Confessions From A Couch Potato Chip

Without any hesitation, I tell that you I absolutely love television.  I am not one to watch something when it's on... but I like to record shows and get a little sample of everything new that comes out.

Most people know that I'm really like this about everything in popular culture.  I am just totally fascinated by things that are created to entertain people.  And though I enjoy a dynamic documentary that is meant to create movement, I also really love a mindless TV show that was only created to offer distraction.

Today, while I was doing my dishes, I started to think about The Office and how sad I am that it's over.  There are some TV shows that you sample and maybe watching a season of before losing interest in.  And then there are some that you really look forward to.  The Office was a show that I really, really loved and am sad to see it over.

I made a little mental list of TV shows that I love and wanted to share them here.  Some are old and some are still in production.  They are all favorites, but I am starting with the shows that I look forward to the most!

Lost

Boardwalk Empire

The Office
American Horror Story

Dexter

The Rock of Love

Dawson’s Creek

Shameless 

Felicity

Dance Mom’s

Teen Mom 2

House of Cards

The Real World

Chopped

The Facts of Life

Modern Family

Arreseted Development

Party Down

Parks and Recreation

Felicity

Twin Peaks

The Following

A Baby Story

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Paula's Home Cooking

The Real Housewives of Atlanta 

   

Same Idol Different Judge

I'm half way through the new American Idol with its fancy, famous judges.

It's exactly what I expected.

Now, I'm a long-going AI fan. I know that it's cheesy and I know that it's skewed and I do not care. If you know me than you know how much I love pop-culture and it doesn't get much more carbonated than Idol. Also, I've never met a singing competition that I didn't love. Admittedly, I am a bigger fan of X Factor and I'll, without a doubt, be counting the days till it premieres next year. But, until then, American Idol is like a big, syrupy, sweet, non-caloric January treat.

And this season is no exception.

I got really caught up in, "Who can fill Simon's shoes?"

The answer, of course, is NO ONE.

But, I am completely in love with Steven Tyler in the exact same way that I was completely in love with Brett Michaels. He's a weird, old, rocker guy who fancies himself a hot tamale and I think that he's got staying power. I also really like the fact that he reminds me a little bit of Paula Abdul. And, I fucking LOVE me some Paula Abdul. As for JLo, I think that she's a good addition to the team. She's fun and spunky and likable. She's not at all pretentious and I get the impression that her stint on AI makes her feel "connected" to the common folk. Now that I write it, I guess that is pretense defined. But, whatever. I like her.

Poor Randy. I don't even know what to say about him. Same old Randy. Less Dawg... and I get the sad feeling that his eyes have become bizarre, lifeless, mirrors of shallow heartlessness. But he's the one guy from American idol who still has a job. So kudos to him and his hefty paycheck, I guess.

I will definitely be tuning into American Idol this season. I'll let you know how it goes.

Weird Dreams

I have been having the strangest dreams.

Recently I dreamed that I was at a party with my good friend Jennifer. I was as pregnant as I could possibly be (like, more pregnant than I've ever been and I have two children) and tossing back beer (Coors Light of all things! Ew). My friend said, "Doesn't it bother you at all that you're getting your baby drunk?" And it was at that moment that I realized that I was pregnant and I got really angry with her and super defensive and said, "A little bit of alcohol isn't going to hurt your baby! My doctor says that it's just fine."

Oddly, the next day my reallife-non-fetal-alcohol-born children both unexpectedly received a Build-A-Bear package from Jennifer that had apparently been sitting at our local post office since Christmas.

Then, last night I dreamed that Alec Baldwin and Al Gore were at my house for a visit and Al Gore wouldn't let anyone get a word in edgewise. As a side note, he's probably the most annoying person who I've ever met in a dream and I just couldn't wait until he left. At one point he began crying because Philadelphia has more plastic than the rest of the world. He gave me facts about Philadelphia like, "This city is the only city in the world where plastic is still legal." Then, I became really self conscious about any plastics that were in my house and promised myself that I'd recycled or repurpose them all out as soon as he left.

I might be watching too much 30 Rock.

30 Rock

As I get older I feel that I have more and more in common with Liz Lemon, which I'm pretty certain happens to 90% of women.

Another Action Packed Saturday Night

I love the X Factor UK and I can't wait until the American version takes off! Last night while I was watching, my girls were on their computers playing the barbie fashion game (which they could likely do for hours without arguing or complaining). Apparently, Paige Richardson is a big hit with my children. Here is what they did during his performance on Elton John night!

Gleek, I am

'Glee' Does The 'Time Warp' @ Yahoo! Video

When I Grow Up

I want to be Christina Hendricks.

I'm getting right on top of it too.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Let the transition begin.

Sister Wives (and my zillionth post for today...)

Okay, so outside of Big Love I don't know anything about polygamy. I do know one person in a poly-amorous relationship and I find her experiences totally fascinating. I keep hoping that she'll start a blog so that I can read all about it every morning as I drink my coffee (yes, I am that nosey). Generally, I tend to assume that everyone I meet is living their life in a similar way to me. I mean, obviously there are some differences like, I drive a car and you ride a bike. Or, I like vanilla but you like chocolate. I am a heartless moneygrubber with no social conscience republican* and you are a democrat. But other than those small differences, I sort of assume that my role as mother is just about the same as everyone else's. I assume the same thing about my role as wife. I know what to expect from my marriage because it meets a social norm and I assume that everyone else's marriage is the same as mine.

There's been a lot of buzz about the TLC show Sister Wives, which I've been following. I'm surprised by how many people are appalled and disgusted by the way this family is living. Also, I'm really not sure how polygamy is illegal. I mean, clearly these people are not legally married. Or, are they? I am under the impression that the law doesn't recognize any marriage but the mister's first marriage. Is this untrue? I mean, there are men who have five different mistresses and 17 children who are spread all over the country (just talk to any hair-metal-band lead vocalist from the 1990's). Is THAT illegal? As far as the safety of these children is concerned, they all seemed pretty happy and loved to me. Or, at least that's the way the show presented them. They seem well adjusted and normal. Far more than those bizarre Dugger kids. I don't really see what makes it worse than a dad who has been divorced several times and has a bunch of other kids with other women. If anything, this is much better because the home is happier and reflects a loving community. Who am I to say that the only right way to have a family is to have one mom and one dad living with only their biological children? America has broken homes and non-traditional families that are loving and healthy all over the place. And America has traditional families that are falling apart.

I do think that this is sexist. But, I don't think that it's my place to say that another person can't be treated as a commodity if they want to be. Or, more importantly, if they disagree and do not think that it's sexist for one man to have several different wives. It's not for me... but neither are a lot of things. Should they be illegal?

It's difficult for me to wrap my brain around my own husband sleeping with another woman. It's harder for me to imagine him falling in love with another woman. Actually, it's so hard that now that I've written it I'm angry with him and I will probably give him the cold shoulder when he gets home and force him to pack his own lunch for Thursday. But, just because these are my standards, doesn't mean that they'll work for everyone.

Watching the show Sister Wives really made me see the benefits to polygamy. Ha! Seriously, though. I sort of get it. I don't think that I could or would ever want to do it. But I can see how it would be helpful. I can also see how it would be maddening, saturated by jealousy and a total emotional rollercoster. After all, it's difficult enough to deal with the feelings of two people. How in the world is anyone able to deal with the feelings of 5 people?????

So, to close this out, if this family is breaking some sort of law, I think that's really stupid and primitive. It's probably time to update the laws.

*sorry if that's offensive, but I simply couldn't resist.

I Madmenned Myself

Tell me that the likeness isn't incredible!