Dancing with the Stars - April 29th

Dancing with the Stars - The Results Show
April 29th

So last night was another Dancing with the Stars Results show, and Monday night had it's share of excitement, with Christian pulling a muscle in his arm in the middle of the dance, and yet they were still safe.

So who did we say good-bye to, well, as the pictures tell, we said good-bye to Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough. It will not be the same without Derek, I loe to watch him dance, but overall, I'm okay with Shannon going home.

I have no idea who Shannon Elizabeth is, or how she got on Dancing with the Stars, but she tried and worked hard, and I think this is the downfall of just about every model type on the show, when you are tall and thin (like they want models to be) you have the tendency to look gangly when dancing, there is just not the smoothness or flow of the arms and legs as with others.
Personally, I would have been jumping for joy if Mario and Karina had went home last night, they were my vote to go, but sadly they stayed. Sorry to all of you out there that like him, but there is just somethign about him that doesn't set well, and then there is the ice princess karina, I really liked her when she danced with Mario Lopez, but since then she has developed an attitude (although I think it has always been there, but with Mario L, they were dancing so well, and he was such a great sport that it didn't show on her until the end when they announced the winner and you could tell she was pissed and Mario was like it's okay)

So another week of my guilty pleasures in watching "reality" tv. Thanks for sharing with me in my fun, and look for an update on the Brownie Camping trip soon (just give me a little more time to recover!)

Software, Digitial Cameras and More

Okay, so I am surfing and having fun and I ran across this wild site that has great information on software, camreas, phones and laptop pc.

It's great! The first article I noticed was about a boaster pack to switch Windows XP stuff to Vista. Well, now it's a great idea, and with Vista becoming the only thing you can get now, it is probably needed, but you know that I am loathe to give up my Windows XP. I like it, and I am used to it and I just don't feel like learning something new right now.

What was even better though was the next couple of posts were about digital cameras, and I am in the market for a new one. The $5 digital camera I got off Ebay last year is about to bite the dust, but then again I have gotten my moneys worth out of it so far in the past year that I have had it, but I knew when I got it that it would not be a longterm thing, as it was a model that was no longer made, but it got my going and got my feet wet in the whole digital camera realm.

So if you are surfing and you need something to look at, this is a great site to check out! Thanks!

The Bachelor: London Calling - April 28

The Bachelor: London Calling
April 28th Episode - From three to two


So although there are three roses here, we start tonight with three girls; Amanda, Chelsea and Shayne. After full day (and night) dates one girl will go home and two will remain to go with Matt to London to meet his family.

I think the meet the family should be fun to see and I am looking forward to how they like the best of the two he chose.

To be honest with you, I have been thinking all along that Matt has been making a mistake keeping Shayne. Sorry to all of you out there that like her, but she is young and although she says she is intelligent, I can't see here and we have never seen her really hold and intelligent conversation with Matt. I think she is only there because she is cute and he is attracted, but I don't think she is marriage material, at least not right now.
So this will come as no surprise, I was hoping he would send Shayne home last night, but I was surprised at who he did send home. I have visited the fan forum boards and those who sleuth out things, and I can say that I think it was a surprise to a number of people.


Last night, the beautiful Amanda, seen here on their one-on-one 50's date, was sent home. Didn't see that one coming! Alot of people had her pegged to be the final gal and I think I did too. They had a connection and I could see the same sense of humor in them and all. I realyl thought they could make a relationship work.

This leaves Chelsea and Shayne to go to London, and of the two, I really think that Chelsea is so much more like him and that they could make a good long-term relationship work, but I am not getting my hopes up. I so want to see one of these shows end in an actually marriage and a good realtionship. I guess I am just a romantic, but I want everyone to find love and have a good relationship.

So, on to next week and what it might bring when the family gets to met Shayne and Chelsea!!

Software Review Blog

So I'm wandering about the internet reading blogs, what else am I suppose to be doing, besides it's fun!

So I come across this website that offers asoftware review on different things.

I like the reviews, I think they are clean and they give you information and links to what they are talking about. Not sure where the author is from, but they are defintely not a native English speaker, because sometimes you have to read a sentence two or three times to understand what they are meaning. You know, that is ok. I don't have a problem with that part, I think that is just part of the whole internet experience, and to see what people in different areas think about different software is great too.

So, thinking about software or making money, then check out the site. I say the making money because there are also a few website reviews too, in addition to the software reviews.

Top Chef Chicago - April 23

Last night was Top Chef night, and boy did I need my Top Chef fix! It was great, in fact I even watched the re-run of it right after the original, two hours of Top Chef, what could be better? Well, blogging about it of course.

Okay, so the Quickfire Challenge is to make a dessert. Now to preface this challenge Padma even says if you have watched in the past you know that dessert has been the downfall of many a chef. So explain to me why we have people who have no idea what to do going into this? Antonia says she has never mae a dessert? Excuse me? Once you knew you were going to be on Top Chef, and espically her who said she practiced for the palette challenge, wouldn't you be learning at least one or two desserts that you could do when the challenge came? Why are you not prepared? I was floored!

To be honest though, I was surprised, all the dishes were pretty well received. Antonia, Mark and Spike (or Andrew, they are beginning to look alike to me) were in the bottom. Dale, Richard and Lisa were in the top, with Richard winning for his Bananna Scallops. I actually thought his dish looked good and I would want to try it. I liked Dale's too.

Elimination Challenge, after a trip to Second City they get a five course menu. The audience at Improv throw out a color, and feeling and a food, and that was what each course was to be. This time, they were allowed to pick their own teams, and so Richard and Dale teamed up, and I thought ok, this will be good. Those two cook alot alike and they get along well, so there can be nothing bad come out of this one, and I was right as they ended up winning for their "Green Preplexed Tofu".

Andrew and Spike teamed up and made a squash soup, which during the PI's Antonia says during the last team challenge he wanted to make soup and she said no, so if he wins with this she is going to throw up....Eat your words girl, he is a better chef than you, because he ended up in the top two, and Antonia was once again in the bottom. Andrew and Spike were "Yellow Vanilla Love" and they made a Squash soup with a Vanilla Creme Fresh. It actually looked good and the comments were all good.

Now that being said, and before I move on to the bottom two, I have to say that the comments from the judges and people eating the dinner, were once again all good. The food has stepped it up a notice, and even the bottom two were good dishes, so it came down to technicalities for the bottom two. This is awesome! i can't remember a season where the quality of the dishes were this high throughout, where all the dishes were good, no on bombed and they have to knit-pick to get to the bottom. I loved it! I am so pumped for the rest of the season!

Antonia and Lisa teamed up and were suppose to make Polish sausage but they added a little Chrizo at the end to the dish instead. Okay, wait....you were given a theme, stick to it. And at the end, judges table, shut up and listen! I wanted to just smack Lisa, but then we all know she is not my favorite. She just wouldn't listen to what they were saying. It was nuts.

Jen and Stephanie were in the bottom too, and I don't think Jen understood that she was to listen to what they had to say either, she was surprised, well. Let's just get to it, in the end they sent jen packing and you know what, I am not sorry. I would have been happy to see Jen, Lisa or Antonia either one go.

Now I just have to say about Lisa, wash your motuh out with soap girl! I am over it! Every time she opens her mouth it is f*&%ing this and f*&%ing that and I am tired of it! I know in the first episode they were all cursing, but once the nerves settled, you hardly ever hear any of them saying anything except when warranted, and then there is Lisa who adds it to every sentence whether it needs it or not. I am done with her, she is negative and doesn't listen. Proven by last week when Dale told her her negative attitude was wearing on people, and she told him to f*&% himself, that right there is an example of the negative attitude, you can't take criticism. I am more than ready to see her go home!

As to who I think might win this? It's between Dale and Richard. They are hands down the best chefs out there this season, and they can cook circles around the others, proven by the fact that no matter who Dale is paired with he ends up in the top, and although Richard had the one bad turn in the bottom with Andrew and Mark, other than that he ends up in the top all the time too. I think it will be exciting to see them continue to cook and wow us throughout.

I think Mark might be in over his head, and I am wondering if he might be going home next week, he does pretty well in the team challenges, as he works well with people, as long as he is with someone strong, he is good, but by himself or with a weak teammate he falters.

Only time will tell.....

What in the world is going on?

Okay, so a friend sent me this article in an email, and I hope the I have sourced it right, to give credit to who originally wrote it, but this is just too much for me to keep my mouth shut on anymore.

Teen Suspended In Beating Of Special Needs Student INDUSTRY (KDKA) ― School officials in Beaver County have suspended a 17-year-old student for allegedly beating a special needs student unconscious while other students recorded the attack on their cell phones. According to witnesses, the attack happened late last week on a school bus in the parking lot of Western Beaver High School. The 16-year-old victim suffered a concussion and broken teeth in the attack. Witnesses tell KDKA that the eleventh-grader attacked the 16-year-old victim for no reason – saying the assault was not provoked in any way. Though the bus driver reportedly tried to stop the attack, the witnesses say the driver was blocked. At least 8 other students recorded the beating with the cell phone cameras. Parents say they're sickened by what happened. "It was just shocking and appalling that students would videotape it and that someone would even think about hitting someone who was disabled," Linda Lamantis told KDKA. "Our kids are being taught that this is OK, it's acceptable," Lamantis added, "that it's entertainment -- it's funny. And it's not. " Police in Industry are now investigating. Investigators are also trying to determine if some students on the bus actually went as far to bet on the "fight."
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

I have no idea what the world is coming to, but I can tell you that when I was in school this never would have happened. I mean 95% of the stuff going on in the schools today didn't happen when I was in school, and if someone had tried them, they would have been marched to the principal's office for a paddling!
Yep, I grew up with paddling as a staple punishment, and no one ever tried anything like this. Somewhere along the way, we have lost the way.
Yes, before you start complaining, I know that there are people who take the paddling and spanking too far, past the edge of normal to abuse, but you know what, that has always been around, and taking punishment out of the schools has not lessened the numbers of abused children, in fact if memory serves me right, the latest numbers are on the rise.
The problem is that kids have no sense of right or wrong anymore, they are allowed to get away with too much, even if they are "punished" for something, the time-outs and taking away things just do not send the message that a good paddling did! I mean, look at the state of our schools. This is not the first case of a beating being taped, I think there have been at least four in the last week, and some ended up on YouTube. Enough is enough, what is it going to take for parents to start being parents again, stop trying to be your child's friend, and demnd respect, teach them right and wrong, and don't let them get away with this crap out of fear that you will hurt their feelings. This is ridiculous. We have taking all the parenting away from parents and the schools no longer have any power over children, and we have a nation full of disgruntled kids that have no idea what is right or wrong and do things like this for fun!
Enough! What is it going to take for enough people to get angry and stand up? I for one do not want any of my children to end up this way, and I refuse to pander to them in fear of damaging their egos.

Freelance Writing

If you haven't figured this out yet, I am going to let you in on a little secret, I love to write! I love to read as well, and being able to write is just fun for me. I have always dreamed of writing a book, or at least supporting myself with my writing, but I never knew where to go or how to start.

I started my blog in the beginning because I was trying to sell my handcrafted items, and although I still make them and sell them, they are more a relaxation for me than a business. I still love to make them and that is the reward. As my attitude and thoughts changed, so this blog changed. I started talking more about family and the kids, thinking it would be good for my brothers who are in Kansas to see the kids and what is going on, but I can't get them to read them anyway, so it became more of my journal. The more I read about blogging and writing, the more I realized that I could take any topic and write on it, it would develop my skills as a writer and I would learn more.

Recently I found some freelance writing, online writing opportunities through this website, and although I am not sure of my skills at this point, I am so excited. The idea that I could one day be writing for other people, that I could learn and practice and get better at writing to the point that one day I might even be able to get that book in the back of my mind out and into print, that is just exciting.

Why do you blog? Do you tell a story, the story of your life and your family and your day, or do you blog to share information? Do you blog for the fun of writing or is it work? I love to hear from others, and that is one thing that is big to me, comments. That is how I get better as a writer and learn, comments from others. I would love to know why you blog, why you write and what you think. Thanks for sharing!