So I overestimated my committment

I thought this season’s Bachelor would get me out of this blogging funk, but no such luck.  Two episodes in and it just wasn’t worth the effort to even try and form coherent thoughts.  One big culprit was the torture of having to be subjected to Michelle.  She was the epitome of all the girls I avoided having any contact with in life.

I will say that I do not get the attraction or whatever you want to call it between Brad and Ashley.  I haven’t understood it from day one and I don’t understand it even more now.  She is so desperately needy that I can’t take it.  Chantal O is a beautiful girl, but she has shown Brad, on numerous occasions, that she is an emotional train wreck.  She’s said more than once, if you can’t see me as your wife just let me go.  You’ve not even known this man for more than a couple of months and you’ve never even had a real life date.  You know, the kind where cameras aren’t following you around and where ABC isn’t footing the bill for unlimited champagne and fancy cars.  Oh yeah, and the kind where the dude you’re with isn’t dating 10+ other girls at the same time.  Yet, you want him to be able to see you as his wife.  Okay.

The only girl that doesn’t work my ever-lovin’ last nerve is Emily.  I’m ready for this to be over with.  Pick the girl and let’s move on.

The Bachelor Brad Womack – Episode 2

Wine & Cotton Candy

The first individual date is with Ashley H., the dentist.  Brad takes her to a secluded carnival where they ride the rides, play games, win teddy bears, eat cotton candy, and drink wine.  One of these things is not like the other.  Everything seemed very staged and annoying until they started getting to know one another.  They had an insightful conversation, the first real kiss of the season happens and Ashley got a rose.

Group Date:  Keltie, Chantal O., Madison, Melissa, Kimberly, Marissa, Raichel, Britt, Megan, Emily, Stacey, Alli, Shawntel N., Michelle, and Lisa

The group date consists of all 15 girls filming a PSA with Brad for the Red Cross.  Basically, it was a ridiculous mess.  First of all, it was Michelle’s 30th birthday and she needed everyone to know this.  And she apparently needed everyone to know that she was not happy to be spending her 30th birthday competing with 14 other girls for Brad’s attention.  What’ a girl to do but walk off the set and go sulk by yourself on the steps.  And it worked like charm because Brad came to rescue her.  Gag.

Melissa made several statements to the other women that if she didn’t get alone time with Brad today that she was going to have to leave.  She just wasn’t sure if she could go on with this if she didn’t get to show him who she really was.  After all, she quit her job as a waitress for Brad.  Really, Melissa, you quit your job as a waitress for a chance to be on television and date some dude along with 29 other women.  Remember, Brad being The Bachelor again was a secret.  Sshhh.

There were so many things wrong with the group date I just don’t think I can bring myself to share.  Ok, let’s do it fast.  Vampira in the dominatrix outfit…real original ABC.  Who knew ABC was into 3-ways.  Nice.  Michelle, no, it really isn’t your turn to feel special.  31654 girls on one dude doesn’t exactly equal feeling special.  And if I have to hear that it’s your 30th birthday one more time!  Melissa, please SHUT UP!  Lamest attempt at a PSA ever.

Ok, where were we?  Ah, yes…Michelle decides to get deep on her alone time with Brad and asks what his greatest fear is.  Deep, Michelle, so deep.  Melissa gets into it with Raichel because Raichel wanted to know why Melissa didn’t tell Brad that she planned to leave if she didn’t get alone time with him.  Melissa jumps off the deep end to never return.  The group date rose goes to Michelle, because apparently they really shared something.  Something that we obviously were not privy to.

The second individual date goes to Jackie.  Which means Lindsay, Ashley S., and Sarah do not get dates this week.  I say, consider yourself lucky that you were spared the group date and call it a night.

Jackie gets the Pretty Woman experience date.  She gets to choose from a room full of dresses and shoes.  I’m not sure why she chose the dress that she did, but Ok.  Brad presents her with glittery jewels just for her.  Then they get a private concert from Train where they dance and kiss.  It all made my skin crawl a bit.  And if this date was to go down with Bachelor history, this would be the date that the rose wouldn’t be given.  But good for Brad, he bucked tradition and kept Jackie for another week.  I don’t see the connection, but hey, go for it.

The night of the rose ceremony Melissa and Raichel are still going at it.  From our POV, it looks like Melissa is the instigator.  Then she has to go and cry to Brad and tell him how horrible Raichel is.  Raichel then gets her turn to cry on Brad’s shoulder about Melissa.  Ashley S. tells Melissa to stop, but Melissa just can’t let it go.  She even leans on Madison for support.  Chris Harrison brings out Roberto and Ally to interview the girls.  Where Melissa has to, again, cry about that big meanie Raichel.  I absolutely loved how Roberto and Ally handled the interviews!  Emily got the Cocktail Rose.

Date Roses: Ashley H., Michelle, & Jackie

Cocktail Rose: Emily

Rose Ceremony #2 – 13 Roses

1. Chantal O.
2. Sarah
3. Ally
4. Kimberly
5. Shawntel N.
6. Stacy
7. Ashley S.
8. Madison
9. Lisa
10. Marisa
11. Megan
12. Lindsay
13. Britt

Nicely done, Brad.

Rose Chart

Kiss Count: 2

The Bachelor Brad Womack is Back

I swore off The Bachelor for two whole seasons because of Womack’s season.  I couldn’t believe that a guy could spend 4 months with these girls, get all the way down to two and couldn’t say ‘I have a genuine connection with one of these girls’.  Even if he wasn’t prepared to propose, to just say it ain’t happening?  I don’t have enough of a connection to even continue dating you outside of this show?  Let’s try and get to know each other a little more?  No, he just doesn’t want anything to do with either girl.

In the first place, I am not a promoter of a man dating multiple girls at the same time to find out who he has the best connection with.  I think it’s a bit degrading to the girls in the end because they have ultimately formed a relationship with this man while he’s been forming relationships with other girls.  In the real world (not to be mistaken for MTV’s Real World), dating one guy for four months is on the track to serious.  But, what’s a girl to do on a Monday night with nothing else to watch!  So, here we go again.

I was more than skeptical when they announced Womack as the next Bachelor.  But, within the first few minutes of episode one he had won me over.  This isn’t saying all that much considering I’m a big softie.  I hope he’ll be the first Bachelor to find his one and only for keeps.

The girls — well, ABC managed to do it again.  Bring on the drama.  Out of the 30 girls I only liked 9 right away.  The rest were No’s and Maybe’s.  Not surprisingly Michelle was a big fat NO on my list.  But, I knew he would keep her.  It’s like a conctractual obligation to ABC to keep the most annoying full of herself girl week after week.  I liked Chantal O. until the slap.  The slap got her on my Maybe list.  I liked Stacey the bartender.  Ashley S. was a Yes for me, but I didn’t like how she said ‘if you ever just need to talk or get away you can tell me anything’.  Seemed a little shady, but she’s still on my Yes list.  I loved Emily.  How can you not love Emily?!

Typical week 1 — too many girls to know who they truly are, lots of drama, bad makeup, hair and prom dresses.

Here’s the Rose list, with my picks in parentheses (Yes, No, Maybe):

First Impression Rose: Ashley S. (Y)

Rose Ceremony #1 – 19 Roses

1. Michelle (N)
2. Kimberly (N)
3. Madison (N)
4. Emily (Y)
5. Raichel (N)
6. Keltie (Y)
7. Ashley H. (N)
8. Meghan (N)
9. Lisa M. (M)
10. Lindsay (M)
11. Alli (N)
12. Sarah P. (N)
13. Marissa (Y)
14. Britt (Y)
15. Stacey (Y)
16. Shawntel N. (Y)
17. Jackie (M)
18. Melissa (N)
19. Chantal O. (M)

Full Rose Count Chart (girls listed in the order that they were introduced to Brad)

Kiss Count: 0  (Only the real kisses count, no ridiculous forced or rehearsed kisses will be counted.)

Pot Shelf Cry For Help

I am “challenged”, for lack of a better word, when it comes to interior decorating.  It’s not that I don’t know what I like.  It’s not even that I lack taste.  It’s that I can’t seem to find what I want when I’m looking for it.  Then, when I find something that ‘will do’ in it’s place I can’t commit.  I can never commit.  This comes from years of making due with what I find instead of holding out for what I really want.  Now I’m so turned around on how to achieve the look that I want.

One of my biggest challenges of late is the pot shelves in both my kitchen and living room.  Is that what they’re even called…pot shelves?  I call them pot shelves because that’s what I’ve heard other people call them.  But, when I go to look them up online very few links come up with the information that I am really looking for.  Which leads me to believe that there may be a different name for these things.

ANYHOW — I am in need of some help!  I have lived in this house for 5 years now (I have a major issue with interior decorating commitments, don’t judge!) and my “pot shelves” are virtually empty.  If you are hearing this cry for help, please point me in the direction of some interior decorating ideas.  Thanks!

Floundering

Floundering, grasping

Fast, sharp breaths catch in my chest

Overwhelming life.

Veggie-crazed

Oh mylanta, I am starving for vegetables!  I having been going crazy with cravings for vegetable soup with cauliflower.  Why with cauliflower?  I do not know.  It just sounds sooo good.  However, all I can find in the way of recipes is ‘cream of’ or ‘cheesy’ cauliflower soups.  NO!!  What I want is a broth based vegetable soup, kind of like a minestrone with big chunks of cauliflower.

I’m pretty sure I’m just going to go ahead and make vegetable soup and throw in cauliflower.  I think I must be on a soup kick because just about all broth based soups, freshly homemade that is, sound so delicious to me.  I’ve been perusing recipe sites throughout today.  So hungry now.

Camping, check.

First camping trip of 2010 is complete and I am back in the comforts of my own home.  Shew.  It actually wasn’t as bad as it usually is.  It was a pretty chill trip….AND…I actually had cell service so I was able to check my mail and get online 98% of the trip.  Either way, I’m glad to me home.

Nothing expansive to report today.  I’m researching the Hebrew language and piano sheet music.  I read a little.  Ate lunch at Sweet Tomatoes.  Had a brief moment of insight.  And I’ve spent a good chunk of the evening looking at definitions of the Hebrew language and various free sheet music sites.

Back to work tomorrow.  Sigh.