Biggest Loser Update: Those pesky donuts

(Note: My "update" of The Biggest Loser is really more about my impressions than an actual retelling of everything that happened in the show)

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Well, it's Week 2 of this season, and all the participants are slowly starting to come into focus for me.

Early standouts were Antone, the fearful former NFL player, and Ramon, the young tattoo artist with the handsome face and sweet spirit.

Now I'm also recognizing Sunny, the schoolteacher who (rightly) took such offense at Black Team-mate John calling her "dumb as a box of rocks"; Jennifer, the gorgeous brunette who found out last night that she has a ton of health problems looming; and Jessica, whose jealous boyfriend helped sabotage her into gaining over 100 pounds.

Some random thoughts:

--John apologized to Sunny for the obviously false slurs on her intelligence, but I'm not sure how I feel about him right now. I always cringe when BL contestants go ahead and eat like pigs to win a challenge. The 37 donuts he consumed ended up not hurting his weight loss, but...I'm going to have to see more of John being a nice guy.

--Bonnie. I like her--she seems like a sweet lady--but I have to question why the producers would let someone on the show who can barely get around, thanks to a bad knee. Maybe they're trying to make a point that there IS hope for weight loss after knee surgery?

I hate to say it (since I would actually be part of the "old" team if I was there), but the slowness of the old team just makes me sigh. (With the exception of Becky, who doesn't seem that old at all.)

I feel bad for Anna Kournikova, who was stuck with a very low-achieving team that is now dwindling in numbers. I like Anna--she's shown herself to be very caring and good-intentioned--but I'm still not convinced she's the caliber of trainer that needs to be on the show. We'll see.

The ghost of Jillian Michaels haunts the gym. (No, don't worry, she's not dead--but I fear her spirit is there feeling awfully frustrated because she can't take some of these people, royally kick their behinds and whip them into shape.)

Still loving Bob--he can pretty much do no wrong in my book.

Still loving Dolvett, whose brilliant smile and caring spirit go all Jillian once he hits the gym. Honestly, I think he's the best addition the show, when it comes to trainers, that I've seen since I've been watching--and I first starting watching when that obnoxious Kim was on.

Two-hour workouts

The premise of this week's episode was to allow each team only two hours of work-outs a day, with the idea that when they get back to "the real world," that's probably the maximum that most of them will be able to manage.

It was good to see that the participants still lost weight--and remember, the 2nd week is usually the time when they don't lose much, thanks to their often-huge first week loss.

Drama

The producers always try to stir up a little drama, which isn't necessary at all, because that's not what we watch the show for. We watch (or at least I do) to be inspired by a group of people who are transforming their lives.

The John vs. Sunny thing was quickly resolved, though, and as I said earlier, we'll have to see if John is on good behavior from here on out.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I'm sorry, but I wasn't sad at all to see Boston Johnny go home. It annoys me like crazy when I see contestants get on the show--a chance thousands of people would give a LOT for--and whine and moan and constantly talk about quitting.

I'm truly glad that Johnny was able to successfully lose weight at home--I'm really happy for him. But I'm not going to miss him.

What did you think? Let me know in my comments!

Biggest Loser Update: Off and Running!

(Note: My "update" of The Biggest Loser is really more about my impressions than an actual retelling of everything that happened in the show)

So, one of my favorite shows ever is back! Here are some of my thoughts:

Dolvett (one of the new trainers)-I think I love him. Not only does he have a smile that would light up Dallas, he seems to be the perfect mixture of tough and caring. I'm looking for good things from him.

The age factor: I'm not sure how I feel about the teams being divided up according to age.

I know Survivor did this before, but I just don't see how older people can compete with younger ones...even morbidly obese younger ones. Maybe they'll prove me wrong. They didn't seem to slack off in the weight loss department last night.

And--I know this is terrible, because I would actually be IN the oldest group--the older ones just kind of bore me a little. Not necessarily because of their age, but their personalities just don't appeal to me very much, at least at this point.

And one more thing. It never ceases to amaze me that some people come on the show and are surprised by the intensity of the workouts. Do you not WATCH THE SHOW???? I can clearly see how hard the work-outs are, which is one reason I would never try to go on the show!

Anna--Put me in the jury's-still-out category. Sure, she's a great athlete, but possessing skills and abilities doesn't always equal being able to parlay them to others. She is definitely no Jillian.

She does seem sweet...but her attempts at being hard-nosed and tough came off a bit lame, at least for me.

Bob, of course, is still wonderful Bob--a mainstay of the show. His talk with Antone--the former NFL player--was classic Bob, clearly indicative of the way he can motivate people with a combination of tough love, genuine compassion, and belief in what they can accomplish. No wonder people love him so much.

Do you have a favorite yet? I don't...I think it's going to take at least one more show before everyone starts to gel and you really see what they're like. I must say, I'm rooting for Antone to succeed.

What do you think about the new season? Any thoughts on Anna and Dolvett? Let me know in my comments section!

Thoughts on this season's Biggest Loser

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Olivia Ward's amazing transformation

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Well, I finally--belatedly--was able to watch the Biggest Loser season finale, and since I've been commenting on it all season long, I thought I'd wrap it up with my final thoughts.

First of all, I am really glad Olivia won! To be honest, the sisters--Hannah and Olivia--weren't my favorites from the beginning. Although I'm all about sisterhood, their giddy comments and "OMG!"s occasionally got on my nerves.

As the season progressed, though, I grew to really admire those two. Their all-out determination and gung-ho attitude and competitive spirits impressed me.

It eventually became clear to me, just in recent weeks, that it was actually Olivia that I wanted to win it all.

I'm sure Hannah is an awesome girl, and kudos to her for all she's accomplished. I think she looked lovely at the finale.

But it just seemed to me that Olivia was a bit more mature, her spirit and attitude a bit more seasoned and balanced. I just felt that she would be a terrific spokeswoman for The Biggest Loser. So I was truly delighted when she won it all.


Olivia on Access Hollywood

Now for just a few random comments about the finale...

...Congrats to Deni for winning the at-home competition! I always thought she was a sweet and lovely lady, and she certainly went the distance at home.

...I read that Rulon was invited to appear at the finale, despite the fact that he had left the show voluntarily and couldn't be part of the at-home competition, but the show's producers never heard back from him. Kinda weird. Rulon was never my favorite, but I would have liked to have seen him again.

...Is trainer Cara pregnant, or has she just been choosing clothes that really emphasize her slightly bulging tummy? My husband pointed it out on one of the last shows, and her dress really emphasized it at the finale, but nothing was said. In fact, it seemed Cara was rather slighted when it came to any attention given to the trainers.

...I've also read that Brett and Cara are not going to be back on the show. When they introducted Anna Kournakova, I assumed she would be replacing Jillian but that the new trainers would be back. Bummer. I really grew to like Brett and Cara.

...Random question...why do the returning female contestants feel the need to dress as skimpily as possible? I know they're proud to show off their new bodies, but some of them should realize that everything isn't worthy of being displayed. In fact, some of the dresses can be downright unflattering. (By the way, I'm not talking about Olivia or even Hannah here--they looked amazingly toned in their dresses.)

For example, some of them just don't have pretty legs--do you really need to display them in a miniskirt? And when trying on those strapless dresses, shouldn't the question "How is this going to make my arms look while I'm waving to the audience?" be one to consider?

Don't get me wrong, I totally applaud these women for accomplishing something that is VERY difficult, and I can understand their justifiable pride in their new bodies. I'm just saying, maybe they don't need to bare quite as much as they do. End of mini-rant. :)

Still one of my faves

All in all, despite its excesses, audience manipulation and sometimes manufactured drama, The Biggest Loser remains one of my very favorite shows. I love the transformations that take place. I get inspired by the hard work and dedication of the contestants. I end up truly caring about the participants.

I already can't wait until the next season!

Biggest Loser Update: Down to the Final Four

It's been a while since I've done a Biggest Loser update, but I have been watching the show. And now we're just a couple of weeks away from the finale, and the Final Four are in place!

From the beginning of this season, my favorite contestant was Courtney, and I was crushed when she was eliminated--way too early, in my opinion. Courtney had the spirit and determination that could have helped her win it all.

After she left, I cast about for my remaining favorites, and I soon realized that they are the sisters, Hannah and Olivia.

To be honest, I wasn't always so crazy about them...but as the weeks have gone by, these two have definitely emerged as my favorites. Honestly, I would be fine with either one of them winning, and that could very well happen.

Last night, Austin was voted off. That leaves Jay, Irene, Hannah and Olivia.

I hope it's not mean of me to say that I've just always felt Jay is a little boring. I like Irene, but she's been quiet for the most part and fairly under-the-radar.

Olivia before, and on the make-over episode

I just really, really like the sisters. I think they've shown remarkable strength and determination, and I think I identify with them because I love my own sisters so much.

It's also been amazing to watch their transformation into such lovely and confident women. (And were you blown away when Olivia sang last week?)

So what do you think? Do you have a favorite among the final four? Let me know in my comments section!

My Biggest Loser Update: No, No, not Courtney!!!

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Farewell to a remarkable young lady

Listen to my Biggest Loser update, or just read the post below:

Well, last night the Biggest Loser ranch said good-bye to my favorite contestant of this season--Courtney.

What an amazing young woman. When you talk about The Biggest Loser, you toss the word "inspiration" around a lot--but in Courtney's case, I have to say the word was truly deserved.

21-year-old Courtney had already lost over 100 pounds on her own when she came to the show...where she lost another 92 pounds.

As this week's show began, Courtney was the only person left on the red team, coached by trainer Brett (who I've grown to like more and more over the course of the show.)

She had been experiencing what she called a "plateau"--although, in the real world and in my experience, a plateau is when the scale is NOT budging. Courtney had never stopped losing weight...she was just doing it slowly, and that's not good enough for the Biggest Loser show. You have to pull substantial numbers or you get eliminated.

So despite giving it her all, basically working her rear end off (literally), Courtney only lost one pound this week. And that meant that not only she had to go home, but so did her trainer, Brett.

It was one of the show's saddest moments. All the trainers were incredulous and even angry. I think sometimes the trainers get really frustrated with the "game" aspect of the show, and last night was one of those times.

Courtney's attitude was, as always, amazing. She assured everyone that she knew all about losing weight at home, and that her weight loss journey was far from over.

I have loved the confidence and determination of this young lady from Day One. I'm so sorry she's gone, because she was the one I wanted to win it all. I honestly don't know who will be my favorite now.

One of her parting comments was to tell the audience directly that you DON'T have to be on the Biggest Loser ranch to lose weight, and she encouraged us all to get up off the couch, believe in ourselves, and make it happen. For me, her few words of encouragement were better than an hour-long sermon on the need to lose weight!

As we saw in her follow-up, Courtney's doing fine at home. I have every confidence that when we see her at the finale, we're going to be wowed. She's a beautiful young woman with the kind of spirit and attitude that will take her far in life.

How about you? Were you sad to see Courtney go? Who is your favorite to win it all?

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My Biggest Loser Update

I've got to say, this show always know how to throw you a curve ball!

First of all, I was interested to see how Courtney and Jen would do when they lost that pop challenge and had to spend a week off the ranch.

Jen was so sure they wouldn't need a trainer, and that they just needed to put into use all the things they'd been taught to do in their time on the ranch.

The price of having their trainer for one day WAS a bit steep--200 dollars, and they only had a thousand to work with. However, as my hubby pointed out, they could have given up a few luxuries and at least had their trainer for a couple of days.

At weigh-in time, we saw that their lack of a trainer probably bit them in the behind. Courtney lost 2 pounds, Jen none at all...which ended up sending her home.

Olivia found the Golden Egg in the Easter egg hunt challenge...but instead of it being immunity or something as terrific, it was the lone vote in the weigh-in. Did you think Rulon of the black team would be the one to go home? I sure did...and honestly, after we saw that he wasn't giving 100 per cent in the diet area, I thought maybe he deserved to go.

But no, Rulon gets a reprieve, and Jen goes home. As we saw in her follow-up, she's doing fantastic.

I'm just glad Courtney didn't go home. I firmly believe she needs to be there as long as possible, and I'm wishing her all the best.

By the way, I'm getting used to Brett and Cara, and now it feels like they really belong on the show.

Oh, and I just have one question. WHEN WILL THEY GET THEIR MAKE-OVERS!!!???

How about you? Do you have a favorite contestant...a least favorite? Let me know in my comments section!

The Biggest Loser: Marcie's Best-Laid Plans Go Awry

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I've gotta say, The Biggest Loser is at the point where it's really getting good. There are fewer contestants, so you can really focus on and get to know the ones who are left...and the changes in their appearance are stunning!


However, I thought this week's episode was a little on the lame side. I don't mind the contestants zeroing in on the emotional problems that made them gain weight in the first place--in fact, I think that's crucial--but it gets a little heavy-handed when that's what the episode is mostly about.


One of the more interesting things about last night's show was the fact that captains were chosen--Marcie for the black team and Justin for the red team--with certain responsibilities.


Each captain had to choose who would cook for the entire team. Marcie chose Olivia for the black team; Justin chose Ken. Both cooks got a taste of what it will be like in the real world when they go back home, and household and other responsibilities force them to carve out time for exercise.


All during the show, Marcie stressed that whatever happened to her team at the weigh-in, she would sacrifice herself to let all the younger women stay on the ranch. And as it happened, the black team did lose the weigh-in--after having a stellar week last week, a few of the women eked out small weight losses, bringing the team total down.


But what Marcie didn't count on was that she would lose the most weight for her team--thereby getting immunity. Anyone could be voted off EXCEPT for Marcie.


She was devastated. But although we didn't get to see how the black team arrived at the decision, it appeared Sarah was fine with being the sacrificial lamb, and she was sent home.


And wow...her home transformation was incredible! I always knew Sarah was a pretty girl, but after losing more weight at home, she was downright gorgeous.


Sarah's main reason for losing weight was so that she can become pregnant. I really hope this happens for her.


Despite the fact that this episode was less than exciting, I still prefer it to the "drama" generated by over-zealous game-playing in past seasons.


What do you think? Were you amazed at Sarah's gorgeousness? I'd love to hear (read) your thoughts and feedback!

The Biggest Loser Update: There's No Love Like a Parent's Love

Listen to my 2 min. 32 sec. update by clicking on the player, or just read the post below it!

Well, that was an interesting turn of events!

The show really laid it all on the line last night...the red line, that is. Early on in the show, Alison told the black team that the person who fell below the red line (with the lowest weight-loss percentage), would be immediately ousted...while the losing team at the weigh-in would have to vote off one of their own.

I had a feeling the red team would win, just because the black team has killed them more often than not in the past. But I admit I never guessed why the black team would lose the weigh-in.

As it turned out, Deni, Marcie and Jesse purposely gained weight so their children would be safe from elimination.

This saved Jennifer, who actually wasn't the child of any of them...but she had gained two pounds, obviously UNintentionally, and was on the chopping block until the weight gains of Deni, Marcie and Jesse insured she would NOT fall below the red line.

As I've said before, The Biggest Loser often touches my heart and brings a tear to my eye. Last night was no exception, as these parents expressed their sacrificial love for their children. Each of them--especially Jesse, I think--would liked to have stayed on the ranch, but they were more concerned about their offspring.

Deni actually gained 8 pounds to insure that her daughter Sarah would not be in danger. Apparently, Sarah's weight had caused her to be unable to sustain a pregnancy in the past. Deni wanted to make sure Sarah is able to lose the weight so she can have a baby in the future.

I loved the selflessness of these parents. What a contrast to Biggest Loser winner Helen of a few seasons ago, who not once, but twice allowed her daughter to be thrown under the bus and ousted from the ranch.

So, the show is really heating up as the black-versus-red team rivalry continues, and each week brings changes in how these contestants look.

What are your thoughts? As a parent, would you have sacrificed yourself to make sure your child got to stay on the ranch? I'd love to hear your feedback!

If you'd like to read a detailed recap of the episode, go here

Biggest Loser Update: Red vs. Black Drama

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Red Team versus Black Team drama continues--with the Red Team being the former "unknowns," who trained in a different location for four weeks, and the Black Team being the team who stayed on the ranch, training with Bob and Jillian.

Am I the only one having a hard time rooting for the red team? Thanks to the show's device, I've never really been able to bond with the red team members. It's not that I dislike them, I still just don't feel like I really know them.

So I find myself pulling for the black team members during challenges, like the train challenge tonight.

I will say this: Last week, I was getting really annoyed with Red Team "leaders" Justin and Rulon. I've always thought they were really heavy-handed in their criticism of their team-mates, and last week Justin especially was on my last nerve.

However, both Justin and Rulon came across as much more likable and sympathetic this week. Rulon had issues, and trainer Cara tried to draw him out, but she was pretty unsuccessful in doing so. I have a sneaking suspicion that if it had been Jillian doing the counseling, SHE would have had Rulon spilling his guts in no time! :)

And then there's Arthur of the black team. I have kind of a like/dislike relationship with Arthur. He often comes across as a bit of a slacker, and he makes really questionable decisions--like sending Jay and Jen over to the red team last week.

But when he lost 20 lbs this week (!!!), I couldn't help but be happy for him, and it was fun to watch the exuberance of his team members and trainers. Again...because I'm a black team fan.

Kudos to Bob and Jillian for helping their team members achieve solid weight losses, despite the fact that losing a challenge meant the team lost the use of the gym for a week

I'm loving the fact that we're starting to see some real changes in these contestants' appearance--I love their transformations!

Since these are basically just my thoughts on the show, you may want to read more of a blow-by-blow account--here's a good site for that.

Meantime, I'd love to read your own thoughts and feedback in my comments section!

Please check out my book blog, Cindy's Book Club, where I'm reviewing Words by Ginny Yttrup!

Biggest Loser Update: The teams unite!

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Well, we finally got to see the weigh-in that we didn't get to see last week. The team that's been on the ranch the whole time had to eliminate Don after he followed in his twin brother Dan's footsteps and sabotaged the weigh-in by gaining weight so he could go home.

Honestly, that annoys me. I have to agree with this blogger from tvsquad.com:

"...after watching I've decided I'm glad we didn't get the first weigh-in last week. I don't think I could have handled two weeks ending with Dan and Don throwing their weigh-ins so they could go home. Talk about infuriating as a viewer; I can only imagine what it must be like for those would-be contestants who just missed the cut."

OK, we get it--the ranch isn't for everyone. But I think you could determine that if you've EVER watched the show! I personally know that I could NEVER make it on the ranch, so I wouldn't try to take up space there, knowing there are other people who would give anything to be there.

The "Unknowns" Return

The other big event of the evening is the return of the "unknowns" to the ranch, complete with their trainers, Cara and Brett. (We need to find a different term for them, because they actually aren't unknown to us anymore.)

I'm finally feeling like I'm getting to know these people better. We were also able to see that the unknowns "family" doesn't feature complete solidarity...they obviously were just waiting for a chance to get rid of Q, who they view as a slacker.

However, they did listen to the pleas of both Q and his wife Larialmy to let him stay, and Larialmy went home.

Some random observations:

--The former "unknowns" seem to be firmly embedded in their identity as a family--but what do you bet the show shakes things up by doing something to integrate the two sides? I can totally see that coming!

--Justin and Rulon seem to be the leaders of the former unknowns, but as I mentioned earlier, I think they get a little heavy-handed in their motivational preaching/lecturing. (By the way, have you heard about the 1.5 pound "Rulon Burger" that he sells at his Wyoming restaurant?)

--Whatever Cara and Brett are doing to help their people shed the pounds, it's definitely working! Before they were able to be in the ranch's gym, it looked like they were mainly doing a lot of boxing.

--I noticed the trainers were absent at the final weigh-in last night. Wonder why? And did I catch a sense of some tension between the old and new trainers in the previews for next week?

I'd love to get your thoughts and observations in my comments section!

Biggest Loser Update: The Green Team Takes a Trip

...and what do you mean, "To Be Continued"?!?

Tonight's episode of The Biggest Loser wasn't one of the more eventful or drama-packed ones...it was just kind of functional.

As the show opened, we found Jillian trying to get Don riled up. (Remember, he's the twin who stayed at the ranch, letting his brother Dan go home because Dan was just so homesick.)

Jillian apparently felt that Don needed to let his feelings out--so he did, making good use of the sounder that bleeps out cuss-words. Don continued to stick with his assertion that he DIDN'T gain 9 pounds last week on purpose. Mmm-hmm.

The rest of the show pretty much revolved around the results of a challenge faced by the contestants on the ranch. Each team had to go into an area that was packed from floor to ceiling with the very foods that had been their individual downfall...be it pizza, fried chicken, chocolate cake, macaroni and cheese, cheesecake.

The team who ate the most calories had the power to send any team they chose to the "unknowns" facility (although they really aren't so unknown anymore.)

As it turned out, it just wasn't worth it for anyone to eat anything. They were steadfast...except for Arthur, the guy who had once weighed 600 pounds and who still seems to really struggle with his love affair with food.

Arthur ended up eating just one fried chicken leg, saying he did so to take control of the challenge. And indeed, that gave him the right to send a team to the unknowns, and he chose the green team--Jay and his daughter Jennifer.

I was impressed to see how well Jay and Jennifer did during their week with the new trainers...it really looked like they were working their behinds off.

NO!!!!! Bummer...

But rather abruptly (or so it seemed to me), a big "To Be Continued" sign flashed on the screen! Let me tell you, I REALLY felt ripped off. To be honest, my very favorite part of the show is the weigh-in...WHAT??? NO WEIGH-IN???

Maybe the show was shortened to accomodate the State of the Union address, but it was a big disappointment for me.

I guess we'll have to wait till next week to see how everyone fared on the scale.

Biggest Loser Update: Finally! The Unknown Trainers Revealed

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Well, the show dragged it out for suspense sake, but we finally got to meet the new trainers on the Biggest Loser last night.

They are Brett Hoebel, who has a background in martial arts and works with celebrities, and Cara Castronuova, a professional boxer.

After getting a good look at them for the first time, I have to wonder if they weren't hired as much for the hotness factor as for their training qualifications! These are two goodlooking people.




They do seem likable. We'll have to see if they're as good as Bob and Jillian at whipping people into shape and helping them drop the pounds--so far, it seems they're doing a good job of it. ("Q" lost 19 pounds, if I'm not mistaken!?!)

I appreciate getting to see more of the other team members, by the way. Just wondering: am I the only one who thought Rulon and Justin were a little heavy-handed in their "encouragement" of their team members to get with it? However, again, it did seem to work, as both the players they were "encouraging" did man up and lose the big numbers.

Dan and Don

It seemed pretty obvious throughout the episode that Dan wanted to go home, and it appears he did what he could to make that happen. However, I can't help but agree with Bob and Jillian that bailing so early is kind of a slap in the face to all the people who would LOVE to have a place at the ranch, but didn't make it on the show.

I understand Dan missing his daughter, but didn't he think about that when he made the decision to be on the show?

In any case...as the show goes along, I'm enjoying getting to know all the players a little better, and seeing how their transformations are already beginning to--no pun intended--take shape.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback in my comments section!

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Calligraphy, sweet-n-spicy, music, game shows, SOUP!--I've been tagged

Calligraphy by Timothy Botts, probably my most admired calligrapher--he uses it as an artform to glorify God. His work is amazing!

Feeling a bit under the weather today, so I'm being lazy and just doing some reading...including catching up on blogs.

Ashley of Chapter Four--who I've known through the internet for years now!--has tagged me with some questions. The way it works: I answer the questions, then make up seven of my own and tag someone else.

Here are my answers to Ashley's questions...

1. What hobby do you most enjoy, and how did you get involved with it? Is reading a hobby? Because honestly, that is the thing I enjoy the most when I have any leisure time.

However, I have gone through phases where I was really into other things--for example, there were a few years in the 80s where I was avidly into cross-stitching.

One thing that has been a constant, but I confess I probably don't do often enough, is calligraphy. I'm pretty good at calligraphy, and have used it for gifts and projects many times throughout the years. Just this past summer, I addressed wedding invitations for a young woman who was getting married.

Actually, being asked this question makes me realize I should do more with my calligraphy.

How did I get into it? I started attempting it when I was a very little girl...I can remember looking up handwriting in the World Book Encyclopedia and trying to copy the different fonts pictured there.

I'm a chronic doodler, and doodling calligraphic-type fonts became a regular part of my doodling--which was great practice.

Later, I discovered calligraphy pens (both the fancy pen-and-ink kind and the markers, used for scrapbooking and the like (which are much easier to deal with), and found out how much more beautiful this writing is when done with a pen tip actually made for calligraphy!

I also met a friend named Lucy, who taught school with my husband, who was a talented calligrapher and used that talent often. That encouraged me to develop my own calligraphy.


2. If you had to spend one month in any area of service at your church, what would you choose?--Definitely the music area. I already sing in the choir and some special groups, but I've sung all my life and it's my favorite form of worship.

via


3. Sweet or savory?--Both--at the same time! :) I actually thought of Asian dishes that combine the two when I saw that question.

I have a terrible sweet tooth, which has been tamed somewhat by having Type 2 diabetes. However, I do love spicy foods, and I literally crave salsa--especially salsa that's heavy on the lime and cilantro. So I'm going to have to plead both on this question.



4. What is your favorite soup? Ahhh, soup! What a wonderful topic for this time of year. Believe it or not, my number one answer is going to be quite prosaic:

Campbell's Tomato Soup.

That tomato soup--made with water and NOT milk, by the way--is probably my ultimate, number one comfort food of all time.

Why? When I was a child, my mom actually made being sick a pleasure for us. Being sick meant staying home from school, getting a new coloring book and crayons, and being fed a grilled cheese sandwich with Campbell's tomato soup and 7-up.

I still love the flavor of that soup. The last time I was in Texas, I was keeping my 3-year-old grandson Payton and she was keeping her 2-year-old granddaughter Arden, and they suddenly realized they were hungry--a couple of hours after supper, of course.

My mom made them Campbell's tomato soup, which Payton had never had before, and they LOVED it.

Comfort food aside? I love a wonderful chicken gumbo soup...Famous Dave's has an incredible chicken and wild rice soup...and you can't beat a really delicious vegetable soup. But there is almost no soup I would turn down. I love soup!

This is a great season for chili-type soups as well. Here's a delicious recipe I've blogged about in the past.


5. What was your favorite school subject?I think I'd have to say history. History can be a fascinating topic, especially if you have a really good teacher, of which I've had several.

Even as a little girl, attending a British school in Beirut, Lebanon, I was taught British history and was fascinated. Later, living in Texas in junior high, I learned about Texas history, and that too is truly interesting. I guess I just love history!


Queen Elizabeth I as a young woman. Were her dresses amazing or what???


6. What was your college major? Do you use it currently, or do you work in a different area? As a Bible college student, my major was missions, but I work in broadcasting and voice-overs. I would say working at a radio station during my Bible college years had more impact on my future career than did my actual studies.

7. If you could compete on any game show (either traditional like The Price Is Right or Jeopardy! or "reality"-based like The Amazing Race or The Biggest Loser), which would you choose and why? Well, never The Biggest Loser, although that's one of my favorite shows! There's no way I would be able, or WANT to endure what trainers Jillian and Bob put those people through.

I have a lot of trivial knowledge, so people have told me I should go on something like Jeopardy. However, I have huge gaps in my knowledge, so I don't think I would do very well (although I like to play along at home.)

Thanks so much, Ashley, for tagging me!

I'm tagging Ann-Marie at The Left-Handed Rabbit, and here are my questions:

1. Given a plane ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
2. Who is your most admired woman, living or dead, and why?
3. (Besides the Bible, of course) What is your favorite book, and why?
4. Do you re-read favorite books? (If so, care to name which ones?)
5. What is the biggest difference (other than gender!) between you and your husband?
6. (Sorry to borrow this one from Ashley, but) What is your favorite soup?
7. If calories, weight gain or health were no object, what food would you eat all you wanted of? (bad grammar, I know!)

I know Ann-Marie hasn't been blogging much lately, but she's a wonderful writer with a great sense of humor, so I do hope she answers these. :)

13 of my favorite TV characters of all time

I'm delving into the archives of Notes in the Key of Life to participate in the Thursday Thirteen meme! This was originally posted , so you'll see references to some shows which were airing then, but are no longer on.

What are YOUR favorite TV characters? Let me know in my comments section!

...in no particular order (and yes, some of these go waaaay back...)

--Lisa on "Green Acres," played by Eva Gabor...she was so ditzy and quirky, she cracked me up.


--Barney, played by Don Knotts, on "The Andy Griffith Show." Need you even ask why?



--The Virginian (I don't think they ever gave his name), played by James Drury, on "The Virginian." Mysterious...manly...you know, the strong, silent type


--Al, played by Dean Stockwell, on "Quantum Leap." Not sure why...I just really liked him.

--Phyllis, played by Cloris Leachman, on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." She made an art form out of being snobby and clueless at the same time.

--Herman Munster on "The Munsters," played by Fred Gwynne. Again, he was just funny...and he had that great, deep voice. The thought of monster as lovable goof...


--Emily, played by Suzanne Pleshette, on "The Bob Newhart Show." She was just a cool character...a pleasure to watch.

--David Addison, played by Bruce Willis, on "Moonlighting." His smart-aleck wise-cracking kept me watching, and promised his future stardom.

--Rob Petrie, played by Dick Van Dyke, on "The Dick Van Dyke Show." Again, no explanation needed--he's a legend.

...and more recently...

--Hugo "Hurley," played by Jorge Garcia, on "Lost." Hurley's down-to-earth sense of humor is one of the things that keeps the show from spiraling into inaccessible weirdness.

Dr. Jack Shepherd, played by Matthew Fox, on "Lost." I know a lot of viewers don't care for Jack, but I think he's the heart and soul of the show.

--Peter Petrelli, played by Milo Ventimiglia, on "Heroes." His basic goodness and likeability make him immensely appealing. For me, there could be no show without Peter.

--Hank, played by Fred Ewanuick, on "Corner Gas." He's just so likably goofy!