BusyOctober

I liked the rope thing. The rest was not of any interest to me. But, I know of two families whose kids had food allergies as toddlers. They had the same pediatrician who suggested re-introducing the allergens back into the kids’ diets. They were closely monitored and there were guidelines for amounts, frequency, etc. The families had epi-pens already, so if an emergency happened they had a first line of defense. Both kids were “cured” by the time they got to first grade. One had an egg allergy, and the other was peanuts (no other nuts tho’). These kids are 13 and 14 now and eat pretty much whatever they want! So the allergy powder guy’s product could work for some people, as long as a doctor had knowledge it was being given to the kids.

Sergio gets worse every week. His attitude and designs are on a downward slope, and I’m hoping his days are numbered. That dress was a mess. The styling was awful. His poor model looked like a sad, stereotype of a 30’s Latina Betty Boop by way of 50’s Lucy Ricardo. The silhouette was horrendous. His message was completely lost and made him look opportunistic IMO. As others have noted, it’s as if he figured he would be safe if he paraded an emotionally/politically charged topic in front of the judges. If they dissed him, then they would be heartless, racist monsters. Thank goodness the darker haired judge spelled out the separation of his message and his half-assed attempt to convey it. I can barely sew a button on, but I know I could have interpreted Sergio’s message better in a garment. I get his family connection to cotton, so maybe a stark, all white cotton dress, inspired by Mexican traditions. Add red accents to represent the “blood” of immigrants’ struggles to make better lives for themselves and their kids. But not that lacy material he chose for the red. Maybe use blood red embroidered flowers (or appliqué them from another fabric) around the hem (or ‘border’), with six loose, tear-shaped petals, scattered so look like they are floating up and away from the hem. Baffled by the Victoria adoration. Yes, she can sew and do impeccable tailoring, but most of her designs are better suited for space aliens once NASA establishes an outpost on Mars. I have been meh with most of Brittany’s designs, but I really liked her Western inspired outfit.

Thank goodness the dog bed biz is dead, or dying. The scenes with Claire & Mitch seemed so rushed. As if even they know this show is gasping its last breath, they know the writers and the actors don;t care anymore, and they just wanted to read their lines and get the hell out of there. I never found Mitch (or the actor) funny or engaging. He plays everything "one-note": Neurotic, petty, self absorbed... I hope the actor who plays Manny saved his salary and residuals from this show, because if he plans on "acting" after this ends, I don't think his phone will be ringing much. Phil and most of his scenes in most episodes continue to be the best part of Modern Family. I feel bad that someone as delightful and positive and funny ended up marrying into the Pritchett clan. Very sweet (if abrupt & unnecessary) send off for Phil's dad.

OMG! that vocal fry was killing me. Thank God the character was married and lives far away. If she was going to be Kelvin’s “love for the ages” (blurg), then I would need to stop watching. Randall was extra Randall in this episode. Extra hostile (Miguel), extra smug and self righteous (Miguel), extra obnoxiously entitled (46 emails to get appointment). I would even include ‘extra selfish’ for waking up his sleeping wife, but that’s because I personally hate being woken up in the middle of the night just to hear my spouse say, ‘I’m home! I going to bed’. I’m kinda shocked that Kate and Toby aren’t already in some support group for parents of special needs kids. They signed up for that counselor to come “blind baby proof” their house pretty quickly. Poor baby Jack was thrust into that over-stimulating ‘Mommy and Me’ type music class at a few months old. They seem to seek out therapy or help for other issues in their drama filled lives, but not for the very stressful case of being parents to a blind child?

Socks were a good product. Not sure I'd spend whatever price she said, I can't remember, but I thought it was high. Although maybe I'm just cheap and out of the sock-market loop, because Bombas socks are crazy expensive IMO. Sex button was stoooopid. If I can't talk to my partner, or give enough clues verbally or physically that he can detect, then why am I with that person? And as dumb the device was, I did not understand the guy's insistence that going to an app was the next "big" step. Are people supposed to use the app to signal they are ready to get busy? Wouldn't that only work if the 2 parties were in close proximity to each other? If I'm feeling frisky @ 2:30pm, but my partner doesn't get home until 6pm, the mood may have passed by then- the kids are home, they need rides to activities, gotta clean up from dinner... Why I am alerting my spouse or BF that I'm ready for sex via my mobile phone if he's not within 50 feet of me? Date spread maybe tasty, but I agree with Mark that she should have had plain, straight date flavor in her current line up. I guess I am a cheapskate because $12.99 for a jar of stuff I might use 1-2 times a week seems exorbitant to me. And I thought Barbara was rather bitchy about the young woman being "supported" by her dad, and not motivated to succeed because "she didn't feel the pressure". So many of the inventors on this show have had financial support from family to make their product come to life. Whether it's paying the rent or allowing the person to live rent-free in the basement, or co-signing a loan to help buy materials, I would bet over 90% of the people on this show had cash injections from Mom, Dad, Gramma or Uncle Joe. So, F U & shutty, Babs. The Haitian castor oil products sounded good, but the health/beauty market is saturated with that kind of stuff. Without scientific data to back up testimonials, it would be difficult to differentiate their product from others.

Exactly! None of that “Shhhh! The baby is sleeping!” BS in my house. I didn’t tap dance outside her room, or host raves while my child slept, but I definitely had ambient noise of everyday life going on around her....vacuum, dishwasher, radio, conversation, or just me walking around the house doing stuff. I also never had. an issue with her not wanting to be in her crib/bed. From the first night she came home, she slept in her crib. When she transitioned to a twin bed, same thing. I would read to her in her room, either in a rocking chair, or in her bed, then leave and turn off the light. If she had a bad dream or called out, I would go to her room and sit with her until she felt better. She never came into my bed, and I never got into her’s to sleep. When we traveled, she slept in her portable crib or in a separate hotel bed. One time we had to share a bed due to a power outage and we went to a hotel that only had one room with one dbl bed. She was 3 or 4, and couldn’t sleep. She told me she only likes herself and her stuffed animals in “her” bed.

RoxiP - I didn't think you were! I just meant in general I try not to make fun of kids on these forums, & try to avoid pointing out any awkward looks or quirks. However, I think the parents of those 2 boys are doing them a huge disservice! My daughter had delayed speech at 2 years old. We got Early Intervention involved (after testing her hearing and ruling out physical causes). She started talking almost immediately. Then when she was 3, we noticed her rhotacism. The speech therapist worked with her until she was ready for pre-K. Then the school therapist took over. By 1st grade, she had pretty much lost the impediment.

During my early college years in the 80's, I had a pair of black & white stripe shorts that I wore with an off the shoulder hot pink cotton sweater, and black Doc Martins. Hair crimped and worn in a high, side ponytail, hot pink lip gloss and heavy black eyeliner. Thais was my go-to weekend party ensemble. As much as I thought that outfit was THE BEST, when I saw all the mathcy-match black & white and pink, my first thought was "Garanimals- the Beetlejuice Collection". Does Sergio even hear himself speak? The level of smug insufferabilty is just...wow. But whether I like him or not is apparently not his problem. Says someone who is trying to make a name for himself (and earn a living) by providing a unnecessary "luxury" commodity to consumers. Cyndi Lauper looked great on the judging panel. Softer & more natural makeup, but still Cyndi. Like Nina, I could not remember anything Melanie put on the runway. I'll go a step further and say I couldn't remember a "Melanie" was even a contestant on this show.

It’s not nice to make fun of children, or their looks, or their speech impediments. But...come on! Why wouldn’t those boys’ parents seek out speech therapists for their kids? Those kids should have been receiving therapy for their rhotacism (pronouncing R as W) once they were toddlers, or certainly by the time they got to kindergarten. Most states have early intervention services. Most public schools have speech therapists on staff, even if not in each school. Those two boys may be considered cute or precious by their families now, but speaking like Elmer Fudd as a tween or teen or adult will not be easy for them. Duff and Valerie are so good with the kids. Encouraging but not coddling. Other than the kids with speech issues, there are still waaaay too many kids for me to remember now. Once they thin the herd in a few weeks I may get better with names.

WTF with the baby beater and the weak o mother/grandmother????? Did they ever explain where the little girl’s birth mother (or her maternal grandparents/family) went?? HOW. THE. FUCK. did that poor little girl end up adopted by her paternal grandmother? That woman has obviously enabled her son’s behavior for years, and she stated several times she won’t “abandon” her son, no matter what. He has restraining orders all over the place for what he did to his infant. If Mommy is always going to welcome her unstable, brain damaged, emotionally stunted offspring into her world, what happens to the little girl? How can the authorities consider parole with all of his issues? That little girl won’t have a chance if she has to ever encounter that psycho.

JJ has all my sympathies re. the loss of what used to be common knowledge/shared cultural references. I recently went to a holiday party with people of different ages- some millennials, mostly 40-50 year olds, and a couple of 60 &70+. The topic of “lost knowledge” came up, and things like telling time on analog clocks, counting back change, and cursive writing were the most mentioned. There were all the usual millennials’ arguments for it being ok these things aren’t taught anymore since they are “irrelevant “ today. I brought up Roman numerals...they may not be taught in school these days, but watches and clocks still have them. A 20-something woman said, “Well, why does anyone except Romans need to know what those are? We use American numerals mostly, don’t we?” I (and several others just stared at her for a second, and she got all nervous....”OMG! Is that racist of me?!?”

I was confused why Tyler kept going on and on about “East Coast, Cape Cod, oMartha’s Vineyard...” I barely know anything about fashion or models, but even I knew Karlie is from the suburbs of St. Louis! I know these contestants don’t have access to social media or Google while they are on the show, but wouldn’t you do a little recon/research on the host and judges before you got to the show? I got a good evil chuckle out of Tyler’s dinner with the Kushner jab (it was oh so definitely meant as a jab). I am a life long resident of Massachusetts, and spent just about every childhood and teen summer down the Cape and on the Vineyard. As an adult, my family has been going to coastal Maine for 2 weeks every August for 20 years. In all my time in these summer places, none of us, nor any of our neighbors, walk around in nautical garb or seersucker 24/7! (Although, I do have a couple of vintage Lily Pulitzer sundresses that I practically live in, much to the shame and embarrassment of my 12 year old daughter).

I’m still watching...recorded so I can FF thru ads. I just had to jump on here to say that was the neatest, cleanest, most organized Good Will store I have ever seen! My guess is some PA’s and junior assistants to the PA’s were sent to a real Good Will to load up a truck with racks of stuff, then set up “the store” <<wink wink>> in some recently vacated retail space.

I like it for what it is for me...escapism tv I can watch with my husband and 13yr old. Yes, there are many eye rolls happening with 15 “on the verge of death!!!” scenes in a 40min program. However, most of the suspense is good enough to keep me interested. i always liked Parker Posey in Christopher Guest’s movies. She plays quirky well, and I liked her acting. However, her role as Dr. Smith is pretty cringey. She seems to be over-acting. I can’t tell if she is trying to play it OTT or just has trouble making Dr. Smith ominous without being comic-book-y. I don’t know, but she irks in this.

Thank the TV gods there are only hours to go for the damn jewelry ads....Jared,Pandora, Zales, and the worst of all - Kay. Ugly, tacky, over-priced trinkets aimed at mostly men who have no idea what to get their significant others. Chocolate diamonds?? Frozen-themed engagement rings?? Are you fucking kidding me? "Every Kiss Begins with Kaaaay!" You know what else begins with 'K'? "Keep the receipt, cuz that shit's goin' back."

Thank the TV gods there are only hours to go for the damn jewelry ads....Jared,Pandora, Zales, and the worst of all - Kay. Ugly, tacky, over-priced trinkets aimed at mostly men who have no idea what to get their significant others. Chocolate diamonds?? Frozen-themed engagement rings?? Are you fucking kidding me? "Every Kiss Begins with Kaaaay!" You know what else begins with 'K'? "Keep the receipt, cuz that shit's goin' back."

After hearing “Cawwwww-fee cake” eleventy hundred times in the first 5 minutes from Little Miss I’m a whole 6% Jewish and I love pisTAAAAH CHEE Ohs and PEEEE-Cans and AigNAWGH, I stopped watching. I will wait to FF thru it tomorrow when my ears and brain have recovered.

Thank you MORAKOT! I knew there had to be a legit explanation & we just didn't see it. Because if there were even a whiff of cheating or questionable use of materials, Bravo would not have missed the opportunity of turning into JingleBellGate 2019. Lord knows TOPTB @ Bravo love to create season long drama over nothing.

I was wondering this too. I know the bells came off stockings from the apartment, BUT Sergio didn’t get them in the initial mad dash for materials. He must’ve pulled them off AFTER he was given the idea by another designer the next day. If all the designers had the ability to go for additional materials from the apartment AFTER the first grab, then why wouldn’t Brittany take the same opportunity to get more things? Or the guy with the gold and white too short dress? Or any of the others? Were the stockings taken by someone else, and that designer gave the bells to Sergio in the work room? It’s OK to share materials, but it isn’t OK to get add on materials from “home” once the challenge begins. I need explanation please!

It’s official. I hate the American version. Haaaaaaaate. Compared to the British original: The bakers are bland and unforgettable. Many are on the verge of unlikeable (I’m looking at you, dude with the dangling earring). The level of talent is sorely subpar. The bake assignments are pretty pedestrian. And despite being simpler, the results are lackluster. The emcees are annoying. Spice Girl and football dude I do not know are not charming or endearing enough to pull off the intentionally cheesy, goofy banter. Sherry is not jiving as a judge. I know she has a deep resume and the credentials to be a judge, but camera presence is definitely not a strong suit. There is zero chemistry between her and Paul. On the plus side...I like the Tent and the background music. The producers of the American version managed to take a worldwide beloved show and turn it into something so antithetical to the original.

Parvarti??? And fucking Tony??? I feel sick already. They were two of the most loathsome players ever. I am debating whether it would be better to not watch until both of them are booted, or just DVR the whole season, then binge with the fast forward button set to “turbo” to get past any scenes or mention of either of them. Regarding the reunion, although I am not a fan of Sia’s music, she has earned my admiration by gifting Janet & Elaine some serious cash. Jamal too. It was nice to see good people rewarded in a game that most of us watch for the duplicity and backstabbing. I had no real favorites for the grand prize, but I kinda wish Noura and her Cuckoo for Coca Puffs “game play” won. It would have been satisfying to see the looks on the alpha dogs’ faces for dragging a crazy goat along for the ride as long as they did.

Another business run by non-business minded people. Is that the theme for this season? Passive (comatose??) Owner/Dad who is in such denial he might as well sprout feathers and stick his head in the sand. Whiney Man-boy Son seemed like he wanted the title of boss without investing any time in doing the math required to know how much comes in the door & how much goes out. Bonus points to poor put-upon Mom for trying to be a peacekeeper (but minus 2 points for the spelling of her name). I'm not a customer for a Go-Kart Party Center, but that place looked past it's due date. And what the Hell with all those tables??? There is NO way every table has ever been filled with paying customers. It could be a nice business (I think it made money per Marcus), but it has unused space and unexplored potential: * Move an acre's worth of those unused tables, and install an indoor mini-golf range. * Merchandising was my other thought...tees, hats drink cups, stuffed animals, magnets...all the tchotkes kids want as souvenirs. * I didn't get a good look at the food/beverage offerings, but I'd change it to make it appeal to parents. Limited menu to keep costs down, but something beyond a microwaved pretzel with processed cheese. Even Chuck-E-Coli Cheese serves wine these days. * I didn't see if they had one, but a ramped up photo booth for both the race track & the party cavern room could generate more money too. * Why was Catatonic Dad so attached to the fish tank? It didn't make him any money, and it has no relation at all to anything else onsite. Hell, if he loved the tank b/c it cost so much, repurpose it! Empty it and use the tank for a giant Claw Machine game. Multiple claws on either side at $1.50 per turn...kids would be all over that.

I can't stand Baby Spice. She looked ridiculous doing her overly dramatic red carpet strut in the opening. Was she channeling Madonna's "Vogue" video? All she was missing was the Marie Antoinette hairdo and a lacy fan. Sherry does look very different. Her weight loss is a good and healthy thing in general, but she looks a lot older with her thinner face IMO. Or it could be the crazy 55" HiDef 4K blah blah TV my husband just installed that is making people look "more mature". I was used to watching a 32" 10 year old TV, so the clarity is assaulting my senses. Makes me very happy I"m not on TV these days! Band-Aid thing grossed me out. I know she remade it, but the thought of it turned my stomach. Is Brother Andrew going to cross himself and ask God for His help throughout the competition? Is it fair for God to look out for one of His employees over and above the other bakers asking for Him to make their dough proof or their cakes to rise?

Sergio needs to get a dose of humility, stat. He‘s insufferable. Lab Coat is cocky, but he has talent IMO. UGH, Marnie is so annoying. She looks like a slob, and even if that is her aesthetic for her celebrity millennials, I hate it. Quirky and mis-matchy patterns can be fun and done well. But not by Marnie. I don’t like Marnie’s OTT and painfully obvious attention grabbing doo-dads. Multiple chains, cross crossed over an outfit it not fashion I want to see. Styling someone to look like he/she drunkenly stumbled through a Salvation Army Store in the dark is not fashion I want to see. I am also baffled by Karlie’s speech pattern and her mannerisms. When she speaks, she sounds like someone who either learned English as a second language, or is trying to “emote and act” and is horrible at it. Her hand motions and head tilts often don’t match what she is saying. She’s like a programmed robot with its “human gesticulation” code has a 3 second delay from its “human vocalization” code.

Dan is a pervert. He will never recognize what he did was inappropriate. He will never feel contrite over his actions. Maybe over the next week, there will be carefully crafted statements that contain "IF I made anyone uncomfortable, it wasn't my intention." No, you asshole. Your 'intention' was to make yourself feel powerful and get your rocks off by putting your hands where YOU wanted them to be. I feel bad for his family for all the shame and vitriol that they will be exposed to over Dan's shitty behavior. I won't be surprised if after the finale airs, there are some former clients of Dan's who come forward with their experiences. Of course, those stories will be viewed with suspicion and incredulity because: "Why did they wait so long to come forward???", "Oh, now these 'victims' just want their 15 minutes of fame", "They are just being vindictive because they didn't get the jobs they wanted in the industry, and they are blaming Dan for their lack of talent." (sigh) As for Elaine getting a chance to play again, I have mixed feelings. I'd love to see Elaine get a 2nd try, but it doesn't usually work out well for returning players. When they are thrown in with "newbies", they have a huge target on their backs and get booted quickly (or at the very least, get relegated to the fringes of any real alliances). I don't want Elaine to go through that emotional roller coaster. She's too nice for that. I guess I'm rooting for Janet at this point. Therefore, I doubt she will win. Noura is not only a fruit loop, but she is not a good player. Tommy is meh. Lauren irks the shit out of me. Dean is...Dean. Very lackluster season IMO as far as real gameplay goes.