I know I'm weeks late in posting this, but better late than never, right?
My picks for top 4 all made it! Hooray for Aaron, Amy, Fik-shun, and Jasmine!
Of course I'm glad that Fik-shun won. He's been my favorite guy the entire season. But I have to admit that I do feel a bit unsettled that he won. Other non-trained male dancers have won, of course. I'm talking about Joshua and Russell. But I do think they were stronger overall dancers. Especially Joshua. But we have to keep in mind what the judges and Cat tell us all the time: SYTYCD is about finding America's FAVORITE dancer, not America's BEST dancer. So if you remember that, then I definitely think that Fik-shun was the right choice.
For sure this season no one was criticized more than Fik-shun. Blu-Print and Curtis were also criticized a lot, but they were eliminated earlier in the competition. The girls were rarely found fault with this season. I felt bad for Fik-shun. Several times during the critiques for his performances with Amy or an all star, Nigel in particular would go back to the group number to pick him apart. "You were the only one who wasn't..." he would needle. I didn't think that was fair. But I do understand that criticism can make you better at your craft, and definitely Fik-shun did grow during his time on the show. He took in all the negativity with that mega-watt smile on his face, and those eyes full of joy, and he just kept dancing. I am thrilled for him. He without a doubt made the season for me.
Aaron should feel SO proud of himself. He went from not even on the show to top 4! And the first tapper to do so! He also has a great personality; I loved his and Fik-shun's routine. Paul is a great dancer, and I was shocked that he didn't make top 4. He was very popular. I just didn't connect with him on a personality level.
I love both Amy and Jasmine. I can't choose between them. I'm thrilled for Amy and sad for Jasmine. I admit that when the season started I didn't have high expectations for Jasmine. I thought she would go out early and that her biggest draw was that she was Cyrus' ex-girlfriend. Boy, did she prove me wrong! Jasmine is amazing! She has the best legs ever on SYTYCD. And she went for it on every routine. I wish both she and Amy could have won. I think what put Amy over the top were her routines with Travis and Robert. They were both beyond stunning.
Overall, I thought this season was good, but not great. For me, I don't think this cast is going to be remembered like other seasons. Many of the dancers were very strong, especially the girls, but not very memorable unfortunately. If you put Amy, Jenna, Haley, Makenzie, Alexis, and Brittany in a row, I don't think I could tell you who was who. Especially Haley and Makenzie. Great dancers they are, but are we going to be talking about them like we still talk about Allison and Heidi and Katherine and Melanie? Many of the routines were wonderful, but would they make any top 10 lists?
I'll list my top 5 most memorable / favorite routines of the season, in no particular order, off the top of my head:
Jasmine and Alan's "blindfold" routine
Amy and Fik-shun's bellhop routine
Amy and Fik-shun's waitress routine
Jenna and Mark K.'s routine
Tucker and Robert's brother routine
And I have to also mention Comfort's reptile walk. I can't say I loved the routine, but her reptile walk was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen on this show. How did she do that?!?! That girl is mad talented! :)
librarianintx
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Dancing with the Stars Week 2
Latin Week! I love Latin Week! Overall I thought it was a pretty good show, but I did think some of the judges scores were a little generous. Here are my top 4, in order:
1) Corbin and Karina
Great routine! The high school sports theme really stood out among all the sequins and flash of the other costumes and set designs. Corbin is definitely the strongest of the guys, and he is in it to win it. He is a very strong contender for the title.
2) Elizabeth and Val
Wow, that was a fast samba! Elizabeth really kept up with Val. I liked her red dress and she looked great in it, but I thought she was a little covered up for a samba. I thought at some point Val might rip the skirt off or something. :)
3) Amber and Derek
A super cute routine. I do agree with Bruno though - that was much more lindy hop than a jive. Her outfit and shoes definitely read lindy hop. They had great energy, and I enjoyed it.
4) Brant and Peta
They made my best list for one thing really - their chemistry. That was quite a sexy routine. I didn't think Brant did all that much in the dance, but he did smolder, so...it worked for me! :)
librarinaintx
1) Corbin and Karina
Great routine! The high school sports theme really stood out among all the sequins and flash of the other costumes and set designs. Corbin is definitely the strongest of the guys, and he is in it to win it. He is a very strong contender for the title.
2) Elizabeth and Val
Wow, that was a fast samba! Elizabeth really kept up with Val. I liked her red dress and she looked great in it, but I thought she was a little covered up for a samba. I thought at some point Val might rip the skirt off or something. :)
3) Amber and Derek
A super cute routine. I do agree with Bruno though - that was much more lindy hop than a jive. Her outfit and shoes definitely read lindy hop. They had great energy, and I enjoyed it.
4) Brant and Peta
They made my best list for one thing really - their chemistry. That was quite a sexy routine. I didn't think Brant did all that much in the dance, but he did smolder, so...it worked for me! :)
librarinaintx
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Big Brother Finale
Andy won the final HOH...blah
Andy and GinaMarie were the final two...blah
Andy won...blah
Elissa won the viewer vote...meh. Judd and Howard were also in the running...cool.
Julie's dress...thumbs up!
Quote of the show:
"Did I say anything Julie?" Spencer, referring to how controversial the season was. The members of the jury and the final two at that point had no idea how much the nation was talking about them.
Julie's reply: "We don't have enough time."
What a difference a day makes.
Until next summer, BB'ers.
librarianintx
Andy and GinaMarie were the final two...blah
Andy won...blah
Elissa won the viewer vote...meh. Judd and Howard were also in the running...cool.
Julie's dress...thumbs up!
Quote of the show:
"Did I say anything Julie?" Spencer, referring to how controversial the season was. The members of the jury and the final two at that point had no idea how much the nation was talking about them.
Julie's reply: "We don't have enough time."
What a difference a day makes.
Until next summer, BB'ers.
librarianintx
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Dancing with the Stars Week 1
It was a good show! I was pleasantly surprised. I like the new format. It flows better. Still a little too much time with Brooke. But overall, I'm happy.
Although I think the women are much stronger than the men this season, Corbin has a good chance of winning. That contemporary routine was amazing. One thing you have to say about Karina...she will put herself in danger to make the routine exciting. It was beautiful, passionate, and definitely exciting.
And then we have to talk about Miss Riley. Girl kicked that cha cha's ASS!! I'm a huge Glee fan of course, so it was so much fun to see so many cast members in the audience - Chris, Kevin, Ashley, Jenna, Diana - Harry was supposed to be there too, but I didn't see him. To say they were enthusiastic is an understatement. And Chris was there with his boyfriend. SO cute! Okay, back to Amber. It was a fantastic routine. She is going to be fun to watch this season.
To round out my top three - Snookie, of all people! People like Elizabeth and Christina might have been technically better, but I really enjoyed Snookie's dance. She got a song where she could shake what her momma gave her, and she did. :) Like Carrie Ann said, I like people who go for it, and she went for it.
Pretty much every season I say, "Well, I may not watch this season. I don't care about most of the cast, and I'm already watching too many shows." And then I watch the first episode...and I'm hooked.
Here we go again! :)
librarianintx
Although I think the women are much stronger than the men this season, Corbin has a good chance of winning. That contemporary routine was amazing. One thing you have to say about Karina...she will put herself in danger to make the routine exciting. It was beautiful, passionate, and definitely exciting.
And then we have to talk about Miss Riley. Girl kicked that cha cha's ASS!! I'm a huge Glee fan of course, so it was so much fun to see so many cast members in the audience - Chris, Kevin, Ashley, Jenna, Diana - Harry was supposed to be there too, but I didn't see him. To say they were enthusiastic is an understatement. And Chris was there with his boyfriend. SO cute! Okay, back to Amber. It was a fantastic routine. She is going to be fun to watch this season.
To round out my top three - Snookie, of all people! People like Elizabeth and Christina might have been technically better, but I really enjoyed Snookie's dance. She got a song where she could shake what her momma gave her, and she did. :) Like Carrie Ann said, I like people who go for it, and she went for it.
Pretty much every season I say, "Well, I may not watch this season. I don't care about most of the cast, and I'm already watching too many shows." And then I watch the first episode...and I'm hooked.
Here we go again! :)
librarianintx
Big Brother Season 15
The last night of Big Brother for 2013. What a controversial season it has been. Honestly, I don't care who wins. I don't care for anyone in the final three. I actually grew to dislike pretty much everyone this season. I think Judd has a good shot at the fan favorite vote, and I'm okay with that. I like Judd.
I don't agree that the exterminators were the ones who got Aaryn out of the house. They are pretty full of themselves if they think that. Amanda was still in the house at that point. Amanda called the shots until the day she got kicked out. Nice try, exterminators.
I think GinaMarie became a more likeable person when all of the girls were out of the house. I think she is one of those girls who doesn't get along well with other girls. I could ALMOST root for her...until I remember how she treated Candice. How she and Aaryn treated Candice. GinaMarie can be as much of a bully as Amanda. So I can't root for GinaMarie.
Hard to know how the jury will vote. If Andy makes it to the final two, will they reward him or punish him for backstabbing several of them? It appears that a few in the jury think he's a good player. I think he was lucky. He rode on McCranda's coattails for most of the summer. He calls himself an exterminator. I call him an informant. It's a fancy synonym for tattletale.
Enjoy the show BB'ers!
librarianintx
I don't agree that the exterminators were the ones who got Aaryn out of the house. They are pretty full of themselves if they think that. Amanda was still in the house at that point. Amanda called the shots until the day she got kicked out. Nice try, exterminators.
I think GinaMarie became a more likeable person when all of the girls were out of the house. I think she is one of those girls who doesn't get along well with other girls. I could ALMOST root for her...until I remember how she treated Candice. How she and Aaryn treated Candice. GinaMarie can be as much of a bully as Amanda. So I can't root for GinaMarie.
Hard to know how the jury will vote. If Andy makes it to the final two, will they reward him or punish him for backstabbing several of them? It appears that a few in the jury think he's a good player. I think he was lucky. He rode on McCranda's coattails for most of the summer. He calls himself an exterminator. I call him an informant. It's a fancy synonym for tattletale.
Enjoy the show BB'ers!
librarianintx
Thursday, September 05, 2013
Diana Nyad
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sports/july-dec13/nyad_09-03.html
"Diana Nyad Says Record-Setting Swim Was About Being 'Fully Engaged' in Life"
Quote from article:
"And I wanted to swim this endeavor not to just be the athletic record. I wanted it to be a lesson for my life that says, be fully engaged. Be so awake and alert and alive every minute of every waking day, because that's where I had to be for these fortunately years to get this done."
My thoughts:
The fifth time was the charm for Diana Nyad. Five times she has attempted to swim from Cuba to the Florida Keys. Four times she has been unsuccessful. During those four attempts she suffered jellyfish attacks, asthma attacks, shoulder pain, lightening storms, and currents that pushed her far off course.
Diana Nyad is perseverance personified. Each failed attempt gave her the information she needed to ultimately achieve success. Diana didn't let anything stop her from reaching her goal. She didn't let her age prevent her. She didn't let the naysayers deter her. She didn't let the jellyfish stings, the persistent vomiting, the weakness from the vomiting, the sores caused by the jellyfish mask...none of it caused her to give up this time. She pushed through all of it, and she finished that swim.
To be honest, I don't understand why someone would spend so many years trying to do something like this. Why anyone would put her body through such torment, and risk not only her life, but the lives of her crew as well. But while I don't comprehend the why, I still can applaud and appreciate the effort, the determination, the "never give up" attitude. When you think you can't do something, when you're convinced that what you're attempting is just too difficult, think of Diana Nyad.
And then try again.
"You're never too old to chase your dreams" Diana Nyad
librarianintx
"Diana Nyad Says Record-Setting Swim Was About Being 'Fully Engaged' in Life"
Quote from article:
"And I wanted to swim this endeavor not to just be the athletic record. I wanted it to be a lesson for my life that says, be fully engaged. Be so awake and alert and alive every minute of every waking day, because that's where I had to be for these fortunately years to get this done."
My thoughts:
The fifth time was the charm for Diana Nyad. Five times she has attempted to swim from Cuba to the Florida Keys. Four times she has been unsuccessful. During those four attempts she suffered jellyfish attacks, asthma attacks, shoulder pain, lightening storms, and currents that pushed her far off course.
Diana Nyad is perseverance personified. Each failed attempt gave her the information she needed to ultimately achieve success. Diana didn't let anything stop her from reaching her goal. She didn't let her age prevent her. She didn't let the naysayers deter her. She didn't let the jellyfish stings, the persistent vomiting, the weakness from the vomiting, the sores caused by the jellyfish mask...none of it caused her to give up this time. She pushed through all of it, and she finished that swim.
To be honest, I don't understand why someone would spend so many years trying to do something like this. Why anyone would put her body through such torment, and risk not only her life, but the lives of her crew as well. But while I don't comprehend the why, I still can applaud and appreciate the effort, the determination, the "never give up" attitude. When you think you can't do something, when you're convinced that what you're attempting is just too difficult, think of Diana Nyad.
And then try again.
"You're never too old to chase your dreams" Diana Nyad
librarianintx
Big Brother Season 15 9-5-13
Wow...a busy night of BB!!
But first, I have to go back to last week for a second. Aaryn....please do not insinuate that you speak for an entire state. Texas might still be a red state, but not all of its inhabitants are racist and homophobic. Your wide-eyed, innocent, "Southerners say those things" bullshit was both laughable and hugely insulting. Hope you have fun looking for a new job.
And now on to tonight. Thank goodness Amanda is finally gone! But what was with Elissa trying to save her at the last minute? What a terrible move on her part. All of her effort went for naught, as Andy flipped yet again, which forced GinaMarie to break the tie. Amanda absolutely tormented Elissa, but somehow Elissa thought that aligning herself with the power couple of the house would get her farther in the game? *shakes head*
Of the people left, I'm definitely rooting for Judd. He's a good guy that hasn't tried to hurt anyone. GinaMarie is a bully. Andy is a tattletale. Spencer is anti-Semitic. I think McCrae is actually a good guy as well, and I wouldn't mind if he won, except knowing that the money would really go to Amanda.
Go Judd!
librarianintx
But first, I have to go back to last week for a second. Aaryn....please do not insinuate that you speak for an entire state. Texas might still be a red state, but not all of its inhabitants are racist and homophobic. Your wide-eyed, innocent, "Southerners say those things" bullshit was both laughable and hugely insulting. Hope you have fun looking for a new job.
And now on to tonight. Thank goodness Amanda is finally gone! But what was with Elissa trying to save her at the last minute? What a terrible move on her part. All of her effort went for naught, as Andy flipped yet again, which forced GinaMarie to break the tie. Amanda absolutely tormented Elissa, but somehow Elissa thought that aligning herself with the power couple of the house would get her farther in the game? *shakes head*
Of the people left, I'm definitely rooting for Judd. He's a good guy that hasn't tried to hurt anyone. GinaMarie is a bully. Andy is a tattletale. Spencer is anti-Semitic. I think McCrae is actually a good guy as well, and I wouldn't mind if he won, except knowing that the money would really go to Amanda.
Go Judd!
librarianintx
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