Stop bullying. Stop Kanye.

He may not have pulled his usual tantrum on stage, in front of hundreds of other artists and millions of viewers, but Kanye made sure to desecrate the win of a fellow Grammy award-winning artist before the night was over.

After walking up to the mic for a fake-out, certainly giving poor T-Swift some flashbacks, Kanye laughed his way back to his seat.  Beyoncé and Jay smiled after brief glimpses of fear glazed over their eyes. Beck, winner of "Album of the Year," was allowed by Yeezy to give his acceptance speech. Beck being a seasoned veteran most likely would have handled a Kanye award assault unlike a pre-Shake it Off Taylor Swift. The triple Grammy winner for the night even gestured Kanye back on stage. I'd like to think Beck figured, "Why not let him embarass himself?"

People are saying that Beck "held his cool" during his performance with Chris Martin after Kanyegate. I'm not sure why he's supposed to have been not cool: he won three awards and performed in front of a room of his peers. Kanye, if anyone, held his cool. Then the E! After Party happened.

It's no secret that the Kardashians run the E! Network. The new Mr. Kardashian showed how strong their hold really is over the fashion/celebrity/reality show channel. He berated the producers of the after party special for using microphones with their logo on them...Then Ye, as he's called, continued to belittle the station for not giving the Kardashian Klan more control, more money, more respect, claiming E! is nothing without them. Kim looked longingly at her husband as he whined and complained followed by spinning her around like a show pony. She simply said she is "the luckiest girl in the world."

While the Kimye segment seemed to be never ending, Kanye was asked about his almost-moment on stage during "Album of the Year." His response was nothing short of: Beck should have been decent enough to give his award to Beyoncé. It is one thing to want your friend to win every award. It is one thing to think Beyoncé is the literal best. It is one thing to not like every artist nominated. It is, however, wildly innapropriate to degrade and belittle a fellow Grammy award-winning artist on live television. His list of reasons only explained that HE thinks Beck needs to respect artistry and the Grammys are messing around with the real artists. In his own words, I'll let him prove my point:

"...Beck needs to respect artistry, he should have given his award to Beyoncé. At this point, we tired of it. What happens is, when you keep on diminishing art, and not respecting the craft, and smacking people in the face after they deliver monumental feats of music, you're disrespectful to inspiration. We, as musicians, have to inspire people who go to work every day, and they listen to that Beyoncé album..."

In just that small snippet, Ye accuses Beck of not being an artist, the Grammys of smacking the "best" musicians in the face by not awarding Beyoncé and suggests that people ONLY listen to Beyoncé. While preaching that artists deserve respect and that creativity and inspiration should be rewarded, he is blatantly disrespecting an artist and diminishing a performer's award. Kanye claims he walked away from the mic on stage to protect his wife and child, and his clothing line. That's when he threatens to not play with the all encompassing "them" anymore. Will he boycott the Grammys? The music industry as a whole? Unlikely because he needs a stage to get the attention he thrives on.

And all this teaches us is that bullies are everywhere. We struggle to rid our children's schools of bullies and harmful influences around them. Here is a blatant example of a bully. Kanye West doesn't get his way so he picks on those he considers beneath him. He uses his obsession with Beyoncé winning awards as an excuse. The bottom line is tonight, he harassed Beck and his music as well as the entire Recording Academy for not giving his friends a trophy. Kim said her husband should have grabbed the mic from Beck and continued the streak of hateful behavior by posting on her Instagram a picture of shocked faces at Beck's win. E! Live perpetuated the bully's rant by not changing the subject or cutting him off. Instead, the slew of guest hosts cheered on Kanye.

My little blog and strong opinions won't make a difference. Millions of people will still buy Kanye's music, they will laugh at Beck's expense and say cruel things in support of a grown man bullying an innocent buystander. No one will hold either half of Kimye accountable for anything, quite frankly. All we can do is support our own beliefs and protest those who promote bullying anywhere at any time--in schools, on TV, around the Internet. The academy should hold Kanye accountable for his behavior instead of rewarding him with nominations and multiple performance slots. Stop bullying.

Christmas CRAFT-O-RAMA!

Greetings internet friends.

I finally did it. Put my bows out into the world for all (of Downtown New Bedford) to see. For sale.

Hard to believe something I made is for sale. People are buying my bows, headbands and earrings for Christmas presents. Crazy. I've been making bows for short time and usually just for friends or to wear to a specific outing. They seem to go over well and no one has thrown one back at me in disgust so, I thought let's go for it--let's sell some bows for real!

Downtown New Bedford is known for its art scene. Local handmade products, galleries on every corner, small businesses on every other corner. This being my first year back in a while, I was only recently introduced to the idea of CRAFT-O-RAMA.

This group of dedicated, local artists open a pop-up shop every holiday season to showcase area artists and crafters. Shopping local is so important today with all the Black Friday-Cyber Sunday-Monster Manufacturer Madness. CRAFT-O-RAMA is a shrine to hard work and locally-handmade gifts.

Somehow, my bows made it into this shop alongside some amazing products. I submitted a series of "Disney Princess" and "Frozen" inspired bows as well as some bows for the everyday look.

Frozen friends include:

Olaf, Kristoff, Anna and a few versions of Elsa.

Featured Princesses are: 

Snow White, Ariel, Minnie Mouse,  

Rapunzel, Sofia the 1st and Belle.

My favorite from the CRAFT-O-RAMA pieces

 has to be my Frozen headbands!

And here's some of my "Everyday" series...

Stay tuned for another post featuring my LEGO earring collection! 

If you're downtown, stop in to CRAFT-O-RAMA Wednesday-Thursday 11am-6pm--and open late this Thursday for AHA Night! Shop Small. have a happy holiday season and talk soon!

The Other Women's Movie

So thankful for The Other Woman!

Not a sentence a girl could normally say.

The Other Woman was worth my hard earned $6.50 and the crinkling family of four in the back row. I'm not unconvinced they were wrapping gifts the whole length of the movie.

It was so refreshing to see a female driven comedy that's not just a raunchy rip-off of the male-centric cinematic crudity! (I'm looking at you, Bridesmaids.) Sure, there was some good old fashion toilet humor fetchingly draped amongst the floral dresses and girl talk. The significantly diminished vulgarity and surprisingly respectable characters made it feel new and nuanced. Even the newly remodeled Nicki Minaj was a not-so-terrible treat. She brought a level head (ever changing in hair color) to the strong but love-troubled lawyer Carly (Diaz). A movie that puts Nicki's boss ass in a clASSy business setting, dishing out relationship advice? I will chuck the deuce up for that--in the form of two thumbs!

In a world of male driven comedies about sex, pranks and grotesque everything, Leslie Mann fits right in. She's equally explicit. Unafraid of scripts that humiliate and expose. Sometimes she even goes a little too far and pukes all over Steve Carrell. The Other Woman shone a new light on Mann. We still get to spend 109 minutes with the wacky, squat over a toilet, publicly drunk lady we've grown to love.

Mann is a queen at the slapstick and anything physically funny. There's no shortage of that in this film but we also get to meet a more sincere side to Mann. She's surrounded by females, a gorgeous wardrobe, BFF montages and she feels more real. Of course a happy housewife would lose her sanity when she meets the mistress...and the other mistress. It's a sweet yet unexpected surprise that the mistress and the wife become friends. Even more so when they both befriend Hotty McCutie, Kate Upton.

The Other Woman is a touching story about female bonding without feeling like a pushy Lifetime movie. Plenty of w(h)ine. Just enough cheese. Not all men are deemed the devil, just the one. In the end, he gets whats coming but that's not the prize. Of course the ostentatious demise of Mr. Wrong is gratifying. What the audience leaves smiling about, however, is a champagne brunch honoring the friendship of three successful and stunningly dressed women.

Nothing chases cold revenge like mimosas and happiness.

Macaro(o)n Majesty

Guys, I'm basically French now.

My strong desire (desperate need) to travel the world has found it's way to my mouth.

That probably doesn't sound as poetic as planned. French food is my jam. Especially when it's covered in jam. My recent delicious discovery is thanks to the simple marvel that is My French Cafe. My palette doesn't get tested as often as I'd like. Sure, EPCOT for dinner can take me around the world in 1.2 miles. There is just something different about this little cafe, tucked behind some palm trees, in the middle of a grocery store parking lot, that feels authentic. It could have to do with the classically French trained owners from France who speak French.

It is there that I was introduced to my first macaron.

First, a quick lesson:

Macarons are light, crisp, meringues made from almond flour, sugar and egg whites, sandwiched with buttercream or a fruit preserve. 

Macaroons are more of a mound of meringue made typically with coconut. Far inferior to the previously defined treat.

These delicate, crunchy pillows changed my life. Something with such a snap when you bite into it, but then so soft and airy--it must be made by the gods. Macarons may taste otherworldly but guess what...they are totally bake-able! And I baked some! They definitely take a higher skill level in the kitchen OR a very patient baker. 

A borrowed macaron bible, several pounds of homemade almond flour and a few batches later and voila! I made my very own edible piece of France.

These babies are my 2nd or 3rd attempt. Vanilla/Vanilla macarons. The Mickeys were just too cute.

Vanilla Macarons
Oven Temp: 300F Bake Time: 12-14mins 

 (remember this recipe came from a random macaron book; if I get the title, I'll post it!)

3/4C ground almond (almond flour) *You can make it yourself or buy it.
1C confectioners sugar
2 egg whites
1/4C fine sugar
1/2TSP vanilla extract

1. Throw almond flour and confectioners sugar in a food processor. Grind them both down till they make a fine powder but before they make any kind of almond paste. Put the mix through a sifter and process again if necessary.
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. I was able to fill a little more than 2 sheets so be prepared. You want all the batter used and no extra sitting in a bowl.
3. Whip egg whited till they form soft peaks; gradually beat in fine sugar to make a glossy. Add vanilla.
4. Gently fold in almond/sugar mix a 1/3 at a time; fold until it is a shiny, ribbon-like consistency.
5. Fill pastry bag; pipe small circles (using a template is the best idea, like this one. just don't forget to pull the template out before baking!) Tap the baking sheet to let out any air bubble in the batter
6. Let the shells rest for 20-30 minutes
7. Bake 12-14 minutes until "foot" appears--the tiny, crinkly ring around the base of the shell. 
8. Shells should be hard to the touch and sturdy on their feet!
9. Let cool; they will easily peel off parchment
10. Fill with your favorite buttercream or preserve. I made vanilla with vanilla. I also put some sprinkles on my shells before they completely baked to add some fun!

Pretty Little Encounter

Spotted: One pretty, little liar.

Ashley Benson made a pit stop in Walt Disney World this week on her way to Miami! She is currently filming Spring Breakers with Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and James Franco. Yeah, I'm interested to see how that plays out.

While strolling through Hollywood Studios, I spotted some Green Army Men under the Pixar sign. The typical line of kids and push moms was forming and my eye went elsewhere. I caught a glimpse of a well-dressed young lady arm-in-arm with her beau and the big giveaway--a Disney Tour Guide.

EEK! I may have made a little gasp because the blond in front of me shot a quick glance my way. We made eye contact. It was brief, awkward and so cool. Her eyes said, "Please don't call me out." And mine replied, "We're cool, blond girl from PLL." "Thanks," she smized.

Just like that, our moment ended. I creepily took a phone pic, shown above. But sadly, she had to move along when a group of tweens started screeching through their braces. I'd like to think she was grateful in that split second. Maybe she told Selena and V-Hud that some cool girl didn't blow her cover.

Or they all pranced around in bikinis making millions of dollars without me.

2011 Emmys...and TV

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Clearly I don't blog enough.

It's been basically a year since my last "real" blog--about the last Emmys. Those were worth blogging about and so were this year's!

Jane Lynch set some obviously high expectations being Jane Lynch and all. I would say she did not disappoint. There was just the right mix of Sue Sylvester sarcasm, slightly masculine charm and proud lesbian sweetheart. She let the show roll on as scheduled and picked up some great jokes along the way as they happened. Her nod to the Modern Family sweep was well received ("Welcome back to the Modern Family Awards.")

The video clips/parodies were a bit lengthy. The opening number could have been a little shorter, as Jane calls out herself in the actual dialogue, but the singing was surprisingly good. Hated the Jersey Shore junk--don't care if they're spoofing themselves, they are still being featured on national television which is a travesty. The only clip I can't complain about was The Office parody--I'm biased being obsessed and whatnot. On a similar note, loved that Ed Helms came out for the phenomenal Lonely Island medley. And John Stamos too? Yes please. And I'll have seconds. *Favorite at home moment for me: When my sister asked me, "Who is that Michale Bolton guy dressed like Johnny Depp?"*

Overall, a great night of television honoring television. Kate Winslet, Boardwalk Empire, Modern Family--all of my favorites at least. Can't wait for the new seasons to premiere this week and next. Already loving the new show 2 Broke Girls from the creator Sex & the City. A little risque. A little cliche. Pretty enjoyable for a pilot. And Up All Night exceeded my expectations which were already pretty high for a Will Arnett/Christina Applegate/Maya Rudolph/Lorne Michaels/Cute baby show. Such a refreshing and realistic new take on family life. Felt like they could have been related to the Modern Family. The GLEE premiere was everything it should have been--glittery, over-the-top-showstopping and flamboyantly full of bow-ties! Good choice of songs, however, I think they missed a real chance at a fantastic mash-up of "We've Got the Beat" and "You Can't Stop the Beat." Just my opinion.

Coming up: the highly anticipated Office premiere. Who will be the new manager? What is James Spader doing as Robert California? Will Pam be super pregnant (since Jenna Fischer is also expecting)? Did Jim Carrey's character ever make it to the Finger Lakes?

Only time and shrinking DVR space will tell. Now that State of Georgia was canceled, I need me some good TV replacements. Bring it on, Fall season.

Eat. Pray. Love. Just get me out of here.

My intense desire to travel and growing need to get the h-e-double hockey stick out of here, grew exponentially with each of these gorgeous photos.

A friend from PA posted this link and I wondered what's more likely: I will someday have the opportunity to travel to these unbelievable locations, OR that I someday will develop the ability to climb into computer screen photos...

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GLEE Birthday Cake

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The much anticipate cake for my sister's 17th birthday....


This year, it was all about the GLEE. It's one of her favorite shows (a Vampire Diaries cake would not have been nearly as fun) and there was an all new episode the night of her party. The episode may have been aptly titled"Funeral," but the cake was the life of the party.

I used a large layer of banana cake on bottom and a small, two layer chocolate banana cake (recipe is for muffins but I added an extra 3T water and 1T of vegetable oil.) These recipes are from the FAAN website for allergy awareness. My sister lives with severe allergies and it feels good finally giving her birthday-worthy cakes.
I'm no Duff but I wanted to capture GLEE with the iconic slushie. Came up with the idea and ran. The colors match the themed plates and I chose a large tube of blue piping gel, blue and clear sugar sprinkles and white cake sparkles which looked like confetti.
The gel gave the real, gooey slush look and the varying sprinkle added texture like slushy ice; I mixed in a lighter blue gel in to add another depth of swirly color. The gel really oozed down the side of the cake well and the extra splatters were a finishing touch. I was quite proud of the finished result. The frosting and piping work could use some refining on my part--I'm taking cake decorating classes this summer--but I think I won on the design and detailing. Everyone loved it and Sara was happy, which was really all that mattered.


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Cake Balls!

Back by popular demand--well by request of one person--Cake Balls!

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My first attempt at making these little luscious treats was for my Easter baskets.
Tried to make them Cake Pops but after several failed attempts at putting them on the lolipop sticks, I dropped them in some decorative cupcake tins and called it a Happy Easter!


This time around, I went for no sticks or frills. Just some sprinkles and colorful tins. They were a graduation gift for my boyfriend's sister who is also leaving for a cruise tomorrow, hence the little umbrella and tree.



How to make Cake Balls:

• One (1) boxed cake mix, any flavor you like

• One (1) can of frosting, whatever flavor goes best with the cake you chose

• One (1) bag of melting chocolate, white or semi-sweet are my favorite

• A pack of fun cupcake tins

1. Bake the cake as directed for a large 13x9 pan, or something similar in size.
2. Let cool COMPLETELY. Not the kind of "cool" that you let slide when you're desperate to just frost and eat. *I found it speeds up the process to crumble into hot cake chunks and put into a bowl in the fridge.
3. After the cake is cool, attack the cake with a fork in a large mixing bowl til it is almost like cake-bread crumbs. Some bigger chunks may remain mixed in.
   
4. With a big rubber spatula, scoop almost the whole can of cool frosting into the cake crumbs. After attempting to mix with the spatula, you'll find your hands will do a much better job. Add the rest of the frosting if it's not moist enough.
   
5. Thoroughly mix until all the crumbs are almost mushy with frosting and the cake is mold-able.
6. Roll the cake mush into smallish, palm-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Let the cake get cool and firm in the fridge (or freezer if you're in a rush.) Melt your chocolate in a tall/deep mug while you're waiting.
   
7. When they are firm enough to work with, use a fork to dip the cake balls into the chocolate, and place back onto the parchment. Add some sprinkles while the chocolate is still warm.
   
8. After they're all dipped in goodness, again place them in the fridge until they have a hard outer shell.
   
9. Place the little rounds into cupcake tins and serve!
10. If I figure out a way to make them work on the lolipop sticks without sliding off, I'll let you know!

Got the idea from www.Bakerella.com!

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2010 Emmys

I always like watching an award show when I'm actually familiar with most of the nominees; I also like watching an award show where those familiar nominees win.

The 2010 Emmys hosted by late night, kinda funny man Jimmy Fallon were surprisingly entertaining. Not being a fan of Late Night, I was hesitant of the ex-SNL heartthrob's hosting ability. His small bits and songs were clever and not lame like most of his usual skits. Song parodies have always been a specialty of his from his Dave Matthews impressions to his short-lived career as a recording artist.

The big surprise opening that everyone seemed to know about was an eclectic rendition of Sprinsteen's "Born to Run." Fallon was accompanied by an obvious selection of Glee's best (Lea Michelle, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley and Chris Colfer) as well as Jane Lynch, Tina Fey, Joel McHale, Nina Dobrev John Hamm and little cameos from Betty White and Randy Jackson. A regular star studded stunner, right? And then we add a dash of suck--Kate Gosselin.

Is America really telling me that if I want to someday have a spot on the Emmys, all I need to do is produce a litter of Asian babies, proceed to act humiliatingly horrible while exploiting said babies on national TV and then skank it up a bit on any show that will now exploit my publicity pulling power? At least her performance made her look like a wacky-waving-inflatable-arm flailing-tube girl.

Moving on from that side-rant, some really talented performers left with the gold. Jane Lynch and Ryan Murphy won for the Glee team and Mad Men won all over the board on the drama side. Modern Family took home some much deserved kudos for writing, Eric Stonestreet for being hilarious and the show won Outstanding Comedy Series. A lot of other shows/miniseries won that I know nothing about, but congratulations nonetheless.

Most importantly the red carpet looked fierce tonight. The Glee ladies stole the spotlight during the pre-show but Lea Michelle did not get the solo tonight; Jane Lynch glowed like her Emmy in a royal purple, one shoulder dress and Diana Agron (Quinn) looked elegant in lace. John Krasinski looked effortlessly handsome along with Neil Patrick Harris, Chris Colfer (Kurt, Glee) and Jon Hamm. Unfortunately, not everyone looked ferosh. My girl, Mindy Kaling looked a little Sex and the City-walk of shame and Lauren Graham and Amber Riley suffered the effects that white can have on any body shape.

Overall, it was a great six hours of non-stop Emmys coverage thanks to E! and NBC. It was a great season for television and I look forward to a new season of shows to obsess over. I just hope my DVR can handle the excellence that's coming its way.

SYTYCD

Remember that time I was going to blog all about this season of SYTYCD? Hmm.
Looks like life, or something like it, got in the way of that plan. I personally blame my DVR for allowing me to procrastinate and watch every episode the next day on fast forward mode.

To sum things up: They did a great job giving the All-Stars props for their performances instead of making them just props for performances. Sometimes, the contestants were a little out shined by their more seasoned partners while others blew them off the stage. The tour situation is a little questionable if you ask me; Only the Top 6 get to go on tour? And the rest are All-Stars that have already had their chance? Weird but, I guess it makes sense following the season.

Season 7 of SYTYCD can't be discussed without bringing up the obvious--what the hell were they doing to these kids to cause so many injuries? The answer: Over working them. Alex, a professional ballerina, injured himself doing a leap and is now out of commission for 3+ months. He is probably most use to all the rehearsal and excess work and it seems even his body succumbed to the stress along with Ashley, Billy and Lauren. Hopefully next season they take it down a notch for these young dancers so they don't damage their goods permanently.

Now we're down to the Top 3. Do I agree with America? Yes and a sort of No. I love Robert and Kent and Lauren is pretty amazing. I have issue with two things, however: Why not a Top 4? And Adechike should have been gone a lot sooner then poor Billy Bell. Mr. Bell sustained a knee injury and still kicked the ass of that Bollywood number after the bizarre no one-gets-sent-home-episode. He was voted out the same night as the worst dancer of the season, Jose who clearly only got votes based on the whiteness/wideness of his smile. My ideal finale would have included Robert, Kent, Lauren and Billy.

My picture says it all...

• Voted off
  
• Out by injury
  
• Unfairly cast off because of slightly feminine tendencies

We'll see how the finale goes. It is usually filled with amazing dances from throughout the season and special guests that few people will care about. Hopefully they bring back at least Billy and Ashley to remind us how they were robbed by injury and injustice.

Please, be tamed...just a little.

As I sat at my computer this morning for the last time before I venture off to Disney World for a week, a disturbingly, revealing photo from the Much Music Awards of, who else, Miley Cyrus, appears in front of my groggy eyes. First off, it is far too early in the morning for me to be seeing 17-year-old, lady parts or anything of the sort (thanks Perez Hilton) without so much as a cup of coffee. Secondly, why Miley? I was actually just starting to support your rebellion.

Just the other day, I was defending your statement about teeny-bopper boys being able to flaunt their goods in tiny tanks and skinny-girl jeans and how it's unfair that you can't express yourself. And then you wear an unbelievably, inappropriate, white bodysuit, clearly stolen from Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera's 2003 performance with Madonna at the VMAs, except they wore a bottom half. Not only does this reveal that you have bad taste but that you apparently keep up with your favorite bikini wax artist.

These are the sort of pictures that should be haunting you in your mid-to-late 20s when you "accidentally" forget your underwear out one night, wearing a mini dress while lunging out of a limo. I am interested to see how she squirms her way out of this one. None of that "I'm a big girl now" crap because this is one of those things her parents should lock her up for--or her parents should be locked up for letting her do. This will be a defining moment for Billy Ray and Mrs. Billy Ray: Will they go the Lohan family route and let things spiral out of control and suck up the fame at their daughter's expense? Or, will Billy Ray step in like Britney's dad and delegate her every move and demand she wears proper undergarments?

Californi-candy

Watch: Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg "California Gurls"

I have always wanted to travel west and explore the beautiful Golden coast for myself. Thanks to Katy Perry, I need not travel any farther than my home computer!

Apparently, California is DELICIOUS. No wonder everyone over there is particularly weight conscious. If I were residing on a cloud of cotton candy or living in a gingerbread house, I too would take up pilates. While the landscape looks lush and lick-able, I was expecting more green grass and palm trees. The people there look much sweeter than they come across on TV but the gummy bear population seems like it's created its own spectrum of problems.

I don't know how the rest of the California boys and gurls feel about Katy's interpretation, but this New Englander has a new found appetite for travel.

Avidazen, peace out.

I'm couple days late (thank you, DVR) but, my America's-favorite-dancer-instinct was pretty close. Alexie was in my bottom 3 along with Melinda and, in my opinion, Adechike instead of Cristina. Melinda still hasn't impressed me which is common with specialty dancers like tappers or breakers. Alexie however, did blow her solo. She was not dancing for her life and seemed to wilt in front of the cameras during all performances. Hopefully, the other dancers bring it now that they know what their Thursday nights will look like.

Not-so-unfortunately, I will be in Disney World next week so no SYTYCD for me until I reunite with my DVR. Until then, keep it real, keep it cool, keep it dirty.

So You Think You Can Change Things Up?

As a semi-avid SYTYCD follower, Season 7 has brought some mixed emotions. As always, I was excited to meet some 20 new, freakishly talented dancers but this season promised a twist--we would be joining only 10 new dancers on their journey. The other empty spots? All-star dancers from past seasons.

There were many questions right off the bat: Who were these "all-stars"? Were they re-competing? If so, why?! Now that the show has officially got on a roll, the questions have been answered but I'm not sure everyone likes those answers. The all-stars are basically there as a "Dancing With the All-Stars" set up. Former contestants from specific genres have been brought back as familiar faces for the audience and expert partners for the newbies.

After the first night of performances. it is clear why they have brought back these runners up. The 12 all-star performers do bring a new level to the competition but then, when they've done their dance, they roll off stage like a prop only to return next week to be another dancer's partner. Without a week-to-week partner to grow and learn with, no real connections will be made between couples. No Mark and Chelsie, no Melissa and Ade, no Benji and Donyelle.

Also, since they are well seasoned dancers, some of them are blowing the new kids off the block. Twitch definitely outdid himself in the NappyTabs number, leaving Alexie looking a little amateur. Other partners that worked it were Robert and Courtney and Jose and Comfort. In the case of contestant Alex Wong, his all-star partner Allison brought an equally impressive level of talent that amazed and goosebump-ed the judges. However, I respectfully disagree with Mia Michael's statement that the Sonya Tayeh number was the greatest dance ever danced. Off the top of my head, Melissa and Ade's breast cancer performance was called the same and the dance Travis Wall choreographed to Jason Mraz's "If it Kills Me", could also be a competitor in the "Best Dance" category.

We'll see how America feels about the new setup when we see the results show tomorrow. Will they be voting on performances based on their favorite all-star or the actual competitor? My top 3 were Robert, Alex and I have to say, Kent. My bottom 3 were probably. Adechike, Alexie and Melinda. America tends to be more fickle than I, so we will see whose fate they determined tomorrow night.

WhIP (Work In Progress)

Working on the blog. Trying to make it a little more aesthetically pleasing. So I put it on a diet, scheduled some spray tanning and bought it a pair of leg lengthening nude stilettos.

Don't mind things during the awkward transformation phase. Feedback welcome.

The Caged Bird Sings

Britney was a "Slave 4 U"

Christina got "Dirrrrty"

And now, it's Miley's turn...

http://www.eonline.com/videos/v53035_miley-cyrus-cant-be-tamed-video.html

She is soaring out of the cushy Disney closet, leaving behind her morals and most of her clothes. Miss Cyrus gave us a little taste of what's-to-come with her infamous Vanity Fair shoot, her pole dancing at the Teen Choice Awards in 09 and those long forgotten slumber party-shower photos. Now it's official--Miley Cyrus can't be tamed.

Apparently, as her new video points out, she is like a rare, wild bird that can't be confined to a cage or metallic corset for that matter. She is breaking out of her Mickey-made-mold and slipping into something a little less comfy with a lot more feathers. "Party in the USA" was, and still is, wildly popular in most circles for its upbeat-good time feel. "I Can't Be Tamed" is sure to hit a different crowd (a.k.a. not my 5-year-old cousin.)

Some may find the transformation a bit jarring. One week she's Hanna Montana and the next she looks like Brtiney Spears in "Womanizer" meets Sasha Fierce. Couture S&M gear and a pole shouldn't be as appealing to her young fans as a blond wig but, odds are, giant black wings, thigh high boots and a leather bodysuit may be on your tween daughter's newest shopping list.

While her young fans (and their parents) may not be prepared, Miley's friends and Hollywood teammates are loving the new look, so far. Demi Lovato tweets, "SO proud of that girl... THAT VIDEO IS SOOO GOOD!!!!!" and others say she's the next Britney Spears just with a ten year headstart. Let's hope that title doesn't come with the psychiatric breakdown, two children with a hobo and a Mr. Clean haircut.

For now, we need to anxiously await her new album's release in June and accept the wild bird for what she is--a 17-year-old "discovering herself" with the help of her bottomless piggy bank and a team of people dedicated to pushing her to the edge. Hopefully, those gigantic wings really help her fly when/if she gets pushed too far.

HOPE for HAITI

So while watching and enjoying the beautiful people of Hollywood spill their hearts and their wallets I got to thinking: We all expect the rich and famous to donate their fair share to charities like this. They do make far more money than most can even fathom so it's these too-rich-for-their-own-good people that should donate, right? Right.

I sit here, in my unemployed-20 something-recent graduate-pants, thinking of how little I have. Then I slip back into reality, turn off my Wii and text my boyfriend with my fancy cell phone saying that I need to donate to the Hope For Haiti telethon.

As little as I may have, there are people with literally nothing. Anderson Cooper is throwing the faces of innocent and injured children in my face while Jennifer Hudson serenades America and those suffering with a beautiful rendition of Jon Lennon's "Let it Be"; these children no longer have families, homes or food and water.

If Leo Dicaprio's $1 million donation and George Clooney's whole telethon can inspire other celebrities to help, maybe my little contribution can inspire those, like myself, that don't have a Titanic sized income.

HopeForHaitiNow.org

Blogging from Limbo

For the three people who may look at my site once a month, if at all anymore, I apologize for my disappearance. In August 2009 my laptop died tragically after defying the odds and living well past its expiration date. While working for Disney was a blast and all, they paid in Mickey stickers so a new computer was and still is a far off dream of mine.

As of now, I am working on some money-making-moves and desperately want to update my blog. When my home computer is available, I will try my best to keep in touch. My life has not gotten any more interesting--my body has not received an extreme-whore makeover like Heidi's, my short-lived late night show has not been aborted nor, despite accusations, did I sleep with Tiger Woods.

Until our next rendezvous, enjoy the SAGs, support the Jonas Brothers with whatever ridiculous "solo careers" they have planned, let me know if you want to hire me for anything and keep watching Conan.

The One with the Texan Family

*These few blogs are in honor of my approaching Disney move date.

Most families have an indescribably good time at the Walt Disney World Resort. Most families have unbeatable bonding experiences and memorable Kodak moments to take home from a vacation in the most magical place on Earth. My family doesn’t vacation like most families...

There are hundreds of attractions to hit up when in Disney World. There are shows, both 3-D and regular dimensioned, rides, parades shops and then some—to the point of almost overload. As a nine-year-old, all of these things are absolutely necessary to have the most fun possible. Miss the Magic Kingdom parade? Trip’s ruined! Aladdin leave before you got an autograph? Just go home now!

Rides are probably the most important and plentiful as you explore the four parks. Each one, even the baby rides like Dumbo and Cinderella’s Carousel, are a new adventure awaiting you—of course only after you’ve waited in a two hour long line in the blistering sun. Like any theme park, there are height requirements and warnings against people with heart, back and neck problems and other various ailments. When traveling with two senior citizens, checking off these problems is all too upsetting when deciding what is ride-able.

There was no way they were going to let me wait in line for an hour-and-a-half all alone. My grandpa came around for me and joined me on some good rides like Splash Mountain but when it came to Thunder Mountain he thought he should sit it out. What was their brilliant plan to get me on the ride? Pawn me off to some strange family, of course.

My grandma picked out what she thought looked like the friendliest family about to get in line for the ride. It was a family of four, mom, dad, son and daughter. They were all tall with reddish-blond hair and thick southern accents; "Howdy, y’all” was not a greeting I was accustomed to up north. Despite my insisting this ride was no longer necessary (or at least not worth this), I begged my grandma not to ask the nice people to watch me for the length of the line and ride. The mother of the group welcomed me over to them like Mickey at the gates of the Magic Kingdom—lots of excited arm waving and an immovable smile. Dragging my new white Keds against the clean brick road, I was pushed right into the line with my new family for the next 90 minutes.

“Oh my gawd, quit pokin’ me or I’ll git you back!” shrieked the sister. She was a little older than me and much taller with what appeared to be a bowl haircut. The poker, her brother, was about my height and a little younger. I stood between the parents and kids just waiting for the ride to be over. Mom kept nudging for conversation and the daughter seemed to love having another ear around. She kept telling me all these stories about her life back in Texas and all her "friends." She went on, “So some of my friends have like this secret society and they were like ‘Y’all can’t join’. And I was like ‘What do you mean?’ And they were like ‘Y’all aren’t allowed in our society.’”

Meanwhile, my queue line-brother was chomping some sort of candy. He of course chewed with his mouth open so I could watch every piece of candy crumble away. “Offer her some’a yer candy!” demanded Mom. “Ya want some?” he asked with a mouth full of colored bits, “It’s Lion King bug candy. Each one’s a different color. Watch. This one makes my mouth turn green.” His mouth was in fact now green. “This one makes my mouth turn purple.” Purple it was.

Each shrill voice went in one ear, crashed into the other voice and exploded in my head. The daughter continued, “They said I had to wear all white and had to complete their missions but I was like ‘Y’all are crazy. I ain’t doin’ that.’ So I didn’t,” while little brother showed me how red his mouth could get if he ate more than one candy at a time. Eternity eventually ended and we got on the ride. Thunder Mountain is an awesome ride and well worth the wait, but well worth being adopted for a while by this freaky family of four? I could have gone without.

The next time my family and I went to the magical land of Mickey, my grandfather, now 70-years-old, rode the Tower of Terror ride and didn’t even crack a smile…