DWTS Results

I got my wish! Woz WAS and Holly has GONELIGHTLY! (sorry) This is how it sould have been. Yes!

My cousin Sally and I had lunch, and then she went with me to the reflexologist to see if there were any openings. I gave her my 1:30 appointment and took one at 3:30. I stayed there with her during hers and then ran a few errands. After mine, I went to Mother's for dinner with her and Sally. My sister-in-law and her husband were there, too. Yes, that's how my brother and I are with each other. At least I think it's funny.

I stayed and watched American Idol with them even though I don't keep up with it myself. I'm sociable and friendly that way.

So good-bye to the next dwarf stars to go.

Holly Madison is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful and sexy women in the world today. With a classy and iconic look, a worldwide fan base and a head for business, Holly has transformed into a mainstream celebrity, emerging as a worldwide “it” girl.

That is what Holly's official website says about her. Although tempted, there's nothing I'll add to that. I think the photo of her grocery shopping speaks for itself. Feel free to make all the comments you want to, though.

Check out Woz.org and read his blog about DWTS. He definitely needed to go, bless his heart. And I still want a Mac!

Oh, and Sherry Shepherd and Elisabeth Hasselbeck on The View pronounced Gilles's name like Giles over and over again. I yelled at the TV to correct them. He's French and pronounces it like Zheel.

DWTS 8 - Week Four

Week Four dances are the Argentine Tango and the Lindy Hop. These are new dances this week. Len said there are more variations with the Argentine Tango, which is about passion and sensuality. The Lindy Hop is more like a jitterbug and fun. Double elimination tonight!

I didn't watch and recap last night because I was too sleepy. I was up late the night before and then got up earlier than usual to go look at houses with a friend in an advisory capacity. I love looking at houses and being a consultant! So here I am today watching and recapping after meeting my cousin for lunch at House Blend and going to the reflexologist. Love the DVR!!!

David Alan Grier & Kym Johnson

Dance: Lindy Hop

Score: 8/7/7 = 22 (last week 24)

Critique: He went to the Lindy Groove to see how it was done in person. Their dance was energetic and fun. David did well most of the time but had a few hesitant moments. I liked it. The judges said that he did well but lost some footwork at times. Carrie Ann thought he danced well.

Lil' Kim & Derek Hough

Dance: Argentine Tango

Score: 9/8/10 = 27 (last week 25)

Critique: Lil' Kim said the most challenging part was to keep a serious look on her face while keeping up with the footwork. Derek said he wasn't that familiar with the dance and had to learn it along with her. This was good! It was precise, intense, and tango-ish! I guess lifts are acceptable in this because they did several. Wonder if they're supposed to look so stoic during it? According the Bruno, yes! He said it was wonderful. Len thought there wasn't enough passion in it. Tom Bergeron can always lighten up any moment and said after Len's display of how he thought it should be done that his imaginary friend needed a cigarette.

Chuck Wicks & Julianne Hough

Dance: Lindy Hop

Score: 8/7/7 = 22 (Lasts week 23)

Critique: Chuck and Julianne are so cute together! They did a goofy, fun dance that was entertaining to watch. The judges said Chuck was competent but needs to take more risks. He has the ability and needs to sharpen his movements and have them right on the beat. I liked it.

Lawrence Taylor & Edyta Sliwinska

Dance: Argentine Tango

Score: 7/5/7 = 19 (last week 20)

Critique: Lawrence had trouble learning the tango, so Alec Mazo, Edyta's husband, came in to show him how to do it. It was good to look at Alec again. Well, Lawrence lumbered through it while Edyta did most of the dancing. No passion at all. He just went through the moves. Len said he remembered the routine but that it was heavy, lacked any passion, and he looked uncomfortable throughout the whole dance. Bruno disagreed. Carrie Ann said there was no chemistry between them. Lawrence doesn't show much emotion on this show and seems easy going but serious. He's probably good on the golf course and in the boardroom.

Ty Murray & Chelsie Hightower

Dance: Lindy Hop

Score: 9/8/8 = 25 (last week 23)

Critique: Ty did really well! Chelsie said he was so strong that she could incorporate all kinds of moves and lifts. He kept up with her enthusiastically and energetically. Good!! The judges liked it very much and praised Chelsie for her choreography.

Steve Wozniak & Karina Smirnoff

Dance: Argentine Tango

Score: 4/4/4 = 12 (last week 10)

Critique: Shades of Tucker Carlson. Steve sat in a chair at the beginning of the dance. Then he walked through parts of the dance while Karina danced. Not much of a tango. The judges will crucify him. Carrie Ann couldn't find anything positive to say. Len admires him for getting out there and trying to do a proper dance. Bruno said it stunk. Woz said he was still standing. He needs to go this week.

Melissa Rycroft & Tony Dovolani

Dance: Lindy Hop

Score: 10/9/10 = 29 (last week 27)

Critique: Very good! Fun, fast, major lifts and moves! The judges said she has the potential to go all the way. Bruno said they showed the whole range of steps and that it was terrific! Carrie Ann told Tony it was his best choreography she's ever seen!

Holly Madison & Dmitry Chaplin

Dance: Argentine Tango

Score: 5/6/5 = 16 (last week 17)

Critique: From the sublime to the pathetic. It really is so painful to watch her dance that I almost can't stand it. Speaking of pain, Holly hurt her ribs and rehearsed and danced through the pain. She's like a Stepford dancer with absolutely no passion and enthusiasm. Bruno said she was just there while Dmitry did all the work. That's how I think she has to be during sex, too. She probably doesn't even like it but just wants to look sexy. I'm sorry she hurt herself, but she didn't dance well before that, either. I hope this is her last week.

Steve-O & Lacey Schwimmer

Dance: Lindy Hop

Score: 5/5/5 = 15 (last week 15)

Critique: Steve-O feels overwhelmed with anxiety and stress. During rehearsal he wore a clown costume to quit taking everything so seriously and have fun. He danced part of it well and was awkward through other parts. The judges said he got through the entire routine but needs to work on his timing and control.

Gilles Marini & Cheryl Burke

Dance: Argentine Tango

Score: 10/10/10 = 30 (last week 27)

Critique: Cheryl told Gilles to use his acting skills during the dance and ACT! Wow, did he!!!! That was gloriously sensual, passionate, and hot! I need a cigarette, and I don't even smoke!!!! The judges said it was fantastic and that he showed every element of the dance. Bruno said he was the quintessential Latin lover. Carrie Ann said in that dance she could not tell who was the professional and who was the celebrity. I hope Gilles wins this whole thing! He is fine to look at and can dance. Hey! It could happen! A perfect score!!

Shawn Johnson & Mark Ballas

Dance: Lindy Hop

Score: 8/8/9 = 25 (last week 27)

Critique: Shawn took Mark to the gym, so he could see what that's like. He wants to work in some of her gymnastics into their routine. She's so cute and did the flips well, but her dancing and even her lifts weren't as good as Melissa's. Bruno said it was a fantastic feast of gymnastic feats. They all said she wasn't light enough on her feet and that there needed to be more emphasis on the dancing to go with the flips. They praised her flips and tricks and want more from the dancing.

Ships Passing in the Night

Go check out Sam's blog and the video he took at one of the exits in my hometown. I almost got to have a short visit with the infamous Sam and Bill, but they had to keep moving on to have some BBQ in Nashville. Their truck was full of perishables to get to Dallas, so no time for visiting. Maybe next time!

Here he is at his award-winning blog!!

This is the tower of sweets he sent me last week. That was soooo sweet and thoughtful of you, and I feel so special!!! :-) Thank you, Tugboat from Burntknees!!
Description: Five boxes tall, elegantly proportioned, this slender new assortment delivers five favorites from our confectionery. Includes our popular Milk Chocolate Moose Munch® Confection, impossibly delicious Chocolate Truffles, cool Mint Chocolates, tangy Crème Chews and tender, tasty Raspberry Cutout Cookies.

True?

What's Goin' On?

Not much. How about you?

Anybody remember Ernest Angley that SNL made fun of? He would whap people on their foreheads and "heal" them. Then he'd say, "Jesus did it!" in one of those evangelist voices. This photo made me think about him. I guess it was supposed to.

Deteriorata

I have this framed and hanging on my bathroom wall. I thought it was hilarious the first time I heard it and still do. Remember it?

National Lampoon recorded this song in 1972 as a parody of the spoken-word Desiderata. Lyrics were by Tony Hendra. -- From the National Lampoon Radio Dinner album.

Deteriorata

Go placidly amid the noise and waste,
And remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Avoid quiet and passive persons unless you are in need of sleep.
Rotate your tires.
Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself,
And heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys.
Know what to kiss and when.
Consider that two wrongs never make a right,
But that three lefts do.
Wherever possible put people on "HOLD".
Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment,
And despite the changing fortunes of time,
There is always a big future in computer maintenance.
Remember the Pueblo.
Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle and mutilate.
Know yourself. If you need help, call the FBI.
Exercise caution in your daily affairs,
Especially with those persons closest to you;
That lemon on your left for instance.
Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls,
Would scarcely get your feet wet.
Fall not in love therefore; it will stick to your face.
Carefully surrender the things of youth: birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan,
And let not the sands of time get in your lunch.
For a good time, call 606-4311.
Take heart amid the deepening gloom that your dog
Is finally getting enough cheese;
And reflect that whatever fortunes may be your lot,
It could only be worse in Sioux City.
You are a fluke of the Universe.
You have no right to be here, and whether you can hear it or not,
The Universe is laughing behind your back.
Therefore make peace with your God whatever you conceive him to be,
Hairy Thunderer or Cosmic Muffin.
With all its hopes, dreams, promises, and urban renewal,
The world continues to deteriorate.
Give up.

Job Description

This LOL Cat reminded me of a part of my former career you might not have considered. Probably when you think about teachers you've had, the good, the bad, and the ugly come to mind. Maybe you think about some who were inspiring and some who should have never gone into teaching at all. Occasionally I have those teacher dreams that are really nightmares because they usually involve not being prepared, having no control over the class, not being able to find my classroom, and such as that. We teachers all recognize the categories, and those of you in other professions have your variations of them.

I enjoyed teaching when I did it but wouldn't go back to it for anything. Well, that's not entirely true. I'd teach high school another year for Oprah's money she makes in a year. However, I wouldn't teach pre-school for hers and Bill Gates's money! First of all, I don't know how, and secondly, it really would be a nightmare! We all have our limits.

When I retired, I was happy to know I'd never have to give another group of people permission to get a drink of water or go to the restroom. How weird is that in a job? Who else has to do that? Explaining things for a living is one thing, but that is weird. The part of teaching I disliked the most was being in charge of the behavior of other people. I did it, of course, because it's part of the job. I definitely preferred teaching those college classes where they come in, sit down, stay quiet, and do their work without my having to remind them or correct/punish them. I like teaching but not a lot of the other stuff that goes with it. And I LOVE retirement!!!

Live Cam

I've been checking that live Earthcam on the Imagine Peace Tower. Earlier it was bright and huge. Now the sky is greenish with just a glow from the tower. Very interesting for sure! Some video plays when you first go on the site, but I pause it so it won't talk. I wish places wouldn't do that.

Woodchuck

No reason. Just think this is funny!

Weather Widget

Did you notice my new weather widget on here? This way you'll know how it is here even though I'll still comment on the weather and post pictures. I like it on there, so I know the temperature.

Imagine Peace Tower

I saw this on Eric's blog and just had to share it with you. It's the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, which is a tribute to John Lennon and to peace and was dedicated on the anniversary of his 67th birthday October 9, 2007. It's an outdoor work of art conceived by Yoko in memory of John, and it's powered by geothermal energy.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is currently only illuminated on the following dates:

09 Oct - 08 Dec 21 Dec - 28 Dec 31 Dec 21 Mar - 28 Mar

John’s birthday to death day Winter equinox New Year’s Eve Spring equinox (J&Y’s Honeymoon)

Here is the website with photos, videos, and information about it. Please check it out! It's fascinating! There's a live cam on there, so you might want to check it out when it's night in Iceland.

Doesn't Sean look like a shorter, wider version of his father in this photo? I did a double-take!

Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono Lennon, Ringo Starr, and Olivia Harrison
at the unveiling of IMAGINE PEACE TOWER,
Viðey Island, Reykjavík, Iceland. (photo: TetsuRo Hamada)

The words IMAGINE PEACE are inscribed on the Well in 24 different languages.

Woz Article

Not a pretty picture, but the guy is entertaining because he's trying so hard and having lots of fun! Besides, he really isn't the worst dancetestant who's ever been on there. How soon the judges forget Master P, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tucker Carlson, and probably more who left so soon I forgot them.



This is an interesting article in COMPUTERWORLD by Lucas Mearian. The article is here, but I've copied and pasted it all and one of the comments. Aha! Geeks are voting! But I have to answer his question about preferring to watch Gilles and Chuck - oh yes! They are totally a pleasure to look at, and I hope I get to continue doing that as long as possible.

March 24, 2009 - 11:19 A.M.
Three reasons Woz should remain on Dancing with the Stars

I've been loosely following Steve Wozniak's foray into the bizarre as a contestant on the TV show Dancing with the Stars, and while I've often agreed with the judges' assessment of Woz as a dancer, I must give the man major points for perseverance and humility in the face of insurmountable odds. Each week the judges denigrate his dancing abilities, and each week Woz shows resiliency in the face of physical injury and emotional humiliation.

So I have three reasons why we should vote to keep Woz on Dancing with the Stars:

1. He's vastly more entertaining than most of the other celebrities on that show. Would you rather watch a finely-coiffed Chuck Wicks, Gilles Marini or Shawn Johnson glide across the dance floor, or a flamenco dancer that resembles a walrus cling to a gorgeous Karina Smirnoff for dear life? Enough said.

2. He's shown more chutzpah. Not only is he dancing with a pulled hamstring and a fractured foot, but when it comes to athleticism, Woz is in a league of his own compared to the other contestants, and I believe it's the league with which most Americans can identify: couch potato. And, besides, what is Dancing with the Stars, a show judging the best dancers or the most entertaining contestants? I want entertainment.

3. He's a really humble, nice guy who revolutionized the computer industry without losing his soul.

Last night was not the first time Woz commented after his performance that the judges were being too kind in giving him 10 points out of 30. Last week, he even called himself a heel for saying the producers of the show were setting him up to win the dance off and remain on the show in order to boost ratings. Woz later retracted the accusation after inspecting the voting equipment. He's just a really honest guy.

Even if you don't like Steve Jobs and Apple, you can't hate Woz who was the engineering brains behind Apple as well as the inventor of the universal TV remote control. Woz has never lost his average Joe appeal and has always been heavily involved in philanthropic ventures, especially as they apply to technology education for children. If nothing else, give the man a vote for the remote control you're holding.

One of the comments:

Keep the Woz dancing!
Submitted by Dancer on March 24, 2009 - 6:11 P.M.

I've been a ballroom/latin dance instructor since I was 18 (and that is many, many decades ago!). I'm also a geek...been in the software biz for over 3 decades, so I feel qualified to comment.

Woz is fun to watch! I think he needs to stay for a few more rounds. Sure....there is no chance that he will (or should) win, since this is a dance competition not an "entertainment" competition, but he's more fun to watch and tries harder than the silicon-injected playboy bunny, that is so stiff (except for the jiggly bits) that she's painful to watch on the dance floor. I prefer Woz's style of silicon steps, thank you!

Or Denise Richards...easy on the eyes, but too stiff by far...no natural grace, plus she looks terrified every time. At least Woz is having fun (I would be too...how many nerds get to dance with someone as hot as his partner, after all?).

He's got chutzpah. He's got enthusiasm. And he's got grace under fire...more than I can say for the judges blunt and inconsiderate blathering when it comes to our uber-nerd/dancer.

Go Woz!

DWTS Results

Musical guests Hall & Oates sang "Maneater" while Karina danced with Maks, Dmitry, and Tony. Enjoyable in several ways! Adele sang "Chasing Pavement" while real-life husband and wife Alex and Edyta danced.

I got my wishes! Denise and Holly are in the bottom two! The Woz doesn't become "A Was" this week. I know he doesn't dance that well, but Len and Bruno didn't have to be that mean to him. One of the blonde dwarf stars will go now. Let the dance-off begin!

Holly the Matchstick Bimbo made some improvement according to the judges, but I didn't see that much. Actually they didn't either with 6/6/6 = 18 and one point higher than last night.

Denise the Come-to-Life Stunned Barbie did improve some, too. She's still so stiff and awkward. Bruno appealed to her as an actress and said she should perform as a character, but she's not a good actress either. Maksim looks bored with her like I've felt on some miserable dates I couldn't wait to get away from. I have stories! The judges thought she did better than Holly, apparently since they gave her 6/7/7 = 20. Or perhaps they learn what the viewer vote results are and vote accordingly.




Now they factor in the viewers' votes. It's Denise. Next week a double elimination! It's probably between the Steves and Holly. All three of them should go next in whatever order happens. Apparently Jackass has lots of fans, and computer geeks know how to send in the votes! So who knows? What do you think?

While I'm on a Barbie roll, check this out. Malibu Barbies.

What is it they say? Money can't buy class (or taste)!

DWTS 8 - Week Two

Week Two! Samba and Foxtrot! I think we can tell who will be in the semi-finals and finals by now.

My predictions for the dance-off tomorrow night are the Woz and either Steve-O or Denise. Holly is also in the bottom group. A lot of people will vote for Maks, so that might keep Denise in it a while. Even I can't do that, though!

Middle Group: Chuck, Ty, Lawrence, David (but Chuck could move up which I hope happens) Lawrence and David will probably go before Chuck and Ty, but it's early yet.

Top Group: Gilles, Shawn, Melissa, Lil' Kim


Denise Richards & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Dance: Samba

Score: 5/6/5 = 16

Critique: Oh, that was painful to watch! She was awkward, clumsy, and stiff all at once - no shoulders, no hips, no passion. The judges agreed, but Len didn't think it sucked as much as Bruno and Carrie Ann did. I don't know if the choreography wasn't that Latin or if her dancing was so bad that it wouldn't have made a difference. Maybe Maks is ready to get rid of her. Karina is dancing with the Woz, so maybe they have plans for being off the show early. Debi summed her up best when she described her as a Barbie doll brought to life and stunned by it all.

Chuck Wicks & Julianne Hough

Dance: Foxtrot

Score: 8/7/8 = 23

Critique: Chuck said the judges must think he can dance just because he's with Julianne but that he grew up on a potato farm and never danced. He did a good job this week! Carrie Ann will say something about Julianne's feet coming off the floor. Whoa! She didn't! She's slipping! Julianne and Chuck look so good together and danced well for it to be the second week. Good scores from the judges tonight. I hope they are in it until the finals. They danced to that Sugarland song "All I Want to Do" which gets stuck in my head with that "woo hoo hoo hoo hoo" stuff that I don't like.

Holly Madison & Dmitry Chaplin

Dance: Samba

Score: 5/6/6 = 17

Critique: Dmitry became frustrated with Holly during rehearsal because he thought she wasn't trying. Shades of Denise Richards at times, but she shook her shoulders more and her hips somewhat. No passion in her dancing either. Carrie Ann did notice the foot off the floor with her. Len summed it up when he told her she was like a match hot on the top and wooden on the bottom. So true! Dmitry wants Jewel back. So do I. And I want Dmitry back next season!

Steve-O & Lacey Schwimmer

Dance: Foxtrot

Score: 5/5/5 = 15

Critique: Steve-O was stressed out and wanted to prove that he could dance. Well, he did OK but was obviously in pain. His face is so expressive like it's made of rubber. Len said it was a proper foxtrot. The beginning of it was good but then he made mistakes. He was in a lot of pain and danced through it.

Lawrence Taylor & Edyta Sliwinska

Dance: Samba

Score: 7/6/7 = 20

Critique: Lawrence gave up his golf game, which he said he never does, for dancing. He makes me miss Emmitt Smith with his moves and great smile. He did pretty well and had some good footwork, which we expect from football players. The judges said he had rhythm and was showing more confidence.

Shawn Johnson & Mark Ballas

Dance: Foxtrot

Score: 9/9/9 = 27

Critique: This was pretty! She was smooth and graceful. It was enjoyable to watch for sure! Her dress wasn't flattering because it had cut-outs that made her look too large in the waist and stomach. The judges raved and praised! Beautiful movement!

Gilles Marini & Cheryl Burke

Dance: Samba

Score: 9/9/9 = 27

Critique: Oh my!! Smoking hot!! Latin music, passion, and sexy moves! The judges loved it, and so did I! He's handsome and seems like a nice guy and can dance! I'll be voting for him! Cheryl has been a favorite from the first season! Gilles's mother flew in from France to watch him dance. I predict that he will win.

David Alan Grier & Kym Johnson

Dance: Foxtrot

Score: 8/8/8 = 24

Critique: He was much better than last week. Bruno said it was like taking the foxtrot to Broadway. The judges were pleased. He worked hard and it showed! Well done.


Steve Wozniak & Karina Smirnoff

Dance: Samba

Score: 4/3/3 = 10

Critique: Another trip to the hospital! Steve pulled a hamstring but managed to rehearse after some time off of it. He has so much fun that he didn't want to have to drop out. I don't care what the judges say, he was better in some ways than Denise and Holly and worse in others like that worm thing. He has enthusiasm, some moves, and goes for it. Carrie Ann said the novelty wears off. Len said it was terrible from start to finish. Bruno looked disgusted and said it was the worst he'd ever seen. Uh, remember Master P and Billy Ray Cyrus? They didn't even get scores that low, did they? If he were a blonde bimbo with boobs, they'd have given him fives and sixes.

Melissa Rycroft & Tony Dovolani

Dance: Foxtrot

Score: 9/9/9 = 27

Critique: Elegant, graceful, and enjoyable to watch! The judges praised her dancing. Good job!

Lil' Kim & Derek Hough

Dance: Samba

Score: 8/8/9 = 25

Critique: Lil' Kim rocked that samba! She's a contender. That was fun to watch! The judges loved it and gave her the scores I expected.

Ty Murray & Chelsie Hightower

Dance: Foxtrot

Score: 8/8/7 = 23

Critique: Ol' Ty is coming along! Look at him in that top hat making Fred Astaire moves! For some reason Chelsie tripped but recovered quickly. Carrie Ann said Ty was most improved and said he handled it so well when she fell by holding her up and continuing to carry on. They all complimented his dancing. Jewel smiled, and I wished she were in the competition again.

Thought So!

I took a quiz on Facebook about where I should live, and it came out New York City! Not a surprise! All kinds of things I'd like to do are there, and some special friends! :-) David Dust I could hang out with and stay in with! What fun we'd have! Doggy who would cook for me sometime!

Miss Ginger's was NYC, too, and Ell's was London. I'd like to live there, too. I don't know how to link that quiz on here, but here's the FB link to it.

Here's what it said: (but not opera)

New York City: You love being the limelight of every situation. Gotham City is perfect for you for an array of reasons. You love the arts, Broadway stars, the masterpieces at the Met or escaping with an opera at Lincoln Center. A foodie too all the way, you love how you choose from countless menus and mingle with the culinary artists-from mom-and-pop deli owners to star restaurant chefs.

Saturday Moanin'

Actually I feel better today than I thought I would. As expected, my knee is sore but no swelling. The bruises will show up later probably. The ice pack (bag of frozen peas) and liniment helped.

Fortunately, I don't fall often. It's been over ten years since I fell, and that was a foolish downhill grass skiing incident with Brigit in my arms. I landed on the patio and jammed fingers, scraped knees and elbows, and complained a lot.

Maybe we can consider this a DWTS viewer/recapper injury.

Falling for the Jersey Boys

We had a great time watching Jersey Boys! All those songs brought back memories, and the story of their career was informative and entertaining. I didn't know a lot about their lives. If you get a chance to see it, please do. I had no idea Joe Pesci was a friend of theirs. The Jersey code of conduct was a thread that ran throughout the play - loyalty, hand-shake contracts, honor (among thieves at times), and some contacts similar to Tony Soprano.



The only bad part of the evening happened when we left and walked down the steps of TPAC to go to the car. The last step inclines from being level with the sidewalk to gradually becoming a step. As I thought I was stepping onto the sidewalk, I lost my balance because there was some step there. I made a three-point landing on my left hand and right knee and hip. It was so weird because it all seemed to go in slow motion as the brick sidewalk came toward me. It was as if I slowly realized I was falling.

It scared Tina to death, and then a crowd gathered around me asking if I were hurt and if I hit my head. I looked up and assured them that I didn't hit my head and that after Natasha Richardson's fall, I appreciated their concern. They reached to help me up, and I also grabbed the stair rail and managed to get up. I told them it was my knee and hip mostly but that I could walk. So nothing is broken or bleeding. I put a bag of frozen peas on my knee and then some liniment wherever I thought I needed it. I already take an anti-inflammatory every day. My back hurts between my shoulder blades and also below them. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. Thank goodness it wasn't worse!

I'll stay off ladders!

Connotation

I had an echocardiogram today because my oncologist Dr. Eeyore keeps making me get tests. I had this ten years ago because of a heart murmur which was the result of the mitral valve not doing something exactly right. Otherwise, everything was normal. This brings me to two things I don't like to do.

One: I do not like to have medical tests unless everything is normal. I do not want to have any more illnesses, diseases, or conditions. I've already survived cancer (non-Hodgkins lymphoma) and have diabetes, which I can make go into hiding if I'll just lose weight and exercise. Yeah, I know! You'd think that would motivate me. My brother sees the cardiologist where I had the test. I'm just fine to let him have the heart stuff and me to have had cancer. Let's leave it at that.

Two: I don't like to have to get dressed for something that requires me to undress. Of course, there are no reasonable alternatives, so I just bitch about it. Most medical tests just require partial undressing, which isn't quite as bad. Shopping is a little more "disrobey." Massages, on the other hand, which I have regularly, are another matter. I shower (naked of course), get dressed, go to the massage place, undress (naked again), have a massage, get dressed again, go home. Then if I need to go somewhere, I have to fix my make-up and hair and probably change clothes again because I usually dress in something very casual that I don't mind the massage oil getting on. I like to keep my clothes on from the time I leave the house until I get back home.

This makes me think about the difference in being naked (can be physical or emotional) and nekkid (up to something). So what is it when someone is nude? That's more of a description of a painting or statue, I guess. Then there are other descriptions like undressed, unclothed, bare-assed nekkid, buck-nekkid, naked as a jaybird, and any others you can think of? I'm sure Sam has some!

I just needed to bitch a bit. Now discuss the connotation of the naked words amongst yourselves!

Jersey Boys

I'm going to see Jersey Boys tonight with a group of friends. It's the Broadway series at TPAC. We're looking forward to it, and I'll give you a report. Have any of you seen it?

Town Losers

Oregon Town Unites In Version Of The Biggest Loser

In the tiny town of Fossil, Ore., close to 20 percent of the population has embarked on a homegrown weight-loss contest. So far, the 80 contestants have shed a total of more than 600 pounds. And townspeople have to leave town to cheat. As one resident says, "It's 20 miles to the next Twinkie." Story Here

Howard Berkes/NPR

Physician assistant Debbie Boettner leads the weight-loss effort in Fossil, Ore., including nightly aerobics workouts in the town's grade school gym.

This is a great idea and accomplishes several good things - healthier people, a feeling of community, and a common goal.

I need to move there!!! Or maybe our town could do this. It takes a village, you know!

Looks Familiar

This is not my cat. She is blonde. This is what she does, though. Only I have a laptop. She loves it. Me? Not so much!
I totally agree with what this says about sleep!

Natasha Richardson

Oh no! I hoped the reports weren't as bad as they were. Natasha Richardson died after falling on a ski slope. She's only 45. Her husband Liam Neeson and their children were with her. Her mother Vanessa Redgrave, sister Joely Richardson, and aunt Lynne Redgrave are still living. It's a parent's worst nightmare to outlive her children. This is so upsetting!

Quiz

Bob and Charlie took this, so of course I had to do it, too! There was a question I couldn't make up my mind about, so I took the quiz twice answering the question different ways. So I'm going to post both results since both mostly apply except that I don't change friends often. Otherwise, these describe me pretty well. What do you think? Is one more me than the other? If you take it, please comment and let me know the role you play.

You Are the Storyteller

You have a way with words, and you love hearing yourself talk. You are at your best when you have an audience, and you can carry on a conversation with anyone. You are light hearted and fun - a natural entertainer. It's a side of you that you can't really turn off. You thrive on attention (perhaps a little too much), and you love applause. When you allow yourself to be serious, you can be a moving and articulate speaker. Your words have power, and not just the power to make people laugh.

What Role Do You Play?

You Are the Innovator

You're the type of person who is always a step ahead of everyone else. You thrive when you're experimenting with new designs, ideas, and attitudes. You are a creative person with many talents. You have to have artistic outlets in your life. You need to create - whether it's writing furiously or redecorating your home. If not, your life becomes chaotic. You tire of doing the same thing every day. You change your job, friends, and personal style often. You are at your best when you have a focus. If not, you develop a flaky artist's temperament.

What Role Do You Play?