Observations

So Shannon and Derek went home last night. It was time. And not just because I feel sorry for Christian - who probably should have the surgery on his arm rather than continue with the competition but whatevs - and think Marissa has a better attitude. We're down to less than half of the original celebrities and most of them just dance better than Shannon. Plus I don't like her. Whether the freak-out and 'apology' was a network publicity thing - highly likely because who cuts the back stage confessionals and airs the pieces? Surely not the celebrities - it got on my nerves. If all these articles in the tabloids about "true love" and whatever were in the hopes of the fans keeping them on the show, I am glad that the American public was not taken in. Spend a little less time at the beach and a little more on the dance floor and maybe she would have developed some hip control and reined in the elbows...
But enough whining. How about Def Leppard?! Was that not awesome? It was. Awesome. I am a late-comer to the fan club but that doesn't mean I don't love them all the same. Sam obviously had a thing for them too, based on her announcing style.
Has anyone noticed that since I've started reporting 'live' on Monday nights my narrative has been looser and less comprehensive? I just re-read my entry for this week and it almost didn't make sense in a few places...

This is me, wrapping it up.

My Life Adventures - Part II

Lest you think I forgot about my life adventures, I present part deux. Not because I think I'm gonna have more in this section but because I started it so I ought to finish it. Yes, no?
Previous Score: 5
Level 4
(X) Had / Have a Crush On One Of Your Blogging/Facebook/or MySpace Friends
(X) Been on a Plane
( ) Been to Paris
( ) Been to Australia
( ) Thrown Up From Drinking
SCORE SO FAR: 7
Level 5
(X) Eaten Sushi
( ) Been Snowboarding
( ) Met Someone Face-to-Face from a Blog/MySpace/Facebook - I suppose this doesn't count if you knew them beFORE the blogging thing took off?
( ) Been in a Mosh Pit
( ) Played the Lottery
SCORE SO FAR: 8
Level 6
( ) Been In An Abusive Relationship
(X) Taken Pain Killers - loved me the Vicodin when I had my wisdom teeth out, oh yes I did.
(X) Love/Loved Someone Who You Can’t Have - 'specially if they're dead...
(X) Laid On Your Back And Watched Cloud Shapes Go By
(X) Made A Snow Man - not in The Jungle natch, but yes, many a snow man in my day.
SCORE SO FAR: 12

This is me, thinking I should make my own meme of adventures maybe.

Rounding The Bend

We are getting to the point in the competition where I don't have enough votes to ensure my favorite stars will be back next week. Do I vote for Kristi when I am sure she will be back and Christian might not? What about Jason? Edyta totally deserves to win but do I spend all my votes there? And what is with Shannon and Derek all over the tabloids? Do YOU think it's legit or only a ploy to garner more attention and therefore more votes and hopefully win? I am cynical so I think it's the latter. Tonight is the night of two judged dances so we'll see if her cardio holds out.
Marissa's first dance is a tango. She played the part facially, the dress works too. Her legs are just not as long as Tony's though so maybe it could have looked neater? I still think her waltz was her best dance but this one wasn't bad.
Not loving Cheryl's dress for Christian's waltz - why do they insist on calling it a Viennese waltz? it's not - he's got the elegance down, very soft, smooth. The ending was cute. Did you check out Cheryl's feet nailed to the floor? That was awesome.
I love that Kristi is all laughing at Mark out there on the ice...Nice umbrella. I love Mark's uniform and is he...yes, he's singing along!! Hee hee. He looks so happy. Dang, they could be pros what with the arms and the difficulty level and the speed. That waltz was awesome. Or not, according to the judges. Kristi's spot was off?!? Didn't anyone notice Priscilla falling all over herself? Picky, picky, picky.
OMG - is Sam seriously bringing up last season here? In front of the new partner? What is WITH this program?
Poor, poor, Mario, it must be tough being famous and having people expect things of you...what is Karina wearing? It was good. I liked it. It was fast, maybe a little too loose in the arms, but not bad.
Shannon has pointy elbows. Has anyone else noticed that? She's really got to straighten her arms. Nice acting in the tango there, but not to much elegance...and her arms are not straight AT ALL. Stretch it there honey. If she's got aggression it wasn't there in that dance. Little weak. But the judges say it was her best dance?! That was not a 9 dance. Sorry babe.
Jason is a smooth dance guy I think. He does well with the...Whoa I was a little scared for Edyta there, but nice. Fun, sharp. I don't know about the kicks, I think they could have been larger. OMG - what was that ending?
Hahahaha, Tom that was awesome; "skin is in." It's true though. Latin costumes are held together with clear string and hairspray.
Why aren't Marissa and Tony wearing the same color? It looks weird. The pink is good on her but I don't like the maroon on him. The emotion is good but the hips need work. Her arms were good.
Christian needs some more chest on his samba. His hips are good. Did he just almost drop her...what the heck?? That's not good...a pulled muscle? Ouch. Cheryl's not that heavy. Now, I get that they can't judge after someone gets hurt but up until that part it was good.
Okay, Kristi's cha-cha started out slow and I wasn't going to love it but she totally turned it on in the middle there. It was hot and she had the little steps that the pros do. It was really good. Her hair is a little big - a little fake and a little big but the dance was really good. Carrie-Ann does not need to do the "three snaps up" bit ever again but I do agree that Kristi did a good job.
Sam does not do well at this announcer thing. She really doesn't.
Mario's mambo was good. It reminded me of a party. Not too spectacular, but fun. Oy. After all the blathering over Kristi how can Len say Mario was so good? Wish they had some kind of written standards so we could attempt to understand how they come up with the numbers they do.
It worked with Stacy so I guess it's worth a try for Shannon to dance on the judges table. Especially for the mambo. Mario had far more content. Shannon is gangly. She needs to straighten her arms and legs. OMG - Derek did not just rip off his shirt! That was a fake tush movement - she had a nice skirt, that's all.
Hahahaha, that's funny. The Superbowl theme as a dance number. Nice entertainment value. The hoodie bikini is a tad strange... but his lines were good. He was big. But they're gonna call that a lift though - Edyta keep those feet down. Every time she does that move she gets knocked for it because her feet always come off the floor.
Len was in a cranky mood tonight didn't you think?

This is me, trying to place my votes.

The Convenience of Extra Cash

I know, right, too soon for another meme from the Back Porch peeps? But it's not them, it's me. Hopefully there will be some weeks of calm before the next storm of activities. Oh wait, no, there's stuff this weekend...gah. But still, who wants to hear about my cash flow?
::Onesome: The-- endless onslaught of junk snail mail: how much do you get each week? I'm thinking maybe we could use it as insulation in our houses...

• You joke, but it is being done - recycled newspaper and denim for insulation. I'm willing to contribute. The good news is you can get a lot of money for those circulars every week. The only problem is storing them until it's a worthwhile trip...

::Twosome: Convenience of-- a quick in and out? Do you have a convenience store nearby that is really convenient for you?

• Well, there is the tiny market on the corner, run out of some guy's apartment but I don't think that's quite what you meant. Yeah. There is a store fairly close by where we run to get the one thing I thought we had but were out of when I'm in the middle of making dinner, but I wouldn't call it convenient because 50% of the time the store doesn't have it. It's a Mexican store and they just don't carry hoisin sauce, you know?

::Threesome: Extra cash--? When you need some, where do you get it? ...the ATM? ..."write for over" at the store? What is this 'cash' thing you speak of?

• We get our cash usually via 'cash back' at the store or from the ATM, but who uses paper anymore? Apparently not me because one of the guys at the food bank paid with a $5 that was PURPLE! Yes, purple. When did that happen? I sure don't know.

This is me, memeing again.

Thumb-ness

And that is why Tom Bergeron is such a good host. I like Marlee and I think she did a good job up until the recent dances where she had to dance alone. It's totally logical. I mean, she's deaf. But I also liked her determination and her attitude. She genuinely - or enough so that it fooled me which I admit is not a difficult task - was happy for other couples and there was no guile when she said good bye last night. Unlike Shannon and Derek and their newly seen attitude which greatly annoyed me. I think they are the first couple to ever begrudge another pair their scores. On live television no less. Thankfully they apologized, but really. You can't take that sort of stuff back. The Riverdance number was awesome and I have to salute the Macy's Stars of Dance series for getting all types of dancers.
**********************************************************************************************
I went to the doctor yesterday for the consultation about my "trigger finger-that-is-actually-a-thumb" and with no warning whatsoever got my first injection of Cortisone. On the good side it didn't burn nearly as much as I had been told (thanks ever-so for those nightmares chellochice!); on the bad side I was totally unprepared to get a shot. I don't like getting shots. You would think, being diabetic as I am and having three injections a day for nearly 20 years would make me immune to getting stuck, but no. Actually the opposite is true. I can control the needle stick - and hence the pain - when I do it myself. I have no idea what those fly-by-night nurses are going to do when they get going. And doctors don't even give shots that often so they are obviously out of practice. I love how they apologize for it hurting. Like that's going to make me less likely to cry on their desk.
All in all it wasn't too bad. I felt it, but the anesthetic kicked in quick and the hardest part to deal with was not feeling my thumb for an hour. Weird; weirder than Novocaine at the dentist.

This is me, hoping it works.

Visualize Whirled Peas

Several - read, five - days late this time, but it was not from laziness or lack of desire. Thursday, as you may have noticed, was Tarzan's birthday and while I love my Back Porch peeps, nothing comes before the man. Then Friday, bright and early we were out and off to The Temperate Zone for our annual Picnic Day excursion. After the festivities we drove back Saturday night. Then Sunday after church we were off to The Desert to drop off the siblings and THEN we had DWTS last night. I have a rep you know. But here we are with last week's meme, this week.
::Onesome: Visualize-- Hmmm...How are you on maps and mapping? Are you one of those people who can translate the paper version to what you're seeing on the road? ...or do you rely on a 'trusy native guide' (or GPS unit) to get you around someplace you've never been?

• Hahahahahahaa! That's such a funny question considering the weekend we just had. I love the map. I can even read a map. But the first time I go anywhere I always get lost-ish. I make a wrong turn or miss an exit, blah, blah, blah. Every time. I'm pretty sure the same would happen with a GPS. I figure that's how I learn my way around. I can navigate The Jungle like a pro!

::Twosome: Whirled-- about in your head: did you ever have a phrase or song lyric you "just got wrong"? You know, like that Hendix "Kiss this guy" malapropism...

• Yeah, all the time. But I can't think of any at the moment, probably because I'm sitting here...as a side note, does anyone else have issues with songs in foreign languages? I have to make up English words that sort of sound the same if I want to listen to a song in another language.

::Threesome: Peas-- porridge hot? Even though we're looking to the end of Winter (at least here in the Northern Hemisphere), what has been your favorite hot meal this past few months?

• It sounds weird but I love one of the recipes off the side of the Pasta-Roni box. White Shells and Cheddar with tuna and veggies. It's great. Total comfort food and way easy to make.

This is me, getting back to it.

Nearing The End

Tonight is the one single dance and one group dance night. And maybe because he was so good last week, Jason was up first tonight. With a cha-cha. I wonder if those intro videos make it better or worse to be on the floor? Or if the competitors even see the videos. Are they serious about the timing thing? OMG. There have been so many missed steps in this competition and much worse than this one. I liked it, though, I have to admit to being distracted by Edyta's bikini. I really think that woman would go naked if it was legal.
Oy. Shannon and Derek need a new hook. Derek can only go to the hospital so many times. And Ew. On the outfit. Good color but not anything else. In fact, I think it's distracting me from the dance. Derek's high kick was not really a rumba move. And nasty comments from the judges. Is Sam trying to get them to say they are seeing each other?
Now if the samba was not a good dance for Marlee, what would make them think the mambo was a good idea? It wasn't bad, certainly not the disaster from last week, though stepping wrong was obvious because Fabian stepped on her foot. There were some cute pieces, but there's so much time spent apart and she can't feel the music and that's what the mambo is. A pity because she has done really well up to now.
(As an aside, this is the week that the judges rein in the scores and give everyone a low score or they'd have to give out all 10s)
Dude it's a foxtrot, not a flamenco...and Cheryl's feathers are gigantic. Sheesh. She was IN that dance. I mean, Christian did a good job - nice technique in the pool BTW - but Cheryl was hitting the marks like she'd die if she didn't. And it was hard to not look away from the Pepto dress.
Uh, what' the heck is that song? It started out funky but I guess it got better. A little. I have to point out that what Marissa danced was not a Viennese Waltz. A nice, pretty waltz, yes. But a Viennese Waltz is closed, always closed and that was not. Closed. There were under-arm turns and leg lifts and there are none of those in a Viennese Waltz. It was a good dance and she kept her head. I liked it.
Dang, Kristi is good. She even remembered to do the little flip thing with her skirt! And Mark maybe needs to rein it in just a tad. He was really kicking it there. But she kept up with him and that is not hard to do. Most jives are just not that fast. And that is the first perfect score of the season.
Two rumbas? Who scheduled this evening? But that little kid calling him "poopie" was better than any dance. What is Karina wearing? She seems to be taking a page from Edyta's book and wearing the sheet they are supposedly sleeping in. It was a good dance - I liked it. But I think there were some lifts, several definite lifts. And there it is reflected in the marks.
Group dance: Apparently the choreographer has been watching the show...check out the size difference between Kristi and Jason! Mario should lose the attitude - it's making me like him less. Who dropped Edyta on her head?! Nice. Costumes. Ladies. What is the deal? Men don't vote, so I don't know what the deal is with the barely there outfits. On any night. Awww, that was so cute. I love Cotton-Eyed Joe and that was just so fun. The line dip was adorable, the lifts were cool. Don't know that Mario's lift was the hardest, Shannon's was complicated but not as effortless. Jason was awesome. Just so fun. I know I said it before, but it was.

This is me, voting, and sure Kristi will take it all.

Ode To Tarzan

It's been a while since I posted an ode. What to say about the man I can't live without? Or...wouldn't want to live without.
Tarzan, you love your job and you're dang good at it. I know it can be tiring and mentally stressful - also physically - but the school and the neighborhood are better because of your desire to work hard and improve things. They are lucky to have you. You care so much about others and you have a way of chiding, encouraging, teaching and leading without making them feel like that's what is happening. You're charming in a random, weird sort of way that disarms people; puts them at ease. You do so much, for the school, the church, the neighborhood, both our families and especially for me. I'm lucky to have you. You're funny, kind, smart, loving, cute, comforting, patient, adorable, challenging, talented, energetic, tireless and perfectly wonderful. I'm so lucky to be the one you chose to spend forever with. You're mine and I am thankful for it.

Happy Birthday Honey!

This is me, wishing the love of my life many happy returns of the day.

Next

Really? Christian was in the bottom two? I mean, I know SOMEone has to be there but not Cheryl and Christian. I knew his lack of fan base would come back to haunt us. Just not this soon...
Were you surprised at Priscilla being voted off last night? Bruno was right about one thing - only one - the rumba, because it is such a slow dance, emphasizes faults and mistakes. And it was pretty obvious when she missed the turn. That was not the only problem however, she's not bad, but she wasn't good. Kristi is good. Very, very, good. Jason is good. Very, very good. I am so divided over who I want to win. Edyta certainly deserves to win after five seasons of almosts. And with Jason they have a very good chance. But Kristi is awesome too. So conflicted...
I have discovered one of the reasons Julianne bugs me so. When Adam made a joke about her being LDS she didn't own up to it. In fact she went so far as to imply she WASN'T. Which would be fine - except that in other arenas she makes a big deal out of it. This blowing hot and cold stuff irritates me. Her brother does not seem to be the same way. Unless you all know something I don't. (Entirely possible.)
Not an overly exciting show last night, they need some guest performers that people actually know and have talent. I know it's hard but I'm just saying...

This is me, talking about DWTS again.

Picture This (#7) - Visiting Relations

I am soooooo late with these pictures, but an O'Grady never goes back on her word and since I promised them to you, I am posting them now, though it's been almost a month since QC visited and the weather couldn't be more different. It was grey and overcast the morning he landed, as you can see in this picture at The Beach:

It could be the Sahara Desert for all you know, that's how cloudy it was, but trust me when I say it was The Beach. These days it's blazing hot and sunny by 9am, freaky winds, make me a little nostalgic for the cloudy overcast times. Because we were at The Beach, and because he lifts too, QC wanted to see the muscle men so we wandered by:

It was a Thursday in March, so it wasn't quite as crowded as a weekend in July, still, amusing in it's own right:

Then it was lunch and off to visit some relatives. One of our cousins kids, (does that make her our second cousin?) was in a play that night - Peter Pan. She's 12 now and has been in a lot of plays, starting when she was 7 I think, and she's really very good. Her mother thinks she has perfect pitch. I don't, so I can't tell, but she doesn't sound like she makes any mistakes when singing. Did I mention she WAS Peter Pan?:

These are quite involved productions:

Very glamorous:

QC stayed with them that night and the next. It wasn't until Saturday that we met up again for dinner and playing at the Speedzone south of us with an aunt and uncle from the other side of the family. It's not my thing racing cars, but we went to be sociable and to take the pictures, of course. On your marks:

Zoooom:

Waiting in a long line:

Loading up:

Pretty fly for a white guy:

Do I need a manicure?:

Take 'em B2:

Results:

My white guy: All in all, a good weekend spent with one's BIL, hanging, talking, bonding, remembering, whatever.

This is me, sharing.

Once More My Friends

Since it worked SO well last week, I once again present my comments on the performance of the celebrities on this week's DWTS as it happens. Well, delayed 15 minutes for the skipping commercials ability. It is SO frustrating when I watch a show live and can't fast forward the commercials...
And what is up with having two Latin dances on one night? There must be more Smooth dances that they aren't doing. and with the samba and the rumba I have to agree with Tom's on "night with the smallest amount of clothing" comment. And Sam does look gorgeous in royal blue.
Mario's samba was not bad. Hee hee, I love that Karina calls him "poopie." The tempo of their song was a little bit slow but they did good. Those are the tightest tuxedo pants I have ever seen.
I liked Priscella's face and make up but I didn't think the poncho was all that. Dang that woman looks good for 63. It was a little all-in-one-place. And I think she missed a turn or something there in the middle. But Louis is freaking amazing. That man is made out of rubber, I swear he can contort into ANY shape. And that is not a bad score for someone who "disappointed" Len.
Wow, Tony man, that is some shimmying there. And what a nice chest too, dude. Marissa's samba was a little slow too, unless it's just me tonight. The music, I mean, was slow. She certainly gave it her all though.
Did I see Cheryl and Christian laughing at each other during that rumba? I think I did. And it's true, the rumba is hard to judge for a guy, well for anyone, because it's such a make-a-move-and-then-pose kind of dance. And the guys don't even get to wear tiny clothes to distract the viewers.
Oooooh, Marlee had a hard time with the samba. It was most definitely not her dance. And I get that it's hard and even harder for her because she can't hear the music and the music does change so it's not a constant beat to count out...but still, not a great dance.
What is Mark wearing on his legs? Those are the widest, softest pants I think I have ever seen on the the dance floor. Like, velour bell bottoms or something. I could have done with more hips out of Kristi's rumba, but she was very long and soft and far more emotional but also controlled than anyone else thus far tonight.
Not in love with Shannon's patterned legs and she needs to move her hips more too. Good thing she has the ruffles. I don't know if I would dis her as much as Len did, they certainly were energetic and gave it their all. I agree with Carrie-Ann though that Shannon's shapes aren't great, she's very lanky and I think she needs to work on reining it in. Just a bit.
Jason has some moves. He has hips for sure. And he is graceful, which is weird. Don't know what the NFL is teaching their players but it seems to be working. He might beat Kristi out for the title this season. And if anyone deserves it, it sure is Edyta. But dang, are you sure people are supposed to bend like that?

This is me, bringing you the latest, whether you want it or not.

Cars And Thumbs

Apparently my car took offense when I said it couldn't take four round trips in a day...because it wouldn't start when I tried to come home from the food bank yesterday afternoon. Either the keys or the locking mechanism in the Saturn has a weak spot or we just have bad luck with cars as this is the third time in two vehicles that this had occurred. It starts as a sticking or a clicking when turning the key in the ignition. Once it engages there is no problem but sometimes it can take quite a bit of jiggling to get it to start. It usually takes months to get to the point of not being able to turn the key at all but yesterday we went from turning easily to zero movement in about three hours. I don't know if it was the sun, the car being ornery, the fact it was Thursday or what but it was annoying. I called Tarzan and he said to call AAA. I probably should have but we would have had to get it towed and then wait with it or have Tarzan come and get me or whatever. Too irksome. So what did I do? Sat in the car for almost an hour; at intervals, coaxing and cursing the car. In the end it started and it didn't have a problem later that evening when Tarzan came home. (Of course it didn't.) I gave myself a blister on my right index finger though, from turning the key so hard, so often and with so much exasperation.
Speaking of digits, apparently this thumb thing is a condition called "trigger finger." How ironic that I should get it in my thumb no? It's the result of an inflamed tendon, so I was partially right six months ago when it first started to give me troubles. I finally went to the doctor because the middle finger on my right hand stopped bending really well and I figured if this keeps up I will have to become a grape stomper. Anyway, the results are these: my middle finger is just stiff and I need to stop using it for things like, say, scrolling with the handy little wheel in the middle of my mouse. The thumb, however, needs a Cortisone shot to make it all better. I should stop using IT also, but well, I'm left handed so there goes that idea.

This is me and my itchy trigger finger (thumb).

Kitchen Gadget Store

Is it a sad situation that most of the people who read this thing do it for Dancing With The Stars? I was checking my statistics and 90% of the activity is on pages that talk about the competition. Not that I mind if people find my opinions fascinating...really, it's okay. But am I only fascinating when I post about the show? Or do I talk about it just that much? Surely something else happens in my life?
Besides the weekly meme from The Back Porch people I mean.
::Onesome: Kitchen- What's your favorite room at your place? Do you migrate towards the kitchen, or prefer to cozy up in the living room? ...or do you prefer the patio? ...or even the back porch?

• For pure comfort, I love our bed. We have a really nice queen-sized bed. It's kinda high off the floor, we have to "climb" into it, sort of, and we got the pillow topped mattress. It is so nice. But it's not very practical. For actual use, the desk in the living room is my most common spot because then I am connected to you, my friends in Internetland. I can watch TV from there, answer the phone, see the clock and the stove all at the same time.

::Twosome: Gadget- What's your favorite gadget type item and why?

• Ooooh, gadgets are hard. Mine are mostly kitchen related - the apple corer/slicer is awesome. The garlic press not so much. The melon baller is great too. The egg slicer has the best story though. In our young and stupid days, Tarzan and I thought we could make a soft-boiled egg hard-boiled if we put it in the microwave. Then we tried to slice it...I think there may still be egg yolk on the ceiling of the apartment. It was everywhere, my hair, my eyes, Tarzan's hair, the floor, the counter, the ceiling, the walls - who knew that was so much material to a single egg?

::Threesome: Store- What's your favorite store to browse, even if you never actually buy anything there?

• Any and all book stores.

This is me, working on my interesting life.

Big Sigh

All I have to say is Hallelujah brother! For many reasons.
Firstly, no more Adam and Julianne. For a moment there I was afraid she was going to make him into a dancer and then I would have to watch even more of them being weird together, and see her win the contest for her partner yet again. But that crisis was averted last night and I am SO glad about it. He was just not a dancer. Really not at all. Funny yes, as I have admitted many times, but not a dancer. What was with Julianne getting all teary eyed? Maybe it was the realization that the disco ball trophy was not to be hers this time around.
Next-ly, what a day yesterday was. $30 for parking if you can believe it! What is the world coming to? And that's not even the worst of it. It's true we live in The Jungle, but we do not live IN The Jungle if you know what I mean. Spent most of the day yesterday at the criminal court house with one of the young men Tarzan teaches, K4, as we waited to see if his mom's boyfriend, who threatened her and stabbed K4 in the hand with a knife, was going to take the District Attorney's plea or make them go to trial. Thankfully the defense lawyer was a smart man and knew it was unlikely he would get a better deal from a jury than he was being offered but holy smokes. What a nasty situation to be in. For so many reasons. Makes quite a case for nature vs. nurture here because the mother has many, many, many issues. Many. But this kid is a good kid. Works hard, tries to do well in school, has plans for the future, isn't into gang banging or drugs or booze, or cigarettes, goes to church, is friendly and happy. It's frankly a little miracle he is too, considering everything he has to deal with. His story to tell, not mine but wow. He's had it tough. And things like yesterday make me aware of just how removed I am from the real beat of The Jungle.
And my last hallelujah is for what a day TODAY was. Not so emotional but a lot of running around and errands and what have you. The cat had to be spayed today - poor baby nothing, didn't seem to phase her at all, cried the whole way there and back but has been jumping all over the place since she got home - Tarzan needed food for his lunch time meeting, I had a doctor's appointment and a visit to the lab, we needed milk, which could not be done at the same time as Tarzan's food for spoilage reasons and I had to call ALL the kids from church to remind them about the activity on Saturday. I know, how sad have I become that that is what I whine about? But it was a lot of miles to put on my poor, little, 4-cylinder car. Order of operations meant I drove back and forth across town a total of four times today. That's a lot of what-rush-hour-is-this-and-which-of-twenty-freeways-versus-combination-of-surface-streets-do-I-take-to-make-it-there-in-the-fewest-number-of-minutes-spent-driving calculations. Because it's different. Every. Single. Time.

This is me, all tuckered out.

On The Spot

Check it out! Up to the minute reporting of each dance as it happens...who stunk, who tripped, who cried, who rocked, who was funny, who was not, complete play-by-play coverage of Dancing With The Stars...who could ask for anything more? (Time delay of about 15 minutes so we don't have to watch the commercials. Love the DVR!! Love it.)
Is it just me or did it seems like a lot of paso dobles were danced tonight? Only five I know, but it seemed like a lot.
Up first is Kristi - quite different from performing last the past two weeks. Gut instinct: OMG she rocks. Good choreography from Mark. I'm liking him more now that he isn't dancing with Sabrina...is that mean? Probably. Whatevs. What is up with Len's shirt? Little bright yes? And Carrie-Ann's hair is oddly disarrayed...but her dress is gorgeous.
I have figured out what is weird about Priscilla's dancing - she doesn't spot when she turns. Her head turns with her body and that's makes her appear awkward. Not too excited about her dancing but she doesn't stink for someone who is 63.
I hope someone else is writing Sam's questions because if she's making them up she ought to be fired. So stilted and oddly delivered. Tom, on the other hand is awesome.
Adam is funny. Really funny. Maybe he should do like Kenny Main and commentate? OMG - what is with the unicycle?!!? The dance was amusing but Adam didn't dance much. I suppose, with all our trash talk we have underestimated Julianne. She is a good dancer. And she is very, very talented at making her partner look good. It takes a certain kind of talent to do that. But not LOOK like you are doing that.
I liked Marlee's jive, don't know about the narrator was talking about. Now the waltz tonight. Her hair was weird - but the dress was awesome and the dance was pretty. Very sweet and pretty. There's something slightly off about her posture, which the judges mentioned, but she made tough girl Carrie-Ann cry, so that's something.
There's some serious gold lame going on in Mario and Karina's costumes there. And the song doesn't really match the dance. Not bad. A little odd with the music. The judges are divided on his talent, as usual...but really, why would we care how old Len's underpants are?
Jason had a weird song too. But the man can dance. He's very smooth. Even in that shiny suit. Hee, hee, hee. Did you notice how Edyta was VERY careful to keep both feet on the floor for that swinging move? Nicely done. I think I have to vote for him tonight. OMG - Carrie-Ann is all sentimental tonight - a 10?
How many pleather animals had to die for the outfits Cheryl and Christian wore? I think she was trying to copy Melanie's outfit from last season. But even less of it. Christian had some moments during the dance where he seemed stronger than others - can I have a HI-YAH? - but it was good. A strong dance.
Okay - that was weird. Why was the face of the EMT worker blurred out when they came to pick up Derek? And Jonathan seems to be coming to everyone's rescue this season. Good thing it's a waltz and not the paso doble for Derek. A pretty dance. Soft and easy. Best dance though? Don't know about that.
While Marissa's choreography IS hard she didn't really punch it like it needs to - especially with their music. But it was better than last week. Much better. Does Carrie-Ann have to yell so loud when praising people? Jeepers. And I think Marissa and Tony are Sam's favorite pair. She certainly seems to be most excited when talking to/about them.
This will be a tough voting night.

This is me, reporting live from the living room.

Taking Stock

As I gazed around my spotless kitchen, beginning my lunch of a tuna fish sandwich, with the dishes done, dinner preparations underway, the brownies frosted and cut, knowing the car had been in for it's oil change and Tarzan wasn't working this weekend, I felt a real sense of satisfaction. This was why I had quit work. So we could get our house ready for whatever is coming, "prepare every needful thing" and if we get to enjoy the glorious April weekend together with no chores, that's a lovely bonus.
Then my head exploded.
Holy crap! It's April?! How can it be April already? It's too soon to be April! April?? Are you kidding me? I ran to the wall to consult my trusty calendar and he said "Sorry toots, it's April." Knowing we have had our issues in the past, I also discussed the possibility I was smoking crack with my computer, computers never lie, and HE said it was April too! Where did the last two months go? What have I wiled away my time on? I had such plans for my retirement, I was gonna go places and do things. I even went back and read the list I made when I was young and full of dreams to see if I had actually accomplished anything since February...

• Sleeping in: I have absolutely slept in, nearly every day, and it is marvelous let me tell you. I am SO glad Tarzan is a morning person because when we do have kids it's likely to be him getting up to feed them breakfast. I sleep like a rock. And I looove my mornings in bed. I don't think I'm a lazy slob, but if I don't have to get up before 8am, I am a happy, happy camper.
• Clean: I wasn't lying about the kitchen. I really did clean it, appliances included - did you know my blender was white? - and throw out a lot of junk; tupperware without lids and lids without tupperware, organized the recipes, made all the pots fit in the cupboard, you know.
• Insulate: I have not insulated the attic yet and I really need to get on that before it gets too hot to be up there. I'm scared though. It's dark and dusty and there's likely to be spiders and there's ALL. THE. CRAP. to clean out first. Stuff from college that I haven't looked at in years, wrapping paper that I saved for goodness knows what reason and a bunch of stuff that I apparently needed so desperately I forgot what it even is.
• Read: I have read some, mostly fluff books I admit. I would like to say I have finished Moby Dick...but that would be a lie. It's a very hard book to stay interested in, a classic I know, I know, but it's just not contiguous.
• Visit: I think I need to get on the visiting thing even more than the attic if the last few months are any indication. Rocketgirl, I am coming, I swear!!!!!
• Patio: The patio will be a long project too. It needs to be done before July - the AKSR you know - but should I do the attic first? Or just skip the attic and do the backyard? I'm leaning that direction but I don't know if that's because of the spiders or what.
• Nooners: Haven't got to see Tarzan in action at the library yet - he's shy. One day soon. I'll obliquely reference it when it happens.
• Front Yard: We did trim the front yard tree and bushes but there's a lot of moving and transplanting I still want to do. I think I just need to get my sorry self out in the yard in the morning rather than blogging or emailing or whatever. But there's so many lovely blogs to read...
• Heroes: I am slowly making my way through Heroes of Might & Magic: The Final Chapters. It's very easy to lose four or five hours at a time...not that I'd know about that or anything.
• Audit: I'm thinking I will wait until the fall semester to take a class.
• Travel: Europe is a BIG trip. I don't think we're ready for that yet.
• Shed: Yeah, like I'm going to have made it to the shed before I finished the house.
• Beach: I have been to the beach in the middle of the week!! Yay for me!
• Paint: The painting is not a HUGE deal right now - Tarzan did a good update last year when we painted the shade in the back. That's for a summer when I'm bored.
• Twins: We're doing our best. Trust me.
• Blogs: I like to think I am commenting on blogs more and I am doing better with the response to emails. I also like to think I am providing more though provoking blogs of my own...well, two out of three ain't bad.
• Laundry: Sweet! I'm all over this one. And it really does make the weekend less stressful and Tarzan has clean clothes to wear to work. A definite plus.
• Dinner: I have been making lots of dinners out of my new cookbook, 'Vegetarian Meals for Everyone.' Tarzan, bless him, eats whatever it is but fortunately they have been mostly good. We discovered the recipe for pita bread is awesome. We eat that quite often.
• Hammock: Not yet. That's contingent on the back yard being finished, which we have determined is the next big project to undertake.

Hmmm, that's less than stellar results. One thing I am proud of is the amount of service I have been doing. I was all a-twitter with the slide show in March and though it took a lot longer than I figured to complete it was really cool. (You'll have to take my word for it.) The dinner went well, and I've been able to help the cub scout pack with a few things. I've been able to go out with the missionaries and help out some people with rides and child sitting. I think I mentioned the volunteering at the food bank which has been a been a lot of fun. Some of the guys there have decided to teach me Spanish. Right now all I've got is eggs, Thursday and nine, because they all sound the same, but I'm on it.

This is me, beating Heroes of Might & Magic.

State Fair and Rodeo

Before I dive into this week's themed meme from the nice people at The Back Porch, let me state that great things can happen when one is away from home - like presents arriving!! My sewing machine came on Tuesday and it's awesome. The box said corded/cordless but there was no cord inside. I was prepared to be bummed out when I noticed the type of connection for a cord looked like my laptop connection so we tried it and sure enough, it runs!! Ain't that a crazy thing? Can't wait to start sewing stuff up!
::Onesome- State: What state (or territory) do you live in? Have you lived in any other(s)? Where would you like to live? And as a bonus: Any idea what year your state became a state?

• We live in California, if you haven't guessed by now, and no. No other state would I want to live in. Visit; absolutely. All of them. But live in...no. Not at all. There's just something perfect about it. I know, others have other opinions about their state and that's great. But for me, no other state has all that we have here. It's perfecto. California became a state in 1850.

::Twosome- Fair: Or amusement parks: Did you enjoy them as a kid? What was your favorite ride? How do you feel about them now? Ready to go wander around one again, sampling funnel cakes and corn dogs and riding rides until you're sick? ...or would you rather just enjoy the entertainment or stay home and avoid the crowds?

• Sure, I like a good swing now and then. The big parks tend to have far too many people to want to go a lot, and the prices!! But once in a while, especially with cousins, nieces and nephews it can be great fun. The state and county fairs are pretty fun we've found. Interesting.

::Threesome- And Rodeo: Have you ever been to or watched a rodeo on TV? Did you enjoy it or consider it a barbaric spectacle? If you liked it, what was your favorite event? Ever tempted to race barrels or ride a bull yourself?

• I have seen parts of rodeos on TV, never been to a live one, probably won't. Parts of it are interesting, parts are quite barbaric. Not ever tempted to ride a bull or race barrels. Call me boring, but there it is. I am not a thrill seeker. Adrenaline is not my friend. I've come to terms with it, so can you.

This is me, with a meme.

Catching You Up

As long as I CAN blog I dither about what to say and whether what I'm thinking of is worth the space and does this really make sense and blah blah blah. As soon as I CAN'T blog the words and ideas flow like water. What is THAT about I ask you? I apologize peeps for the abrupt suspension of all things blog. Sunday night we get calls from Tarzan's aunt and mother about one of this uncles who needs someone to stay with him. He'd had surgery on Friday - which we knew about - but the aunt had work and others weren't available for two days and since I no longer work and we don't have any other responsibilities could Jane go South of the The Jungle and stay with him for a few days? I could, and I did. What I did not know is that Uncle R12 lives in the stone age, before cable and Internet...so what did I do for two days (other than plumping pillows, making chicken broth and fielding phone calls from girls who want to play nurse) with no contact to the outside world except for my cell phone - thank you Rocketgirl! - which had spotty coverage at best? I read and did some Sudoku puzzles and washed dishes. By hand. I know. I haven't done that for years!! And I wrote blog entries, about DWTS naturally, thank you network TV, both the performance night and the results show. They were relevant at the time, but might seem a little dated now...whatevs.
**********Monday**********
I think I know why they have the jive and tango on the same night, apparently it’s about the precision necessary for both. But is it really time for those dances? It seems like we got here mighty fast. Maybe it’s the two dances before anyone went home that did it.
Marlee was good, she’s getting better, more confident perhaps. It really doesn’t seem like the lack of music bothers her rhythm so maybe the songs don’t matter to the dancers as much as they do to me?
What was the biker tango with Mario and Karina? He really did a poor job. It's not likely he will go home because of course the fans don't have any idea what makes a good dance. Standing ovation my foot. But he is probably the best partner that Karina has ever had. She's actually funny and not annoying with Mario. Weird.
Priscilla is getting looser which I like – she was almost falling over last week she was so tense. Of course the tango lends itself to tension so we’ll see how it comes out. Not that she is in any danger to go home. She was married to ELVIS people.
Adam is either getting better, or Julianne is learning how to cover his mistakes better – I hate to say that he might be a dancer but he looked alright. I still didn’t vote for him because others are better, but still. It’s all about improving right?
Christian’s jive was really, really fun. I wanted to watch him and was not distracted by Cheryl. He’s cute and he looked like he was having a good time. He won't win either, but he's very good and could get even better.
The tango with Steve and Jonathan was almost better than his with Anna. He’s funny and cute and charming but he just does not excite me. It's a little sad to say but I bet it will be Steve or Marissa who go home. BECAUSE I really expected Marissa to do better with the jive – it was MADE for her and yet there was no pop, no excitement, no energy. It’s cliché but I was really disappointed. Carrie-Ann was not pulling any punches there either. Whoa. And while we're speaking of the judges; was it just me or did Len seem to be the big Mr. CrankyPants? Yeah. It's a little too soon to be expecting perfection from these people. We haven't even weeded out the chaff yet.
Jason was pretty. I could get Carrie-Ann’s point about him dancing small – he has been bigger and better but he was still improved in some areas and he was lots better than others of the night.
Shannon is also getting better – slowly – the kickboxing stuff did not really end up in her dance though…dunno if it was supposed to.
And who picked Kristi’s music? That was way weird for a tango. And what was Mark doing with is mouth? Completely necessary? I say not. Discuss.
On a side note: what was with Tom coughing at the second to last break? And why did he call up the host from another show to send us out? Weird. Not explanation, no nothing. Weird.
**********Tuesday**********
Not a surprise, though a disappointment, that Steve went home. Poo. Thankfully they let Kristi and Mark know they were staying right off the bat. No need to make them sweat. WHAT is with Adam and Julianne? Weird doesn't even begin to describe it. They make me want to gag. Even now. Tony seemed really hurt that the judges think he doesn't support his partner. He didn't say anything more, even in the confessional booth. And Sam was really excited when he and Marissa didn't get sent home. She usually tries to stay reserved and impartial but she was all "YES!! Marissa and Tony." Rein it in Sam.
And what is with the not having the bottom two?! I neeeeeeed my bottom two because then I know what kind of crack the rest of the voters are smoking and how to place my ballot for the infinitesimal amount of influence it has...right now I'm just flying blind people, flying blind.
*****************************************************************************************
And now I'm back and caught up mostly. We had some of the young men from church over tonight for Trivial Pursuit and it went well I think. I am exhausted though. So much energy and testosterone to stay on top of. Whew. Uncle R12 is doing much better, I think he will be back to cracking inappropriate jokes in no time at all. No heavy lifting, do you hear me? No heavy lifting! I will know if you do!!!

This is me, helping out every which place.