30 Days

When I first heard about Morgan Spurlock and his movie "Super-size Me" I thought this guy was just a publicity hound and the whole movie was a joke, riding on the coattails of Michael Moore. But then I watched it - it was actually pretty interesting, though I didn't find it too scientific and realistic in the aspect that most people don't eat McDonald's for every meal. Overall though, it did pose some very serious questions about food quality, quantity, and obesity in the United States.

I must admit I am hooked on his series, 30 Days. It's mind-opening and refreshing to see what people in our communities experience. From living on minimum wage, to living with conflicting religious beliefs, to living as a coal miner. It's like Wife-Swap, but on a more serious social note. It's as much educational as it is entertainment. It basically creates an interface to expand people's views on issues that impact us socially and economically - basically "taking the blinders off."

Mind you, one should be willing to learn about a conflicting or unfamiliar lifestyle, and hopefully by the end of the episode willing to accept that while we are all different in our beliefs and may have opposing opinions, we are all still human and deserve understanding and respect. These shows expose common misconceptions we are all guilty of and give us the opportunity to reassess our views on the topics presented.

Open minds and open hearts compel us to be good neighbors - making for a more friendly society for us all to reside in...

Can you dance?

I am *so* glad that So You Think You Can Dance is back on! I missed watching the auditions where people think they can dance and get offended when they're told they can't and shouldn't. It's like American Idol auditions, but oh so much better! There's the physical comedy factor added on this show. And then to see the ones that truly can dance - they are amazing!
So You Think You Can Dance
I like to think that I have some talent - after all, I did take ballet when I was younger...but that probably just means I can fall gracefully now! Oh well, I'll just live vicariously through the dancers on the show and try to pick who will be the big winner.

Farmer Wants a Wife

well, I'm really not sure what to think - it's like watching some grotesque surgical procedure - you want to look away, try to look away, but...you...just...can't...

I just happened to be scanning through the channels and somehow stopped on Farmer Wants a Wife - it was a repeat, but for some unknown, maybe even unconscious reason, I did not change the channel and actually watched the whole episode. I think it was the animals (I like animals and farms) and watching these ridiculous women trouncing around in high heels, short skirts, and bikinis on a farm, trying to impress this HOT farmer (yes, I will admit he is *very* attractive) that they are the rural type that he needs in his life. "Oh I'm definitely falling for him!" kind of made me giggle - he has a totally different view on life and love and these nutty women in the short time they spend with him are looking to be his wife (or at least a serious relationship)...I know, I know - it's a REALITY show, but where the hell did the reality go?

He's cute, yes...the experience is different and exciting, yes...but seriously, these women are willing to relocate themselves and their careers to live on a farm? Farms nowadays are much more high-tech and he's not really out in the boonies, but still - are they *really* going to give up everything to move to be a farmer's wife? I think not - lord knows I wouldn't...no matter how sexy, how rich, how wonderful the man is, and how much I loved farm life. Don't get me wrong - I do love farms and animals and have no disdain for hard work (I've put plenty of time in myself), but how can one fathom living a city life and wanting to "go country" just to be with a man? You do it for yourself. Maybe I'm just too independent of a woman (no, none of that "I am woman, hear me roar" crap) - but there are these things called identity and compromise (and just a FYI - they're really important for a healthy relationship). I can't imagine flipping my life upside-down for "love" - at least not unless I knew it was something I would have done even if there was no relationship. I can understand the dislike of the whole dating scene in the city, but they act like being in the country is being on another planet...different and strange, yes, but people are people...you have the same issues with sex, love and relationships in both places...just a change in scenery. And if these women really wanted to get out of the "city life," did they really need to sign up for a reality show to do it?

The saddest thing out of all of this is that I actually watched the whole dang thing and then had to rant about it - I never said I was right in the head - plus I'd probably watch other episodes, more so just to see which woman he picks...my parting thought - again, where did the reality go in reality tv? at least they got the shoveling manure part right...

Farmer Wants a Wife