Jul 15
Reliving My Glory Days!!
Admittedly, I've fallen out of a lot of the reality television hype and it's all due to my decision to become more active and fit. I started out gradually with walking. I walked quite a bit in my late 20s, early 30s after my kids were born and I loved it. I walk fast anyway so adding distance was the challenge and finding time between running kids around and getting my chores done while working full-time added to the challenge. I took advantage of my commute into Chicago and started getting off the train further and further from my normal stop. I am now up to 3.7 miles five days a week and feeling good.
As my endurance started to build up, I started to feel restless when I was at home. I also noticed that the more fit I became the less "tired" I was. I started waking up on my own at 4:30/5:00 a.m. most mornings. I was trying to think of what I could do on the weekend in those early morning hours other than sit and drink coffee and read. I remembered in my early 20s I loved to bike. We would go on 200 mile bike runs two weekends a month. I borrowed my daughter's bike early one Saturday morning and set out. I have to confess that my rear end was pretty sore from the seat and I wondered if my still too big caboose was going to be able to hack it. I decided it was worth a try since I had such a great time the first day. Well it took a couple of blocks for me to warm up enough to get past the initial discomfort. I only went a few miles, but they were enjoyable miles. When I brought my iPod on there was no stopping me. I eventually joined a biking group who meet up on weekends to ride new trails.
This past winter I had a few months left to get bikini ready for our trip to Hawaii so I signed up for the new gym that opened by my train station. I couldn't walk outside anymore so I thought I would give the treadmill a chance as well as use some of the free weights. I met a lot of new people with the same goals, problems and interests as me who gave me some great tips. I went to Hawaii feeling more confident than I had in years. Don't get me wrong, I still need to lose about 50-60 pounds, but I have the energy and momentum.
My most recent fitness discovery came while watching the Olympic trials. I was a swimmer from the ages of 10 to 17 and I always look forward to the summer olympics because I love watching the sport. I've been trying to talk my younger daughter into trying out for the swim team because she's such a fish so I thought watching this with her might give her that little bit of a nudge she needed to try. She finally caved in and gave me the green light. When I was calling around our area for swim clubs for her, I ran across an old coaching assistant from my glory days in the pool. He told me they have a "seniors" swim team for ages 27-70 and asked if I would be interested. WOULD I?!! You bet I would. So now I'm officially signed up for a swim team. I'm so totally stoked because I love the water and I love to swim and I'm hoping this will be the catalyst that my 42 year old butt needs to knock down this pre-menopausal wall I've hit with respect to weight loss. The good news is I'm maintaining the weight I'm at even though I not only fell off the wagon, but was dragging behind it for quite a few miles over the 4th of July weekend.
So, if you're sitting out there reminiscing about your glory days or if you're worried that you missed the boat to your glory days, I am here to tell you it's not too late! If you want any further information about adult swim clubs, bike clubs, or walking/fitness clubs, don't hesitate to ask.
Jul 10
Feeling Rebellious
So I get on-line and read that I have to post something about my thoughts, feelings, predictions, etc. for this season's Big Brother.I have read about the new cast, I've seen pics of the house and I even read the excerpt over at TV Guide about certain members of the press having to spend 12 hours there in a mock BB type way.
That being said, while I am excited about the new season starting, I refuse to fall into the trap of having to pick a winner, etc. this season. I always end up picking the worst possible player because I am a poor judge of charcter when it's based on ridiculous questionnaires and pictures. So I'm not gonna do it.
You'll get early predictions and assertions from me with my recap of Sunday's maiden voyage of BB10.
Jun 11
Reality Hosts/Hostesses
I have the privilege of recapping the opening of this season's So You Think You Can Dance and I have to say I wait with great anticipation to see what Cat Deeley will grace the stage wearing tonight. Then it dawned on me how much I look forward to seeing her wardrobe as the season progresses. I wish I could say as much for her hairstyles, but that's a whole other topic.
BEST
My all-time favorite host because he's not afraid to mix-it-up a bit with the contestants. He calls it like he sees it and isn't afraid to stir the pot. His wardrobe is a little one-dimensional but he is, after all, in the hot sticky jungle. I do look forward to what crazy hat he's decided to don on any given season.
I don't know how many nights I've fantasized about hitting the finish line and getting some "brow" from this man. *sigh* He is one of the more down-to-earth hosts there is and can calm down even the most over-the-top contestants. He also has the ability to get a good sound-byte out of an exhausted team at the end of a really long leg.
Oh to watch this German wonder "auf" people from the runway is almost as titillating as some of her commentary towards the more bizarre or ugly ensembles to grace the same runway. She also has no problem standing up to legends such as Michael Kohrs and Nina Garcia.
Tom Bergeron is the only half of this duo that I find truly dynamic. I've always enjoyed his running commentary on Funniest Home Videos, but when his hosting gig for this very entertaining show started years ago my thought then was this show would not have worked without him. Guess what? I still feel the exact same way. Nobody is quicker with a classy one-liner than Mr. Bergeron.
An odd entry you may feel, however, Alison won me over as a sympathetic, yet feet firmly planted in the ground hostess of this hugely watched show. Unlike Caroline Rhea, Alison not only works out with the contestants, but she seems to actually know them. Last season when Jillian Michaels lost it just before a weigh-in, Alison barely blinked an eye and continued on with her line of questioning to send home her point.
I think the photo speaks for itself. She's not afraid to be just as goofy as her contestants are and she clearly falls in love with each and every one of the finalists each season. LOVE HER!
WORST
I think his hosting skills have a tendancy to lean a little too far toward the smarmy. I could care less what his sexual preferences are and I get the "last word" game he likes to play with Cowell, but jeeze does it always have to go "there"?
I love this show. I really do, however, since about Season 2 our hostess has gotten a little too big for this gig and gets caught up in a lot of hypocritical situations. Not only that, but she keeps one girl one week and dismisses another girl the next week for the same thing. It's almost like she thinks we're idiots.
I don't know if anybody caught Your Mama Don't Dance a couple months ago when it aired, but Ian was the worst host EVER! Just catch the first five minutes of any repeat and you'll get it.
Jun 04
"Deserve"
Urban Dictionary.com: to be worthy of, esteem or something of value /
Dictionary.com: 1. to merit, be qualified for, or have a claim to (reward, assistance, punishment, etc.) because of actions, qualities, or situation: to deserve exile; to deserve charity; a theory that deserves consideration.
–verb (used without object) 2. to be worthy of, qualified for, or have a claim to reward, punishment, recompense,
Most of our ARTists are well aware of my disdain for this word, especially in reference to reality contestants. Why is one person more deserving of a prize over another? Why is bad behavior rewarded with a prize by the public when somebody who played a game safely and with some integrity or moral value still intact isn't because they weren't as entertaining?
This is a widely-argued point in not only our humble site, but many, many others. In fact, it's what brings people to the boards in the first place. I remember back in the days of the original Paradise Hotel, I was so incensed by something one of the contestants did or said that I just had to scream about it. Unfortunately, I was the only person I knew that actually watched the show.
I also found another reality show that was "award winning" that I latched on to as well. The Amazing Race. I don't quite remember what season it was, but it had me riveted and it gave me a bit of credability with the teenager. That and the fact that I refused to watch The Real World. I am proud to say that I have yet to see one season of the show that started all the reality madness.This show too brought up the great "deserve" debate. Why is one team of racers less deserving because they whined, bitched and berated each other around the world? There is no rule that says you have to get their with class. I think getting through any amount of that race and remaining alive is deserving enough of a million dollar prize. That's because I don't travel well with others.
On the boards, there were plenty of people who agreed with me and even more who did not. If you've known me for 30 seconds and had to write something down about me, you would more than likely say "loves to argue".
So I guess what I'm trying to make is if you see me rant on the subject of "deserving" contestants, please don't shy away, jump on in. I'm always looking forward to somebody elses point of view on the subject.
10:56 AM Dec 1