Dancing with the Stars Season 35 Week 2

 Yay! 

Another episode is tonight!

So I better talk about last week's episode!

The athletes ruled "Viral Hits" nite!

As a middle age (really?!) woman who prides herself on (somewhat) keeping up with today's music, I was disappointed that I didn't know any of the songs for the first half of the show. Luckily, I hit a better stride with the back half. 

The first song I knew was Flo Rida's "Low".

And boy howdy did Ezra & Daniella get low in their Cha Cha!

"Down and dirty" as Carrie Ann said. 

Like I said in my last post, viewers are not going to vote for Ezra Frech out of pity. 

They are going to vote because they will be witnessing greatness...inventiveness...creativity. 

They will see moves they've never seen on this dance floor. 

There was so much power in that dance, plus Cha Cha content, musicality, and the enjoyment factor was sky high!

That dance deserved better than a 7. Just sayin'.

So Ezra & Daniella danced, and then Amber Glenn & Daniella's husband Pasha performed a Tango that announced, "We see you, and we raise you!" 

Sure, there are plenty of DWTS viewers that have not seen Heated Rivalry. 

But they don't have to. 

That song is so hypnotic; it draws you in. 

And Amber & Pasha's dance was also powerful, lyrical, and creative. 

Amber's frame was gorgeous, and I loved her "armography". The move where she reached her arm up and laid it against Pasha's neck - chills!!

They also deserved a higher score. 

Another dance I loved was Tatyana & Jan's Foxtrot. The song, "What was I made for" by Billie Eilish is SO beautiful, and Tatyana put so much feeling and expression into the performance. The routine told a lovely story, and Tatyana looked like she was floating on air. It was very special. 

Tonight is "Yacht Rock" nite. 

This was a new term to me, so I googled it:

Yacht rock is a broad style of smooth, highly polished soft rock that dominated FM radio airwaves from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. 

Okay. I'm an 80's girl. I'm ready for it!

librarianintx

Big Brother The Penultimate Episode of the Season

I thought the episode was very entertaining...

With one big exception. 

Lala and Angela's bullying of Melody was so uncalled for.

Melody had the perfect retort, "I made it further than both of you did."

It really was Girls Behaving Badly.

Lala and Angela came across as petty and jealous.

What was the point of the conversation?

Lala won two challenges.

Melody won two challenges

Angela won one.

They all had alliances.

They all had people keeping them safe.

What did Melody do that was so different?

Taylor has flown under the radar the whole season.

She has only won one challenge.

Would Lala treat Taylor the way she treated Melody?

If Angela had been trying to improve her reputation, she blew it by going ballistic,  yelling at Melody and accusing her of a showmance with Drew.

I agree Melody - Angela's fixation on your alleged activity in the pool (and elsewhere in the house) was over the top. 

Get a life, Angela.

librarianintx 

Big Brother Top 3 - My Thoughts

It's been a crazy, and fun season of Big Brother!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

So, let's break down the final three.

My prediction: If Devens makes it to Final 2, he will win.

My reasoning: jury management. 

If the jury votes by friendship and alliances, Devens will win.

Here is my breakdown:

Lala: Taylor or Devens

Angela: Devens

Barrett: He's a conundrum. Maybe Taylor. Maybe Devens

Yash: Taylor

Melody: Drew

Dee: Devens

Bottom line: if its Drew and Devens as the final two, I think Devens will get everyone's vote except Melody. Taylor will NOT vote for Drew. Drew burned too many people.

I love Taylor, and I want her in the final two. But I think Devens deserves the win.

If it had been Dee and Drew in the final, THAT would have been interesting! Would the jury have voted for a previous reality show winner, or for a weasel?

My predictions for favorite houseguest:

Mallory

Yash

Devens

I hope Devens wins the show and Yash is voted favorite houseguest.

There's still a lot of game to play.

Thanks for a fun summer Big Brother!

librarianintx 

Big Brother Double Eviction Nite - SPOILERS!

YASH!!!!

Sad face. :(

Dude, you trusted Drew to keep you safe?!

What were you thinking?!

He's such a weasel!!

I was rooting for you, Bro. 

Congrats on Top 6.

I hope you win Favorite Houseguest.

librarianintx 

Dancing with the Stars Season 35 Week 1

 Hello again dance fans!

I am SO excited our show is back!!

I like this cast A LOT, and I see A LOT of potential. 

I have some thoughts on who went home and why, but first, my favorite performances of the week:

Harry Shum Jr and Jenna

I knew Harry would be good. He's got a dance background. 

What I didn't know was how AMAZING his chemistry would be with Jenna. 

Holy cow! Their routine was SMOKIN' HOT! 

More of that, please. 

Ezra Frech and Daniella 

I absolutely ADORE how inclusive DWTS is. 

Can an above the knee amputee who also has a hand difference do ballroom dancing? 

YES HE CAN!

Ezra "can do" attitude and Daniella's inspired choreography translated into a showstopping Tango. 

People will not be rooting for this team because they feel sorry for Ezra. 

They will be voting because they want to see what magic will happen next. 

Maura Higgins & Mark

Maura, no dance experience?!?! Seriously?!

She was a revelation. 

I was mesmerized by that routine. 

Mark is a brilliant teacher and choreographer, AND give credit to Maura for working hard, listening to the pro, and being a fast learner. 

Jenna Dewan and Val

Like Harry, I knew Jenna would do well because she has a dance background. 

Their Tango looked like a professional routine.

And damn, Jenna looks she is aging in reverse. She looked H-O-T!!

Now, as to who went home and why:

Conner Levitt and Adele

As I say repeatedly, DTWS is NOT a dance competition. 

It is a popularity contest. 

Some people don't like Conner's wife Whitney. 

Conner likely isn't well-known, except for those who watch the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

Some people are upset that Adele won The Next Pro. 

Some people may not have watched The Next Pro. 

Conner was not the worst male dancer this week. 

But he was eliminated. 

Many people would say that Sarah Jane Nader was cut because she was dancing with a woman. 

I disagree. 

Jo Jo Siwa and Jenna Johnson were a pair on Season 30 of DWTS; the first same-sex pair on the show. 

They were runners-up to the winners, Iman Shumpert and Daniella. 

Jo Jo is very popular with many young people, and DWTS fans know and adore Jenna.

So, what happened with Sarah Jane and her pro, Hailey? 

I don't think they were well-known enough to get the votes. 

The viewers know Sarah Jane as Brooke's sister, and Hailey as Jenna's niece. 

That's not enough to get votes. 

Maybe being a same sex pair didn't help, but I don't think that was the reason they were eliminated. 

Again, I applaud DWTS for their inclusive casting, and I wish Sarah Jane and Hailey had made it further. 

There were a lot of nerves week one, especially among the ladies. 

But like I said, I see potential...in almost everyone. 

librarianintx

Big Brother - Thursday's Eviction - My Thoughts - SPOILERS

 They voted out Angela?!?!?!?!?

Barrett put up all three icons - and Angela went home?

What a waste of an HOH!

Newbies - what are you doing?!

Why do you want Dee and Devens to continue to dominate? 

"They can protect us"

"They can do the dirty work"

DO YOUR OWN DIRTY WORK!!

Do you not understand how to play Big Brother? 

The object of the game is to take someone to Finale Night that YOU CAN WIN against.

Who is going to vote for Angela to win Big Brother?

The only scenario I see where Angela wins is if she is up against Dee. 

Not because Dee isn't worthy of winning. 

But because they won't want to hand a Survivor winner even more money. 

While I appreciate Devens loyalty to Dee, if that's what that was, I'm not sure that Dee would have done the same for him. Dee and Angela are very close. And Devens and Dee have been pissing each other off lately. 

I like Dee and Devens. I think they are both worthy of winning. This post is not about me not liking them or wanting them out. It's about the newbies fighting for themselves and becoming worthy winners. Taylor and Melody - what have either of you done to be worthy winners? 

Currently I'm rooting for Yash, but that bribe will continue to complicate his game, I think. 

librarianintx

The Dreaded 'No' Finally Happened

A few years ago I started using Hitch to travel home to see my family. Hitch is like Uber, but its for out of town travel. Through an app, you schedule a ride and are matched with a driver. You can get a private ride that picks you up at your home, but that is very expensive. So I meet the driver at a public place, and there are usually two other passengers.

I have to travel with a heavy medical bag that is very difficult for me to manage by myself. I risk falling if I try to carry it, and I am already a fall risk. So when I travel I take paratransit or Uber to the meeting place. Then I ask the Hitch driver to put my bags in the car for me.

Yesterday, I texted the driver, and made my request.

Then I saw the dreaded word.

No.

Even though I knew it was a possibility, I was still flabbergasted to see it. I stared at the screen.

What he said and what I said is not the purpose of this post. 

This post is about "My problem and how I solved it"

My solution: I went into the Starbucks (public meeting place) and explained my situation to one of the employees. It was frustrating and embarrassing, but I got what I needed.

The Starbucks employee carried my bags to the car and put them in the trunk. And his kindness and willingness to help was rewarded. He got the tip that I usually give the driver.

I hope this doesn't happen again. But resiliency is about being faced with a difficult situation and finding a solution. Getting through it.

I got through it.

librarianintx 

Big Brother - My thoughts on the season

 I am one episode behind, but I got spoiled on who got evicted. 

I haven't seen the big 1000th episode yet. 

Boy, this season is bonkers. 

I'm loving it. 

Do I have a favorite? 

Not really. 

I like Dee and Devens, but I think they are playing a crazy game, continually burning their alliances. 

The closest person I have as a favorite is Taylor. 

She knows how to play the game, and I hope she can make it far, but at this point her alliance is very small. 

I also like Yash. 

One person that you might be surprised that I liked was Kamu. 

The main reason that I liked him was that he didn't take anything that happened personally. 

He was even tempered, and respectful. 

Even when Devens blindsided him, he shook his hand and said "it's just a game." 

He would have gotten revenge for sure if he had had the opportunity, but he never lost his temper or was difficult to be around. 

He even was able to poke fun at himself, admitting that he lost two physical challenges to women in their 50's. 

Haley needs to learn from Kamu. 

librarianintx