lasu

I think like cosmetic surgery, you tend to notice the bad. But as I've learned more about wigs, I've learned I never know when I'm seeing a good one, just like I never know when I'm seeing good cosmetic surgery. Extensions are the same thing - look at Brandi over on OC. Her extensions have always looked like trash. It's not good if you know it's there. Whew, I wish I lived in this area. There is nothing in my area that is going down in price. Well, at the moment, you might be seeing a slight dip. So if you just bought your house here six months ago it might be worth a smidge less than you paid for it, but it's going to bounce back. I was just talking to a friend who bought his house a zip code over for me 5 years ago for $150K, which makes me want to cry. His house is valued at over $250K, and you couldn't get a 400sf studio for $150K anymore. My zip code the AVERAGE home sale is $675K. It's one of the biggest reasons I'm still renting - I can't afford to buy where I want to live. And, as mentioned, I live way below means with no surprise bills - even my utilities are all included so even my electric bill isn't ever a surprise to me. It's been lovely and worry free, but now I'm aggressively saving to buy, because I'm single with no kids, so it's starting to scare me I have virtually no accumulated wealth. But as a lifelong renter, I surely understand there are pros to that as well.

Ugh, I hope Erika isn't the "other woman" to a married man. I would pay way, Way, WAY more of the onus on him, he's the one breaking his vows, but I would be disappointed. That said, it seems like a game a telephone that didn't even originate from a credible source, just someone who supposedly works in the music industry and "despises" Scooter Braun. And I can't see Erika going to a sex club in a serious way. I could see her going as Erika Jayne as someone to be admired in practically her natural habitat, but Erika herself? Going to a sex club for sexy times? I have trouble buying it. I also don't know if it fits with how I think of Erika for her to not only be the other woman, but also the OLDER woman.

I 100% believed it was real, and 100% had no conception of the fact it was going to be what it was. I think if Elizabeth had just said this will all blow over in two months, we be identifying with her rather than being annoyed. It was that she said that AND that Big Pharma was behind the whole thing that had me rolling my eyes at her. There was a point where I was advocating hard AGAINST masks (because at the very start they said don't) so there have been points I have been completely wrong, but I don't that's the same as wearing a tin foil hat.

Also, I think one has to remember Alma *asked* for 10%. She could have exploited the hell out of Beth, taken all of her winnings. I'm fairly certain at that time it would have been perfectly legal. It seemed like all she expected was for the expenses for the tournament to come out of Beth's winnings. And I got the impression once she did get the 15%, she paid all their bills out of that, and did things like buy Beth the Bulova watch out of that percentage. While it was clear Alma enjoyed the luxuries Beth's winning provided, it was also clear (to me, anyway) she didn't feel entitled to Beth's winnings.

I don't think either of us are wrong. One of the reasons I'm a renter is I appreciate the fact that if my AC blows, it's someone else's financial problem to get fixed fast, and in the past, when I needed something cheaper due to life happening, I was easily able to make that happen. And of course, if you buy a house you actually can't afford (such as the house Juan and Robyn were looking at, I'm not arguing THAT house would be a financially sound choice!), it doesn't make sense but that would be true whether or not you owe money to the IRS. My point is more that it can be a financially smart decision to invest some of their money (which a house they can afford, including repairs and taxes, would be) while still paying down a different debt.

Normal people watch this and want to buy a chess set. I watched it and started looking for saddle shoes. Sadly, they seem to be too expensive for a whim. Has Netflix started releasing their numbers publicly? I think Netflix claims whatever it wants to help push its shows, going back (to when I started giving them side-eye, no telling how much longer) to Birdbox. Netflix has a nice self-fulfilling prophecy - they claim EVERYONE is watching show X, and then we all watch show X. I don't care; I've normally enjoyed the shows its pushed on me.

I think Gina said she is still in court ordered AA, so it actually makes sense to buddy up and go together. And it's actually quite common to go out to lunch or dinner after an AA meeting. Sometimes a really good meeting makes you feel great and a million times better than when you walked in! It's frustrating to see that so many people still think there is only one type of alcoholic, the kind that drinks every day, all day, physically addicted, obvious drunk. There are all kinds of alcoholics, and it's not uncommon for someone who is an alcoholic to be able to quit drinking during a pregnancy. Same as chain smokers will quit and start right back up again. It's frustrating, not because I think people who only know about the one type of drunk are assholes, just misinformed, but it can be really problematic when someone like Braunwyn says, "I'm an alcoholic," and people respond, "Nah, I don't think so." I know people probably don't think that happens in real life, but it does, and it can be dangerous. People can be VERY resistant to someone changing. Another way to put it: when I decided to go to AA, I told one of my close friends, and she was really shocked. "Lasu, do you think you're an alcoholic?" "I do." "Do you think *I'm* an alcoholic??" And we both cracked up. Because even though from the outside looking in, our drinking was almost identical, but I had a problem and she didn't. As far as the tequila goes, I know when I was in AA, the only thing that bothered me was champagne, though it wasn't even my what I primarily drink/drank. I had more issues being around champagne than anything else, and it's what eventually led me to leave AA, because AA didn't have room for moderation, and I wanted a glass of champagne on my 40th birthday.

I also doubted Mr. Wheatley had been paying the mortgage payments anyway. I think Alma had, out of her 15%. So to him, it was just maintaining the status quo and not having to be bothered to do anything. I would honestly watch an entire other series on the Wheatleys, especially Alma.

That's really good advice. I can wear the shit out of my pony now, because I've done it so many times (although I seem to be utter incapable of simply saying "thank you" when I get compliments on it. I have some compulsion to tell anyone it's not real), but I've only worn my halos when I was out of town. I need to chop one, because I've had trouble finding halos in shorter lengths. I really want added volume with just a little extra length, not end up looking like I'm about to let my hair down a tower for my suiter to climb. On topic: while going to look at giant mansions on tv while owing nearly $100K to the IRS is truly terrible optics, it might actually not be terrible financially. Not a giant mansion of course, but aren't they renting right now? As a renter myself, it is just throwing away money. No matter how much they owe the IRS, they still have a housing cost. So, if their interest rate with the IRS is low (and it likely is and stopped accruing once she entered into a payment plan), it could be very smart to still purchase a home while paying off that debt. It would actually be fairly dumb to make paying off the IRS debt their first priority, provided they never miss a payment on their payment plan. And, I certainly could be misremembering, but didn't Juan and Robyn lose their money because it was stolen from them? That it happened more because they put their trust in the wrong person, versus just blowing it all?

His fight with Nia is what is rumored. MTV seems to be trying to cut ties with casts with problematic pasts. This isn't confirmed, but Jordan and Nia spoke out about that fight (with her supporting him) at the same time Dee and others were getting axed. I don't know that he's officially banned, but we don't know Kenny and Evan are "officially" banned either.

I have very rarely cared if a storyline is real or false, but Gizelle's is really bugging me because of her girls. My parents divorced before my memory started forming, so I really identify with her girls. At first, I thought it was just the same as I would have felt; I would have HATED my parents dating, but that's because it would have collided my worlds and it's like, my mom was mine, my dad was mine. They have no business with each other as far as my younger self was concerned. But this honestly just feels beyond that. They seem to have a real distaste for their dad that goes beyond their parents dating, and it's very uncomfortable. If Gizelle is truly doing this just for a storyline and has zero belief deep down this is real, then this may be the trashiest thing I've seen on these franchises. I ain't been to Morehouse, ain't been to no house, no degree much less a pedigree. But if my mom talked to me in private the way Dr. Wendy's mom did, we would have issues. If my mom talked to me the way Dr. Wendy's mom did on camera, we would be done. I may not have much, but I don't have anyone trying to take credit for what I do have. I desperately want to play more with wigs. I have a clip on pony (I'm wearing it in profile pic, but I don't think you can tell), and I have JUST starting playing with halo extensions. I have a couple of full wigs, but I just can't balls up to wear one in public. I even have a really nice lace-front that I'm too scared to cut, no matter how many youtube tutorials I watch. I think the halos may be as daring as I get. Which is lame. Also, does Candiace still have her extension line? I wonder how she felt about Karen slapping her name on a competing product.

OK, so I rewatched the whole thing, and I had in mind how much everyone was bothered by Beth never thanking Shaibel. I think on rewatch it makes more sense. Yes, he taught her to play chess, and that was a huge gift. But, from her point of view, after she got in trouble, she went to Shaibel and basically asked him for help. She told him she wished they could play more, and he literally just turned away from her. Now, I totally understand he probably had a lot of reasons for doing so, starting with the fact it could look highly suspect he was spending time alone in a basement with a little girl. So after that, it's implied they never speak or play chess again. We saw him come to watch her leave when she was adopted, but she didn't see him. From her point of view, I can see how she would probably feel abandoned and let down by him, and even though he taught her to play chess, I could see her leaving the orphanage with less than great feelings towards Shaibel. Yes, he gave her the $5 but no note or anything, so again, no reason to think he really cared (from her point of view; she probably thought to an extent he owed her. From our point of view, we know $5 was probably a LOT of money to him). But when she went back, and saw all the clippings, I think that's when she realized he truly did care about her, and that's what made her allow herself to admit she cared about him too. I think that's why previously she had only said she was upset because she didn't pay him the $10. It's very difficult to admit you care about someone who you don't believe cares about you back, and releasing that dam helped her let a lot of hurt and anger go. It was the second gift he gave her.

I was kinda surprised to hear it. I hadn't heard the rumors Tori cheated on this last challenge, which actually surprises me even more. She's apparently not afraid to get a cheater image on tv (...she has cheated before on this show, right?). I'm actually side-eyeing her a little bit - I can't help but wonder if Jordan getting apparently banned has anything to do with it. I could almost see her wanting to be part of a reality show couple more than wanting to be part of a couple with Jordan.

I don't think anyone has said Candiace isn't a brat with a slick mouth. It's not unacceptable to suggest she watches what she says to people. It's unacceptable to say if she doesn't, she deserves violence. I don't understand why it's not acceptable to say Monique was wrong to get violent.

So much this! People seem to think that it makes complete sense that getting hit was a consequence of running her mouth, but that Monique shouldn't have any consequences for assaulting someone. To mean, if it follows that you might get hit if you run your mouth, it makes sense you might go to jail if you hit someone. Or you might get sued. Or you might get stabbed, who knows? Or shit, I might be a secret ninja with a loud mouth because I know you don't know I can drag you all over this room. DRAG ME, lol.

I don't think that Cleo was hired to set Beth up. It doesn't make sense - she was Benny's ex, and she had known the other two chess players for a while too. I didn't get the impression Cleo was jealous or resentful of Beth, either for her chess skills or the fact she had more recently bedded Benny. If anything, I think Beth had a bit of a crush on Cleo - she petted her hair when she first met Cleo, which is the same move she does when she meets boys she likes, and she picked a special dress to go to the bar. It could be a platonic crush, but I think that, along with the fact she's an alcoholic, is what led her downstairs. Cleo? I think she's just a party girl and isn't there to remind someone to go to bed if it's important. I just don't feel like the Russians sabotage her fits with the theme of the series, which is that she sabotages herself.

It was an excellent touch that this happened in Ben Snyder's, after Margaret had told Beth she wouldn't be caught dead in Ben Snyder's. I think Beth realized she'd won the game and was gracious in her victory, as she normally is.

I would be far, far more sympathetic if Monique took responsibility and showed remorse. Or even took responsibility and didn't show remorse, lol. Either: I let Candiace get to me. I lost my temper, and I'm so upset with myself that I allowed her words to "control" my behavior. I definitely want to look at this and learn from it, because while I may not be able to control whether or not someone gets in my face, but I want to be able to control my own behavior and show my kids to never lay hands and to always rise above. Or: Yeah, fuck that bitch. She ran her fucking mouth and she got fucking served. If that little dog barks at me again, I have no problem putting her back on her leash by any means necessary. I won't be disrespected. Fuck that and fuck Candiace. I think a of Monique's problem is she feels the latter, but knows it doesn't sound good. She knows the former sounds good, but she can't bring herself to say it. So she's stuck in some mealy-mouthed middle and it doesn't give me any room for sympathy for her. As long as she maintains this is all Candiace's fault, I can't. And it sucks because I actually liked her far better than Candiace before this.

Alma is one of the best characters to come along in a long, long time. I loved that she wasn't a saint who would have been played Sandra Bulluck. I'm glad she wasn't a villain played by Helena Bonham Carter. She seemed like a real and complex human being. I watched this a second time with a friend, and maybe an episode before this one he was like, "ugh, she is the worst, she's just exploiting this kid!" and I had to bite. My. Tongue. A bit later, he was like, ok, maybe she does care about Beth, and I was all SHE IS A DEEPLY FLAWED AND COMPLEX WOMAN DOING HER BEST, lol. Yes, there is not a bit of doubt one of the reasons she warmed to Beth is because it turned out Beth could provide. I can't say how thing would have turned out if Beth hadn't had a skill that would bring light celebrity and financial security. You have to keep in mind, that before Beth started providing money, Alma had almost given up. She was trying, but she wasn't doing great. Like anyone, having financial security can give someone a LOT of breathing room, a lot of bandwidth to focus on other things - it gave her the ability to be a better person and mother. And not only do I think she genuinely cared about Beth, I also think she was grateful to her, and I hope that Beth someday sees what a gift she gave her mother. Alma obviously had hopes in the past (her saying she found the onions in the Gibson more refined than olives is sentence that says EVERYTHING), and losing her child, her husband, her dreams of being a pianist, it's clear she was let down by life. And I think she saw Beth as a gift. I think she truly appreciated that the happiness she always sought all stemmed from her daughter, and she truly wanted to be a good mother in return. I just finished the series for the second time, and upon rewatch, I realized how weird this was played out. I didn't notice it, especially because I'd already read the book so I knew when and how Alma died, but in the show, we see her get dumped, take to the bed (and we don't really know based on what we have so far seen that she isn't just depressed rather than actually ill, other than the coughing), get up to go to the Beth's match and instead stop and stare at herself in the mirror. Then the next thing we see is her dead. Considering her bio mom committed suicide, it's weird that they did Alma's death in a way that really made it look like it could have been suicide, though they did say it was hepatitis. It was just odd. Because I just rewatched it, she is struggling in the match before the kid asks for the adjournment. She goes in her room, kisses her mom, and then I think sat and figured out the game. When she comes back she is cocky because she has found her win, but she is also PISSED because this kid had her in trouble so she is being a complete ass to him. She is a cat playing with a mouse. Then once he resigns, and so respectfully of her, she feels bad, and that's when she calms down and talks to him. Beth has her bad moments, which I'm grateful for - she's also well written, but this is probably when I liked her the least. It's understandable, but understandable doesn't equal likeable.

So, if I yelled DRAG ME in your face, you would attack me? What happens if I yell GIVE ME ALL YOUR MONEY? What if Candiace had yelled at her husband to hit her? Would it then be totally cool that he did so? Talking about being violent and being violent are two different things.

Maybe her mother can call and tell her it's real from her hospital bed.

Also, was she going commando? Because for her to have blood dripping down her leg, it would have had to soak her underwear, yet she had nothing on her skirt. And I have done the rolled up toilet paper thing in a true emergency (I'm a few years away from menopause and I am STILL consistently caught unprepared for my period - complete failure in life on this front), but she just used a few sheets! I've used practically half a roll when I've had to do it. There's no way that would have worked out until she got home. And yes, I'm certain she could have gotten cigarettes for herself if she wanted. I started smoking at 15 and never had a problem. The legal age when I started was 17, and then changed to 18 while I was 16. And yet still, I never had a problem being very underage and getting cigarettes for myself. And yeah, my mom used to send me into the gas station while she waited in the car when I was 8/9 to get cigarettes AND beer!

I am honestly surprised, as I was by the original news. If this is true, I'll be intrigued. Even though Erika Jayne is an overly sexualized character, I never got the idea she was super sexual herself, and I often thought EJ was styled more for the gay male gaze rather than the straight male gaze. So if someone has sparked a passion in her to leave a nice cushy marriage, I'm going to be intrigued.

I'm calling BS on this, especially since none of the other cast members are still up on the website. If you didn't want drama, you put a picture of Karen up and low key replace it later. Me thinks this drama is what she had to do to get another hat segment on air. No, she should realize her privilege because it will make it easier to have compassion and understanding for those who didn't have the same. Recognizing our own privilege makes us better people. I lost a quote somewhere about why Ashley is coming off looking bad with her letter, and it's because, to put it in Housewives' terms, she isn't OWNING IT. She's being mealy mouthed about what she did. Just admit you're being a snake.

I'd guess about a month. BBAS premiered on Aug 5, so they went into the house about a week before that? Meaning Kaycee and Josh would have tested positive (which I think everyone has denied but no other reason has been offered for them not being on there, and they are two former winners so...) in late July and gone into quarantine for The Challenge in late August.