In Which I am Thankful for Dancing With the Stars

 Gratitudes:

1. My Ninja blender. It makes morning smoothies so much easier to make. And the food processor attachment makes my life so much easier.
2. Caribou Coffee's crafted press. It's cold press coffee blended with cream and sweetener (or none if you don't want). I add vanilla and yum!
3. Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) season 20. We've only watched season 19 and 20, and the talent has been awesome. Even Mountain Man has gotten into the show. 

It's been a bit of a surprise to me that Mountain Man and I can agree that a dance show is awesome. I can't get him interested in So You Think You Can Dance but the moment he learned Sadie Robertson from Duck Dynasty fame was going to be Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) last season, he willingly jumped down the dance rabbit hole. Only for DWTS mind you. I think it has something to do with the mix of 'stars' and professional dancers. And the judges. Something about the judges resonate with him. 

DWTS has it's season finale tonight and I'm worried. I love Noah Galloway and his story. I swear I cry every time I see him dance. It's beautiful and touches me deeply. That said, as much as I want him to win the mirror ball, he's not the best dancer. That would be Rumer Willis, in my opinion. I want her to win. Ryker Lynch is steep competition, and Noah may be the fan favorite due to his story. And that freestyle. Damn!

No matter who takes home the mirror ball, this is has been an amazing season. And I think Mountian Man and I will continue to watch future seasons. Now, if I could convince Mountain Man he needs to take a ballroom dance class with me...

Change is Inevitable

Gratitudes:

1. Cool autumn days and crisp autumn nights (You'll likely see this more than once)
2. Cuddle time with Velcro Dog
3. My cousin who rocks my world with her obsessive love of Doctor Who

I used to watch the really old Doctor Who episodes.  The ones from the 60s and 70s. This was when I fell in love with the francise so it was super exciting when I learned Doctor Who would have a reboot. Sadly, we don't have cable and the episodes were never aired on network TV or PBS in my area.

Then came Netflix. With the rebooted Doctor Who. There was much rejoicing! Except, I loved Christopher Eccleston and didn't know his Doctor was only going to last a season. It was a shock to the system to step into a new episode with David Tennant at the helm of the Tardis. I don't think I watched the older seasons in any specific order and I don't recall seeing the transition episodes for Doctors 1 through 8. I grew to love David Tennant's Doctor even more than Christopher's and dragged my feet when I knew we were getting close to David's reign.

I didn't think I could handle another change. And I really didn't think I could handle the good Doctor going through an existential crisis knowing his incarnation was going to die and a new incarnation would be born from the proverbial ashes. Sure, this new Doctor would have a smilar personality and would retain all of the memories and experiences of the previous 10. But he wouldn't be David Tennant! And he wouldn't be as burdened by his love for Rose. Nor would he so desperately miss Donna, the companion who lifted his spirits and didn't fall in love with him, not even a little. The companion who had the same lust for exploration as he did. All those nuances, they would be gone.

I caved this weekend after almost a year of dragging my feet and I finally transitioned to Matt Smith as The Doctor. I cried. I lamented and while I'm still not completely sure of Matt's rendition of my beloved Doctor, I am willing to continue the ride. Change happens. Change is always going to happen. I can fight it kicking and screaming and always lamenting what was in the good 'ole days. Or I can slide into it and experience something new. The good Doctor wouldn't have survived this long if it wasn't for change, now would he?

Why Nathan Fillion Rocks

It's no secret, I have a huge crush on fellow Canadian and amazing actor, Nathan Fillion. I first saw him on One Life To Live and followed his career from the get go. I adored Firefly. I loved his guest spot on Buffy. I even thought Two Guys and A Girl was cute. I cheered him on in the short lived Drive. And I was thrilled to death when ABC announced he would be staring in their new dramady. Seriously, the world is a better place because of Nathan Fillion.

One of the many reasons Nathan Fillion rocks is because of his rapport with his fans. He Tweets some of the most amusing things and even though I'm sure he would rather never be asked about Firefly ever again, he tosses in some nods to his fans. Like this week's episode of Castle. In about the 6th minute of the program, people are entering an apartment and donning those blue latex gloves to keep the crime scene safe from additional finger prints. After his gloves are donned he flashes two peace signs. But wait, those aren't really peace signs. No, he's miming a line from Firefly that any fan should know - two by two, hands of blue. Don't believe me, check out his Twitter.

Brilliant! And yet another reason why I love Nathan Fillion. If I weren't happily married I might try to hunt him down and beg to have his babies. Thankfully, I am happily married so I can save myself that embarrassing stalkerish conversation. Phew!

Nathan, as long as you keep doing that wonderful thing you do the world is a much, much better place. Of course, as a Canadian, you already know that, don't you? Yeah, Canadians are cool like that.

Supernatural Superstar

I don't have much time to watch TV, though I seem to make enough time to get sucked into some great, and some not so great shows. One show I keep missing because of time is Supernatural. One of my good friends started me on the show but it was always up against CSI and since CSI is one of the few shows my husband and I can agree on it seemed to win over Supernatural. So I got behind and missed out on some wonderful angsty demon hunter action.

Why not DVR or TIVO the show? We're one of the few people left on the planet who were still using a VCR to record TV. This ancient technology will only allow you to record one show at a time, and you can't watch a different channel while recording. Which made recording Supernatural challenging. Thankfully, we finally stepped into the 21st century and now have DVR ability.

I caught the last half of this past season and my friend loaned me her copies of seasons 1-3 on DVD. I've been in Winchester boy bliss for the last few weeks, going as far as playing parts of episodes on my work computer during my lunch break. I simply can't get enough of Sam and Dean!

This is actually helping my current WIP. You see, I didn't have a clear antagonist and have been tearing my hair out trying to figure out who or what was in direct opposition to my main character. Watching a few of the episodes in Season 1 & 2 inspired me to look at some of the other characters and their motivations to see if there is an antagonist in disguise among them. And I think I found one! Man, those Winchester boys are good! Not only can they save the world from evil, they can inspire my writing! And they aren't hard on the eyes, either. I can see a grand long-term partnership - me, Sam & Dean and my book. Does this mean I have to thank them in the credits?

A Little Rock Goes A Long Way

I'm not a huge TV fan. Well, I have my shows, but I don't die if I miss them. Except Bones. And now Castle. Hee! But back in the day when the husband and I were first married, we used to watch WWF wrestling and mock the male soap operaness of it all. The drama, OMG, the drama! My favorite wrestler was The Rock. And when Dwayne Johnson transitioned from smelling what he was cooking to acting, I went along for the ride. His movies weren't stellar, but they were amusing and he did a fairly good job of transforming himself from The Rock to Dwayne Johnson, actor. I'm actually looking forward to his contribution to Disney's Witch Mountain franchise with Race to Witch Mountain.

I was so bummed when I missed SNL on Saturday. The Rock, I mean Dwayne Johnson, is always good for some amusing entertainment and I heard his Rock Obama skit was hold-onto-your-sides hilarious. I did catch the opening monologue thanks to a friend who emailed me the following. I about died! Mr. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is very secure in his masculinity and himself, and that is so refreshing. So I give you Dwayne Johnson with his third ever opening monologue for SNL...may there be many, many more. *grin*

Dr. Horrible!

I'm not usually all fangirl. Okay, I am but not usually on this blog. It's time to change that, at least temporarily.

I lurv Joss Whedon. I think he's a genius with his storytelling and character development and world building. Buffy, Angel, Firefly - come on people! These are some of the best shows that ever hit television. Especially Firefly, in my opinion.

Well, during the writer's strike, Joss started working on a little independent project known to the world as Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. Joss strong armed Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion to play the key male roles in this little love triangle. Felicia Day plays the object of their desires. But wait...there's more.

These two men are super hero and super villain. How cool is that? And they sing! Seriously kids, they can all sing. I wasn't too sure Nathan could pull it off, having never heard his voice before, but I'm a believer now. Oh and he struts around in all his arrogant goodness. It's a sight to be hold. But as nuts as I am about Nathan, it's Neil Patrick Harris who tugs my heart strings. *sigh*

Yeah, you totally have to watch this. The first act is up now on http://drhorrible.com/. Act two airs on the 17th and act three on the 19th. They all come down on/after the 20th but are also on iTunes and there will be a DVD release with extras coming soon to somewhere near you.

I have to admit, I already bought the iTunes season pass and I will be buying the DVD. Joss, you had me at evil laugh!

SYTYCD - Lyrical Hip Hop?

Okay, so I watched this week on and off until my couple was on. Everyone on the show can dance but Chelsie and Mark move me. Sure, they are the quirkiest people ever, but they move so well together. And they let their moves tell a story. I love that about them. But then I'm big on stories. Surprise Surprise.

So, what is lyrical hip hop? Is this like a real thing? *shrugs* I don't really care. They look good, that's all I care about. *grin*



Am I the only one on the planet who had not heard this song until now? Damn! This song is perfect for my current WIP. Perfect. It sums up Mallory and her relationships so well. Another good reason to watch So You Think You Can Dance. It can lend inspiration to my writing. *grin*

I love what the judges have to say about this couple at the end of their routine, and I love learning more about what the dance was supposed to represent. Here's the longer version. It's worth watching. Even if you're sick of Bleeding Love. :)

More SYTYCD - Tango Baby!

On the June 17th episode, Chelsie and Mark really did the Argentine Tango justice. Mark was so sleezy! It was great.



And if you want the preview and what the judges thought, here's a longer clip:

Updates on my life

1. I'm exhausted. After a long weekend. Go figure. *g*

2. We put Denali's stuff (dog dish, treat canister, leash, grooming tools, etc) in a rubbermaid container yesterday. It was a very hard day. Like saying good-bye all over again.

3. I'm knitting my first real project. A little lap blanket. I'll post pictures as soon as there's enough of the blanket to make interesting pictures.

4. I like knitting, even if it makes my hands hurt a bit. I think I hold on to the yarn and needles a tad tight. *shrugs* I'll learn to unclench. *g*

5. No writing this weekend because I was sealing grout in the bathroom. I think I did something wrong. I did a test and sprayed water on the grout. In some places it beaded off like it's supposed to. In other places the grout absorbed the water. Not supposed to happen. *sighs*

6. Still waiting for the counter top/ sink we ordered three weeks ago. They said it would be done in two weeks. Yeah, right. For every day you delay, I'm going to demand money off my bill. Like that's going to make a difference.

7. Watched Firefly this weekend while grouting. I never get tired of that show. I hear that Fox is going to release a newly packaged box set with new extra features and crap. Cuz I need another copy of the show on DVD. *snort* Still, you know I'll buy it. I'm such a sucker.

8. Starting this week I get to work from home on Fridays. You have no idea how huge a deal this is. Finally, a day where I can sleep in a little and make it to work on time. And I don't have to get all dolled up for the office. I'm so excited!

Yay for Bones

Bones is back! I love this show and it's been a long, long wait for new episodes, thanks to the writer's strike. Not that I begrudge the writers for striking. They had their reasons.

Anyway, today is the first new episode of Bones for the rest of the season. I think there are 6 new episodes in total. Yay! 5 more weeks of Bones! I'm too excited for words. LOL!

I own Season 1 and Season 2 on DVD and have been watching them to help bide the time. That and Seasons 1-3 of Gilmore Girls. I have the best friends ever! They pooled resources and bought me The. Entire. Series. How cool is that?

But watching DVDs is not the same as new episodes of Bones. And right now, I need to go watch. *squee*

Just Another Manic Monday

Actually, it's not too bad for a Monday. It is snowing. And I did oversleep, but I made it to work close to on time. And for being the start of a new quarter at work, things are fairly quiet. Which pleases me to no end.

The Man has class tonight, which means I have an evening mostly to myself. I'll tape our shows (Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men) to watch when he comes home. This also means I can watch what I want, eat what I want, do what I want. At least until 9:00pm when The Man comes home.

So, while I'm working on our April budget, I'm going to watch some more of season two of Gilmore Girls. Because lucky me received the entire series on DVD for my birthday! I loved this series when it was on the air. Okay, for the most part. And it's sort of nice to have it on DVD so I can watch my favorite episodes whenever I feel like it. Not something I would have bought for myself, but thank you, and you know who you are, for thinking of me and being so generous!

I watched season one last week and remembered how much I loved the episode where the girls went to the Bangles concert. Ah, good times. Last night, it was Rory's coming out party. I'm so glad my family wasn't rich enough or prestigious enough to require a coming out for me. I'm so not that girl. LOL!

And how nice is it that for once, my Monday isn't manic? I could get used to this. *g*

Why the Fox Network Sucks

Once in a while a gifted storyteller is given the opportunity to produce his concepts on TV. Tim Minear is one of those storytellers. He had a concept for Drive and he pitched and pitched and finally Fox decided to take a chance. Only Fox didn't do the show justice and after only 4 episodes, Drive is now being pulled, with the last 2 episodes that have been filmed airing this summer some time. This is not new for the innovative Minear. Fox has not been a good dance partner for him. Stupid Fox!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the second time Fox has done this to me. And not surprisingly, both shows have Nathan Fillion and Tim Minear in common. Damn! The husband and I love this show so far. Apparently we and a few critics are the only ones.

Drive Yoinked from Fox Schedule (Updated)

I heart this show! I also heart Nathan Fillion, but he's not the central character so it's not just for him that I tune in. I love ensemble shows. I love shows that slowly reveal who the characters are and leave you wanting more. I don't mind far fetched ideas and things that step out of reality. Prison Break and Lost, anyone? What I don't like is Fox who continues to yank my favorite innovative shows. Give it a chance, people! GAH!

In my opinion, Fox is losing out. Seriously losing out. Just like they did by treating Firefly with the lack of care they did and yanking it within 3 months. There is now a cult-like following for Firefly (yes, I'm part of that cult. What can I say. Space Cowboy Dramedies are my thing. And who can not like Nathan "Mal" Fillion? I mean, really people!)

So, Nathan and Tim, if you're googling your names and come across my blog, know that you have one fan of Drive out there. I'll miss you and I hope that somewhere out there we find out if Alex Tully saves his wife and if Wendy Patrakis is able to not only finish the race but ditch her abusive mo-fo of a husband and save her baby. And if Rob and Ellie will survive their marriage after the deceit and if Rob will actually be court marshaled for deserting. I really, really want to know!

And if, by chance, you are able to take this show and move it to another network who will treat you like the genius you are, please let it not be a cable network or at least have the shows online. Some of us don't do cable. But as long as the episodes hit DVD with commentaries, I'll forgive you almost anything, Tim. Best of luck in the future! Oh, and stay away from Fox. They'll just continue to toy with your emotions. It's not healthy, Tim. Not healthy at all.