Big Brother Season 26 Finale - My Thoughts (SPOILERS)

I am happy with who won, but I wish the vote had been closer. 

At the same time, I understand why it wasn't. 

I do think Chelsie was the mastermind, and she did influence some of Makensy's decisions, especially getting Leah out. 

Big Brother is a tough game to play. 

You get close to people, you form alliances, you are together 24/7, and then if you want to win the big money you often have to eliminate a friend, an alliance member, maybe even a crush, and take someone to the end who doesn't deserve to be there. 

I am so glad that Makensy chose loyalty and integrity over money. 

I hope she feels that she did the right thing. 

And I hope she is proud of the game that she played. 

This Texas girl is proud of that Texas girl. 

And I was thrilled to see two strong women at the end. 

I was not surprised to see Tucker win Favorite Houseguest.

I was happy that Quinn was in the top 3 for that prize. 

But Angela also being in the top 3?!?!?!

Look - I'm sure Angela is a very nice person. 

But in the Big Brother house, she was manipulative, paranoid, and a bully.  

Anyway, it was a very fun season. 

Congrats Chelsie, and thanks Big Brother!

librarianintx

 

October 10 was World Mental Health Awareness Day

I'm only two days late. :)

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2024/10/ten-ways-take-action-world-mental-health-day/

Prioritize your mental health. 

Take it as seriously as your physical health. 

Because your mental health can impact your physical health in several ways. 

Self-care is an important part of mental health.

Too many of us self-sabotage instead of practicing self-care. 

click here to learn more about self-care: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2023/05/25-small-powerful-ways-to-take-action-for-mental-health/?ref=moodfuel.org

Here are a few ways that I focus on self-care:

eating nutritious food

exercise

taking one day at a time

journaling 

focusing on gratitude 

making time for hobbies

What I need to work on:

hydration

sleep

setting boundaries

not procrastinating

Self-care is not selfish.

Self-care is important for a healthy, satisfying, fulfilling life.

librarianintx 

Big Brother Season 23: My Thoughts on the Top 3 (SPOILERS!)

 First of all, I have absolutely loved this season!

I was in a tv slump before the season started, but BB brought me out of that. 

I thought I would hate the whole AI thing, but it was pretty cool. 

What I loved most, though, were the contestants this season - this was an awesome group! 

Very diverse and entertaining!

Yes, my favorites are in the jury house (Quinn and Kimo) but I think Chelsie and Makensey both deserve to win. 

I hope they are sitting next to each other at the end. 

That will be a battle royale. 

Cam DOES NOT deserve to win. Point blank.

Luckily I am 95% sure that the jury agrees with me. 

Thanks for a super fun season Big Brother!

I'll be watching and rooting for the ladies tomorrow night.

And who do I want to win favorite houseguest?

My top 2 are Quinn and Kimo, of course. 

I also wouldn't mind if Chelsie, Makensey, or Cedric got the votes. 

I think Tucker might win, though. 

librarianintx

Dancing with the Stars Oscar Nite

Well, the next episode is going to air in less than an hour, so I better write my recap. 

And I'll have TWO to write this week!

Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. 

Anna Delvey. 

The good news is - Bye girl bye!

She was not the worst dancer ever on DWTS.

But she by far had the worst attitude of any contestant. 

If you are trying to improve your image as a celebrity, you don't do it by acting cold and distant and closed off. She didn't give us any reason to give her a chance. The ballroom does not need her negative energy. This is our happy space. 

Now, moving on to the good stuff...

My three favorite dances of the night:

Dwight and Daniella's Foxtrot. 

Dwight and Daniella are my favorite couple so far. 

Dwight is like a gentle giant, and Daniella is his Tinkerbell. 

He is so big, but so graceful and light on his feet. 

Their dance was magical. 

Ilona and Alan's Salsa

I absolutely love their chemistry!

Their Salsa was athletic, exciting, sensual, and SO MUCH FUN!

And of course the song is from one of my all time favorite movies. 

I wish they had received 8's, but I understand that the transitions were a little clunky. 

Chandler and Brandon's Rumba

Chandler and Brandon are gorgeous together. 

The choreography was beautiful.

Overall, the performances were slightly underwhelming compared to week 1, but there was still plenty to enjoy. 

Can't wait for tonight!

librarianintx

 

Dancing with the Stars 2024 Week 1

Welcome back Dance Fans!

Who's excited?!

I can sum up the premiere episode in three words: Personality, enthusiasm, and chemistry!

The Powers-That-Be did an outstanding job with the pairings this season. 

Not every routine was stellar - it's week one. 

But pretty much every performance showed that the couples were already connected and cared about each other. 

Two couples tied for the top score. While Chandler and Brandon likely had the best dance from a technical standpoint, Dwight and Daniella's Salsa is the routine I can't stop watching. Not only did they have the song that can get just about anyone moving, their tricks were off the chain, and Dwight's enthusiasm got the ballroom going bananas. 

Speaking of enthusiasm, Stephen & Riley's Jive was a thrill ride. Their boundless energy, athleticism, and youthful exuberance should take them far this season. 

I was smiling for MOST of the episode. 

But a few times I wasn't. 

Three times to be exact. 

Gripe #1:

Reginald and Robert. 

Look, I get it. 

Reginald is 72 years old. 

Robert has injuries that are hampering him.

But at least DO something! 

I'm directing this more to Reginald. 

He's a former dancer. 

If you are going to be on the show, please do more than just stand there while your partner dances around you. 

You don't have to be good. But I would like you to at least try. 

Gripe #2:

Anna Delvey

Dancing with the Stars has certainly courted controversy before.

Cough! (Sean Spicer!)

Cough! (Rick Perry!)

But c'mon. She's a con artist. She should not be on the show. Period. 

Remember what I said about enthusiasm, personality, and chemistry? 

All of that vanished when Anna and Ezra performed. 

The routine was boring, and the ballroom went cold and quiet. 

The judges segment and chat with Julianne weren't any better. 

It was uncomfortable. 

It was not entertaining. 

Is this some kind of initiation for Ezra? Poor guy. 

I love the show, and I'm not going to boycott, but I think they made a mistake with casting her. 

We'll see what happens tonight. 

librarianintx

 

 

Health Tip #3: Self-care During Hard Times

This one is SO important y'all.

Self-care feels indulgent. 

You feel like you don't deserve it.

You tell yourself you don't have time for it.

You might feel guilty if you do it.

But self-care is imperative for health and wellness, especially during times of struggle. 

Too often our default mechanism is self-sabotage, especially during a crisis. 

Break that cycle. 

Make your physical and mental health a priority. 

The more you do it, the better you will feel, and likely you will be able to come through adversity more easily. 

I lost a friend two days ago. 

I am dealing with grief, and guilt and regret as well. 

Yesterday I felt those urges to self-sabotage. 

But I fought them. 

What is self-care? 

Self-care means focusing on the pillars of health.

Nutrition

Sleep

Exercise / movement

Spirituality

Social connection 

So yesterday I:

Exercised

Journaled 

Spent time with friends and talked to family

Watched a favorite show

Went to bed at a reasonable time

And...well...full disclosure...I did eat too much sugar.

So I didn't do everything right.

But I give myself grace for that. 

Because that is a big part of self-care too.

librarianintx

Health Tip #2: Growth Mindset

From Google:

Growth mindset: “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.”

For me, growth mindset means looking at problems or setbacks as challenges and opportunities, which is helping me build resilience. 

Something happened last week. I don't mean to be vague, but I can't go into detail about it. Suffice to say, I was upset and frustrated and felt that what was happening was unfair to me.

The situation made me feel stressed, and I felt it in my body as well as emotionally. This kind of stress is detrimental, physically as well as emotionally. Chronic stress can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

I knew that I could not change the situation. So I changed my mindset. I focused on the belief that everything happens for a reason. I found the silver lining in what was taking place. 

For my physical and mental health, I made the decision that I felt was right for me, and I moved on. In doing that, I felt resilient. 

Cultivating a growth mindset can be very beneficial.  It can take time and practice to develop a new way of thinking and processing events in your life.

It's worth the effort.

librarianintx

Health Tip #1: Mindful Eating

Today is the first post in a new series for this blog: Health Tips. 

I do research in my job pertaining to disabilities and conditions. 

I read articles, watch webinars, and learn about health and safety for people with disabilities and older adults. 

If what I write about helps at least one person, then I will feel good. 

Much of what I have learned about I am endeavoring to do in my own life. 

Creating healthy habits takes time, patience, and dedication. 

Today the topic is mindful eating. 

Here is an article on mindful eating:  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide#rationale

At it's core, mindful eating is about eating slowly and without distraction. 

It can help you enjoy your food, aid in your digestion, and limit overeating. 

I was born into a family of fast eaters. My family does not eat their food - they inhale it. I am always the last one at the table. In fact, sometimes family members are starting on their dessert while I'm still eating my main meal. This used to bother me when I was younger. I don't get upset now. I actually eat faster than I used to. 

When I eat alone, I tend to watch a show, or scroll through the Internet or social media. But I have noticed that when I do this, I don't enjoy my food as much. I'm not paying attention to what I'm eating. Sometimes I even look at recipes while I am eating! Afterward, I say to myself, "Why did I do that?"

So lately I am practicing mindful eating. And I am enjoying it. Mindful eating doesn't have to take a long time. It simply involves focusing on the taste of the food and enjoying the experience. I am cooking more than I used to, so I want to fully experience the smell, the taste, the look of the food that I prepared. I am also working on healthier, more balanced meals that look nice. For example, a homemade quesadilla with eggs, spinach or avocado, tomatoes, and cheese, and a side of blueberries is a healthy, filling, and tasty breakfast that looks attractive too. And it doesn't take a long time to prepare.  

librarianintx

Big Brother Season 26 Episode 9/12 SPOILERS!

 I didn't get to watch Thursday's episode until Friday. 

My Friday the 13th was fine - until Quinn walked out the front door. :(

Really Chelsie? You're going to believe something that Karen - I mean Angela - told you? 

I mean, yes, Quinn was a schemer. Angela could have been telling the truth. But she wasn't. And I think Quinn was right that breaking up the three person alliance would have been a good plan. 

So strange though - Angela planted a seed, got Quinn put up on the block, and then she voted for him to stay?!?! If Cam had not flipped, the vote would have been tied. I don't know what Chelsie would have done. 

Cedric and Quinn are my favorites. I like Kimo too. I hope one of them wins favorite houseguest, but it will probably be Tucker. 

librarianintx

Big Brother Season 26 9/5 Episode SPOILERS

So Leah finally starts playing - by saving Angela?!?! Arrrggg!!!

I was okay with Joseph leaving. For me, he is a strange man that played a strange game. A super fan who threw competitions and was a follower? And he puts himself in a league with Dr. Will? Uh-uh.

But there sure were a lot of tears during the vote and eviction. These houseguests have bonded.

Quinn is still my favorite. He is playing a super fan's game. But I fear his HOH reign was quite detrimental. He burned his visionaries alliance with T'Kor and Kimo, and of course Angela and Rubina will come after him if they win HOH. Leah went against him by using the POV. Makensy is a maybe. Chelsie or Cam HAVE to win HOH. Or maybe some of these bridges can be repaired. 

Anything can happen in the BB house.

librarianintx