TV: Who Do You Think You Are?

Ancestry.com has been heavily supporting? pushing? advertising? a new TV show on NBC called Who Do You Think You Are? The show, produced by Lisa Kudrow and an adaptation of a British show, lets us in on the ancestry of some famous people as said famous people look into their background with the help of Ancestry.com and lots of money. I've watched 4 Friday night episodes of the 7 NBC has slated. The celebrities actually visit the places their ancestors lived and died during the research process. They marvel over their discoveries and talk about how they've changed or grown as a result.

It may sound like I don't like the show (maybe it's just the sarcastic sounding voice in my head when I reread my post), but that's not the case. I guess you could say I'm just a little jealous. I'm the genealogist in my family. Either the members of my family aren't interested or they're dead. I find my ancestors fascinating and have made real connections between their lives and the history of this country that I never would have connected to otherwise (because remembering my history classes is torture).

Through census records and visits to libraries around my hometown, I've found out that my paternal great great grandmother was from Ireland, coming to America during the Potato Famine. My paternal great great grandfather has a building named after him at one of our many great higher learning institutions. My maternal great grandmother married a man ~40 years her senior when she was in her early twenties. What I wouldn't give to travel all over the U.S. and find more links to my ancestors. At the moment, many of my trails are dead ends.

So I watch, hoping that I might get a sliver of information from the celebrities' searches that could help me with my own. And as I watch I try not to wish I had a boatload of money to do what they can. If you were ever thinking about looking into your ancestors, this is the show to get you motivated. If you were already looking... well, you can sit in on my pity party.

Miscellaneous: Daft Punk

A second music post. Miraculous, I know.

So another group I listen to, many times, on repeat,... and loud, is Daft Punk (duo playing electronica, house music). Mainstream is familiar with a few of their songs "Around the World", "One More Time", and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" (well, this one mostly due to a certain hip hop artist.) I have Homework and Discovery, two of their CDs from 1997 and 1999 respectively. My favorites being "Crescendolls", "High Life", "Rock'n Roll", "Rollin' and Scratchin'" and "Da Funk." And I watched the anime film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (Discovery is the soundtrack.)

Although I don't own their next CD, Human After All, I love "Technologic", "Prime Time of Your Life", and "Robot Rock."

Okay, I will stop listing now and just say that I love Daft Punk. :)

Men: Gorgeous Men of Facebook

Ha, ha, ha, ha...hee, hee...ah, ahem.

Sorry, but when I first came across this place I thought it was a major joke. The Gorgeous Men of Facebook info page says,

"This is a group for handsome men who like to publish their pics on FB and for us women who enjoy appreciating them."

I immediately wondered what nuts would think they were God's gift and put up their pictures. However, the site was created by a woman, and there are mostly women admins, so... well, I decided it might be interesting.

Back up a minute... I've been worried about finding more men that suit my tastes, and spent HOURS, really hours looking for a new man for my men post. I never would have found this Facebook site if I hadn't.

Okay, so I looked through the pictures and I have to say there are some pretty hot bods in there, about 50%. And of that 50%, the bods were way better than the faces ;) But there are those of you who have a completely different taste than mine, and this is the perfect opportunity for you to ogle.

Besides, I found someone for my next men post... hee hee.

Chocolate: Claim Jumper Chocolate Motherlode Cake

I'm knee deep (literally) in work stuffs. When I relayed this dismaying condition to a friend, she suggested chocolate. Not just any chocolate, but one with which I am very familiar. I decided to pass it on to you. It is Claim Jumper's Chocolate Motherlode Cake.

Six heart stopping layers of ooey gooey chocolate, frosting, and walnuts. The whole cake, standing at about a foot, serves 40. One slice in the restaurant goes for ~$10. It is worth every penny.

I would love to post a pic, but can't find one not associated with someone else's blog mention. So try these links for info and pictures.

Meemo's Kitchen
Some random review - has a picture :)
Chocolate Obsession

BTW, I'm currently in a chocolate slump. All I have are the semi-sweets in the cookies I baked a couple of nights ago. :( What I wouldn't do for a Motherlode right now...

Books: Everyone Else's Girl

Although there were two more books in my set from the end of January check-out, this one was the last I liked. Everyone Else's Girl, by Megan Crane, is about Meredith who finds herself back at home when her father gets a broken leg. She gets drawn back into her high school drama (back stabbing best friend and popularity contests) and sibling arguments.

Of course she believes her life before moving back home was wonderful and can't wait to get back to it, away from the horrors of living at home. But she finds that her life away wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

The book was so down to earth. Each character was fleshed out, and I could empathize with all of them. I wanted to kick some in the pants, smack others, and yell at the rest. Feeling that close to the characters can make a book. Like I've said before, I like when the character grows or comes to some life defining conclusion. Meredith does this.

I also read Crane's first book, English as Second Language, and while I was happy for the character the overall feeling I got from the book was blech. I think it was just me, but the main character spent nearly the entire book drunk. Maybe someone else might not mind it so much.

My recommendation? If you are into romance (well chick lit), check out Everyone Else's Girl.

TV: Tosh.0

Heavens! This show is crazy.

And I try very hard not to, but I laugh. Well, sometimes.

Tosh.0 is a show on Comedy Central featuring comedian Daniel Tosh who spends the half hour making sarcastic remarks about all manner of media, TV, YouTube, Twitter, etc.

The last time I watched he had a montage of popping, twisting, milking, glass, and missing eyeballs. Yes, eyes.

He has this special part of his segment called Web Redemption in which people with epic FAILS on YouTube (and other media) get to redeem themselves. Do you remember the 7 year old who took a joyride in his grandmother's SUV? Tosh gives him a chance to tell the world he knows the difference between right and wrong in his Web Redemption.

Last, but not least (and forever burned into my retinas) is his 7 Hardest Things To Watch We've Shown on Tosh.0. Someone helps someone else with the zit on his back at #7. WARNING! It is extrEmely hard to watch. I decided that I couldn't watch #6-#1.

The things I watch for my hubby.

Blog Award!

My first award!

I think of my blog as the slightly interesting figurine on one of the high shelves in the bookcase in grandmother's formal room. I don't follow many blogs, but one blogger I follow, Oh to be a Muse, has given me an award! I am truly honored, thank you.

The rules are to post the award and pass it on to 15 other blogs.

Six will have to go to the blogs listed in "Blogs I've Posted About."

I'd send one right back to Oh to be a Muse if I could. :) Out of all the blogs I visit, hers is the only one on which I post.

I only have some that I sometimes lurk around...
Lovely Listing
What Not to Crochet
The Happily Ever After (new to hers, but she reads...)
Origami Nut

That's it... I hope 11 is enough. And even then I'm hesitant to bludgeon them with my insignificance.

Miscellaneous: 16 & Pregnant

This is going to be a long one, folks. First, let me make sure you know this is my opinion. Just in case anyone from the show sees this and feels the need to defend the show or the people in it. I am one among many people, all of whom will have their own opinion. Second, I'm referring to MTV's show 16 & Pregnant, brought to my attention by Watch with Kristin over at E!. I was curious after reading her article and watched two episodes of the show.

The first show I watched featured Ebony and Josh. Both are seventeen year old high school seniors and military brats who were looking forward to joining the air force until getting pregnant derailed their plans. However, I think the only one whose plans were destroyed was Ebony. She had to grow up really fast. It's sort of what you hope will happen so she won't think of doing this again so soon, but Josh gets off scott free. Ebony grew up (from what I could tell) in a single parent household, Josh gets both parents. Ebony takes school seriously and wants to graduate, Josh has skipped 216 days (or classes?) at school and is in danger of not graduating. Josh strikes me right away as being a 5 year old in a 17 year old body.

The two of them are encouraged to think about their future in the air force by Ebony's mom. So they head to the offices there and ask about their future, with Ebony thinking she can join after the baby is 6 months old. Unfortunately, due to their dependent, they can't both join. Ebony gives up her dream, relying on Josh to enlist and be the breadwinner.

Because Josh has missed so much school, he will have to attend every class for the remainder of the school year or not graduate. Not graduating means not going into the air force. Which I'm thinking might give Ebony an opportunity. He could take care of the baby! But Ebony makes another sacrifice. She originally plans to have Josh take care of the baby at night so she can finish school. She can graduate if she gets 2 more credits. But Josh wants to go out with friends, falls asleep, and doesn't do the work required to take care of the baby. She ends up doing it all. Ebony watches him graduate while she's in the stands.

Josh went off to the air force at the end of the show, leaving Ebony with no high school diploma and no job. He's supposed to bring her or support her somehow. I have relatives who've just enlisted in the past couple of years. Their nights are filled with relaxation - nights out with their buds. Josh, who hasn't thus far demonstrated much responsibility, isn't likely to have done much growing up while Ebony hasn't been right there to remind him.

It makes me sad. I feel so bad for Ebony, who realizes now what she's had to sacrifice. I feel frustrated at Ebony for not seeing that Josh was not father material, that he was far too immature. I'm angry with Josh (who at one point gets angry at Ebony for being mad at him all the time because he fell asleep instead of feeding the baby and taking out the trash, telling her that she has to make sacrifices.)

I know you think I should get over it. These people have nothing to do with me. But I have two children, and I worry every day that I'm doing the right thing. If they were ever in Ebony's situation I don't know what I'd do.

Maybe these episodes will be available when my kids are older, and I can use them as a teaching tool. Ebony's tears are heartbreaking.

The second episode I watched had a spoiled only child get pregnant by her already working boyfriend. I felt sorry for him. She spent most of the time sleeping. Granted she had a c-section, but even when she was better, he did most of the feeding, changing, and getting up in the middle of the night.

Since preparing this post, I've watched the follow-up special (all of the first season episodes are available for viewing at 16 and Pregnant at MTV). I was happy to see that Josh stepped up and is helping Ebony with the baby... and that all of the teens are now using birth control. The spoiled little girl has had to grow up as well. Their son has medical issues. I wouldn't wish that on any parent.

Men: John Morris

There are no pictures on the net to do this guy justice. I watched him play in this year's winter olympics...he spoke, he moved, he yelled, he smiled, he gave a thumbs up,...he winked at the camera. Be still my beating heart. What a nice, tall cutie!

So I'll give you a photo I took of my TV.

Name: John Morris
Best Known For: Canadian Curler
Year of Birth: 1978
Status: Single
Height: 6'2"
Fun Fact: In real life? Firefighter :)

Chocolate: Chocolove 2

B bought the Chocolove Dark Chocolate 61% Cocoa Content... for me of course :)

We both liked it. It was different. It has its little bitter bit, but its sweet. You know? It tastes like a giant semi-sweet chocolate chip. Yeah, that's it!

I like chocolate chips :)

Books: The Paper Marriage

First, I'm thrilled that I'm reading again. Luckily, I've been able to go to the library and check out books the last couple of months. But, I'm typing this a whole month ago and may not actually be reading now... send me good wishes, please.

Second, one of the books I read was The Paper Marriage by Susan Kay Law. It is about a woman (Annie) whose husband is in a coma and has been for 12 years. A handsome former ball player (Tom) moves in next door with his sullen 16 year old daughter (Mer). There are so many factors in play here... the woman's mother who is a hippy child influencing how Annie reacts to Mer; Annie's mother in laws' devotion to her comatose son, Mer's behavior and the reasons for her being with her father, and Tom's up until now absenteeism as a father and his reactions to Mer's behavior.

I think the author wraps everything up nicely and although there were a couple of times I wondered 'why' everything made sense in the end. I liked the characters, even the minor ones, a lot and wish I could hear more about them.

I would love to read another of her books and see if it hits the mark, however she usually writes period or historical romances. There is only one other book listed at Amazon that is more contemporary and it got more mixed reviews. I would recommend The Paper Marriage as it is much less fluff than my last read, but beware of the language and sexual content.