Day After Blogging

*Kind of like Live blogging...only from my DVR instead of live.

Dancing With The Stars is back! I'm trying to catch up on last night's episode before tonight's begins - there was a DVR crises here last night as we had the Cardinal's game, the Rams on Monday Night Football, DWTS, AND The Sing Off. Our DVR only records two programs at once. So, we recorded football and DWTS, and watched The Sing-Off while checking in on the Cardinals.

Really tv people, there's something be said for carving out your own spot in prime time instead of all this competition stuff.

Anyway - so far I'm impressed with Nancy Grace's dance - she just looked so happy.

What does it say about my watching history that I saw the start of Elisabetta's dance and thought "Len's not going to like that." That doesn't mean I watch this too much, right?

It doesn't sound like theyre dancing again tonight before the first elimination. I prefer getting to see the contestants in two dances before they give someone the axe and I wish they would do that every season.

Brooke seems to be a little more comfortable - FINALLY.

Hope looks like she's going to be a good match for Maks.

Does anyone else find themselves rooting for the professionals? Like, some of them are so familiar that I just want them to win for once. Maybe it's because I don't know many of the contestants.

Dang, I've got a DVR crises again tonight! Glee, Parenthood, DWTS, and Rob and E1 are AT the Cardinal's game sitting a little ways up behind home plate. They want me to record the game in case they're on tv, but the DVR is saying there will be a conflict. Stinking DVR's - suck you in with the convenience and then make you feel like you need More, More, More.

Hey, J.R. Martinez is pretty good - keep your feet on the floor Karina!

I think it would really suck to be the person who has to run the judges scores from the judge table back to wherever they run it.

I mean, how many DVR's should a person/household need? How am I supposed to get sucked in to any of the new fall shows if I can't manage the shows I currently watch on the DVR we have? I think TV execs need to plan the schedules better.

Ricki Lake has 'beautiful lines'.

Hmmm, looks like I may have to explain 'transgendered' to my children this season. Although, at the rate we're going, they'll be too busy to ever watch tv with me this fall. Dang punks.

Not bad, Chaz Bono. Think he'll dance to I Got You Babe this season?

Those poor people have to hike up all those stairs after dancing to the point of being out of breath! Do they figure they'll be running on adrenaline and won't mind? Sheesh.

Must go now - will be up all night trying to catch up on my DVR'd shows.

Rambling On - TV Edition

I am pleased with the finale of Dancing With The Stars. What is most disappointing is that Bristol Palin didn't up her game earlier in the season - had she kicked it in sooner I would have been truly torn as to who I wanted to win. She could have been more of a contender is all I'm saying.

I think this was one of the best season finale shows ever. The returning contestants' dances were entertaining and I liked that they did the eliminations right at then end...remember the year Layla Ali was on and she got booted and then the other two couples still had to dance or something? This was better.

Tonight's episode of Glee was fantastic. I don't want to give too much away for anyone who has not watched it yet, but I think they're doing a great job of dealing with timely topics while still keeping their goofy humor intact.

I usually watch Parenthood on Tuesday nights as well, but I'm skipping the recording for now to watch Jimmy Kimmel Live to see the Dancing Winners.

Did I mention that we took a step into the modern era and done got ourselves a DVR? I love how easy it is to record programs, AND that I can record by series. It allowed the girls and I to do something fun tonight, and come back home and watch my Tuesday night line-up. I know, you all are there already right? Still, I'm downright giddy.

Dancing Buisness

Can we all agree to send Bristol Palin home tonight? She's a sweetie, yes. But she HAS expressed her home sickness... And, she is not as good of a dancer as the other remaining contestants. It's not a political issue - it's about dancing skills. Agreed? Okay. So, let's let her go home and smush her cute little baby's cheeks.

I'm voting for Jennifer and Derek. WOOOOOO! Kyle and Brandy are on their own from here on out.

Scattered

• Today at the mall: Excuse me. Do you know if Olga's is this way? Add that to my approachability score.
• Can anyone clue me in to the marketing...or merchandising...or whatever...strategy is at work in Hollister stores with the darkness, over-fragrance, and LOUD music? The live web cam from the pier in California? SO awesome. Why must they wreck it my having the music so loud that any interaction...from their, "Hey. What's up?" to any final transaction at the cash register must be practically shouted. It's like they're forcing their customers to interact in ALL CAPS.
• I wish Oprah was on earlier in the day in our area - it looks like she's having some great interviews during this last season of the Oprah Winfrey Show. She's on during dinner prep time.
• Rob and I ate a The Olive Garden tonight, because that's how we Midwesterners roll sometimes when we're too lazy to venture farther than across the parking lot for dinner. We had a most delightful server who not only encouraged us to pester her serving partner with requests just to liven up their slow evening, she shared with us their new program to cut down on wasted food - which is why they now bring out less salad and bread sticks at a time. They will refill both as needed/requested - and as our server pointed out, it gives you fresh salad and warm bread sticks each time instead of letting the salad wilt and the bread sticks get cold at your table- but, this greatly reduces the amount of un-touched salad and bread sticks they have to throw away...AND the servers get to choose which charity will receive that savings.
• Rob's going to complete the online survey on our receipt and give Server J good marks...and if we win the $1,000 we're going back and leaving her an even bigger tip than we left tonight.
• Last night during Dancing With The Stars Judge CarrieAnn and Professional Dancer Maks had words about the length to time spent dancing during their 'instant dance'. I agree with CarrieAnn - Brandy and Maks should have spent more time dancing.
• I think it's well past time for Bristol Palin to go home. Last week, I was sincerely wanting her to go just because she was so sad over being homesick. But then Rick Fox was eliminated...after Audrina Patridge the previous week...and it's not that I think Rick or Audrina were going to make it to the end...but I DO think they were each better dancers than Bristol.
• Last year our school started a new program of selling poinsettias to student's families - and then using them as decorations for the Holiday concert before sending them home with us at the end of the performance. It's a neat way to get pretty decorations for the concert AND our homes. We got the order forms last weekend...the concert is only about 3 weeks away...it was 75 degrees today. This weather is continually fooling me into thinking the holidays are farther away than they really are.
• I need to start my list of people...teachers, etc...that we need to remember for the holidays.
• Parent/Teacher conferences tomorrow.
• We're celebrating Veteran's Day by attending the local parade (E1 is participating with the school band), and having steak sandwiches for dinner.
• I 'stole' the book E1 borrowed from her friend and I'm reading it before her - it's Ghost Girl by Tonya Hurley. So far it's pretty good.
• ARGH! Bristol didn't get eliminated tonight.

Armchair Dancing Quarterback

I missed Dancing With The Stars last week, and had to watch it on Hulu.com the next day...I don't know if it's our computer, or our internet connection...but it's slightly painful to watch it there as the action is so choppy it's almost like watching still photos set to music...well, behind the music really.

Since I was watching completely interrupted I decided to take notes for further analysis here...and then I didn't get to them...and then another night of dancing took place last night...and I didn't take notes last night so now my plan is all messed up...

What can I say? The month of October is a bit crazy krazee cRaZY, and no one outside of my household seems to understand the importance of Monday Night Dancing With The Stars.

So, here are my thoughts thus far, in no particular order of course:

Rick and Cheryl - eh, not doing too bad considering their height difference.

Florence and Corky - I still like Florence and hope she hangs tough for a while longer.

Brandy and Maks - I think I like Maks better than Brandy at this point...can't put my finger on what it is about her, but I don't think she fully trusts that he knows what he's doing. I like it when he gooses Tom Bergeron.

Michael and Chelsey - well, he's gone as of last week and after the doghouse bit I think it's well-deserved...not sure how Chelsey didn't see that as degrading.

Audrina and Tony - they're okay, but sorta beige as a dancing couple.

Jennifer and Derrik - She's still my favorite.

Margaret Cho and Louie - they did great last week...this week, mmm, it was all over the place, wasn't it?

Corey and Lacey - I liked their routine last week, but this week's not as much.

Kurt and Anna - they're doing okay, but I think Kurt's going to have to up his game for next week.

Situation and Karina - they're just so-so for me...I'm annoyed that he goes by The Situation and would like to see him gone for that reason alone.

Bristol and Mark - they're not doing too bad, but Bristol too will need to up her performance for next week.

I don't remember who was at the bottom score-wise, but honestly, there are so many who are just sort of fair to middlin' it's hard to predict who might get the boot tonight. I think, having seen so many seasons now, that I'm often swayed by the stars' attitudes. Whining about how hard this is? Well, maybe it's time you left. I think we're all aware that it's difficult. I also think we all know that it's best if the star trusts the professional to do what they do best. So suck it up and dance. In that respect, I think it might be Brandy that needs to dance her final dance.

So, who do you suppose will go home tonight?