Uh-Oh

I made the mistake of watching the premier episode of American Idol season 10 tonight.   And being the reality show junkie that I am, that means that I'll likely watch the rest of this season.  The show pretty much jumped the shark last year, but this year, I just can't help but watch to see how it all plays out, and if they claw their way back.  And the new judges?  Well, I'll have to wait and see how I feel about them as well....


What (if any) reality shows do you watch?
AMW

From an episode of the Hoarders

For the last month or so, I kept expecting Matt Paxton to show up on our doorstep.  Who?  Matt Paxton is the host of the A&E's show Hoarders.  


Back in October, I showed you a "quick before and after" post of the office transformation, but in reality, it wasn't a very accurate "before" picture"  You see, since it is an office, it's been kind of a catch-all room in the house.  There were boxes and boxes of stuff from floor to ceiling.  So the before was actually an "after".  After all of the stuff was removed.  But before the room was transformed by the removal of the carpet.  


Did you follow all of that????  Me either.  


Anyway....  All of the "stuff" that came out of the office, landed in the living room.  Yep, we just moved it from one room to another.  Isn't that what everyone does?

There's a couch under there.  Really.

90% of the items in this picture came out of the office.  We were mortified when folks stopped by, and blamed it on the work that we had done to the house.


Fast forward to this upcoming weekend, where we are a stop for the annual Progressive Dinner party.  And we certainly couldn't have a house full of people over to THIS!


So, instead of just moving it to yet another room, or back into the office, we decided to take this past weekend and go through it all.  ONE.PIECE.AT.A.TIME.  Just like  Matt Paxton does on Hoarders.  There were trash bags available.  A donate box.  A sell box.  And the stuff we kept.  We bought storage bins that can be concealed, and away we went!  The only thing missing was a dumpster or a dump truck outside!


How did it end up???  Take a look:

As long as you don't enlarge these pictures, the room looks FANTASTIC!  And if by some chance you do enlarge them and see the layer of dust, then we'll just call it a protective layer.  We'll get to it this week...


Has your home ever gotten to that point that you thought maybe the mailman would call and turn you in?   No?  It's just us?  


Alrighty then....


AMW

Quotes from this week

This week while watching the TLC reality show "Police women of Dallas",  I heard two of the funniest lines I've heard in a while.

#1 - Drunk guy walking his bike and talking to it.  Being questioned by officers -
Drunk Guy "You're about to get your knees cut off."
Officer "What?"
Drunk Guy "Well, not really, but you're about to get your knees cut off."
Officer "Just my knees?"
Drunk Guy "Yep, just your knees"

#2 - Another Drunk guy - stopped for driving while intoxicated.  Being asked to take a breathalyzer.
He pretends not to understand how to blow into the machine.  Several times.  After about the 10th to 12th time of not getting it right (trying to mess up on purpose, I assume) he states, "My blow is broken."
Yep, his blow is broken.


Ah - the things we say when we've been drinking....

Hmmm...  Maybe I should get plastered and then BLOG!

TeeHee
AMW

Omaha - Day 1

This is part of the good! We flew out, had a layover in Atlanta, and got into Omaha and got our luggage about 1:00pm.

From there, we headed straight to a Diner's, Drive-Ins, and Dives location. There are 5 in Omaha, but we only managed to get to one on our trip.

We went to BrewBurgers. Of the 3 items featured on Triple-D, they were out of one. The Old Fashioned Sandwich. But we did try the Alligator Bites, and the Cheesy Sacramento. The Cheesy Sacramento is a burger that was featured on yet another Triple-D location, but it was still worth it!

Also, they had fries done many different ways. I tried the "Garlic Parmesan" fries. They are fries "tossed with freshly chopped garlic, freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh chopped parsley, salt and pepper". They were yummy, but VERY garlic-y.

D tried the "Las Vegas" fries. Those are "tossed in buffalo sauce, and topped with crumbled gorgonzola cheese".

After lunch, we found our hotel, checked in, and got settled. After a registration dinner, we headed over to Council Bluffs, IA (about 5 minutes away) to Harrah's Casino! A fun, 3 story, mostly slot, casino. Didn't win big, but had fun.....

Tomorrow - The International Quilt Museum.

AMW

Winter Olympics

Man - I have really gotten into the winter olympics this year.

I've always enjoyed the olympics, and I'll freely admit that the summer games are more to my liking, since I'm a much bigger fan of the warm weather than the cold.

But this year, I've really been bitten by the games.

Unfortunately, I still have to get up for work in the mornings, so I end up falling asleep while watching something I really wanted to watch!

Are you watching? What's your favorite thing to watch? Snowboarding? Ice Skating? Curling?

AMW

Reality Show Wrap-up

Wrapping up the shows that started in February, last week and this week have been very busy with finale shows.

Amazing Race - Wasn't disappointed that Tammy and Victor won.  I would have loved to have seen Margie and Luke win it though.  They did great!

The Bachelor - This one was finishing up in February.  Most of us were thrilled to see Jason pick Melissa, then heart-broken when he dumped her on National Television.  I have no doubt that she's getting the last laugh on....

Dancing with the Stars - Hadn't planned on watching this one, but when Melissa (of jilted Bachelor fame) was named as a last minute replacement, I was hooked.  She's done fabulously!  

Biggest Loser - I was glad that Mike and Ron didn't win the whole thing.  I wouldn't have minded if Mike had won, but Helen beat him out.  I only wish Tara could have pulled it all off in the end.  That girl was a MACHINE!

American Idol - This one ends this week with Adam and Kris in the final two.  Love Adam, but kind of rooting for the underdog on this one.

Survivor - YEAH JT!  JT played an almost flawless game.  One of the best game-players I've seen.  But Coach????  Ugh - give me a break!

Hell's Kitchen - Again - thrilled to see the underdog (Danny) win this one.  This kid has an amazing amount of potential.  Although Paula was pretty impressive too!

Celebrity Apprentice - Over the top!  Joan Rivers won.  But these celebrities are just over the top....  Except Jesse.  How in the heck did he marry Sandra Bullock??!??!

Deadliest Catch is just starting, and tonight is a new Bachelorette that I may just have to tune in and see wassup.

Not sure what will coming up for the summer, but I've got the DVR ready to go!

AMW

Reality Shows

I'm a reality show junkie.  I've said it before, and I make no pains to hide it.  Just consider it a character flaw.....

Ok - here is the list of the reality shows I am currently watching.  Too many?  Yeah, maybe.  But to each his own, right?  No, I don't plan my day around the tv.  That's what DVR is for.  I set them to record.  If I'm home, great.  If not, I'll catch up on it when I can.

Amazing Race - didn't watch the first episode when it aired, but since I was home sick and stuck on the couch, and some facebook friends were talking about it, I watched the first episode online.  Yep, now I'm hooked.

The Bachelor - this one is almost over.  Looks like a major twist is coming in two weeks.  So we'll see.

Biggest Loser - yes,  I know the results are not typical.  But it's pretty cool to watch people transform their lives.  This season has been a LOT nicer than last season.

American Idol - I think this season has started out rough.  They have made some changes that I think are not in the show's best interest.  Trying to change too many things at one could possibly be this show's downfall.  You know the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".  This show wasn't broken.  But they are trying to fix it.  We'll see how it goes...

Survivor - someone recently asked me wasn't I tired of this show?  Nope.  I can never get enough.  There is always some predictability, however they throw in just the right amount of twists without trying to change the whole thing (like Idol).  This season looks pretty promising, too.  

Hell's Kitchen - I caught the first couple of episodes, but haven't seen any more.  Not sure if I'll see the rest of the season or not.

Celebrity Apprentice - this hasn't started yet, but the celebrity line-up looks interesting enough to check it out.  Andrew Dice Clay next to Joan Rivers?  Dennis Rodman on the same team with Scott Hamilton?  And a few other colorful characters.  

I also watch Little People, Big World on TLC as well as Jon and Kate plus Eight from time to time.  Both are insights into families that are different from the norm, but living as normally as they can.   They are shows that can inspire you.  Show you that you make the best of whatever comes your way.

I'll likely forget to update, so if you want my feedback on what's going on with any of the shows above, just holler!

AMW

Hodge Podge

I've been under the weather for almost a week now.  It's frustrating, cause I really don't like to be still.   And I know that in order to get better, I have to rest.  So, I didn't leave the couch for Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.  I just knew that would knock it out.  Nope.  Had a planned day off tomorrow, but ended up taking half a day off from work yesterday, took the day off today, and figure I'll be sitting here on the couch again tomorrow too.  Frustrating.  I had planned on bowling last night, but this crud stopped me from going, because I didn't really want to spread my germs around, and because I didn't have the energy to throw a ball.  More frustrating.  

I've been spending an awful lot of time online since I've been sick, as well as watching a disgusting amount of tv.  My online time is split up between a few sites, and I've gotten hooked on a couple of live streaming videos.  What are they?  Well, there is the hummingbird babies in California.  A couple in CA had a hummingbird build a nest on a tiki light they have on their porch.  The set up a webcam, and the following is almost cult-ish.  It can be found HERE.   Another one is the doodles in New Jersey.  Two litters, one a litter of golden doodles, and one litter of labradoodles.  I'm so drooling over these puppies, it's not funny.  Don't tell my Casey, though.  She's been so good while I've been sick and hasn't left my side.  Almost literally.  But I digress.  The link to the doodles can be found HERE.   And the last one I'm hooked on is the local eagle cam.  These eagles have been in the area for a long time, and the local botanical garden has done an awesome job of following them.  They can be found HERE.  For some reason, I can't get the eagle cam up this morning.  Perhaps it's down for maintenance.  

I watched the movie Office Space.  I'm not usually a fan of what I call *slapstick comedy*, but this movie was funny!  I now get all the jokes when they talk about it at work...

I also watched Madagascar 2.  I think this movie was funnier than the first one.  The jokes are hilarious, and most of them are geared towards adults more than kids.  The kids will enjoy the animation, and be able to follow it very well.  But the adults will LOVE this movie and all of the adult humor.  And of course, the penguins are a stand-out in the film!

I've caught up on all of the DVR and all of the reality shows that I've got even a passing interest in.  Hmmm....  I think that will be a post all it's own, cause that would take up about half of this post.

An ankle update - went back to the doc on Tuesday.  We chatted about it for a bit, and the conclusion pretty much was, suck it up and deal with it.  It has improved, but that darned piece of bone still irritates me.  Not all the time.  It has it's moments.  I'll go back if it gets worse, or becomes unbearable.  

Yep, a Hodge Podge of stuff.  Sitting on the couch sucks.  Feeling bad sucks.  Not being able to enjoy a day off sucks.  I really hope I start feeling better soon!

AMW

Survivor - Gabon

YEAH!  Survivor started last night!  Looks to be a good season, if just a bit predictable.  Hopefully they'll throw some twists in.  The location is awesome!  

But really, let's talk about the important stuff.  Do these people NOT know they are going into the jungle?  Do they NOT realize that a dress is probably NOT going to benefit them much.  Or a suit?  Come-on!  Not that I would try out or even make it on the show, but I'd probably wear a pair of long hiking pants that had zip off legs (to convert to shorts), a sports bra, a t-shirt underneath a sweatshirt, and of course HIKING SHOES WITH GOOD SOCKS!  A good hat would not be a bad idea too.

And an injury requiring stitches the first night...  brilliant.  I like how a couple of folks have lied about what they do (or just left out the important stuff!).   And early alliances are forming. We all know that they will crumble about half way through (although we've seen a few last through the whole game before).

OK, and what about the tribe that has lost all three challenges, but still managed to catch fish...  Good for them!

All for now...

AMW

Random stuff

Yes - I'm in the Olympic withdrawal stage.  I absolutely enjoyed them, and spent too much time watching them, and am sad they're over.  I'm not quite as big a fan of the winter games, because I don't like the cold that much, but I'm looking forward to them too.

Now that Olympics are over, we can get on with the fall reality shows.  Biggest Loser starts soon, which is always fun, and Survivor promises to be a big hit as usual.  I may try to catch this season of Amazing Race.  I've not watched it in a while, but may see what this season holds.

Labor Day weekend is here, which means another huge event that we are planning and executing.  Always a ton of work, but always a ton of fun.  This year, looks like we might get some rain from Fay.  Figures.  Camping, picnic, rain...  It's never stopped us before!  Won't stop us now.

Haven't updated enough here.  Sorry...  

Visited the Maryland Zoo a couple of weekends ago, and also got to go to an Orioles game.  Zoo was fabulous, and had the best Penguins (oh, okay...  I'm a sucker for a cute penguin!), and also had a baby camel, and a baby elephant.  Got to feed a giraffe, which was a cool experience.  The O's game was great!  The seats are way too small for any human being, although the location was really good.  And they WON that night!  YEAH!

Lots of event planning...  More event planning, with a little event planning thrown in for good measure, and that will sum up my week.  Thank goodness for AWESOME volunteers and tons of folks sharing duties...

AMW

Reality Shows - Love 'em or Hate 'em?

I personally LOVE reality shows. I'm constantly getting sucked into a new one. And I'm unabashed about the ones that I like. Currently, I am watching The Biggest Loser, American Idol, Survivor, and Big Brother. I really, really wanted to watch Dancing with the Stars, but there were too many conflicts, and not enough space on the DVR. I also try to catch "The Ultimate Coyote Ugly" on the CMT network. And just finished watching the Celebrity Apprentice.

They are usually predictable, to a point, and you can sometimes see what's coming. I don't mind this too much as there are usually some interesting challenges on these shows. Occasionally, there are BIG surprises. This week, there were a couple....

On Biggest Loser - the two remaining women stayed above the yellow line, and the two remaining men dropped below. Kind of a shocker, as that's backwards from usually happens in this game. It's also odd that one of the women is one that I didn't expect to get very far, and certainly not to the finale. Good for her. It's exciting that there is a possibility that a woman could actually win this year, and be the FIRST female Biggest Loser.

On American Idol - One of the top guys went home this week. I certainly didn't expect to see him in the bottom three, and was even more blown away by his departure. Wow. And I thought he did excellent...

Most of these shows are nearing their end. Finales are coming up within the next few weeks. Should be interesting to see if there are any other big surprises!

AMW