Dancing With the Stars Lineup TBA Tonight!

Tonight's the night!  DWTS announced the season 11 lineup.  On the women's side:

1. Brandy
2. Jennifer Grey
3. Margaret Cho
4. Audrina Patridge
5. Florence Henderson
6. Bristol Palin

Well, so far there's no definite ringer.  Last season, Nicole Scherzinger was a shoe in from episode 1.  It kind-of took away from the excitement.  Then there was Evan Lysacek.  I guess he struggled because he had a hard time pointing his toes and being...not-lyrical (I don't know what the opposite of lyrical is).  Jennifer Grey might have a little more dance experience than the others, but Patrick Swayze might have had something to say about what kind of partner she'll make.  I smell drama.  Audrina Patridge doesn't appear too promising.  She's attractive and will look goo din all of those skimpy outfits, but she doesn't strike me as someone who would be very coordinated.  She's all legs and arms.  Margaret Cho--I can't imagine her having the greatest attitude.  Bristol Palin--why?  Just why?  What did she do to earn a spot on DWTS?  She wound up pregnant out of wedlock.  I'm sorry that doesn't take talent and it doesn't make you a star to be danced with on national television.  It just doesn't recommend her to me as a viewer.  Florence Henderson?  Oh, please, don't let this be another Buzz Aldrin catastrophe.  Don't get me wrong.  Go Buzz! for getting out there.  But you and I both know that there were moments when it was just painful to watch.  Paaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiinfuuuuuuuuuuuuulll.  And slow.  Brandy--hmmmmm.  I don't really like her, and there's no good reason why.  I just don't like her.  There's no reason.  I just don't.

And the guys:

1. Michael Bolton
2. Rick Fox
3. David Hasselhoff
4. Kyle Massey
5. Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino
6. Kurt Warner

Ok, I don't really have much to say here.  Michael Bolton--no particular expectations.  Rick Fox--who is that?  Basketball player...hmph.  David Hasselhoff.  Hope he stays sober.  Kyle Massey.  Really?  That's so not Raven.  I'll be interested to see how "The Situation" handles ballroom.  I have a hard time believing that he can channel all of that machismo into twinkle toes.  Kurt Warner--I thought we already had our token male athlete.  Guess it's a two-for.

Honestly, I'm really not too jazzed about this season's lineup, but it's something to watch.  Maybe it will all turn out for the best.  When you go in with no expectations, you usually find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Attention People Who Build Playgrounds!

Hey, all you people out there that build playgrounds:  First of all, thanks for your effort to build play areas that are age appropriate.  But, could I make just one little suggestion?  When you're constructing these fabulous toddler play areas, go ahead and expend the extra effort to fence them in, because when a toddler see's the big kids' playground contraptions, their age appropriate stuff pales in comparison.  I get it--I totally get it.  So, then they're running toward the big kids' stuff all giggly and happy and squealing and, as a mom, how can you say no to such unbridled joy.  Suddenly, there you are--at the playground where you were supposed to let your kid play until he or she wore their self out, but the only person who's going to need a nap after this little excursion is you.  Have you ever chased a toddler up and down and up and down and up and down one of those things?  It's like climbing Mt. Everest over and over.  There's a reason they don't make those things for grown-ups.  Grown ups like things like elevators, escalators, and massage tables.  Without that separation fence, a day at the playground becomes a work day. A Work Day.  All of the awesome things you were going to do during nap time get flushed down the toilet because you need a nap too.

So please, do us all a favor.  Fence it in!

Guilty Pleasures

Ok, I admit it--I love the sweet sounds of a toddler who's gone to bed.  I usually let D take a toy to bed--it's usually this crazy annoying apple with lights and buttons and the most irritating simulated voice ever!  But, that apple means that I've finally clocked out for the day.  I feel so bad, though.  After working to teach other people's kids all day I pick up my little boy, drive home, cook dinner, serve dinner, snuggle, bathe, read, tuck in, cook dinner, serve dinner (for the adults) and then I get to sit down.  The whole time my brain is like, "PLEASE!  Can I shut down now?  We're in physical pain, here.  Why aren't we sitting down?  Why aren't we soaking it up in a hot bath?  Why aren't we in pajama pants with our make-up off and our hair piled up on top of our head!?"  (Apparently, my brain thinks it is its own entity, hence the plural first person pronoun.)

So, here I am.  I've got Castle on the DVR, dinner is on its way, and the little man is asleep.  I guess he is--I don't here that torturous apple.  And I'm enjoying it.  That's right.  Part of me feels bad because I figure that after a day separated from my precious man that I should keep him up as late as he can stand it so that we can spend time together.  The other part is all, "No, he needs to stick to his routine...that's the real reason we put him to bed at 7:00 on the nose.  It has nothing to do with the fact that the couch has been talking to us since we walked in the door.  Beckoning us to rest on its soft cushiony goodness."  (That usage of "we" is in the regal sense--just in case you're wondering.)  But both sides are thinking, "Aaaah.  Finally.  Bring on the sweet oblivion."

Facebook Dreams

Last night I spent time on Facebook before I went to bed and I dreamt about old friends all night.  I distinctly remember sitting at a food court table with old friends.  So I had that nostalgic feeling all day.

In other news--does anyone else out there have a two-year-old who is acting like he's possessed all of the sudden?  Daniel has started yelling and spitting to demonstrate how angry he is.  I have no idea what I'm doing.  What was God thinking when he made me a mom?  How am I going to raise this kid and keep him from being a psychopath?  Am I the only one?

Ahhh. Saturday / Ugh. Saturday

I'm always torn about Saturday. Here I am after the first week of school. I'm tired and overstimulated. On the one hand, I want to sit here and vegetate, watch TV, blog, take a nap, finish a book. Absolutely nothing productive. I'm thinking: no make-up, pajama pants, and a pillow on the couch.

On the other hand, Saturday is the one day that I have to get things done, run errands. I find myself waking up with the "to-do" list in my head.
* go grocery shopping
* laundry laundry laundry
* lesson plans
* make posters for the classroom
* the floors look pretty nasty
* the dog is dirty again
* the car smells of sour milk and stale goldfish
and the list goes on. Voila--a snowball in the dead of summer.

So, what will it be? Hmmmmm. I think I'll sleep on it.

The Blog Is Back

Ok, so I'm blogging again.  Oh yeah!  Get excited.  A new job, a new school, a new year (educationally speaking)--I figured now is as good a time as ever.

Starting a new blog, it's important to come out with some awesome post right off the bat...but I got nothin'.  Here lately the most exciting part of my week is Castle.  How did I miss that for the first two seasons?  I mean I seriously love this show.  A couple of weeks ago they tortured me with a two-part episode and I nearly went into convulsions when I realized I had to wait a whole seven days for the conclusion.  It wasn't even on YouTube or Hulu!  What is that about?  Of course, there was a DVR full of House there to console me thanks to an all-day viewer's choice marathon.  (By the way, has anyone out there ever been one of the "viewers" choosing?  No one's ever asked me which episode I'd like to see.  I'm just sayin'...)  Come to think of it...that DVR owns me.  How did I ever live without it?  I mean, TV with commercials!?  Nobody makes Baby watch commercials.  The great thing about Castle is that it doesn't lose it's appeal during the seven days' wait.  Not so with our dearly departed 24.  I finally caught the fever in season 7, but the Hubby and I rented seasons 1-6 and watched them feverishly throughout.  There was never a dull moment.  While we waited for the next season 7 episode, we caught up via DVD.  Not a day passed without a little Jack Bauer.  We waited breathlessly for season 8, hoping beyond hope that they would renew for a miraculous season 9.  But when season 8 came, the seven day wait between episodes built up impossible expectations.  Some of the episodes were awesome, but on the weeks when it was just one of those filler episodes...big let down.  I do miss the anticipation, though.  It made Mondays bearable.

Like I said, the DVR owns me.