BusyOctober

I don’t know anything about Captain Sandy because I haven’t watched other BD franchises. So, as of this first meeting, I am ok with her as lead. I liked how she wanted the deck crew to be scheduled for anchor watch as part of their duties. Looks like this crew is not used to doing real deckhand assignments since Ross and Tony are carping about it. Tony is worried he can’t do his sunrise grunting yoga and it will be detrimental to his health? Maybe hustle a little more around the boat to get your muscles moving? Could he do some of his workout on his break? Maybe skip the drunken sexy times on your night off and stay in? Between his sense of priorities, and Camille’s laziness, I’m convinced even more that theses kids are hired for drama potential only, and actual experience is only a fraction of a percent of the casting criteria. I would say looks were the most important factor, but none of these wannabe influencers are extremely attractive. As Camille was ranting and grumping and being insubordinate, all I could think of is how happy and relieved her ex boyfriend and his family must be that they don’t have to deal with Camille at family functions. What a sense of self importance and entitlement. She told off her principal and got expelled? Speaks volumes of her attitude toward authority figures. I am sure she had a loooong history of being a belligerent snot. Her professional resume is probably 5 pages long, with tons of jobs where she was employed for not much longer than her probationary period at each. I bet her exit interviews all read the same, “I was hired to laze around the break room, smoke and make out with coworkers, not to wait tables/stand at a cash register/assist customers!” Haley isn’t getting very much camera time, and after her 4000th reference to her sex life in the few times she has spoken, I am ok if we keep her to a minimum. Fraser is doing the same shit he did last season…lots of tittle tattle with the crew about the bad apple aboard, versus confronting the problem directly.

Loved the Big Red Chair story…I kinda knew what the punchline would be, and I still laughed pretty loud. I make a baked eggplant parmigiana…thin slices, dredged in flour, egg and seasoned panko, baked on a sheet pan. Then I layer the slices with homemade tomato and basil sauce, and fresh mozzarella, like a lasagna. Bake the whole thing, and there are never any leftovers. I admit, without the sauce and cheese, eggplant is pretty bland and unappetizing as a solo artist.

Having a baby is hard. Having sleep deprivation is hard. Having 3 children under 5 years old is hard. Having 3 young kids, all with special needs and medical conditions is hard. Being married is hard. If you’re lucky, you have a good head on your shoulders, a solid partner to lean on, and strong support systems to get through the hurdles as best as you can. However…Being married to a lazy slob who thinks traipsing around his weed patch for tv cameras is a good day’s work, and laughs at your attempt to communicate your needs, frustrations and feelings of maternal inadequacies is just a (poorly built, rickety) bridge too far. Zach will not change, so Tori had better get used to the hard road she’s chosen by hitching her wagon to Zach’s tractor.

Ross looks reptilian to me. His eyes get even more lizard like when he’s wasted. He is not attractive at all IMO. He may have had ‘polyamorous’ relationships before, but my guess is the women he is trying to bang on this boat have not. Camille may be the laziest, least self aware crew member on this boat, and I think she was cast for drama purposes only. Alissa isn’t eligible for Employee of the Month either…and definitely not a good friend/coworker re. cutting in on Katie’s crush. Ross gets most of the blame in that, but Alissa is snakey. In fact, I think I only really like Rachel and Cattain Lee. Haley is OK I guess. Fraser is not showing any leadership skills in the Chief Stew role. Tony and Ben seem nice, but I have to give Ben the side eye for hooking up with Camille.

Knowing all about Jeremy’s DIY abilities, I am worried that he used an old string of lights. Electrical malfunction + cardboard tinder + 15’ wood paneling…I hope Auj has the good sense he lacks, and she checks his work after she tucks Jeremy in bed.

It’s infuriating that Lilah is so ignored. But here’s a (not so) far-fetched thought… Maybe they are just telling the world they aren’t seeking help for Lilah’s speech, but in reality they are! Then as Lilah’s speech improves over the season/next season, they can say, “See? Nothin’ worry about! Between letting nature take its course, and Tori doing some work with her, and of course, the amazing Jackson reinforcing the lessons by having conversations with Lilah, she is perfectly fine!” I kinda think Jackson could be a better teacher than Zach and Tori. Definitely better than Zach.

LOL, I said the same thing, on both counts. The missing truffles were hidden for dramatics. And a little truffle oil goes a long way…Rachel only had to add the essence of truffle to fool those guest. Toss in a few mushroom varietals, a splash of truffle oil or powder, and ta-dah! Truf-faux risotto. Is Katie considered “hot” by anyone other than herself? She has average looks IMO…cute, petite, but I just don’t see the same level of attractiveness as Katie sees. Tony and Ben look like they could be brothers! I like both of them. How old is Ross? In some scenes, he looks 28-32, the other times he looks 45. Whatever his age, he is definitely old enough to know better than to get romantically involved with one of his subordinates.

What me off earlier than last episode about the non-nephew was the kid’s accent compared to his “uncle’s “. Quentin is supposedly from money (tho’ he has run through all of it apparently). I think he grew up privileged, and speaking in a typical upper class accent (to my untrained American ears). Jack speaks with an almost cockney, working class accent. If Quentin and Jack were blood related, I would think Jack would have the same style of speech, even if the big money had dwindled over time. My friend and I were talking about how gorgeous Sicily is, and we are dying to see it. I said if I were ever lucky enough to go, no matter what type of hotel I could afford, I sure as hell wouldn’t be lolling around the hotel every damn day! The White Lotus may be a luxurious resort, but leave the property people! I would have little adventures planned daily! Museums, shopping, touring the region! And why are they all (mostly) eating every meal at the hotel??? Portia and Albie have separately ventured out for gelato or arancini. Harper and Daphne went for an overnight, but looks like they ate at their rented villa. Tanya maybe “off campus”, but she seems to be dining in house at Quentin’s villa. This is ITALY! There is amazing food at every turn…I am sure within walking distance of the hotel! a maybe rich people want to just sit in one place and be waited on? But don’t they get that treatment at home? Money is wasted on the wealthy!

I don’t anything about psychedelic mushroom, but I would think they could be pretty harmful to a 4 month fetus, no? I get that once she knew she was pregnant, she didn’t drink the wine, or eat the cheese and cured meats on the charcuterie, but I am fan-fic’g the ER doc had a long, off screen discussion with Jen.

OMG! This irked me so much, I had a hard time concentrating on the rest of the episode. The Angry Artichoke matriarch is a DiGrasso, so unless Dirty Grandpa DiGrasso’s father AND mother were also cousins in addition to husband and wife, it makes no sense. Dirty Grandpa is using his patriarchal surname to seek out relatives. His mother’s family most likely has a different last name, so why would he keep up the effusive chitchat about how his mother shares the same last name as the these Sicilian women? If she survives her vacation, Tanya needs a real therapist stat. She needs someone to give her real hard truths of her ‘poor little rich girl’ and rudderless victim personas. It’s obvious Tanya has employed various healers, seers and new age gurus to “help” her, but I assume they are all yes men/women to keep the checks coming. I also assume Tanya bolts from the room if anyone presents her with criticism or tells her she is part of her own problems. As convoluted as these long cons are for Lucia and Quentin/Gregg to be involved in, these are also my theories. Not sure what the outcome is for Ethan and Harper, but I do not think they belong together.

When my daughter was almost 2, and not speaking as many words as my nieces and nephews at that age, I took her to her pediatrician to check her ears, look for any issues with her pallet, etc. She found nothing abnormal, but suggested we go to a pediatric ENT. He found no issues of concern, and said let’s check back in 3 mos. We called Early Intervention. We got setup with a speech therapist who came to my house once a week. Within 6 months, my daughter was speaking simple sentences, and we stuck with the therapist for a year. At 3yo, my city’s public school took over, therapy continued. She was speaking intelligible words and sentences by then, and they said she was ready to stop at 3 1/2. No reason Z and T should wait to help Lilah!

IVF could be a good option, but until my husband and I went through it, I had no idea how adamantly opposed some people are to “science”. As a result of my experience, we discovered I carry the gene for cystic fibrosis. My husband didn’t, but if he did, we had a higher chance to have a baby with CF. Ultimately, after 3 rounds of IVF, we adopted our daughter (this was always an option, and we started the process at same time as IVF). But I ran into several people through the years who were vehemently against interfering with “God’s plan”. At a First Communion for a friend’s child, the priest went off on a tangent about how “evil” it is that people try artificial methods to procreate. He said children born through “meddling with nature and the Devine plan” were not really God’s children, shouldn’t be baptized, etc. I’m not Catholic, but I was appalled. One woman stood up and left in tears. She had been going through IVF at the time. My sister worked with a woman who had several genetic issues that she shared with her husband. They both had severe health problems, and were told by reproductive specialists that if they get pregnant, the odds were high the baby wouldn’t survive to term. And if the baby did, the chances of the child surviving past infancy were very low. They were both very religious, and believed God would decide what’s best for them. IVF (and adoption) are not even a consideration. She suffered 4 miscarriages, 1 stillbirth and 2 of her babies died within days of being born. They are still trying to have a “natural” baby despite the physical and mental toll on her health.

I just saw a sneak peek trailer for the new season of Money Court with Bethenny and Kevin O’Leary. She looks A W F U L!!! Stop with the injectables/ fillers and implants! She was almost unrecognizable. Her lips and cheeks look terrible, it was jarring how unattractive/altered she looked. I hope for her daughter’s sake it was maybe just horrible lighting and makeup artists working on this new show.

Poor Lilah. She will never get the attention her brothers will. Jackson OWNS a everything, and is the oldest and 1st grandchild. Josiah is (for now) the baby of the family. Lilah has a few more issues than Jackson did at her age, so it feels like Zach and Tori have more gripes about Lilah…because she isn’t Jackson. Poor Lilah is destined to be the middle child and have Jan Brady syndrome. As for the potential health issues facing the kids, we as an audience only know what Z & T a share on the show or SM. So I try not to be too judgmental when Tori says things like “maybe the water in her ears is affecting her language”….OF COURSE IT IS! I wish she would stop presenting some of the kids’ issues as if she is bewildered about potential health problems LPs face. And acts all, “well, it could be this….We just don’t know…maybe it’s related to his/her dwarfism?” I am hoping she is much more educated about her childrens’ development and health than she comes across on tv and her SM posts. The format of this show over the last few years irks me. Lots of everyone providing exposition of things that happened, but isn’t fully shown (or not shown at all). Plus, it all sounds so inorganic and unnatural. Especially Caryn…she recollects what happened and not shown as if she’s reading a script. Zach isn’t completely unattractive, but I’m gonna guess he was considered the “most eligible bachelor” at the LPA events more because he was on a tv show.

Anya Taylor-Joy is a good actress, and she is a good chat show guest. I do like her movies (see The Menu!). However…she looks like she was created by AI. I get that she’s a naturally tall, lithe person, but her very small frame, the big eyes and the blonde hair…she looks like some creature from Japanese anime. She really is other-worldly looking. I didn’t mind Bruce’s story telling.

Charcuterie boards have been all the rage for a few years, so not sure how long the craze of “curated” boards will last. I mean, cheese and crackers, with cured meats, nut, fruits, have been a staple at parties and events for decades. Now we just gave it a fancier name and arranged the goodies a little more artfully. Honestly, anyone can make one. There are TikTok and YouTube how to’s galore. And I have made large boards to feed 15-20 people for much less than $200. The air freshener was odd to me as a subscription. I pick up those little trees in a 3 pack at my grocery store. Or some other brand/shape. I have never once woken up in a cold sweat because I was all out of car fresheners. They are everywhere when I need or want one. I did like their spin on new scents though. And Mark Cuban is an unmitigated asshole. Does he allow his players or coaches to stomp off in a huff when someone hurts their widdle feewings? The lights look cool and make sense as a safety feature, but I think these already exist? a I think there was even a pitch or two on Shark Tank for the same kind of safety light system. Would I really be surfing or paddle boarding at night? That seems pretty unsafe in the first place, no? Shaving guy seemed sweet and he had a great story. Glad he got a deal, and I get why he didn’t want to sell out completely.

I really did like this episode. But the theme of Janine wanting her 2nd graders to succeed at something out of their depth just because “they believe they can do anything they set their minds to” was stupid. I get the overall sentiment; give kids confidence, boost their esteem, challenge them. But just because an 8 year old “sets his mind” to be an Indy 500 driver, doesn’t mean it will happen…while he is 8 years old.

Thank the Survivor gods James and his froggy voice is gone. I had to mute the tv every time he spoke. So annoying, especially when James has the frog in his throat combined with his rapid fire mumbling. Cody’s ‘brah’/Jeff Spicoli speech pattern is pretty irksome as well. Karla is pretty bad ass. And I like Nicole. Beyond that, meh to everyone else left. I haven’t been really into Survivor for a few seasons, so it’s really just on as background noise while I do other stuff. I don’t know if I will finish the season since I don’t care about the game like I did even 5 years ago. Too many idols, too many “twists” & HII’s…just not able to keep my attention.

It’s more of a celebration that the treasonous plot was discovered, before any harm was done to the Protestant Members of Parliament or the King. The Catholic terrorists, including Guy Fawkes, were captured, tortured and killed.

Or some Keith Morrison snide side eye😒

Re. Trouble at Dill Creek Farm I really need to stop watching any Dateline episode “reported” by Andrea Canning. Ugh, she is awful. Also, I wish Dateline (& 20/20) would stop these 2 hour episodes. Forty minutes of actual crime story, 30 minutes repeating what has already been shown, 50 minutes of ads. It was obvious from the jump who killed Ken. Why bring in all the dead ends and introduce the audience to people who weren’t suspects? OK, tell us about some leads or shady people who ‘could have been’ involved, but introduce them all and wrap it up…”Sneaky Sam had a bad business dealing with the victim, but was cleared. Ex wife Susie had a solid alibi and was no longer under suspicion. A tipster dropped a dime on Crazy Carl, the local alcoholic, but he was found to be not involved.” DONE! Now focus on the 2 most likely killers, and confirm what 98% of the audience and the victim’s close circle already knows…the wife did it.

I noticed Amy loaded up her garage at the new house. Chris’s sense of order and neatness will never align with Amy’ hoarding tendencies. Wonder how many of the boxes in the garage have mugs and tchotchkes in them compared to the number of boxes in the basement, attic, crawl spaces and closets filled with mugs and tchotchkes?

I wasn’t the type of parent that put bubble wrap around my kid, but safety was a priority. We had helmets, knee pads, life jackets, buckles and harnesses to keep our kids protected from the time they were babies until present teen years. I do not understand how Zach and Tori can make Jackson and Lilah wear helmets for their scooters, but then let Jackson RIDE IN THE BUCKET of the tractor?!?! And let Lilah bounce around in the seat with just Zach’s arm casually draped around her. WTF?? And that property looks shittier and shittier every time it’s shown. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say. Zach and Tori act like they landed smack dab in the middle of some National Geographic documentary about the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Muddy lot pinned in by trailer parks and commercial buildings. Overgrown weed-choked field. And the culvert full of God knows what runoff. Yes, very cinematic…”A River (of filth) Runs Through It” vibes for sure. Every time I see Jackson’s legs, I cringe. I know it’s my own ignorance of dwarfism, and my lack of understanding the condition he and other kids with dwarfism have. It just looks so painful to me. I really hope the surgery he had will help prevent future discomfort, or God forbid, turn into a more challenging or debilitating situation.

Re. Alex Murdaugh….Just finished the series on HBO Max. Wow, what a fucked up family. I had seen all the Dateline eps on the Murdaughs, and I knew about the deaths of (muders really) Mallory Beach, Stephen Smith, and Gloria Sattefield. I knew there was financial theft of Ms. Satterfield’s two sons’ payout from their wrongful death suit. And I remember Alex was fired for embezzling funds from his law firm in addition the screwing over the Satterfields. But this HBO a series went into sooo many more cases of theft from his clients! Several poor, vulnerable and minority families were robbed by Alex. He stole $10 million from his clients. That weasel-eyed SOB ruined so many lives. I hope he rots in jail, and I hope the surviving son, Buster, gets “busted” for murdering Stephen Smith.

Thanks, I figured she was the main builder/designer. I hope the people around her note show are issued OSHA approved sound canceling headphones.