tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20208000533245854992024-03-14T01:30:46.354-07:00The Fuzzie ChroniclesMy kid, my job, my family, my dreams...and a lot of shoes. And markers. Because I'm crafty. Juggling it all takes a lot of patience...and a good soundtrack.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-28792852329506765252014-02-26T17:18:00.001-08:002014-02-26T17:18:47.391-08:00Sympathy for the DevilI’m baaack!!<br /><br />Happy holidays, Happy New Year and all that! We managed these what...8, 9, 150 weeks without our favorite broken people? I purposely waited to post this in case anyone needed a refresher, although I watched the BET marathon last weekend. I needed my fix. <br /><br />You know any finale of this show is just filled with DAMNs and OH SNAPS! As you’ll recall, the Vice President had called Cyrus saying she’d committed a sin, and that sin appeared to be a very murdered Daniel Douglas. The show opens with the backstory on THAT. Sally is giving him HELL for sleeping with James. Really – she is unloading as only a person scorned can: they were so close to the finish line, she was a heartbeat away from running for president and he STOLE it from her. She says he’s betrayed her, their vows, their marital bed, and he’s stolen her future. He’s trying to pooh pooh her, saying Cy will never say anything, since it was his husband. Sally calls James “poisoned fruit”, and that he’s “unleashed a snake into their garden”. And I should not have snickered at the double meaning of this, but I did. Finally, when she calls him and his needs perverted and disgusting, he calls the bullsh!t flag, saying she knew what she was getting. [Editorial note here – Jack Coleman, who I have LOVED since his days of playing the tortured Steven Carrington on Dynasty is owning this scene. OWNING it.] He calls her “Shrill Sally” and that he sold his soul to marry the “rich debutante” nobody wanted. He sold his soul so his family wouldn’t disown him and look where he got her. She’s INCREDULOUS – nothing that all he’s gotten her is shame and a daughter that won’t keep her knees shut (and wow. Shonda is a master of marriages in crisis). She calls him her cross to bear as she goes into salvation. Finally, Daniel is like...I’m done. I don’t want this, and you can’t win without me. He says maybe he’ll fade into the sunset, or maybe he’ll call 60 minutes with his story. That’s when Sally goes all ...uh...Carl Bruner and puts a letter opener in his back.<br /><br />[Not for nothing, I could watch this scene 100 times. EVERY time it’s riveting]. <br /><br />So she calls Cyrus, and as she’s doing that muttering thing we all do when we are in shock, Cyrus is rethinking his part in all of this – trying to set up Sally, setting up the interview, tricking James into doing the interview, the whole thing backfiring like a ’72 Ford pickup, and before you know it, he’s in the bathroom tossing his dinner, because he realizes that he is, indeed, the devil that’s been let into the garden.<br /><br />Back with our gladiators, Olivia (who realized last episode that it was her mother, not her father, who did very bad things) wants everything on her mother, Maya Pope/Marie Wallace. Liv asks Huck where Quinn is, and her look indicates that Liv knows about Huck torturing Quinn. Huck says she’s at B6-13, which he can tell because he put a tracking device on her (specifically, in her mouth. Yeah. I’m all full up on gore, ShondaGirl. Thanks). Remember, Quinn is at B6-13 making a deal to get the tape back, but she doesn’t do it soon enough because someone interrupts with the news that they’ve tracked MamaPope. Eli just blows her off and she runs into the bathroom to dislodge the tracking advice. And seriously? If she weren’t so damned annoying, Quinn would be badass in her own right. She gets away and Liv calls Huck out on torturing one of the family...and Huck was all like – have we met? This is what I do! And I’m reminded of the parable of the scorpion and the mouse, when the mouse is shocked that the scorpion would sting him after all he did to help him and the scorpion is like...um, I’m a scorpion. The moral of the story is we can’t really be too shocked when people are true to themselves. I think it’s finding out the true self that’s the shocker.<br /><br />I digress. Anyhoo, Eli’s limousine is blocked off in traffic (because that’s plausible in the congested streets of DC), and he’s escorted to a bunker where he’s greeted by Presidential Fitz, who says he’ll stay put until Maya’s plane lands. And these two have an exchange that is one for the ages. Fitz is a douche by intimating to Eli all the intimate details of his love life with Liv, which dude! That’s awful. That’s her Dad! Fitz is trying to get information about the plane being shot down, and Eli just keeps replying “that’s a matter of national security and above your pay grade, Mr. President.” Eli ups the douche-ante by calling Fitz straight out on thinking he’s a man, when in fact, he’s just a coddled, cared-for boy. In fact, Joe Morton chews all the scenery around him, including Tony Goldwyn. And once again, Shonda’s words are better than mine. “ For you , it’s always summer time where the living is easy, your daddy’s rich and your momma’s good looking. You’re a Grant. You’ve got money in your blood. You are a boy. I’m a man. I have worked for every single thing I have ever received. I have fought, and scraped and bled for every inch of ground I walk on. I was the first in my family to go to college; my daughter went to boarding school with the children of kings. I made that happen. YOU cry yourself to sleep because Daddy hurt your feelings, because Papa banged his secretary, because it hurt to have so much money you spoiled, entitled, ungrateful little brat! You have everything handed to you on a silver platter, and you squander it. You’re given the world, and you can’t appreciate it because you haven’t had to work for anything. So now you’ve decided that the one thing you want is my daughter. My child. MINE. What I made. What I created. You can talk about what a great lay she is to try to get a response from me all you want, but guess what? I am actually, quite literally, above your pay grade which means that I know that you believe that you are in love with her, wrong as you may be”. When Fitz feebly attempts to inject he does love her, Eli unloads the other barrel. “You LOVE that she’s a door marked exit. You love that she is your way out. Because if you are with Olivia Pope, you don’t’ have to fulfill your father’s dream of being president. If you are with Olivia, you no longer have to be your father’s son. An apple never falls too far from the tree. You are always going to be Senator Grant’s disappointing boy Fitz. SHE is always going to be the formidable Olivia Pope. Don’t use the person that I made to make you into a man. You’re a BOY. Sadly, Boy. I know everything about you. You disappoint me as a suitor for my daughter’s hand.”<br /><br />And credits could have rolled there. Damn. And by the way, Joe Morton had to deliver this with his hands tied up and wearing an undershirt. It’s amazing how much clothing and gestures can help a scene. Joe Morton owned this with his words, his cadence, and his neck rolls. Y’all know I loves me some Fitz, but in this scene? He was OWNED.<br /><br />Cyrus has called Charlie (and his new side kick Quinn) to help him clean up the mess at the Naval Observatory. Sally wants to turn herself in, but Cyrus tells her no – to confess to God as “Jesus wants to forgive you, not punish you. That’s why he suffered, so you don’t have to. Let him forgive you, and then you show Him your loyalty by being a good shepherd of the flock of people you WILL ONE DAY serve as President. In the meantime, give me your sin. Let me lie. Let me clean this up.” Yes. There was a lot to quote during this episode, making my job so much harder! Maybe it’s me, but I thought Cyrus was honestly incredibly moved by his guilt. I think he thinks he owes Sally on this.<br /><br />Abby goes to David Rosen to ask for help with Liv’s Mom (cutting ahead of a Shelby Moss – I think we’ll see her tomorrow), and she’s tap dancing about why. He just wants some honesty [in the form of a really intimate, funny exhcnage that prompts Harrison to say “hey. Right here.” And. Ha.] Liv, back at the office, is still throwing Huck about 5 pounds of shade. Jake warns Liv to go easy on Huck, because even though her father is now a hero to him, he’s still the guy that threw both Jake and Huck into holes and took their families, so this wasn’t easy on anyone, and it really wasn’t easy on Jake or Huck to find and protect Eli. This seems to get through to her a bit.<br /><br />Mellie is overjoyed that Daniel Douglas is dead, until Cyrus explains to her how it happened, and that they (Cy and Mellie) are the devil who came in. Mellie’s all like “uh uh I ain’t buying it. I didn’t kill anyone. She snapped”, and Cy was like...”um hello – we gave her proof that her husband was sleeping with another man...we ARE the straw that broke that particular camel. Cyrus is all...damn, I’m a horrible person, and so are you – how many bad things have we done. He’s starting to crack up a bit, and finally Mellie is all, Dude, Man up. You’re the Chief of Staff. This is no time to become human. Mellie goes to pay her condolence call with a beautiful spray of roses and hydrengas (I notice these things), and finds Leo there. She does the First Lady look of...I ain’t leaving, and Leo leaves. Mellie tells her she has the full weight of the white house behind her and there’s no need to worry about anything, and to lean on the White House as family.<br /><br />However, Fitz is not free to go on a condolence call because he’s getting schooled 8 ways to midnight by Eli. JaHuck have tracked Eli to the Pentagon, where there’s a staredown of epic proportions happening. Liv calls Fitz and says she needs to see her father. Turns out, Maya Pope was stealing secrets from Eli, and she led him to believe there was a bomb on the plane. Now, I’m still a little confused about this, but it seems that she blew the plane up just because she could just as some sort of sick trick. I’d like to say I’m surprised, but really friends? This chick gnawed her wrist down to the artery. There’s no surprise here. She’s crazy. With no reason to hold Eli any longer, Fitz leaves, but not before Liv tells him to GET. HER.<br /><br />Cyrus goes home to tell James about Daniel Douglas, but he gets a surprise, as not only does James know, but his (James) face gives it away that he thinks Cyrus did it. Cyrus is taken aback, and asks if he’s sorrier that his clandestine lover is dead, or that he (Cyrus) didn’t kill him in a jealous rage. Cyrus admits it was a coincidence he’s dead. Or rather, he didn’t kill him, but he’s not sorry he’s gone. I worry about these two. <br /><br />Meanwhile, CrazyQuinn is wondering how she got here. Charlie calls her Robsies (like Robin), which cracks me up. But she’s lamenting the loss of her Normal, and losing her teeth. Charlie tells her she was never meant to be normal, with her instincts and skills. She falls for this, including the lie that he won’t stop her from leaving. But the kindness is all she needs so she stays. Eventually she gets herself together and heads to OPA, where she sees Huck, and simply announces she’s back. And thinking he owes her an apology she gets all in his face, and he tells her point blank that she owes Olivia her life, that he would have killed her on the spot for betraying Liv. He then drives the stake in the heart by telling her she’s not a gladiator anymore, and she leaves. She goes back to Charlie, and I guess she really isn’t a gladiator anymore.<br /><br />James goes to David Rosen – who reminds him of his crazy fall from grace (a high school test he held onto), and that he’s gotten his job back and trusting him again is absolutely not on the agenda (which means they will totally team up during the rest of the season). He goes home to Cy, who says, I’m tired and I don’t want to fight. I love you and I’m still the same guy you married, so what do you want to do? And you know, I get that. Sometimes, you wanna fight. Sometimes you just want peace. James’ beautiful face just crumbles as he realizes he does still love Cyrus, even with the ‘666’ on his forehead. And it’s a heavy decision indeed. Aw c’mon, James. Give him another chance. At least this time he didn’t try to kill you! And the fact I just wrote that means my crazy has gone up a notch. James decides he’ll stay, if he gets to be the Press Secretary. And that’s his pound of flesh. Because when Cy asks if he still loves him, he says don’t push it. Now that James, sweet innocent James, has a price, as Cy says, the devil did indeed come in.<br /><br />Sally can’t take the lie anymore when Leo (her campaign manager) is talking to her and trying to tell her he’ll be there for her. He’s going on and on about how she still has the chance to be the president. When he (rightly) tells her that the President has his reasons for being so nice, and when he says that Daniel is in heaven, she snaps that HE’S IN HELL! Damn...she explains exactly why he’s in hell, as a godless sinner who deserves what he got. Leo is not nearly as shocked by the admission that she killed him, but that she killed him and she called the white house. “I’m your first call, Sally”. Leo’s crazy? Up a notch.<br /><br />The SFP rings, and Liv wants to know if they arrested Mama Pope as she landed, only to find out Cray cray escaped again. There’s a shocker. Jake tells her they will keep looking, but Liv knows she’s gone. She tries to warn Jake about her Dad, knowing he has a long memory. Jake smirks and says to not underestimate the president. He then kisses Liv and says he came to say goodbye, and that he loved her. That was sweet, but I’m all about Team OLitz. <br /><br />Remember that Shelby Moss? The nobody that Abby brushed aside in David’s office? Turns out, she works as an engineer who happens to have invented technology that allows the NSA to hack into people’s cell phones and allow them to listen to the room. Guess what she has? A recording of Sally calling Cyrus saying she’s committed a sin.<br /><br />Liv calls her Dad and asks if, after all this time, he was really protecting her. He invites her over for Sunday dinner and tells her, in his way, to let it go. He’ll never get the answers she wants. But I still think they will be meeting for dinner Sunday. Turns out, Jake hasn’t gone far. He’s the new head of B6-13. Eli is out, and the president says he thinks he(Fitz) and Jake will do good things together. Apparently B6-13 isn’t above the President’s pay grade, after all. I hope this isn’t the end of Joe Morton.<br /><br />Last call of the winter finale? Crazy Maya calling her daughter, claiming to see her soon. She throws away the burner phone. In front of the white house. <br /><br />See you Thursday!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-54680141568685648152013-12-10T13:09:00.001-08:002013-12-10T13:50:48.792-08:00The Devil InsideOkay, so I had dinner with some dear friends, and got home just in time to sit down in front of the television. I barely went upstairs to kiss my sleeping kid good night. I need an intervention.<br />
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Our show opens with Huck in full-on batsh!t crazy mode. He's longingly gazing at his torture tools. Quinn is tied up on the floor, on plastic, and her eyes are transmitting the terror she cannot vocalize, because she also has duct tape on her mouth. He tells her that he's so sorry he has to do this to someone he loves, and worse, he's sorry he will enjoy this as much as he will. He calls it the friends and family discount. Now, honestly, I thought that Huck was teaching her a lesson about all of this B6-13'ing going on, but when he props her mouth open with a dental shield, I have to stop watching. Quinn's teeth are literally saved (for now) by the bell. A very freaked out Liv is calling to tell Huck her mother is alive. She has no idea what to do, but Huck does. He instructs her take the battery out of her phone, and to leave, knowing full well if she's alive, B6-13 is coming for her. You think Quinn is safe, because Huck says he's on his way, but Huck decides Liv can keep for one tooth, saying to Quinn - "what is it the kids say? YOLO!" And BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! You may only live once, but according to Dr. Seuss' The Tooth Book, once you get that second set of teeth? That's it.<br />
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And...opening credits...<br />
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Leo, the adorable *other* campaign manager is managing the VEEP's break from the Grant Presidency. He tells her he quite frankly doesn't give a damn about her beliefs, no Oval Office for her if she doesn't stop with this Anti-Choice nonsense. And she gets it. She wants the white house more than she thinks. This may be foreshadowing just how much like Fitz she is. <br />
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And speaking of Sally's issues with lifestyles, the next scene is Cyrus not being able to sleep for the mental images of his precious James butterball naked with the VP's husband. James says he can't sleep because he's wired from his interview with Daniel Douglas, and that he got him to go "deep". And ha. And Cyrus, James deserves this pound of flesh! There are so many shades of gray on this show, but Cy's treatment of James is wrong on every level.<br />
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Olivia, still freaked out, is sitting in a corner, rocking like Huck did in 752. And Girl? Right? Your dad is head spy and your mother has just materialized from the grave. And there's no wine in sight. Harrison and Abbey are just DONE. Abbey calls Jake and Huck out on being all Spy Bro and says they can't produce "Dead Mama Pope" and expect them to fall in line. Abby ain't having it, and basically asks Mama Pope, daf*q you been all these years, girl? Mama Pope says she found out Eli was Command and decided she was going to London to turn him in, but he found out about her plans and put her in jail for 22 years. When Ja-Huck realizes she escaped from Command, they go SpyBro again and realize she has a tracking device. And so they give her a towel on which to bite and cut it out. And I'm just putting it out here, since Khandi Alexander (Dead Mama Pope, DMP) came on the scene, Scandal has just been a bloody, gory, mess. And gosh. <br />
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Huck was 100% right - B613 is tracking her, and they track the device to the safe house, but they've already left (of course they have. Spy Bro - 1; B6-13 - 0). Eli is putting an APB out on them, tapping into the traffic cams with face recognition (is this a real thing?). The best part about having ex-B6-13 folk on your team is that JaHuck are ahead of the game, handing out burner phones and fogging windows to help with facial recognition. Olivia asks where Quinn is, and Huck says she's doing what she needs to do (which is probably a saline rinse), and offers to go check on her. Olivia can't part with Huck, so Huck needs to wait - but Quinn has a tooth OUTSIDE her body to remind her of what's coming. Harrison and Abby are back at their ransacked office, wondering how Olivia hasn't just broke down when Harrison's contact comes in, flirts a little, and tells Harrison Adnan Salif says hello. There's that name again, and likely the focus of the second half of the season.<br />
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If you read my recaps, you know I watch the episode a couple of times before I recap, which allows me to catch some things I don't catch the first viewing because I'm gasping for air. DMP is too comfortable with the man who cut her skin to remove a tracking device. She's too comfortable with a man who KNOWS THERE'S A TRACKING DEVICE. She (DMP) and Liv bond a bit - the momma knows her daughter, and calls her on the complete lack of laughter in her life. She appreciates her access to all the power, but feels like she's become her father. Obviously, Olivia takes total umbrage at this assumption. Ja-Huck doesn't want her to run and hide, as its shrinking Olivia, who is already not as sharp. Huck says they will need help, and Jake knows where he can get that level of help.<br />
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Of course he does - the White House has a revolving door here lately! [Editorial nitpick here: I asked my friend Tamara if Jake would be allowed to don his dress blues without shaving. She replied, quick as a flash, no. Not ever, but certainly not for a meeting at the oval. Somehow, I knew this. And while I get time is of the essence, why would Jake draw attention to himself by looking like that in his uniform? Oh, and Jake with a 5:00 shadow. YUM. I didn't say I didn't like it. I just said it rang a tiny bit false.]<br />
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Anyhoo - Jake wants Rowan/Eli gone. Fitz can't kill Olivia's father, but Jake says he can. Because he should finally have his back, that because of his "political destiny" that landed Jake a slave to B6-13. Jake dismisses Fitz as a useless FlyBoy, which pisses him off. He warns Jake that he just wants to be, not just any hero, but HER hero, and that Liv doesn't need another hero. My lyrical tourettes kicked in and I started singing Tina Turner, but not before Jake tells Fitz he's selfish and how nice it must be for him to have other people doing his dirty work. And of COURSE it is. You don't get to be president without side stepping a few land mines. Stop being a sore loser, Jake, and go find that builder in Vermont.<br />
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Meanwhile, back at the white house, Mellie wonders what's up with Daniel Douglas. Cyrus says he's holding, and Mellie's all...now's not the time to hold. Fix it. Because the Vice President is actively planning her defection from the Grant Party and she likes the idea of being her first lady president. She's sharing some scripture with her husband, who sees James in he hallway and has a FIT. He makes him promise he won't tell what happened. He wants a quick look at the article, because he's afraid James has written about he. He then loses his sh!t just a bit, swearing that had never happened before, and that "gay people think everybody is gay". To which James responds..."no, we think gay people are gay". And. Word. Daniel goes on to call his particular situation a sickness, and that he's a faithful man who's attracted to his wife despite his "despicable temptation". It's a really pathetic scene, to think a grown man can think so little of himself and live an ENTIRE life with so much self-hate. James gets it, and if he didn't hate Cyrus before for what he did, he surely does now. Up until now, I think James has been using this for a little get-back at Cyrus (even says that "Danny" is coming over to their house to finish the interview, and reminds Cyrus he won't be home that night), but in that moment, I think he realizes (and calls him out on it later) that what he's done is a lot bigger than their marriage.<br />
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So, left to his own devices, Jake gets has assassins headed to Rowan's office to kill him (Rowan). But the office is empty - it's a trap. B6-13 - 1; Spy Bro - 1. Cue Charlie being excited about blowing up the office. Rowan knows JaHuck is getting closer, and he wants Charlie to get Quinn back involved on the inside. He goes off to track her down, after telling Jake he's a fool to trust anyone in B6-13 himself included. He doesn't have to go far. She's still tied up on her floor, naked, and knocking a glass off to free herself. But Huck gets back to her, and goes all crazy eyed again. [side note - I read an interview with ShondaGirl and she said that she was very careful with these scenes - to have Guillermo Diaz and Katie Lowes run through them numerous times to make sure she was okay. And Katie Lowes was comfortable the entire time. And I thought wow. I don't care how great of an actress I am. The next day when Guil is all...Katie, wanna grab lunch? I don't think I'm speaking to him for a while. A long while. Just like if I were Kerry Washington, Mrs. Goldwyn would not be having me over for tea. Sorry. Still haven't forgotten last week's love scene] Anyway, crazy Huck scares the sh!t out of me. Quinn begs BEGS for mercy and Huck tells her no. Because if she had just betrayed him, that would be one thing, but betraying Olivia was, in his book, unforgivable. My ma had a lot of issues with these scenes, but I feel in the time it took him to deliver that line, he explained it all. Huck is loyal, above all, to Liv. That is the basis of his character; in that respect, these scene are very true to Huck's character.<br />
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Hey! Liv speaks Japanese. She really is awesome. Liv is trying to secure her Mom's passport to put her on the first flight to Hong Kong, and just when it seems like this will be okay, Eli has put her name and face out on the 'Do Not Fly' list under the alias of Marie Wallace. Abby tries to get David to get her off the no-fly list, to which David replies "normal girlfriends don't dabble in aiding and abetting". And. Ha.<br />
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When Sally takes Fitz up on his offer of a few weeks ago (when he thought he was going to get to go off and make jam) to resign and run against him as an independent. Sally calls him being so blind or self-involved that he can't see the "immeasurable destruction he's brought to the country, to the party, to his family". And you know - this show is bananas. Or I've lost my moral compass too because she's RIGHT. He has made a mess of things -- 2 sex scandals, a dead intern, the mole, and now assassins running crazy. But I still love him. He tries reasoning with her, to no avail, and then he goes all Carl Bruner on her -- you see his eyes change. He tells her she's making the biggest mistake of her life crossing him, and that he'd work "tirelessly" for the rest of his life to remind of her of that. He warns she will regret this day forever. And you know, it would be over the top, if we didn't know the last time he went Carl Bruner, a justice died. Sally is badASS too though, because she looks him smack in the eye and says "see you on the battlefield".<br />
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Cy rushes home from his meeting to find James just typing and wondering why he's so out of breath. Cy can't take it anymore, and calls James out on having sex with Daniel. James says he's confused since that's what he thought he wanted. James finally boils over, and in what is Dan Bucatinsky's emmy reel, he asks him why on EARTH he wouldn't hire a prostitute over pimping out his own husband. And because Shonda's words are better: "you used me like a cheap whore, and then you made me think you were doing me a favor. You are the devil. The devil is inside you right now. Do you not get what you've done here? You have ruined us, Cy. You have ruined everything, not to mention the fact you are a gay man who is going out of his way to shame another gay man for being in the closet. How could you?" It was powerful. And I got nothing. Over his tears, James tells Cy he wants a divorce. But Cy is clearly the bigger monster here, who tells James if he leaves he will go public with the pictures. James can't believe he took pictures, and Cy can't believe he didn't think he would. The devil inside, indeed. This is interrupted by Cy's phone. It's Fitz, and before he answers, he tell James he's not leaving, because he never does. And Cy, did we not learn about taking James for granted last week?<br />
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Fitz is still in Carl Bruner mode, and takes a huge chunk out of Cy's ass for not handling the Sally situation, and that he's too late because Sally is leaving the ticket. Fitz is otherworldly pissed off - that he's always bragging about doing the dirty work and now he's got a "Sally sized shiv" in his back. Mellie is all...I TOLD YOU, and that's just all Cy can take. He breaks down crying. Mellie has never seen a monster cry before and she decides to give him a moment. She knows what happened. In her own way, Mellie tries to comfort Cy telling him it will hurt until it doesn't. And maybe you won't sleep as well at night, but he'll be fine. "Numb. But numb and fine are the same." And ouch. [And Mellie is ROCKING the red suit]. She reminds Cy that you have to work through heartbreak sometimes and he needs to see through handling Sally being a "weed in their garden".<br />
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David can't help get DMP out of the country. She (DMP) tells Olivia he (Eli) always wins. She says her job is to fix things and she'll figure out a way. Her way is the Super Fitz Phone. He wants to fix it, but she knows he can't. She's says she's not calling to ask for help, but she wanted to hear his voice and talk about jam, Vermont, and kids. She just needed "one minute"...and my heart just soared. He tells her to consider it handled...and Lord I just love that man. She breaks down to thank him and he responds "I love you." HE then tells her to hang up because he has things to do. And I'm sorry Mrs. Goldwyn about my feelings for your husband.<br />
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Charlie tracks down Quinn (which wasn't hard. Still taped up, still naked). He unbinds her, she takes a shower, and when she comes out, he tells her to drink the vodka - it'll ward off infection as well as numb the pain (ER, B6-13 Style). When she breaks down in tears, he calls her on it. Crying is against the rules, and "big dogs get bit". And tells her to toss off that she won't be able to eat steak anymore. And that's a big deal. Quinn says Huck was her person and he hurt her, now she doesn't have anyone. Charlie says - " you have me" and you know what? I think he's sincere. This isn't a tact...but Quinn, hearing a little bit of approval drops her towel and they get down. And now I'm seeing why Quinn was such an easy mark last season...jeepers criminy Girl. Fresh off some loving from Charlie, she goes to see Eli. (B6-13 - 2; SpyBro 1. Or is it?)<br />
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Cyrus pays the Vice President a late night visit - and I had to wait until 50 minutes to get a line of the night:<br />
Sally: Cyrus. I know why you're here, but you're too late. I'm afraid I've already stabbed the pig through its belly.<br />
Cyrus: And I'm sure if I were from your neck of Hickland, that would make some semblance of sense.<br />
These two are awesome adversaries. He shows her the pics of her husband getting all sorts of naughty with James. Check. She calls his bluff. She says there's NO WAY he'll release those pics because it implicates his husband too, and publishing those pics will ruin him (Cy) as well, as the ticket will bump him as Chief of Staff. Check mate.<br />
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Cyrus calls James, tell him he'd never show the pics, and that he's sorry, and wants to come home. I think he's sincere too. He tells him Sally will never see the pics, he's burned them, and wants his forgiveness. But James is sitting on the bed with his bag packed.<br />
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Olivia delivers DMP to the airport, and as she's saying goodbye. Abby reminds her this is no ordinary client, that its her mother and she's leaving and demands she go hug her mother. Olivia's cry of "Mom" along with Ben playing, brings tears spring to my eyes, and Olivia flashes back to the last day she saw her mom...when her Mom said she loved her. She also remembers a little more. It seems the phone rang after DMP left, and the person asked for Marie. Then, she dismissed it as a wrong number. NOW, she calls Huck and asks who that is on the Do Not Fly List...it all comes together. The wanted terrorist was Marie Wallace. In Liv's words "my father was trying to protect me. He's not the monster. She is." Huck says...then we have a problem...<br />
<br />
...because NOW we know how Charlie came to find Quinn toothless, but very much alive. She offers to DO SOMETHING. And the something appears to be to kill command, as she's standing before him, demanding the tape of her killing the security guard, but hiding a needle.<br />
<br />
And just when I thought I was ready for credits, the phone rings. It's Sally, calling Cyrus. She whispers she's committed a sin. The camera pans out to see her dead husband in the background. That's definitely worthy of confession.<br />
<br />
And...credits.<br />
<br />
Ya know, the episode where DMP chewed her arm off, I thought, what if she were the terrorist who put the bomb on the plane that Fitz shot down? And then I thought - nah - that's too bananas. Even for Scandal. I know Monday morning quarterbacking isn't allowed, but I wanted it on the record that I called this (then second guessed myself.)<br />
<br />
I rewound the previews for next week about 5 times to make sure I was certain I saw it. Fitz looks like he's going to go Carl Bruner on Eli/Rowan. I think we will all need this winter break to get our blood pressure back to normal.<br />
<br />
See you next week!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-6339182614552877882013-12-05T08:47:00.001-08:002013-12-05T08:47:31.345-08:00Heartbreak HotelI hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and the vacation from Gladiating. But I saw a preview of Thursday’s episode, and I can see already I’m going to have a hard time settling down Thursday night.<br /><br />The show opens with Eli explaining to Mama Pope that Olivia has been asking all sorts of hard questions (and not what types of cookies she made when she was sad), so he will be putting her on a plane out of the country. He cautions the living conditions won’t get better where she lands, it’s just further away and harder to find. And. Damn. I know Walter entertains the notion from time to time of putting me away somewhere, but I usually think it involves a padded cell. This is a marriage in crisis, friends. Anyway, Mama wants to see her daughter before she leaves, and Eli is all...have we met? But she’s been underground for 20 years and this is all she wants. And wow. 20 years. She’s missed the Saints winning the super bowl, two presidents, and Miley Cyrus’ twerking. (oh. And she’s (Miley) is Time’s Person of the Year. Consider. Discuss).<br /><br />The newest, and most annoying member of B6-13, Quinn, is getting guidance from Charlie on going to work, listening, and understanding she’ll need to report back on what she knows. In case we weren’t already irritated enough with her, we are treated to a flashback of her killing the connection to Omar Dresden. The case of the week is tracking down who killed the guard – who is Quinn. This has total shades of “No Way Out”, where the gladiators spend the day tracking down the person in the video, who is Quinn. I love these scenes, the Gladiators (a group that still includes Jake) trying to piece together who did it. Huck goes to explain how they are doing it and Abby cuts him off saying she wasn’t really asking. And how great would my work life be if I could do that? <br /><br />James is not speaking to Cyrus because he got fired and he (Cy) doesn’t care. He was bored, and Cy dangles a carrot of a puff piece on the Vice President’s husband. Sadly, Cyrus is setting James up – remember, from last week’s episode, we’ve figured out the Veep’s husband, Daniel Langston, is more into men than women. James, bless his heart, falls for this, hook, line, and sinker and loves Cyrus again. And I must say, even with Cy’s questionable behavior, I love him. He fascinates me. But he is a douche when it comes to James, and I’m thinking – he has to stop doing this. <br /><br />The other story of the week, Phoebe is back, and someone has broken into Phoebe’s house and stolen the computer containing their campaign strategy. Eh, I’m not going to spend a lot of time building the suspense on this one, as it appears Lisa Kudrow’s story arc has come to an end. The sister/daughter staged the break-in. When Olivia recommended Phoebe cut ties with her, Phoebe instead takes the blame for it, and says she owes her this. And this campaign implodes, exiting stage right. And also leaving Olivia with no dog in the political fight. Oh but wait – Harrison also shook the sheets with sister/daughter, and I’m deeply saddened the only hint of a storyline Harrison gets is with someone who’s leaving. But the upside is we do get scenes of Abby and David who are clearly back together. Line of the night – David calling us Gladiators PopeHeads...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! He says he’s not getting involved in this alleged break-in, and she retorts he needs to use the snore guards or it’s back to the sofa. I just love this relationship, the healthiest on the show.<br /><br />Mellie is rewatching her interview where Fitz comes to her aid, and you can see she’s all starry eyed about him. Again. But Fitz is completely preoccupied, and leaves her saying, don’t wait up. Next scene – he is calling the Super Fitz Phone (SFP). Olivia is still caught up in ‘the love of my life killed my mother’, so she watches the SPF, instead of answering it. Mellie can see that something has his attention, but she’s hoping it’s not his Liv.<br /><br />Scandal then earns its parental advisory by showing us in graphic detail, her mother’s maneuver to get out of the cell. She’s gnawing on her WRIST. Yes, this was some nasty, Hannibal Lecter business and I had to avert my eyes. Mama Pope is as cray as the rest of them. As the doctor said “she ate her own wrist. Most people would have passed out after a few bites, but this one? Just kept chewing until she found an artery. Whatever demons she’s wrestling with are still there.” And. Word. Eli Pope looks as if his entire world is just falling apart. There are clearly some likeability issues if someone will bite off their flesh to get away from you. Just a thought, Eli.<br /><br />Cyrus has a sordid little plan of getting compromising pics of the Vice President’s husband, which includes him (husband) coming onto James. He enlists Mellie into his diabolical plan – by asking her to let on to Daniel that it’s an open marriage. And wow. I’ve heard of pimping your spouse, but right there, Cyrus went too far. Of course, comeuppance is everything on this show. <br /><br />Fitz calls Olivia telling her they need to talk, that he “owes” her. And this makes her go smooth the eff off, telling him to stop calling. She then takes a very nice – I’m guessing Restoration Hardware – paper weight to the SPF. Jake calls BS on this, reminding her that the leader of the free world won’t let anything like a broken phone stop him. And he was right – next thing we know – Tom, GSSG is at her apartment saying it’s time to go. She is – get this – whisked off to Vermont. Where he calls her out on keeping her Dad a secret and continuing to tell him she doesn’t know him, when in fact, she knows him better than anyone. But she doesn’t know this: in Vermont, Fitz has built their dream home where they raise kids and make jam. He admits he can’t be the mayor there, but she can still make jam. And I have figured out that Liv is obsessed with grapes—wine, jam. Anyway, the house is incredible – including skylights, and plenty of room for kids. It in, in short, their dream, and he wanted her to see it before he sold it. HE. BUILT. HER. DREAM. Olivia is badASS, but even a badass’ panties will melt away when the President of the United States builds your dream. The scene of passionate lovemaking is...well, my tv melted, so I can’t tell you about the rest of the episode. This scene is interspersed with scenes of Mellie trying to reach Fitz via his cell. When she asks Lauren (the long LONG suffering staff assistant) to try Olivia’s cell phone, Lauren gets the “aw hell” look on her face, knowing that Olivia won’t answer. She doesn’t, and Mellie is crushed. And I’m crushed on her behalf. She thinks that last week’s interview was a step in the right direction to repairing their marriage. But while Fitz did the right thing, he’s still in love with Liv.<br /><br />[okay, I have about 55 parenthetical thoughts here. And I can remember them all because my tv melted. FIRST, how can Fitz build a HOUSE for Olivia and Mellie not know about this? I knew when Walter bought a Samsung Galaxy Phone (no...no Iphone there. It’s heartbreaking), and yet Fitz can buy land, and build a HOUSE using all local builders and this doesn’t make the news? Or their bank account? I’m thinking Mrs. Obama would be all “what up, Boo?” when she saw that credit card bill. Second? Fitz is supposed to be in New Hampshire, and yet he’s in Vermont. In a secluded house. That man is a Secret Service detail’s worse nightmare. Third. Poor Lauren and Tom – those two canNOT catch a break. They should quit, or at the very least, demand hefty raises. Between having to track Olivia all over DC, making phone calls on Mellie’s behalf – just damn. Lastly, Tony Goldwyn has single-handedly changed my mind on gratuitous nudity. No wait. Lastly. Bill Withers ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ played during this scene. Brilliant.]<br /><br />...Liv is getting dressed after her night of passionate sheet shaking (and uh...Kerry and Tony? Y’all owe me for a melted tv). She hears the helicopter and says she has to go – her ride’s there. And ha. He invites her to stay another day. She says she has to work, and he has the world to run. And ha ha. Fitz tells Olivia he loves her, no matter what, but he needs to stop her father. She tells him to do what he has to do, because they both need answers, and she goes off to catch her ride with the parting shot – “don’t sell the house. Not yet.” And Fitz fans all over swoon. Jake is cute, and he’s got a lot of catchy sarcasm (he reminds her that breaking the SPF doesn’t stop the President), but he doesn’t have a house where Olivia can make jam. I hope they aren’t planning to write Kerry Washington’s pregnancy into the show. Because what these people DON’T need is a baby gladiator. But that kid will have the best outerwear at Sidwell Friends.<br /><br />In many ways, this was a heartbreaking episode – Mellie’s heart broke AGAIN. She is constantly putting her faith in that errant husband of hers. If she wasn’t sure he was with Olivia, seeing her husband in full presidential mode while (finally back) in New Hampshire gave her all the information she needs. She hints to Fitz that maybe the situation has changed and Liv may want to run his campaign, and Fitz simply says, maybe it has. Heartbreak #1. I think the price Mellie has paid for being in the White House has been even greater than she anticipated, and the look on her face during this scene is just...wow. [Bellamy Girl, you have scenes and scenes for your Emmy reel. Choose wisely.] She even tries to HELP Cy, by warning him to stop being so cavalier about his marriage – “that once you open a door, you can’t close it. And it changes everything”. Mellie and Cyrus have an uneasy alliance, at best, but she is being a true friend to him here. Which Cyrus brushes off with a smug “my husband isn’t your husband”. And the irony alarm starts clanging wildly!<br /><br /> Because James, dressed in a nice cashmere sweater, carrying a bottle of bourbon and in Daniel’s game room (heh), is trying to conduct this interview. But Daniel, armed with a gossip tidbit from Mellie that Cy and James have an open marriage, isn’t interested in an interview. He’s interested in James, who is so cute (And he is. I love Dan Bucatinsky!). And naïve. When James tries to kiss him, James is completely taken aback. Daniel tries to get all righteous because he was set up (which was comical! What do you mean you’re not in an open marriage and don’t want to cheat with me? The nerve!), and as James realizes he (James) was really the one that was set up, we see heartbreak #2. And heartbreak #3 if you count that mine broke, just a bit. Cyrus, Cyrus, Cyrus, not everything is for sale. When James comes home – he’s a little standoffish, obstensibly because he’s so hurt Cyrus could use his love like that. But then Cyrus gets a text from his PI, which shows the real reason James is so aloof – it seems after a bit of booze, James got himself a little side lovin’ from the Vice President’s husband. And this breaks Cyrus’ heart. Now, does it break because of James, or because now his plan is foiled? I can’t say, but there’s heartbreak #3 (4 counting mine). [Otis Redding is playing over this scene. Again. Brilliant.]<br /><br />And then in a bit of poetic justice for me personally: it turns out when Huck said he couldn’t make out the face of the person that killed Omar Dresden? He was telling a tiny lie. He shows up at Quinn’s apartment, with his torture gear, telling her they need to talk about who exactly her employer is. Gulp. She oughta be scared, and deeply apologetic for getting on my damned nerves these past couple of months.<br /><br />Eli takes press clippings of Olivia to MamaPope, and she’s amazed that he raised such a beautiful daughter. She then asks about photographs of their life together, and when he admits there are none, she asks what happened between them, and what he did to her when he promised to take care of her. He admits to taking care of her basic needs, and without saying another word, MamaPope knows her daughter is a mess. (Heartbreak #4, 5 counting mine) When she pushes too far, he storms out telling her now that she’s well enough to travel, she’ll be leaving the next day.<br /><br />Oh but no. Because a woman batsh!t crazy enough to chew her own damn arm can get out of a hospital. Why she wasn’t in restraints is beyond me. She’s clearly got a little B6-13 in her, because she overtakes the doctor and escapes. <br /><br />Livvie is walking down the streets of DC when she hears “Hi Livvie”. She turns around – it’s her MOTHER! And the heart that’s been broken since this series began starts to heal.<br /><br />Credits. Apparently we have only 2 episodes left before the winter break? What IS that? If it’s a few weeks, okay, but if it’s months and they won’t be back until February sweeps? I will have some issues.<br /><br />So – will Olivia return to the Grant campaign for reelection? Where did MamaPope learn to chew her arm off? <br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-38225770118135167442013-11-21T13:03:00.001-08:002013-11-21T13:03:57.440-08:00Sistas are Doin It For Themselves Lord have mercy Lord have mercy!<br /><br />I’ll just get right to it.<br /><br />This week was Mellie’s back story. And you knew she had to have a compelling story. Because ShondaGirl writes strong female characters, and Mellie is kind of a mess. And she can’t just be THIS fractured without a story. My friend Debbie and I have endless debates about whether or not Mellie is a respectable character. She says no woman would allow her husband to be IN LOVE with another woman and stay married. That her cold bed is what she gets for sacrificing love for power. I say – Mellie’s Achilles’ Heel and the reason she can’t do any of that is that she actually loves Fitz.<br /><br />Or at least she did. The back story picks up about 15 years ago. Flat-haired Mellie (seriously – her flashback hair involves about 20% of the product First Lady Mellie uses) and Fitz are newly married, and they are shaking the sheets in hopes of her getting pregnant (that little throwaway nugget becomes very important). They are living, I guess, in Fitz’ childhood home, and his father Gerry (Barry Bostwick nails this role. He is an unmitigated SOB) bellows up the stairs. They canoodle as newlyweds do (and DAMN! Tony Goldwyn is in hella shape), and when they go downstairs, it’s to meet Gerry’s “King Maker”, namely, one bearded, married (to a woman) Cyrus Beene. Gerry wants to start working on his governor candidacy, a surprise to Fitz as he wasn’t planning this for another 3 years. He is ADAMANT they will not use his military career to further his political career, which causes Gerry to be all...awful.<br /><br />Present day, Olivia is still a broken mess (but ROCKIN’ a black and white tuxedo swing coat). The Super Fitz Phone (SFP) rings, but she can’t talk to him. She can’t get past the fact he killed her Mom. Fitz is worried about her (as he should be – after all, by her own words, she’s “surrounded by murderers. I’m surrounded by men with a body count. I’m standing in a graveyard made by people she thought she loved”. And I could see how that could make for a rough day. Fitz is broken up about this, but he can’t discuss it. Since I’m TOTALLY team Fitz, this conversation broke my heart. She’s not just reeling from the fact that he shot this plane out of the sky, but there’s something she doesn’t know about Fitz. But when she drops the name Rowan, he realizes there more to her story too.<br /><br />Olivia has decided her client (besides Phoebe, who’s off camera this week) is getting to the bottom of this plane crash. Their client is her Mom. They want to know what happened to this plane. [side note: is Jake a gladiator now? I say no. Still not sure he wears a white hat.] She knows by asking them to do this, they could be in danger too, because her Dad is Super Assassin, but you know the gladiators – “over a cliff”. Even Abby is like...”damn girl”, and in what is probably one of my favorite scenes ever, she goes into Liv’s office and warns her that “she’s about to hug her and she (Liv) just need to stand there and take it. So here’s what we know on this plane crash so far:<br />- Flight was delayed, but not listed as delayed<br />- Flight was overbooked, but the flight manifest is missing a name<br />- A federal marshall takes someone off the plane (Omar Dresden)<br />- The subcommittee that headed up the investigation into this crash was Gerry Grant.<br />- The guy driving the plane stairs (you know the ones) is still in DC and probably saw Omar Dresden.<br /><br />Oh – and also in present day – it would seem that CrazyQuinn has a new friend and admirer in Charlie (the OTHER assassin. We know this is not going to end well, but WOW) Huck is giving her (Quinn) about 450 different pounds of shade, and that’s not helping her infatuation with Charlie. She ends up tailing Charlie (and what IS IT with people trailing ASSASSINS?) She and Charlie lip lock and he invites her to hang out. Which she does. But I’m not speaking to Quinn. Keep reading, you’ll see why. <br /><br />Other present day action – Mellie is trying to rebuild her image (and that of the president’s) by a documentary of Mellie’s days in the White House. She pretends she loves it, but to Cyrus she admits what we all know: the role of docile wife does not suit her. She hates it, and is more interested in helping Cyrus pick out an escort to derail Sally’s husband (we know more and more that Sally’s husband is not the faithful type). She picks a good one, leading Cyrus to note she’s “way better at picking out hookers than China Patterns.” And. Ha. Cyrus successfully gets Madame Vice President away from this dinner, and asks him to remember his promise to her. [Turns out – the big secret the VP is hiding – it’s not his love of women. It appears to be his love of men. A fact that tickles Mellie. And me.]<br /><br />Back to Flat-Haired Mellie and Gerry’s house. I love this scene- Cyrus running down politics, Fitz in a black turtleneck, Cyrus calling Fitz and Mellie “Richie Rich and Snow White”, Fitz in a black turtleneck (that was my favorite part) Fitz is all – if I can’t win without my military career, I won’t win at all. I had to laugh – when Fitz told his Dad no, his dad was one step from a spit take. He looked like I’m sure I do when Alex says no....as if to say – I don’t understand that word coming out of your mouth. Gerry and Fitz have a knock down fight that highlights just how jacked up their relationship is. Gerry alludes to getting Fitz out of the jam of shooting down the plane and how he now owns him and that without him, he’s nothing. He actually says “I made you. I can destroy you. So you’ll do what you’re told and that’s an order”. Fitz gets off a line, but it’s still an incredibly hurtful scene to have to watch. Up until now, whenever Gerry was in the story – he wasn’t kind, but Fitz didn’t make it easy on him. The second time I watched this it hit me: we are not just getting Mellie’s backstory, we’re getting Fitz’ too. In the mist of this melee, Mellie runs in to say Cyrus is leaving. Cyrus is all – I can’t help this boy and rolls out. Mellie tries to stop him, but he tells her it’s not his job to take care of this guy, it’s Mellie’s job. Mellie is genuinely confused, as she has a pedigree of her own, and big plans for her own career. Cyrus plays the role of foreteller here telling her that she will not be able to have a career, for being “the woman behind the man” will become her career. Mellie, on the spot, makes a decision (and you know – Bellamy Young is one HELL of an actress to get this across her face as quickly as it happens), she’s going to make Fitz her full time job and promises that he’ll be ready to work.<br /><br />Present day – Mellie and her documentary cameras are headed to the oval office so he can say good night to Teddy, and he’s not there. She lights into Fitz that she’s doing the best she can, but he has to help. He has to be there, seeing as she’s the one America hates even though he had the affair. [side note – she is KILLING this red dress]. She admits she’s tired of having to do everything herself, and that he’s a lousy partner. She foreshadows the next scene, saying, as much to herself as to him, that he had no idea of the things she’s given up, the sacrifices, only to be treated like sh!t. I must quote here because the words Shonda put into Bellamy Young’s mouth here are damn near poetic and I wish I had written them: ‘You declare war on me, and you shame me, and you make me beg for scraps when I have done nothing but fight for you. You don’t have to love me, but we’re here in this hell together and the flames are burning both of us with equal intensity, baby, so the least you can do is be my friend. Just a little bit. The least you can do is show up. Show up for me, Fitz.” And I got nothing. She killed this scene. Fitz doesn’t have anything either, but shame, because he shows up for the next interview, and it’s a good thing – because he saves her from a disasterous line of questioning. Fitz saves her from the attack, and you see they are in this together. And...awww....<br /><br />15 years ago, a drunken Gerry tells Mellie more of what we know as the Remington Story. What we learn:<br />- Gerry confirms that Fitz shot the plane down, because of a dirty bomb that was supposedly on board. Gerry fixed Fitz’ military record so he’s nowhere near the plane. <br /><br />What happens next is awful. Fitz’s dad rapes Mellie.<br /><br />Editorial rant: I’m so conflicted about this scene. I detest rape as a story line. I find it cheap, and easy, and usually beneath the writers. It’s far too easy to victimize a woman. Here’s the thing – I could not begin to fathom what it’s like to come back from such an attack, a brutal theft of what you hold most dear – what no one should be able to take from you. And I’m not just talking about sexuality. So do we really need a rape scene to make Mellie sympathetic? Should this ever be a story line? It absolutely happens – I don’t say that, but should we EVER use it in ficitional television? I don’t know. Scandal doesn’t flinch, but I admit, watching this scene, I did.<br /><br />Mellie goes upstairs, where Fitz pulls her into bed, and tells her all he wants is for his father to be kind. He wants him to, just once, apologize and be on his side, noting if he’d just admit that, he thinks he’d be a great governor. But as of now, he just wants to pack it in. It’s really messed up. And in the dark, Mellie makes her next decision. The next morning, shades of big haired First Lady Mellie surface as she tells Gerry they will never speak on it again, and he’ll tell Fitz exactly what he wants to hear. Which he does, and the next flashback shows them celebrating his election to government. She also whispers in his ear she’s pregnant, but when he hugs her, her face is not joyous. In fact, it’s terrified. Remember – that assault happened when Fitz was trying to get her pregnant. A smart girl like Mellie probably knows when she’s ovulating. That was the first DAMN!<br /><br />And THEN!! CrazyQuinn is hanging with Charlie, and between making out, he dangles the carrot of helping him, allegedly by knocking out the guard to get some information. But no – what she injects into his hand is a lethal something because he dies. She’s otherworldly freaked out (because she’s a nut) and trying to dial Huck – and Charlie tells her that’s a bad idea, and welcomes her to B6-13. DAMN! DAMN!<br /><br />And THEN!! Turns out, the guy Quinn killed? That was the guy driving the stairs the night the plane crashed! The lone link to Omar Dresden! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!<br /><br />BUT THEN!!!!!! Fitz is looking into a file on Liv’s Mom, trying to figure out how his life got so batsh!t crazy. He sees that the Mom is survived by a daughter, and a husband who is a curator at the Smithsonian. He puts together that Rowan is the husband is the dad! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!<br /><br />AND THEN!! What we all know! Rowan goes through a building, down a hall, into a basement and says “your daughter has been looking for you” OMAR DRESDEN WAS LIV’S MOM!!<br /><br />DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!!<br /><br />So – Rowan obviously knew the plane was going to be shut down, so he saved her, but why take her from Liv. What will Fitz do now that he knows Super Assassin is Liv’s Dad? And just who the hell fathered Fitz’ oldest child?<br /><br />Whew child. I’m grateful that next week has to be a repeat. It’ll take me some time to digest all this!<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-11659038969250532662013-11-07T14:39:00.001-08:002013-11-07T15:22:23.484-08:00One Part Be My LoverThis week in ShondaLand, Olivia and Eli are having dinner (apparently, Sunday dinners are back on the table), but without any of the pretenses of the other dinners. He says they are making progress because she hasn’t accused him of any crimes against humanity, she says she’s only there so he won’t make her friends kill people. He takes a little pride in that she’s a lot more like him than she wants to be. When she says she’s who she is in spite of him, and not because of him, he notes it’s “two sides of the same coin”. And, word. Ever notice the more people try to get away from being whatever it is they detest – they swing so far on the dial they are still pretty closed to it? He leaves her with an ominous warning that as long as Huck and Jake leave him be, they’ll be okay. Loving Joe Morton even more, loving the Jake and Huck bro-mance (because I’m still not speaking to Quinn) LOVE MY SHOW!!<br /><br />I mention the JaHuck bromance because Jake is currently breaking into Eli’s place and stealing files, and I cannot stress enough how much I do not understand the freakish chances these people take with this man. He’s an assassin, and he’s a mean one. So really? B&E on his property, is, at best, misguided. It’s a nail-biting scene, but he doesn’t get caught. He has “it”. And no, I don’t know what “it” is…something to do with Remington. I’m gonna need them to let me in on this secret.<br /><br />In the Oval, Mellie and Cyrus are showing the male version of Tyuana Bailey around, because he is so elated to be in the office he is looking at every single artifact as if to say…WHOA!! THIS IS THE OVAL OFFICE! Turns out, Leo is another campaign guy they want to run Fitz’s campaign…and while he is appreciative of the offer, he says no because there’s NO way Fitz is going to win (he’s got problems – big problems – character problems, credibility problems…and a penis problem). To his credit, he tries to have this conversation without Mellie, but she won’t leave because he’s not her husband, he’s “their guy”. I probably would have left though when he called me a frigid shrew. But that’s me. Anyhoo, Leo can’t back a loser. He also says…everyone knows they pissed off Olivia Pope, so why would he take them on? He plays the part of Greek Chorus here – asking them why America would reelect this guy who’s head is so clearly not in the game…and it’s a good scene considering we all know he’s going to get reelected somehow. Really, who would CARE about the heart of Scandal if Fitz was not the POTUS, so whatev. But it was a great scene.<br /><br />OPA has been hired by Phoebe to work her campaign, and what gets her hired is her brutally honest speech on what her shortcomings are and how she can fix them. Phoebe doesn’t want her to manage her campaign, she wants her to ensure that the baby she gave up for adoption before she decided to go into politics stays hidden. And I loved this – she doesn’t want her to not come to light because of her politics, but because she wants that child, now woman, to enjoy the life she’s built and not have it be destroyed by the political machine. She says she won’t use it for political gain and needs it fixed. So we (and by we, I mean the Gladiators) all head to Montana to keep this secret, and find out the real secret is that Phoebe’s sister and manager is actually her daughter she gave up for adoption. Olivia knows this is going to come out, and encourages her to come clean, as if she wants to be the president, her personal life is going to be on full display. She warns her of the upcoming ambush during a debate, and when it goes down EXACTLY how Olivia tells her it will, Phoebe looks like a hero, and Cyrus gets closer to that second heart attack. Pheobe, now America’s sweetheart walks off, and fires Olivia for her great work. Because her sister Candy has figured it out and she’s pissed.<br /><br />Other things we learn in Montana:<br />- Huck has bugged Eli’s office and has a tape of his meeting with Fitz (Presidential Fitz, who we know I love). Fitz wants to take Eli to task for having Pete Foster killed. He calls him on the bs card that he (Pete Foster) committed suicide and asks who else will die to “protect the secret no one is looking for”. Eli knows Pete’s files have been accessed so he knows someone is looking into it.<br />- The term…”Poped”. Cyrus’s sweet assistant (whose name escapes me) realizes Olivia’s people are quicker than he is, and he’s so afraid to tell Cyrus (and. Word.), and he shrieks, we got Poped. I love that, and it will surely make it into my business lexicon in the near future. <br />- Huck told Harrison and Abby about Quinn’s newest appetite (Harrison: drill baby, drill), and she’s basically grounded from helping them. Huck really is trying to help her, but this fool buys a gun while she’s out in Montana. And please, Shonda, I beg you…bring her back.<br />- Abby and David are back together, but she’s having a hard time. Turns out, David invited her to the White House Correspondent’s Dinner and she stands him up because her husband is there. We know her husband abused her, but I’m not sure if we’ve seen him yet. Maybe it’s Leo???<br /><br />Huck is giving Jake details of the meeting between Fitz and Eli when a Suburban rolls up and tells him to get into the car. Jake thinks he’s being kidnapped by command (making me wonder why he didn’t run like hell), but actually he’s escorted to the White House’s basketball court (seriously? There’s an outdoor court there?). Fitz admits he wanted to get into Jake’s head by having him kidnapped, and says everyone takes it easy on him and doesn’t expect this game to be easy. <br /><br />And cut. I readily admit right here, my comments are not at all objective. I love basketball. I love to watch basketball. And Tony Goldwyn and Scott Foley look like they can ball a bit. So it’s kinda gratuitous, but I don’t care. And Jake’s crossover dribble made me forget, just a bit, that I am all about Fitz. The point of this game, after a few hard fouls – was that the President is OTHERWORLDLY pissed off that he sent him to protect Olivia and he instead shakes the sheets. Jake ain’t talking about Olivia. Period, and that doesn’t set well with POTUS. Olivia could do worse – these are some pretty pretty boys fighting over her.<br /><br />And speaking of Olivia – she watches the phone. This is so…normal. She’s waiting for the president to call on “their” phone, and when the phone rings she’s so hopeful, but no, it’s her other phone. It’s Cyrus calling looking for dirt on Phoebe, and gives her enough information to know the gladiators are not alone in Montana. In a snit, she throws the phone in the trash can, after Jake (rightly) points out that waiting for “the secret Fitz phone” to ring is so beneath her. You can tell from her face she’s not leaving the phone in the trash, but she wants to. She so wants to – but when it rings, in the trash, she answers, and it’s Fitz. I wanted to think about how this was a crucial scene showing how they enable each other, but then. The conversation that takes place is so honest, so ordinary, so mundane, and so electric because the whispers of two people in love tend to be electric. He admits to her that he’s afraid of the correspondence dinner, because he’s ashamed of his image. She helps him by vetting his jokes, and her ability to help him thru it despite his failings is why he loves her. It’s the type of conversation that should NOT be heard by your wife. And watching Mellie overhear this conversation is why I just can’t help but root for her character.<br /><br />Which makes it all the more heartbreaking when, during the correspondence dinner, Mellie uses the “secret Fitz phone” to get Olivia to a hotel room to BEG her to run Fitz’ campaign. Because he is “her guy”. Because she knows Leo was right and that the only person that brings a spark to Fitz’ eye and makes him presidential is Olivia Pope. They wisely cut this scene with montages of Fitz’ speech where he’s killing it – it’s clear he needs Olivia. Mellie [and girl! What happened to your hair?] breaks my heart, admitting that Fitz isn’t alive when she’s not around, that he can’t breathe, “because she’s everything to him.” And wow. I got nothing. <br /><br />Harrison calls Live back to the office, where Phoebe is waiting to offer her the job back. She turns it down (over Harrison’s ‘dafuq’ expression. Remember. He knows they have a mortgage), and leaves him standing there. And for you Jake fans, she goes to the office after Jake leaves her at the correspondent’s dinner, telling her, he “won’t be second, not even to the president”. And Yowsa. BUT BUT BUT! (and there’s always a BUT BUT BUT!, isn’t there?) Huck has continued to put the pieces of the puzzle together on the flight that never was. It would seem, according to Huck (who tells Jake this after breaking into his house, and really? Have these people heard of doorbells), that the big secret is Fitz shot a commercial plane out of the sky. A commercial plane carrying Maya Lewis, who was still using her maiden name. Her married name is Pope. JaHuck interrupt Liv’s reminiscing about her days as “banged Olivia” (election rigging not withstanding)to deliver this very disturbing turn of events – that quite possibly the President caused the death of her mom.<br /><br />And…credits.<br /><br />There’s more to this story and we will not find out next week. I’m convinced the previews are filled with red herrings. So, in my mind, Remington remains a mystery. Because why would Eli want this covered up? Did he not realize his wife was on the plane? And what else was on this commercial airline? There’s more questions than answers! I can’t stand it!<br /><br />Until next week!<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-43409440038613186182013-10-31T13:51:00.001-07:002013-10-31T14:12:22.315-07:00Get LowGladiators!<br /><br />My 9-5 is kicking my ass, so I fell asleep on my favorite broken people. This is a situation that needs to be addressed. Stay with me while I get my blogging rhythm back.<br /><br />Jake has healed from the sleeping, bandaged mess he was last week, and seems to making himself at home in Liv’s beautiful apartment. But it’s time for him to go, says Liv. She wonders if he’ll be safe from Command, he wonders if Fitz knows her father is command, and she’s all…nah, my Dad is okay. Crazy assassin maybe, but mostly fine. Again, only on Scandal can a crazy assassin be “mostly fine”. Jake, understandably pissed off that he’s been in a box and tortured for God only knows how long, wants to band together to take down her father and she’s all… ”Nah Cuz, that dude is too powerful even for my fixing”. We see a lot of uncharacteristic fear in Liv’s eyes this episode, saying that her father is way too powerful, noting that he got Huck to fall of the wagon. Jake leaves, and Liv gets a call from Hamilton (who, so far, has been powerfully UNDERUTILIZED this season. C’mon Shonda! We are waiting for that backstory!), who says the bills will be paid because they landed a new client. It’s kind of refreshing that ShondaGirl hasn’t forgotten that the firm was basically involved in a huge scandal this year and their client based had dried up. <br /><br />Quinn continues to lean on my nerves (I’m being generous here. She’s plucking every single one of my nerves). She follows HUCK (and seriously? Trail the assassin?) to a heartbreaking AA meeting where he admits that he’s had a drink (killed) again, and he loved it. Huck calls Quinn out for following her, saying friends don’t follow friends. Then later, in a painfully accurate exchange, he tells Quinn she’s not worried, she’s curious, and for her own sake, he wants her to stop being curious. One of the reasons Huck is such a wonderfully complex character is that he’s one of the few in the Scandal-verse who truly gets how broken he is. He doesn’t want anyone to be like him. Jake foolishly tries to sneak up on HUCK THE ASSASSIN. Huck lets him live thru this exchange, which, not surprisingly, happens at gunpoint. Turns out, Jake wants Huck’s help to bring down command, and is met with his second “is you crazy” expression of the episode.<br /><br />The Scandal of the Week has been ripped from the headlines. A senator has been texting his junk and is on trial for the recipient’s murder (okay, so only the beginning has been ripped from the headlines. Shout out to my main freak Anthony Weiner!). Abby gets off an early line of the night – “a perving sexting pervy perv” – he’s sending the texts, but this girl turns up dead, and that’s a problem. OPA has some morality issues accepting this case, but the lights gotta stay on, and even gladiators have mortgages. The senator (played by none other than Professor Laskey from Saved by the Bell, the College Years. Don’t judge me.) insists while he has this bad habit of putting his phone in his pants, he’s not really a killer. His wife (played by Melora Harding who was Albert Ingall’s love interest on Little House on the Prairie. Okay, judge me now.) will be his alibi – she was home with him the entire night. He assures the Gladiators that he’s put this all behind him. Even his wife says they’ve been through marriage counseling and he’s all better and he deserves a second chance after this one mistake. And those were lovely “famous last words”. <br /><br />I must say, part of why I enjoyed this episode so much is that we spend a lot of time with this trial, and in the courtroom, which means…DAVID ROSEN. Apparently, he and Abby have been spending time together and are slowly working their way back to each other. And after a lot of back and forth, by the end of the episode, they appear to be back together. And. Aw….Anyway, the courtroom scenes do a fantastic job of showing just how pervalicious the good Senator is, and it appears this guy is headed to jail. The jurors are giving him the “you are all guilty” stink-eye. To help the Senator, the gladiators need to “slut shame the dead girl”. And ouch. This case just gets dirtier and dirtier (and funnier and funnier to me). They do too good of a job painting her as…ahem…someone who enjoys the company of wealthy men. But then! ANOTHER woman comes forward to prove, in fact, that he’s not quite over his sexting. In fact, he has been doing it during the trial (personal shout out AGAIN to Anthony Weiner! And a life lesson to everyone – please, let your freak flag fly, but discretion really is the better part of valor. Camera phones will be the downfall of our society. You read it here.) But in the end, his disgusted wife still provides the alibi – she admits that she can’t stand him and his dirty ways, and that he’s ruined her marriage, but since he’s on trial for being a murderer, and not a pig, and he was home with her, they have to acquit. This works and he’s acquitted…but but BUT!! Turns out, she was lying. She wasn’t home – she was out MURDERING the girl. Yes – turns out Senator McSextingPants was her alibi. And wow. I can’t help but think this wouldn’t have happened if she’d stayed with Albert Ingalls. <br /><br />Meanwhile, my girl Mellie ALSO has a very uncharacteristic blunder – talking trash about the constituents who are supporting Josephine Marcus - and since I hear Lisa Kudrow has joined Scandal in a multi-episode arc, we will be referring to her as Phoebe. Mellie says something really hurtful about trailer trash and a push up bra. It was completely snobby and hysterical, and lands her in hot water with the public, and especially Cyrus. He reminds her of the rules of politics – apparently the first rule is “the mic is always on”. Despite her apology, Mellie helps Phoebe become a real contender in politics. Cyrus calls it “minting her ass”, and sends his adorable new assistant off to help find some dirt. Cyrus is letting Mellie have it pretty good when Fitz comes to her aid, and shows her compassion that knocks her so off kilter it pisses her off. And I get that. Don’t be treating me like gum on your shoe and then surprise me by being kind. That would piss me off too. And I’m kinda looking forward to more of this story.<br /><br />Presidential Fitz is clearly my favorite Fitz, as when GSSG is giving him the details of Pete Foster’s less than stellar life and the plans for this final resting place [a pine box], he “pulls a few strings” to get him buried at Arlington National Cemetery. And. I cannot continue here with anything snarky because Arlington National Cemetery is what it is, and this entire scene was incredibly moving. <br /><br />When Cyrus gets wind that the President is being all independent and making his own decisions by burying Pete Foster at ANC, this does not sit well with him and he goes to see Eli. I can safely say now that I am loving Joe Morton in this role – he tears up every scene he’s in. He’s a great villain, with no discernible Achilles’ Heel. Cy and Eli’s conversation are being (somewhat poorly) monitored by Jake (who clearly, doesn’t work for NSA), and he takes his concerns to Liv. And again, he’s shot down. Why this guy just doesn’t leave the country – disavowed assassin, tossed aside by his lady love bug, given the look of death by Huck – really REALLY bad week – is beyond me. [side note, he goes to Olivia when she’s watching the horrible press on herself…and again, nice touch of realism of how your career can just go to sh!t in the blink of an eye]. Jake gives us a little insight into Remington – as best I can tell – it involves a flight that has not been recorded anywhere in the US Military. Maybe it’s the flight that was scheduled to take PFC William Santiago away from Gitmo. Sorry. Not focused. Liv tells Jake to take his files and his conspiracies and leave.<br /><br />But he’s not giving up that easily. The next time he shows up at her apartment, he has Huck in tow, who has either recorded this conversation as well, or gotten the recording from Jake. Pete Foster, I *think* has been killed because he had an original flight plan, and the flight number tattooed on his body. This is FAR too confusing for me right now. But I know something is indeed rotten in the state of Denmark. <br /><br />Jake and Huck implore Olivia to see what they are seeing, and she’s caught between her loyalty to these two, her fear of B6-13 and what they can do to these two men, and what I think is her love for her Daddy. She’s understandably confused. My heart goes out to Olivia, who has been thru a lot lately, and she just can't seem to land on terra firms. She admits to Jake that she’s scared, and he promises her he’s not going anywhere. They lean in, and it’s a slow, hot kiss and Jake fans all over the world swoon. But then her phone rings, and she answers. <br />"Mr. President”. <br />"Why so formal?” <br />"What can I do for you?” <br />"Do for me? Does everything in this town have to be transactional, even with us?” <br />And my heart that has Fitz tattooed on it starts beating wildly. These two have more chemistry on the PHONE than most, because my answer would not have been one that would have been airable even on a 10:00 show! Jake stops short on marking his territory by peeing on Olivia, but instead offers a “more wine, Olivia”, so that a) Fitz knows that he’s still in the picture, and b) Olivia knows he’s not afraid of Fitz knowing. Fitz’ beautifully tortured face crumbles, and understanding he has no right to keep her from her life, hangs up. He goes back to the secret bunker with crazy flattering fluorescent lighting, gets all “Presidential Hot” as he’s flanked by Tom and Hal and goes into an office...ELI’S office. And says, "this is a reunion. One that is long overdue."<br /><br />Annnnd…credits.<br /><br />I have so many questions! Does Fitz know this is his boo’s father? What will Cy do when he finds Fitz being independent again? And why was Fitz holding Mellie’s hand? More importantly, with OPA being in financial ruin, will Olivia resort to Boone’s Farm? Tell me your thoughts!<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-8311959228623442082013-10-15T15:52:00.001-07:002013-10-15T18:30:42.307-07:00Papa, Can You Hear Me?Hello Gladiators!! <br /><br />Okay...so, this week, apparently we are getting some of Olivia's backstory. Banged Olivia (this refers to her hair when they do flashbacks, and not any sort of mattress mambo) says hey to Huck in the subway on her way to her weekly dinner with Dad. Looks like Joe Morton is going to be a regular. I'm a fan of Joe Morton. My feelings on Eli Pope? I'll get back to you. <br /><br />Apparently, Liv has made a deal with Dad - I'll break bread with you weekly in exchange for paying off law school for me. And he bought this. Apparently, Liv is still a little hurt she got shipped off to boarding school after her mom died. And while I get that, let me just say this type of emotional bribery wouldn't have gotten me 5 dollars from my folks, let alone school loans repaid. Dad, after another dinner of silence and curt nodding, throws the bullish!t card and says...I ain't gonna keep feeding you and paying off your loans for nothing. This seems to work, as Olivia starts talking to him. Turns out, she's living with Edison Davis, who she calls after dinner and admits her father is actually trying. She gets mugged in the subway and Huck goes all assassin and beats the almighty shit out of those guys. It's clear he didn't learn to fight at school, or even in a bar. He's a professional, something that is not lost on Liv.<br /><br />Present day, Olivia is running in the park when Tom, GSSG (Good Secret Service Guy) slips her a cell phone kinda the same way we were taught to hand off the baton in the relay race in fifth grade. Of course, it's Fitz, who says they can't come clean with their affair. Olivia agrees, saying it'll look like he will pull down his pants for anyone. [and about that? Fitz is lucky. He still hasn't been re-elected, and he's already got 2 sex scandals. Who's advising this guy?] He goes on to tell her the mundane details of his day. Only when you're the president, 'mundane' means he shot hoops with the Dali Lama (who has a great jump shot). Anyway, she's the one who he wants to share these details with, and he says in another world he's a mayor guy from Vermont, and they have four kids...and Olivia makes jam. I'm just telling you what she said. Somehow I don't see her making jam. Anyhoo, it's all sweet, and it's a conversation had by two people in love, where the mundane details strung together create great moments together. Olivia tells her she's representing Jeanine Locke, and says she won't hold back. He tells her he doesn't expect her to, as they both know she's innocent. And these two want the truth to come out. And again...Fitz? Keep your eye on reelection, Hotness.<br /><br />Cut to the White House, where Cy is looking all over for Jeanine Locke in that frenzied way that makes everyone think Cy is about to have another heart attack. Mellie is freaking out that she's gone, and Eli, whitley's ex and Liv's Dad, is wondering why Cy hasn't run with this gift wrapped fix if Jeanine Locke. Cy tells him he gets it and to basically get off the phone so he can do his job [Eli tries to threaten him. Cy: "you know sometimes people just say good bye'. And. Ha.] He then finds Jeanine, outside the White House with Eli's daughter, Olivia Pope. Olivia is basically all...these anonymous sources say they president has slept with everyone from me to this innocent girl...and what, just what? She's giving them hell. Fitz looks admiringly at the tv and says to Cy...what did you expect from Olivia?<br /><br />Flashback - Olivia sees Huck on her way to dinner and wonders how he learned to do he commando sh!t that served her so well last week. After a lousy lie, he tells her the truth, that he's an ex-assassin from B6-13, and when they threw him out, they kept his life. She asks if there's anything he needs and he wonders if they could eat at a hamburger joint. Sunday night's dinner is at Olivia's dad's house and they begin to genuinely bond over a home cooked meal and good wine. Eli asks why she's friends with the homeless guy and asks that she not tell her about muggings in email anymore. Olivia makes a crucial (but she doesn't know) error by telling her dad Huck's story, and he makes her seem like it's crazy. And - Eli is a great assassin because basically his cover is blown, and he barely lifts an eyebrow.<br /><br />Back at the White House, Cy tells Fitz to 'grow some presidential sized balls' and admit to the affair that didn't happen. Mellie is all...Mellie, but with lower hair and she continues to rock the jewel tones that are the rage this season. Fitz is all...BTFU - I'm the president. I call the shots. Which. Hookay. He really doesn't, bless his heart, but he lambasts Mel and Cy for throwing Jeanine under the bus. He tells them they will deny this affair and then apologize, and leaves the room with an ominous 'try me'. Proving how little they listen, they go on with their plan to keep Jeannine the lover du jour, and Mellie offers up all the times she wasn't in the White House and they can match those dates to find when Jeannine and the president did the humpty hump. Jeanine, back at OPA, cries she was never alone with the president. She (Jeanine) tells Huck he can access the IMs on the White House server to prove she's right. Liv and Huck are walking into the OPA conference room to find the other gladiators schmoozing with none other than Eli Pope. They are surprised that he lives in DC and they've never met. He extends his hand warmly and introduces himself to Huck, who seems to have never met him, even though, as we learned in the heartbreaking episode '752' last season, Huck just met his assassin-boss.<br /><br />Back in the day, Banged Olivia notices Huck is gone from union station and asks her dad if she ever followed up and he's all...nah! girl I told you, that was some crazy sh!t dude told you. He goes on to say the guy was arrested and was schizophrenic. Olivia keeps pushing and finally the mask starts to drop when he tells her, in no uncertain terms, to drop it.<br /><br />In one of the coolest scenes in the history of TV, Olivia and her dad have this serious as hell conversation in her glass office with smiles on their faces, but it's anything but friendly. Daddy-O is all...you need to let the public believe it was Jeanine and she's all...nah. Daddy goes Colonel Jessup again, and reminds her that Jake Ballard's well being is basically in her hands. We find out Olivia has been checking the morgue whenever a dark haired John Doe shows up there. And. Ew. She asks Huck about B6-13, and he tells her that they break you, and when that doesn't work, the make you wish you were dead. She calls GSSG, her new conduit to Fitz (which works for me. I like Tom). She asks him to get Jake out of harm's way and Fitz is all...'save the guy who I got to watch you get down with...dafuq?" And...LOL! Boys can be petty.<br /><br />Banged Olivia is not satisfied with Dad's story, or she's genuinely concerned about Huck, so she goes to see a DA referred by her professor friend and it's David Rosen!! Turns out, Huck wasn't arrested at all, David says his prints aren't in the system and someone lied to her. Olivia recalls Huck telling her B6-13 was fronted by a store called Acme, near Wonderland, welcome to wonderland, and she gets in her Volvo and drives to Acme, which is at the corner of wonderland and something or other and she realizes the pen her dad gave her is from the Acme Limited and BAM! Olivia now knows her Dad is badass. But for real. He's bad. She goes to Sunday dinner and calls him out, afraid to hear the answer. Caught dead to rights, and confronted by his tearful daughter, Eli tells her 'you don't want to know me that way, but if you push you will and that will break my heart'. And damn. Don't we all only want to show the best parts of ourselves to our kids. But you know, they are watching everything you do and even what you don't show because student loans are one thing, but your dad being an assassin is another and she rolls out.<br /><br />Now - we get a glimpse of baby Huck, AKA Quinn, who has hacked into Liv's email and wonders what happened between Liv and her dad that dinners stopped so abruptly. And damn, it's going to take me the better part of the season to forgive Quinn for what goes down after this. Huck tells her to be less like him, and oh. How I wish she'd listened.<br /><br />Fitz wants info on B6-13 and goes to Cy, where we learn that B6-13 does not answer to the executive branch and it's set up that way for the president's own good, so basically, I can't tell you jack. Fitz tries to go all presidential right now, and Cy is like...don't play the Commander in Chief card because they don't give a sh!t and really, leave them be because they can bring shade on the president the likes of which he's never seen. Fitz isn't sure he believes him, but it sounds scary enough. On the other side of town, Olivia is all in fixer mode with Jeanine, who has a breakdown that her life and career are ruined because 'one single person whispered my name'. Jeanine says she knows the president had an affair - everyone knew - but they didn't know who it was. Liv, feeling lower than whale poop promises to get her thru this, because she knows this is, somewhat, her fault. Olivia promised to get her thru this, but doesn't count on an end run from Mellie, who offers Jeannine a kabillion dollars to skip town and just be the mistress.<br /><br />Banged Olivia returns to her dad for Sunday dinner with Edison Davis as her fiancé. Edison has been appointed to some committee that makes sure the government behaves [do we still have one of them? And if so, what the hell are they doing right now?] Edison goes off to open the fine wine and Liv begs her dad to give Huck back. <br /><br />Present day, Olivia realizes someone at the White House got to Jeanine and she's about to admit everything, and Liv, realizing that it's either Jeanine or Jake, shows some uncharacteristic panic. She calls the president and he's all...I know he's alive, but B6-13 is like the petulant child over which I have no control, so sorry. She's like...what? You're the president...make it happen, and he hangs up, so she calls her pops, who's all...you can save him, but it's up to you. She offers back Sunday dinners for Jake. She even tries to tell Jeanine that she can't lie about this, and she (Jeanine) plays dumb, but then admits she sold her soul for $2M, and Liv gives one of her speeches that gives you some insight into how high her (Liv's) therapy bills must be.<br /><br />But wait! Jeanine is preempted by the president. The president tells Cy he's playing let's make a deal...he's going into his press conference and he will either say Cy orchestrated the cover up and that he had an affair with Olivia, the truth he wants to tell anyway, knowing full well this will get them both kicked out of the White House. Behind curtain #2, he says he will cop to the affair, and Cy will get B6-13 to release Jake Ballard. Cy sputters about how he doesn't have control and Fitz is all...it's one or the other, your choice. He ends his speech with 'how presidential are my balls now, Cy?' And. Check. Mate. And I love him.<br /><br />Banged Olivia gets Huck back in Union Station. And she also gets a call from her Dad saying she needs to let Edison down gently, especially since he's in the hospital after an 'accident'. And ooh. Dark and twisty and I only caught this the second time I watched. Incidentally, this is about where we've met Huck in the past. Because soon after this, we get Huck at the White House and Olivia inviting him to live with her.<br /><br />Present day - Fitz admits to the affair and the VEEP calls him on lying and he tells her he had Jeanine '6 ways to Sunday all over this White House, and after some soul searching on all of our parts, I believe my constituents will forgive me.' And damn. I feel really conflicted that this man is giving Justin Timberlake a run for my affections.<br /><br />...and here's why I am not speaking to Quinn, she kept digging and she points out that Liv and her dad had to be discussing Huck in the emails right before they stopped, and Huck flashes back to the only lie (I think) Liv ever told Huck - that she didn't make a deal for Huck. In the garage, Huck confronts Liv about it and when she denies it, he takes her into a choke hold, and loses it a bit, until she admits that her father is command. He walks off and Liv's and my heart break, a little.<br />Her father calls her that night, and she tells him to go to hell. He says open the door. She opens the door to a severely dehydrated and hurt Jake. Dad says dinner on Sunday is on.<br /><br />So who saved Jake? Liv, or Cy? Hard to tell...but I'm not speaking to Quinn. And can Jake be trusted? This season is on fire already.<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-32921782079863586212013-10-08T18:23:00.001-07:002013-10-08T18:59:08.515-07:00As We LayHello Gladiators!!<br />Was I the only one who drank in the recap episode like it was the best. Margarita. Ever? It was like my long lost friends came back to town...and they did NOT disappoint.<br />Okay, so in the finale last season, Fitz chose Olivia and they shook all sorts of sheets. I believe he referred to some superpower...and it was indeed. But. All hell is breaking loose in GladiatorLand. Mellie has outed the president's affair, and she is coming off the RAILS that the president has just tossed her to the wind. Fitz has dared her to fight it, telling her exactly how it's going to go down and their relationship will slake a real debate on race. And really, Fitz. Your wife is cray. Stopping poking that bear. Anyway, she's threatening to lose her mind, Defiance (you know, that tiny town that threw the presidency) is getting known by just too many people (side note: my boss always says the only secrets that are kept are the ones you tell God. And. Word.) Anyhoo, the latest person to find out is the governor who lost the primary to Fitz. And of course, wanting to come clean just doesn't happen in Washington, he wants to be on the ticket. However, if Defiance comes out, we have no president in peril, so it turns out David Rosen really wasn't working with Billy Chambers - he dupes him into getting the card back and uses it to get his job back with the US Attorney's Office. And because I love David, it's not despicable. <br />Cyrus, trying to keep all do these crazy assed people in order, has a heart attack. Olivia is, uncharacteristically, still clinging to the hope that she and Fitz will finally be together, even after Cyrus telling Fitz about her getting busy with Jake, as well as Fitz going Carl Bruener on Justice Thorton. I told you, he SAID it was a superpower. But - Olivia takes one more opportunity to save Fitz...to tell him everyone has a clean slate and he needs to go, get reelected, and be the president she knows he can be. She kisses him goodbye and this is the end of Fitz and Liv. Santa Claus and the Easter bunny see her out because yeah...that's how real it was.<br />By the end, it is all too neat. Cue the happy montage of everyone getting their life together and getting back to normal. Olivia leaves her fab apartment to go jogging and is immediately met with reporters asking if it's true about her and the president. She's whisked into a limousine where Park Bench Guy, aka Rowan, aka Byron the jilted senator from A Different World, is waiting. She looks at him, incredulous, and says "Dad". End scene.<br />Okay. That was 3 paragraphs worth of one of the best finales last season. Hulu, Netflix, on demand. Go watch it if you didn't.<br />The premiere opened up right where last season left off. She's in the limousine giving her dad the stink eye, and he remarks that she hasn't said a word in 22 minutes and why couldn't she have been like that as a child. And ha. Rowan delivers Olivia to a plane hanger where he spells out the plan for getting her out of this, but not before delivering a speech that is laced with the special type of vitriol parents save for their adult children who have royally. Shat. The. Bed. In his mind, falling for the president was not only dangerous, it was stupid and beneath her, calling her aspirations of being FIRST LADY mediocre. And. Damn. I always thought that was a cool job to have but everyone on this show scoffs at it. Eh well...still get to go to lots of great parties. Anyway. Rowan's tirade was hurtful, stinging, and brilliant. Remember how I said last season Shonda 'busta' Rimes, never leans on the racism angle, but gets it right all the time? I don't know any one of my minority friends who hasn't gotten the twice-as-better-half-as-much speech. Granted, mine was about scholarships and jobs and not sleeping with the leader of the free world, but you get my point. For them to NOT touch on race, especially given Fitz is a conservative in super political buttoned up Washington, would be too disingenuous. Anyhoo...my friend Parrish says that Rowan getting dumped by Whitley Gilbert all those years ago seems to have turned him into a douche. And. Word.<br />Meanwhile, back at the White House, Cy is all about the damage control. He wants the VP to take the meetings and, in a really funny exchange, she says no. She tells him she's doing the Lord's work, and he tells her The Lord doesn't vote. And. Ha. She goes in to tell him to, essentially, stop picking on her, that she never says anything about his Godless homosexuality and the brown baby they bought into the fold. And ha ha. [those two have the best exchanges. He never explains to her just how effed up her thinking is, and she's convinced she's got The Lord on her side. Who doesn't vote.] Eventually the president and the Vice President bond over scotch because...that sh!t burns going down and you'll agree to anything to stop drinking it.<br />Meanwhile, Olivia gets on the plane with her tail between her legs, and calls to say good bye to Cyrus. Cy begs Olivia to get off the plane (rightly) telling her that if she disappears the president will think he ordered her killed. She tells him he's a monster and he says...but I'm your monster. And...aw. So Olivia remembers that she is OLIVIA POPE and gets off the plane, demanding the driver take her to her office. Obviously, because Pope and Associates is run by Olivia pope, she is met by throngs of press and is escorted to the office by Huck. The gladiators are all gathered around doing their usual...aw hell [side note! Damn Abby! You look good, girl] when Olivia walks in and says lets get to work, and they are all 'dafuq. Have you WATCHED the news'? Well, Olivia hasn't, but all of her clients have, because they are all...'girl. Wow. Sorry about your luck. Let me hand you over to Uncle Click.' [seriously. You know you played that game.] Olivia is learning, sadly, that you're only as good in DC as your last scandal. Olivia has stayed, I reckon, pretty scandal free, but damn she's landed in the mother of scandals. <br />Frustrated, Olivia calls Daddy-O, asking where Jake is. (Jake, at the end of season 2, was tossed in a hole for disobeying an order.) Rowan makes it clear that orders are just that in his business and not to be disobeyed. Actually, he goes all Colonel Jessup and tells Olivia that without him, the nation would be a big mess. Rowan repeats the White House will throw her to the wolves, explaining what Olivia already knows. This isn't about the president. It's about the power and they both know the president has none. He tells her she's out of options and she tells him...ah...no. <br />And she's really not because she has a secret code with a secret password, and suddenly, there's a dozen limos leaving her garage in all different directions. And I gotta tell you. Olivia has done some cool sh!t on this show, but that was cool. I very much want a code like that. <br />Of course a code and limos can only be delivering her to the President. In a bunker, somewhere where he gives her hell for pulling the trigger on the secret code, and that using it was for an emergency. And hello? If this isn't an emergency, what is? Because clearly, them playing loosely goosey has gotten them in trouble because there's now video of Fitz leaving Olivia's apartment. (Those damned secret service men. I don't expect the bad one (Hal) to help, but Tom? Tom should have seen that camera.) Anyhoo, clearly Olivia needs to fix this, and who should show up, but Mellie. And underneath that Steel Magnolias hair, Mellie is just gorgeous. She refers to Olivia as a whore one too many times, and Olivia is like...hold up. And here's the thing. Mellie knows she's not a whore. And because she knows, she's not okay with them handling this scandal by telling the truth, because then she knows the public will know this just wasn't an affair - she carefully details all of her humiliation - knowing he went to her inauguration night, calling out Olivia's name when he was shot (by Justice Verna's assassin), things that make it quite clear that she knows this is more than an affair, and when Fitz tells her she knows he's in love with her, my heart broke a little, just as Mellie's face crumbles. Olivia, realizing, she owes Mellie this pound of flesh, asks what story she feels comfortable telling. They decide on some of the truth [it is DC afterall] and Mellie stomps off. And they are alone...and he wants to know how she's doing. She's clearly not fine and he takes his jacket off and holds her for about 5 seconds. And the way she melts into him, without a word, is exactly why Mellie called her a whore about 50 times. And why Olivia didn't care. And damn...Tony Goldwyn. I love you.<br />But there is still the tiny matter of Olivia's career circling the drain, and who exactly told on Olivia. We find it's leaked in the WaPo Style section...and that it's by a columnist who hangs with the secret service guys, so of course I think it's Hal. But it's not! It's Tom! The one I thought understood what secret meant. But he knows what secret means. He does this on behalf of the PRESIDENT. Dafuq?<br />Mellie has figured this out, because she's a bored First Lady with a lot of time on her hands, and for real...? Quit dissing that job! And she calls Fitz romantic and idiotic. But he goes all Carl Bruner on her and tells her he did it to set Olivia free from Mellie. They have declared war on each other...and that seems like a jolly set up to the season.<br />But but but!! Just as they are about to come clean, just as Cyrus is using his kill folder on Olivia Pope (which isn't a literal kill folder, but kill your reputation), the gladiators, who confirm they are gladiators, and not bitches, leak to the press snippets of the Vice Presidents chief of staff saying how doable Fitz is [and girl. Holla.] The press runs with it and concedes the public owes Olivia Pope an apology. So everyone is happy. Everyone except Fitz and Olivia. Olivia takes her on as a client because she knows they are using her. She also knows that there but for the grace of God goes her, and Olivia wears a white hat, don't you know.<br />Turns out, Rowan has legitimate concerns about his daughter. He has Cy kidnapped from his home and a sleeping James and is delivered to B6-13, where he shows Cy a file from Fitz' days with Jake in theatre, and Cyrus says "oh my God". And for an admitted monster like Cyrus to be taken aback, you know we are on the roller coaster for season 3!<br />Welcome back Gladiators!!<br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-31256902351847913342013-05-10T19:55:00.000-07:002013-05-11T11:22:42.341-07:00Who's Zooming Who?Okay, so, anyone who has been within 100 feet of me over the past month knows that I have become obsessed with Scandal. Like "willing-to-stay-up-til-11-on-a-school-night obsessed". Like "Finally-forgiven-Tony-Goldwyn-for-killing-Patrick-Swayze-20-years-ago" obsessed. Shonda Rimes is a gifted writer, we saw that on Grey's before Grey's got old. And if you watch Scandal, you realize that Grey's is old. Cyrus Beene is now getting all of Miranda Bailey's monologues.<br />
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So what is this Scandal all about, you say? What has half of America rooting for an illicit affair, you wonder? And, if you think you can't possibly catch up before next week's finale - take heart. Scandal was a mid season replacement last year, and only ran for 7 episodes. This season was a full 22-episode order. That means there's 28 episodes in the books. We can catch up on 28 episodes. Scandal makes me love TV again. TV is my first love, and AI (my last blogging passion) has let me down so horribly (Nicky Minaj and Mariah Carey? Show killers. Even Randy Jackson finally sees the stink on this show and is leaving his chair next year). But I digress. If I tried to go into great detail on the first 28 episodes, I'd likely be sitting here typing until the season finale, but I'm going to give you a detailed set up and the highlights..how's that?<br />
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The show opens with Quinn Perkins joining Olivia Pope and Associates (Gladiators in Suits) as a new lawyer. I always think of lawyer firms that have associates as being big companies, but Olivia Pope and Associates is but a team of 6, including Quinn.<br />
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- Olivia (Kerry Washington of the beautiful cheekbones and odd mouth. I read somewhere that she's the first black woman in history to be the lead on a tv show. But that can't be right - in my limited mind - Nell Carter comes to mind from Gimme a Break, and Esther Rolle from Good Times. Maybe they meant drama. Whatev) Olivia Pope is a fixer - she tells us she's good, and she must be, as she can call anyone for a favor, and walks on and off the white house grounds like she's Sasha or Malia - without SS detail. Olivia's wardrobe is to KILL for. And it fits her nicely as I've never seen her actually eat. But she loves her wine. And her staff. And the President (oh how she loves the president). She talks fast, takes NO BULLSHIT (except from the President, but I think that's allowed), and she's lonely.<br />
- Harrison Wright - a lawyer by trade. While we don't know his backstory, we know he's on parole and that he was in jail for 3 days. And whatever happened in those three days, it was real, because he has no desire to go back, despite realizing he operates in a very gray area of the law. No two ways about it, Harrison is fine, and I do wonder why it is that Olivia never looks at him, realizes that he's adorable, and goes off to make little Gladiator babies with him.<br />
- Abby Whelan - snarky snarky liberal lawyer who was rescued from an abusive husband. Completely broke her radar on men, but more about that in a bit. Abby is quite bitchy from time to time, and she's the Greek Chorus of the show, because sometimes Olivia will tell them to do something and from my couch I'm like...dafuq? Abby is usually the one that is all...yeah, you're our girl, but is you crazy?<br />
- Huck (no last name required) - The one person, perhaps on the show whose moral compass isn't on tilt. But he's a reformed assassin. Sorta. And he goes to AA. But he doesn't drink. He's addicted to the high from killing people. But you know you can't say something like that in AA because even though everyone is trained to not judge, someone saying "I like torturing and killing people" will elicit at least a raised eyebrow and a "Jesus" from someone. Oh - also, Huck has this Rain Man like thing happening where he can hack into a computer just about anywhere. So he's an assassin and he's brilliant with a computer. And he's a victim of PTSD so from time to time, he stops bathing. So just when you think you may want to date him, you're all...nah.<br />
- Stephen Finch - adorable man-whore from the first season who went off to be normal in season 2, so he's not important.<br />
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Anyhoo, Quinn Perkins joins as the 6th Gladiator in the first episode. What Olivia Pope and Associates does by 'fixing' is save people's asses. Regularly. Saving a decorated war hero from a bogus murder charge (they think he killed his girlfriend; in fact, he's gay). Fixing it so that a revered bishop who dies in the arms of his lover is remembered for his work with the Lord, and not in the hotel), an airline pilot who is blamed for a plane crash, a business woman who is going to lose her job on a morals charge. OPA is constantly either spinning or preventing scandals, which is why they have the loyal support of practically everyone in Washington. Saving a kidnapped kid (who actually kidnapped herself). Helping the wife of a foreign official stay in the US with her children..it goes on. When there's a side story, it's almost always wrapped up in an episode, like Perry Mason.<br />
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But the scandals they have not fixed, the scandals at the heart of the series, and (in my opinion) for what the show is named, are the scandals that involve these very people. Folks, these people are a MESS. I'm gonna give you the highlights in order, even though much of Scandal is told in flashback. In fact, the show opens in the 2nd Year of the President's term, but we actually met these people on the campaign trail. Anyhow, the reason Quinn is in Washington is because she was on the run, accused of setting off a bomb in an office building that killed 7 people. She's hiding in a hotel and the next thing she knows she's been drugged and wakes up in DC overlooking the Mall, with a passport and id that say Quinn Perkins (and NOT Lindsey Dwyer, her real name), and a lot of money on the bedside table. So you know who ever did this is connected, and not just because she woke up in what could, from the view, be the Hotel Washington. That place ain't cheap. Quinn, who is a lawyer and is smart, obviously knows something is fishy, but her choice is basically working with her hero Olivia (it's never quite explained why she worships Olivia) and going back to face charges of killing people. It's a no brainer and she suits up. She spends a lot of time watching and looking and wondering how and the hell Olivia is going to make payroll seeing as I've never seen a client PAY.<br />
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Obviously, if you've caught any channel 7 snippet about this show, you know one of the two main scandals is the fact that the President of the United States, Fitzgerald T. Grant (played brilliantly, painfully, by Tony Goldwyn) is in love with Olivia. Not just had an affair on the campaign trail, but is in love, wants to leave his southern bred lass First Lady for, in love with Olivia. And here's where I think you get some of Shonda's best writing -- ever. As tortured as it was with Derek and Meredith, Derek never had as much to lose. Fitz literally has the weight of the free world on his shoulders, and the words he utters as he realizes he has this dream life that he worked so hard for and doesn't want it, are heartbreaking.<br />
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The other main scandal on the show is that President Grant is the President because of a teeny tiny election rigging that went on in a teeny tiny town of Defiance, Ohio. You see, Hollis Doyle owns Cytron, the company who made these new machines. In his employ was Jesse, a computer geek who figured out how you could rig the machines. He was paid handsomely by Hollis, fixed that one machine in Defiance, and (figurative) BOOM! Inauguration balls for Fitz, and his wife, Mellie. There was also some hot lovin' in the Oval office the first night, not with Mellie. We figure out very quickly which Secret Service agent was truly loyal, because on a run, he's all "Mr. President, I understand that you want to get your swerve on, but maybe not in the Oval Office where there are cameras". We also figure out the other Secret Service detail is loyal to Mellie, because every time he's asked, while he doesn't say it outright, he ALWAYS gives it away, and seriously? Dude! The first word in your job title is SECRET. Learn!<br />
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Back to Jesse, when he realized what a killing Hollis made, he got greedy and demanded more. Hollis has never let anything like morals get in his way and next thing you know, (literal) BOOM! in the cytron building, where Quinn has been framed. Turns out, Quinn has been bought to Washington by Huck and Olivia because OLIVIA was in on the election rigging. The dirty half-dozen-minus-one that came up with this idea:<br />
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Hollis Doyle - this man loves power and the idea of getting free reign in the white house is too attractive. Plus, Hollis loves money. Because money gives him power. And it does not set well with him when the stolen white house wants to...ahem, do good things and serve the people.<br />
Verna Thorton - I don't know what she did before the election, but after the election she is sworn in a supreme court justice. You don't have to remember her, as she's dead now. But you'll probably want to remember that, on her death bed, she was killed (or euthanized; after all, she was terminal) by Fitz. Yup. After Verna tells him about the election rigging, and breaks his heart, the president goes all Carl Bruner (Ghost) and takes off her oxygen mask. Incidentally, the US District Attorney, David Rosen, was waiting outside her hospital room to take her statement where she fully planned to confess to election rigging to clear her conscience before she died.<br />
Mellie Grant - The first lady is bad ass in her own right. She's smart, she's cool, she's calculating. And for her, being FLOTUS is her ticket into the white house, but that's not all she wants to do. She understands that being the First Lady is a business, and when her fake miscarriage didn't swing voters, she figured a little election rigging was in order. Mellie's fatal flaw is that she actually does love the brooding Fitz. Not that wants him, but she's spent a lot of time creating this president, and like any badASS, she ain't giving him up without a fight.<br />
Cyrus Beene - In my opinion, Cyrus is one of the most complex, interesting characters to show up on television in a long time. He is devoted to the president. The white house is his first love, his life, but since he knew he'd never be president (too ugly. too gay. his words, not mine), he has "settled" for sitting at the right hand of the power. Cyrus loves his country, always refers to it as "this great nation", and understands that sometimes the American people have to be guided to the right decision. Cyrus isn't really bound by any sort of moral or ethical law, or real law, as in these last 28 episodes, he's had the president's mistress killed, almost killed his husband, and yes, election rigging. Last night, he told the Good Secret Service guy (after the GSSG told him he wouldn't let Jesus in the door) that he shouldn't confuse him with Jesus. "Jesus is good. Jesus saves. I destroy." Cyrus is a monster. And yet, he's SO human. I can't help but love him. He also has the number of an assassin on speed dial (Charlie, not Huck).<br />
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David Rosen is the US DA, in the beginning, but he loses his job in a spectacular meltdown. In the first season he accidentally stumbles onto the election rigging and, aided by James Novak, Cyrus' husband who also happens to work in the Press Corps at the white house, along with Gideon, a reporter who is close to cracking the truth even though he thinks what he's following is the President's affair. We learn from flashbacks that in the very beginning of the Grant Administration, Olivia's conscience gets the best of her when she discovers Mellie knows about their affair. She quits. Fitz, rather than choosing his wife as the transitional woman, has a one-hour stand with Amanda Tanner. But it turns out that Amanda has been set up to sleep with the president...turns out she's pregnant by Billy Chambers, Vice President Sally Langston's chief of staff. Billy Chambers orchestrates the affair to discredit Fitz because apparently to be a chief of staff, you have to be loyal to the point of obsessed. Billy Chambers (and I'm not sure why, but for me, it's always Billy Chambers. Not Billy) wanted to bring Fitz down before the election, but by the time he got the evidence to Sally, she had already conceded in the primaries and agreed to be Fitz' running mate. Sally is a crazy-right wing religious fanatic republican, and pretty much hates Fitz for being soft on gays, and on religion, and you know, being a republican in name only. The first season ends rather spectacularly when Billy, who is full on bat shit crazy kills Gideon the reporter who's figured it out, and then, during a WH press conference, says - I'm heartbroken because my girlfriend Amanda died, and she was cheating on me with the president (and about that? I'm thinking no one cheats on you with the president. I'm thinking you're the fool who's with the girl who's with the president). That is enough to end a normal administration, but not the Grant Administration, as he (Fitz) pretty much orders VP Sally Langston to disown him. Which she does and last we see of Billy (until last night), he's in the elevator with Charlie, Cyrus' assassin. Despite all this, David takes the case to the grand jury, only for his case to implode when James lies on the stand and the case falls apart. After losing this case and Quinn's murder case (which Olivia fixed to get her off), he's pretty much fired because really...two cases? He leaves the US Attorney's office and goes to work as a teacher. It's a pretty sad fall - even Harrison notes of his new business cards "I didn't know they made cardstock this thin".<br />
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BUT IT'S NOT THE END OF BILLY CHAMBERS OR DAVID ROSEN. Turns out, there's been a mole (the Albatross) in the administration basically f**king up and making Fitz look like a moron. And it's Billy. And he's been assisted by none other than David Rosen. Revenge is serious on this show. Nobody forgets anything.<br />
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Only on scandal is the president's attempted assassination (during his birthday party) a side point. It was orchestrated by dead Verna to make sure the Defiance election rigging story never got out. But he survived only to kill her. There's some ironic justice in there.<br />
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Oh - and Jake. Captain Jake Ballard, maybe he's good, maybe he's bad, and he's played by the lovable Scott Foley. He has also shook the sheets with Olivia, and it was in his best interest for that to remain secret. But then it turned out, Charlie the Cyrus Assassin had taped this, and he's now turned this over to Joe Morton, Park Bench Guy, Man Scorned by Whitley Gilbert. PBG, we know is the head of the assassin unit of the government that has employed, at times, Huck, Charlie, and Jake, but we still don't know just how he fits in. There's a train of thought that he's Olivia's father. I don't know, but I know that next week's season finale is a finale that's worthy of a party.<br />
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I don't want to muddy already muddled waters with names that we may or may not see next Thursday, but there's also Edison Davis, the Senator Majority leader who was in love with Liv, proposed to Liv, and was rejected by Liv. He annoyed me. He also promised Liv he was done. Let's hope so.<br />
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So there you have it, enough of 28 episodes to really enjoy next week. But you should watch all 28 anyway (some of them I've watched twice. Don't judge me). This show, while soapy and funny, and campy, is more addictive than hot McDonald's French fries. And I think it's additive because you can't really say that none of this would never happen. This show thrives on ambiguity: the only black and white are on suits here. We live in interesting times, and where I think at one point we wanted to believe Washington was like the West Wing, it's probably more like Scandal (save the euthanized supreme court justice. Let's hope that would never happen). The writing on this show is so nuanced, so dead on, that even though they've never filmed an episode here, and there are a lot of scenes that take place in a park that is probably supposed to be McPherson Square but looks nothing like it, this show GETS it. The underground racism that is never spoken but it's there. It's there when one of Olivia's clients assumes the lovely red-headed Abby is the powerful Olivia. It's there in Cyrus' frank discussion with Fitz that Olivia's hue will never play well with his constituents. Olivia is successful and rich and lovely, but she's lonely. People who get married are "normal", and that's not good. The show never leans on any one thing, but neither does it flinch, and it's brilliant.<br />
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Until next week, Friends!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-82026669547731709202012-08-05T08:14:00.002-07:002012-08-05T08:14:40.884-07:0050 Ways (To Leave Your Lover)<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>So, it's time. I haven't blogged in so long because I was not ready to post over my last one. And while I'm still processing, still figuring out how to move on, moving on is what Kevin would expect me to do so...</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">...so I'm gonna talk about a book now.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Okay, so I finished reading 50 Shades of Grey. I was compelled to read it by not just my friends who said it was a great summer read, but also by my friends who warned me about how bad the book was. I figure any book that elicits such a visceral reaction deserves a read. For those of you who asked me what I thought, here you go: for my friends who said they were waiting to see what I thought before they read it, I'd harly consider what I'm writing below "spoilers", but I do share some details.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think these are the only books E.L. James has written, though her wiki article says she's a TV executive. So she's had some access to fiction. Her Wiki article has her admitting shock to the success of this novel. Ain't that alway the way? In my opinion, it's no question this book has catapulted to the best seller list because of the shock value of the BDSM (thanks, Laura-Leigh for explaining THAT particular acronym to me). As opposed to say, The Help, which spread by word of mouth because it was a fascinating, well written debut.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What she got right:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- The email exchanges. For the most part, Ana didn't get on my nerves AT ALL when she was sending emails -- she was honest and witty. And that was the only time she didn't get on my nerves. I could buy that this man intimidated her enough that she felt she couldn't honestly express herself in person, BUT, I really didn't know enough about Ana to know this (see below for what got on my nerves)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Some of the erotic scenes, not the ones that were supposed to be SO NAUGHTY, but the first one, and other subsequent ones made me...ahem...flush crimson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- I think the story was SLIGHTLY (and I do mean SLIGHTLY) more plausible because (spoiler here) she was a virgin. By her own admission, she wasn't interested in her sexual side until Christian. I think I get that. i also get that when you're with your first lover, you're inclined to be more trusting of their adventures, particularly if you had none.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Whether meaning to or not, she kind of set up that Ana would be ripe for submission through her relationship with Kate. That was the most one-sided friendship I've ever seen in chick-lit. From commanding her to take the interview to simply moving her to Seattle with her, I never got the sense that Ana had any thoughts of her own. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- He bought her a MacBook. Ha! Just kidding!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What she got eh:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- She did a credible job to showing us that Christian Grey had a hard time (Pun intended). For whatever reasons, his view of intimacy (not sex) was a bit skewed. Kinda wish I knew more about that now that the book is over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- In one email, she explains to Christian that she's conflicted by enjoying something she's supposed to find abhorrent. If she had expanded on this email for say, the entire book instead on one page, I think I would have a different opinion. THIS is the entire conflict right here. It's not the spanking or the bondage -- as Christian said -- RIGHTLY -- two consenting adults get to choose what's acceptable. it was that she COULDN'T resolve the conflict between her mind and her body. I don't know anyone who hasn't been there at LEAST once in their lives...and not just sexually. Expand on that, you've got a worthy book to which anyone can relate. What we got was: "Oh Crap. I feel conflicted. What to do. Here he is. He took my panties. I love him". Oh bother. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What she got completely wrong:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- The dialog. She was a literature major, for crying out loud!! I get that Ana was tongue tied a lot of the time with Christian. I did NOT GET that E. L. James couldn't do a better job of voicing what was in Ana's mind. If she had said Holy Crap one more time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Christian Grey - total caricature. I got that Ana was captivated by this man, but I couldn't understand why. Unless it was purely sexual, leading to...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- I can buy that a 22 year old in her first sexual relationship would mistake sex for love (especially with that guy, who, upon occasion, loomed larger than life). But I don't get why she thought it was more than that...yes, some emails and some vulnerable moments, but all the guy did was [sex] her socks off (and the Mac). Okay, I'll withhold my judgement on that one. I tripped on that pebble a time or two. Didn't like it about myself, either. ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- There's a fine FINE line between caring and stalking. Not sure Christian was always on the right side of that. Proving another point that has nothing to do with this book -- in a nutshell -- it's complete bullsh!t when people say "I don't kiss/go to bed with/sleep over" on the first date. What they are saying is "I haven't made up my mind about you yet." Seriously (back to the book), I'm in GA to get away from you and you show up at my hotel and no red flags go off in my mind? Whatever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- The end. I don't like books that don't end. Yes, I know it's a trilogy. It should still be story that ends, in its own right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My friend Maria suggested I stop using my literary eye to read this book. And after a while, I did think that perhaps it would go better on me if I were in on the joke. Something that she also got right -- this book keeps people talking. Hell, I've written an essay on it right here!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All in all, it wasn't AS bad as I was expecting, and I'm intrigued enough about Christian to read book 2. But oddly enough, I want to read it because I HOPE there's some more character building, not for more moments of crimson. I can't say I know these people enough to care abou them all that much.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-31668514867727630062011-11-27T04:50:00.000-08:002011-12-01T13:24:16.581-08:00It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to YesterdayThanksgiving week began as it always does ~ shopping for food, attempting to clean the house, the realization that there will be way too much food and how does that happen ever single year? Tuesday I went to Alex's school and had a Thanksgiving feast, complete with chicken nuggets (which were a LOT more popular than my homemade turkey dressing, let me tell you). And through it all, the weather was that freaky mid-Atlantic November weather. Monday and Tuesday it rained like a mug, and Wednesday and Thursday were so gorgeous you didn't need a jacket and you're all...okay I'm loving this but it's going to have to chilly up a bit for Christmas.<div><br /></div><div>Through it all, I remember feeling so thankful. The way the leaves fell off the trees. The way my kid will re-enact the Lion King (and ask me to be Rafiki to write on his forehead). Even for too much food. For my pedicure. For a house about to implode with dirty laundry. Big and small, I remembered being so thankful, and saying a prayer for those less fortunate than me.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then...</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanksgiving weekend I lost one of my best friends. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">And I'm a mess. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Kevin is the strong one. That's what we do. I cry over sad movies. He makes fun of my ugly pants. He sits at the edge of my dining room table and shakes his head at my disorganization. My son calls him Uncle Kevin. His daughters call me Auntie Tye..well, the littlest one does. His older daughters just call me, simply Tyuana. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> I look for God's Grace whenever and wherever I can. I know it's there...and I know He will show it to me...if I can only look past how absolutely heartbroken I am. My heart breaks for his children, for his family, and yes, for me. Kevin was the brother God gave me because I didn't have any of my own. Kevin put me on a plane to my parents house when I went through the worst break up ever. Kevin ALWAYS made me laugh...no matter how bad my mood was. He had an ear for everyone, he was always willing to listen. But he wasn't always willing to talk. I would always pry for information and he'd call me nosey and I'd be all...like that's news. Several years ago, before either of us were married, we hopped to 4 different Thanxgivings...that was epic. I ate at all 4 places...thought I would die, but each house offered something different. That was the first time I met all of Kevin's family...I love them. They are family to me, because they are his family. Then there was the time, when we still worked together (this still makes me laugh), I had to talk to him about work...but he wasn't answering me...I kept talking and talking and finally he shushes me and turns up the radio. Barry White was playing...he turns it up and just starts singing...and I'm like...UH HELLO? And he simply said...it's Barry. Recently, when the pace of cheering and working and parenting and life had caught up with me, and I hadn't seen him in a while...he just said, slow down. Kevin always hated Doctor Phil because he said that man got rich dispensing common sense. He was a man of few words (unless he was going on one of his famous, funnier than Dennis Miller rants), but all of his words had meaning. To me. To his family. To his children. To my child.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Walter always said that Kevin could say the things he was thinking and not get in trouble for it. So it was usually Kevin that would tell me that I spent too much money, or that my pants were hideous...or gently, that I could stand to hit the gym. But he only did it when I wanted to go. He told me once...if you were happy, I'd never say anything. I'm just reminding you of what YOU want.</div><div><br /></div><div>There was the time his middle daughter, out of the blue, started calling him Mr. Kevin Merriweather. </div><div><br /></div><div>Or when he very seriously told me that he had to break up with Nia Long because he realized she was a smoker.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or the time I had him turn on my lights to make it seem like I was in the office when I was nowhere close.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or the time, I got my girlfriend's pound cake recipe. I had promised Kevin, when his mom died, that I'd make him a pound cake. I got the best recipe I knew. I swear to this day my girlfriend gave it to me wrong, but I was putting too much baking soda in it. Cake after cake after cake fell. When I finally got one that resembled food, but weighed about 17 pounds I gave it to Kevin. He thanked me and told me it was good and took it home. He told Walter later, and swore him to secrecy, that it was too heavy and he couldn't eat it. But he didn't want me to know because I had worked so hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the problem...I don't have enough stories for my lifetime. I was just asking him how we were going to "do it up" for his 40th. I was older in years...he was my big brother in every other way.</div><div><br /></div><div>A couple of weeks ago -- I was driving home from work -- and the fog was misting through the trees, creating a shadow in front of the sun. The trees still had a lot of their leaves. The picture was breathtaking and I remember thinking...this must be what heaven is like. This must be what people see so they aren't afraid to leave this earth...the promise of something bigger, more beautiful. And then, I got a little freaked out that God was showing me this because it was my turn. But it wasn't. Maybe he showed me that picture so that I'd know where Kevin was going was beautiful. At times like this, all I have is my faith...I know that someone gently took Kevin by the hand on Thursday and took him to a lovely, peaceful place.</div><div><br /></div><div>...but he's still supposed to be here.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are no words to describe how much I will miss him. How I still think this is all a cruel cruel joke. You know there's...maybe a 5 second interval in the morning before your memory kicks in? Especially when something bad happens? That is happening to me. Saturday morning I asked Walter if I had dreamed it all.</div><div><br /></div><div>He told me no.</div><div><br /></div><div>I love you, Kevvie. Rest in Peace.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-67692256541778359572011-10-26T18:10:00.001-07:002011-10-26T19:14:31.237-07:00Sharp Dressed Man<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF7MaSAsXWhcD3gsm5i7BepEMKfgIKswHVyVZvBVMT971NhFgeK4gDaniuYsXcmwUP4IVYzUB357-s6s3aegg8DY3YJIuCc_CxZ-wbNzKATjnrpadFcTx_ENQLeZLwj4Q1x57R7OfrRkm/s1600/photo-18.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF7MaSAsXWhcD3gsm5i7BepEMKfgIKswHVyVZvBVMT971NhFgeK4gDaniuYsXcmwUP4IVYzUB357-s6s3aegg8DY3YJIuCc_CxZ-wbNzKATjnrpadFcTx_ENQLeZLwj4Q1x57R7OfrRkm/s320/photo-18.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667986739149291506" /></a>Okay, so...new experiences in parenting never end. Today was my first school picture day. We'd gotten plenty of notice, and I had figured out last week what Alex was going to wear: jeans, a rugby shirt, and hopefully it would be cool enough for a turtleneck. Easy enough, right? I hardly thought this would turn into a *thing*...Had it all gone as planned, this is how he would have looked [I took this tonight].<div><br /><div>You see where this went wrong, right? I used the word PLANNED in conjunction with my life.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>On a somewhat unrelated note. I'm *tired*. My frenetic pace this month is beginning to take its toll, and when I got up this morning, decided there was no earthly reason to begin my day so quickly, and went back to bed. So Alex and I both got a little extra sleep this morning. Alex's school day begins at 8:30, and class time begins between 8:45 and 9. I always figure he needs to be dropped off by 8:40, at the latest ~</div><div><br /></div><div>7:15 - Gently shake the boy awake (we still haven't conquered the whole - stay in bed all night, and complicating things is that now Alex sleeps with Woody from Toy Story). Really. You can imagine all of the inappropriate things that run through my mind when I wake up face to face with a Woody.</div><div><br /></div><div>7:30 - Finally, His Highness rousts himself to the bathroom, where he brushes his teeth. His newest thing, when rinsing is to mimic a surprise. For instance: "Mommy? How old are you? [takes sip] "41". [spits water out as if he can't believe that I've not yet turned to stone]</div><div><br /></div><div>7:33 [And here's where it all goes to hell] I'm dressing him in the outfit that I thought was so great for a kindergartner, and say "Alex! Picture day, aren't you excited?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Alex: Mommy, can I wear a tie?</div><div><br /></div><div>A tie? Who am I raising? Alex P. Keaton? A Warbler from Glee? Alex's school has no dress code, and he's worn a necktie exactly twice: at his Uncle Parrish's wedding and Easter Sunday (courtesy of my mother, because you know, nothing says Resurrection like dressing your grandson like a City Councilman) I am not that formal. The last time I wore a suit to work, my boss complimented me on how nice I looked. Translation: "Jesus, I was beginning to think you slept in khakis and sweaters".</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I tell Alex that we don't have a tie. I then ask, puzzled, why he's just bringing it up that he wanted to wear a tie, that we had to go to school.</div><div><br /></div><div>Alex: "When you and Daddy got married, he wore a tie, so I thought you would know that."</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay. At this point, it's 8:00 and I figure it's not the time to get into kid logic. So, no tie. He then proceeds to pick up his glow in the dark dinosaur shirt and asks to wear that. Easy answer. No, because they school said no black. And plus...really? From a tie to a dinosaur shirt?</div><div><br /></div><div>Alex [pointing at the rugby shirt like it's made of stick pins]: But Mommy, that shirt is black.</div><div>Me: No, it's blue.</div><div>[crickets chirping]</div><div><br /></div><div>Then he points to his button down shirt in the closet. Can I wear that, pointing to a shirt from LAST birthday's pictures, and I'm thinking there's no way in hell that it fits. Well, it must have been entirely too big because it fit him perfectly. The school instructions said no stripes, but it's now after 8, and we still haven't had breakfast. </div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, fine - you can wear this shirt.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Please button my sleeves Mommy. Alex always says please and thank you. He's a kind and benevolent ruler. As I'm buttoning, he spies a pair of black socks, and excitedly says:</div><div><br /></div><div>"THAT sock can be my necktie."</div><div><br /></div><div>[8:10]</div><div>Me: Ah. No. Goes into the drawer...this is the only necktie you have, and it --</div><div>Alex: Okay I wear it. </div><div>Me: --doesn't match.</div><div>Alex: No, Mommy. It'll be fine. I wear dis.</div><div>Me: Alex, your shirt is blue striped. Your tie is yellow with a design. I really don't think this matches.*</div><div><br /></div><div>*I NEVER buy ties. I am impossible at matching them. And even in my limited experience, I can see this doesn't match.</div><div><br /></div><div>I take my next breath to explain that he's going to look a hot buttery mess, and then remember the numerous conversations that I've had with my veteran parent friends about choosing your battles. This is not a battle to choose - after all, who of us doesn't have a COLLECTION of bad school pictures? And at this point, I can't argue much because it's...</div><div><br /></div><div>[8:20]</div><div><br /></div><div>So downstairs we go, had breakfast, packed lunches finally got to school. In the turtleneck, striped shirt, and printed tie at...8:55.</div><div><br /></div><div>ONE HOUR to dress 3 feet, 10 inches. I'm sure there are people who DID get married today and didn't take so long.</div><div><br /></div><div>God bless the little test pattern as he grabbed just a little more of his independence. And a small part of me was very proud that Alex was determined to wear his own clothes on his own terms. But the larger part of me wondered what he'd want to wear for Christmas pictures. A tux?</div></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCE4HdwEGZD8dGbOTSwgDzTSGj-SlBBTH-OtZPbu4dwjD22bQ_j8Bb4_M450RLwBwiH1ZAcF3Ef1ymcZcfGuvhBS_0JB3hPySeFIhfEvDRsbxeihHyAlxL9Zfv23KBvDPEoQinCpPIDPV4/s320/DSC_0536.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667983764335691490" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9S9X9jWFx9bttcskq0fxm1vPHiMnWnl-OpHSk04-RsvnEW7gbRiY15hlOWsWrX5oGyj-R7_4UfSO5CSpMUZ17crHZlWi2Qgcsm6b3nXLZ767UWVvxw8E38JWn7AqK7qRxbtjFZfmVxqX/s320/photo-19.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667985538146318018" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 320px; " /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-5258548167875425842011-09-03T22:13:00.001-07:002011-09-03T22:23:14.529-07:00See You in September<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxoYIXSOrKbfwIwS5nrM4sB9giJs6lcBiavembo1RhrY5B2bS3jcOH_EzoJZbhjsAnvxelY2JlYaMhOdC7Ipg_Ix8JEybWvTyeoIflnYr5iZ4RDbMbUxC4quv6p9JTQYv5w2E1viIc-kc/s1600/photo-12.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxoYIXSOrKbfwIwS5nrM4sB9giJs6lcBiavembo1RhrY5B2bS3jcOH_EzoJZbhjsAnvxelY2JlYaMhOdC7Ipg_Ix8JEybWvTyeoIflnYr5iZ4RDbMbUxC4quv6p9JTQYv5w2E1viIc-kc/s320/photo-12.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648369815000162722" /></a>
<br />Okay, so, I had the best day today!! Coach Tanya's and my Little Lady Hawks took the field for the first games of the season. They were ADORABLE! It was so much fun to watch them enjoy themselves on the field.<div>
<br /></div><div>It was warm today, but with Labor Day in a couple of days, Alex starting kindergarten last Monday, and of course, the fact that it's dark by 8:00 nowadays, it means that Fall is right around the corner. So much to love about fall, cooler days, warmer foods, and time together with friends. I got married in autumn, Alex was born in autumn, and of course, thanks to my Waltie, we are a football family. Autumn is our time...it makes me happy.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Of course the day only got better because I got some time to craft. I promise, my blog will not be all about the card making...I have some funny musings that I'm rolling around in my head. But these hops and challenges are on a deadline, which means that I have to post on time.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>HQ of A Muse Studio challenged us on their FB page to do a layout using onyx and orange, the colors of fall. And while I don't have any specific halloween stamps from A Muse just yet, I have some colors, and some owls, and with Glee rolling on the DVR - this is what I produced:</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Hard not to love the owls with their big old eyes, or how they sit quietly, taking in everything. Hard not to love autumn, the way the leaves go away and the air gets chillier, sending everyone inside until spring rolls around once more. Hard not to love the sense of renewal of it all. Hard not to love that life slows down somewhat in the colder months. Hard not to love. Period.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>The fine print: [all supplies by a muse studio: Stamp set: Owl's Well; Cardstock: orange and onyx polka dot; Ribbon: orange; Copic Markers. You can shop for yourself <a href="http://www.amusestudio.com/tyuanabailey">here</a>]</div><div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-12493580841969607542011-09-02T03:38:00.000-07:002011-09-02T18:18:16.257-07:00At the Hop<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSWAi2vULAtl6vw0mknam1eBxKQrJips8ElGgb5t6zkF8L-lkh_n_Xt2jrIoZujlHhzw7jRmiARLEOtT3DIJ5VGkOQHOdDTMQAI5BlBjpe-5eRUpctOEhjJvi27YsObPtO0OEArfrvp_z/s1600/photo-11.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSWAi2vULAtl6vw0mknam1eBxKQrJips8ElGgb5t6zkF8L-lkh_n_Xt2jrIoZujlHhzw7jRmiARLEOtT3DIJ5VGkOQHOdDTMQAI5BlBjpe-5eRUpctOEhjJvi27YsObPtO0OEArfrvp_z/s320/photo-11.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647711330169801634" /></a>
<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;">Hello and welcome to my first ever Blog Hop!! If you are participating in the blog hop, you should have come from Dana Vincent's <a href="http://danasamazed.blogspot.com/">blog</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;"> and if not, then you should start from the beginning with Samantha's <a href="http://kania-amusestudio.blogspot.com">blog</a> until you come to my blog. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">We are highlighting items from the holiday catalog, and there are so many things to love in there. This Santa jacket is my absolute favorite, and with a little flocking on the collar and fringe, it's just like Santa's furry jacket.
<br /></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">I'm starting to become the Poster Girl for Clean and Simple - this card? Two stamps, 2 pieces of Paper, and a ribbon! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">[All supplies are by A Muse Studio -- Stamp set: Naughty or Nice; Ribbon: Cherry; Cardstock: Candy Cane Stripe and Onyx] </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">All of these supplies are available at my <a href="http://www.amusestudio.com/tyuanabailey">web site</a>! Or please contact me to schedule a workshop! I love it!!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:85%;color:#333333;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Thanks for stopping by!! Now on to your next stop, Karen Crisp's <a href="http://www.papernstamps.blogspot.com/">blog</a>...I LOVE what she's done with Santa's Coats...I'm totally going to case (scraplift, steal) that idea! </span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Happy Friday!!</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-89360281966219790252011-08-19T02:59:00.000-07:002011-08-19T03:22:05.865-07:00Cruisin!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_t7Hu252WsYFl9qUVYSV4PVgylksElQFpa8ZLzUUa3gfmGpUZ80Ms-9Rz33cF6PVWb5CjHYZOfdYLDS1OL6nYwvdxhFGKHQ8ZXAwwPZIJNMn9YOGUuhx0zy7xqtqO4IkAVDdhkE53g0v/s1600/photo-8.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_t7Hu252WsYFl9qUVYSV4PVgylksElQFpa8ZLzUUa3gfmGpUZ80Ms-9Rz33cF6PVWb5CjHYZOfdYLDS1OL6nYwvdxhFGKHQ8ZXAwwPZIJNMn9YOGUuhx0zy7xqtqO4IkAVDdhkE53g0v/s320/photo-8.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642509044325953298" /></a>
<br />Okay, so, I find that I'm no longer a spontaneous person. I didn't mean to become one who plans everything (and some would tell you that I'm not), but for the most part, I know what each day is going to hold. And honestly, with the schedule of being an employee, Mom, wife, cheerleader coach, and the President of "Turn the World into A Dance Floor" Movement, I'm glad about that.<div>
<br /></div><div>However, I had to throw caution to the wind, and luckily had a sister who was feeling as spontaneous as I was. I took a road trip to Philly (well, King of Prussia) on a TUESDAY to go to a stamp workshop. A Muse has taken the show on the road, and it was SO worth it. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>A Friday list -- the 10 best things, in no particular order, that made this trip, on a scale of 1 - 10, a 23.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>1. ROAD TRIP = SNACKS. My workout's were extra hard this week, because I think I have calorie immunity if I'm going beyond a 50 mile radius. How I love peanut M&Ms. Oh, wait, the athlete in me struggles with listing this as #1, but it IS in no particular order.</div><div>2. Spending time with my friend Isunji. I don't get to see her enough. We laughed, we listened to Terrence Trent D'Arby - we caught up in that way that old girlfriends do. It was beautiful.</div><div>3. Linda. Linda started A Muse many years ago in her basement, and grew it into a successful business, all while raising her kids. And she's as nice as they come. I couldn't BELIEVE that she remembered me calling the store so many moons ago. Talk about customer service. I'm going to trust that she didn't remember me because I was bat sh!t crazy.</div><div>4. Heather. Heather is A Muse Studio Chief Creative Officer. Okay, first, I love that title. I want to be someone's Chief Creative Officer. I felt an immediate kinship to Heather, who has such a fun spirit (and she let me spruce up before she took my picture). Here the three of us are, at the end of a long day, still smiling!!</div><div>5. There was a HUGE mall near where I was. I didn't make it, but somehow I think I smile bigger in the presence of commerce.</div><div>6. I met some lovely people at the workshop. I've always maintained that crafty people are a friendly bunch. We are always willing to share, and laugh. It's nice to make a new connection, especially when you're nurturing an old one.</div><div>7. I remembered that I am not indispensable, and I can leave work for an afternoon and it. Will. Be. Okay. I have to keep that in mind. It's what I do, not who I am.</div><div>8. I'd be lying if I didn't say it wasn't a challenge to drive 6 hours over 12 hours. But I think every now and again it's good to push yourself to do what you think you can no longer do. It keeps you young.</div><div>9. On the way home, we stopped for a gnosh at McDonalds, and I took the liberty of getting some smurfs. When given the choice, Alex chooses where he wants to eat based on the toy that's offered, and right now, the McDonald's happy meals are offering Smurfs. I kinda love this - it's a total throwback. And the McD's in Philly had different smurfs, so I got them all (to save us a trip to McDonalds in the future). I lined them on Alex's bathroom sink, and when he discovered them the next morning, he was convinced that there were more in the house. Or, as he told Walter, it was Christmas. I love how my kid thinks there's magic all the time. That makes me happy. </div><div>10. Last but not least, I got a chance to nurture my love of my craft, some time, as my friend Alenka said, to do the things that makes me "me". I think we all need to remember what makes us who we truly are, and do the things that remind of us of that!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Happy Friday!!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-89814432370337372852011-08-19T02:54:00.000-07:002011-08-21T18:47:17.913-07:00Schools Out for Summer...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbfMwOdR9HtJYxMhLM6d24gA7EkEux1p_Hq3LDdwRAoMxKd1y865GaKbTEOjZePxbT2ME3CbPmo_z4zy4UwToG-KX-Mimn7RBef_9Hrym3CaCOQX-YnYaNnJ5tVvWX7rVqMiPq_OgTfdm/s1600/photo-9.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbfMwOdR9HtJYxMhLM6d24gA7EkEux1p_Hq3LDdwRAoMxKd1y865GaKbTEOjZePxbT2ME3CbPmo_z4zy4UwToG-KX-Mimn7RBef_9Hrym3CaCOQX-YnYaNnJ5tVvWX7rVqMiPq_OgTfdm/s320/photo-9.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642504081815184578" /></a>
<br />...but not for much longer.<div>
<br /></div><div>A's teacher's aide has headed back to school, and I wanted a card to say thanks for everything she did! I really loved how this card turned out (all products a|s studio). Red, white, and blue is one of my all time favorite combinations and I LOVE this lined paper!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>All of these products are on sale as a part of the A Muse Spotlight for August! One of the many things I love about A Muse is how they have sales...you know sales just speak to me. Along with the stamp sets, which I've listed below, they will also put the coordinating cardstock on sale - a fanTAStic way to get samples of many colors.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Here's are the stamp sets on sale - 10% off!</div><div>Stamp Sets:</div><div>School Days (used in this card)</div><div>Rock Star</div><div>Personal Stationary</div><div>The Mighty Jungle</div><div>Past Due </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Coordinating Card Stock - Collegiate</div><div>
<br /></div><div>One thing that I love about most of these stamp sets is that they go really well with scrapbooking! </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Enjoy, and as always, contact me with any questions, or order from my <a href="http://www.amusestudio.com/tyuanabailey">website</a>.</div><div>
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-45227491837644953422011-08-14T06:17:00.001-07:002011-08-21T18:46:09.437-07:00Colour My World<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhedJ4-qtRWOemQ-qSE8P7Vcldkntej1lPqsZFEbr9mIq_o6oTUCzf_mINTvTbYiuysb2ao6LAgK1VQNV2daJPM4XpldIH3OByJKoh9JiITr9_H0R3MikOKNRYO8-067_3WPF8uFCo-bc_/s1600/photo-3.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhedJ4-qtRWOemQ-qSE8P7Vcldkntej1lPqsZFEbr9mIq_o6oTUCzf_mINTvTbYiuysb2ao6LAgK1VQNV2daJPM4XpldIH3OByJKoh9JiITr9_H0R3MikOKNRYO8-067_3WPF8uFCo-bc_/s320/photo-3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640700930749293810" /></a>
<br />Okay, so, I can see if I keep posting my love for the crafty, finding song titles for each post is going to be hard. But I'll keep trying.<div>
<br /></div><div>Here's a card I made using only 2 stamps, 2 ink colors, 5 pearl buttons, and some ribbon. And of course, the paper. A Muse is all about the Clean and Simple designs, which really appeals to my desire to simplify! So if you've ever thought you wanted to make cards, but didn't have time, or the inclination to sit over a craft desk for hours, I have great news for you! You don't have to!!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I love this stuff.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Side Alex Note: Does anyone else think they are raising a rock star? Seriously! After dancing his heart out yesterday, Alex is STILL asleep. And when he wakes up, he's going to want a big breakfast. Sometimes I'm a mom, sometimes I'm a roadie.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-16373738845597956802011-08-14T06:04:00.000-07:002011-08-14T06:16:55.829-07:00A New Thing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGiMKXWA-luVpaXEgJfL2Kv3-grpeIa-wqCdkV0Yshw7SG6tPsosx_AdcXDDmbbWG1e0H5Duko7pvf9_oHEY2VJ6zSXeOp_d-z0gbiUx1_MP88_xS69RRT3eLsMB51jizxvnbm629B1_D/s1600/photo-7.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGiMKXWA-luVpaXEgJfL2Kv3-grpeIa-wqCdkV0Yshw7SG6tPsosx_AdcXDDmbbWG1e0H5Duko7pvf9_oHEY2VJ6zSXeOp_d-z0gbiUx1_MP88_xS69RRT3eLsMB51jizxvnbm629B1_D/s320/photo-7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640697933018764610" /></a>
<br />So, I've got this new thing going on that really excites me!! I'm a Creative Consultant for A Muse Studio. a | s is not NEW NEW -- I've been buying their rubber stamps for years, but they've recently gone home based and I...I LOVE IT! I love the quality of their paper, and their stamps, and I love that it's got me refocused on crafting. In addition to all the other things I like to communicate in this blog, I'm going to be posting the occasional project that shares my crafty love!<div>
<br /></div><div>The other thing that's easy to love about a muse studio? They carry a large line of Copic markers. I can't tell you how much I love these markers, I'd have to show you! Here's a halloween scene I colored using my Copic markers!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Please browse the a | s catalog! I promise you, you'll be glad you did!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-71452648080396270112011-04-12T18:32:00.000-07:002011-04-12T18:58:08.347-07:0019th Nervous Breakdown<div>Subtitle: From the Alex Files - Extended Remix</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so today I pick Alex up from school, and, as usual, there's a flurry of activity. I think teachers are underpaid as a whole, but Pre-K teachers who have a classroom of children that did not get to go outside and run off energy? Clearly, there's no better evidence that teaching is a labor of love.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, there's a girl in Alex's class, let's call her Reena (after my imaginary childhood friend). Reena is...um...spirited. I've seen Reena maybe 6 times during drop off, and probably four of those times she's been in the middle of a SPECTACTULAR melt down. Seriously. Tears, screaming, the whole works. And her Mom is nowhere to be found (can't blame her there), so it's not like she's crying out for parental attention (which would be sad, but still, at 6:30 in the morning? Annoying as hell.) So Reena is playing with 2 other girls when I walk in. And near Alex's cubby is the latest science experiment, an egg that's submersed in vinegar until the shell melts/disintegrates/whatever.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and this is the same child that Alex not-so-politely told that my name was Tyuana, and Walter told me that Alex has remarked to him that Reena tells on everyone, except for her one girlfriend, and sometimes even her. To quote: "Daddy, all day she's "Ms. Tynee-Ms. Neka- Ms. Tynee-Ms. Neka. She's always telling." </div><div><br /></div><div>(I'm sure a better parent would ask the question - what material is my kid giving her for tattling, but I'm going to work on being a better parent tomorrow.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, that's the set up.</div><div><br /></div><div>While Alex is packing his stuff, the three girls are playing with the egg, and Ms. Tynee, the teacher warns them that they have to be careful, that it's still an egg, and will crack. Of course, they are FOUR, so they are fascinated. Reena saying something kind of loud to the other kids, and Alex whispers to me "she's ALWAYS yelling about something.</div><div><br /></div><div>As you can imagine, 6 four year old hands did not do a good job of holding onto the egg, and it breaks, in Reena's hands. The other girls run off talking about the egg. Alex, who I thought was packing his stuff while I was talking to Ms. Tynee, observes the entire thing and runs off to tell his dude friends Mason and Jackson (not their real names either, I feel compelled to protect the names of children I do not know), and I hear him saying...REENA BROKE THE EGG.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Long set up, bear with me)</div><div><br /></div><div>The other two girls come back to the scene of the crime, and I can see that Reena is wearing the evidence of her misfortune on her sleeve, which is wet and reeks of vinegar. Alex is packing up his stuff, and says, "Mommy, did you see Reena break the egg?" Reena gets visibly agitated and starts yelling at Alex "YOU'RE NOT A GROWN UP, ALEX! STOP IT!".</div><div><br /></div><div>In response, Alex leans into me, I kid you not, and says "here she goes again." And she starts to cry.</div><div><br /></div><div>So she's standing there crying to me, and I'm trying not to laugh at my kid's OBVIOUS agitation at this girls' emotions, and say -- oh your Mom can wash that up. Don't worry.</div><div><br /></div><div>Alex: Yeah, ask your Mom to wash it. </div><div>Reena: SHE CAN'T WASH IT! I HAVE A BOO BOO.</div><div>Alex: [eye roll]</div><div>Me: [at a complete loss of words at this exchange] I'm sorry about your shirt.</div><div><br /></div><div>What else is there to say? This kid is already like that character in Seinfeld that cried over everything.</div><div><br /></div><div>So then, we are walking to the car, and I say, "Alex, you weren't very sympathetic to Reena".</div><div>Alex: But Mommy! She all the time doing that.</div><div>Me: Well, that's no reason to tease her.</div><div>Alex: She's always yelling at me. SERIOUSLY. She's gonna have to cut that out.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's losing something as I'm typing it, but after I strapped him in I had to stand outside of the car for a full 2 minutes while I laughed myself silly.</div><div><br /></div><div>So Alex and Reena should be planning the wedding around 2035.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-15167347366824571132011-03-27T17:06:00.001-07:002011-03-27T19:36:17.619-07:00Fumbling Toward EcstasyOkay, so it would appear that I *did* have a bit of a "OMG I'm 40" crisis (can't call it midlife...just yet). And since my middle name is procrastination, I only just now figured this out. Obviously, I had embraced the good changes that being 40 brought - there's a certain amount of ...well, I *AM* 40 that's starts to happen. I did begin to take, on the whole, everything less seriously. I get now that being true to who you are means that everyone may or may not be a fan, and that's not anything to take personally. I also get that you have to, more often than not, take care of your body so that your body will take care of you.<div><br /></div><div>But it was the other, darker issues about turning 40 - a true confrontation with my lack of confidence, my fear that I was truly destined to be...ordinary - that started to simmer in my thoughts. </div><div><br /></div><div>I really started asking myself "who are you?" There's one definite drawback to being what I'd call resilient. The ability to fit in many places makes it really hard to find your true nitch, to figure out where you belong. I wondered if I'd made peace with the first 40, so that I could go about enjoying the second 40.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then a perfect storm of events kind of catapulted me into a 30,000 ft view of my life. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sunday, I had a lovely conversation with my friend Patrick, who was in town for a weekend. Just your normal catching up, but then he said "I knew, from a very young age, when I first heard there was something called Broadway, that I wanted to be there." I'm almost positive I never said - "Mom, when I grow up, I want to be an analyst for the IRS." I never had a moment like that as a kid - I never saw something, and thought, I want to do that. Oh, sure, there was that time I was watching Dynasty and Alexis said "if you don't do as I wish, I'm simply fire you all and find someone who will". That stuck with me - I thought that was completely kick ass and wanted to be the head of my ex-husband's board so I could say that to stick it to his beautiful new wife, and then we'd go fight in the lily pond wearing tremendous shoulder pads. But back to my point, there's always this nugget burning inside of me...this thought that I'm not supposed to be doing this job.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, my cousin died on Wednesday. Now anyone close to me knows I have a RACK of first cousins, and that my family is huge. And not surprisingly, I'm more in touch with some cousins than others. This cousin, while I didn't see often, I truly loved, and what's more? Her dad is one of my favorites. Kiki was the first baby born after me (my family ALWAYS has babies running around), and I remember being spittin' mad that no one would let me hold her. I also remember my grandfather sneaking her onto my lap when no one was looking. I remember when Kiki's baby sister was born, I used my 8 (maybe 9)- year old wisdom to deduce that everyone would be so crazy about the NEW baby, that I could finally get to hold Kiki. And now...35 far too short years later, she's drifted out of this world, leaving her family, and my uncle, devastated. I should hope by now she's run into my Grandfather, and he's telling her that her kids and her parents will be fine, that people learn to live with broken hearts more often than is fair.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before last week, I was thinking about flirting with some things that had always fascinated me, wanting to indulge some curiosity a bit. Nothing that would jeopardize my secret clearance, not to worry. But I definitely lived the first 40 within the constraints of what I was supposed to do...go to college, major in business, get a good government job, get married, start a family. And while all of these things have paid humongous dividends in my life (and, I think, humanity), I think the road not taken starts to loom larger the further you get away from it. And I started to wonder, had the list not been given to me, what would I have chosen to put on it?</div><div><br /></div><div>And after a great weekend with friends, filled with laughter, shooters, and drinking games, a weekend where I returned to pre-40 Tye, it kind of all has come together for me. During the weekend, I realized that I truly missed my 40-Tye. I spent some time with some great people, revisited a couple of broken hearts of my own (as only drunk people can do), and realized that I'm not defined anymore by what I don't have, or what I am not. And I'm no longer defined by the things I wish I could have missed from my life. I am, simply, me. </div><div><br /></div><div>I sing at the top of my lungs in the car. I dance in the elevator bay at work. I will save a blog for days to find just the write song title that fits. I love television. I cry at the drop of a hat. I am sarcastic. My heart is on the outside of my body, and can usually be found on a four year old that sings misheard lyrics better than I do (did you KNOW that the Spice Girls song says "if you wanna be my booger"!!!). I snore when I'm tired. I don't like mean people. I could probably come up with 31 more, but that would get long.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so, here's my 40-Tye list:</div><div><br /></div><div>- Go to college</div><div>- Get a good job</div><div>- Get married </div><div>- Start a family</div><div>- As yet, unwritten</div><div><br /></div><div>College is this wonderful halfway house between being a kid and being an adult. Everyone doesn't need it, but I did, and I highly recommend it. And anyway, I met one of my best friends on the planet there. I would leave business off the list this time, because I have no interest in it. Money doesn't interest me anymore, beyond having enough to take care of my family (and indulge my iLife, and love of Nordstrom's). I do not define "good job" by what the job pays, but one that is completely soul satisfying. And I still don't know what that is, which is unfortunate. Maybe it's not working at all - to spend my time being a better member of the community who know? But it's immaterial - I've made some deals with some people (namely Chase Home Loans) that makes the whole "not working" idea moot. The last two things on my list are a given - I know, without a shadow of a doubt that somewhere along the line, I did something exactly right to land a husband that gets me and completes me, and a kid that truly makes me fall to my knees in gratitude every single night. Tonight, as I put Alex to bed, he said -- and I quote -- "Mommy, I really really really really missed you and I love you." And in his eyes I saw EXACTLY why I jumped out of bed this morning and made Walter drive on a snowy mountain. THIS is where I belong. Going away is wonderful; coming home is...a blessing.</div><div><br /></div><div>From that 30,000 foot view I learned that anything that I thought I could do to infuse some excitement in my life paled in comparison to what my life already is. I have my parents - Alex is fortunate to have all of his grandparents. His weekend spent with his grannies was so much fun for him. I'm so lucky to never have to worry about my kid. I miss him when he's not around, but I never once worry about his safety (except in that psychotic way that I have of imagining the worst - a thing I'm trying to fix). I have a magnificent support group of friends, friends who are accepting, who are always willing to cheer me on, and tell me when to get my head out of my a$$. The whole job thing...? Well - definitely not a calling, but what it does give me is options. I know I could do anything I wanted to do, but right now I have a job that gets me home in time for soccer practice and dinner. Who would walk away from such? (And I just KNOW that published book is right around the corner).</div><div><br /></div><div>From 30,000 feet, I see that some things may nor not meant to be conquered. I will probably never have the confidence that it seems other people ooze. I am never going to feel like the prettiest, or the smartest, or the skinniest, or any of the -iest things the other people have. But you know what that does give me? Kindness. Compassion. A sense of humor. I'd like to think I have just enough confidence, that with the other 3, I could maybe be okay. The liberating part if that the list doesn't have to end...ever. As long as we are lucky enough to draw breath, we can always choose to put more stuff on the list, right? </div><div><br /></div><div>From 30,000 feet, I have pretty close to everything I ever wanted. So it turns out that maybe I wrote that list after all. The road less travelled becomes just like any other road after a while...a pretty road, with lots of sights. But it's important to keep focused on the road you're ON: it has a lot of beautiful sights too, and you don't want to miss them. And you also don't want to get blindsided because you weren't paying attention.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-74239668648483051002011-03-23T18:11:00.001-07:002011-03-23T19:22:28.192-07:00The Motown SongAfter the most frustrating evening involving my car being about 3 hours later than they estimated, having Alex miss soccer practice, I settle in to watch my Idols...I'm a little behind.<br /><br />Why is Idol still 2 hours? We can't condense this at all? Are there no midseason replacements? It's feeling quite a bit like filler to me, but hey...it's my show!<br /><br />Okay, so it's Motown night, usually among my favorites. Naima, Paul, Stefano and Lauren should rock tonight, but it might be hard for James Durbin. I think Jacob will either kill it, or stink - there will be no middle for him. One would think Scotty would struggle, but if he picks a bluesy number...one of the slower Temptation songs, he should do well too.<br /><br />First up is Casey, who is singing I Heard it Thru the Grapevine. He's growling and doing his thing. He's just batsh!t crazy, but I think I love that about him. Either that, or I fear him. The judges are feeling me on this, because Steven just flat out calls him crazy. I believe he said he was "crazy ass out of control". Seriously. Jen and Randy says he can only do him and that he knows who he is. Translation: batsh!t crazy sells, and if we do this right, we can bottle the Casey Abrahms drug"...and speaking of that...Charlie Sheen? Wow.<br /><br />Thia is singing Heatwave by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. Okay, I like that she picked a faster tune, but this still seems dated. Why does she seem old to me? Her vocals are lovely as usual, but this is not a happening performance for me. Oh, and I don't like this ending. Eh. Jennifer compliments her on the refreshing change of tempo but that it still feels safe. Randy and Steven like that she took a chance, but needs her to believe in herself more so that she'll take more chances. Get it together, Sweetie. You're in danger of being forgettable.<br /><br />Next up? Jacob is singing You're All I Need to Get By. The producer says there's no one more natural to sing Motown, citing his gospel background, and well...see my note above. The producer (still don't know his name) wisely advises him to not keep using the runs. One of the Funk Brothers is joining him on stage. Nice. Hey - this is nice! He is controlled and he builds to a lovely crescendo. He's nicely invoking the Aretha Franklin version and I'm loving it. So is Jennifer, and I cannot say enough how contagious her enthusiasm is. Okay, my first time saying this, I think, this season...or maybe the second. He sang the almighty sh!t out of that. And the end was kickin'!! Nicely done, Jacob. he obviously took the advice of Producer. That was easily my favorite performance of the entire season. I loved it. I consider this to be his breakout moment. Steven loves it too, going to the stage to embrace him...and it was nice. A little disconcerting that Steven's ass looks better in the skinny jeans than most women, but it was a nice moment. I'm loving Jacob even more as he thanks the band and the backup singer. Randy says that Berry Gordy was saying somewhere saying OMG! He notes that he took the producer's advice...JIMMY! the producer's name is Jimmy. Steven says he milked this performance and Jennifer chimes in and says he made them beg, that they were sitting there saying "Give it to me give it to me". And um...yeah. All around praise for a spectacular vocal.<br /><br />Lauren takes on You Keep Me Hangin' On, by the Supremes. We will just see how this goes. I'm not loving this choice, and she's already going to pale in comparison to Jacob. We know this. It begins well, I think, oh, she's working the stage. I'm eh about this, and it may be her bad luck following Jacob tonight. She looks lovely though. Steven loves her tonight, and says she does her own thing every time she's on the stage. Jennifer says she brought it to life for everyone (maybe not me). Randy says she's got her swagger on. Okay, maybe I'm still having the Jacob love. I still like her though.<br /><br />Back from break, Lauren notes how hard it was to follow Jacob, and. Word.<br /><br />Stefano's Mom made the entire house dinner and I know this because AI doesn't need to be TWO HOURS! Stefano is singing Hello, by Lionel Ritchie. Why? Of ALL the songs in the Motown songbook? Don't get me wrong, I love the song (though I never got the video). Wow. They all cautioned Stef to keep his eyes open and it's clearly killing him to do so, and the result is wonky eyes. Here's what I like about Stefano...his voice. It's very clear and easy on the ears and he has a nice range. What I'm eh about - this arrangement. It's too sleepy for me. Yeah, that didn't work for me so much...Jennifer begins with "All right, Baby. Let's talk." she hated it. She says everyone knows he can sing, but that he's not connecting with the audience. She said she doesn't want the intensity from him wanting to do well, but from him wanting to let the audience know that his heart is breaking. Randy says the connection is missing, and they all agree that is what's keeping him from greatness. Even Ryan has to note that he got some amazing advice.<br /><br />Haley is now on my nerves. It's nothing she's done, other than we all know she should have gotten the boot last week. Hey Otis!! I think he's the last surviving member of the original Temptations. She's singing You've Really Got A Hold On Me. Let's see how this goes, but I'm skeptical. Producer Jimmy tells her she's got to give it everything because she HAS to connect this week. And. Word. And 2 notes in, i. Hate it. Hate that shes on the stage. Hate the outfit. Hate that she's not showcasing her voice, aside from the guttural thing she does, which I'm also starting to hate. Even the somewhat cool run at the end doesn't redeem this for me. I liked her hair though. Randy says he started rough, but by the middle/end she was into it and he liked her. Steven says it was beautiful and that she sang her heart out. Steven goes onto show her how the growl is supposed to be done. Jennifer says she has one of the most soulful voices and it does exactly what she wants it to do. But notice how that's not exactly praise? I don't know what they heard, but I didn't like it.<br /><br />Scotty is doing For Once In My Life, by Stevie Wonder. Sounds as though they are country-ing it up...uh-oh. Scotty said he didn't want to come off as a lounge singer. And...uh...well. Maybe a little, but overall it wasn't bad. Actually, it was pretty good, the vocals were nice. His lower register actually calls my cougar a little bit. Steven says he took a big chance and that he loved it, and that his lower register is where he lives. I KNOW. Randy doesn't know if it was his best yet, but he loves that he made it his own. He did kinda remind me of Barry White with that note. Scotty did his one trick tonight. It worked.<br /><br />Pia is singing Stevie Wonder's All In Love Is Fair. Big song. I kinda want her to speed it up at some point, but i admit she could own this. Pia is so pretty, and I love her voice. Hot-cha-cha she looks smokin'. Okay, so here's the thing. She is singing this well, but I don't feel any sort of OH MY GOSH with that. It was simply good. I wanted to like it more than I think I did. Jennifer is feeling me on this...I can tell. She says another beautiful ballad, but said she needs her to move around the stage (notes this was her THIRD ballad). Yeah, Jenny from the Block is bored. Randy likes her impeccable vocals, but says too many ballads, in short. Randy is bored too. Steven is mesmerized by the Pia love and just rambles about how wonderful she is...and I get it. Pia is wearing that dress...I can see how she would void the mind of independent thought.<br /><br /><br />My man Paul is singing Tracks of My Tears, and Walter's face just went slack...as you know he LOVES Smokey. Producer Jimmy says he needs to feel this song. If I remember correctly (-and everyone knows my short term memory is SO suspect), didn't Adam Lambert changing the entire course of the competition when he sang this song? Paul's hair reminds me of a baby duck. I kinda like this...kinda. It's a completely different version, and It showcased his different voice. Randy says he needs to embrace his different voice. Steven compares him to Bob Dylan. I get it. Jennifer says he's the complete package and all he needs is a good producer. Walter always gets a vote on Smokey songs. He says it didn't work for him, but he can't figure out why. Because for a bit, it seemed like it was all over the place.<br /><br />Naima is up next, singing Dancing in the Street. And Girl! Stop with the dance-y dance-y already!! The band is rocking tonight. But Naima...and it pains me to say this, but I think Naima has gone as far as she's meant to go in this competition. She's being consistently out sung...and what the ham sandwich is she doing up there...as I said earlier in the paragraph: STOP IT WITH THE DANCING! It's enough, it's random, and it's scaring me. And it leaves me with a bad taste...it's one of the few times I wish Simon were still here. Can't you hear him? Steven takes a sip from the PaulaCup..."it was A to the Z to the twiddly dee". Jennifer says she got the goosies, and that she's a great performer. Randy calls it a smart performance, that she didn't move around, saving her voice, and that she took the advice from earlier weeks. Hookay. We will have to agree to disagree.<br /><br />Random? I gave up fries for Lent. And the Big Mac has never looked as good to me as it does now.<br /><br />Last up, James Durbin is singing Livin Just Enough for the City. Producer Jimmy says if he gets this right, it could be his moment. I might not get to see his moment though because torrential downpours are killing my satellite. James works the stage pretty well, and I think he does the song proud. Okay, this was pretty good, I think. Jennifer says Oh My God about 14 times. She calls him incredible and that he leaves her speechless. Randy said it started kinda rough for him, but he gets more confidence when he hits the high notes. Steven says it takes a little bit of crazy to make a difference in this world. So that's it. That's what's happening in my office - they are trying to make a DIFFERENCE! I see. Anyhow, they'll loved it and I liked it more than I expected I would.<br /><br />So that's a wrap...bottom 3? Stefano, Thia, and maybe Naima? I think Naima and Stefano have a legitimate shot at the save.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-39959490891445070552011-03-17T16:27:00.000-07:002011-03-17T18:13:57.514-07:00Born This WayOkay, so DVR has held onto Idol for a full 24 hours. At this rate, I have no hope of posting this before the elimination show, however, I know for a fact that DVR will hold on to the results show as long as I need it. At least, I think I will. My DVR upstairs is very temperamental - prone to fits, amnesia, being absolutely unproductive and apologetic for it. Hmm...I think I know a place it would fit right in.<div><br /></div><div>In the interest of full disclosure, the show was background noise last night while I did all the things we do in preparation for the next day. But I purposely didn't pay attention to the judges critiques to maintain my objectivity. The Idol titles on DVR are very repetitive - "Contestants Compete" and "One Voted Off'. That's it until May, I guess.<div><br /></div><div>The show opens with the Fab Four making a plea for donations for the devastation in Japan, and Steven even finds a way to look...not quite sober...during that. All joking aside (because you know the jokes are about to commence), I still can't quite wrap my mind around what's happening in Japan - the quake, the tsunami, the threatened nuclear disaster. Yet another reminder that there are no guarantees that your tomorrow will look anything like today...we need to keep living out loud, Peeps. A life of silence sounds...quiet.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyhoo, Ryan invites us to aMERican Idol! And opens with a nod to Ashthon who's back in Tennessee tonight (as she was last night), and a word about that. I would have thrown the bullsh!t card if they had saved her. I mean, really! How many times would America have to tell the judges that they didn't want Ashthon. I haven't watched that particular results show yet, and something tells me I won't. I was just over here. I still want to know what the judges saw.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tonight the Idols are singing songs from the year they were born, and I remember thinking last night that some of the songs I was hearing were songs from my lost decade, the 90's, and I felt old. But then I thought perhaps I was feeling old because I'd worked harder than a bullfighter yesterday.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>First up is Naima, singing What's Love Got to Do With It (1984. I was a freshman in high school). They say something about bring it into the 2000's, and I'm immediately skeptical. We'll see about this - it could be really really good...or not. Naima is shown in the producers office and she's crying AGAIN. This poor girl. Remember the one from 2 seasons ago that seemed like she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown? Oh...but she's crying over being separated from her kids. Okay, I take it back. I would cry too, and her Mom goes on to shed some tears over Naima living a dream that she had, and that's very sweet. Okay. Naima begins on the steps that Ryan Seacrest (and Adam Lambert) own. Uh-oh. I don't love this and it's only partly her fault. I don't like the arrangement (but I warned you that might happen). And it seems like she didn't learn her lesson about breathing and moving around on the stage. But the vocals seemed off to me. Oh Naima, you confound me. I want to love you - I love your story, and I love your look, but something's going. Steven pays her a lovely compliment, saying she has a 'sorcerer's grasp on her melody' and that he loved it...what? Jennifer starts off by saying she gave her a pass for last week (SEE?), but that now she's starting to seem consistently pitchy and that she needs to work on that. Randy heaps on that, saying that when he watched last week's tape, he saw that it was not that good (told ya!), and that she's pitchy. So clearly, she confounds them too. We are not off to a good start tonight.</div><div><br /></div><div>We come back after the break to have Naima tell us that her she gets so worked up it affects her pitch. And uh...yeah.</div><div><br /></div><div>Paul was born in 1984 too, and I love this guy. He's so fun to me. He's singing Elton John's "I Guess That Why They Call it the Blues", one of my favorites. His voice and his performance style should lend itself well to this song. The producer notes that he's hoarse and says "please come with your full voice". Thank you Captain Obvious. I'm sure he was thinking that maybe he'd try performing on the big stage with just a piece of his voice. Oh! Backup singers! I love back up singers. It's so hard not to adore this man - and here's why I like this. He makes it his own just by how unique his voice is. I just don't expect that simple little voice to come out of his body. He reminds me of a sober Jason Castro. You can tell his still hoarse though, but it's still good to me. Jennifer is singing along (oh, I didn't comment on how she looks tonight...smokin'. There.) He lost me a little bit on the ending with the clenched-Sonny-Corinthos-teeth, but all in all, I sit here smiling. Jennifer notes that he didn't sound like himself, but that she thought it was good. Randy was all...uh-uh - this was bad, you're pitchy, but he likes what he does, and compares him to Ray Lamontaine and...LOVE, and notes that he loves that he puts the "Paul spin on it". Or as I said "he makes it his own just by how unique his voice is... Sigh. Steven calls him a Cool Dude in a Loose Mood, noting the uniqueness of his voice and people are probably starting to recognize that voice. Right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Thia was born on 1995 -- and when Thia was born, I was in...life. Like I was working and being me. Thia's voice is like BUTTER in rehearsal. She's singing Colors of the Wind, by Vanessa Williams. She should do lovely things with this, but she's going to have to speed it up at some point. She looks and sounds lovely. I just don't believe that this girl is only 16. She's so composed. And I really love her voice tonight, singing this song. After the first two performances, it's...ahem...a welcome change. Well done, Thia. That made me smile. Randy says her vocals are just "okay", but he's having a problem with her singing ALL OF THESE BALLADS. He found her performance boring and "pageanty". Don't say I didn't warn you, Pia. Steven says she thought it was lovely, but asks if that song is a good definition of her? And she says...in a word...no. Jennifer loves the tone of her voice, but basically they are consistent in that she's being safe and let it go. So the judges were too bored to appreciate her voice. Boo.</div><div><br /></div><div>Adam Lambert's protege James Durbin is up next, and he's singing oh wait -- Hi Kate! Hi Ryder! She's very cute by covering her face with her Chee-tos and she seems genuinely embarrassed to be on camera. James was born in 89 (Junior in college). He's singing "I'll Be There for You", by Bon Jovi...this could work. He's kinda rockin' this tonight - I am liking the arrangement and when he's not screaming at me, you can see that the quality of his voice is really kind of effortless. Oh! Guitar solo. That worked well. Steven calls James on his video, and says he has "leftover sandwiches under his bed older than he is"...and...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Steven says it's good, but cautions him not to go to poppy. James says that Aerosmith had some good music in '89 too (Captain Obvious shows up at the most inconvenient times), but says he didn't want to go Aerosmith too early that he wants to "save it for the finale". And...that was kind of awesome. Like somehow he did it without stepping on the smug-o-meter which just surprises the hell out of me. Jennifer just said she was "acting a fool" and I must shout out to my friend Alenka who just busted out that exact phrase and cracked me the hell up. She loves it, as does Randy who says he did Bon Jovi proud. And while I'm still not a fan, I admit, that was good. It worked for him.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next up? Haley was born in 1990 (Senior in College) and is singing I'm Your Baby Tonight by Whitney Houston. Oh, so is this her thing? The Betty Boop with the guttural rips thrown in from time to time? The fact that I'm asking if she has a thing means she's starting to bore me, I think. I am not liking this. I usually like her voice, but this isn't working for me. Her voice just ain't Whitney big. Jennifer starts with how beautiful she looks...that ain't good. But I have to admit I'm not listening to anything Jennifer is saying because Haley has lipstick ALL OVER the bottom of her face. Man, live performances suck. Let me rewind...oh wait, I'm not rewinding because Ryan has bought her a hankie to wipe her lipstick. Randy admits, after 10 years, that he's confused. He goes on to say she's picking artists from all over the place and feels like she doesn't know what kind of artist she wants to be. Steven calls Randy a dawg again, which cracks me up every time. Steven says her voice is so distinct and they love the bluesy quality of her voice and they want to hear more of that. That was decidedly eh.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stefano was born in 1989 as well. He's singing If You Don't Know Me by Simply Red (even though we all know it was Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, but I forgive Stefano because I love him and I love this song.) Stefano starts to sing and I am very happy - he's doing this song justice. He's got a throwback quality to him - the suit with the high tops, very do-woppy. Jennifer is singing along, which I've decided is a good sign that she likes it. I think she's actually falling in love with Stefano just a teeny bit. Okay, he slayed this. His vocals were on point and he obviously took the producers advice. I loved it. And I love Jennifer's makeup tonight. Randy tells us about Harold Melvin and says it's the best performance of the night. Word. He even goes on to say he slayed it. He said slayed and I'm checking my house for bugs tonight. Jennifer's inner cougar comes out a bit and says he's suddenly in it to win it if he does that every week and "sings to her a bit" more. Ryan invites Stefano to go hug his Mom, who is overcome with emotion, and that was a very very sweet moment. Nicely Done, Idol Boyfriend '11.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pia was born in 1988 (Freshman in college) and it's no wonder Pia is so lovely, her Momma is beautiful!! They show this video of Pia singing Whitney Houston and it's HILARIOUS, because she's doing the wide eyed thing that kids do when they are really feeling a song. She's singing Where Do Broken Hearts Go, by Whitney Houston. You know I love Pia, right? She's really good, sounds great as usual, but I couldn't help but think, really? Another power ballad? Even though the arrangement was fast (which, I am just. not. sure. how I feel about that.) Steven says she nailed it and she's the reason American Idol exists. Jennifer says that she's happy she sped it up (okay, so I guess it worked for her), and that she did a great job. Randy says she's in it to win it. High praise for Pia tonight - she does seem to be the entire package. I can see her getting deep into the competition.</div><div><br /></div><div>Scotty was born in 1993 (real life), and is it any surprise that he grew up loving Elvis. And not 50's Elvis on the beach, but 70's Elvis with the jewelry and the jumpsuits. I ain't mad at ya, Scotty...Elvis is awesome. He's singing Travis Tritt's Can I Trust You With My Heart? We know Scotty does country very well and I don't expect tonight to be any different. And it's nice. I want to get mad at him for always doing country, but I can't. I love his voice - he's everything that I love about country music - sincere, melodic and beautiful. But Jennifer is not singing, so she might be about to slam him on his one trick. Yeah, I got some Scotty love. Jennifer wants to see him keep growing and wishes he had done what he did in rehearsal. Randy name drops Travis Tritt, and says that they know he can sing anything, but appreciates that he sings what he knows. Steven tells him to just stay in his lane. I'm going to translate their critique, because i think they all said the same thing: "you're totally going to get a country music deal, so let's see how long you can ride this train".</div><div><br /></div><div>Next up? Karen Rodriguez (who Ryan says was an online audition. What?) was born in 1989 (back to college for me), and she's singing Love Will Bring You Back, by Taylor Dayne. The producer invites her to just be who she is, and her Mom sends her a beautiful heartfelt message. Karen's kinda doing a Bond Girl approach to the stage which is disconcerting. I'm decidedly eh on this. I think it should be better than it is...but I still love when she slips into Spanish, because it's very natural to her. Hmm...I don't know. I think maybe her voice isn't as big as this song. Randy says she started a little rough, and while he's not jumping up and down, it was better than last week. Steven says he loves it when she breaks into her ethnic "what it is-ness", and. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Jennifer gives more constructive performance advice - that as an artist she doesn't have to reach for notes that she doesn't feel comfortable with and to take the liberty to change it up. And that she loves that she seemed to face her fears head on...</div><div><br /></div><div>Casey James is singing Nirvana. Really?</div><div><br /></div><div>Hi Tamyra!! Casey was born in 1991 (end of college. Real life.) And he's singing Smells Like Teen Spirit. The producer, I think in his own way, tries to say this may not work, and Casey says he likes taking risks. To which the producer says "do good things." This may be a mess. Okay, the green light and Casey's moody stare makes this kind of spooky. Okay, this is a mess. He's yelling at me and he looks deranged, and as much as I like Casey, I *don't* like this. This made no sense. And the producer was right. I didn't get it. The band was kicking though. And then at the end of the song he just smiles the most angelic smile. In the words of my kid...awkward. Steven says he's crazy and talented, and that's the goop that great stuff is made of. Jennifer says there are parts of it that got "screamy-screechy", and when she said that, you could tell she was all...don't kill me in my sleep. Randy says he's impressed because, like Radiohead and Ricky Muse, that he loves that he puts art before commerce and loves that he's fearless. He loves that about him. Okay, me too. Because I'd prefer to not say anything bad about Casey and him show up on my doorstep asking me to explain myself.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lauren Alaina has the flu. She was born in 1994. Her Mom says she was a peaceful baby for the first 3 years of her life and then...uh-huh. I know, Mom. I'm living it. I like Lauren. Tonight she's singing Melissa Etheridge I'm the Only One. She better not make a mess of it. Her Dad gets choked up during the video and I just love this whole family. What I don't love is the beginning...but she seems to find the notes, and by the time she gets to the chorus, she is rocking. You can tell she's sick though. Poor thing. Also, I think her nerves are lingering from a bad performance last week. Let it go, Girl, this is a new week. This is just okay for me, but I still like her a lot. Jennifer likes it more than I did, saying she made it her own. In fact, Stev-dy both think she's awesome and that she did a great job.</div><div><br /></div><div>My buddy Jacob Lusk was born in 1987 (summer, right before I started college). Jacob is clowning his mom about his lack of a singing voice, and even though it's cute, do we really need 2 hours for this? Jacob is singing Alone by Heart. Let's see. The producer (I will learn his name) compliments him for stepping outside of gospel to sing rock, that "only the greats do that". Jacob is hopeful that as long as he puts his "lusty stank" (why paraphrase when what they say is so good?), it should be fine. Let's hope. Is Jacob wearing a Member's Only jacket? Okay - the good - I feel his intensity as he singing, and he really, really wants this. The not so good...I keep thinking back to the year that Carrie Underwood sang this and I thought...oh my, she can win this, and this wasn't that good. I give him a solid A for effort, but I don't know how I felt about it. Ranvenfer are love it - each of them saying in their own way that they love what he did with the song. Okay. I'll go with that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, that's the night. Bottom 3? Naima, Haley, and maybe Karen?</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, It's after 9, so my DVR knows who got the boot, but I don't. See you next week, Friends!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-59235859149832720482011-03-09T17:13:00.001-08:002011-03-09T20:27:47.673-08:00I Idolize YouAI is live AND two hours for 13 singers. The judges take the stage and it's a toss up on who has the better hair...Jennifer or Randy. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Just kidding. Both Jennifer and Steven are rocking the hair, but Jennifer, once again, looks hot. Or as they say in my beloved hometown, hawt.<br /><br />Ryan asks who our favorites of the 13 are, and really? Do we know names yet, or are we still in "the one that sang [insert song here]. The idols are singing songs by their favorite idols...which is essentially another way of saying free for all, so we will see how this pans out. I've said before...no mentors this year. Well, no star mentors. The are using producers from Interscope records and I like this much better...no self serving artist who is dropping a disc, and more importantly? No Miley Cyrus.<br /><br />Lauren's idol is Shania Twain because "she's the first artist to mix country and pop", and we're just going to assume that she meant the first in her lifetime because she doesn't want to rain down the wrath of Bonnie Raitt. Anyhoo, Lauren is singing Any Man of Mine, and I'm caught by how out of breath she appears. I don't know if she's nervous or if she literally ran from makeup to the stage. This did not work for me at all...and what in the WORLD is she wearing. Steven starts with how much he loves her voice (he hated it), but says he simply wishes it were more kick ass. Jennifer says its time for her to step up her game, that she can sing...Randy says her voice is bigger than what she just did, and I think Lauren knows that. The sheepish thank you at the end of her performance was a bit of a clue. When asked how she thought she did, she said "I had a good time". Translation: Steven told me he runs laps before performances and I thought it would help me. Poor thing..not her best performance by a country mile.<br /><br />Casey is singing A Little Help From My Friends, By Joe Cocker, which I love, if for no other reason than we get a clip of Joe Cocker...who...what is the deal with Joe Cocker? He's the reason i think the term batsh!t was coined, even though no one would dare apply it to Uncle Joe. I love Casey. He's got a great vibe going on, and wait...what is this? A chorus! This guy is crazy and the very awesome thing he did was resist the urge to do the Joe Cocker growl when the music breaks in this song during the bridge (you know the part...where the chorus sings "do you need anybody??" and all Joe can do is growl?) This worked for me...I love him in spite of the fact that I think Casey is one bad critique away from a manifesto. Jenny from the Block says she goes by what she feels, and that she loved it. She says it blew her away and that she grabbed Randy at one point and said "what am I watching?" and said she was watching someone important. Randy said he loved it, and listening to him is fun. Steven calls Casey a rainbow of talent and a plethora of passion. Hookay.<br /><br />Ashthon is singing Diana Ross and she sounds good in rehearsal...for a bit. But I'm kinda over Ashthon so let's see how this goes. Oh this begins rather rockily (is that a word?) for me. Her voice sounds very unsure of what's she's doing. I applaud her taking the judge's advice about Diana Ross, but this...um...stinks. And oh! I just looked up and she's channeling Diana Ross. What a mess. I'm glad this is over. Randy says he liked it...what? He calls it a safe move but that he thinks she grew with the performance. And Steven agrees with Randy that there's a lot more to see from her. Jennifer says she could tell that it got away from her in some places, but compliments her for pulling it back together, and that while she would have preferred a more familiar Diana Ross song, all in all it wasn't bad. And...<br /><br />...WHAT? Just what the hell??? This is the second week that they've soft pitched their critique to Ashthon. What do they see that I am not seeing? That performance was, at best, beneath mediocre and the only one who even hinted that it was less than a home run was Jennifer. It's clear Ashthon is an early favorite for the judges, so she needs to step up her game and be worthy of it.<br /><br />Paul's idol is Ryan Adams (who?), and he's singing I Wish You Would (I think). Uh-oh. I really like Paul, but it may hurt him that this is not a familiar song (or maybe it is to everyone else but me). Paul's very quirky, which is great, but quirky and an unfamiliar song may not work for America. Steven says it was a little pitchy, and to find a song next time whose chorus is in a comfortable key for him, but that he loves him. Jennifer says he really touched the audience, and that she hasn't heard of the song EITHER. Randy has heard of the group, and loves him for the show he put on. But both Jennifer and Randy both say they hope the audience gets him. Another soft pitch critique, but it's okay because I like Paul.<br /><br />Random? What is the deal with House? That's a creepy dude, right there.<br /><br />Pia's up next, and she looks so pretty. She's singing Celine Dion's version of All By Myself. She's rocking it in rehearsal, let's hope that continues. This is quite good, I think. How come we didn't see much of her before the final 24? She's doing a great job of making this not too treacly. Nicely done, Pia. Steven loved it - they showed his face while she was singing and he was mesmerized. Jennifer is nearly speechless wondering how she could top last week, but that she did it. Randy says she has such a natural gift that he was impressed that took on one of the big three (Mariah, Celine, or Whitney). Steven said that she slammed it, and that is was the culmination of all the work she's done so far. Um, Steven? Let's hope that culmination comes in about 10 weeks or so, Steven. Peaking now would not be a good idea.<br /><br />James Durbin (Adam Lambert wannabe) is singing Maybe I'm Amazed...a song I love, so I'm gonna need him to not eff this up. Okay, well he idolizes Paul McCartney, and it actually sounded good in rehearsals. Okay, it wasn't bad, but singing Paul McCartney while wearing chains doesn't quite compute for me. Yeah, it was good. I just don't like him. I admit it's probably personal. Randy says he's one of his favorites, and goes on to tell a story so that he can name drop a bit. He said that he slayed it and loved the falsetto (that WAS nice). Steven says that he did a great job...actually he rambled a bit and it was lost on me. Jen tells him to get used to the applause as he has a wonderful melodic quality to his voice. And then James demonstrates why he gets on my ever-loving nerves by playing volume games with the audience. Really, Kid. It's enough. I don't honestly think he's as full of himself as he seems to be, but every class I've ever taken says perception is reality, so there. He's pompous.<br /><br />Hayley is singing LeAnn Rimes' Blue, the song that made everyone compare Lee Ann Rimes to Patsy Cline. And...uh...I'm not sure about it. The first note made me scrunch up my nose. Yeah, her yodeling is awkward. I do like her though, and I like this song. I'm just not sure about her singing this song. She looks lovely again tonight. JenVen really liked it; Steven says it was beautiful and that the country western world was roaring. Jen said the yodeling was special, and I'm pretty sure she didn't mean special the way I would have. Randy said it's good that she changed it up from Alycia Keys, but said it was boring from him. She plucks my nerves by trying to talk over Randy's critique; everyone knows how much that bugs me.<br /><br />Jacob Lusk is singing R. Kelly's I Can Believe I Can Fly. Really? Is your Mom okay with you idolizing R. Kelly, Jacob? Jacob's video is memorable for his RIDICULOUS fade that he was sporting when he was 9. And that makes me feel old since guys were rockin' the fade when I was in COLLEGE. Okay, I don't think this song does his voice any favors...OH! chorus!! You can soar, Sweetie, just stop yelling at me. Okay, here's the thing about this...the big part of the song really worked, because Jacob has a big voice. BUT, I feel like perhaps he threw away the quiet part of the song to get to the big part, which makes me not love this as much as I could have if the quieter part had been more intense. Steven loves it and says he can't judge it. (um, Steven, 19 Entertainment called. They'd like a refund.) Jennifer says it's hard to judge him because he feels so much when he sings...which, yeah, I get it, but 19's calling you too. Randy sips from the Paula cup of happy saying he's happy about the talent, but it occurs to him that they picked the talent or some such nonsense. He notes that Jacob fell off a bit, but the end was awesome.<br /><br />Cutie patootie Thea is singing Smile that she thinks is Michael Jackson but really it's Charlie Chaplin but of course Thea doesn't know that because she's 15 and has never heard of a life of silent movies. The beginning of this is lovely - she has a lovely tone to her voice but then...the music speeds up and it has a Lauryn Hill vibe and whatever that note was is not a note that the band is playing. But it got better toward the end. I'm decidedly eh on this. Randy loves the intro (I KNOW!) comparing her to Michael and Adele, but then didn't love the music arrangement and wishes the whole sng had been like the beginning. Steven agrees with Randy, but eases off when he can see Thea is slightly upset by the critique. Jennifer thought the arrangement was interesting, and by that she means lousy. Thea says she felt "a lot more better" at the beginning of the song. And. Yeah. <br /><br />We come back from the break and Thea is upset...poor thing. Stop crying, it was okay.<br /><br />Stefano is singing Lately by Stevie Wonder. This should be good. I was so impressed with his wild card performance last week. But he needs to stop making the wonky camera faces and what the hell is this arrangement. Oh I hate this. The arrangement of this song is all wrong. Because this is one of my favorite songs, I KNOW that Stevie is tortured in this song. He realizes his lover loves another and he's broken up, but he doesn't want to say anything to her because he's afraid she'll leave. That is NOT a story that deserves a dance beat. Ew. Even Stefano's lovely vocal quality cannot cheer me up with that effed up arrangement. Steven says he pulled it off, and thought it was beautiful. Jennifer says that he had her dancing and that it's hard to do with such a classic ballad. Randy said he slayed it, and that Stevie would be proud. Again, his vocals were very nice, but I pretty much hated it. I have to listen to Stevie's version again to get this one out of my mind.<br /><br />Karen is singing Selena. Oh, this will be tricky...singing Selena on front of Jennifer Lopez. Good luck. Oh. My. The beginning is shaky. Either she's nervous or this doesn't work for her lower register. The middle is better, but overall, as much as I loved Karen last week, this is not working for me. I was hoping to like this more. Jennifer says she looks beautiful (of course she does, she looks like Jennifer in Selena!), but says she was obviously uncomfortable up there, and that she was having pitch problems. Randy says it was sleepy for him...I liked the way Steven put it - she used up all of her energy to get to the end of the song...definitely not as good as I was expecting.<br /><br />Scotty earns my love just a little bit more by saying "kicked up" in that country accent and it's kinda great. He's singing Garth Brooks' The River. Okay, so far Scotty is a bit of a one-trick pony. But his one trick is a good one. His voice is rich and melodic and this performance sounds about how you'd expect it would. Randy says if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and that country is where he belongs. Scotty is going to be in trouble if they have disco night this year. Steven loves it too...I think...Steven's been deep into the drink tonight. Jennifer is happy to see he's connecting with the audience and loves it too. If Scotty has a formula, he worked it tonight.<br /><br />Last up, Naima is singing Rihanna. And again? SHE'S your idol? Nothing against RiRi, but seriously? Naima is lockin' and poppin' in rehearsal...this should be good. Okay, this is a lot more current than anything she's done yet, right? That's good, it makes her younger to me...oh whoops! Raggae Rap!! I actually like that...oh but wait what was the Beyond Thunderdome dance? Okay, I think Walter just summed it up magnificently: "what started as overzealous has disintegrated into a horse ass mess". Yeah, what he said. I'm confused by this whole thing and I'm glad it's last because my mind is scrambled. Steven said she had some pitch problems, but that he adores her for bringing something different. Jennifer just basically says damn what you heard, that was a great performance. Her critique is actually very constructive however, in terms of learning to control her vocals when she's dancing. Randy says he does care about the pitch, but that she obviously learned how hard it is to sing and dance at the same time. Hmmm...I'm still confused and it's not helped by Naima using the word overstand, instead of understand. <br /><br />Bottom three? Maybe Karen, Ashthon, and Paul?<br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-54101973897659902402011-03-03T08:47:00.001-08:002011-03-03T08:47:07.791-08:00Ladies' ChoiceThe Idol ladies are taking the stage tonight, but first, the introduction. This is the first time this year I think I’ve heard Ryan say “this is..aMERican Idol!”. One thing that’s been held over from last year is the judges taking the stage first, and holy GUACAMOLE Jennifer Lopez is looking smoking fine. I’m not a fan of the thigh boots, but good Lord her hair is working it tonight. Stop it, Jennifer. I don’t have a crush on you. I don’t.<br /><br />All of the judges give the usual speech about how you have to bring it tonight, with a little added emphasis on this being their only shot at the top 10. Steven notes he’s addicted to adrenaline, and tells the contestants they need to leave it ALL on stage tonight, to sing if it was an encore. And again, I cannot say enough how much better AI works that the judges are all performers in their own right. <br /><br />Like last night (I think I failed to mention this in last night’s blog), the ladies can sing whatever they want. This is both a blessing and a curse. It’s great because you are not limited to a genre/body of work that may or may not work well with your singing style. It’s a curse because, as 9 years have proven, some of these poor things are just a mess when they have too many choices.<br /><br />First up is Ta-Tynisa Wilson. Really? I wonder if she added the hyphen in Hollywood. She claimed in her audition to have been a Beyonce impersonator. And. Okay. She’s taking on, I believe this is Katy Perry, The Only Girl in the World. It would appear my bad mood may be holding over from last night. She’s more about performing than singing, and both of them are falling rather flat. I feel like she’s yelling at me on some points, and this whole thing just isn’t working for me. Steven says she sang the song beautifully…what? Jennifer says she liked her groove, but that it started off shaky. She goes onto say that she bought it home. Randy disagrees (okay, so Randy is going to be the judge with sense this season). Oh, Randy points out that it’s Rihanna (oops), and that her version was pale and her notes were sharp. In short, he didn’t like it. Jennifer says that being a performer is all about moving the crowd and that she did that. Randy said she didn’t move him. And my love for the Dawg grew three sizes just then.<br /><br />Next up is Naima Adedapo. Ryan likes her dress, but I wonder what the hell she’s wearing. She’s taking on Summertime and even with the touchy feely introduction, she better KILL this. This song has too many memories with AI. Okay, to her credit, she’s changed up the arrangement completely, and her version jumps a little more like it did in Porgy and Bess. I can’t figure out what it is about her that keeps me from loving her out and out – she has a great backstory and she seems so doggone likable. I do like what she’s doing tonight, though. She’s got a Leila Hathaway/Oleta Adams vibe happening and it works for me. I don’t’ know if I’d say she KILLED it, but she did a good job. Jennifer compares her to an exotic flower in a rose garden (Jennifer, it’s that ridiculous frock she’s wearing. Glad I could clear that up for you). Randy says it’s a little lounge act for him, and I agree, but good lounge act. Not Love Boat. Randy does bring up Fantasia, and even though she didn’t KILL it (his words), admits that she made it her own (19 Entertainment? I’m still available to judge, even though the Feds have decided to figure out a way to keep me employed for 2 more weeks…but that’s another rant). Steven Tyler loves her. He has loved her since he saw her and that hasn’t changed. He compares her to Ella Fitzgerald, which is HIGH praise in my book.<br /><br />Kendra Chantelle is singing some song I don’t know, but she sounds great. She won me over singing Blackbird in Las Vegas. Wait – is she singing some version of Aretha Franklin’s Ain’t No Way? Okay, I need to rewind this, I’ve spent so much time trying to figure out what this tune is that I’ve only halfway listening. Okay, I still don’t know what this song is, but I liked it – she sounds great, and looks beautiful. That last note was kind of wonky to me, but did you SEE Steven Tyler looking at her like he wanted to have a Kendra Sandwich? Okay, Randy clears up the mystery somewhat – it’s Christina Aguilera. Randy loved it, saying he felt connected to her and compares her to Lauryn Hill. He said that she had a few notes that didn’t work for him, but overall, nice job. Steven Tyler (not surprising to anyone who was watching his face while she was singing) said that she sounds and looks hot and says she’s the whole package. Jennifer says she has heart. She notes she fought her way into the Top 12 and that she belongs there, but that she thinks that performance just scratched the surface. Nicely done, Kendra.<br /><br />Random? I kind of want to see this movie Beastly.<br /><br />Rachel Zevita is going all out burlesque tonight. Oh, the throwing off the cape may not work for her in this crowd. Oh wait! This is Fiona Apple. What the hell has she done with this song? So I’ll say this – I LOVE her dress, and my inner lounge singer loves this. She works the stage and she’s a true vamp. BUT, I don’t know how this is going to go over with the judges. It was totally Broadway, and to my everlasting chagrin, they always say that like it’s a bad thing. Steven loves her swagger but says – I defacate you not – that “it’s a little too Broadway for him. Not that it’s a bad thing, I thinks it could be your niche”. And OH MY GOD GET OUT OF MY HEAD STEVEN TYLER. Rachel says she’s never done Broadway before, and Steven just lets that comment sit there (one more reason to love these judges). Jennifer says it’s obvious she belongs on a stage, and she needs to decide how she wants the audience to see her, and she wishes she could have seen more of the talent that landed her into the top twelve. Randy, obviously wanting his fellow judges to lay a little more smackdown pipe, says point blank that it wasn’t great, he didn’t like it, he didn’t get it, and that he didn’t even recognize the song.<br /><br />Karen Rodriguez is singing Hero and my goodness, she’s channeling Jennifer Lopez in Selena for me. Maybe it’s how often she changes her hair up. She looks lovely and oh my gosh – she just started singing in Spanish and I love her. I love this. This is very understated and maybe she’s getting an extra boost from Rachel just being a lively mess on stage, but this is so refreshing – her gown, her voice. I’m loving this performance. And she just said “I love you Mom” which put a lump in my throat. Very nice. Jennifer keeps saying “wow”. And of course, because she’s seeing herself on stage. Jennifer compliments her on going effortlessly from English to Spanish, Randy says he loves that she was herself up there. Steven says that she needs to record that song with Jacob. In short, we all loved it.<br /><br />Next up? Lauren Turner is singing yet another song that I don’t know. She’s kinda got a vamp vibe happening too, but unlike for Rachel, it’s working for her. Maybe it’s the song, but I think it’s because her vocals aren’t lost in her performance. She can really sing – she’s got this raspy thing that works and even though she kinda yelled the last note at me, I thought this was very good. Randy says “that’s how you do it”. He compares her to Amy Whinehouse (okay, I can get that), he loves her bluesy soul vibe. Me too. Steven calls her spectacular, and even though he wasn’t sure in the beginning, by the end he loved it. Jennifer says she loved it, but says she’s gotta bring it more. More tips on performing, which is awesome for these kids, but says she thought it was great.<br /><br />Back from break that kid whose name I think I’m trying not to learn further because I don’t like him (the Adam Lambert knockoff) irritates me by standing next to Ryan and making a nonverbal height joke. And really? I can tell that Ryan is IRRITATED. And so am I. Know your role, kid. How rude.<br /><br />Anyhoo, Ashthon Jones with the pretty eyes is singing, I think this is Monica. The song is Love All Over Me, and this is only okay for me. I don’t hear much difference from when I hear it on the radio, except maybe her notes aren’t as strong as they are on the radio. But I do like her and hope she gets to stick around past this week. On the whole, I think the ladies are stronger this season. As you can see I’ve kind of moved on from this performance – that’s how mediocre it was for me. Steven calls her Jonesy…which I like. He says she goes places with her voices and that they’ve found one. One what? I don't know...that's just what he said. Jennifer says she’s got the makings of a diva, the confidence, the big hair, the composure, and Ashthon says she gets it from her (Jennifer). And it was a sweet moment, not a cheesy one, even with the neck roll. It leads to a great exchange where Ashthon does a little Jennifer imitation, and I think Jennifer is flattered. Randy agrees with them, but says he didn’t love the song choice. In fact, none of them commented on her song, just her. Translation – we didn’t love that but we love you and want you to stick around.<br /><br />Julie Zorilla is singing Breakaway. Always a risk when you sing one of the former Idols, in my opinion. In could work in a “gee-I-really-want-this” kind of way, or it could fall flat in a “wannabe” way. And while Julie looks lovely, I feel like this is falling flat for me. Maybe it’s because she’s not doing anything all that different from Kelly’s version, or maybe it’s because I really love this song and she needed to wow me. Whatever the reason, I like her, but didn’t like this. Jennifer didn’t love it – saying she didn’t know if it was completely believable. Randy says she didn’t bring anything different or new to the song (I know, it’s so sad how much they copy me), but further that she didn’t sing it as well as Kelly did. Steven says it was the wrong song for her, that perhaps if it had been a couple of keys higher it would have showcased her voice more (reference my last blog about how the judges are so much more constructive this year).<br /><br />Haley Reinhart is singing Fallen, the song that got her to Hollywood. And I was about to slam her for that, but she may have known what she was doing on this one because it sounds AWESOME. She’s got one heck of a voice. Okay, I have to pause satellite here for this –<br /><br />At this point, she’s singing and Jennifer’s watching, and you see Jennifer say “Come On!”, like you’ve got this girl, let it go. That might be my single favorite moment so far this season. Jennifer GETS it.<br /><br />- okay, back to Haley…she can SING. Her performance is actually a little wonky for me (memo to Haley – next time get a standing mic – it’ll force you to stand still). Still, I’ll take bad movements and a great voice anyday. Oh my goodness – she worked that out. Still though, she’s going to have to sing something different to earn my total love, but that was AWESOME! Randy didn’t love it, saying it felt karaoke to him. That he loved the Joplin in her voice but that it was gone. Steven says that he thought it was the right amount of sass and sexy and if he agreed with Randy, “they’d both be wrong”. And. BWAHAHAHAHAHA. Jennifer said she loved it but that she needs to get out of her head, that she seemed like she was thinking too much about her movements. Anyhoo, she should SAIL into the top 10 based on that performance.<br /><br />Thia Megia is singing one of my all time favorite songs – Out Here On My Own from the movie Fame (and I’m not just saying that because I sang it one summer at camp and even though if I were to hear the tape now I’d think it sucked, I was really feeling it in 1985). Oh, the spotlight and the a capella…nice. She’s one of the teenagers, right? I love this. I love her. She looks beautiful and I can’t believe she’s this composed on this big stage. Some might say this was a little TOO understated, but I really think it worked. Of course, I could be biased. She’s FIFTEEN. Steven comments on her perfect pitch, and that it was beautiful. Jennifer loves the quiet moment in the middle of all of these big performances. And. Word. She said it was special. Randy says that the mark of a great singer is the quality of the tone, and that her tone reminds him of Michael Jackson and that’s he loves her. Ryan says that he’s going to need proof that she’s only 15. She was remarkably composed. I really liked that. I’m glad the judges did too.<br /><br />Lauren Alaina has straightened her hair and is working some Reba McEntire. She’s good, and another one that I don’t believe is only 16. I think the band may have overpowered her a bit, but all in all, that was very good. Jennifer loves it. Randy says he likes it, but there’s so much more in there for her, and he compares her of a cross between Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, and that he wonders if she knows how good she is. Steven says it was good, but she doesn’t need to power sing every time, that he misses it when she doesn’t sing understated. Lauren calls Ryan “Peaches” because they are both from Georgia…and I kinda love it.<br /><br />Pia Toscano closes out the night with the Pretenders’ I’ll Stand By You, and I love it. I love the beginning of this. She looks so beautiful…and she’s slaying this. Her vocals are lovely, and she’s got power in all the right places – very nice. You can see by Randy’s face that he loves this. Oh, she got the standing ovation from the judges. Yeah, it was that good. Randy says yo about 15 times and then he says she put herself in the top with such amazing vocals. Steven says “After Monday and Tuesday, even a week says WTF”. I think that’s his way of saying that she rocked it (and that Paula’s cup isn’t gone). Jennifer says she was a little tricky, that as good as they knew she was, she was saving that performance for when it counted. It was awesome. Congrats, Pia.<br /><br />All in all, I think tonight was stronger than last night – I would probably keep more of the girls than the boys, that whole five and five thing sucks. But it would not surprise me if the judge’s picks are all women.<br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020800053324585499.post-57149468720694489742011-03-01T17:11:00.001-08:002011-03-01T18:35:33.755-08:00It's Your ThingAmerican Idol surprised me. I forgot it was on tonight. The guys are singing, this is the first live show, and the audience is feeling Jennifer and Steven as much as I am. I think Ryan said that the top 5 vote getting boys and girls, plus the judges wild card picks would go forward next week, so I guess they aren't going to spend the next three weeks getting to the top 10. Oh AI, I am loving you.<br /><br />First up, Clint Jun Gamboa, who is singing Stevie Wonder. Very Superstitious. Something about this kid bugs me...maybe i haven't forgiven him for being so awful to JayCee. Anyhoo, i find this very screechy. I will give him this...it was a bouncy performance, and the vocals were okay, but the whole thing was eh. For me. Steven says that it was brilliant...What?? Jennifer says his obvious jitters didn't affect his performance. Randy liked it too...so maybe I just don't like Clint Gamboa because it wasn't there for me. But it must have been hard to go first.<br /><br />Jovany Boreto is singing I'll Be, the song Edwin McCain never wishes he wrote after AI contestants have spent the last ten years murdering it. That was kinda nice, I have to admit, even though he's not doing much more with the song than the radio did...which could hurt if someone invokes the term karaoke. Steven loved it. Jennifer is happy because we can see what Jovany can do (she's TOTALLY crushing on him) Randy says it felt karaoke for him, proving that it was the chair I was in tune with, not Simon.<br /><br />Jordan Dorsey is covering Usher. Oh no. This is wrong. First of all, this isn't a vocally complicated song so it doesn't really demonstrate his talent. Second, its too early in the competition to be taking on performances, People. You need to focus on singing. Third, I find Jordan to be a bit of a pompous ass, so he really needs to kill it, which he didn't do. Steven says it's not his favorite performance. Jennifer says it felt fake to her, and that she's not at all convinced that's the type of performer he wants to be. Randy says it paled in comparison to the original and that when that happens, people are quick to say you don't measure up to Usher. Here's why that performance is going to hurt him...the people who actually VOTE, allegedly, are older than the Usher demographic.<br /><br />Next? My early favorite, Tim Halperin. He's been very pleasantly surprised by how supportive the other contestants are...ahhh...He further endears himself to me by singing one of my favorites, Streetcorner Symphony by Rob Thomas. And...it's not that good to me. Maybe he's nervous, but it sounds like he's in a completely different key than the band. It feels forced and manic, and oh boy. Not good, Tim. Steven says he doesn't think the song did him any justice. The audience boos him and Steven argues by saying "nevertheless..." And. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Jennifer says he has one of the best voices on the show. Translation? That sucked, but let's hope no one holds it against you this week. Randy rounds out the pan, saying that's not the singer he is, that the song was okay, but didn't fit him.<br /><br />Carrot Top, aka Brett Lowenstern (maybe) is singing Light My Fire. And I don't love this EITHER (am I in a bad mood?) But a stylist has gotten a hold of those curls because his hair is awesome. That's the best thing I can say about this...here's the thing about this song: there's such an urgency in Jim Morrison's voice when he sings that song, and it builds to the end. Carrot's performance went nowhere. For me. Im the only one who feels this way though because Steven and Jennifer love it. Jennifer comments on his fabulous hair. Randy appreciates his performance, even though vocally it wasn't that great. He said he had fun with it.<br /><br />I don't think my mood is about to improve because I. Do. Not. Like this guy. James Durbin chooses You Got Another Think Coming, by Judas Priest. Maybe I'll change my mind because I wasn't a fan of Adam Lambert at this stage of the competition either. Steven uses the little decorum card that Ryan gave him in the beginning of the show, saying it's [bleep]ing good. Jen says it's "crazy good". Randy says it's set the bar and his vocals were brilliant. Yup, he said brilliant. I don't see it. Waltie thought it was very karaoke, but he also said he may have a bias that hard rock has no place on this show. <br /><br />Robbie Rosen sings Sarah McLachlan's Angel. This is okay. He's got a few too many runs for my taste, but it's by far my favorite of the night, which is really damning with faint praise. Steven thinks it was beautiful, and that the audience was feeling it. Jennifer says you feel connected to Robbie when he sings. Randy said he differs from his *cohearts*, which if he meant to do that, it's kind of cool....but something tells me he mangled the world cohorts. Anyway, he borrows Simon's line, that he will not like it as much as he thinks he does when he sees the video.<br /><br />Scotty continues to dance with the girl that bought him, singing a country song, Letters From Home, by John Michael Montgomery. He has such a nice voice, it's hard not to like him even though I totally dozed off. I liked it, and so did the judges. StevRanFer were unanimous in their thoughts on his performance. Randy even goes on to say that he appreciates that he's not trying to be a crossover country artist.<br /><br />Stefano Langone sings one of Alex's favorite songs, You're Amazing. It was mostly good, but then this one note made both Jennifer and I sit straight up. That was funny...Jennifer Lopez does not have a poker face. No worries though, it was pretty good, especially considering that this night has been mired in mediocrity. RanjenVen seem to love it though, confirming that I am the problem tonight.<br /><br />Paul McDonald is singing Maggie May. This is a good choice for him, as he's a very quirky guy. Having said that, I don't know exactly how I feel about this, and one should never be ambivalent about Rod Stewart. Steven loves that he has a character in his voice and says nice going. Jennifer enjoys his dancing, and that his smile lights up the place, and i can see her point. Randy says he loves how unique he is, and that he did a good job.<br /><br />Jacob Lusk takes on Luther Vandross, A House is Not A Home. Hmmm...I need to dig out my Luther...I still miss him. Okay, Jacob's eyes go a little wonky when he sings and I can't watch that. He looks very handsome tonight...I can tell Steven likes it because he throws his hands over his eyes. Steven says his voice makes him cry. Jennifer says that he makes him happy because Luther is gone, but we have Jacob. And uh...no. Randy heaps on more praise. I think Jacob can go far into the competition...he's very likable, and there's no question he has a powerful voice. Song selection is going to be critical for him.<br /><br />Here's why I think I'm in a bad mood - the songs are too short. I don't get enough notes to really get a sense of if I like it. Thats why I have no opinion on Jacob: given 2 minutes, he could have made something happen, but with however long they have tonight, they have to rush through and that's why it felt forced.<br /><br />Last up for tonight - Casey Abrams, who is singing Put a Spell on You. Oh, I love him, even though I think he just growled at me. He's got this Joe Cocker thing happening tonight, which is totally working. For me. Okay, this is the most genuine performance of the night. This guy's got a little of the batsh!t in him. Steven calls him unreal, and Jennifer calls him sexy. How cool is it when Jennifer Lopez calls you sexy? It would be like Steve Jobs calling you a visionary. Randy loved it too. I'm kinda mad that I had to wait until the end of the night to get a good performance.<br /><br />That's all for tonight, Friends!<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241974292186944315noreply@blogger.com1