Blue Dreams

Yes, I'm still in my joy over the blue tsunami, but I also understand that these candidates won't always vote the way that I want them to, or prioritize what is most important to me. 

Still, a girl can dream...

Of no book banning

Raises for personal care attendants, and paid vacation and sick leave

Reproductive rights

A return to DEI

LGBTQIA+ rights and protections

Improved transportation for people with disabilities 

Continuation of telehealth, remote work, and remote options for social connections

The return of rainbow crosswalks

librarianintx 

Quiet celebration

I've been spending a lot of time "joyscrolling" the past three days - I'm loving all the videos of the country - and the world - celebrating the blue tsunami 

From big crowds at candidate watch parties to bars to home gatherings to spontaneous street celebrations, the joy and pride radiates across my phone screen and fills my heart.

I am not someone who goes to watch parties. The transportation, the long hours of waiting, the standing - it would be difficult for me. 

It would have definitely been a blast to be a part of a crowd, to feel that energy, that collective bliss.

But it was also beautiful to sit in my living room with my roommate, looking at each other and smiling as the blue wave rolled in throughout the night. When Talarico won, and then Hinojosa, we just looked at each other with tears in our eyes. Few words were spoken. 

Words weren't needed in those moments. We remembered the devastating nights when Trump won, the shock and the fear and the anger at what the voters had done. Facing four years of his presidency each time seemed insurmountable.

Hard times suck, point blank period. They are so difficult to experience. But the rough times make the good times so much sweeter. We have survived the darkness - the light is on its way.

librarianintx

November 4, 2026

Pink is still my favorite color, but my goodness how stunningly beautiful it is to witness Texas turning BLUE!!

A night for the history books!!

Si se puede. Yes, we can!

And y'all, WE DID!!!!

It happened because the need for change was so critical.

So across the state, in big towns and rural areas, we exercised our civic duty. 

We stood in long lines. 

We didn't give up. 

Most importantly - we BELIEVED that our voices and our votes mattered. 

We understood that if we all did our part, we could witness the change we've been waiting for, hoping for, working toward, dreaming of.  

Together, we can. 

And as a nation, we made history too.

Look at what we have done - the first Latina governor, the first black woman governor, the first American Indian female governor, the first Muslim senator. We also elected nonbinary, trans, and politicians with disabilities into office. 

Real diversity. Real representation. 

Listen, I know there are still battles ahead. 

We aren't going to get everything we want and need. 

But there is joy and celebration and relief in the belief that for the first time in a long time, my elected officials are working for me, not against me. Or at least trying to. 

They see me.

They at least want to help me. 

So for now, I will be present in the moment and just feel the pride and the gratitude. 

Thank you, Texas. 

We did the thing - together. 

librarianintx

DWTS Season 35 Dedication Nite

 Less than 90 minutes until Halloween Nite, and I'm trying to write about last week's show. 

One of these days I'll get my act together. 

Maybe. 

Anyway, I LOVED LOVED LOVED Dedication Nite!!

I loved every dance. 

Here are my three favorites:

Amber and Pasha: Contemporary

Wow. Wow. Wow. 

That was one of the most powerful Contemporary dances we have seen on Dancing with the Stars.

The raw emotion. 

Pasha's brilliant choreography.

Amber's amazing athleticism.

The connection between Amber and her sister. 

I think that dance deserved all 10's. 

Harry and Jenna: Foxtrot

What a wonderful story Jenna created in this dance. 

Three generations of an immigrant family. 

What this country is all about. 

I agree with Kym - I didn't see a hip hop dancer doing a Foxtrot. I saw a ballroom dancer doing a beautiful Foxtrot. 

I also give Harry's wife the award for best guest dancer on Dedication Nite. 

And their precious daughter - when she turned and reached out toward her grandparents at the end - MAGIC!!

Tyler & Sharna - Contemporary

Okay, Tyler is not the best dancer this season. 

But his Dedication Nite dance will be remembered for seasons to come. 

His voiceover - speaking to his mother who is no longer with us - dancing with his fiancé - then revealing her pregnancy as he lifts her over his head - such a beautiful, powerful moment. 

I have heard that some people complained the dance and the gender reveal were tacky. 

I could not disagree more. 

It was so special, and I felt honored to have the opportunity to share their joy.

I am so glad that no one went home, but that means two will go home tonight. 

I will be sad no matter who it is, because I love this cast so much. 

librarianintx 

Glee Reboot

Apparently, the speculation is over. 

A Glee reboot is happening.

I am conflicted.

I LOVED Glee, especially the first few seasons.

I was a Gleek, and proud of it.

A musical / comedy about a high school glee club that included a gay kid and a kid with a physical disability - I was hooked!!

I was more than slightly obsessed. 

Later, more characters were added, including a girl with Down Syndrome, a female wheelchair user who was disabled in real life, and a trans character.

Representation.  Representation.

So part of me is intrigued by a reboot. 

Will we see Kurt, Artie, Becky, Betty, Unique?

How are their lives turning out?

But at the same time, how can Glee happen without Finn, Puck, and Santana? Cory, Naya, and Mark can't reprise their roles.

Also, watching the documentary about Glee - seeing how hard those young actors had to work and all they went through - do they want to do it? 

Is it possible to recreate that magic?

I'm skeptical.

The Gleek in me will definitely give it a shot.

But I'm worried I'll end up disappointed. 

Same goes for the new Dirty Dancing movie.

I'm not sure that magic can be rebooted.

librarianintx 

The DWTS Val / Carrie Ann controversy

I know I haven't been writing every week about this season of Dancing with the Stars, but I am absolutely loving it! 

The dancing has been great, and it warms my heart to see how close the cast has become. I've been watching a lot of behind-the-scenes footage as well as every live episode. Every season I think the cast roots for each other and commiserates when contestants are voted off, but this season seems to be more like a family than others. 

Unfortunately, that warm, fuzzy feeling has been interrupted by a family squabble that has resulted in a school-like suspension. 

During last week's show, Carrie Ann complained that Harry and Jenna had a lift during their routine. They were dancing a Samba, and lifts are not allowed in a Samba. She still gave the couple a score that aligned with the other judges. Many fans were outraged by her comments, and Val, in an attempt to stand up for his wife, made a post on TikTok that referenced Will Smith's Oscar slap. Val deleted the post, and sincerely apologized for his actions, but the damage was done. 

Here are my thoughts:

As a judge on DWTS, Carrie Ann's job is to critique the performances. If she loved everything and never gave any constructive criticism or adhered to the rules of a dance, she wouldn't be doing what she is paid to do. Too many fans love what they love and who they love, and they only want praise and adoration for the routines and the contestants. That's not what a dance competition should be. 

I don't think Carrie Ann was "mean" to Jenna at all. I don't think Carrie Ann deserves the outrage she is getting from the fans. Carrie Ann has said repeatedly that all of the judges want the dancers to improve and do their best, and one of the ways that happens is through constructive criticism and critique. 

I understand Val wanting to support his wife, but he definitely went about it the wrong way. He acted impulsively and with his heart rather than his head. In that moment, he needed to think as a professional dancer, not as a husband. Posting a loving comment to Jenna would have been wonderful. Instead, what he did was post something that looked like he was threatening Carrie Ann with bodily harm. Very bad decision. I appreciate his genuine apology, and I understand that people make mistakes. Unfortunately, his was a very public mistake, as was Will Smith's. 

Dancing with the Stars is all about the enjoyment factor, but the technique has to count too. Take Connor and Rylee for example. Connor's last two dances have been SO fun! I have loved them. I have watched them more than once. Sexy, cheeky, enjoyable dances. The ballroom has gone wild for them. But in both dances, the technique was lacking. And the judges have scored him accordingly. As they should. I mean, they could consider an artistic score and a technical score, like they do in figure skating, but that would be too complicated and time consuming. 

I hope the fans can move on, and Jenna, Val, and Carrie Ann can move on from this very unfortunate incident. Let's get back to the fun, dance fans!

librarianintx

Big Brother Season Finale: My Thoughts

 It was a satisfying ending to a very fun summer. 

These houseguests played hard, and I enjoyed the chaos. 

Congratulations to Devens!!

Devens and Yash were the two that I was rooting for. 

I was hoping Jason would be a good player and make it far, but that was not the case. 

I am very happy that it was Devens and Taylor as the final two. 

I did feel bad for Drew, but I did not want him to get second place. 

I giggled when I saw him playing with his hair as he sat on the jury, but then I felt bad, thinking maybe it's more of a nervous habit rather than an attention-seeking activity.

I am also happy that Devens won favorite houseguest, although I would have been more excited if it had been Yash. 

In the end, all the jurors rewarded Deven's game play except Lala. 

No surprise there - Lala was usually on the wrong side of the vote, bless her heart. 

Thanks houseguests, and thanks Big Brother. 

Love one another!

By the way, I would usually put SPOILER in the subject line, but people have been posting spoilers all evening, so...

librarianintx

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