Whine & Cheese

Cruel TV Gods

Oh, the TV gods are being very cruel this evening!

Here's my game plan:

American Idol - Watch it <gasp!> live
Despite the fact that 55 minutes of it won't be worth watching

Survivor - Record on Main TiVo, watch later this evening

Dancing With The Stars - Record on Secondary TiVo, watch tomorrow night

Olympics - Pick up recording on main TiVo after Survivor is finished
Even though the women's free skate final have already been spoiled

AI5: A Dozen Guys

It was the debut of the guys last night on American Idol 5.  I was having my concerns early on... as Randy would say... just not feeeling it dawgs... but about halfway through the show, the leaders began to emerge.

I expected myself order of finish to be bottom-heavy... but it was almost the opposite:  4 guys at the top, 2 more close behind, 3 in the "middle" and 3 at the bottom.

My order of finish:

Ace ("Father Figure") - Constantine who?  One word: Sultry. Sure Ace didn't have the best vocal performance of the night (I'd probably give that to Chris, Elliott... or heack even Gedeon)... but as Simon said, he has the X-factor.  Has their been an Idol contestant this "pretty" with this level of vocal chops?   
Chris ("Wanted Dead or Alive") -  As expected, Chris was has a pretty strong and confident stage presence... while I thought he sounded too much like a Bon Jovi cover band lead singer... but the begs the question ... is there anything wrong with that?  Ummm, no.

Elliott ("If You Really Love Me") - Elliott was a real surprise to me this evening.  I really didn't know what to expect out of him, but it certainly was not a cover of a Stevie Wonder song.  Suprisingly soulful and as the judges noted seemingly a natural talent.

Taylor ("Levon") - I actually expect a little more soul out of Taylor last night, but I thought it was good that he didn't take the obvious route and go with a Ray Charles/Joe Cocker song.  And speaking of his inspirations, was also glad to see that he begged off (just a bit!) the Stevie Wonder/Ray Charles mannerisms.  Again, agree with the judges that he has a vibe unlike any other Idol contestant.  Finally, it is quite telling that of all the Idol contestants I have mentioned here at W&C thus far, Taylor is the most searched for name.

Bucky ("Simple Man") -  Bucky gave the most authentic performance of the night... a little growly and raw at times... but at least it was a nice alternative to the bubble-gum, "hit the big note" pop stuff that is de riguer on Idol.

Gedeon ("Shout") -  I am not really into the whole cocky attitude... but was impressed with his performance.  It takes something special to do a novelty song without it being cartoon-ish or cheesy. Though it really didn't show off any great vocal range or talent, but it was certainly entertaining.

Will ("I Want You Back") - If you look like a 70s pop idol, what better to sing that a song from the Jackson 5.  Will is certainly adorable, but I thought the performace was a little to "talky" and the fast-pace didn't really showcase his voice.

Patrick ("Come To My Window") -  Having the uneviable task of going first, Patrick gave a good performance... but it wasn't anything terribly special.  He's good, but good just well... isn't good enough.  I have yet to see an Idol contestant successfully cover a Melissa Etheridge song, it usually ends up being a rock song turned into something you would hear on a Lite FM radio station.

Kevin ("One Last Cry") -  Oh, Kevin... his "look" just makes it really hard to pull off a R&B song.  He is quite likeable and you want to root for him... but he's not just long for this competition.

Jose/Sway ("Reasons") -  When Paula stood up and did her combo "touchdown"/seal clap I knew there would be some disagreement about this performance (Randy was equally enthusiastic).   I just thought all the falsetto crap was painful to listen to.  I didn't place him at the bottom because I do realize it takes some talent to do it... but just not my thing.

David ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love") -  What do you get when you combine past Idol contestants: the wild and wacky Jon Peter Lewis with crooner John Stevens... whatever David did last night.  It was just cartoon-ish and just a wrong way to start the competition.  Entertaining, but not in a good way.

Bobby ("Copacabana") -  Since Simon is getting slammed for politically incorrect comments during the auditions, I will just go ahead and say what he probably wanted to about Bobby's performance:  really bad gay cabaret.  This made David's performance almost seem understated... Simon was right... what the heck were they thinking?!

My personal ousters would be my bottom 2, Bobby & David, but I wouldn't be surprised if the vanilla (and somewhat forgettable, which is a problem when you go first)  Patrick gets the boot.

Ok, I guess I am sane... Entertainment Weekly pretty much had the same take on the guys...''American Idol'': The best and worst men

Also from EW a bevy of other Idol stuff here: 'Idol' Roundup: The Olympics, text-messaging... and TWINS! -- a link to the Maxim photos featuring Becky and her twin sister,  this year's "Vote For The Worst" campaign (this week's "honorees" are Brenna & Bobby), and a note that only Cingular customers can vote via text messaging.

Gambling Jaunt

Since I was (am!) still a little slow in the work department, I decided to take a late afternoon trip to the Indian casino. 

As mentioned many times before, I have a comp card with Harrah's ... and that usually allows me to get some good room deals in Vegas as well as get a "free" meal using my credits.  However, those credits disappear if you don't play/use the card at least once every 6 months.   So since our last trip to Vegas was in November, I figured it was time to secure those credits... especially with Todd being away... he is not as much of a casino addict fan as I am.

Luckily I was able to get a 3-play video poker machine (and at the end of aisle!).  Unlike Vegas where you pretty much have your pick of machines, at these smaller Indian casinos you pretty much have to cruise the floor and snag one as quickly as possible.... and once you get it, you pretty much have to keep it. 

I had some initial success... but in a casino trap, you are not going to turn around and leave (like you should!) 10-20 minutes after getting there (especially after a 30 minute drive!).  But I held onto my initial monetary input for quite some time, which is all I really ask for.  I don't mind losing (well I do!), but nothing is worse than having it all evaporate within a half hour's time.   Eventually, it all fell apart... got on a bad streak and the end was swift and ugly.  So, all I managed to do was "pre-pay" for a future hotel room in Vegas. 

The woman on the machine next to me was the story of my visit.  She was playing 5-play video poker,  which I only rarely dabble in... playing max on that is just a little too rich for my budget... if you are playing quarters each hand is $6.25/hand (5 quarters per hand x 5 hands).   While my initial investment was going up and down, she must have got up from her machine 3 times to replenish her budget... she always came back with a handful of cash.  I figured she would be gone, long before I ran out of cash.

AI5: A Dozen Gals

It was the first "real" night of competition of American Idol 5.  I decided to grade them on a bell curve (remember that?)... so we have 3 good, 6 bunched in the middle, and 3 not so good.

Here is my order of finish:

Lisa ("I Am Changing") - This was a poised and powerful performance... only 16, Lisa definitely comes across as an "old soul"... which may work against her in the long run, but I thought she was scary good.

Katharine ("Since I Fell For You") - I wasn't feeling this at the get-go, but Katharine is surely a natural talent and seemed quite comfortable in the spotlight... she really worked the song... effortless.

Paris ("Midnight Train To Georgia") - I don't think I ever stopped smiling from the minute she opened her mouth.  A born performer... confident without being cocky.  This is one of my all-time favorite songs, but it was so much fun that I can even forgive that she totally misinterpreted it!   A song all about heartbreak and heartache, was all giggles and bubbles (and as Paula said, I thought she was going to bounce out of her top).

Mandisa ("Never") - Mandisa just finished short of my "top tier" as I thought she a little shouty and hit some not so great notes.  But she came out like a house on fire -- just lots of personality -- and as I said before she has already cemented gay-con status.

Ayla ("Reflection") - Ayla was my big surprise of the evening... was a little concerned at the beginning but she showed some great control and power on the big notes.

Kellie ("How Far") - Aw, shucks!  How can you say anything too bad about Kellie.  Not a great performance (bit sharp at times)... and having to follow Mandisa, she came across a bit vanilla.  But I think she has the most potential for improvement as the competition goes on.

Kinnik ("Get Here") - I had Kinnik up a little higher in the ranks, but then knocked her down... she certainly has a good voice, but I think picking a song by a singer (Oleta Adams) with a similiar voice/style wasn't such a good decision... just made it seem like a copy-cat.

Becky ("Because The Night") - Thought she was overpowered by the music and had a flat/low tone.  But as Simon said -- visual a 10, voice 6.5 -- I think that summed things up perfectly.

Melissa ("When The Lights Go Down") - Melissa almost made my bottom tier, but I kind of felt bad for her that she hasn't received any air time before tonight.  I thought her singing lacked enunciation, just couldn't understand her sometimes.

Brenna ("You Are The Sunshine Of My Life") - Brenna obviously didn't learn the Mikala lesson from last season... people love you or hate you already... so play to the fan base.  She should have been all spunk and attitude instead of offering up a serving of milquetoast.  She hit some good notes at the end... but it was too little, too late.

Stevie ("To Where You Are") - I was really looking forward to Stevie... she has this very different quality to about her and I was curious of what she would come out with.  I was even excited to hear she would sing this particular song... but her interpretation was so constrained (constricted?)... Josh Groban's voice simply soars in this song... Stevie never left the ground.  (Boy, that was very Simon-like)

Heather ("When You Tell Me That You Love Me") - Ooh boy, this was definitely one of those "how did she get this far?" moments.  And the whole "I'm an American Idol groupie" admission was not a terribly  smart move either.

I would be surprised if anyone outside my "bottom 4" get the boot.  I would ditch Heather and Melissa, but I have a feeling Stevie will be one of the gals headed home on Thursday.

Tomorrow... we'll have the guys!

Style Points?

Figure Skating Outfits Lacking Style

What ever do they mean?!?

Oh.  Okay.  Nevermind.

Though kudos to the American and silver medalist team of Belbin & Agosto, who very nicely bucked the garish trend:

Though I am sure they would dissed about fashion rather than this...
Why figure skating is not a sport

iTunes Guilty Pleasure Purchase of the Day

Now I'm broken, and I'm faded -- I'm half the man I thought I would be
But you can have -- what's left of me.

Fallin' faster -- barely breathing
Give me somethin to believe in
Tell me it's not all in my head
*pause*
Take what's left of this man
Make me whole once again

Oh poor baby... Nick, I got an empty shoulder right here.  Riiiiighhht heeere....

(And Nick, the bf's out of town... shhhh!   Besides he's got more of the hots for your brother)

What's On Your TiVo?

DeAnn over at TV Goddess gave me a slam dunk entry for today -- What's On Your TiVo?  (Click here to check out Deann's list).  A Season Pass list is certainly a window into the soul!  I encourage other TiVo/DVR owner bloggers to do the same (put a link to your entry in the comments!).

At the moment, I have 61 items on the Season Pass list.  Shows/Items in CAPS are those I have set up a Wish List (to record "mentions" on any channel).  This is in "priority" order... but don't assume that shows not at the very top of my list are not "favorites" (or vice versa)... as any TiVo owner knows, it is a semi-regular juggling act to get everything to "work" just right.

The full list after the jump...

Couple Of New W&C Banners

It's been awhile and since I had some time on my hands I added some new banners into the W&C rotation over the weekend. 

Alas, we also have our first banner "retirements."  We say goodbye to two of my HBO-themed banners.  Both were pretty much identical... I just couldn't choose my favorite image of The Comeback's Valerie Cherish (Lisa Kudrow), so I just created two of them. The Fishers from Six Feet Under were also featured.  Since both shows have have long ended their runs, I figured it was about time to send them on their way (though you can still see them in the "See Them All" archive atop the sidebar).

So what are the new additions?

Well, no huge surprise that the first new entry is a homage to... American Idol - Season 5  (click on the link for a pop-up image). Once I found that image of Randy, Paula & Simon I knew it had to be the centerpiece of the banner (tho I am sure Randy would prefer that I had found a post-gastric bypass photo).  Originally, I had Ryan "in" the C... but then I figured I would move him out and save the "letters" for the contestants... who I am sure I have officially jinxed by featuring them so prominently in the banner.  So it is a little "busy" graphically... but I like how it turned out.

The second new entry is also an HBO show that has long ended its run.  However, I have become re-obsessed with it in syndication... so now the gals of Sex and the City have a banner of their very own!  I did something a little different on this one... got rid of the big yellow/gold Whine & part and instead incorporated that part into the "centerpiece" image.  So, a bit less busy than some (most!) of the other banners.  And while I know Smith was not a major character, I could not leave out the "Absolut Hunk" image.  Hee hee.

Some more retirements lie ahead...

Probably for Arrested Development (haven't heard much news on it being picked up elsewhere of late... I hear the final 4 episodes were truly a good "ending" to the series... they are still on TiVo "to be watched").

And definitely for The West Wing, which will end its run in May (though "boo" to NBC for giving away a spoiler in the promos airing during the Olympics, but hopefully it will encourage folks to tune in!).

So I hope you like the new banners!  I certainly have a lot of fun creating them!  For those who are familiar with W&C, what would you like to see next?  I am open for suggestions!

P.S.  Todd arrived safely in Hong Kong, he called around HK bedtime as I was just starting my day here in AZ (15 hour time difference!). 

Day 100: MIA Ship & Feedback

Yes, folks today is Day 100 since I placed the order for my MINI Cooper back on November 12th, 2005.

While I think this wait time is not terribly unusual, it can (and does!) move along faster.  As mentioned in the past, I just missed a December production slot... so that moved things back a month (only further increased by the scheduled 3 week plant shutdown).  Also, us "West Coast" folks have an additional 14-16 days at sea as opposed to those folks on the other side of the country.  So there are a lot of variables!  I have read accounts of folks ordering and getting their MINI is just 35 days, which just seems incredible to me... but I haven't really minded the wait, it has surely built up the anticipation and excitement.

If you have been looking at the shipping map in the sidebar, you may have noticed the ship hasn't moved since last week.  Since stopping in Georgia, the ship has not sent out a signal telling us where it is.  Participation is totally voluntary, so I just assume that since they are now close to land and not in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, they don't feel a need to be pinpointed. 

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!  According to its schedule, the ship should have passed through the Panana Canal yesterday.  So just 8 more days until it gets to Port Hueneme/Los Angeles!

It has been nice to finally hear from some MINI owners and future owners (guess my posts are finally getting into search engines). 

Last night, I received a comment from someone who is also on the Don Pasquale and they shared my frustration with the "disappearance" of our ship... but it was nice to hear from someone "in the same boat" as me (hardee har har!  How often can you say that and really mean it!!)).  Also yesterday, Esther over at MINI Sightings alerted me of her blog -- totally devoted to spotting MINIs on the roads and parking lots of California.  And W&C helped somone else pinpoint the location of their MINI in the shipping process!

So it has been so nice to get that feedback, that is truly why I am documenting this whole process.  Granted it is definitely nice to have something steady to blog about, but my intention was more that the MINI Cooper Chronicles become a source of MINI info.

Two Weeks of Solitude

...it's no One Hundred Years, but then again I ain't no Gabriel Garcia Marquez either. But, yes I am on my own for about the next two weeks. 

Just dropped Todd off on the airport, for a mind-blowing, Amazing Race worthy business trip.  Originally, he was just going to be going to Hong Kong for a week, but then he needed to go to some other places "in the neighborhood"... so instead of having to go back to Asia again in a month or two later, he just decided to get it all done in one swoop.  After Hong Kong he is headed to Kuala Lumpur then over to Bangkok.  So this "first leg" is pretty much 24 hours of straight travel starting with a "short" hop to San Francisco, before the big flight across the Pacific... the combination of actual flight time and time zone difference just makes my brain ache!

He wasn't terribly excited about the trip.  Ironically enough, the business trip is going to put him more behind in getting his daily work done... which is a never-ending battle.  And, likewise, I really can't imagine doing that kind of trip alone and once there it is quite the culture shock.  Based on his past trips to Asia, he said he could certainly relate to the Bill Murray character from Lost in Translation.

Emotionally, I have never been great at airports.  I have buckled up better over the years, but even now, watching some total strangers reunite in the airport can sometimes still bring a tear to my eye.  Anyhow, I guess our relationship is still in pretty good shape... even after 10+ years together, I got a little misty as Todd passed through security and disappeared past the gates... 

But it's only two frickin' weeks, right?!  I can kind of keep relatively sane while he is on a one-week trip... in that tunnel, I can see the light.  But with him not returning until March 4th, already it seems as if the extra week would require a bit more pacing on my part.  Since most of my work related communications are done via e-mail, there are literally times where I talk to no one from 7am-5pm Monday thru Friday in a given week... and even on a "good week" we are talking minutes (one, two hours?) of social interaction.  So, for purely selfish reasons, I very much look forward to having him come home everyday.  And with work currently in a very slow phase (though promising to pick up any day now), I haven't even had that as a fallback to keep me busy and occupied.

So I plan on stretching out the errands to get out of the house as often as possible.  Will likely go to my accountant sometime over the next week to drop of my tax stuff or this year... and maybe try to enlist Scott & Buckaroo to get me over hump next weekend.

At least I have the animals to keep me company (though we had another scare with Mindy this past week, maybe more on that later)... but it is seeming very, very quiet already.