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Elementary
Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, was an ophthalmologist by profession.
Well OK Then ... Really?
The Pilgrims did not build log cabins, nor did they wear black hats with a conical crown and a hatband with a silver buckle.
With Inflation That Would Be ....?
When commercial telephone service was introduced between New York and London in 1927, the first three minutes of a call cost $75.00.
Ghost Story - coming in April 2011
I am a huge fan of Jim Butcher's work. I think his wizard detective, Harry Dresden, is one of the great characters in urban fiction. And I only have to wait five more months to get the resolution to the cliff hanger at the end of Changes.
The next book, Ghost Story, drops in April 2011.
If you like good mysteries, strong characters, and thrilling plots, I highly recommend the Dresden novels.
I think the thing I enjoy most about Mr Butcher's writing is that he piles things up on Dresden until you can't possibly imagine how Harry is going to get out of the mess. Then Mr Butcher finds a plausible and realistic way for Harry to prevail.
Dresden is flawed, which is another thing that makes him such a great character.
Start with Storm Front. Then there are 11 more novels plus a book of short fiction centered around the characters found in the Dresden world. That ought to keep you busy until Ghost Story.
We Knew This
In the Declaration of Independence as first written by Thomas Jefferson, there was a clause abolishing slavery. However, because of pressure, he was forced to delete the clause.
Where he lived when he wrote it.
Where he lived when he wrote it.
Take This Tune
My pal Jamie from Duward Discussion has reintroduced her wonderful meme. Take This Tune provides a musical prompt each week, usually a video with the song lyrics. The task is to write something inspired by the song or something in the lyrics.
This week's prompt is the song Seasons of Love, from the Broadway musical and film Rent.
The show is at times joyful, angry, fierce, and devastating. Sometimes it's all of that at the same time. The characters are three dimensional. The show deals with struggle, but it also rewards perseverance and determination.
It's life.
Life sure happened to Boise State this past Friday night. They went down to Reno and got clipped by a Nevada team on Senior Night that was ready to end a 10 game losing streak to the Broncos. And that's just what the Wolfpack did.
Just a field goal from the 9 yard line.
But sometimes life doesn't grant the fairy tale ending. And sometimes a kid misses.
This time, the kid missed. And then he missed again in OT. I'm not going to put his name here. The kid is dealing with the disappointment. He's dealing with the proof that life just isn't fair sometimes.
But it's not really a miracle, is it? I don't think so. It wouldn't have been a miracle if Boise State makes the field goal to win. And it's not a miracle that BSU missed the kick at the end of regulation or the kick in OT. It's not a miracle that Nevada won the game.
It's life.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you work, you just come up a couple of plays short against the other team.
Congratulations to Nevada, particularly to the seniors, who had their hard work rewarded. The kids at Nevada get the joy, while the kids at Boise State get the disappointment.
So Hawaii could finish at 10-3 overall, but 8-1 in the WAC and celebrate a conference title and a bowl game. Nevada could finish 12-1 and be left with the satisfaction of having spoiled BSU's perfect season, and a bowl game. And Boise State could finish with an 11-1 season that still feels a little bit sour. The bowl game they wanted is not the bowl game they'll get.
The WAC does get four teams that are eligible for bowl game invitations for the 2010 season. But then Boise State, Nevada, Hawaii, and Fresno State will all bolt for the Mountain West conference over the course of the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
That's life.
Those Greeks!
Married women were forbidden by law to watch, let alone compete, in the ancient Olympics. The Greeks believed that the presence of wives in Olympia would defile Greece’s oldest religious shrine, which was located there. However, young maidens were allowed to attend. Any married woman who dared break the rule was thrown from a nearby cliff to her death. Ironically, the shrine that was off-limits to married women was dedicated to a woman, the fertility goddess Rhea, who was mother of the supreme god, Zeus.
A Sunbeam! A Sunbeam!
A sunbeam setting out through space at the rate of 186,000 miles a second would go in a gigantic circle and return to its origins after about 200 billion years.
A Sunbeam! A Sunbeam!
A sunbeam setting out through space at the rate of 186,000 miles a second would go in a gigantic circle and return to its origins after about 200 billion years.
Five on Friday Set 44
I guess today, the day after Thanksgiving, no longer qualifies as the technical first shopping day on the count down toward 25 December. There have been commercials and displays for weeks now. Retailers have even hosted pre-sales to get folks out and in the buying spirit.
I don't mind any of that. I find absolutely nothing wrong with retailers hawking their wares. We all have the choice to buy or not. I don't let any of that impact my holiday enjoyment.
Whatever your particular holiday traditions on this day - whether shopping or decorating or just enjoying another day off from work - I wish you bright fun and happy times!
As always, if you'd like to join us in the musical fun, the guidelines are basic and simple.
1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.2. Go to Playlist.com to make your play list of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the play list, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for all of you and so glad I know you. We all have so much to be thankful for.
Cue that theme music...
It's the grand finale, live from Hollywood!
Tonight we find out who dances off with the Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy!
We've got our fru-fru finery, our nice bottle of merlot, our lasagna for dinner, and our CAKE. We are ready for two hours of frivolity.
Let's get to it!
Our eliminated celebrities open the show, and they each bring out their celebrity partner for a group dance. That's a great way to take the floor, with our three final couples joining them.
Here's a reminder of our leader board after Monday's performances:
60 Jennifer and Derek
56 Kyle and Lacey
52 Bristol and Mark
Apparently, Jennifer ruptured a disk during Monday's performance. She has been cleared to dance and she's going to perform. I hope she's OK.
Christina Aguilera is in the ballroom, performing a number from the new film Burlesque.
Our pairs get two more chances at scores from the judges. There will be two rounds.
Here's round one. Each pair selects their favorite dance of the season. The pairs will be ranked by the judges rather than getting scored individually.
Kyle and Lacey dance their Tango. They scored 23 on this dance, which I thought was the point at which Kyle really started to improve his technique and combine it with his charm as a natural performer. I think he's a bit heavy with his feet in this dance, but his posture is quite good. He also has control of his balance. He is dancing with much more confidence now. I liked the performance. He attacked the dance without letting it get away from him, and was a strong lead for Lacey. Len praised his energy and attack. I think Kyle has always been able to bring attitude and charm to his performance. But over the last few weeks he has added refinement and poise. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26. It looks like Carrie Ann and Bruno ranked them 2nd, while Len ranked them 3rd.
Bristol and Mark dance their Tango. They scored 23 on this dance, and I thought that was low even with the penalty for breaking hold. This was during Rock Week. I don't get why Bristol insisted on breaking hold again. They should probably have focused on improving the dance, rather than thumbing their nose at the rules. I did like this dance the first time they performed it. I thought this time, she loosened up and showed more personality. But I just think it's just a bad idea to blatantly plan to break the hold when you have a chance to correct it. She had a chance to demonstrate with this dance that she had mastered the technique and attitude. I think she performed well, but I would put her third because of that slap against the rules. Judges say 8,9,8 for a total of 25. It looks like Carrie Ann and Bruno did rank them 3rd, while Len ranked them 2nd.
Jennifer and Derek dance their Viennese Waltz. They scored 24 on this dance on the season premier. There was so much emotion in that very first dance, which was performed to a song from Dirty Dancing and ended up as kind of a tribute to Patrick Swayze. Damn. They had a little footwork bobble, but they danced through it. It looked like she might have caught her foot in her dress. But then again, they may have needed to be a little careful because of her back injury. Still, the dance was as lovely as it was the first time they performed it. It had the same kind of emotion I remember. It was still sentimental, but it also had an ethereal quality to it. I'm sorry this is coming to an end because I have so enjoyed watching her dance. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30. All three judges ranked them first.
Here's the updated leader board:
90 Jennifer and Derek
82 Kyle and Lacey
77 Bristol and Mark
While our three final couples prepare for their instant dances, we get the parade of eliminated celebrities.
And aren't we lucky? We get a vocal performance from David Hasselhoff, with a little bit of Cha Cha Cha danced with Kym and a couple of other pros dressed as Baywatch lifeguards.
Rick and Cheryl, dressed in Lakers colors, have a dance off with Kurt and Anna, dressed in Cardinals colors. It's an epic Paso Doble battle. That was fun.
Margaret gets to dance a little with Dmitry and Damian, before dancing her Cha Cha Cha with partner Louis. And then Florence gets a bit with Dmitry and Damian too before dancing with partner Corky.
Mike returns to dance with Karina and two other pros, and apparently he had to do it shirtless. Whatever.
Brandy and Maks return with their Quickstep, denying Bruno's request to do a free style. I think it's better that they did this dance instead. Regardless of what some might say, they just didn't earn the opportunity to dance a free style.
Christina Aguilera returns to perform her song Beautiful. I really like this song. Her dancers signed some of the lyrics. That was really nice.
Now we get to round two, which is an instant Cha Cha Cha. I'm glad they brought this back. I think it really brought out the best in every celebrity. Each pair dances their own Cha Cha Cha choreography to Pink's Raise Your Glass. They drew numbers for the order of performance.
First up are Kyle and Lacey. Cha Cha Cha suits him so well. I'm a little surprised by the choreography though, because for a good 15-20 seconds at the beginning, he didn't do much dancing at all. That was kind of disappointing actually. I expected more excitement. The performance was enjoyable, although I wouldn't say it was one of his best. Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28.
Next we have Jennifer and Derek. I liked the way they entered the floor. Jennifer was spot on, just like the first time I saw her do this dance. They did classic Cha Cha Cha steps and did them well. Derek managed Jennifer's injury situation and she pushed through it. I'm so sad that this was the last time I'll see her dance. Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28.
Last up are Bristol and Mark. This was a good dance for her to finish up with because I thought that of all the up tempo dances, she managed Cha Cha Cha the best during the season. I thought she never really demonstrated musicality in most of the up tempo styles, but she did a good job with this final performance, although she did make some mis-steps just at the end. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.
So here is our final leader board:
118 Jennifer and Derek
110 Kyle and Lacey
104 Bristol and Mark
That's it. The dancing is finished. The scores and votes are in. Now it's results. Here we go.
Finishing in third place...Bristol and Mark.
Finishing in second place...Kyle and Lacey.
That means the Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy goes to...Jennifer and Derek!
YES!
Of course you know I'm thrilled with this result. She was my favorite before she ever took a step on the ballroom floor. I split votes early, but that didn't last very long. And now I'm a happy DWTS fan!
The only thing that would make me a happier DWTS fan? I think you know.
Please please please please please!
Can Valerie Bertinelli come dancing???
Please?
Later gang!
Tonight we find out who dances off with the Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy!
We've got our fru-fru finery, our nice bottle of merlot, our lasagna for dinner, and our CAKE. We are ready for two hours of frivolity.
Let's get to it!
Our eliminated celebrities open the show, and they each bring out their celebrity partner for a group dance. That's a great way to take the floor, with our three final couples joining them.
Here's a reminder of our leader board after Monday's performances:
60 Jennifer and Derek
56 Kyle and Lacey
52 Bristol and Mark
Apparently, Jennifer ruptured a disk during Monday's performance. She has been cleared to dance and she's going to perform. I hope she's OK.
Christina Aguilera is in the ballroom, performing a number from the new film Burlesque.
Our pairs get two more chances at scores from the judges. There will be two rounds.
Here's round one. Each pair selects their favorite dance of the season. The pairs will be ranked by the judges rather than getting scored individually.
Here's the updated leader board:
90 Jennifer and Derek
82 Kyle and Lacey
77 Bristol and Mark
While our three final couples prepare for their instant dances, we get the parade of eliminated celebrities.
And aren't we lucky? We get a vocal performance from David Hasselhoff, with a little bit of Cha Cha Cha danced with Kym and a couple of other pros dressed as Baywatch lifeguards.
Rick and Cheryl, dressed in Lakers colors, have a dance off with Kurt and Anna, dressed in Cardinals colors. It's an epic Paso Doble battle. That was fun.
Margaret gets to dance a little with Dmitry and Damian, before dancing her Cha Cha Cha with partner Louis. And then Florence gets a bit with Dmitry and Damian too before dancing with partner Corky.
Mike returns to dance with Karina and two other pros, and apparently he had to do it shirtless. Whatever.
Brandy and Maks return with their Quickstep, denying Bruno's request to do a free style. I think it's better that they did this dance instead. Regardless of what some might say, they just didn't earn the opportunity to dance a free style.
Christina Aguilera returns to perform her song Beautiful. I really like this song. Her dancers signed some of the lyrics. That was really nice.
Now we get to round two, which is an instant Cha Cha Cha. I'm glad they brought this back. I think it really brought out the best in every celebrity. Each pair dances their own Cha Cha Cha choreography to Pink's Raise Your Glass. They drew numbers for the order of performance.
So here is our final leader board:
118 Jennifer and Derek
110 Kyle and Lacey
104 Bristol and Mark
That's it. The dancing is finished. The scores and votes are in. Now it's results. Here we go.
Finishing in third place...Bristol and Mark.
Finishing in second place...Kyle and Lacey.
That means the Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy goes to...Jennifer and Derek!
YES!
Of course you know I'm thrilled with this result. She was my favorite before she ever took a step on the ballroom floor. I split votes early, but that didn't last very long. And now I'm a happy DWTS fan!
The only thing that would make me a happier DWTS fan? I think you know.
Please please please please please!
Can Valerie Bertinelli come dancing???
Please?
Later gang!
Yawn and Stretch
What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning? I always ask myself what day it is. Then I know what to expect. Sometimes it takes a little while to figure it out now that I'm retired. Whenever I wake up during the night or morning, I look to see what time it is.
Cue that theme music...
It's the performance finale, live from Hollywood!
We're there. Tomorrow night...technically tonight because the performances were actually last night and so today is actually results day and I'll post that recap tomorrow...got it? Me neither.
Regardless of correct tense, we're going to find out who will dance away with that Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy. But first, our final three couples will have to dance for scores and votes.
Our finalists face two dances. One is a redemption dance that the judges thought should have been better than it was originally performed. The judges will visit each pair in rehearsal to give them pointers on how to improve the performance. Of course the second routine is the anything goes free dance.
Kyle and Lacey redeem their Foxtrot. The first performance of this dance was a bit silly and out of control, relying almost completely on Kyle's charm. Len visits rehearsal, helping with Kyle's lines, posture, and footwork. This choreography is more traditional. He looks good with this dance. The performance is controlled, with an elegance and sophistication. He also looks light on his feet, and very confident. I really enjoyed that. His technique was the best it's been all season. That was pretty complete and quite impressive. You could tell he paid attention and worked hard at his feet. I really liked that he embraced the full performance, incorporating his charm without letting it overpower the subtleties of the style. Well done. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.
Bristol and Mark redeem their Jive. The earlier dance relied on gorilla suits to open the routine, but Bristol missed so many steps that the gimmick ended up looking like a desperate attempt to hide her poor ability. Fortunately, they ditched the costumes for this retry. Bruno visits rehearsal to help her with performance. She didn't forget her steps this time. I thought she looked like she enjoyed the dance. She let her personality shine more than she has in the past. But I wanted to see more bounce and precision in her kicks. I didn't really see enough Jive in that Jive. I wanted more fast spins and flick kicks. It was a good dance. She didn't make any major mistakes, but she didn't wow me either. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.
Jennifer and Derek redeem their Paso Doble. I thought the first performance was solid, right up to the point where Jennifer lost her balance at the end of the dance. I thought the judges were overly harsh with their criticism then. Carrie Ann visits rehearsal to help with shapes, presentation, and dynamic but controlled movement. This time they went much more classic with the choreography. The music was also much more evocative of classic Paso, so Jennifer's musicality was much better. The dancing was amazing! They owned the floor. The dance was aggressive and passionate, strong and fierce. It was full and flowing, really exploring the drama in the style. Len gave it a standing ovation. I think Jennifer overcame her mid-season struggles, and came to an understanding that she could do the dances while still respecting her physical limitations, and make each performance rise above them. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.
Here's our leader board after the first round:
30 Jennifer and Derek
27 Kyle and Lacey
27 Bristol and Mark
And now it's free style, and anything goes.
Kyle and Lacey go for a hip hop free style. The dance certainly had high energy. And it had just about every type of basic old school hip hop step you can name, performed pretty well. Yes! They added in a bit of Samba in there. The problem I have with a hip hop routine is that it ends up being just a series of moves that aren't smoothly connected. That's OK, but it always disappoints me a little in this competition because I want to see more ballroom and Latin steps incorporated in the free style. But this round is about doing what makes the celebrity comfortable, and what they can really get into and make into a dynamic performance. Kyle and Lacey put on a fun show. Well done. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29.
Bristol and Mark go for a more theatrical free style, with music from the Broadway show Chicago. I think this is a smart move by Mark to focus on the Tango steps in his choreography, because I don't think Bristol is up to dancing in true Fosse style. She just isn't going to carry a dance with performance alone. She needs the structure of ballroom to lean on. But having said that, the dancing part actually stopped about half way through the choreography. It turned into some running and then some stuff with a long silk. That's the performance part that she struggles with. If I'm being honest, I didn't expect her to be able to pull off a free style dance. But she did OK. Judges say 8,9,8 for a total of 25.
Jennifer and Derek embrace the iconic style from Dirty Dancing for their free style. And why not? The best thing about doing that is that it does make use of so much of the ballroom and Latin steps and movements. And we loved it! Jennifer was able to manage the flying tricks that Derek wanted her to do, but also to stay safe while doing them. That's why nobody puts Baby in a corner! She went for it and she nailed it. The dance had high energy. It was flamboyant, dynamic, well presented and well performed. And they kept control of it. Sweet! Judges say 10's across for a total of 30.
Here's our combined leader board:
60 Jennifer and Derek
56 Kyle and Lacey
52 Bristol and Mark
We had 5 votes per phone and 4 cell phones. So all 20 went to Jennifer and Derek. We want them to win, but at this point I still think it's anybody's game. There's no telling what is going to happen with viewer votes.
But wait...there are two more dances to come to complete the scores from the judges and to combine with viewer votes. Then we'll find out who dances away with our Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy.
So tune in tonight for the grand finale, always full of frivolous filler!
Later gang!
We're there. Tomorrow night...technically tonight because the performances were actually last night and so today is actually results day and I'll post that recap tomorrow...got it? Me neither.
Regardless of correct tense, we're going to find out who will dance away with that Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy. But first, our final three couples will have to dance for scores and votes.
Our finalists face two dances. One is a redemption dance that the judges thought should have been better than it was originally performed. The judges will visit each pair in rehearsal to give them pointers on how to improve the performance. Of course the second routine is the anything goes free dance.
Here's our leader board after the first round:
30 Jennifer and Derek
27 Kyle and Lacey
27 Bristol and Mark
And now it's free style, and anything goes.
Here's our combined leader board:
60 Jennifer and Derek
56 Kyle and Lacey
52 Bristol and Mark
We had 5 votes per phone and 4 cell phones. So all 20 went to Jennifer and Derek. We want them to win, but at this point I still think it's anybody's game. There's no telling what is going to happen with viewer votes.
But wait...there are two more dances to come to complete the scores from the judges and to combine with viewer votes. Then we'll find out who dances away with our Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy.
So tune in tonight for the grand finale, always full of frivolous filler!
Later gang!
Weird
Breathing for most snakes is accomplished with one lung only. The left lung is either greatly reduced in size or missing completely.
Passing on a recommendation
The book is called What Angels Fear, and it is the first in the Sebastian St Cyr mystery series, written by CS Harris.
You'll be immersed in the atmosphere from the first sentence. Ms Harris has the ability to write lyrical prose that sets mood and tone, without feeling stilted or silly. I'm the type of reader who pronounces every word in my head, and while I was reading this book, I "heard" every accent.
It's a rare ability to be able to write with that kind of clarity.
Ms Harris moves things along at a brisk pace, and navigates standard mystery traps with skill. She keeps the reader guessing, but the "who done it" reveal is plausible and doesn't require the introduction of last minute clues to wrap up.
From Ms Harris' website:
Regency England. The age of Napoleon and Jane Austen, of Beau Brummel and Lord Byron. Ladies wear filmy dresses and dampen their petticoats, while gentlemen duel with pistols at dawn and agonize over the cut of a coat. Fortunes are won and lost at the turn of a card, a decades-old war has turned Europe into a ravaged battlefield, and in London, a child of six can still be hanged for stealing a handkerchief.
This is the world of Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin. Heir to an earldom, disillusioned Army officer, latter day knight errant.
A master of disguises. Sebastian moves easily from the ballrooms of Mayfair to the rookeries of St. Giles, from the exclusive men's clubs of St. James's to the dangerous docks of the Thames.
Think Mr. Darcy with a James Bond edge...
I really liked this book, and I'm downloading the next in the series.
Thanks Charles!
Fun Night in Nashville
Tina and I went to dinner at PF Chang and then to see Craig Ferguson at TPAC in Nashville tonight. He's filming his comedy special and chose to do it in Nashville! Wow! He said that it was no accident he wanted to do it here because he likes the South and feels our pain because people are always trying to do our accents and his and do them wrong. Then they do them for us to show us how it should be done. He really puts on a great show! It was hilarious! The little bondage guy and a man playing the sax came onstage at the beginning and end, and they all danced. It revved the audience up.
There were two shows, and we went to the last one at 9:45. It was a good evening since we left early enough not to rush and could do a few other things we wanted to like browse Border's after dinner since it's close to the restaurant. As I was driving to the restaurant, we saw the lights on at Vanderbilt's stadium and realized there was a ballgame. People were walking around everywhere. Then I saw orange and said, "Oh no! Orange! Vandy and UT are playing!" This is a big rivalry in the state for those who care. Anyway, we did get a parking place because the restaurant has free valet parking. Otherwise, impossible! Love those lettuce wraps at PF Chang!
Not sure when this special will be on, so let's look for it! I think it's going to be on HBO and know it will have to be on cable because of the language and some topics. Really enjoyed the evening and got all kinds of endorphins from laughing so much. I didn't take any pictures because they told us not to. Well, we could without the flash, but I decided to watch and enjoy instead of taking any pictures. This suit looks like the one he wore with a dark blue untucked shirt with a string tie.
What he tweeted:
There were two shows, and we went to the last one at 9:45. It was a good evening since we left early enough not to rush and could do a few other things we wanted to like browse Border's after dinner since it's close to the restaurant. As I was driving to the restaurant, we saw the lights on at Vanderbilt's stadium and realized there was a ballgame. People were walking around everywhere. Then I saw orange and said, "Oh no! Orange! Vandy and UT are playing!" This is a big rivalry in the state for those who care. Anyway, we did get a parking place because the restaurant has free valet parking. Otherwise, impossible! Love those lettuce wraps at PF Chang!
Not sure when this special will be on, so let's look for it! I think it's going to be on HBO and know it will have to be on cable because of the language and some topics. Really enjoyed the evening and got all kinds of endorphins from laughing so much. I didn't take any pictures because they told us not to. Well, we could without the flash, but I decided to watch and enjoy instead of taking any pictures. This suit looks like the one he wore with a dark blue untucked shirt with a string tie.
What he tweeted:
CraigyFerg Craig Ferguson
Thank you Nashville you were incredible. You made a vulgar lounge entertainer feel like a star. I thank you xxx
Harry Potter - a spoiler free zone
And that's all you'll hear from me about it in this space, because I would never spoil it for you if you intend to see it but haven't yet.
Since we're on vacation next week, we'll see it again on Monday.
Monday!
And since I've declared this a Harry Potter spoiler free zone, I ask my east coast pals to keep this a DWTS spoiler free zone on Tuesday. You'll see who wins the Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy before the results show airs here in the pacific northwest. Even though I can find out online, it's a special event evening in the Travis and Pam abode, and we like to enjoy the frivolous festivities without knowing the result until the very end.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Cutting off Noses
Ancient robbers of Egyptian tombs were convinced that whacking off the noses of stone effigies would thwart any nasty curses.
Patronage
Peter llyich Tchaikovsky was supported by a wealthy widow for 13 years. She stipulated that they never meet, and they didn’t.
Your Job Could Be Worse
In feudal Japan, the Imperial army had special soldiers whose only duty was to count the number of severed enemy heads after each battle. And if they came up with the wrong amount, heads would definitely roll!
Fishing Trivia & Memories
Thirty million Americans fish for bass every year, making it one of the top sports in the nation. One out of every 400 Americans (meaning 600,000 Americans), is a proud member of B.A.S.S., the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. The average amateur fisherman spends about $200 a month on equipment, which adds up to a $40 billion industry.
I used to go fishing with Daddy. Good memories mostly from just spending time with him. He was a salesman and always competitive, so he'd have all these challenges, such as who catches the first fish, largest fish, etc. He also said the one who catches the least number of fish has to clean all of them. That usually applied to me, but the first time I did, I managed to mangle the fish and get scales everywhere. On purpose? Of course! That bothered him so much he told me to let him do it, and I never had to again. Win-win for me! Another thing my brother didn't even try to get by with.
For Mrs. Miss A!
A cat’s jaw can’t move sideways.
For many years, the globe on NBC Nightly News spun in the wrong direction. On January 2, 1984, NBC finally set the world spinning back in the proper direction.
For many years, the globe on NBC Nightly News spun in the wrong direction. On January 2, 1984, NBC finally set the world spinning back in the proper direction.
Five on Friday Set 43
Do you like my winter season FoF banner? I know the official start of winter is still about a month out, but it's cold now and I thought this was a nice transition. You're welcome to use this for your Sets.
My grandmother loved all kinds of music. I thought for Set 43, I'd share a few of her favorites from classic Country & Western.
As always, if you'd like to join us in the musical fun, the guidelines are basic and simple.
1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.2. Go to Playlist.com to make your play list of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the play list, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.
Maybe I'll Blog Again!
OK, I know I haven't been blogging much lately. Part of it is that grading I'm doing. I spend at least an hour a day and sometimes three or four online grading essays and reports. Most of them aren't written well and many of them haven't learned about plagiarism, so I keep sending their assignments back with notes. Wish they'd follow directions and do it right the first time. Oh, and I'm not even talking about creative, sneaky plagiarism but copying and pasting. How dumb does it get?
Too bummed out about DWTS to comment on it. We know how that happened.
Loving David's recaps of The Fashion Show! No one does it better!
I look forward to Bob's Sunday Funnies and his gossip columns.
Have done a bit of Tweeting now and then with Froggy, Tug, David, Howard, and Wonder Man. David's dronk tweeting is hilarious! Sam always keeps up with me and checks on me. We text and have outrageous conversations on the phone! You wouldn't believe! Maddie and I have had some interesting ones, too.
I keep up with many of you on FB and play Scrabble with Charlie, Brian, and now Ginger on there, which is always a challenge. I like to think it helps my mind.
Still going to APSU with Tina twice a week. Next semester we'll go on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We leave around 3:30 and get home anywhere from 8:30 - 10:00, depending on whether we eat somewhere after class. Classes are from 4:30 - 7:30.
I read your blogs even though I don't always comment.
Margaret and Helen have a new post. Love that blog! She says exactly what I think!
For Tug: Don't miss this!
Too bummed out about DWTS to comment on it. We know how that happened.
Loving David's recaps of The Fashion Show! No one does it better!
I look forward to Bob's Sunday Funnies and his gossip columns.
Have done a bit of Tweeting now and then with Froggy, Tug, David, Howard, and Wonder Man. David's dronk tweeting is hilarious! Sam always keeps up with me and checks on me. We text and have outrageous conversations on the phone! You wouldn't believe! Maddie and I have had some interesting ones, too.
I keep up with many of you on FB and play Scrabble with Charlie, Brian, and now Ginger on there, which is always a challenge. I like to think it helps my mind.
Still going to APSU with Tina twice a week. Next semester we'll go on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We leave around 3:30 and get home anywhere from 8:30 - 10:00, depending on whether we eat somewhere after class. Classes are from 4:30 - 7:30.
I read your blogs even though I don't always comment.
Margaret and Helen have a new post. Love that blog! She says exactly what I think!
For Tug: Don't miss this!
Cue that theme music...
It's results live from Hollywood!
But first of course, I shall show you what we liked about Monday's performance show.
We had a ball watching the Samba from Kyle and Lacey. Click here if the video doesn't play.
We really appreciated how effortless Brandy and Maks danced their Argentine Tango. We also liked the way the dance was staged. Click here if the video doesn't play.
We thought the Cha Cha Cha from Jennifer and Derek was probably our dance of the night...
...until we saw their absolutely beautiful and poignant Waltz. Click here if the video doesn't play.
That's good stuff.
Here's a reminder of our leader board from Monday:
60 Jennifer and Derek
58 Kyle and Lacey
57 Brandy and Maks
53 Bristol and Mark
Ready to find out which of our four remaining couples makes it to the finale? Me too!
First, the judges select the Argentine Tango from Brandy and Maks as the encore.
The fantastic Annie Lennox is in the ballroom, performing Universal Child, accompanied by two outstanding lyrical contemporary dancers. That was amazing.
First results...Jennifer and Derek are in the performance finale.
It's the final Macy's Stars of Dance performance, featuring Cheryl and Derek in a retro 1950's style drive in, dancing a Jive to Billy Joel's Still Rock and Roll To Me. Excellent!
Annie Lennox returns to perform Little Bird. I would pay any amount of money you ask to see Ms Lennox in concert. She rocks!
Second results...Kyle and Lacey are in the performance finale.
Enrique Iglesias is in the ballroom. Doesn't this guy have any other songs he can perform? Every time I see him on one of these shows, it's always "I Like It". Play something else! At least we got to see our pros...Louis, Dmitry, Damian, Cheryl, Peta, and Kym, choreographed by Louis.
And the elimination...Bristol and Mark are in the performance finale.
So that means Brandy and Maks are out.
I feel bad for Maks. He's been so close several times with some really outstanding partners. But things just haven't worked out. I will say that I think Brandy belongs in the performance finale.
But the fans say it's Jennifer, Kyle, and Bristol dancing for this Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy.
Now it's just a week away! Who is your favorite?
Later gang!
But first of course, I shall show you what we liked about Monday's performance show.
We had a ball watching the Samba from Kyle and Lacey. Click here if the video doesn't play.
We really appreciated how effortless Brandy and Maks danced their Argentine Tango. We also liked the way the dance was staged. Click here if the video doesn't play.
We thought the Cha Cha Cha from Jennifer and Derek was probably our dance of the night...
...until we saw their absolutely beautiful and poignant Waltz. Click here if the video doesn't play.
That's good stuff.
Here's a reminder of our leader board from Monday:
60 Jennifer and Derek
58 Kyle and Lacey
57 Brandy and Maks
53 Bristol and Mark
Ready to find out which of our four remaining couples makes it to the finale? Me too!
First, the judges select the Argentine Tango from Brandy and Maks as the encore.
The fantastic Annie Lennox is in the ballroom, performing Universal Child, accompanied by two outstanding lyrical contemporary dancers. That was amazing.
First results...Jennifer and Derek are in the performance finale.
It's the final Macy's Stars of Dance performance, featuring Cheryl and Derek in a retro 1950's style drive in, dancing a Jive to Billy Joel's Still Rock and Roll To Me. Excellent!
Annie Lennox returns to perform Little Bird. I would pay any amount of money you ask to see Ms Lennox in concert. She rocks!
Second results...Kyle and Lacey are in the performance finale.
Enrique Iglesias is in the ballroom. Doesn't this guy have any other songs he can perform? Every time I see him on one of these shows, it's always "I Like It". Play something else! At least we got to see our pros...Louis, Dmitry, Damian, Cheryl, Peta, and Kym, choreographed by Louis.
And the elimination...Bristol and Mark are in the performance finale.
So that means Brandy and Maks are out.
I feel bad for Maks. He's been so close several times with some really outstanding partners. But things just haven't worked out. I will say that I think Brandy belongs in the performance finale.
But the fans say it's Jennifer, Kyle, and Bristol dancing for this Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy.
Now it's just a week away! Who is your favorite?
Later gang!
Who Knew?
False teeth are often radioactive. Approximately 1 million Americans wear some form of denture; half of these dentures are made of a porcelain compound laced with minute amounts of uranium to stimulate fluorescence. Without the uranium additive, the dentures would be a dull green color when seen under artificial light.
Cue that theme music...
It's our Final Four live from Hollywood!
That's right friends and neighbors! We're down to four celebrities, and they are dancing for a spot in next week's performance finale.
First up, it's the Latin round. And our celebrities must perform a solo within the dance.
Brandy and Maks dance Paso Doble. This is an interesting costume choice. They have elected not to put Brandy in a gown to emphasize the female role of cape in Paso. I think that is a mistake. The close fitting pants merely show that she's very week with her legs in this dance. I don't find this to be one of her better efforts. It felt sloppy and rushed. The music didn't help. And I didn't care much for Maks' choreography this week. I think she attacked the dance, but it did not feel polished. I'm disappointed. I think she can do much better. On the positive side, she portrayed a well defined character. The story was dedicated to anyone who had been bullied. But even so, I didn't feel that character was particularly appropriate to what I've come to expect from Paso. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27. I think that score is much too high. Her legs seemed really weak to me and I just didn't like much about that dance.
Jennifer and Derek dance Cha Cha Cha. She is so into this song and this style of dance. Now she has to maintain the control and not let the dance get away from her. Oh man! This is so good. The choreography is fun, flirty, and cheeky. Now that was Derek at his best, bringing out the best in his partner. She let go enough, and then held back enough so that the dance was completely hers. Everything was connected. The lines were outstanding. Her technique was awesome. Her solo was fantastic. Her musicality was spot on. It looked so effortless. This was a complete performance. The choreography had all the Cha Cha Cha elements and they were executed so well. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30. Wooooooooo!!! And can I say it? She is one HAWT MAMA! That dress...YEOWSA Baby!
Bristol and Mark dance Paso Doble. I wish they would stop calling her a teen activist. She had a birthday; she's 20 years old. How about just calling her an activist? Now she's got the right kind of costume for this dance. And she used it in her solo. She's got the character and attitude. I think she's doing well with this dance. I think Paso favors her because it's a bit slower and it requires precision. Bristol has always been precise and clean with her footwork, and that served her very well in this dance. This was quite well performed. Her musicality was solid for the style. I think she definitely deserved the praise from the judges. She really connected with Mark's choreography. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27. Well done my dear.
Kyle and Lacey dance Samba. The party dance for the party kid. This is going to be about having a ball, but keeping control of technique. Love his solo. He's really going for it too. The kid can move. Samba is his dance. I'm really impressed by this. Lacey's choreography was youthful, but also full of competition Samba elements. And Kyle was up to the challenge. He's so charming. When he nails technique, he's got the crowd right on the floor with him. That was really outstanding. Timing, musicality, technique, control, excitement, and Samba hips...it was all there. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29. Well done young man! That score is well deserved.
Here's our leader board after Latin round:
30 Jennifer and Derek
29 Kyle and Lacey
27 Bristol and Mark
27 Brandy and Maks
Now let's have our ballroom round.
Brandy and Maks dance Argentine Tango. I expect her to bounce back from what I thought was a sub par performance in the Latin round. I liked their use of the steps at the top of the routine. Yeah, I like this much better than the first dance. The choreography is full of passion and she seems much more engaged in the dance. That was outstanding. Her lines were beautiful. The dance was very sensual. This style suited her right down to the ground. It took advantage of all of her strengths. It was passionate and authentic. Maks' choreography was perfect for her, and she nailed her technique. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30. She definitely deserved that score. Well done my dear.
Jennifer and Derek dance Waltz. Can I just say that I absolutely love the way Derek choreographs Waltz when he knows he has a partner that can handle everything he wants to put in it? This dance was stunningly good. It made Pam cry. It was beautiful, classy, elegant, sophisticated. Jennifer put her heart right out there. Len had the word...the dance was delicate. But being delicate, it also had a gentle power to it that reached out and was so moving and special. Judges say 10's across for a total of 30. And that's a perfect 60 for the night. Outstanding!
Bristol and Mark dance Waltz. I didn't like the way this dance was staged. I didn't like the black costumes. The music was so haunting and dramatic. It needed a special performance, and while I think Bristol danced reasonably well, I don't think she invested enough in the performance. Mark took the music he was given and wove a very deep and dramatic story, but her face seemed blank rather than haunting. That was not a fairy tale Waltz and I think a more accomplished performer might have been able to carry it off. From Bristol, it was a miss for me. I liked her first dance better. Judges say 8,9,9 for a total of 26.
Kyle and Lacey dance Argentine Tango. He has become such a strong leading man with Lacey. He's attacking this Tango, but he is also controlling himself. The music bothers me a little because it doesn't really feel much like Argentine Tango music. But Lacey's choreography was excellent and Kyle really performed that dance. I am so impressed by his progress. He has managed this season to take his natural charisma and rhythm for dance, and channeled it with hard work to really master the technique. Well done young man. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29. Come on Len! Throw that 10 paddle for the kid!
Here's our combined leader board:
60 Jennifer and Derek
58 Kyle and Lacey
57 Brandy and Maks
53 Bristol and Mark
I can't predict it. Clearly I think Jennifer had the best night, but Kyle was right there with her. And while I think Brandy stumbled a bit with her Latin dance, she really came through in her ballroom. Bristol isn't as accomplished as the others, but she clearly has the fans that are going to get out the vote.
If it weren't for Jennifer, our votes would go to Kyle. But you know we have to get Baby in the finals.
You know the drill. Tune in tonight for results. Annie Lennox is in the ballroom!
I'll have encores for you tomorrow.
Later gang.
That's right friends and neighbors! We're down to four celebrities, and they are dancing for a spot in next week's performance finale.
First up, it's the Latin round. And our celebrities must perform a solo within the dance.
Here's our leader board after Latin round:
30 Jennifer and Derek
29 Kyle and Lacey
27 Bristol and Mark
27 Brandy and Maks
Now let's have our ballroom round.
Here's our combined leader board:
60 Jennifer and Derek
58 Kyle and Lacey
57 Brandy and Maks
53 Bristol and Mark
I can't predict it. Clearly I think Jennifer had the best night, but Kyle was right there with her. And while I think Brandy stumbled a bit with her Latin dance, she really came through in her ballroom. Bristol isn't as accomplished as the others, but she clearly has the fans that are going to get out the vote.
If it weren't for Jennifer, our votes would go to Kyle. But you know we have to get Baby in the finals.
You know the drill. Tune in tonight for results. Annie Lennox is in the ballroom!
I'll have encores for you tomorrow.
Later gang.
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