Warning: This will probably only interest Amanda

My name is Andrea and I’m a reality TV-aholic.

Ok, not really. But, I do reluctantly admit that I have been slightly sucked into the pathetic revolution that is reality TV. Most of them are pretty pathetic and I watch them like I would a train wreck, but there ARE a couple that have some quality content. Seriously!!

Case in point: SURVIVOR

Aww, yeah. That’s right. The beast that started it all and that has outwitted, outplayed and outlasted them all! It’s got it all!! Strategy, teamwork, alliances, backstabbing, catfights and the one episode that ALL reality TV shows must have - the one where they eat live insects, unmentionable animal body parts or some other disgusting items that in “reality”, are inedible. My favorite part of the show is the way it brings out the side of people that they don’t think they have. When faced with survival, competition and a million dollar reward, people can get downright EVIL. It’s a sad, but intriguing glimpse into the true hearts of the people of this fallen world. The resounding comment that most contestants make after the show is all over and they are reflecting on the game is, “I don’t like the person I was while I was playing the game.” Hmmm….interesting.

So, in two weeks, CBS is heading into their ELEVENTH season with Survivor - Guatemala. I’m so excited I’m so excited!!! So, if on Thursdays you are totally bored, come on over and watch. You KNOW that I’ll be there. And I’m pretty sure Amanda will be there. And Rachel, you know deep down that you want to be there too.

Amanda – I know that I already talked to you about this (maybe a couple times), but I wanted to mention it again here (so that there is a record of what I said when I’m proven correct). If you take a look at the Survivors, with the link above, notice that there are 16 contestants, but Survivor always starts out with 18. And the TV preview says to be prepared for TWO twists in the first episode. My prediction? They’re totally bringing back Steph and Bobby Jon since they got hosed with their loser team last season!! Mark my words, my friend, mark my words.

Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.

Picking up stragglers

For those of you that have not seen this news on Brian's blog yet, check it out. Then go order it.

All Hail Google!!

Ok, this is THE COOLEST THING ever. It is a new Google tool I have discovered called Google Earth. Download it. Trust me. It's the coolest thing I have seen Google come out with yet. It is a map of the entire world. You think Google Maps is cool? You have to try out this Earth tool. You can pick where in the world you want to zoom into and it will give you a satellite picture and overlay it with building layouts, street names, terrain names, points of interests, the best Chinese restaurant in town, whatever you want!! You can adjust your point of view not only from north, south, east, west, but also vertically so that you can look at a mountain from above or directly on. You can even get directions like the other lame map tools on the web. Ok, I'm kind of a nerd that gets really excited about maps, but even the non-nerdy people have to find this cool. The world just got a whole lot smaller. I just took a trip from Crazy Peak to Vatican City. Soooooo cool.

Amanda adds her approval...
Google rocks! I downloaded Google Earth a few weeks ago, and was unimpressed because it couldn't find the Nile. But since you reminded me of it, I had fun getting a bird's eye view of Trafalgar Square. It was just a little too fuzzy to see the church I ate lunch in (Cafe-in-the-Crypt - it was boss!), but I guess you can't expect too much. I mean, being able to zoom all over the streets of London is plenty cool enough as it is, huh? ;-) I think I'll visit NYC next...always wanted to go there!

While we're mentioning how good Google is: the other day someone at work needed to look up West High's phone number, and was looking it up in the phone book in my office. But it was hard to find, so I figured it was probably faster to Google it. Which it was - I found West's website and phone number in about 10 seconds. Waaay easier than the Yellow Pages!

March of the Penguins

I have to admit, this movie sounded pretty boring when I first heard about it. But these penguins are just so cute! Watch the trailer even if you have no interest in seeing the film... :)

Melodee says:
Check out my friend Ashleigh's description of the March of the Penguins! From this and my parents' reaction (They saw it on the east coast last week), I definitely want to watch this. I don't think it sounds boring at all.

Thursday links...um...on Friday

Another little compilation:

This one is for Jude. Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better...
(For those of you that don't know, "Jude" is one of my many nicknames for Amanda's cat, whose real name escapes me at the moment)

Disturbing man dancing in the street. Don't watch on a queasy stomach.

Ha!! Well, whatever makes them guys feel better.

If you laugh at this, you are on your way geekdom (or maybe have arrived already).

I never realized there was a second verse to "Humpty Dumpty"!

This week's bizarre iPod link.

Artists + Geeks = The Unseen Video. Never see the same video twice. How it works here. Pretty interesting.

Amanda and I are trying out Google's beta IM program, Google-talk. It's pretty simplistic so far, but I have great expectations. You have to have a gmail account to use it, so if you don't have one but want in, we can hook you up. (Thanks for hooking US up, Melodee) Leave a comment and one of us will send you an invite. All hail Google!

Speaking of Google Talk. Amanda "Google-talked" me this pic and this pic today. She said, "These galaxy pictures never look real...I don't think I can get my mind around something that big. But they're still awesome." Amen, sista...

My job is cool....for five minutes

*sigh*
I just got back from a five minute chair massage that my company is offering to all the employees. Oh the serenity!!! I just about slipped the chick a 20 to go for five more minutes...

I thought of you, Rachel

We haven't had a quiz in awhile. Try this one on for size. Find out your Harry Potter alter ego. My alter ego is Ginny Weasley. I'm not sure if that is good or bad, since I've only seen the movies and not read the books. All I know about her is she gets bossed around by big snakes. That doesn't really sound like me, but whatever!

Another fun one is this one where you can find your Harry Potter boyfriend. Mine was Ron Weasley. Ok, that's weird that I dig my own brother....what would Freud say??

Amanda says...
Oh dear...not only am I Ron Weasley, but my boyfriend is Ron Weasely. Now that's scary! :)

Andrea concurs...
Yeah, that is a little disturbing. Dumb quizzes...

I miss Jen

You know what? Don't even come home next time you have a vacation because it just really sucks when you leave.

They have DOCTORS for this sort of thing...

I need help. It's 9:30 on Sunday night, and what am I doing? I'm waiting for the cabbage I have on the stove to finish simmering. I had this weird urge to cook something all evening, but was watching a movie. So as soon as it got done, I chopped cabbage, sauted onions in a generous amount of oil, mixed in curry and tomatoes...all quick and easy, kitchen even cleaned in 15 minutes total. But I think I'm going off the food deep end. I won't dirty any more dishes than absolutely necessary, or spend more than a few minutes, really...it's just a little, well, weird to always want to be making something.

What's wrong with me??

Okay, I think my cabbage is probably done now.

Glacier Park

I know I was pretty much convinced BEFORE I left on my trip that I do live in the most beautiful place in the world, but I am now doubly so. My sister and I drove through Glacier Park this last weekend. Holy smokes, how beautiful!! I remember going when I was younger, but I just don't remember the majesty and ruggedness of it all. God took special care when creating that place. (Eat your heart out, Yellowstone!!) I posted a few (of the millions) pictures here if you wanna take a "peak". In the one above, I stole Dennis' technique of holding the camera about an inch above the water. The water was so clear and the rocks were so colorful, it seemed to be the perfect spot to do it. I have decided that this is going to be an annual trip for me. Although, next year I'm going in June when you still get to see the snow and there is no smoke from forest fires.

Just because you haven't seen one of these in awhile...and I know you've missed him

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is man's dog.

A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty. In health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side.

He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince.

When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

--Senator George Graham Vest, 1870

You Can't Go to Scotland!

Melodee, I was just searching for "sheep pluck" and came across recipes for haggis...now I'm feeling a little ill.

But really you should go to Aberdeen, and I'll come visit you. ;-) Just give me plain oatmeal!

Ligers

So there really is such a thing as ligers (a cross-breed of lion and tiger)! I admit, I thought it was a myth until National Geographic wrote about it.

Andrea, you've really got to see Napoleon Dynamite if you haven't already...

Andrea begs to differ...
The more I think about it, the more I really think I DON'T need to see the movie. :)
But the Ligers are very beautiful. They look so cuddly... ;)

Bumper sticker that I just saw in the parking lot.

Ummm....what the heck??? What I don't get is who exactly did the framing?

Thursday Links

I find these funny, interesting, and a little annoying. Enjoy.

Vader dancing with a stormtrooper.

Have you heard of the Uncyclopedia? A couple of my favorite entries are cowation and the @ sign.

The next time you get a rejection letter, send this back.

Ipod the baby. This one's for you, Anna.

Anti-Peta shirts. My favorite is "I club my baby seal". You have to see it to appreciate it.

The most annoying song in the world.

Do you know the difference?

For the sake of yours and my nerves, I'll quit there. Can you tell I don't have any original ideas this week??

Da Dee Da Dee Da Dee Duuuuuhhhh

Another great pearl. It is Sunday's and I've been meaning to post it all week. So, here it is. Click on it for a larger version.

Ideas for the next ball

After seeing these, I'm even more thankful Brooke is such a great seamstress!

He puts Harvard and Yale to shame...

I like good ole' W. For the most part, he's a pretty straight shooter. I really enjoyed this article about his comments about the public schools needing to introduce "intellegent design" into the science curriculum as another theory of the source of life. You go, George.

President Bush invigorated proponents of teaching alternatives to evolution in public schools with remarks saying that schoolchildren should be taught about "intelligent design," a view of creation that challenges established scientific thinking and promotes the idea that an unseen force is behind the development of humanity.

"Both sides ought to be properly taught . . . so people can understand what the debate is about," he said, according to an official transcript of the session. Bush added: "Part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought. . . . You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, and the answer is yes."

I am amused by the attempt to use this intellegent design theory to make President Bush and the conservative Christian community like a bunch of stupid hillbillies that don't know the first thing about science. It's just something that Christians "came up with" in order to "market their religion." Oh my goodness. I really recommend reading the rest of the article. It's pretty humourous.

...via Slashdot

Hmm...Obviously I don't love my new car quite as much as I thought, seeing as I still haven't taken a picture of it.

Roadtrip pics

I signed up for a flickr account, so you can see a few pictures (mostly from Ennis Lake) here.

Good point...

This was on Opinion Journal's Best of the Web today.

Life Begins at Conception--if You're a Panda

"A 13-year-old giant panda gave birth to a cub at San Diego Zoo, but a second baby died in the womb, officials said Wednesday."--Associated Press, Aug. 3

"A cancer-ravaged woman robbed of consciousness by a stroke has given birth after being kept on life support for three months to give her fetus extra time to develop."--Associated Press, Aug. 3

Paperdoll Heaven

Ok, I don't know about y'all, but I ADORED paperdolls when I was little. I liked them almost better then Barbie dolls because it wasn't so difficult to change their outfits. Well, I have found the PERFECT website for paperdoll addicts, like myself. I've already spent way too much time on it. My favorites are Audrey Hepburn, Johnny Depp and Pride and Prejudice. Although, I do admit, there is something sick and wrong about seeing Lizzy and Mr. Darcy standing next to each other in their underwear. Weird. But, Audrey has some VERY cool clothes and you can dress Johnny Depp up as Captain Jack Sparrow(yum!).

Amanda says...
I loved paperdolls, too! My coolest one was a 12"-tall Sleeping Beauty with the most gorgeous clothes, but my favorites were a family from the Colonial-era. Them and Princess Diana and (ugh!) Prince Charles...Prince William was a baby and wore a yellow sleeper!

What's with this site not having any Legolas or Will Turner outfits for Orlando Bloom, though? Although he has pretty good taste in outfits anyways...

My Very Intellegent Mother Just Served Us Nine...PLANETS (+ 1)

So, there may be a new planet joining the acrostic. They should have a contest for a better name though. UB313 is way too boring.

Side note: Amanda, check this out! It popped up as an ad when I was reading all about our new pseudo-planet. It may be the end our our emoticon woes!!

Buyer's remorse?

*sigh* so pretty...

Anyone up for another road trip??

Amanda says...
Count me in for the next road trip!

It's beautiful, Andrea. :) I'm so glad you got it! I'll try to post a pic of my new love tonight...

Andrea confesses...
Just so you know, Schaner girls, I DID go for a ride after you left last night. My excuse is that I had to make sure the headlights work. Hey, that's legit, don't ya think??

Amanda affirms...
Of course! And we did tell you we thought you should take it for a spin, so you can always blame us for encouraging you. ;-)

How was it?

Andrea replies...
Wonderful... :) The lights work great.

Melodee says:

Cool! Is there something in the water around here? That makes 5 new cars in the Schaner, Mattson, and Howe families in the last month! sheesh!