, my feet do look like that and it is very hard to walk with them both facing the same way. It is also quite hard with only three fingers, but I make do. 

In case you were wondering about the shapes on my body, my daughter informed me that those are things I’ve eaten. I had a very healthy meal of all fruit and I seem to have eaten them all whole. I ate a banana, an apple, several cherries, a strawberry and a whole pineapple (that one hurt going down). It seems we’ve now graduated, usually we’re drawn with really big belly buttons but now we have x-ray drawings. 

So now you can stop wondering what I look like and put a face with the words.

Photo © Chance Agrella - www.freerangestock.com

Online dating sites are an ever-growing industry. It seems new dating sites are springing up every day. With so many out there, how can you find the right one for you?

First, consider what it is you are looking for. Those who are seeking marriage may want to focus on matching dating sites that have a detailed questionnaire and an established matching system that reports high marks.

If you are looking for friends, casual dating, activity partners, or casual sex, there are online dating sites out there that cater to those desires, too.

Second, consider what is important to you. Are you open to traveling and long distance relationships? If so, a more general dating website or even a social networking website may be right for you.

If you prefer someone of your own gender, race, religion, age group, or location there are online dating sites that cater specifically to those factors, as well.

For many, cost will be a factor. Dating sites range in price from free to $60 a month and up. Some offer good free trials or discount codes/coupons so you can try them out before paying up. Proceed with caution, however, as many dating sites will state you can join free, but once you have gone through the sometimes-lengthy process of setting up a profile, you discover that ‘free’ means you have a profile and cannot really use any of the features or truly try out the site without paying for a membership.

One website that may help you sort through the offerings out there is Dating Site Reviews.com . It has some great online dating tips and facts, as well as some links in the sidebar to various types of online dating sites, sorted by category.

Today’s Question: What factor(s) is/are the most important to YOU when it comes to finding the right dating site?

Tomorrow’s Post: Assessing Online Dating Site Features

So far Tony Stewart has been mum regarding his future in racing, including whether he’ll stay at Joe Gibbs Racing. Insiders report that he’s unhappy since Gibbs made the switch to Toyota and unhappy at his winless streak. Recently he appeared with Chevy to launch a new motor the company is making for midget cars. Gossip has him leaving Gibbs at the ends of this season, or the end of next season for another Chevy team. My question is, why? If Tony isn’t winning this season, it has nothing to do with his cars or equipment. Denny Hamlin has one win this season, while Kyle Busch has two and both use the same exact cars and equipment. In this case, I think that Tony might be stretching things a little just to get away from Gibbs and get on his own. If Tony leaves for Hendrick as some rumors claim, it will be interesting to see how NASCAR handles the move.

Happy Mother’s Day

To all my wonderful WAHM friends a big Happy Mother’s Day to you.  Make sure you take the day off and don’t spend all day online.   Find some way to pamper yourself for a little while and then spend the rest of the day playing with those cute kids of your’s.

My daughter has been counting down the days because she has some kind of special surprise she made me.  She has had it hidden in her room (hope she’ll be able to find it in that jungle) and whatever it is, I can tell she is proud of it.  She did make me the cutest little bouquet of tin foil roses that I ever saw.  I liked it so much she then made me one out of paper.  She is so creative for only being 8 years old.

So I wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day and some great memories with your kids.

Poems that say much in few words often require more blood, sweat, and tears from a writer than do more verbose offerings. It’s great when short, concise lines from these types of poems deliver lots of subtext. It’s the thoughts, emotions, ideas, and words hidden in the shadows and beneath the words on the paper that bring a poem to life.

Francisco X. Alarcon’s poem “Personal Exodus” does this magnificently. Francisco is a U.S. poet who hails from Los Angeles, California. He oversees the Spanish for Native Speakers Program at the University of California, Davis. He spent time growing up in both Mexico and the U.S.

In his poem “Personal Exodus”, he speaks of origins and where one travels in his or her life journey. He speaks of loneliness and how people can live solitary existences in a world where there is so much activity. The poem conveys to the reader that there is an emptiness to life when we do not have loving family relationships or any meaningful relationships at all.

The poem is written in two parts. There are two lines in this poem that stand out.

From the opening:

and yet I’ve come
from somewhere
to nowhere

to this edge
where dreams
abruptly end

and from the opening of the second section;

I’ve come down
the mountain
empty-handed

I have no wife
son or daughter
waiting for me

The rest of the poem extrapolates these musings to great effect. We sense the feeling of wanting to connect deeply with others in this poem. This poem was published in the Notre Dame Review, Issue #17, Winter 2004. It is precise poetry and a piece I often return to as it inspires my own creative juices with its clarity and focused thought.