What a great weekend I just had! It really was nice. I have to go on record as saying that Austin really is the coolest place on the planet for Halloween. Unfortunately, I have to get to my TAR recap, so I can't spend much time talking about the weekend, but I'll give this speed summary:
* Friday night - out with lots of friends in the Warehouse district. Saw fun bands, ate pizza on the sidewalk, got home much too late.
* Saturday - Football, football, football. Had two games going at all times, USC got knocked off and Texas pulled out a barn-burner. Can't ask for more than that.
* Saturday night - Donned costume for Greatest American Heroes Halloween show and had a blast. Got to sing again with band on Three's Company theme. Tired, but happy camper when I got home.
* Sunday - got much needed yardwork done and spent the day watching Halloweenish shows and enjoying an extra hour of sleep.
Now. TAR.
1. Fly to Mauritius.
- I've never heard of this place, but it looked gorgeous.
- The Beauty Queens at the airport. What country is London in? What side of your butt is your brain in? Idiots. And let's go a step further and call them what they are: bitches. That little stunt with trying to cut the models in front of Alabama at the ticket counter showed the BQs for what they are. They don't help anyone - they weren't trying to be allied with the models or to help them - they just wanted to stick it to Lyn and Karlyn. That's not about playing the game - that's about screwing with someone because you don't like them, and nothing more. Ugly on the inside, ladies. Oh, and the models acting like Alabama was overreacting - like they weren't complete dicks for cutting? Ugly on the inside, gentlemen. Karma is waiting for both teams.
- Lyn and Karlyn (Karlyn particularly) have made it clear that while they'll work with the 6-pack to an extent, they're not going to put themselves out. I agree with them in principle - you can't just stop playing, and I'm not sure I'd go as far as the Cho's and Kentucky. The Cho's will hang around and wait for the other teams to finish a task and such, and I don't think that's smart. I think in an alliance you share information and resources and help someone out when it's not to your detriment, but I don't think you should be working against yourself to help someone, and no one should expect you to. The Cho's could have finished higher than they did this week if they weren't holding themselves back for Alabama and Kentucky, and it's getting too late in the game to be giving up position.
So, I'm with Alabama in theory, but there's something a bit too harsh about Karlyn. Not only would she not put herself out, but I get the definite impression that she doesn't really give a crap about the other teams, period. I get the feeling she'll be happy to take from other teams, but wouldn't particularly give anything. I mean, they've gotten the benefit of the 6-pack and the other teams helping them, but when was the last time Alabama actually did anything for anyone else - gave them information or helped them in any way? It's all well and good not to shoot yourself in the foot and sacrifice yourself for someone else, but if you're not going to bring anything to the table, and you're just going to take, but not give to the alliance, why should the other teams stay allied with you? Kentucky and the Cho's need to wake up about Alabama.
2. Drive to Grand Baie.
- Mary said it's a rite of passage in KY to throw your kid into a lake and make them swim out...without having actually taught them to swim. I wonder if funerals for their children are a rite of passage for parents in KY? Newsflash, Mary - if your husband tells you that a childhood "rite of passage" traumatized him for life, it's probably a "rite" that should be retired.
- Models get lost. That would be the karma I mentioned.
3. Go to Case Noyale post office.
- Models assume that Cho's are allied with KY and AL because they want to knock off strong teams for the Cho's own benefit. No, Biff and Chip - that's why YOU would do it. The Cho's allied with KY and AL because they think they're nice people.
- Are Rob and Kimberly stupid? They tried to ally with the BQ's. They must be.
- Models lost again. Uh-huh.
- BQ's have a wreck. I laughed - out loud. Too bad it didn't slow them more.
- Question: can the navigator not ever sub in as driver? Are you stuck in your driver/navigator role for the duration of the game?
4. Roadblock: Salt or Sea.
- I would've chosen salt. That might've been a bad idea after seeing all the other teams struggle with that and then give up.
- Did you see the BQ's waving at the other teams as they passed them? Again, they're showing their true colors. They weren't just waving at teams to be friendly - only waving at teams they have a good relationship with. They waved at everyone, and it was an "in your face" maneuver disguised as friendliness. When they pulled it with AL, you knew all you needed to know. These women are total bitches. Please Lord, do not let them win this game.
5. Pit Stop.
- Disappointing end to this round. My 3 least favorite teams checked in 1, 2, 3.
- I can't believe David and Mary survived another non-elimination round. I'm betting that's the last one, and I'm betting D&M will be out in the next round.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Trick or treat! Smell my feet!
I wrote this long blog the other day, complete with pictures and pithy musings - really put some time into it. And Blogger lost the whole thing before ever getting it posted. There's not even a draft of it. I wanted to scream. And I decided I wasn't going to rewrite the freakin' thing - I like writing the blog and all, but girlfriend has a life, ya know.
So, we're in Halloween week. I like Halloween. It's fun to be creative and figure out what to dress up as each year. Luckily, I have fun-loving friends who actually do dress up. I dated a guy last year who acted lost by the whole concept. I knew then that he and I were destined to be a transitory thing, and I was right. I was having a party, and I told him that he didn't have to dress up, but he'd be pretty much be the only one without a costume. At first, Mr. Uptight was going to stick with his "no costume" plan, but eventually, when he must've figured out he really was going to be the only one without a costume, and thus, seen as lame, he finally agreed to wear one, but I had to figure out what it should be since he had no imagination. I came up with something creative, but not too "out there" since Lord knows he couldn't have handled anything to extravagent. My own costume sucked. Luckily, I was at home and among friends.
This year, I'm not throwing a party. I am going out Saturday night to a Halloween-themed show, though, and need a costume. I needed something TV-themed, and I had my heart set on Wonder Woman, but after driving over half of Austin, I couldn't find a Wonder Woman costume in stock. Holy disappointment, Batman! There was a Super Girl in stock, but who the hell wants to be Super Girl [sound of game show buzzer, indicating you may collect your Rice-a-Roni prize and get off the stage]? My second choice was Jeannie, which I have seen many times in many stores, but apparently this year, Jeannie is out, because I couldn't find a Jeannie costume anywhere. When did sexy, blonde harem girls with magical powers go out of style? Strike two. Last on my list was Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island. For this costume, I can use stuff I already have, so I don't have to rely on anyone to have anything in stock. But I must admit, that after putting on the costume I came up with for this one, I wasn't too excited. But what're you gonna do? So, barring any big changes today or tomorrow, it looks like I'll be Mary Ann. I hope it doesn't suck.
I also plan to avoid the trick-or-treaters this year. I have a bunch of them in my neighborhood, and while I run out of candy every year, I'm at least getting better at figuring out how much I need to last later and later. The problem is that after the cutie-pie little kids have come and gone, you start getting punk-ass teenagers who don't bother to dress up and shove an open backpack in front of you for you to drop candy into. This is not the Halloween spirit, and I do not enjoy spending my money on candy to give to these reprobates. Little kids in costume? Absolutely. But semi-adults with an attitude? No, thanks.
I also didn't do any decorating. I have a pumpkin, and I'll carve that if I get around to it this weekend, but that's as far as I am this year. I didn't purposely refuse to decorate. It just never made it to the top of my to-do list. So, I'm going to hide out at the movies while the tricking and treating is taking place. My next-door neighbors sit outside and feed the masses, so they can keep an eye on my place and assure everyone that lack of lights on my porch indicates a lack of candy. I can be entertained for a few hours and avoid the whole exercise. I promise to be more festive when Christmas gets here.
So, we're in Halloween week. I like Halloween. It's fun to be creative and figure out what to dress up as each year. Luckily, I have fun-loving friends who actually do dress up. I dated a guy last year who acted lost by the whole concept. I knew then that he and I were destined to be a transitory thing, and I was right. I was having a party, and I told him that he didn't have to dress up, but he'd be pretty much be the only one without a costume. At first, Mr. Uptight was going to stick with his "no costume" plan, but eventually, when he must've figured out he really was going to be the only one without a costume, and thus, seen as lame, he finally agreed to wear one, but I had to figure out what it should be since he had no imagination. I came up with something creative, but not too "out there" since Lord knows he couldn't have handled anything to extravagent. My own costume sucked. Luckily, I was at home and among friends.
This year, I'm not throwing a party. I am going out Saturday night to a Halloween-themed show, though, and need a costume. I needed something TV-themed, and I had my heart set on Wonder Woman, but after driving over half of Austin, I couldn't find a Wonder Woman costume in stock. Holy disappointment, Batman! There was a Super Girl in stock, but who the hell wants to be Super Girl [sound of game show buzzer, indicating you may collect your Rice-a-Roni prize and get off the stage]? My second choice was Jeannie, which I have seen many times in many stores, but apparently this year, Jeannie is out, because I couldn't find a Jeannie costume anywhere. When did sexy, blonde harem girls with magical powers go out of style? Strike two. Last on my list was Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island. For this costume, I can use stuff I already have, so I don't have to rely on anyone to have anything in stock. But I must admit, that after putting on the costume I came up with for this one, I wasn't too excited. But what're you gonna do? So, barring any big changes today or tomorrow, it looks like I'll be Mary Ann. I hope it doesn't suck.
I also plan to avoid the trick-or-treaters this year. I have a bunch of them in my neighborhood, and while I run out of candy every year, I'm at least getting better at figuring out how much I need to last later and later. The problem is that after the cutie-pie little kids have come and gone, you start getting punk-ass teenagers who don't bother to dress up and shove an open backpack in front of you for you to drop candy into. This is not the Halloween spirit, and I do not enjoy spending my money on candy to give to these reprobates. Little kids in costume? Absolutely. But semi-adults with an attitude? No, thanks.
I also didn't do any decorating. I have a pumpkin, and I'll carve that if I get around to it this weekend, but that's as far as I am this year. I didn't purposely refuse to decorate. It just never made it to the top of my to-do list. So, I'm going to hide out at the movies while the tricking and treating is taking place. My next-door neighbors sit outside and feed the masses, so they can keep an eye on my place and assure everyone that lack of lights on my porch indicates a lack of candy. I can be entertained for a few hours and avoid the whole exercise. I promise to be more festive when Christmas gets here.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Camping!
This past weekend I went camping with some family and friends. We went to Palmetto State Park, a nice little park between Luling and Gonzales. There was much to like about the park and our camp site, and a few things that could've been better, but overall, it was a great weekend! A good time was had by all.
I got to the park on Friday afternoon and got all my stuff set up. This was the view driving up to the park headquarters:
Gorgeous day, pretty park. Let me apologize, by the way, for the fact that the pictures on here today are different sizes. I did half of them too large and didn't feel like reloading them.
We opted for an extra-large site instead of two smaller sites, which worked out well for the most part. We had a double-sized picnic table, which was great, and an actual tent pad, so we didn't have to worry about rocks and sticks poking holes in our tents or gouging us in our sleep. Nice set up. The only downside to this site was that we were literally only a few yards from the main road:
(My brother's tent is in the foreground, and the patch of beige visible through the trees is the highway). This meant we heard trucks and trailers passing by all night, and it sounded like they were about to barrel right through our tents. We all agreed that next time we came to this park, we'd rather be in the park's other section, which is away from the road. What we did have, as a result of being where we were, though, was a pond and a river right across from us, and a beautiful artesian well built by the CCC in the 1930s.
Living in the pond were ducks!
(That's Julia and Justin feeding them on Sunday morning.) The ducks were a hoot. They're used to being fed by people, so they were ready to walk right up to you if you had food for them, but they weren't aggressive or mean - they wouldn't try to take it out of your hand or anything. They were very vocal, so of course, we also spent the weekend imitating them. Scott and Justin did a little fishing, and we did a whole lot of eating, roasting marshmallows and hangin' by the campfire.
Saturday night, a cold front blew in, and we were mighty chilly Sunday morning. The temperature was probably in the 50s, but it was very windy, and that made it really cold. This was a big change from the temps in the 80s that we'd had on Saturday. We hovered around the campfire until the wind died down a little and the sun warmed things up. What's a little camping without some crazy weather, though, right?
We'll have to do it again this Spring everyone!
I got to the park on Friday afternoon and got all my stuff set up. This was the view driving up to the park headquarters:
Gorgeous day, pretty park. Let me apologize, by the way, for the fact that the pictures on here today are different sizes. I did half of them too large and didn't feel like reloading them.
We opted for an extra-large site instead of two smaller sites, which worked out well for the most part. We had a double-sized picnic table, which was great, and an actual tent pad, so we didn't have to worry about rocks and sticks poking holes in our tents or gouging us in our sleep. Nice set up. The only downside to this site was that we were literally only a few yards from the main road:
(My brother's tent is in the foreground, and the patch of beige visible through the trees is the highway). This meant we heard trucks and trailers passing by all night, and it sounded like they were about to barrel right through our tents. We all agreed that next time we came to this park, we'd rather be in the park's other section, which is away from the road. What we did have, as a result of being where we were, though, was a pond and a river right across from us, and a beautiful artesian well built by the CCC in the 1930s.
Living in the pond were ducks!
(That's Julia and Justin feeding them on Sunday morning.) The ducks were a hoot. They're used to being fed by people, so they were ready to walk right up to you if you had food for them, but they weren't aggressive or mean - they wouldn't try to take it out of your hand or anything. They were very vocal, so of course, we also spent the weekend imitating them. Scott and Justin did a little fishing, and we did a whole lot of eating, roasting marshmallows and hangin' by the campfire.
Saturday night, a cold front blew in, and we were mighty chilly Sunday morning. The temperature was probably in the 50s, but it was very windy, and that made it really cold. This was a big change from the temps in the 80s that we'd had on Saturday. We hovered around the campfire until the wind died down a little and the sun warmed things up. What's a little camping without some crazy weather, though, right?
We'll have to do it again this Spring everyone!
Monday, October 23, 2006
Where to next - Iraq?
I went camping this weekend, and I'll blog about that tomorrow. For today, let's just tackle The Amazing Race!
Okay, so we started by sending the teams to Kuwait. Kuwait. WTF? Is that really the best place to send a bunch of Americans playing a game to win a million dollars? Why not Iran?
Anyway, I wanted to gag when Peter claimed he and Sarah needed a seat because Sarah had a medical emergency because of her leg. He'll completely ignore her disability when he's yelling at her to hurry all over India, but gee, if he can use it to get a quick airline ticket...jerk.
The Blondes were no better with their little Miss California and Miss NY ploy. How big of an idiot was she trying to high five the clerk?
I loved that even though the models got the first flight out, everyone else caught up. Oh, and when did Bombay cease to be Bombay? I'm sure it's probably been something ridiculous, like 50 years, but I was sad to know there's not actually a Bombay anymore.
(Do we have to call for Dr. Mumbai now?)
Fast Forward or Road Block.
I'm glad David and Mary had the FF all to themselves. I can't imagine any other season where that would've happened like that - a team willing to pretend to go for it in order to clear the way for another team, but I wonder if the producers will re-think the 30-minute penalty strategy for a non-elimination round followed by a FF round. Guess we'll see. The Cho brothers definitely filled their karma cup to the rim with that, and they've officially leapt to the top of my list for who to root for.
I definitely could have done this Road Block. I don't like heights, but this was a ladder in a tube, and that I could do. I want to know why Sarah has had to do all of the Road Blocks for their team, though. Did Peter do any of them? Also, I think I would've gotten the puzzle quickly. I'm pretty good at puzzles.
Doofus moment of this episode: Kimberly thinking they were looking for a "grand mask." Good lord, does anyone in 2006 not know that if you're in the Middle East, you're looking for a MOSQUE?
Detour: Manual or Automatic.
- I would've chosen automatic. I wouldn't have wanted to wrestle with 110 lb. bags.
- I loved that when Peter tried to screw over the Chos on where the next clue was, the Chos totally knew he was lying and didn't believe him.
- Peter showed his usual dickness in the car on the way to the pit stop. Sarah had trouble with the map, and when she said she didn't know where the place was, instead of saying something even the least bit supportive or positive, like, "I know - it's confusing. We're in a foreign country and don't have any bearings, but see if you can spot any landmarks, and let's go from there," he says, "No kidding you don't know!" I loved that he was wrong when he thought he'd spotted the sign for the pit stop and it turned out to be for the FF.
Pit Stop
I was glad David and Mary were first and, therefore, saved from elimination or the penalty. That was very like Mary to make sure she gave all the credit to the Chos. And what a relief that the Chos are still in it! #5 is pretty far behind at this point, but it's not last, and it's not eliminated. Peter and Sarah out. Ha. Ha. Ha. I'm thrilled that Peter is out, but sorry for Sarah that he'll always blame her...because he will. I'm very glad she's kicking him to the curb, though. That guy is a jerk.
Okay, so we started by sending the teams to Kuwait. Kuwait. WTF? Is that really the best place to send a bunch of Americans playing a game to win a million dollars? Why not Iran?
Anyway, I wanted to gag when Peter claimed he and Sarah needed a seat because Sarah had a medical emergency because of her leg. He'll completely ignore her disability when he's yelling at her to hurry all over India, but gee, if he can use it to get a quick airline ticket...jerk.
The Blondes were no better with their little Miss California and Miss NY ploy. How big of an idiot was she trying to high five the clerk?
I loved that even though the models got the first flight out, everyone else caught up. Oh, and when did Bombay cease to be Bombay? I'm sure it's probably been something ridiculous, like 50 years, but I was sad to know there's not actually a Bombay anymore.
Fast Forward or Road Block.
I'm glad David and Mary had the FF all to themselves. I can't imagine any other season where that would've happened like that - a team willing to pretend to go for it in order to clear the way for another team, but I wonder if the producers will re-think the 30-minute penalty strategy for a non-elimination round followed by a FF round. Guess we'll see. The Cho brothers definitely filled their karma cup to the rim with that, and they've officially leapt to the top of my list for who to root for.
I definitely could have done this Road Block. I don't like heights, but this was a ladder in a tube, and that I could do. I want to know why Sarah has had to do all of the Road Blocks for their team, though. Did Peter do any of them? Also, I think I would've gotten the puzzle quickly. I'm pretty good at puzzles.
Doofus moment of this episode: Kimberly thinking they were looking for a "grand mask." Good lord, does anyone in 2006 not know that if you're in the Middle East, you're looking for a MOSQUE?
Detour: Manual or Automatic.
- I would've chosen automatic. I wouldn't have wanted to wrestle with 110 lb. bags.
- I loved that when Peter tried to screw over the Chos on where the next clue was, the Chos totally knew he was lying and didn't believe him.
- Peter showed his usual dickness in the car on the way to the pit stop. Sarah had trouble with the map, and when she said she didn't know where the place was, instead of saying something even the least bit supportive or positive, like, "I know - it's confusing. We're in a foreign country and don't have any bearings, but see if you can spot any landmarks, and let's go from there," he says, "No kidding you don't know!" I loved that he was wrong when he thought he'd spotted the sign for the pit stop and it turned out to be for the FF.
Pit Stop
I was glad David and Mary were first and, therefore, saved from elimination or the penalty. That was very like Mary to make sure she gave all the credit to the Chos. And what a relief that the Chos are still in it! #5 is pretty far behind at this point, but it's not last, and it's not eliminated. Peter and Sarah out. Ha. Ha. Ha. I'm thrilled that Peter is out, but sorry for Sarah that he'll always blame her...because he will. I'm very glad she's kicking him to the curb, though. That guy is a jerk.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Life is full of dilemmas.
It's one of life's questions. Do you buy flavored coffee and use regular creamer? Or do you buy regular coffee and use flavored creamer?
I loves the coffee. I do. I tried to buy into the tea thing, and I occasionally do partake of some nice Earl Grey or maybe a little fruit-infused something or other. It has its charms. And when I'm sick and needing to pump myself full of warm liquids at an unreasonable pace, it fits the bill better than anything else. But tea just doesn't do it for me like coffee does.
Coffee is bold and rich, and once you've blended in some Coffee Mate or International Delight, it's irresistably creamy. It's like warm ice cream soothing you while simultaneously pumping you up. It's the perfect drink (alongside Coca-Cola, original flavor with all the caffeine God intended and preferably cane sugar instead of corn syrup...but that's a blog for another day).
I start each day with coffee - not right off the bat, the second I get up. You have to work your way up to that stage of addiction. No, I usually get up, watch some news, stretch. If it's an office day, I actually get completely ready for work and make it all the way to the office before jumping into Java Heaven. I fire up the computer, check my email for emergencies, figure out my plan for the day, then when I can devote proper attention to the coffee, I make it. If I'm at home, I usually get the coffee maker going once I've woken up a little. I don't rely on the coffee to wake me, you see. I get my feet under me, and then when I can properly consider the coffee and its glory, I perk.
I don't actually perk, though. My parents' perk. I have a drip-style coffee maker. I'm perfectly happy with it. I'm a coffee lover, not a coffee snob. I don't need special coffee equipment, and I don't have to buy expensive brands, and I don't harass the baristas at Starbucks with an elaborate ordering ritual for just exactly the right blend of beans and accoutrement. And I do like Starbucks. I know it's not popular to admit that - Buy Local! Starbucks Evil! Chains Should Die!
I'm actually largely on board with that sentiment about chains - I usually prefer independent vendors. They give more attention to service and being unique. Maybe it's an Austin thing, but I'll usually take an independent restaurant or shop, or a least a local one, even if they have more than one location, over a big chain. But there are exceptions. I love Target. And Lowe's. And Starbucks.
See, even Tony Blair likes it, and he's a Brit, making him a tea-lubber. But I can't afford to buy Starbucks on a daily basis. That brings me back to making my own coffee and my dilemma about flavors. I enjoy flavored, creamered coffee. So, do you buy regular coffee and add a flavored creamer? Or do you use plain creamer in a flavored coffee. I usually choose the flavored creamer. Good ole Folgers is reasonably priced, and flavored creamer isn't much more expensive than plain. So, that's a point for that setup. But there is the issue of variety. There are more varieties of flavored coffee than there flavored creamers. So, that's a point for the coffee. But the fat-free plain creamer seems more watery than the flavored kind for some reason, and that's definitely a point against the plain creamer. So, the debate rages on. I think I'll go drink some coffee and ponder it some more.
I loves the coffee. I do. I tried to buy into the tea thing, and I occasionally do partake of some nice Earl Grey or maybe a little fruit-infused something or other. It has its charms. And when I'm sick and needing to pump myself full of warm liquids at an unreasonable pace, it fits the bill better than anything else. But tea just doesn't do it for me like coffee does.
Coffee is bold and rich, and once you've blended in some Coffee Mate or International Delight, it's irresistably creamy. It's like warm ice cream soothing you while simultaneously pumping you up. It's the perfect drink (alongside Coca-Cola, original flavor with all the caffeine God intended and preferably cane sugar instead of corn syrup...but that's a blog for another day).
I start each day with coffee - not right off the bat, the second I get up. You have to work your way up to that stage of addiction. No, I usually get up, watch some news, stretch. If it's an office day, I actually get completely ready for work and make it all the way to the office before jumping into Java Heaven. I fire up the computer, check my email for emergencies, figure out my plan for the day, then when I can devote proper attention to the coffee, I make it. If I'm at home, I usually get the coffee maker going once I've woken up a little. I don't rely on the coffee to wake me, you see. I get my feet under me, and then when I can properly consider the coffee and its glory, I perk.
I don't actually perk, though. My parents' perk. I have a drip-style coffee maker. I'm perfectly happy with it. I'm a coffee lover, not a coffee snob. I don't need special coffee equipment, and I don't have to buy expensive brands, and I don't harass the baristas at Starbucks with an elaborate ordering ritual for just exactly the right blend of beans and accoutrement. And I do like Starbucks. I know it's not popular to admit that - Buy Local! Starbucks Evil! Chains Should Die!
I'm actually largely on board with that sentiment about chains - I usually prefer independent vendors. They give more attention to service and being unique. Maybe it's an Austin thing, but I'll usually take an independent restaurant or shop, or a least a local one, even if they have more than one location, over a big chain. But there are exceptions. I love Target. And Lowe's. And Starbucks.
See, even Tony Blair likes it, and he's a Brit, making him a tea-lubber. But I can't afford to buy Starbucks on a daily basis. That brings me back to making my own coffee and my dilemma about flavors. I enjoy flavored, creamered coffee. So, do you buy regular coffee and add a flavored creamer? Or do you use plain creamer in a flavored coffee. I usually choose the flavored creamer. Good ole Folgers is reasonably priced, and flavored creamer isn't much more expensive than plain. So, that's a point for that setup. But there is the issue of variety. There are more varieties of flavored coffee than there flavored creamers. So, that's a point for the coffee. But the fat-free plain creamer seems more watery than the flavored kind for some reason, and that's definitely a point against the plain creamer. So, the debate rages on. I think I'll go drink some coffee and ponder it some more.
Monday, October 16, 2006
An ending of disappointment and relief.
This week's Amazing Race was interesting. I got a little off on the time because of the show getting pushed back thanks to a football game (I guess) and not starting right at 7:00, but I think about half the show centered on the first leg of the race - the flights to Chennai, India.
As soon as I heard "travel agency" I knew the teams would even up from their start times, because they'd have to wait until the agencies opened. I swear, sometimes it's better to not be first and have to get up in the middle of the night for the first start time, when everyone is just going to even up anyway. Give me the extra 15 minutes of sleep. In any case, it was interesting that they just said to find an agency, because rather than everyone bunching up at the airport for the same agents, people dispersed and different agents came up with different flights.
I found it interesting that Tyler and James feel that their experiences as drug addicts, what with the lack of control it imposed on their lives, gives them an advantage, since so much of the race is beyond their control. Whatever.
It was also funny watching Peter try to form alliances with people, after he saw some of the other teams sharing information. Yeah, Pete, they're teaming up because they like each other. No one likes you. And maybe your little performance making fun of Lyn/Karlyn and David/Mary might explain why no one likes you. Asshole.
One question, when The Cho's psyched Peter out on the train, pretending they made reservations for everyone in their group by cell phone, and Peter then found a cell phone to borrow and called a travel agent, was he able to get advance tickets or not? It sounded like he got the tickets when he was on the phone, but then I didn't see him walzing into an agent somewhere and picking up tickets.
And what's up with the ticket agent at the airport telling David and Mary they didn't have seats on the plane for them when the Cho's and Lyn/Karlyn both had an extra seat between them? Obviously, there were seats left on board. I realize you need seats both for the team and for the camera guys, but don't tell me that the two open seats we saw on camera were the ONLY two available seats on the whole plane.
India. Lots of opinions as the teams arrived. Most notable is Peter's remark, that, "We go from one polluted city to another."
Detour: Wild Things or Wild Rice.
Damn. What a choice. I think I'd have to go with the crocs, for the time factor, but sheeeesh. That rice drawing would take way too long, though. David and Mary really shot themselves in the foot choosing that.
As usual, I wanted to slap Peter. He jawed at Sarah the whole time she's trying to do the task, then harped on her constantly to hurry. When she finally tells him, tearfully, that he's pushing her too hard, his response? "Get it together, Sarah. Come on." Then he says he won't even try anymore if she can't keep up. What a dick. Sarah, run from him the second you get home. This is not someone to spend your life with. I was proud of her when he finally, disingenously, tells her the race is just for fun, and she says, "I'm not really having with you, Peter. I'm not."
Road Block: driver's license.
I know how to drive stick, so I'd be okay with the technical aspect (incidentally, I noticed this season that no one is unable to drive stick - good job, teams!) of the driving, but I'd probably get my instructor and I killed in that chaos they call traffic. What IS it with other countries and their Wild West style of driving?? It's like that in countries all over the globe -they're maniacs! I would normally think the "driving school" was just a joke, but considering the driving there, maybe not. And did anyone else think that instructor was really an Indian Elvis impersonator?
Pit Stop. Sarah and Peter are first. That's disappointing, since I can't stand Peter, but what an appropriate prize to give them - home gyms. I noticed they didn't embrace. I imagine Sarah just wants to finish the race and be done with Pete. Loved the Cho's shirts - it took me until the Pit Stop to realize what they said on the front! And YAY!!!!!! David and Mary weren't eliminated, and we have a new twist on what happens to teams who survive the non-elimination round. I like the new rules better than the old ones - that you have to arrive at the next Pit Stop first or incur a 30-minute penalty. That oughtta get David and Mary moving in the next round!
As soon as I heard "travel agency" I knew the teams would even up from their start times, because they'd have to wait until the agencies opened. I swear, sometimes it's better to not be first and have to get up in the middle of the night for the first start time, when everyone is just going to even up anyway. Give me the extra 15 minutes of sleep. In any case, it was interesting that they just said to find an agency, because rather than everyone bunching up at the airport for the same agents, people dispersed and different agents came up with different flights.
I found it interesting that Tyler and James feel that their experiences as drug addicts, what with the lack of control it imposed on their lives, gives them an advantage, since so much of the race is beyond their control. Whatever.
It was also funny watching Peter try to form alliances with people, after he saw some of the other teams sharing information. Yeah, Pete, they're teaming up because they like each other. No one likes you. And maybe your little performance making fun of Lyn/Karlyn and David/Mary might explain why no one likes you. Asshole.
One question, when The Cho's psyched Peter out on the train, pretending they made reservations for everyone in their group by cell phone, and Peter then found a cell phone to borrow and called a travel agent, was he able to get advance tickets or not? It sounded like he got the tickets when he was on the phone, but then I didn't see him walzing into an agent somewhere and picking up tickets.
And what's up with the ticket agent at the airport telling David and Mary they didn't have seats on the plane for them when the Cho's and Lyn/Karlyn both had an extra seat between them? Obviously, there were seats left on board. I realize you need seats both for the team and for the camera guys, but don't tell me that the two open seats we saw on camera were the ONLY two available seats on the whole plane.
India. Lots of opinions as the teams arrived. Most notable is Peter's remark, that, "We go from one polluted city to another."
Detour: Wild Things or Wild Rice.
Damn. What a choice. I think I'd have to go with the crocs, for the time factor, but sheeeesh. That rice drawing would take way too long, though. David and Mary really shot themselves in the foot choosing that.
As usual, I wanted to slap Peter. He jawed at Sarah the whole time she's trying to do the task, then harped on her constantly to hurry. When she finally tells him, tearfully, that he's pushing her too hard, his response? "Get it together, Sarah. Come on." Then he says he won't even try anymore if she can't keep up. What a dick. Sarah, run from him the second you get home. This is not someone to spend your life with. I was proud of her when he finally, disingenously, tells her the race is just for fun, and she says, "I'm not really having with you, Peter. I'm not."
Road Block: driver's license.
I know how to drive stick, so I'd be okay with the technical aspect (incidentally, I noticed this season that no one is unable to drive stick - good job, teams!) of the driving, but I'd probably get my instructor and I killed in that chaos they call traffic. What IS it with other countries and their Wild West style of driving?? It's like that in countries all over the globe -they're maniacs! I would normally think the "driving school" was just a joke, but considering the driving there, maybe not. And did anyone else think that instructor was really an Indian Elvis impersonator?
Pit Stop. Sarah and Peter are first. That's disappointing, since I can't stand Peter, but what an appropriate prize to give them - home gyms. I noticed they didn't embrace. I imagine Sarah just wants to finish the race and be done with Pete. Loved the Cho's shirts - it took me until the Pit Stop to realize what they said on the front! And YAY!!!!!! David and Mary weren't eliminated, and we have a new twist on what happens to teams who survive the non-elimination round. I like the new rules better than the old ones - that you have to arrive at the next Pit Stop first or incur a 30-minute penalty. That oughtta get David and Mary moving in the next round!
Friday, October 13, 2006
You don't needs nads to wax.
Friday, Friday! I'm very happy about the weekend, because I can sleeeep tomorrow morning! I've had allergies this week, and they make me tired, and no matter what time I go to bed, the alarm still went off much too early all week. So tomorrow, blissful sleep.
So, last night I did something I've never done before - something I had to tackle a little fear to do. I got a...bikini wax!!! I know - a bikini wax in October? Not exactly swimsuit season. But give me a break. I had to work up some courage. Besides I figured I'd check it out now - see if it's as bad as you hear, see how long it takes for the irritation that logically ensues from ripping hair out by the root to subside so you actually could put on that bathing suit and be seen in public without scaring small children, see how long it lasts. This is research.
To help me with the fear part, I made one of my friends go with me. She's never done it either and also wanted to check it out, so we went together. I researched reviews on the Web of various places and found one I was comfortable with. After a few false starts on getting an appointment (my friend and I had limited availability on when we could both do it, and then we had to keep re-setting the appointment as...female issues...caused us each to decide on different weeks that we needed, perhaps, one more week to be "ready"), we finally had D-Day last night.
I got there first, and the lady was able to get me right in, ahead of our appointment, so I was on my own for my appointment. She was very nice and really put me at ease - none of the awkwardness I was afraid I'd feel exposing my nether regions to a total stranger. I'm not even 100% comfortable with my annual gyno exam, and I've gone to my gyno for about 12 years, so that says alot about this woman's power to put you at ease. She handed me a pair of paper panties, then made me laugh telling me that some clients get a wee bit confused about how to wear them. The panties consist of two pieces of paper joined by little pieces of elastic. The paper covers your privates and the elastic sits your hips. Pretty basic stuff. But she said she's come in on occasion to find that someone has made a g-string configuration with the elastic, and, well, that's not right.
I got changed and readied myself with great trepidation for the "procedure." She spread warm wax on the important spots, and I thought, "Well, this part is good. I hope this isn't like childbirth - the first part of the process is really great, but the last part makes you want to rip streetlights out of the pavement and hurl them at people you love." She put the fabric in place (and by "fabric" I mean "ripping apparatus"), I steeled myself, and shftp! That was it. A moment of sting, but nothing I couldn't handle. I was so relieved!
My friend, who arrived after I was done, and who I assured, "It's not that bad," seemed to have a bit rougher of a time with it than I did. So, maybe I've developed some sort of new tolerance for pain, but this would be highly unusual for me. It'd be like I became a new character on "Heroes." Claire - the one whose body heals itself, and Suzanne - the one who can get a bikini wax without flinching. I think it's more likely that I just expected it to be much worse than it ended up being. My expectation was based on a really bad experience with Nad's.
Nad's is a home waxing kit, though they don't call it that, because whatever the "stuff" is that they use, it's not actually wax. It's some other substance that adheres to your hair so that you can pull it out by the root. The key word in that sentence is "you" - so that YOU can pull it out by the root. That, my friends, is important. You see, they had a bunch of commercials out several years ago saying how painless it was and showing people on a beach getting demonstrations of the product and acting like they were eating ice cream. Why, it's refreshing, I tell you! But it's not refreshing, and those people weren't doing it to themselves. A professional was doing it.
They did not, themselves, have to pull that piece of fabric, and let me tell you, the pulling of the fabric is the whole enchilada. It's gotta be QUICK! You have to be determined, and sure of yourself, and pull that baby off with purpose. The slightest hesitation, and I know this now, is a freeway to hell. I managed one searing, hesitant pull of the Nad's fabric, and after I stopped crying and iced down my crotch, I packed that crap up, took it back to Walgreen's and told the sales guy (yes GUY) that they should be using that stuff to torture terror suspects. (Funny sidenote: For weeks that store's sign proudly proclaimed "We've got Nads!" Well, good. You'll need them if you want to use that product.)
So, you can see where I had grave expectations for the wax. It's probably been 6 years since the Nads debacle, and only now was I willing to give it another shot. But this time, I did it right - with a professional who knew what she was doing. Now, I'm not saying it was a massage. It's not something you'd do for the sensation if there weren't some benefit attached. It does hurt. But unlike, say, piercing my belly button, which caused me to almost pass out about 3 times, this was definitely a pain I could take and would be willing to put up with again in the future if the irritation doesn't last too long (the affected areas are a touch tender today), and the results do last a while. The lady who did mine said 7-10 days is about average - not the three weeks I was hoping for! But better than the 24 hours you get with shaving (complete with worse irritation than what I've got from waxing - suprisingly). So, all in all, I'd say this was a successful test so far.
I'm sure there are women who get waxed on a regular basis - like every 2 or 3 weeks, or even every week...you know, "exotic dancers." But I don't see that being where I'd fall on the schedule. I'm more likely to look at doing it when I've got a nice beach vacation coming up or something like that. How nice would it be to go your whole vacation without having to worry about razor burn, stubble or curlies reaching out of your bathing suit? But we'll just see. Oh, and I don't see the Brazilian making an appearance anytime soon either. Let's not get crazy.
So, last night I did something I've never done before - something I had to tackle a little fear to do. I got a...bikini wax!!! I know - a bikini wax in October? Not exactly swimsuit season. But give me a break. I had to work up some courage. Besides I figured I'd check it out now - see if it's as bad as you hear, see how long it takes for the irritation that logically ensues from ripping hair out by the root to subside so you actually could put on that bathing suit and be seen in public without scaring small children, see how long it lasts. This is research.
To help me with the fear part, I made one of my friends go with me. She's never done it either and also wanted to check it out, so we went together. I researched reviews on the Web of various places and found one I was comfortable with. After a few false starts on getting an appointment (my friend and I had limited availability on when we could both do it, and then we had to keep re-setting the appointment as...female issues...caused us each to decide on different weeks that we needed, perhaps, one more week to be "ready"), we finally had D-Day last night.
I got there first, and the lady was able to get me right in, ahead of our appointment, so I was on my own for my appointment. She was very nice and really put me at ease - none of the awkwardness I was afraid I'd feel exposing my nether regions to a total stranger. I'm not even 100% comfortable with my annual gyno exam, and I've gone to my gyno for about 12 years, so that says alot about this woman's power to put you at ease. She handed me a pair of paper panties, then made me laugh telling me that some clients get a wee bit confused about how to wear them. The panties consist of two pieces of paper joined by little pieces of elastic. The paper covers your privates and the elastic sits your hips. Pretty basic stuff. But she said she's come in on occasion to find that someone has made a g-string configuration with the elastic, and, well, that's not right.
I got changed and readied myself with great trepidation for the "procedure." She spread warm wax on the important spots, and I thought, "Well, this part is good. I hope this isn't like childbirth - the first part of the process is really great, but the last part makes you want to rip streetlights out of the pavement and hurl them at people you love." She put the fabric in place (and by "fabric" I mean "ripping apparatus"), I steeled myself, and shftp! That was it. A moment of sting, but nothing I couldn't handle. I was so relieved!
My friend, who arrived after I was done, and who I assured, "It's not that bad," seemed to have a bit rougher of a time with it than I did. So, maybe I've developed some sort of new tolerance for pain, but this would be highly unusual for me. It'd be like I became a new character on "Heroes." Claire - the one whose body heals itself, and Suzanne - the one who can get a bikini wax without flinching. I think it's more likely that I just expected it to be much worse than it ended up being. My expectation was based on a really bad experience with Nad's.
Nad's is a home waxing kit, though they don't call it that, because whatever the "stuff" is that they use, it's not actually wax. It's some other substance that adheres to your hair so that you can pull it out by the root. The key word in that sentence is "you" - so that YOU can pull it out by the root. That, my friends, is important. You see, they had a bunch of commercials out several years ago saying how painless it was and showing people on a beach getting demonstrations of the product and acting like they were eating ice cream. Why, it's refreshing, I tell you! But it's not refreshing, and those people weren't doing it to themselves. A professional was doing it.
They did not, themselves, have to pull that piece of fabric, and let me tell you, the pulling of the fabric is the whole enchilada. It's gotta be QUICK! You have to be determined, and sure of yourself, and pull that baby off with purpose. The slightest hesitation, and I know this now, is a freeway to hell. I managed one searing, hesitant pull of the Nad's fabric, and after I stopped crying and iced down my crotch, I packed that crap up, took it back to Walgreen's and told the sales guy (yes GUY) that they should be using that stuff to torture terror suspects. (Funny sidenote: For weeks that store's sign proudly proclaimed "We've got Nads!" Well, good. You'll need them if you want to use that product.)
So, you can see where I had grave expectations for the wax. It's probably been 6 years since the Nads debacle, and only now was I willing to give it another shot. But this time, I did it right - with a professional who knew what she was doing. Now, I'm not saying it was a massage. It's not something you'd do for the sensation if there weren't some benefit attached. It does hurt. But unlike, say, piercing my belly button, which caused me to almost pass out about 3 times, this was definitely a pain I could take and would be willing to put up with again in the future if the irritation doesn't last too long (the affected areas are a touch tender today), and the results do last a while. The lady who did mine said 7-10 days is about average - not the three weeks I was hoping for! But better than the 24 hours you get with shaving (complete with worse irritation than what I've got from waxing - suprisingly). So, all in all, I'd say this was a successful test so far.
I'm sure there are women who get waxed on a regular basis - like every 2 or 3 weeks, or even every week...you know, "exotic dancers." But I don't see that being where I'd fall on the schedule. I'm more likely to look at doing it when I've got a nice beach vacation coming up or something like that. How nice would it be to go your whole vacation without having to worry about razor burn, stubble or curlies reaching out of your bathing suit? But we'll just see. Oh, and I don't see the Brazilian making an appearance anytime soon either. Let's not get crazy.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Leave him alone.
Okay, I can't take it. I have to comment on something that's been going around the Internet. During the last quarter of the UT-OU game, some asshole cameraman decided to train his lens on some poor, little boy (a Sooners fan) who was crying. The jerk cameraman left the shot on for several seconds. As it was happening, I began yelling, "Oh no! Get off of him! Oh my God - he has to go to school on Monday! Get the camera off of him!" But the damage was done.
All over the Internet, that picture is being passed around. It's even being Photoshopped like it's an ad or something. But it's not an ad. It's a child - a little boy who got caught up in the emotion of a big game and thanks to some insensitive jerk cameraman who should've known better, he's being made fun of by thousands, maybe millions, of other insensitive ADULTS who should also know better. What - when you were a kid you never cried about something that as an adult you wouldn't cry about? Your own kids never cry about things that they wouldn't want the whole world to see? You'd be fine with your own kid's image being traded and made fun of like he's not a real human being - you think HE'D be fine with it?
Or do you think he might just be horrified? Do you think maybe he'd be harassed at school and he'd be so embarrassed he might not even want his picture taken again? Maybe he won't want to go to another televised sporting event for fear of being on camera? Maybe he'll be afraid to express his emotions again for fear of being made fun or having the image passed around like entertainment? An experience like this can scar a child. Ask the Star Wars kid if he feels as free to play and express himself and be creative as he did before his homemade tape became international fodder. Kids should be allowed to be kids - to express themselves and not be made fun of by millions of strangers who don't care what kind of damage they might be doing to the kid's psyche. For Christ's sake, have a heart.
Seriously people. It's one thing for an adult to be embarrassed this way. We don't *enjoy* it, and it's kind of messed up that "public" has become so VERY public - any image that's captured now goes worldwide. But at least we adults are better equipped to handle it. It's wrong to humiliate children like this. It can really be damaging.
Now, a picture of Bob Stoops crying...that'd be okay. If anyone has one of those, feel free to send it to me immediately.
All over the Internet, that picture is being passed around. It's even being Photoshopped like it's an ad or something. But it's not an ad. It's a child - a little boy who got caught up in the emotion of a big game and thanks to some insensitive jerk cameraman who should've known better, he's being made fun of by thousands, maybe millions, of other insensitive ADULTS who should also know better. What - when you were a kid you never cried about something that as an adult you wouldn't cry about? Your own kids never cry about things that they wouldn't want the whole world to see? You'd be fine with your own kid's image being traded and made fun of like he's not a real human being - you think HE'D be fine with it?
Or do you think he might just be horrified? Do you think maybe he'd be harassed at school and he'd be so embarrassed he might not even want his picture taken again? Maybe he won't want to go to another televised sporting event for fear of being on camera? Maybe he'll be afraid to express his emotions again for fear of being made fun or having the image passed around like entertainment? An experience like this can scar a child. Ask the Star Wars kid if he feels as free to play and express himself and be creative as he did before his homemade tape became international fodder. Kids should be allowed to be kids - to express themselves and not be made fun of by millions of strangers who don't care what kind of damage they might be doing to the kid's psyche. For Christ's sake, have a heart.
Seriously people. It's one thing for an adult to be embarrassed this way. We don't *enjoy* it, and it's kind of messed up that "public" has become so VERY public - any image that's captured now goes worldwide. But at least we adults are better equipped to handle it. It's wrong to humiliate children like this. It can really be damaging.
Now, a picture of Bob Stoops crying...that'd be okay. If anyone has one of those, feel free to send it to me immediately.
Monday, October 09, 2006
28-10. (And yes, there's a TAR recap, too.)
That's what I'm talkin' about! Sooners, haul it on back up to Norman and shut your mouths for one more year. You still had Adrian, and Vince is gone, and we still kicked your butts! Nothing is more fun that beating OU, except when you get to beat them AND see Stoops throw his headphones. :) He had a class-A fit in the first half, and the beauty of it was that the ABC guys had *just* shown why the call Stoops was melting down about was a good call. He was making an ass of himself on national television, when every viewer already knew he was wrong. Good show, Bob.
A few thoughts:
1. Maybe now everyone can stop talking about Vince and give Colt a little fan love. Just as I said he would, he's growing and learning and getting better every week. He may have the face of a 10th grader, but Mr. McCoy is a lion out there! Did you see that hit OU put on him in the first drive of the second half? He popped back up like he never even felt it. That's our boy!
2. How about that offensive line??? They rocked! Those quarterback "sneaks" where we shoved OU about 6 yards were awesome!
3. Pooooooor Sooners! (I wasn't there to sing that, so this will have to do - Ang, I do hope you sang it at least once!)
I'll have to cut short the UT adoration, only because I need to recap The Amazing Race. Otherwise, you know I could go on all day about it!
Okay, TAR first had the racers traveling to Hanoi. This first section just had the racers talking about themselves and their relationships mostly.
- I thought it was interesting that Erwin and Godwin feel like they have to represent Asians. Boys, don't worry about all that - just be your great-looking, smart, competitive selves. You're all that.
- When Sarah said, "Peter's a complicated guy," I laughed. Yeah. Complicated. Like Mark Foley is complicated. I think the word you want, Sarah, is "confused."
- Is anyone else tired of the parents on the show talking about how it's all for their kids? God, enough already with that. I'm sure your kids will get a college fund and if you buy a nice house, you'll live in a nicer neighborhood, etc., but come on - it's not "all for the kids," like you're going to keep buying your clothes at Wal-Mart and driving a 1986 Impala, while the kids are lavished with after-school tutoring and organic diets. Yes, your kids will benefit if you win, but if the money were going to be deposited in a trust for their education and you couldn't buy anything for yourself, would you still be doing the race? (I'm sure some people do it in part for the fun of doing it - I think it would be a blast - and that's great, but don't keep crowing about how "it's all for the kids." That makes me gag.)
- So, Rob and Kimberly don't like Peter? Well...who does? Even Sarah doesn't like him much anymore.
The first clue was that recording in the park. That would've been kind of tough, because if you just tried to write it down, you wouldn't know how to spell it to show to a driver. So, the models were smart to get their driver to listen to the recording, but other people did that, too, with less success. Rob and Kimberly, in particular, got screwed by incompetent cabbies. That stuff happens all the time in TAR. Cabbies are a crap shoot.
Roadblock: Ascend Cliff.
I think my partner would have to do this one. I don't have great upper body strength. That arch they had to climb was gorgeous.
- On the boat thing, did the Beauty Queens really cut in front of Lyn and Karlyn? L&K thought so and when one of the girls cut her leg, they said "That's what you get." If they did cut, I'm with L&K. Karma, baby.
- Godwin was awesome when he was cheering David on.
- Tom made me laugh when he worriedly said, "He's going to totally make me do the next roadblock after this."
- Pater is such a gigantic ass. Did you hear him tell Sarah, "Pull the handicap placard and tell them you're next in line."? And the whole time she's climbing he's making jokes and just being all blase as she's killing herself to do the climb. Really supportive, Pete. I don't see anyway they stay together after this race - if she doesn't dump him before they ever finish.
Detour: Over or Under.
I think I would've gone for "Under." I would've been worried about finding the destinations to make the deliveries in "Over." The rowing seemed like it was really hard no matter which one you picked, though. It didn't help that no one seemed to know how to row except one of the models (who would've guessed?), but the wind was really working against them. Peter was his usual pleasant self on this task. I'm torn on this pair, because I'm really rooting against Peter at his point, but I like Sarah. He even ignored Sarah when she tried to compliment him. Jerk.
Pitstop: Soi Sim Island.
- I hate that Rob and Kim got first place because Rob is such a jerk. He's another one I'm rooting against right now. Kim is okay. She can be shrewish sometimes, but who wouldn't be if they were paired with Rob?
- Mary is so funny! Did you hear what she said about Phil? "Scrawny, lil' ol' gorgeous thang." She cracks me up. I don't think she and David can win, but I'm so rooting for them to hang in there as long as possible.
- TnT out. I'm SO bummed about that! I liked those guys, and a lot of personality disappears with those two out. It's especially disappointing that the Beauty Queens were the ones who beat them out for the last spot. Damn.
A few thoughts:
1. Maybe now everyone can stop talking about Vince and give Colt a little fan love. Just as I said he would, he's growing and learning and getting better every week. He may have the face of a 10th grader, but Mr. McCoy is a lion out there! Did you see that hit OU put on him in the first drive of the second half? He popped back up like he never even felt it. That's our boy!
2. How about that offensive line??? They rocked! Those quarterback "sneaks" where we shoved OU about 6 yards were awesome!
3. Pooooooor Sooners! (I wasn't there to sing that, so this will have to do - Ang, I do hope you sang it at least once!)
I'll have to cut short the UT adoration, only because I need to recap The Amazing Race. Otherwise, you know I could go on all day about it!
Okay, TAR first had the racers traveling to Hanoi. This first section just had the racers talking about themselves and their relationships mostly.
- I thought it was interesting that Erwin and Godwin feel like they have to represent Asians. Boys, don't worry about all that - just be your great-looking, smart, competitive selves. You're all that.
- When Sarah said, "Peter's a complicated guy," I laughed. Yeah. Complicated. Like Mark Foley is complicated. I think the word you want, Sarah, is "confused."
- Is anyone else tired of the parents on the show talking about how it's all for their kids? God, enough already with that. I'm sure your kids will get a college fund and if you buy a nice house, you'll live in a nicer neighborhood, etc., but come on - it's not "all for the kids," like you're going to keep buying your clothes at Wal-Mart and driving a 1986 Impala, while the kids are lavished with after-school tutoring and organic diets. Yes, your kids will benefit if you win, but if the money were going to be deposited in a trust for their education and you couldn't buy anything for yourself, would you still be doing the race? (I'm sure some people do it in part for the fun of doing it - I think it would be a blast - and that's great, but don't keep crowing about how "it's all for the kids." That makes me gag.)
- So, Rob and Kimberly don't like Peter? Well...who does? Even Sarah doesn't like him much anymore.
The first clue was that recording in the park. That would've been kind of tough, because if you just tried to write it down, you wouldn't know how to spell it to show to a driver. So, the models were smart to get their driver to listen to the recording, but other people did that, too, with less success. Rob and Kimberly, in particular, got screwed by incompetent cabbies. That stuff happens all the time in TAR. Cabbies are a crap shoot.
Roadblock: Ascend Cliff.
I think my partner would have to do this one. I don't have great upper body strength. That arch they had to climb was gorgeous.
- On the boat thing, did the Beauty Queens really cut in front of Lyn and Karlyn? L&K thought so and when one of the girls cut her leg, they said "That's what you get." If they did cut, I'm with L&K. Karma, baby.
- Godwin was awesome when he was cheering David on.
- Tom made me laugh when he worriedly said, "He's going to totally make me do the next roadblock after this."
- Pater is such a gigantic ass. Did you hear him tell Sarah, "Pull the handicap placard and tell them you're next in line."? And the whole time she's climbing he's making jokes and just being all blase as she's killing herself to do the climb. Really supportive, Pete. I don't see anyway they stay together after this race - if she doesn't dump him before they ever finish.
Detour: Over or Under.
I think I would've gone for "Under." I would've been worried about finding the destinations to make the deliveries in "Over." The rowing seemed like it was really hard no matter which one you picked, though. It didn't help that no one seemed to know how to row except one of the models (who would've guessed?), but the wind was really working against them. Peter was his usual pleasant self on this task. I'm torn on this pair, because I'm really rooting against Peter at his point, but I like Sarah. He even ignored Sarah when she tried to compliment him. Jerk.
Pitstop: Soi Sim Island.
- I hate that Rob and Kim got first place because Rob is such a jerk. He's another one I'm rooting against right now. Kim is okay. She can be shrewish sometimes, but who wouldn't be if they were paired with Rob?
- Mary is so funny! Did you hear what she said about Phil? "Scrawny, lil' ol' gorgeous thang." She cracks me up. I don't think she and David can win, but I'm so rooting for them to hang in there as long as possible.
- TnT out. I'm SO bummed about that! I liked those guys, and a lot of personality disappears with those two out. It's especially disappointing that the Beauty Queens were the ones who beat them out for the last spot. Damn.
Friday, October 06, 2006
1961. It was a very good year.
Today is a day of celebration in my family. Today is my parents' 45th wedding anniversary! That's no small feat in this world of 50% divorce. And even better, they still actually like and love each other! My parents met in January of 1961. They were engaged by March, and they married in October. What a year, eh!! My mom was 21 and my dad was 27. These days, people would take bets on how long it would last. I wonder if anyone would've won their bet!
When I was growing up, I thought all families were like mine. My parents were nice to each other. They talked and joked and laughed and kissed and held hands and gave my brother and me the example of what a marriage should be. I figured I'd grow up, meet a great guy, get married and have the same kind of marriage my parents had. That's how it works, right? How hard can it be?
When I got old enough to start dating, though, I found that this relationship stuff was much harder than it looked. My parents made it look so easy. And as the years went by, and I loved and lost and loved and lost, I began to wonder if perhaps my parents had set the bar too high. Perhaps, hoping to find what they had was futile, and I was setting myself up for failure to think I could find that. There were even a few times I tried to convince myself that what I had in front of me was "good enough" - it might not be some great, undying Titanic-style love, but that was just Hollywood stuff anyway, right?
But then, I'd realize that my dad really would give my mom the raft, and he really would float in the frigid water, holding her hand for as long as he could. My dad really would save my mom from a burning building, give her a kidney, step in front of a bullet, or move a mountain for her. And my mom really would be Dana Reeve to his Christopher Reeve. She really would be there if he lost everything, and she'd say, "We still have each other." She'd be his rock when he was weak, his loudest cheerleader for his successes, his comic relief (about half the time without knowing it), and she'd face down demons for him. And don't we all deserve to have someone by our side who would do that for us?
It isn't just Hollywood stuff. It's real people. It's my parents. 45 years today.
When I was growing up, I thought all families were like mine. My parents were nice to each other. They talked and joked and laughed and kissed and held hands and gave my brother and me the example of what a marriage should be. I figured I'd grow up, meet a great guy, get married and have the same kind of marriage my parents had. That's how it works, right? How hard can it be?
When I got old enough to start dating, though, I found that this relationship stuff was much harder than it looked. My parents made it look so easy. And as the years went by, and I loved and lost and loved and lost, I began to wonder if perhaps my parents had set the bar too high. Perhaps, hoping to find what they had was futile, and I was setting myself up for failure to think I could find that. There were even a few times I tried to convince myself that what I had in front of me was "good enough" - it might not be some great, undying Titanic-style love, but that was just Hollywood stuff anyway, right?
But then, I'd realize that my dad really would give my mom the raft, and he really would float in the frigid water, holding her hand for as long as he could. My dad really would save my mom from a burning building, give her a kidney, step in front of a bullet, or move a mountain for her. And my mom really would be Dana Reeve to his Christopher Reeve. She really would be there if he lost everything, and she'd say, "We still have each other." She'd be his rock when he was weak, his loudest cheerleader for his successes, his comic relief (about half the time without knowing it), and she'd face down demons for him. And don't we all deserve to have someone by our side who would do that for us?
It isn't just Hollywood stuff. It's real people. It's my parents. 45 years today.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
A meme from Judy!
Okay, Judy has this meme posted on her blog, so I've put my answers below. If you don't have a blog and want to play, email me your answers!
1. When you look at yourself in the mirror, what's the first thing you think? “How does my hair look?”
2. How much cash do you have on you? $12
3. What's a word that rhymes with "TEST"? guest
4. Favorite planet? Judy said Saturn, and I think I kind of agree. It’s all those rings…
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone? My mom
6. What is your favorite ring on your phone? I have the Hawaii 5-O theme song – it’s killer!
7. What clothes are you wearing? A UT shirt with overall shorts and Birkenstock (knock-offs) sandals
8. Do you label yourself? I defy a label…or maybe I just fit a whole lot of them.
9. Name the brand of your shoes you're currently wearing right now? Bjorndal (the Birkenstock knock-offs)
10. Bright or Dark Room? Bright room! Preferably with natural light – toss open those curtains!
11. What were you doing at midnight last night? sleeping
12. What did your last text message you received say? “So do i” (and no, I’m not going to explain what that’s a response to.)
13. What's a saying that you say a lot? “Let me tell you something…” (that’s one I catch myself saying a lot, but my friends could probably tell you the sayings I don’t even realize I’m saying a lot!)
14. Who told you they loved you last? My mom
15. Last furry thing you touched? Murphy!
16. How Many Drugs Have You Done In The Past three Days? Does caffeine count?
17. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed? I have an unfinished roll in my Nikon point-and-shoot and an unfinished roll in my Canon AE-1.
18. Favorite age you have been so far? 10 was pretty good. It was exciting to be in the double-digits, and my parents took care of all of life’s necessities, and it wasn’t really a problem for me or the world that I was still single.
19. Your worst enemy? My willingness to believe a bad review no matter how many good ones oppose it.
20. What is your current desktop picture? I don’t have a desktop picture – just a blue background.
21. What was the last thing you said to someone? What time is it???? “I love you, too” (to my mom at the end of a phone conversation). It’s currently 2:28, p.m., but did this question mean to ask me when I last spoke to anyone?
22. If you had to choose between a million dollars or to be able to change a major regret, which would you choose? I’d change the regret.
23. The last song you listened to? Jive Talkin’ by the Bee Gees. (I just love that “Bob” station at FM 103.)
1. When you look at yourself in the mirror, what's the first thing you think? “How does my hair look?”
2. How much cash do you have on you? $12
3. What's a word that rhymes with "TEST"? guest
4. Favorite planet? Judy said Saturn, and I think I kind of agree. It’s all those rings…
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone? My mom
6. What is your favorite ring on your phone? I have the Hawaii 5-O theme song – it’s killer!
7. What clothes are you wearing? A UT shirt with overall shorts and Birkenstock (knock-offs) sandals
8. Do you label yourself? I defy a label…or maybe I just fit a whole lot of them.
9. Name the brand of your shoes you're currently wearing right now? Bjorndal (the Birkenstock knock-offs)
10. Bright or Dark Room? Bright room! Preferably with natural light – toss open those curtains!
11. What were you doing at midnight last night? sleeping
12. What did your last text message you received say? “So do i” (and no, I’m not going to explain what that’s a response to.)
13. What's a saying that you say a lot? “Let me tell you something…” (that’s one I catch myself saying a lot, but my friends could probably tell you the sayings I don’t even realize I’m saying a lot!)
14. Who told you they loved you last? My mom
15. Last furry thing you touched? Murphy!
16. How Many Drugs Have You Done In The Past three Days? Does caffeine count?
17. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed? I have an unfinished roll in my Nikon point-and-shoot and an unfinished roll in my Canon AE-1.
18. Favorite age you have been so far? 10 was pretty good. It was exciting to be in the double-digits, and my parents took care of all of life’s necessities, and it wasn’t really a problem for me or the world that I was still single.
19. Your worst enemy? My willingness to believe a bad review no matter how many good ones oppose it.
20. What is your current desktop picture? I don’t have a desktop picture – just a blue background.
21. What was the last thing you said to someone? What time is it???? “I love you, too” (to my mom at the end of a phone conversation). It’s currently 2:28, p.m., but did this question mean to ask me when I last spoke to anyone?
22. If you had to choose between a million dollars or to be able to change a major regret, which would you choose? I’d change the regret.
23. The last song you listened to? Jive Talkin’ by the Bee Gees. (I just love that “Bob” station at FM 103.)
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
The Marlboro Man - he died of lung cancer.
So, Mark Foley is gay (we kinda figured that out on our own) and was molested by a priest when he was 12 - but he's not blaming that for his behavior with the congressional pages. Then why are you telling us? As my friend Clint says, by this afternoon, we can expect his diclosure that he was also abducted by aliens (you know how aliens are what with their...probing, and the psychological damage that inflicts). Don't you get it, people?? Foley is a VICTIM!!! I can't even talk about this crap anymore. Let's talk about something else.
A new study says deaths from cancer are down and attributes the decline to a decrease in smoking. Yay! That's a good thing. Smoking is dirty habit. I tried it when I was younger - who didn't? We looked cool, right? But I didn't much care for smelling like The Poodle Dog Lounge, and I kept having visions of cancer growing in my lungs. I'm imaginative like that. It didn't hurt that my aunt was a smoker, and when we came home from our house, everything in our suitcases reeked, and then when she tried to quit, my cousins told us stories of what a tyrant she was. I decided addiction wasn't for me. I did date a smoker once. I also decided that wasn't for me.
We were a great match in many ways, but the smoking was a giant pain in the ass. Aside from the pointless attempts to not leave his apartment smelling like an ashtray, there was him having to go outside constantly at my apartment to smoke, or us having to get to movies extra early so he could smoke before we went in, and having to pull over and let him smoke when we'd leave my parents' house (there's a no smoking rule in my car, and he didn't want to smoke at my parents' house).The worst was when we were traveling, and on a layover at the airport, we actually had to go past all the security so we could get outside so he could smoke, only to have to go back through all the security crap to get to back into the gate area. I lost a lot of patience with that little episode. And none of that is as bad as the taste when he kissed me. Think that sounds unkind? Take an ashtray, toss in a little rancid cooking oil and bad cheese (because smokers eat, and that mixes with the tobacco residue for a nice bacteria buffet), let it get all get nice and ripe, then lick it. How was it - sexy? I don't care how much you love someone, kissing someone with toxic waste breath is a tall order, and there's no mint strong enough to completely mask the nasty.
(That's a lie, by the way. Salem never refreshed anyone's taste. His wife just didn't know because her breath was foul, too.) But to my credit, I didn't nag. I was VERY supportive when he decided to quit, but I let him come to the realization on his own that he should. He wore the patch, and it was pretty helpful, though it still wasn't a completely painless process. I wonder if he ever relapsed?
A new study says deaths from cancer are down and attributes the decline to a decrease in smoking. Yay! That's a good thing. Smoking is dirty habit. I tried it when I was younger - who didn't? We looked cool, right? But I didn't much care for smelling like The Poodle Dog Lounge, and I kept having visions of cancer growing in my lungs. I'm imaginative like that. It didn't hurt that my aunt was a smoker, and when we came home from our house, everything in our suitcases reeked, and then when she tried to quit, my cousins told us stories of what a tyrant she was. I decided addiction wasn't for me. I did date a smoker once. I also decided that wasn't for me.
We were a great match in many ways, but the smoking was a giant pain in the ass. Aside from the pointless attempts to not leave his apartment smelling like an ashtray, there was him having to go outside constantly at my apartment to smoke, or us having to get to movies extra early so he could smoke before we went in, and having to pull over and let him smoke when we'd leave my parents' house (there's a no smoking rule in my car, and he didn't want to smoke at my parents' house).The worst was when we were traveling, and on a layover at the airport, we actually had to go past all the security so we could get outside so he could smoke, only to have to go back through all the security crap to get to back into the gate area. I lost a lot of patience with that little episode. And none of that is as bad as the taste when he kissed me. Think that sounds unkind? Take an ashtray, toss in a little rancid cooking oil and bad cheese (because smokers eat, and that mixes with the tobacco residue for a nice bacteria buffet), let it get all get nice and ripe, then lick it. How was it - sexy? I don't care how much you love someone, kissing someone with toxic waste breath is a tall order, and there's no mint strong enough to completely mask the nasty.
(That's a lie, by the way. Salem never refreshed anyone's taste. His wife just didn't know because her breath was foul, too.) But to my credit, I didn't nag. I was VERY supportive when he decided to quit, but I let him come to the realization on his own that he should. He wore the patch, and it was pretty helpful, though it still wasn't a completely painless process. I wonder if he ever relapsed?
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Ozone layer is good. Ozone layer is good.
I had to go out and look for some good news before I launched into today's commentary on current events. The current events going on are just a litany of bad behavior, so I found this to help buffer the soul: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/26may_ozone.htm. Maybe there's hope yet for the Earth! Yea, good vibes. With that in place, let's talk about the scumbags in our midst.
1. Charles Roberts - the Amish school shooter. This shooting is absolutely heart-wrenching. Those poor little girls - they must have been terrified. And their families. There's just plain nothing worse than losing a child - nothing. And this is a community that's built on a foundation of non-violence. There's a reason the Amish try to stay at a distance from the modern world, and this is it. If only there could've been just a bit more distance between them and Charles Roberts. To all the sickos out there - if you want to take yourself out, be my guest. But leave children, yours or other people's, out of it.
2. Mark Foley - congressional swinger. So, this guy Foley has shown questionable interest (at best) in teenage boys for God knows how long, and no one ever did anything? I mean, the word is that this man's proclivities were common knowledge, so did they just not have proof until now? Or was it maybe that the Republicans who knew didn't want a scandal and let it go on regardless of the kids who might get hurt and the Democrats who knew wanted to wait until it would do the most political damage (say revealing it a month before elections) and let it go on regarless of the kids who might get hurt? I should think a whole lot of parents would be pretty upset about now that they sent their kids to Washington for a coveted opportunity to be part of the Congressional process only to find out that they may have been solicited by one of the congressmen and no one cared enough to stop the perv. Not okay.
And forgive me if I roll my eyes when he immediately checks himself into rehab - as if that explains/excuses everything. "Well, you see, I was drunk..." I'm sorry, pal, but alcohol doesn't turn you into a homosexual or a pedophile - not even Everclear can do that. You don't change your entire sexual proclivity just because you down too many cocktails. That's like saying if I just drank enough, I'd want to do it with Carol Channing. No, I won't, no matter how much I drink. I'll go from laughing too loud, to not being afraid to tell some guy he's hot, to dancing on a table, to throwing up, and never once will Carol Channing be on the radar. If it's not lurking in your head somewhere to begin with, alcohol ain't gonna put it in there.
3. Dustin Diamond amateur sex tape star - supposedly him in some three-way doing things that would require Lysol in a normal person's household. For pity's sake, Dustin. Did you not read my entry when your real estate/Web begging travesty began? If you don't get someone to manage your life, and at this point, I'm talking about making basic decisions - like what socks to wear - you are going to end up in a Salvation Army shelter eating free soup and drunkenly shouting, "I used to be someone!" Could your judgment be any worse? Is there ANY decision you are capable of making? I guess we'll soon be hearing that you've checked into rehab.
Don't forget, though - we may be repairing the ozone layer. Everyone just stay focused on that.
1. Charles Roberts - the Amish school shooter. This shooting is absolutely heart-wrenching. Those poor little girls - they must have been terrified. And their families. There's just plain nothing worse than losing a child - nothing. And this is a community that's built on a foundation of non-violence. There's a reason the Amish try to stay at a distance from the modern world, and this is it. If only there could've been just a bit more distance between them and Charles Roberts. To all the sickos out there - if you want to take yourself out, be my guest. But leave children, yours or other people's, out of it.
2. Mark Foley - congressional swinger. So, this guy Foley has shown questionable interest (at best) in teenage boys for God knows how long, and no one ever did anything? I mean, the word is that this man's proclivities were common knowledge, so did they just not have proof until now? Or was it maybe that the Republicans who knew didn't want a scandal and let it go on regardless of the kids who might get hurt and the Democrats who knew wanted to wait until it would do the most political damage (say revealing it a month before elections) and let it go on regarless of the kids who might get hurt? I should think a whole lot of parents would be pretty upset about now that they sent their kids to Washington for a coveted opportunity to be part of the Congressional process only to find out that they may have been solicited by one of the congressmen and no one cared enough to stop the perv. Not okay.
And forgive me if I roll my eyes when he immediately checks himself into rehab - as if that explains/excuses everything. "Well, you see, I was drunk..." I'm sorry, pal, but alcohol doesn't turn you into a homosexual or a pedophile - not even Everclear can do that. You don't change your entire sexual proclivity just because you down too many cocktails. That's like saying if I just drank enough, I'd want to do it with Carol Channing. No, I won't, no matter how much I drink. I'll go from laughing too loud, to not being afraid to tell some guy he's hot, to dancing on a table, to throwing up, and never once will Carol Channing be on the radar. If it's not lurking in your head somewhere to begin with, alcohol ain't gonna put it in there.
3. Dustin Diamond amateur sex tape star - supposedly him in some three-way doing things that would require Lysol in a normal person's household. For pity's sake, Dustin. Did you not read my entry when your real estate/Web begging travesty began? If you don't get someone to manage your life, and at this point, I'm talking about making basic decisions - like what socks to wear - you are going to end up in a Salvation Army shelter eating free soup and drunkenly shouting, "I used to be someone!" Could your judgment be any worse? Is there ANY decision you are capable of making? I guess we'll soon be hearing that you've checked into rehab.
Don't forget, though - we may be repairing the ozone layer. Everyone just stay focused on that.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Duke and Lauren, we hardly knew ye
There are many things going on in the world that I'd like to comment on, but for the moment, I'll confine myself to the TAR recap. I'll give my perspective on everything else tomorrow! Before I start though, to Angela, a big thank you for calling to make sure I didn't miss a minute of this week's episode! There was a weird start time to the show this week - I guess a football game must've run long earlier in the day. In any case, I appreciate that you thought of me! To Judy - girl, what were thinking??? Don't reveal the ending when you email me to see if I watched the episode!!! If I haven't seen the show yet (sometimes I have to tape it and watch it later), the suspense will be all ruined! How can I sit on the edge of my seat watching the penalized team all wracked with anxiety when I already know they're not the ones to get eliminated?
Okay, so this week we start by flying to Vietnam. I think the best line of the day was when the beauty queens grabbed a travel agent that TnT passed up, and TnT thought that constituted cutting (I like TnT, but I don't think that's a fair assessment - if you had first crack at her and you walked on by, she's fair game for someone else). The one T says to the other that it's okay, because that shows the girls would never win "the beauty pageant of kindness." The beauty pageant of kindness. Classic.
Other notes from this segment - Lauren and Duke didn't have enough money for the cab, and yet somehow it was all okay when they got to the airport. I think I missed something. Was the driver okay with taking less than he was owed? Also, a shout out to Lyn and Karlyn for givin' the South some love. Yes, we are a friendly and cordial people.
Once in Vietnam, the first clue was at the Hanoi Hilton. I had mixed emotions about the teams going there. It seems to be something of a museum now, so I guess tourists are encouraged, but it seems irreverent to make it part of a game. It bothered me to see people just running all around in there looking for a clue and barely registering exactly what they were seeing - not really thinking about what went on there and imagining what it must have been like for the prisoners. People were tortured and died there. It's not a theme park. I give huge props to TnT and The Brothers for stopping to show a little respect/reverence for John McCain's flight suit, even if they might lose some time. Some things are more important than money.
Road Block. Selling flowers. It would depend on who my partner is whether I'd do this one. I wouldn't mind doing it, but I have friends who do sales who could do it better and faster than I could, so it would all depend on that. Also, those bikes looked a little unwieldy. I could see me tumping over and all my merchandise ending up on the pavement. A relatively easy Road Block, though.
Vac Village. As much as that bus error hurt Sarah and Peter, think how much worse it would've been if they hadn't found out as quickly as they did that they were on the wrong bus. Best line in this segment was when the teams were trying to cross the busy street: "It's like Frogger, dude." I had a little blast back to my Atari days.
Detour: Fuel or Fowl. Like all the rest of the teams, I would've picked Fuel. Funny how it always turns out that at least one team does the other task - whether they choose it, or stumble into it like Duke and Lauren, somehow the other task gets done by at least one team. I wonder how long it took Duke and Lauren to find the birdcage task and if things would've turned out differently if they'd chosen that one - if they could've found it sooner and wasted less time looking for the coal one, and that would've been the difference.
Pit Stop in the rice paddy. I like that Erwin and Godwin won this leg! I like those guys, and they pumped up their karma with their respect at Hanoi Hilton. I thought Peter should've helped Sarah through the rice paddy. She was on all fours for pity's sake, and he just ran ahead. Hell-o! You remember your girlfriend, the amputee, right?
I think it's nice that David and Mary are making friends with people who are so outside their normal sphere. It just goes to show that just because people don't have a lot of diverse friends doesn't automatically mean it's because they don't *want* to have diverse friends - maybe there just isn't a lot of diversity where they live. Most people probably thought straight away that they'd be racists or homophobes and such because they live in Kentucky, but they've taken people as they are and liked other people based on how they play and behave. That's how it should be.
On a different note, if Mary's ankle doesn't heal up, that could be a problem. Same with Sarah's prosthetic - they'd better get that thing fixed. You need to be able to run in this game.
I was very bummed that Duke and Lauren were eliminated. I liked them. There's no one at the moment I'm actively rooting against, though I'm not crazy about the beauty queens, but there are a few teams I have no opinion of still, and I would rather have lost one of those than Duke and Lauren. I got all teary when he talked about just wanting her to be happy. What a good dad.
Okay, so this week we start by flying to Vietnam. I think the best line of the day was when the beauty queens grabbed a travel agent that TnT passed up, and TnT thought that constituted cutting (I like TnT, but I don't think that's a fair assessment - if you had first crack at her and you walked on by, she's fair game for someone else). The one T says to the other that it's okay, because that shows the girls would never win "the beauty pageant of kindness." The beauty pageant of kindness. Classic.
Other notes from this segment - Lauren and Duke didn't have enough money for the cab, and yet somehow it was all okay when they got to the airport. I think I missed something. Was the driver okay with taking less than he was owed? Also, a shout out to Lyn and Karlyn for givin' the South some love. Yes, we are a friendly and cordial people.
Once in Vietnam, the first clue was at the Hanoi Hilton. I had mixed emotions about the teams going there. It seems to be something of a museum now, so I guess tourists are encouraged, but it seems irreverent to make it part of a game. It bothered me to see people just running all around in there looking for a clue and barely registering exactly what they were seeing - not really thinking about what went on there and imagining what it must have been like for the prisoners. People were tortured and died there. It's not a theme park. I give huge props to TnT and The Brothers for stopping to show a little respect/reverence for John McCain's flight suit, even if they might lose some time. Some things are more important than money.
Road Block. Selling flowers. It would depend on who my partner is whether I'd do this one. I wouldn't mind doing it, but I have friends who do sales who could do it better and faster than I could, so it would all depend on that. Also, those bikes looked a little unwieldy. I could see me tumping over and all my merchandise ending up on the pavement. A relatively easy Road Block, though.
Vac Village. As much as that bus error hurt Sarah and Peter, think how much worse it would've been if they hadn't found out as quickly as they did that they were on the wrong bus. Best line in this segment was when the teams were trying to cross the busy street: "It's like Frogger, dude." I had a little blast back to my Atari days.
Detour: Fuel or Fowl. Like all the rest of the teams, I would've picked Fuel. Funny how it always turns out that at least one team does the other task - whether they choose it, or stumble into it like Duke and Lauren, somehow the other task gets done by at least one team. I wonder how long it took Duke and Lauren to find the birdcage task and if things would've turned out differently if they'd chosen that one - if they could've found it sooner and wasted less time looking for the coal one, and that would've been the difference.
Pit Stop in the rice paddy. I like that Erwin and Godwin won this leg! I like those guys, and they pumped up their karma with their respect at Hanoi Hilton. I thought Peter should've helped Sarah through the rice paddy. She was on all fours for pity's sake, and he just ran ahead. Hell-o! You remember your girlfriend, the amputee, right?
I think it's nice that David and Mary are making friends with people who are so outside their normal sphere. It just goes to show that just because people don't have a lot of diverse friends doesn't automatically mean it's because they don't *want* to have diverse friends - maybe there just isn't a lot of diversity where they live. Most people probably thought straight away that they'd be racists or homophobes and such because they live in Kentucky, but they've taken people as they are and liked other people based on how they play and behave. That's how it should be.
On a different note, if Mary's ankle doesn't heal up, that could be a problem. Same with Sarah's prosthetic - they'd better get that thing fixed. You need to be able to run in this game.
I was very bummed that Duke and Lauren were eliminated. I liked them. There's no one at the moment I'm actively rooting against, though I'm not crazy about the beauty queens, but there are a few teams I have no opinion of still, and I would rather have lost one of those than Duke and Lauren. I got all teary when he talked about just wanting her to be happy. What a good dad.
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