Reality Check-Back in the Day....

A funny thing happened over dinner the other night, my daughter Madison said that her friend, M2 (she's a Maddy also) got a stereo for her birthday. "A stereo"? I said. Now there's a word I haven't heard in a long time, stereo! She said yeah, it's cool, it cost $600.00 (not true of course). I said what would she want a stereo for, what with ipods, downloads and portable cd's. I said, what... are you going to pick up a big stereo and take it with you? Why would she want a stereo? My daughter shrugs her shoulders and says I dunno, it's just cool. It's such a different world since when I grew up, which I constantly remind her, my mantra that she is sick of listening to, which begins with the line, back in the day....when there were no computers, blah, blah, blah.

When my daughter brings homework of vocabulary words, all she has to do is click the mouse, go to dictionary.com and type the word. Me, I had good ole Merriam Webster, wet my finger, find the indent listed with the letter, turn to the page and hunt for the word on a page that had thousands of tiny small words, which could have been braille for all I knew. Let's see: progress, progression, progressive. Now when she comes home with some algebra problem, I can always pretend I know it by looking it up on the computer and say, see I told you so!

Now my daughter programs her favorite TV shows when we are gone, her Disney Channel or Nick Jr. Back when, we only had about 7 channels and if we had to go out to dinner or something, too bad, I would miss an episode of Gilligan's Island. Back then it wasn't the episodic shows, it was just Gillian, his same old shenanigans , Ginger trying to seduce the professor, and Skipper trying to get off the island.

We had no DS for portable game playing, it was your plastic battleship or Chinese checkers, try sticking that in your purse! Where would my daughter be without my computer, to which she keeps asking me, when can I get my own computer in my own room and my own TV in my own room? Huh, huh??!! This I counter with, I never had my own TV in my own room, I didn't even have my own room. Never mind that we have 3 TV's, one being a rather large plasma in the living room which she and her friends have taken over, with my husband in the spare room and me in the den. And another thing Missy, you will not be getting your own computer, two computers in this house for 3 people are quite enough. Maybe a laptop when you reach high school, but this I secretly think will come a lot sooner than I plan or would want. My daughter is a wiz at electronics and computers which I don't quite know if that's a good thing. It's just wrong when my daughter can set my ringtones to my favorite song on my cell phone or program the vcr on the TV, when I try and fail.

My daughter is going into middle school which is a big event, leaving her elementary school days behind. Gone are the long list of supplies which at the beginning of every year cost a small fortune. Why do I have supply paper towels, handiwipes, pens, pencils, paper, glue, scissors, candy and everything else not nailed down in a classroom? I remember when all I had to take to school was a binder and a pencil, maybe a pencil box and a stylish lunch box.

Attending my daughter's middle school orientation was like entering a concrete prison. Gone are the open corridors with rows and rows of lockers. Gone are the trees, views of the street and fresh air. Replaced by cement blocked building with only one way in. No adults allowed, drop off your kid at the loading zone and say goodbye. The middle school is like a fortress and I guess in this day and age it needs to be, which is sad. Back in the day, I remember seeing the cars wiz by the school, jumping the chain linked fence of the school for lunch as we sneaked off to the local Tasty Burger.

So when my daughter said that maybe she wanted a stereo at dinner the other night, I thought, is everything old, new again? Nah.....I think not.-Single D

Ghost Hunters International - Slovenia & Slovakia

Predjama, Slovenia investigating Predjama Castle. Now it really feels international! This place is SO cool looking. It's built into the side of a mountain on top of a natural cave where people lived before building the castle. The castle sports a torture chamber which seems to be the hot spot in the castle. The usual voices and footsteps are heard throughout but mostly in the courtroom and torture chamber.

Andy & Brandy start with EVP work in the cave. Brandy asks the spirits to make a noise and they hear a noise. To be sure it wasn't coincidence, she asks again for them to make a noise and, again, they hear a noise. She asks a third time to confirm and is rewarded with yet another noise in direct response to her questions. Andy discovers the cave is full of quartz crystal which he says stores energy and information (any video?) and could be the source of the noises.

Dustin, Rob & Barry in the torture chamber get a vibration from one of the torture devices when the spirits are asked to move one of the devices.

During the review of audio tapes, voices are heard but it is not known what language is being spoken. On the full spectrum camera, Barry catches a misty object moving up behind Dustin in the torture chamber. When Barry tells Dustin what is happening, Dustin turns around and the object disappears.

Rob declares the castle haunted and the evidence is enough that the castle manager says he is quitting his job!

Now it's on to Cachtice, Slovakia and Cachtice Castle. This is the castle where Countess Elizabeth Bathory killed 650 young girls in order to bathe in their blood believing that would keep her young. I'll stick with my Olay moisturizer thank you! Reports are of apparitions of an old lady, possibly the Countess, as well as a young lady crying.

The castle is in ruins but there are tunnels under the castle which houses the room where Elizabeth killed the girls. The castle has a very interesting past but unfortunately the team doesn't find any evidence and finds the castle not haunted. Double D

Blogging Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain is a God. I think if you toss this question out into the universe, you would find a consensus. I want to be Anthony Bourdain, bear his children or at least be his traveling companion. I want to listen to his irrevent commentaries on the places and the food he eats. I want to be the words that roll off this man's tongue and drink the wine he swills. Notice how everyone calls him Anthony Bourdain, not Anthony, not Mr. Bourdain, but Anthony Bourdain? I'm not too fond of his smoking and know that probably when his breath doesn't stink with garlic and seafood, his breath smells of stale cigarettes and booze. How does he create his dialogue for his shows? Are there many takes? Does he tell his cameraman that today he is having a writer's block and needs to drink many glasses of wine and eat many cans of oysters at the local bar in Barcelona where the tin of oysters cost 156 euros. Here he and his guide are picking away at several tins of these oily shell fish nuggets which she says only improve with age and dissolves like velvet in your mouth, an experience only rivaled by eating something so expensive with a primitive wooden toothpick. Next it's on to a gathering where the locals pick what look like giant over grown green onions which are laid out lovingly on a bed of coals, quickly charred and then wrapped in newspaper to continue the cooking process and steamed for another 45 minutes. While these green stalks steam, Anthony Bourdain is drinking wine from a fat glass vial that has a long spout for easy waterfalling drinking. Good idea for not sharing germs. After several swills from this vial, pretty soon, it will be red wine on the foreheads and chard bits of green onions from the mouth. How delicious are the green onion, at first I'm thinking about as delicious as eating a head of lettuce. But leave it to the locals to show Anthony Bourdain how to strip and dip these perfectly cooked stalks into some sort of orangy dip, head back with abandon, downing down these vegan delights in a manner that makes my mouth water. Never mind that they were cooked in newspaper, I'm sure the free fall waterfall wine made everything taste that much better.-Single D

Big Brother Season 10-Renny Nominates

Three little words for Jerry: Stubborn old goat! I started out rooting for Jerry and Renny being in the generation closer to their age than the twenty somethings, but I have to say, Jerry is just as bad as the screaming shrews in the house. He can yell with the best of them and God help anyone that double crosses him (poor Dan!). Gee, who made him the moral police? Jerry, lighten up, it's just a game. And someone should tell Jerry that three's a crowd. He doesn't get the hint that Ollie and April want to be free of him. Like I said, stubborn old goat. It's curious that Jerry has aligned himself to those two? And Renny, she's really kooky, kooky dresser, kooky thinker, kooky kooky! I was glad Renny won, giving our side a real boost for the morale, but I knew when it came to make some decisions, she was going to be a wild card, you know all that kooky thinking. The first 10 minutes of the episode showed Renny as the jilted jealous lover to Keesha and Memphis, thinking that she should get rid of Memphis so she can have Keesha all to herself. Well, if looks could kill! When Renny entered her HOH room, did you ever see such a display of fake crocodile tears ever? Someone give her an Oscar! She cried for her mama, but where were the tears? I heard a lot of mama! mama! but where were the tears? One minute she's all jelly over her pictures of her mother and the next she's acting like the Godfather telling the likes of Michelle that if she spares her this week, she may need to call on a favor from her later. Michelle better be careful or she'll wake up with a horse's head in her bed!

I thought the crickets, pig ears, slop, food challenge was lame! Ok crickets might be alittle hard to swallow but slop (which everyone has eaten) and pig ears are not something that would gross you out. Michelle was in pig heaven eating those pig's ears. And what kind of pig's ears were those, baby pigs? Come on, we want gross, we want puke, we want heaving and suffering! Loser's got slop and an added bonus-lollipops! I have never seen such big lollipops! Ollie was in candy heaven and I love it how someone said can I have one and Ollie said no, those are ours! Isn't it weird that Ollie loves lollipops but is irrationally afraid of birds??? Strange and funny.

I was hoping Renny would have a sliver of rational thought for one minute and nominate Ollie and April for elimination. But noooo, instead she has to ask everyone if they would go up to be a pawn. I loved it how everyone she polled said no way, except Dan. Dan can you hear me? Grow a set!! I'm hoping the house will get rid of April. Who can put up with her and her I'm so in love with myself attitude? I read on the comments on the Big Brother blog that April let her boyfriend torture her cat that he didn't want by locking it in the garage and tying it to the wheel of his car (for 5 months! Will someone call the ASPCA!) That's just plain animal cruelty, if it's true. Apparently April didn't ditch the boyfriend, but the cat! Just goes to show what kind of person she really is. Odd that she cared more about that stuffed dog Holly than she did about her own cat! She needs to go, period! No mercy!-Single D

After Renny wins HOH, April is standing around with a big 'ol grin on her face. Jerry seems to be following April & Ollie. He just shows up like he's the moral police, there will be no making out in this house! Renny has an emotional unveiling of her HOH room as she goes crazy over pictures of her parents. Everyone plays "keep away" with April's stuffed dog.

The food challenge was a disgusting version of rock, paper, scissors. In this case it was slop, crickets, pig ears. Dan & Michelle eat crickets, Jerry almost pukes eating slop (hasn't he been eating that stuff?) and Michelle thoroughly enjoyed the pig ears. April, a vegetarian, eats pig ears for the win. The team that gets the slop also gets, courtesy of America, lollipops. Who votes in these things? Ollie was happy about the lollipops, I'm sure that's all he will eat this week.

We now know that Ollie has a HUGE fear of birds. He seemed to be living the movie "The Birds" when he sees crows in the backyard. Renny asks just about everyone if they would be a pawn for elimination up against April. Who in their right mind would volunteer to be put on the block? And what's up with that one sleeve dress? Renny, leave the one sleeve dress on the rack no one wants to see your under arm dingle dangle. No she didn't listen to reason and puts up Jerry & April. Double D

Reality Check

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=fashion

After reading the above link, I felt compelled to blog a bit on men's fashion, or lack there of. I know it's not a reality show, just a reality check.

Let's start with socks. Unless you are a Japanese man in Japan, socks should never, ever be worn with sandals! If you are wearing shorts, your socks should not extend beyond your sneakers. Which leads me to appropriate footwear with shorts, sneakers or sandals, golf shoes are acceptable but ONLY on the golf course, if you are done golfing, put on your sneakers or sandals. If you are wearing dress shoes with shorts, go change and if you are wearing knee socks with dress shoes with shorts, you are hopeless and you should just stay in the house. The below comment reminded me that white socks do not go with everything!

OK on to pants and waist lines. Pants and slacks should only be worn at the waistline. Not below your ass. If I can see the backs of your knees and you are not wearing shorts, your pants are too low! If the crotch of your pants are between your ankles, your pants are too low. If I can see your underwear (hopefully you are wearing some), your pants are too low. Parents take note, if you see your child going out of the house with pants as described above, picture that child walking into a job interview dressed as such. Like it or not, it's a reflection on you. Let's put this not so stylish style out of business!

On the flip side of too low pants we have too high pants. What is it that makes older men wear their pants up to their chests? Please don't do this, it looks stupid! Do men shrink and not buy shorter pants? If you are cinching up your pants so they don't fall down, don't! Get some suspenders. Suspenders don't have to look bad. Get some funked out neon pink suspenders or maybe a pair with cool designs on. Make them your friend. Still think suspenders are old fashioned or ugly? Take a good look at yourself in the mirror with your pants up around your neck and you be the judge!

We've discussed too low and too high pants now let's take a look at too tight pants. If you can't find your waist because your belly is hanging over, your pants are too tight. This is not an excuse to say "I'm still wearing the same size pants I wore in high school". This just tells me your IQ is probably the same size as those pants. Rednecks and cowboys seem to be the biggest offender of this and they usually wear too tight jeans. This is not a turn on guys! Oo yeah, I'm digging that big 'ol belly hanging down to your knees, come to mama! I don't think so. Cover that stuff up! Plus, that's gotta hurt! I don't think I would want to be in the same room when you take those babies off. I can hear the woosh from here!

These are serious problems going on out in the world. If I have dissuaded at least one person from appearing in public looking like any of the above, my work is done. Double D

Project Runway-Lipstick Jungle

Ok, I've been on vacation to Lake Tahoe and much to my dismay, there was no Bravo Channel there! Hey what's up with that? They had Oxygen, they had Lifetime, they had HGTV, but no Bravo! And another thing, I wish all the channels would be the same whether you're in Podunk, Iowa or New York City. ABC would be channel 13 and Sci Fi would be 45, Bravo 53. Why does it have to be different in every city? I had to watch the 600 some channels scroll around until I found the channels I wanted to watch. Anyway, thankfully, I had taped last weeks episode and got to see that cutie, Apolo Ono on the show. This week it's an outfit for Brooke Shields to wear in Lipstick Jungle. I've never seen it, but I just might have to since I love Andrew McCarthy, remember him from "Pretty in Pink"? He always seems to have that same look on his face, but I love him anyway. Designers will be working in teams of two. Brooke picks 6 of the best designs. I had to laugh when Tim announced Brooke Shields, Stella was like who? When Stella presented her design to Brooke which was a typical Stella outfit, Brooke tells Stella, yes, but I have to work in it. Stella's like, duh work? Luckily for her, Jerrell picks her to work on his team, since he is doing some leatha work, so Stella's in happy hammer heaven. Korto and Joe's outfit shouts, Sabu, where's my elephant! Or in Tim's words, giant sweet potato. Korto has that I don't care attitude, since she has immunity and it would be poor Joe's head if they're in the bottom, she bites! Blayne's knickers looks like something you would wear for boating or crabbing. What was he thinking? Must be the lack of tanning that is draining his creativity like Superman and kryptonite. Daniel and Kelli's outfit, one word slutty, slutty, slutty, oh that's three words (to quote Michael Kors). Daniel says he has taste which sends Kenley into fits of laughter. My favorite design was surprisingly Jerrell and Stella's, but Brooke didn't care for that big belted thing in the middle, don't those ladies of Sex in the City like those? And hey, what was up with Jerrell's outfit during the runway show? It looked like he stole his mammie's moo moo. You could so tell that Brooke liked Keith and Kelli's outfit. This time Keith's infamous post it notes worked because they were brown. Single D

It was team time at Project Runway to design for Brooke Shields. All they were told is that they would be designing for a successful business woman. Everyone was guessing from Oprah to Hillary Clinton. Most seemed pretty happy with Ms. Brooke.

Brooke judges the sketches and when she gets to Stella, who has made her predictable leather corset, Brooke reminds her that it has to be worn to work. Stella just looks at her like, what's the problem? The woman just doesn't get it.

Terri was hating the shirt Suede made until Tim Gunn came in and said he loved it and all of a sudden Terri loved it too! Blayne's shorts were just plain ugly and looked uncomfortable in the nether regions. I loved Jerell and Stella's dress. Kelly's dress didn't look anything like her sketch and came out, as Michael Kors said, slutty.

I liked Keith's dress, his thing for fringe worked this time. Brooke announced Keith as the winner and Jerell wasn't real happy about that, he even did a little z snap thaing with his head. Kelly and her slutty dress were auf'ed. Double D

Why You Should Never Travel With Relatives

I've been gone from my warm, safe nest now for over a week, traveling with my husband, daughter and sister-in-law. This was to be a short close to home vacation, what with the rising price of gas and airline tickets. Now I wish I had traveled to some foreign country, where the main vehicle of transportation is the camel, populated with dark swarthy men in sweaty turbans and where no one speaks English, because that is certainly where I would have dumped my sister-in-law, and for the sake of brevity, shall be known throughout this post as the Aunt from Hell or AFH. This AFH never had any responsibilities in her entire life, never had to pay rent, never had a real job, never had any bills, except maybe her Macy's, her Visa and her Tri-Care medical bills, which she promptly ignores.

As parents to our 10 year old daughter, we are older than most other parents of the same school age child. But one thing we have over them is that we do look and most certainly act 10 years younger than most. What I am trying to say here is that we are still mobile, agile and in pretty good shape. AFH on the other hand, has never exercised a day in her life, never stepped on a treadmill, (except for that one time when I made her go on the treadmill in our hotel in San Diego. I had set the speed on 2.0 mph and she nearly fell flat on her face all the while screaming I can't, I can't!). With no husband, no family of her own, her main focus in life now is food, 30 years ago it would have been scamming to get into that after concert party to meet some performing artist, altho she sometimes lapse into that groupie mentality worshipping the likes of Toby Keith and thinking of herself as 20 something.

So here we find ourselves in Lake Tahoe, with what should have been a peaceful, tranquil, rejuvenating vacation, if not for the AFH. It's probably my fault. Three years ago, I suffered traveling with AFH and got a good dose of her traveling style, disaster! Three years ago she was to catch a flight out of LAX to meet up with us in Atlanta for a joint flight to Germany. Of course, if anything could go wrong, it will with the AFH. Her flight was delayed in LAX, she missed the connection in Atlanta, got on a flight that took her to Munich by way of Barcelona through Paris. With her luggage standing still in Atlanta, what else?! I couldn't expect anything less. I guess three years ago I had much more patience, because I was three years younger, pleeze! If I were to liken AFH to an animal it would be, you know what, I can't think of an animal that would describe her, even a turtle moves faster than her. If we have to be ready to leave to go somewhere, I have to lie and tell her we need to be out an hour earlier than we need, just to leave an hour later than we're supposed to, get it? She takes forever to get ready and this just mystifies me. She wears no make-up, doesn't blow dry her hair, what could she be doing? I'm picturing maybe plucking the hairs on her legs one by one with the tweezers, (she's fond of tweezers!). And of course all that talk about her not exercising leaves the impression that she is fat, no? Well, not to burst your bubble, she is what I call, overly Rubenesque, or mildly chunky. And with that, she is also type 2 Diabetic. This of course is a disaster for her, lover of chocolate, food, and all things edible. Of course, she talks about how she watches what she eats and tries in vain to diet. Let me point out an example of how she diets. We went to Virginia City, I thought it might be a cute day trip and take our minds off killing each other. Upon approaching the city, it has only one main street, we park and then decide we need to eat lunch. AFH has only one thought in her mind, the BBQ, beef jerky store she saw on the way into town. Nevermind what we all wanted. Of course AFH couldn't remember where it was exactly, so I trudge her into the visitor center, where a kindly old lady tells us it's not a lunch cafe, but really a store. Whew, saved! We then take the kind old lady's suggestion to eat at The Palace, really good pulled pork sandwiches but don't get the Reuben-soggy! AFH orders a sandwich (plus 2 diet cokes), but pulls out all the ingredients and leaves the bread (she can't eat carbs, so why order a sandwich?) AFH continually does this the entire trip. I asked her why not just order a salad then? Later that day after eating a pound of fudge, it's out to Chinese food, where AFH wipes the sweet sauce off her Chinese sweet and sour pork! Why? I just want to scream! I just don't get it.

I know this may sound petty, but that combined with everything else, just tries my patience. Like her walking ability, or lack thereof. I think I pretty much walk the walk of the every day person, not too fast, not too slow. I can keep up with the pace of the human race. AFH on the other hand cannot walk and talk at the same time, let alone walk. When she walks and then talks, she has to stop to emphasis her conversation. Then she takes a couple of more steps, and stops, a couple more steps and stops. Can I start screaming now? We almost had a screaming knock down drag out fight in the Montbleu Casino after grazing at their buffet (which I might add is really good!). AFH screams at me that I am walking too fast! Her words, "You walk so fast you walk like a man!" If my daughter wasn't present, I would have shown her, I can also hit like a man too! I shoulda said, you walk like a 90 year old person! You should have seen her walk through the airport, you would have thought she was at a museum the way she was just sauntering!

Other annoying things the AFH does is talk incessantly to strangers, either yelling at them or cooing with them, complains about the heat if it goes over 62 degrees, hates female waitresses, long lines, rude people, flying, long car rides, and bad food, just to name a few.

I was never so happy to step off the plane in Las Vegas, in the sweltering 105 heat, kiss the hot pavement, pick up my lovable chihuahuas, knowing that the AFH was touching down in LAX and that I would be free of her until our next vacation or not!

:( Single D

Ghost Hunters International - South Africa

Kwa Zulu-Natal, South Africa and the Nottingham Road Hotel is the first investigation. The hotel dates back to 1880 and reports are mostly of a ghost named Charlotte who was a prostitute who committed suicide at the hotel. She like to rearrange flowers and fold clothes. Why can't I get a ghost like that, I could use a hand with the laundry. People have reported seeing Charlotte and children of hotel guests report seeing a pretty lady.

The team "plants" things for Charlotte to play with. In room 10 they put a vase of flowers and in room 11, they turn on the TV and a lamp after hearing that those things turn themselves off.

The TV turning off gets debunked pretty quickly as they find out there is a timer built into the remote that is easy to activate. Barry & Brandy encounter a persistent cold spot in the kitchen pantry which seems to follow them. Barry, believing the spirits have been challenged, runs to get his equipment from another room & gets high readings on his ION meter.

During the review, on audio, we hear a yes response to Barry saying it's getting creepy in here. Another voice is heard saying come back as Barry is moving away from a balcony and one other is heard saying ask me in response to Andy telling a spirit to press on his chest. Even though it doesn't seem like a lot of evidence, Rob's verdict is that the hotel is haunted.

Capetown, South Africa and the Capetown Castle is the next stop. Apparently this castle has a dungeon with a pretty nasty past and screams and crying are heard there. Also the bell in the bell tower likes to ring on it's own. The main focus of this investigation seems to be the dungeon since that is where the majority of reports come from. Barry goes to the dungeon to do EVP work and his recorder gets hit with something as he is asking the spirits questions. He asks a few more questions and gets his ear rubbed, do they do back rubs too? Rob & Dustin go to the dungeon and hear high pitched ringing noises.

The review picks up audio of a noise after Barry asks, in Afrikan, the spirits to make a noise. The audio tapes also pick up the ringing noises and the hit Barry's recorder took can also be heard. Rob doesn't think there is enough evidence to call the castle haunted. Double D

Project Runway - Olympic Fever

The designers get a field trip to New York's track & field arena where they meet cutie pie speed skater Apolo Ohno who gives them their challenge, design an outfit for the Americans to wear during the opening ceremonies. They just get to design something but it won't be for actual wear in the Bejing Olympics. Too bad, that would have been quite the prize for the winner.

Stella immediately says she wants to do something with leather and fur. Are we really surprised at this point? I guess adding the fur will mix it up a little. Blayne is busy having tanning withdrawls and Daniel decides to make a cocktail dress. A cocktail dress for the Olympics? If happy hour becomes a sport then we can talk cocktail dresses.

In the work room, Kenley & Daniel's laughing is getting on everyones nerves. Come on people, what's wrong with laughter? It makes the world a better place! Joe's skort came out really cute despite that word. Tim tells Blayne that his outfit is looking too Sargent Pepper and Blayne asks what's that? OMG! I never thought there would be people who wouldn't know the Beatles! And what was Jarell thinking using horizontal stripes? It might work in your world honey but I don't know any female in her right mind that would wear horizontal stripes, especially on her lower half. Anyway, it turned into something that Little Bo Peep would wear. Suede made a cheerleader skirt. He doesn't think it's a cheerleader skirt but look at anyones high school yearbook and you'll see it. Jennifer made another frumpy outfit complete with cardigan sweater. Where is the red, white and blue? Do these people not get the Olympics? Terri's pant suit with the blazer and red, white & blue top, except for the ruffle would have fit right in with the parade of nations.

Michael Kor's tells Daniel if drinking is your sport his dress is great (what did I tell you?). Korto wins with a very chic and simple pant suit combining a light weight leather (take note Stella) with linen. Jennifer and her frumpy skirt that we may see for sale at the Goodwill get aufed. Double D

Big Brother - Scream

My husband was reading a message made up of people who watch the 24/7 live feed and it seems that April and Ollie have been going at it like bunnies! Looks like that road got built after all. OK, that's out of the way. Dan gets his assignment, hug Jesse for at least 10 seconds. Of all people! Dan fakes missing his girlfriend complete with crocodile tears and Jesse falls for it hook, line and sinker. They hug and the clock starts ticking. I was cracking up! Even Dan looks at the camera while they are hugging and smiles. Don't you feel cheap Dan?

OMG the drama! Libra is sensing April doesn't trust her. Libra & Keesha start talking which wakes up Jesse who is on his 3rd or 4th nap of the day. He listens to all and runs straight to April and spills. April confronts Libra & Keesha, Keesha storms out, fumes then storms back in. April finally admits it was Jesse that started it then Jerry comes in to tell about Memphis making fun of the girls arguing. He tells Libra to shut up and listen (oh no he didn't) and Renny goes off on him. Renny tell Memphis about Jerry and in he goes. Everybody is going off on everybody, except Dan, he's in the living room reading. Libra & Jesse go at it for a while but all you can hear is each of them saying it's over. If it's over, shut up already! On top of everything, it's Keesha's birthday so everyone goes out to sing a half hearted Happy Birthday. They sing then it's like, cue the crickets, you could hear a pin drop. Then the yelling started again.

POV competition is a slap stick game. Who's idea was it to give hockey sticks to a bunch of people that are screaming at each other? The trick is to get your ball in the POV slot. Now, there are 8 slots on each side, not a hard thing to hit one. As the house guests are eliminated, they get prizes. The prize can be taken away by the next one eliminated. When Jesse gets eliminated he says he didn't know what he was doing up there. Let's see, hit the ball into a slot. What's not to get? He also says he is standing up for the little people. Where did that come from? What little people? Libra's prize was Sheila's leotard from last season so she gives it to Michelle in turn for Michelle's Hawaiian vacation. Michelle totally loses it. Jerry wins POV and doesn't use it.

Keesha gets Dan to say he will vote with them to oust Jesse then he tells Jerry he will vote with them to oust Memphis. Poor Dan. He appeals to America to hook him up because if he votes for Jesse he will be in trouble and if he votes for Memphis he will be in bigger trouble.

April is crediting herself for "saving" Keesha and Libra so they better vote with her. Or what April? You will talk bad about them? Ooooh watch out!

At the vote, we finally see a house divided. America chooses to evict Jesse and out he goes. While he is talking to Julie he looks like he is ready to cry and he still doesn't see his own arrogance.

The HOH competition is questions based on the previous night when America was calling at all hours which kept everyone awake. It comes down to Michelle and Libra with Michelle winning HOH. She says this is for you Jesse. Look out house guests! I expect her to put up Libra, for nothing else that she took her Hawaiian vacation, and Dan for voting out Jesse. We'll see. Double D

I Survived A Japanese Game Show - Finale

It's down to the final four. At least three of them deserve to be there. I still don't think Meaghan should have made it this far but good for her that she did. When they arrive at the studio, they find out that they are playing for themselves since every game will be an elimination.

The first game is called Making New Friends in Japan. The contestants have five tasks to complete. 1-get someone to draw a magic marker mustache on them, 2-get someone to kiss them while another takes their picture, 3-get someone to dress in a Statue of Liberty costume, 4-get a business card and 5-get 3 people to do the "wave". Nothing hard about that!

Donnell starts out by running down the street, arms outstretched yelling "does anybody speak English". He looked so desperate that even the English speaking people were saying no. They all get the mustaches then Justin finds a guy to give him a kiss. I'm sure he would have kissed him on the mouth if it meant $250,000! He gets the kiss but can't get the Liberty costume on his volunteer. Meanwhile, Donnell gets on his knees and begs people to do the wave with him and Meaghan gets business cards from two guys who really think she wants their numbers. I wonder if they're still waiting for her to call. Meaghan gets back to the studio first with Donnell right behind. Justin rounds out third leaving Bilenda to get carried off by the sayonara boys. For a reward, the final 3 get to see their loved ones. Donnell's wife and Justin's girlfriend are a bit on the large side, OK they're fat. It just surprises me because they don't look like what I pictured those two would go for. Meaghan gets to visit with her best friend. As everyone visits with their loved ones, Tony comes in with news. A night on the town maybe or perhaps a day at the spa? No, visit is over and it's time to play the next game. I think they only got about a half hour of visiting. Before they start the next game, Rome asks them what they would do with the money. Donnell says he will pay off his student loans and mortgage, Meaghan says she will help her mother (always a crowd favorite) and Justin says he will take a vacation and buy jewelry for his girlfriend. I was hoping Justin would win up until then. Not that I wouldn't take a vacation with some of the money, but tell me something I want to hear like I'll help orphans or I'll open an animal sanctuary. I don't want to hear that you are going to squander the money on jewelry for your girlfriend who already is sporting a pretty good bling collection! So now I'm cheering for Donnell because I just don't think Meaghan will do it.

The next game is called Squishy Squishy. The players wear sponge suits, soak up water, run through a maze while the opponents try to hit them with spiked balls (not real spikes) then squeeze all the water out of the suits on the other side of the maze. Sounds easier than the last game. As they don their sponge suits, which look like giant sumo wrestlers, Justin says he could pee in his and no one would know. Wouldn't that be cheating? Donnell goes first and gets through the maze twice with a good amount of water. Justin makes it through three times making Donnell nervous. Rome is really cheering for Meaghan telling her to "squeeze until you die"! They reveal the water amounts and Donnell wins the round. Rome falls to his knees in anguish when Meaghan comes in last. Sorry Rome, I don't think you are her type. Sayonara Meaghan. Donnell's wife and Justin's girlfriend join them backstage while they are still in their sponge suits. At least for a few minutes, they are all the same size!

The next day, Donnell has a teary eyed goodbye with mamason who tells him and Justin to do good and come back. They get a limo and champagne on the way to the studio. The limo makes a stop in the middle of Tokyo and Donnell & Justin are greeted by a mob of adoring fans, red carpet and a presentation from the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. I guess Majide is no small thing in Japan! Rome also gives them plane tickets to return to Tokyo. After the emotional presentations, it's off to the studio and the final showdown.

With loved ones and mamason in the audience and Rome in a tux, Donnell & Justin exchange man hugs and I love you's then all bets are off. The final game is a combination of all of the games they have played. Starting with a spinning chair (of course) they then ride a trike across a narrow wall, bust the eggs, crawl through a flour pit, climb a sticky wall, eat mocchi balls and swing on a rope to find the fake door. Once through the door, press the buzzer to win. It was pretty darn exciting. Justin takes an early lead but loses it at the sticky wall when he slides off and Donnell catches up. Donnell gets nearly to the top and loses his grip allowing Justin to pass him up. Donnell catches up at the mocchi ball eating but Justin has a bigger appetite and gets his balls down faster. Justin's luck is on and he finds the fake door on the first try and dives for his buzzer leaving him the only American Survivor of a Japanese Game Show! The guys in the booth say, in Japanese, that drinks are on Justin and even judge Bob cracks a smile. Donnell was visibly disappointed but happy for Justin as they, again, exchange man hugs. I felt bad for Donnell but Justin was the better player over all. At least Donnell gets to come back for a well earned vacation and Justin can go add to his girlfriend's jewelry collection. Sayonara! Majide! I'm really going to miss saying that! Double D

Big Brother Endurance Test

Big Brother must not had any good dish this episode since the HOH competition lasted 59 out of the 60 minutes air time. About half way into it, I was like, enough already! How much longer must I see Jesse's veins pop out of his arms? I really wanted Renny to win and show the house she's a force to be reckoned with, then again, we know her mouth is! Did ya noticed she didn't even break a sweat! The HOH competition lasted so long, I was able to clean my house, do the laundry and clip my dog's toenails before a winner was declared, did I mention dye and highlight my hair too? April makes a promise to Michelle that she won't put up Michelle and when Michelle counters with Jesse too? I think at this time both girls were so delirious with fatigue that they would have promised anything and not remember. In April's HOH room, we see that April is a twin, gawd, there's two of them?! Have you noticed how Keesha has morphed into a Renny right before our eyes? The speculation this time was who in addition to Memphis was April going to put up. Luckily our Catholic Boy got the easy task of trying to get Jesse nominated. I didn't think it so odd that Dan would go to April and lobby for Jesse to get eliminated. But I guess Dan has laid so low and quiet and for him to make a choice was like a herd of stampeding buffalo, was that why April was so perplexed? Looked like April had no conflicting dilemmas this time and nominated Memphis and much to Michelle's ire, her muscle head boyfriend, Jesse. -Single D

Did the editors take an episode off? How long can we watch people standing on a ledge. I was in disbelief when Jesse was actually crying before he dropped out. I guess those big muscles are only for show. I too was hoping Renny would hang in there but it wasn't to be and it came down to Michelle, who also was crying, and April. I was cracking up as Dan gave his motivational speeches. After some deal making, Michelle drops out leaving April HOH. I thought geeze they must have been up there all night or something with all the crying they were doing. Wrong! They were up there for 2 hours and some odd minutes. Weak as water!

April notices Keesha and Memphis talking in the sauna room and says she will put up Keesha if she thinks she's "in" with Memphis. All this in front of Renny who goes straight to Keesha with the news. Dan gets his first assignment, get Jesse on the block. He didn't fight too hard but it didn't take much and April puts up Memphis and Jesse. Double D

Jennifer the Next Design Star

It was no surprise that Jennifer was crowned the newest design star of HGTV, but what was really a surprise was the rumored non-appearance of Mikey V., whose chatter on the Internet said he was dis-invited to attend because of some role in a porn movie. Well, ok, maybe he has a past, maybe he did some not so nice things, but come on guys, you're the ones that let him on the show, at least you could have let him end the show. Jeez, what's up with these producers? The finale was pretty much a snore fest combining the crowning with a reunion show. One has to chuckle at Mike S. so in love with his sassy self, "I'm so amazing in my white wife beaters! Are you kidding me"? He's definitely a mama's boy. Now we know why Stephanie was the viewer choice designer, it was her "friends" that got her in as Scotty said! Tracee is still obnoxious as ever, as she and Mike S. proclaim their BFF forever, yeah right. In the end, it was my single vote that got Jennifer crowned. Hey what was up with her laugh? I bet her Chinese zodiac sign is the horse! Matt was the gracious loser or in this case runner up. What a nice guy! Hey isn't Cynthia Rawley too old for hot pants?-Single D --No Mikey V's porn but you can view Mikey V.'s my space page- http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=57922350

Ghost Hunters International - Wales

Denbighshire, Wales. The subject of this week's investigation is Bodelwyddan Castle. Originally built as a private residence in the 15th century, the castle was also a girl's school and used as a training center during world war 1. Reports include people seeing a blue lady, a gray lady, two children and a man who apparently doesn't like woman so he pulls their hair and clothes.

The toy room turns into a hot spot for the night. Barry & Brandy go to the toy room and have a sensation that the floor dropped a few feet below them. Later, Dustin feels 3 knocks in the floor right under his feet. Robb asks the spirits if they would knock again and they oblige. Robb then asks if the spirits want them to leave and he gets silence. When asked if they want them to stay, they hear 3 more knocks. It seems the spirits just want some company. During the knocking session, Andy, who is on the floor directly below, sees the door leading to the toy room close on its own.

Andy gets into the crawl space under the sculpture gallery and hears footsteps coming from the gallery. Brandy calls for the teams to give their locations and no one is in the gallery.

In the sculpture gallery, Andy has Brandy sit in the middle of the room to conduct an EVP session while he aims the thermal camera at her. Twice the thermal goes black around Brandy. He could still see her heat signature but everything else is black for about a second. They theorize that this could be a spirit trying to manifest thereby creating a cold spot around her.

The teams gets two EVP's, one in the toy room when Robb comments that it's a good night for an investigation we hear "yeah" and one in the gallery that was a clear "yes" complete with British accent. There was also a strange object captured on the wide spectrum camera. To me, it looked like a tiny UFO and Robb only said it appeared to be emanating light and traveling at a high rate of speed. One of the security cameras shows a pottery figure getting knocked over but the room was locked and no one was there.

After reviewing all of the evidence and personal experiences, Robb declares the castle haunted. Double D