Pass the kleenex

Last night while watching The Biggest Loser, which is normally a very uplifting and inspiring show, I broke down.  You see, a man on the show had a bad week, some might say an awful, terrible, sucky week.  First, he fell during a challenge and re injured his knee which had hindered his progress in the past.  Then, because he fell, he came in last and was given a disadvantage at the weigh-in.  Finally, when he didn't think his week could get any worse, he was notified that his brother had passed away from cancer.  His pain and grief were substantial and he went after his workouts as if he were possessed.  At the end of a particularly strenuous exercise, he lost his sh*t.  He started beating the machine, yelling and crying.  Jillian comforted him and they took a walk outside for him to clear his head and get out his rage.  I broke down.  Lost it...went straight to the ugly cry.

Seven years ago, Bubba lost his brother.  Way before his time.  Thirty three years old.  Married six months.  Getting ready to start his family.  Just gotten on his feet after years of wandering and wondering.  Found his place in the world.  Then he died.  Suddenly.  Of appendicitis.  I know.  No one dies of appendicitis, right?  But he did.  After fighting for his life for 30 days, finally his body just gave out.  It was devastating.  He was full of life, loved to laugh, cook, tease, create, had an immense imagination and a thousand crazy ideas.  He was the best man at our wedding and he painted stars on the ceiling of the nursery for BoyBoy.  He was the brother I never had.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him.  Bubba and I have often talked about how we truly believe that J's soul has found a home in BoyBoy.  They share the same imagination, the same inventiveness, the same love of all things Star Wars.  They have the same sense of humor, quick wit, and flair for the dramatic.  It seems to be J's little way of telling us that he is sharing BoyBoy with us, watching over him, watching him grow.  He loved BoyBoy as if he were his own and he knew that they had a connection from the beginning.

It made it painfully obvious to me last night that there are some changes that I need to make in my life.  Forgiveness, acceptance, honesty, redemption all need to come front and center.  No regrets.  When something bothers me, I will speak up.  When someone hurts me, I will tell them.  When I love someone, they will know it.  I will listen more, talk less (ha ha ha).  I will make a bucket list and try to cross off everything on it.  We are not promised tomorrow and should live everyday as if it were our last because,one day, we will be right.

An epiphany of sorts?  Maybe.  Midlife crisis?  I hope not.  A new beginning?  Definitely.

How to recharge...beach version

This past weekend, the Cheeze's took a little trip to recharge our batteries after this long and crazy winter.

Ahh....bring on the Spring!

The Final Rose

To recap the finale of this season's Bachelor one must first put on their dunce caps...

Because, ladies and gentlemen, that is what Jake is...a dummy, an idiot, a moron, a dimwit, a fool.

He chose Vienna and with that choice he enters into the running for the soon to be shortest bachelor courtship/breakup/media circus to date.

Why do I say that?

He's going to be on Dancing with the Stars.

Wha?

From the start, I gave him the benefit of the doubt.  He wasn't one of those fame whoring wanna-bees.  He really was a nice guy who wanted to find his soulmate in this unconventional way.   He was going to chose based on character and morals and prove to the world once and for all that the Bachelor is the best way to find true love!  But, Dancing with the Stars?

Give me a break.

Its all for the publicity and notoriety.  And I fell for it.

He chose Vienna, the spoiled rotten, can't get along with the other girls, hot tamale who makes his little Jake sit up and take notice but has more air between her ears than the Grand Canyon.  

He kicked sweet as sugar, perfect in every way, Tenley to the curb, because something just didn't feel right.  Poor girl...she showed more class, poise and maturity in the two minutes after he dumped her than Vienna would be able to show in 72 lifetimes!

Whatever, Jake.  Best of luck with your "relationship."  I predict that she will dump you shortly after you are kicked off DWTS and she will empty your bank account to pay for her nose job.

Oh, and Ali as the next Bachelorette?  I thought she left the Bachelor because she couldn't get time off work.  Whatever, they are all fame whores.

Sorry, ABC, you've lost me.

Oxygen, please!

Thank you, OK Magazine...I am now suffering from a monstrous case of the vapors...

Guys don't make passes...

I have worn contacts for as long as I can remember.  I started to need eyeglasses in college when all that reading took its toll on my eyesight.  I only needed them for reading then but, as the years passed, I started to need them for distance, too.  I didn't want to walk around like this:

But, being the vain yet insecure young woman, I could not fathom wearing nerd glasses.  

You know the old saying?  Guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses.  I couldn't risk it.

Plus, I had never seen a pair of prescription glasses that were my style...you know: cute, sassy, with just a touch of attitude.  You just couldn't find them back then.  So, I got contacts and loved them...except when I went somewhere overnight and forgot my case and my solution and had to put them in a Dixie cup on the bathroom counter and then forgot that's what was in the Dixie cup and drank them with my Tylenol.  Oh, and when I got an eyelash or piece of dust under one of them - OMG! the pain?  unbearable!  Or when I had a few too many happy drinks and forgot they were in my eyes and slept in them - OUCH!  I can honestly say I know what sandpaper feels like on my corneas!  But I have lived with them happily now for more than a few years. 

But, now, there are such cute, stylish, sassy eyeglass frames out there to choose from.  And lots of cute stylish, sassy women out there who wear them...

I might just have to order some new glasses to wear instead of my contacts when I am feeling especially sassy.  Plus, Bubba thinks I look secksy in them!  

The Women Tell All!

I don't really have much to say about the WTA episode.  If you watched it, you weren't surprised with any of it, except maybe for the "Bachelor Gives Back" part.  Predictable interviews with Gia, Michelle, Elizabeth, and Ali told us everything we already knew.  I really like Ashleigh, I think she is the most real, down to earth, funny girl there - truly what you see is what you get.  They all don't like Vienna but no one gave concrete examples of why, just that she never thought before she opened her mouth and she is immature.  The whole Rozlyn segment was awkward and uncomfortable.  ABC was trying really hard to shore up their case that they were right for kicking her off.  Interesting that Jessie never told her story about them on the steps until right then.  Didn't they do exit interviews with these girls to find out who knew what and when?  I can't believe she swore on her child's life.  Whether she was telling the truth or not, you don't do that.  She is obviously under the control of some, maybe a lot of lawyers.  Deny, deny, deny...until everyone forgets you.  I really wish that ABC has some secret footage catching them in the act.  Also interesting that they never named the producer in question.  Kudos to Chris for not dignifying her comment about him hitting on the producer's wife with a comment of her own.  Whatever.  She was very defensive and condescending to all the women and Chris.  Jake, um...whoever you choose, it is obvious that you are still deeply in love with Ali.  You couldn't look at her without tears popping into your eyes.  Should you have let her come back?  Probably.  Should you pursue her now?  Maybe.   Out of the public eye?  Definitely.Outtakes are always the highlight of the WTA episode and these were no exceptions.  My favorites were Tenley scaring the sh*t out of Gia hiding in the trunk, Jake looking at Gia's butt while she was leaning over the railing, and the people in the car yelling at Jake and Ali!Next week is the finale!  Who will he chose?    

Winter Olympics - Eye Candy Edition

I have a question...

Bode Miller - Alpine skiing, USA

Bryon Wilson - Freestyle Skiing, USA

Chad Hedrick - Speed Skating, USA

J.R. Celski - Speed Skating, Short Track, USA

Anton Apolo Ohno - Speed Skating, Short Track, USA

Seth Wescott - Snowboard, USA

Shani Davis - Speed Skating, USA

Shaun White - Snowboard, USA

Louis Vito - Snowboard, USA

Tony Angiboust - Curling, France

Alexandre Bilodeau, Freestyle Skiing, Canada

Has anyone else noticed the plethora of handsome men in this Winter Olympics?

Winter Olympics - Fashion Edition

I have been enjoying the Olympics as I always do.  There is something about the passion, determination, and commitment of the athletes that makes me happy.  I am in awe of their skills, their courage, and their drive.  If I had just one tenth of that, I would be able to rule the world (or at least get off my but and exercise every now and again).  One thing I have noticed this year, besides the amazing talent of the American athletes, is their cool uniforms.  So I bring you the Vancouver Olympics Fashion Report.

From the Opening Ceremonies - by Ralph Lauren

Dashing, debonaire, studly, cool, dude...

Beautiful, sexy (but not too), stylish, gorgeous

Podium Jackets by Nike

Love the ombre look, very nice

Snowboard Suits by Burton

So very cool, love the plaid, love the pants that look like jeans

Bobsled/Freestyle Skiing by Under Armour

Love the stars, a little like pj's but if I could wear pj's to do my job, I totally would

Lindsay Vonn and Julie Mancuso's beanies by Ralph Lauren

So very cute!  Love Lindsay's with the Olympic rings

Honorable mentions from other countries...

Canada's Torchbearer's mittens

Adorable!

However the award for greatest team uniform goes to:

The Norwegian Curling Team

Those silly Norsemen!

Next up, Winter Olympics - Eye Candy Edition

It will be the most BORING SEASON EVER!!!

Why didn't Chris Harrison just tell us at the beginning of the season that Jake is the most boring bachelor ever?  It might have saved us all some time.  Even on the tropical exotic dates, there is just something so boring about him.  I don't find myself invested in this season as much as season's past, possibly because I lost my innocence over the Jason/Molly/Melissa thing but also, Jake is just so...boring.

Anyhoo...on to the exotic dates in St. Lucia.  "Mr. Dateless" is so obviously hung up on Gia's modelesque beauty that he has tricked himself into believing that she is more than just a pretty face.  Right, Jake, she is more than a pretty face, she is pretty legs, boobs, tushie, etc.  But as for brains...well...did I mention she is pretty?  They have a boring date and kiss a lot.  Off to the fantasy suite where Gia can show Jake how brainy she really is because you know in the fantasy suite the couple always plays Trivial Pursuit all night long!

His next date is with Tenly, or as I like to call her "MyX" because that is how she starts every sentence..."My X never did this with me."  "My X wouldn't do that with me."  "My X is still living in my head and I am totally not over him."  Once again, boring date, lots of kissing.  She is my favorite as far as she is the most mature.  She asked Jake how he would pursue her in the real world when he didn't have ABC footing the bill and in true egomaniacal pilot form he told her he would be flying her to the Caymans at his every whim.  Because that is what normal everyday men do when courting women in the 21st century.  What ever happened to dinner and a movie?  No wonder women these days have such high expectations and men don't even try - why should they if they can't live up to TV?  Fantasy suite...blahblahblahnotbeenwithanyoneexceptmyXbutsureI'llgospendthenightwithyoublahblahblah.

Last date is with Vienna.  This girl is 100% ho and I am sure that is what Jake likes about her.  There's just something about Vienna, he keeps saying.  Yea, she's a ho.  She licked you, for crying out loud!  And you licked her back?  Do you know where that thing has been?  And, boring date, lots of kissing, fantasy suite, more proof that she is a ho (negligee, closing the bedroom doors) and...scene.

Then, in the most unsurprising surprise development, Ali calls and tells Jake she made a mistake.  Gosh! I didn't see that coming!  I kind of hoped he would let her back in and kick Vienna to the curb but he was fresh off some fantasy suite action and wasn't about to let that go.  Sorry, Ali, you will have to live with your regret for the rest of your life or at least until ABC casts you as the next Bachelorette.

Ok, rose ceremony...boring, who didn't guess who the roses were going to?  Sorry, Gia, but the air in your head just couldn't keep Jake from blowing you off.

So, is Jake going to go with the girl who is still hooked on her X or the girl who is rated X?  Next week is the Women Tell All where we will hear from Rozlyn and Ali and be teased by Chris.  Tune in, or just stop by here on Tuesday!

Fix it Friday #43

Original

Such beautiful eyes!

This one scares me a little...

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