My shows - all of them - ended before graduation, on the 25th of May. Since then, the evenings are so pleasant. There is no rushing to get the kids out of the living room so that I can indulge in sounds of screaming fog-monsters (as in: Lost) or so that I can revel in naked bodies and discussions of syphilis with smatterings of medical emergencies (Grey's Anatomy), or so that I can torture myself with high-tension 'what-ifs' of terrorism (24). I also no longer have to hurry the kids along with homework and chores while dangling the threat of "No American Idol" over their heads.

It's like ... I've been born again ... or something. I'm very happy.

I've taken on no summer shows, and I will not (what am I, suicidal?)

Yet, I don't think I'll be able to stay away come fall (unless Future Firm locks me within the bowels of the building every evening of the week, and I have no choice). I am willing, however, to pick up my shows either on iTunes, or (imagine?) to get Tivo, and see all shows when it's convenient (I may as well buy the DVDs when they're released in 5 years).

All I know for sure, is I like the quiet. I like the change of focus.

Labels: 24, American Idol, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, television

posted by Zuska @ 10:07 PM 3 comments

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

American Idol is Over

I drove up to my house at 8:35, so I missed the first bit of the finale. From what I saw for the last hour and 30 minutes -- I don't care.

I hate that they dressed the "African Children's Choir" in leopard print. I thought it was tasteless and crass and lousy.

I loved the Green Day boy. He always strikes me as a little "off." In a way I like.

Everything else was dumb.

Especially the Bush Baby issue being prolonged. I mean, let it GO already - it was one of the nastiest treatments of a person I've ever seen on television, and they brought it back up, and then they KEPT talking about it, and then they KEPT talking about it, and they shouldn't have. At all.

So, uh, yeah. Next year it will be Carrie and Kelly and Katherine and Ruben and Taylor and JORDIN. Woo hoo. Another person to sing a part of a poorly done montage. I have no hopes that Jordin will release interesting music. I'll keep my eyes peeled for Blake, and I'm curious as to what, exactly, Melinda will do {hello, church music much?}, perhaps even LaKisha.

OH WAIT!!!

Beloved said he heard that Sanjaya was signed by Fox to do a reality show! I can't find anything too official about it, but there is this. God, that boy just needs to go hide in a cardboard box.

And now, for something completely different.

Are the Losties saved? Holy crap, that little Jack-forward-flash was kinda weird. I missed the first hour of the show, so I'm excited to go back and re-watch on iTunes tomorrow ... but is next year being filmed, like, in the real world? This is my prediction: They all get rescued, go home. Then Jack snaps out of this alcoholic tupor and starts gathering the key players to go BACK to the island for whatever unfinished business is brewing, and at least 1/2 the season is him running around trying to collect his peoples, then the other 1/2 either getting to, or getting reacclimated to, the island.

Either way, I found that to be a satisfying ending.

And with that, my darlings, especially you, Housewife, my television blogging has come to an end. All season finales (24, Grey's Anatomy, Lost and American Idol) have happened, and I am going to do my best to watch ZERO television until I have Tivo or a Tivo-like device, on about October. Or so.

Labels: American Idol, television

posted by Zuska @ 11:28 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

American Idol - My Old Faves

Tonight it's Blake and Lakisha. I thought they both did a great job.
I also have reason to believe that Phil Stacey has the Religious Right calling in droves, and that he's the new Sanjaya, and that it leaves a pretty scary question open as to which TWO people will go home this week. If Phil isn't going home, then someone else who doesn't deserve to go home will. Someone other than Chris, who's pooey. I wish Melinda would go home. I'm sick of her knocking it out of the park every single night. I mean, jeez. Just sign a damned contract already, and GO AWAY!!

I will vote. For those two - Blake and Lakisha.

It was fun that Bon Jovi was the dude of the night. I did, after all, grow up with that guy's music. I thought that Blake's performance worked, because he kept the chorus intact. I think if he messed with that, he would have had more enemies than friends.

But I want to be his friend.

E loved his hair dyed black. Which is funny.

Labels: American Idol, television

posted by Zuska @ 9:14 PM 3 comments

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Blake's Gone, and It's All My Fault

just kidding!!! When I say Blake, I mean Sanjaya. Unless I'm saying I like him, then I mean Blake. Huh? See below.

As of right now, Lakisha, Sanjaya and Blake are on the stage. If Blake is going home, I swear, I may cry. And, it will be my fault. And I promised Beloved that I would title my post as such. It would be my fault b/c I didn't vote for him last night, even though I knew his performance was a little weak, and he needed help, but yet, I went to bed, and didn't vote.

If Lakisha goes home, I honestly don't care. She made it far, and I hope she gets a career out of this. She deserves it.

If Sanjaya goes home, I may yell --- like I did last week when Haley went bye-bye -- with happiness and elation. I mean, seriously, this ridiculousness needs to END.

I am really kind of nervous. Which is silly. I mean, come on, this is American Idol, a show that I was too good to watch for 5 whole years.

I wish I were strong enough to say that if Blake is gone tonight, I'm done.

But I am not that strong. I am no longer too good for American Idol.

Update: I did yell when they said Blake was safe -- Thank God. And then, when they told Sanjaya that he was going home - I REALLY YELLED!!!!!

Labels: American Idol, television

posted by Zuska @ 9:39 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

The Lonely American Idol Rundown

The girls are gone ... and therefore, so is some of the fun of American Idol.

I thought Phil Stacey was bland. I thought his shirt was too tight, and he looked icky.

Jordin rocks. I hope she wins. Or at least ends up in the top 2, with Blake.

Sanjaya, in my opinion, is stronger now than he was at the start of the top 20. I didn't think he was as horrendous as Simon thought he was. I don't think he comes close to the same caliber as Jordin or Melinda, or Lakisha or Blake, and I'm mad at him for taking up the top spot. He doesn't deserve it at all - even with the bandana.

Lakisha was fine, and I still think she's a top talent. I liked the song she did for her (even though she said the word "jesus" 4,000 times). I am just not on with the judges tonight.

Chris sounded like crap, I don't like his singing-style, and I didn't think country worked for him. I found it funny that he argued with Simon over the nasal-sounding quality of his voice. I guess I kind of thought they were all beyond that now. I also CRACKED UP when he gave a shout-out to Virginia Tech, and the camera focused on Simon rolling his eyes.

Thank you to Simon for telling Melinda to lose the surprise-look. At this point, it just seems like a put on. It's annoying. I hope she takes his advice further than tonight. She was good. I still want her to go home. I loved her hair tonight - her hair and face were prettier than I've ever seen them (especially once she lost that fake surprise look), but I didn't like her clothes at all. [go home, melinda; go home, melinda; go home, melinda]

Blake, in my opinion, sounded far from his best tonight. I may have to actually pick up the phone tonight, just to try and help him through this week. I'm writing this before the judges' feedback. They'll probably say he was great, since I think he's not-so-hot. He's not "on" - but I love his moves and his clothes, and I would seek him out after hearing him on the radio. He's the only one I say that about. Ever. [And I was right - the judges liked him. Except Simon, who seemed to slightly agree with me.]

My go home this week: Chris. Second choice to go home - Phil. I wish that either Sanjaya or Melinda would go home - but I know they won't. I mean, Melinda wouldn't go home - she would go straight into some studio where she would make records and do well. Which is why I want her off the show. I question whether it's appropriate to allow a professional singer - backup or no - to take part in the contest. Paula says that Melinda is their "resident professional" as a compliment ... but it's true. She's already made it with her singing more than most do. She has an edge over them, and I think it makes the contest slightly inconsequential.

My top 2 faves - same for the past few weeks - Blake and Jordin.

p.s. I so did not miss Haley tonight - for a minute there, I couldn't even remember who got voted off last week!

Labels: American Idol, television

posted by Zuska @ 8:51 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Justice on American Idol!!

My kids weren't happy, but I felt that, for once, the person who went home was the one who most deserved it. Haley sucks. Really. She can't sing, and last night, even those beauteous legs showed cellulite. So why keep her? Clearly - we don't!

I want Blake to win.

My kids now know who J.Lo is. My J was looking at her incredulously as she sang and danced and had her dress billowing around her tights-clad legs.

If they said who would be there next week, I missed it.

I'm just pleased. I cheered when they said Haley was going home.

Next week it should be Phil (or Sanjaya, but isn't that just a waste of finger-energy to type?)

Labels: American Idol, television

posted by Zuska @ 11:31 PM 2 comments

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

American Idol Run Down -- bye bye Lakisha?

I don't think Lakisha should be the one to go tonight --- but some buzz about the internet does. The girls think Phil should go home. I'm fine with that.

I was getting sick of voting, and was going to abstain this week, but Beloved (??!!??) convinced me that if I stop voting, and people like me (i.e., not a crazed fan) stop voting, then Sanjaya or some other icky-head-poo-face will win.

Although Sanjaya wasn't bad tonight. He picked a song that worked, I think, for his boring, passionless, flat, immature self.

Blake remains my fave, and since I had Gina wrenched from my loving grasp last week, Jordin takes her place.

The girls both want our votes to go to Blake, and Beloved is with me on Jordin. I think she's so pretty - I just love her smile. She also ditched the Disney Princess persona, and I'm much happier with her since then. Was the first week I was sold on her the week she did Gwen? Perhaps.

I'm done wishing Sanjaya would go home (especially since this was potentially one of his strongest weeks), but I'll agree with the girls on Phil, and I'll say Haley should also go. Her legs didn't even look as good this week. What the hell is up with the banded shorts? They were riding up and showing that even she has patches of fat on her upper thighs. I also think the camera (wo)men are sick of her stripping for her weekly performances, because I think they zoomed in on some cellulite a few times.

Ha!

Labels: American Idol, television

posted by Zuska @ 9:19 PM 1 comments

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Enjoy the Silence

Usually when I have time "off" I blog prolifically. Not this weekend. I think it's because I'm reading novels. What am I going to do? Blog about how Sara is a selfish bitch who ignores two of her children because she's so absorbed with the illness of her third, which somehow ends up being self-absorption, rather than the selfless type she fancies herself obsessed with? Yeah, I didn't think you cared about that. The book had me sobbing at the end -- even though it's my second reading of it!! The first was when it first came out, in 2004. We're reading it for bookgroup this month, and I meant to just "skim" to remind myself, but ended up reabsorbed into the story. Now I'm reading another novel - Life As We Knew It - it's another Young Adult book which Beloved devoured for work purposes, and highly recommended, knowing my love of "end of the world" stories.

Our Sunday morning includes Beloved and I watching Meet the Press while the girls whine and roll their eyes. One Sunday, after our show, Beloved (the cartoon fan) went to the Disney Channel to find out what was on. It was this ADORABLE show called Charlie and Lola. We were all intrigued by it, because it is clearly illustrated/created by the same person who wrote some books J enjoys. Once we stopped on it, we had to stay, because they talk with these adorable British accents, and they're very sweet.

This is how I saw the show: A little clever, spunky girl named Lola, approx age 4, and her much older sister, Charlie, who takes care of her seemingly all of the time and without parents, and is exceedingly patient, loving, and engaged with her little sister. Older sister is a little bit of a tomboy, and I found it cool how even her friend, Maeve, was so wonderful with little Lola and her friends.

Then, one day, i said, "Charlie is such a great big sister!" and everyone in the room looked at me like I was NUTSO. Nutso. What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Mom, Charlie is a boy.

Zuska, his name is Charlie.
Mom, he's her brother.

But... they have the same hair. And Charlie could just be Charlotte, you know, a tomboyish nickname for a girly-girl name. Because, well, she's just so kind, and patient.

Beloved was a wee affronted at that -- what? brothers can't be kind and decent to their little sisters?

Well, I've never seen it. Really.

I guess things are different in Great Britain. Brothers are kinder. And so are their friends ....uh, Marv.

I wasn't so quick to agree, but in the very next episode, Charlie and Lola pretended to switch places, and instead of Charlie saying, "I have a little sister named Lola, she's very small and very funny," (the opening line of the show) Lola said, "I have a little brother named Charlie, he's very small and very funny."

I was forced to agree. It took a while for me to adjust my view of the show. I'm okay with Charlie being a boy, now, though.

Lola is super-freaking cute, and it's fun to have this weekly throw back to the old days - watching Arthur and Sesame Street and other shows meant for little kids. Plus, the really fun British accent makes it even better.

Labels: books, television, weekends

posted by Zuska @ 11:29 AM 3 comments

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

American Idol Results - buh bye Stephanie!!

I am not surprised or unhappy that Stephanie left. I think that it was clear on an objective basis that she was talented, but she didn't really add anything to the diversity and style of the group (sort of what I think Melinda is starting to suffer from).

I would have rather seen Phil Stacey go ... but Liberty-Boy likely has part of the Born-Again vote.

[said as violent shudders course through my body]

Labels: television

posted by Zuska @ 10:06 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Votes!!! American Idol

I had to send J to bed before Idol was over tonight - tomorrow is her first ever standardized testing, and we need to be sure she rests. She needs more sleep than her sis, and so -- at 9:30, I cried uncle on her behalf.

But not before she registered her vote. And, the family votes go to:

1) J's future boy toy - Blake
2) Beloved's fave of the night (taking into account that he was the slowest at registering his vote, and Gina was already taken) - Jordin
3) My "I really want her in this thing" vote - Gina (even though I think she did a huge disservice to a great song).
4) E's fave (who I likely would have voted for if she didn't claim him first, knowing Beloved would have gone for Gina) - Chris Sligh.

Blake
Jordin
Gina
Chris Sligh.

Yes, I'm voting for Chris Sligh despite my post of last week. I will not be a bigot. How can I complain about bigots if I am one of them? Eh? He was good. I like him. So there.

Blake ROCKS. I loved his choice, I loved what he did with it, I loved what he wore, I loved his moves, and I love his persona. He is the one I want to win.

Or Gina. But I think Blake is better.

I think I want Melinda to be voted off. She's too good, and I'm bored of them saying she's "in a league of her own." She is great - her voice is amazing. But --- it's more fun wondering if someone's gonna screw up. We know she isn't. It gets a wee boring.

This is my first week NOT voting for LaKesha. I cannot and will not vote for Bond song. No freaking way. I said to Beloved toward the end of her song, "this sounds like a Bond song." He said, "it IS a Bond song!!" Eww! No! I will not.

Sanjaya? It was his best that I've seen.

Also, Haley has some freaking AMAZING legs. Even during the recap, I went on and on about how great her legs were. And I'm a straight woman. Those things were works of art, in my opinion. My kids laughed when Simon said that her voice was NOT the thing that people would be talking about tomorrow - they said, "no, her LEGS will be!" because of my going on and on about her legs.

I hope Phil Stacey goes bye-bye this time. He was in the bottom 3 last week, he's a poo-head, and he really wasn't all that tonight. And when Simon said as much, he looked like he was going to cry.

And, I'm fairly certain he gets his eyebrows done, and while that may be borderline tolerable from a girl -- I don't like that in a boy. AND!! He can't get away with pulling a Steven Tyler - he has NO HAIR!! Put the freaking microphone down, use a hand-held, do something - but you can't be bald and be a big hair rocker-boy. Hair is required.

Thank you, Amercan Idol, for killing 2 hours of my evening.

Labels: American Idol, television

posted by Zuska @ 10:08 PM 2 comments

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Religious Right America's "American" Idol

Yet another post about American Idol --- [see my update re: Chris Sligh's exit interview here.]

Has anyone heard about votefortheworst.com? Some say it's the reason Brandon went home last night instead of Sunjaya.

Well, I'm about to start my own version ... voteforthenonchristians.com. Or, perhaps, dontletthebornagainsttakeoveridol.com. Or something.

I have made it quite public on this blog that I attended an extremely conservative university (None other than Jerry Falwell's Liberty University) and that I had been a sort-of member of the religious right, and that I had at least identified myself as a "born again Christian" when I was younger.

I have also made it quite clear that once I left the cult (i mean, community), I was able to see just how much hate, judgment and closed-mindedness had been put upon me. In a 3 year period, I went from looking for the 'balance' of religion and secularism that was right for me, to becoming an outright UNbeliever. I could not stomach teaching my children the "lessons" of the bible, and I could not tolerate -- even in the most watered down of congregations -- the conversations about sin and hell and being "godly" (you know, refusing to befriend homosexuals, teaching your children that their body parts are evil and sinful, lobbying your politicians to ensure that abortion and stem cell research and gay marriage are banned .... stuff like that).

Wait, isn't this a post about American Idol?
Yes, it is.

I have really liked Chris Sligh from the start. I like his sense of humor, I like his voice, I like his style. Perhaps I once or twice though, "oh, he's married? he seems young." I also remember during the early weeks of the boy and girl nights that he sang one song that I didn't recognize. What the heck is that song? I asked Beloved, "do you know this song?" He said no. I don't remember for certain, but I think the judges said they didn't know it either.

I found out why I don't know it.

It's by DC Talk.

Who the hell is that, some may wonder?

DC Talk is a band that is considered "crossover Christian" and whose members graduated from Liberty University a few years before I did.

How did I discover that?

Last night, after I posted about the results (and the bye-bye to Brandon despite Sunjaya's suckiness), my hits spiked, as is typical whenever I blog about television (which I find funny). I clicked through from Sitemeter to one of the blogger search results pages, and saw that the first result on the page was a post titled 'Christians on American Idol." According to this post, Melinda, Chris Sligh, and Jordin are all "born again Christians." Chris Sligh is even a "worship leader" at his church.

And now, while researching this post, I found out that Phil Stacey is currently getting a master's degree from Liberty. Yeah, my alma mater.

What the hell? What is going on?

One of the linked sites claim that these Christian idol folks are hoping to win so they can "spread the word" from a national stage.

Oh, joy and rapture.

I was thinking I would stop voting for Chris. Just because my bitterness about the stupid religious nonsense makes it so that I don't want a born-again winning American Idol. What if he does as some of these bloggers hope, and takes his recording contract, and records love songs to Jesus with it? Ick. (although it looks like he's already done that.)

But then I went and checked out some info on his band, and I didn't see them as overtly proselytizing. Really, I do have a bias against born again Christianity, and I have a hard time preventing it from leaking into my opinion of born-again Christians as people. But the people aren't really where my problem lies - my problem lies with the judgment and the proselytizing and the idea that everyone's going to Hell because they don't hate as many people as they do.

I'm not sure, though. Because then I find things like this blog (read the comments for the real fun), and I get worried all over again.

Update: I found Chris Sligh's blog, and although things written by him don't ever claim this, the comments make clear that he went to Bob Jones University(which caught its biggest heat for its rules against inter-racial dating - which I think they stopped while I was at Liberty, but I'm not sure, and don't care to look it up right now), AND Pensacola Christian College. They both make Liberty University seem like it's advocating orgies, with how strict and .... extreme they are.

Labels: religion, television

posted by Zuska @ 12:52 PM 13 comments

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

American Idol -- Tone Deaf America

I have learned, through my kids' recent music education, is that I am tone deaf. When E and I went to her cello interview with a new teacher, he played some tunes (tones?) and asked E which sounded "better." She had an immediate answer, and I was lost. "huh? they're the SAME!!"

When we watch American Idol, Beloved often says, "ooh, that's flat" and then the judges say, "oh, that was "pitchy"!" And I'm like, "huh. I thought it sounded good." Or whatever.

But Sunjaya, that boy? The one who keeps staying on American Idol? I think he sucks. I think he's boring, and that he has no passion and that he's dull and that his hair is silly. The lack of tuning in my ear is inapplicable to the situation. You do not need to be "in tune" to know that the boy can't sing, he can't dance, and he is just generally a pooey contender.

yet .... he keeps NOT losing. Why? I do not understand.

Last night, Brandon was a huge disappointment. Really. he's done better, he IS better, and he wasn't so good. I didn't vote for him.

But he was BY FAR not worse than Sunjaya.

No one is worse than Sunjaya.

Antonella could have stayed on the damned show, and STILL, no one would be worse than Sunjaya.

Haley is still there .... yet no one is worse than Sunjaya.

Ick.

Labels: television

posted by Zuska @ 11:10 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

American Idol - the family rundown

If you care not for a story about disciplining a 10 year old, and only want my family's thoughts on American Eyeball (as we tend to call it around here, in the Home of Changing Names), scroll down to below the line.

This year is the first time we're watching American Idol, as I think I've mentioned before. It is also the first time I've ever allowed the girls to watch television during the week.

However.

E has not been having the easiest time getting/staying organized in school this year. She forgets things a lot, and loses track of assignments occasionally. I have been doing my best to remind her consistently - and to walk her through the thinking process when I pick her up from school. When that was still proving to be inadequate, I pulled out the threats.

Last Thursday I told her that she had to think through whether she had all her stuff. She had forgotten something on Wednesday, but saved herself by calling a "homework buddy" - on Thursday, however, I told her, while standing in the school, that she had to think very carefully through her assignments, and be *certain* that she had everything she needed.

She thought for about 2 milliseconds, and said, "I definitely have everything." I said to her, "E, you better be sure, because if we get home, and you do not have something you need, there will be no television tonight -- and calling someone will not save you. I want you to have everything you need." She said, "Mom, I do."

We went home. She "did her homework." We watched American Idol. It ended. She and her sister goofed off in their room for about 30 minutes. At 9:30, I went into her room and saw her writing something - "what are you doing?" She tells me she had left an assignment at after-school care - she forgot to pack it up in her bag.

I was pissed off. I had been very clear with her - I walked her through the situation, and she assured me. Not only that, but she didn't mention that she didn't have the sheet until after the show was over. Which I believed was on purpose.

It gets worse.

After I bitched at her for a minute, I went to do the dishes, and I thought about the situation -- if she left this paper at her after-school program, I would have found it in her box. They always clear the tables after homework time (early in the afternoon), and put the kids' homework in their boxes. I had definitely checked her box that day, and I remembered, because there was some weird home-made slime in it (in a cup), and I was a little perplexed by it. There were no papers.

So I went in and accused her of lying (which she is a) horrible at, and b) not prone to do) - that she hadn't done the homework at all. When I explained my reasoning, she seemed stunned, but went to her notebook and leafed through the pages, and FOUND the assignment.

The assignment had been to write 5 sentences with prepositional phrases and underline the prepositional phrases.

Her piece of paper (regular lined notebook paper)?

It had numbers 1 to 5 written down, and 3 sentences had been written in #s 1-3. The first one was all crossed out, and messy as HELL. The other 2 had highlighter on parts of them and also looked like crap. Numbers 4 and 5 were utterly blank. The entire thing was a MESS. So while I was glad to see she hadn't lied (or did she? she had said she did the homework - this was not done at all), I was very upset at what a piece of crap the work was.

Betraying my own lack of attention-paying in school (but trying to disguise it in some weird form of the Socratic method), I said, "E, what is a prepositional phrase?" She started to cry, "I don't know! That's why I didn't finish, I was confused!" As if it made everything all better. Ha! Those crying games do not work with me! I then shifted the lecture to a new theme: why it's important to pay attention in class, and not write notes and talk to friends and pick your nose.

I made her look it up on the internet, and then I made her re-do the homework.

And then I told her -- No American Idol on Tuesday (the next time it was on). Oh, she was crushed. She cried. A lot. She argued and argued that I was being unjust, that I had said that she couldn't watch if, and only if, she didn't bring everything home, and the paper WAS home. I told her she was absolutely full of shit.

no, I didn't, at least not in those words. Because even when I say I'm "yelling" at her, I mean that I am respectfully disciplining her. I told her that I had three issues with her behavior: dishonesty, disorganization, and disobedience. And that if she continued to argue about her well-deserved punishment, she would not watch on Wednesday or Thursday, either.

She stopped crying. She went to sleep.

Today is Tuesday. E has been good, and been doing better with things, and I didn't like this lingering punishment. But yet, I wasn't willing to let it go. I reminded her this evening while we were on the way to cello practice, and she sort of cut me off with, "I know, Mom, I remembered." I reminded her that arguing or complaining would extend the punishment, and she said okay.

She went to her room at 7:55. She did not say a word about it - she just went. She left her room once to use the bathroom, but then returned without even trying to sneak a peek at the television. She shut her door, and put on music in her room. I went in to check on her, and she was keeping herself busy, and was not upset or grumbling or having an attitude in any way.

And I was so happy! So happy that I stuck with the punishment. I had told Beloved right before the show stopped that she'd been so good with the reminder, and with going into her room that I was tempted to give her a get out of jail free card, and he said, "no, I don't think you should" - and I really did agree. I felt I had to follow through with this.

I think that she was so grown up about it, and acted so mature (for her), that I'm glad she had the opportunity to show us that she could behave that way. We both told her that we were very impressed with the way she handled the situation, and I think she was proud of herself.

And I feel like a good mom, to a good kid. A kid who now knows what prepositional phrases are. So do I, because I had to check the homework, and used google to do it. What did parents do before the internet? Surely they didn't remember back to 5th grade?

*******************************

Tonight, we're voting for Blake (J especially loves him, but we all agree), Chris Sligh (he's E's fave), Brandon and Sundance.

I don't know what it is about him - but I have a thing for Sundance. Even when he does poorly (often), I just want him to have another chance. I felt the same way about Brandon last week, but this week, I thought he did great, even though the judges didn't like him.

My girls both like Sunjaya, and I do not get it. Because I think he stinks. This is the first week that J didn't insist on him being one of her votes when she was forced to narrow it down from her 17 choices. I believe that it is the young girl voters who are keeping him in. More so than his hair.

I also strongly dislike Jared. I think he puts on his "smoldering" face way too often, and it bugs the shit out of me. I don't think he's talented, even.

I think that Chris Richardson is talented, but he isn't my style, and I'm not voting for him.

I have liked Phil Stacey almost every week - but not this week. And I can't pick everyone, and he is gone from my list.

I am sick of this phase, though. It's my first year watching the show, so I don't know what comes next - but to me, this does feel like Karaoke. The boys I liked best were the ones who sang songs I wasn't familiar with, because I wasn't comparing them to the original singers.

I better hurry up and call! The family will be mad at me if I drop the ball.

Labels: parenting, television

posted by Zuska @ 9:30 PM 5 comments

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Grey's Anatomy - why so many commercials?

I felt like it was - line of dialogue - commercial - line of dialogue - commercial - line of dialogue - commercial.

For an hour.

I suppose meredith "choosing life" was the most likely path for the show to take. I didn't understand the chaos of the after-life weighing station. Why were those people stuck there?

I cried when her mom came and told her she is NOT ordinary, and they had a real hug.

And Christina, I think, stole the show. Her crying was more important than almost anything else that happened on the show.

I still think Izzy's a freak.

The end. I have nothing else to say about that show. The build up was soooo much, and the climax so drawn out that I just feel like I spent an hour waiting for something that I knew was coming. Frus-tra-ting.

Labels: Grey's Anatomy, television

posted by Zuska @ 10:00 PM 2 comments

Getting Ready for Grey's Anatomy

Last week when I decided to post about Grey's Anatomy (I think for the first time? No, I have shared my love of Burke here before ... and the love continues, even with him being in "rehab" -- what the FUCK is rehab for homophobia? I mean, really) - my little sitemeter thingy EXPLODED. I mean, it was really surprising. I more than doubled my hits for at least 4 days after I posted at 9 p.m. on Thursday. Four days? Who keeps thinking about a show for that long? Enough to search about it on the internet? Not me.

I'm ready, though, to see if I can create a repeat of the situation. Will Meredith die? I am guess NO. Beloved wondered yesterday if they'd leave her in a coma (becuase of the whole "devestating conclusion" line they keep repeating on the teasers) and let her narrate from a comatose state.

Maybe Meredith will die, but the other interns will keep her body and use it to practice procedures on, and that's how they'll get to keep the title "Grey's Anatomy." Get it? Because it will be her BODY that they're learning from?

ha ha ha.

Yes, I know I'm sick.

Labels: television

posted by Zuska @ 7:43 PM 0 comments

Monday, February 19, 2007

At Long Last --- The Departed

Beloved and I finally saw The Departed. I loved it. I was wondering the whole time which of the characters would be the one to "depart" from the land of the living. Ha!

This is only the second movie from the best picture nominee list for the Oscars that we've gotten to see. The first was Little Miss Sunshine. So far, I'm pulling for The Departed. Hopefully, we'll get to see Babel and The Queen this week. I'm very disinterested in seeing the Iwo Jima movie.

Now I'm watching 24. Alone. Beloved has given it up because he thinks it sucks and is boring at this point with repeat story lines and ideas. I think 80% of why I watched it was because it was our show - and now that he isn't watching it, I'm not sure I care enough for it to take up an hour out of my week.

Labels: movies, television

posted by Zuska @ 9:33 PM 2 comments

Friday, February 16, 2007

Grey's Anatomy Maybe Spoiler - Skip if you hate knowing

I really hate cliffhangers. They go against every fiber of my being. I am a curious and impatient person.

Therefore, last night, I went scouring the internet for hints and clues about what's up with Meredith being dead. I really worried that she was going to die, because the "scenes from next week" (my favorite part of every t.v. show) said, "next week's devastating conclusion." Devastating? Nooooo!!

I found this, and I now feel confident that she isn't going to die. When I saw Denny and the bomb dude, I did think "oh, they're gonna convince her to go back, because of LOVE or whatever." And I think that this little spoiler article confirms that. Despite the use of the word "devastating."

I still think Izzy's a jerk. And I'm not the only one, either. You know what I really hate about Izzy? All the talk of her being a centerfold model and her being so beautiful, that people assume that she can't be a surgeon, because she's too pretty to be smart.

She's not that pretty. I mean, seriously. Addison is MUCH prettier than her. Like 40x prettier.

Labels: television

posted by Zuska @ 10:18 AM 3 comments

Friday, November 17, 2006

oh!! woo hoo!!

I just realized that I did not watch Grey's Anatomy last night, due to kids not being ready for bed (I never watch t.v. while they're awake), and me having the paper to write. it was a good thing i didn't, too, b/c i really immersed in the paper. before it happened, i was thinking i'd have to work all day today, and that it would be really stressful and i'd be rushing to drop the damned thing off by 4:30.

so now all i have left is about an hour or so of citation work, and i'm just not doing it. i'm reading blogs and blogging about boobs.

but now that i remembered about Grey's Anatomy -- i have incentive!! i am goign to download it from iTunes right now, and hurry up with my cites, and then go home and watch it on my beautiful computer screen!! and since i left my iPod (and my headphones) home - there isn't even the option of watching it now.

so i will finish!!

**Update - paper's done, and i like it. unfortunately, grey's anatomy from last night is not yet available on iTunes. does anyone know when they are available for download? last week's is there, but last night's is not. damn.

Labels: procrastination, television

posted by Zuska @ 10:06 AM 4 comments

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