ramble

Too much puking. Way way too much. I guess we all saw that coming. When you build a chalet with little to no food coming in and then, 3 weeks later!, begin to think of food it’s going to be an issue. Adams’s comment about someone getting a bear actually made me laugh aloud. I like his attitude and hope he can handle the homesickness. His shelter looks pretty good. I wish they would give us more complete walk throughs of everyone’s shelter. As I was watching the skit involving muskrat pelvic bone glasses and muskrat teeth I had a moment of realizing how incredibly odd it all was. I understand it’s survival, but with TV, but what a odd little moment on TV. The muskrat skin hand puppet just added to the weird. We’re getting down to small numbers now and it seems winter is closer so this should get serious. I hope it’s not a starve out for the rest of the time but still some survival living and exploring attempts.

Add me to that small faction of the world that does not like Tom Hanks. Something about him rubs me the wrong way, not like Tom Cruise wrong, but in a nope, I don’t like it way. He can take me out of a movie just seeing his face. I just saw the movie Elvis and Hanks playing the smarmy colonel made good sense in my brain. Cruise, on the other hand, I find revolting. His use of Scientologist sea org members as free, almost forced labor is disgusting as is the little man’s weird center tooth. And I’m in agreement that every role is Tom Cruise playing someone. It’s not a character of a spy and he happens to be the actor, it’s Tom Cruise pretending he’s a spy. Big yucky no.

Random health warnings on the screen I find kind of interestingly odd - cholesterol from fat may kill you! found objects may have tetanus! Are the risks of starvation, dehydration, and wild animal attack not enough? The Hodge Podge may be larger than my first apartment. I’m the complete opposite of an outdoorsy person so I don’t know the order of what should take priority when it comes to shelter versus food, but it seems like thats a lot of time and effort on a larger than necessary shelter. And, as y’all have mentioned, food will probably become more scarce as the weather worsens. I saw the tail end of an ad for Alone:Frozen. I couldn’t tell if it’s just a different name for a new season or a whole new thing. Did anyone see the entire ad? Maybe I’m not remembering the last couple of seasons, but it seems that not as many people are struggling with the alone portion of the show this time. Or maybe they aren’t recording their inner dialogue the same way or it’s not editable in a way to show. I can’t remember how quickly people usually drop compared to time spent. Knowing the Internet, I imagine someone, somewhere probably has a spreadsheet that shows it for each season with comparisons, but I’m not even sure how to search for that. ETA: My dog would like to make it known that he strongly disputes the note on the screen that squirrels can run up to 20 miles an hour. He tells me that the squirrels in our backyard can run one zillion miles an hour because he has never caught one yet.

This is a great description of the middle section and what makes it so enjoyable! The exploration and the inventiveness that can happen is part of what makes this show so fun to watch. When the standard # of days / # of people left appeared and it said two weeks and everyone was left I was surprised. Usually we’re down a couple by then. Sweet young Jacques sounds like he’s gone through a lot and is trying to figure things out. I hope his girlfriend is understanding and he gets what he wants out of life.

From the previews it appears the standard “Hey bear!” is a requirement for polar bears as well. Good to know. Adam is from my home state so I went and read his History bio. It appears he’s spent quite a bit of time alone doing solo sailing. I wonder if that is mentally comparable. Also he’s gone all over the world doing all types of things and now I believe I’m officially a lump. I haven’t traveled more than 100 miles in 10 years. Can I get a do-over? I still find this show almost peaceful compared to other TV offerings. It’s not quite as quiet as the first season but it’s still quieter than just about anything else I watch. If they’d go back to less dramatic music I’d appreciate it.

Love and Monsters (2020) which is billed as a “monster apocalypse thriller.” I only noticed it because of Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf, Maze Runner trilogy) who I tend to like. I went it with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised that I was enjoyably entertained. I watched it while we were in some of the harsher parts of lockdown for our area and it fit the bill for what I needed. Not heavy, kind of goofy, likable lead and monsters. I would not call it groundbreaking but it was fun and I liked it

Ugh. I was on the fence unsure if I was amused by Biko’s intentional play toward the camera or annoyed, but he shoved me off hard onto the annoyed side of things. The singing narration didn’t help nor did the feeling that he was playing a character. As y’all have said… cosplay guy. There are some nice shelters being worked on this season. I’d like it if they did a little side by side comparison of everybody’s. I know this is completely superficial but seeing the back of the guy from the Virgin Islands’ hair made my scalp itch and I kind of wanted to go wash my hair three times and then cut it off. I wonder if his statement about his wife keeping him in the right mental space was a throw away line about how he prefers her to be around or if he really needs her for balance. Has everyone seen a grizzly at this point? If you haven’t do the Alone producers mark you as a dud? To be one of the cool kids do you have to say, “Hey bear!” when you see one? Inquiring, indoor-loving, chicken-hearted people have questions.

I don’t recall if I posted it here or just thought I had because I was sure I couldn’t stand him, but regardless, I hereby rescind my dislike of Gerard Butler. I don’t think he’s the most brilliant actor in the world but after having watched him in Geostorm and Greenland I’m going to say the guy is all right. (Disclaimer: I know those are crap movies but I am a die hard sucker for disaster movies.)

I have that magnet too! It was on my fridge but is now on one of my cabinets at work. I bought it when dating a guy who loved camping and all that outdoorsy stuff and couldn’t seem to accept my distinct lack of interest. Notice that the dating is past tense. He’s gone and the magnet took a trip to the office. We’re probably all happier. To be so completely indoorsy I weirdly love this show. I know I don’t have what it takes to do what these folks do and maybe that’s part of why I enjoy it so much. I’ve often joked with my kids that if a zombie apocalypse hits my best bet might just be to run toward the zombies and get it over with since I have little to no survival skills. It will take me a bit to learn names, it always does, but I’m with y’all and shocked that tap our heart attack guy was even allowed to compete. Thirty five percent heart function sounds like a number that needs to not be put into intentionally stressful environments. I fully expected Virgin Island dude to annoy me but I found him oddly likable. As long as I don’t look at his teeth. Whacked out teeth give me the heebie jeebies. Bone nose guy is teetering on the fence for me. He can fall on the amusing side or the annoying side. I’m not sure which it’ll be but right now he’s leaning annoying. I kind of expected berry eating lady to tap when she started puking. And I guess she christened the season for us because we always get to at least hear, if not see, someone throwing up every season. Thanks Alone. But really, I’m glad you’re back show’

I’m sure many of y’all have heard that Little Tommy went on a rant and roll about peons on his 412th Mission Impossible movie not following COVID rules to his liking. https://pagesix.com/2020/12/17/listen-to-tom-cruise-rant-about-broken-covid-rules-full-audio/ IMO the best part of all this is a guy on YouTube I like breaking it down in his clinical way. He has a lovely dry wit. It’s worth a listen ETA: The YouTube screen grabbed a picture perfectly showing that freaky centered tooth on the CO$ prince-boy. Ugh. That thing freaks me out. How do you pay money to fix your teeth and get that? I wonder if some dentist or orthodontist has spent years in the hole scrubbing floors with a toothbrush as penance.

I just now read this. Holy moly smoking butts what an I indictment of Little TC being the nasty piece of work we all knew he was. The fact that he had some of his CO$ lapdogs instruct women on how to please him sexually made me legitimately laugh out loud. I guess it’s beneath him to speak about his preferences to the women who he is cruising up on. Either that or he hasn’t cleared the words in the sex section of the CO$ big dictionary of dumbassery. Eww. Thinking of having Cruise cruise his little Tom foolery all up on someone is making me feel a bit nauseous.

When Papa Chris came to visit Clare, after she did fiancée type stuff with Little Ears, she repeated almost every sentence two times. So I threw back a shot of Coke Zero, took one for the team and rewound. She did the same thing in the pre moan and bone talk. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to say. It was like crazy, it was like crazy. What the crap Clare?! Has the tru lurve that showed up for you caused your brain to melt? My brain felt like the boring was doubled.

Ees okay.

Well that was gross. This franchise never fails to lower their standards. Eww and no. Disrespectful really isn’t a word that holds much weight when talking about any of these shows but I found the boy’s bare balls disrespectful - to the guys, the unfortunate crew, and the viewers, especially the right reasons one (that’s not me) that want to believe that true love can be found. Claire put your eyes back in your head, guys pull up your pants and no one do the naked hug. Is time passing completely differently in the quarantine thunderdome? Hang out with a guy in a group and make small talk and then go on a date and demand that all he share all his deep, dark secrets and issues that in the real world would come up only after a few months of therapy. That’s the opposite of trashy fun TV. I can not tell these guys apart. Somehow they all look remarkably the same. It’s like someone took a Ken doll mold and made only minor changes as each was taken out of the mold. Add some stubble there, give that one some glasses, press on a tattoo. I know Dale because Claire just met her husband y’all! I know Bennett because he has the sweet suite. And I know the anesthesiologist because when he got out of the limo my daughter was walking through the room and was skeptical that an anesthesiologist would be on this show. She has a friend who’s dad is one and pointed out that he makes amazing money, has smarts, and, if he wanted, has the opportunity to meet all kinds of singles. So now I think of him as the “anesthesiologist.” ETA: Shout out to those of you referencing “Ess ok” in your comments. It never fails to make me giggle. My kids and I still say that to each other when we really mean whatever, shut up

I am surprised how well Keith and Kristine are doing because I remember being worried for them. They seem so happy and relaxed and I enjoy their segments. I see Jepthe trying but I almost feel like the try is so evident it’s awkward. I have never been convinced he likes Shawniece much and while he may love her it seems like obligatory love. They exhaust me.

I could do without Shawniece & Jepthe, and Beth & Jamie completely. Doug & Jamie are hit and miss for me. Everyone else I enjoy. I think some of the storylines develop naturally from real life, albeit manipulated to fit a narrative. I think some are 100% producer driven crap, and the majority are a mix of the two. I don’t expect truth and honesty from reality tv, but I prefer to think there’s some truth...

And one of my favorite episodes of a tv show ever. I get emotional every time I watch it, and knowing how things are all connected just makes it more impactful. I remember having a bit of a hard time getting invested immediately in season one. (Maybe because I was confused-lol.) But now, a few rewatches later, I enjoy season one on the whole.

I want to like Amelia and Bennett but between the pit hair, the veiled trio, and the gaping maw of death it’s hard. Okay maybe it just Amelia I’m struggling with. I agree with the poster who said these aren’t my people. I don’t mind some odd and quirky but I feel like this is quirky overload. Like going to the fair and eating cotton candy, a funnel cake and a snow cone and then having a sugar stomach ache. Way too much all at once. And the ice cream, freezer, cherries and banana sex discussion was ridiculous and went on for far too long. I want to say poor Henry but good grief gravy why is this guy on this show?!? He is painfully uncomfortable and can’t even make minimal chit chat. Not that I think his bride is a prize. If she thinks marriage is going to be like a romantic movie she is going to be so disappointed. I wonder if Henry thought doing this show might wake up whichever one of his honey bees he has buzzing around him that he desires and they’d suddenly realize he’s more than “just a friend”. Ain’t going to happen dude. I hope Woody is the guy who showed up at the wedding and not the player that was in the pre-wedding shows. I loved how easily the dad and stepdad got along. What a nice change to see compared to many situations. Maybe they can be a force of good in Woody’s life. He sounds like he would really like to have an older man’s influence in his life. Who else? Oh yeah Brett, who thinks he is sexy and smooth but is not quite last call level of yuck but it’s getting late and the bar is emptying out. I think Olivia is going to lose her optimism sooner rather than later. I am holding hope for Miles because he seems so genuine and nice but I can’t tell if his bride is into him or just appreciates a good foot rub.

Blame quarantine, but I’ve been rewatching The 100. Which reminds me how frustrated I am that this final season has our original kru split up and spread out. Can’t we, the weary loyal few, who have stuck by this show through it’s good and very bad, get some pay off of togetherness at least? It also reminded me how horrible Murphy was originally, and how Bellamy started out as a massive jerk. Things I had let myself forget. Things I hadn’t forgotten were that I didn’t like Clarke from the get go, Lincoln was a beautiful man, and Jaha was a bit of a nut job. I’m completely not interested in stupid, evil hada and his storyline of vengeance and domination. And I have a soft spot for the actor because he was Papa Argent on Teen Wolf so it’s almost a struggle to have this much disinterest. I have some mild interest in the den of mind controlled monks and the coming human-ending war. Mainly because I still love Octavia and, even at their mind controlled worst, they don’t seem as dumb as the prime believers and their system of stupidity.

Team Miles here. I always feel I need to add the disclaimer, “for the time being” since as things progress crap rears it’s ugly head and I’m off anyone’s team train. I’m hoping Karen gives him a chance. I can’t tell if she will or is just trying to look like she’ll try. Brett’s family is a big ole bag of suck. His brothers make him almost look good in comparison. I get a strong sense of compensating for something with him. I think Olivia was nervous and babbling but she seems sweet and sincere. Woody is too on for me. There’s flirting with your wife and then there is nonstop smooze. He exhausts me. Amani may eat it up or get tired quickly. Surprisingly Bennett, the guy with no bathroom and dirty socks, looked like an ordinary guy compared to Amelia‘s circus crew. The bridesmaids outfits and unicycle entrance give quirky a bad name. That’s not quirky it’s just stupid. And ugly. Stupid ugly. And I would’ve paid Bennett in clean socks if he would’ve reached over and closed Amelia’s mouth for her when she kept gaping at him. Just once when someone has a do or die option about a pet I’d like to see an opt out. Who was it that had a cat allergy and was supposed to get over in a prior season? And the same with someone who stated they didn’t care for dogs. For instance if the vows included “and love my cat” I’d like to see someone interrupt with an “Excuse me? Did you say cat? Nope. Allergic. Not taking meds every day. I told the experts that was a deal breaker.” And then just walk off shaking their head. Of course why would the “experts” care about that type of compatibility when they match someone who wants stability and is ready to start a family with someone who has had 14 jobs in the past two years and wants kids in maybe a decade? Sigh.

The quirky couple overload was annoying. I’m hoping they both have a toned down setting. I agree with y’all who got a bit of a pretentious vibe with the idea that a tux was far too bougie to wear. It’s your wedding you hat bedazzled thespian. I can’t hear Woody’s name without adding Woodpecker to it. And he is diminutive and seems truly annoying like a woodpecker can be so there’s that. I think he annoys me more than over the top obvious d-bag Brett... Brent? Brad? Still don’t know these folks names yet. The lady that spoke up and said she’d take a nice guy during the brides meet up seemed so sincere. However the problem sometimes seems to be that many of the ladies (and guys) who go on these shows say they want nice, stable and ready to be serious but then complain about needing more excitement or spark and forget how well nice and kind ages in life.

Welp that’s four episodes gone. So many people I don’t know or don’t care about or both. Why can’t this final season be OriginalKru having a actual storyline together and ending things with either a happy homeland or burning the human race down? This hodgepodge mess of storylines and groups I don’t give a float about is disappointing. A few of the things that stood out the most to me after binging all four episodes is that Hope the Doll was creepy as crap, Echo is a crap character, and I wish Blodreina would make a reappearance and clean up some of the crap these storylines are spewing.

Amanda, out of the whole Bach crew, strikes me as one of the most willing to sell anything and everything for a moment of “fame,” and with that group that says a lot. I feel sorry for her girls who have never known anything other than being used as props for their mom’s social media influencer goals. I can see her trying to get back on a Bach show when they resume just to reup her name recognition in that crowd. Ick.

I’ve always been meh about Connie Britton but she has now moved from meh to all out boring blah. What a waste of her return and what a crock of crap she tried to sell to Buck. You could have picked up a phone woman. I didn’t dislike this episode it just felt... I don’t know... oddly uneventful. Although the beagle in the booties was fantastic!

That moment really got to me too. The way they all calmly and stoically walked in as the chaos was winding down, pulled up a chair and got to work was a quietly profound moment in my opinion. Yes this show is unrealistic and often uneven but it somehow works for me. It’s one of only a couple I bother with during lock down. I find myself rewatching comfort food tv or just skipping screen time instead but 911 and The Rookie I still check out.