glowlights

peach, I adore you. That is all. :)

Ha! I think you're right! Much like how this soap has meandered to a dull, unremarked end on my dvr recording schedule... That's a very good point. My theory: it's just their way to drag out another Waaaaaahhhh storyline for Summer, who is nothing without her waaaaahhhhhs. And get Sharon nailed for a crime. It's a two-fer.

Sadly, they (mental illness/disorder/disability and substance abuse) are not mutually exclusive. I don't doubt for a second that Kelly has dipped her toes in the recreational waters. I'm very, very sorry to hear about your husband.

That's terrific!!! So glad for you both. May she continue to heal.

LOL! But... that was it? Victor decided that Nikki didn't like the deal, The End? And then The Underground suddenly collapsed, every last brick of it, and it's not part of any broader plot such as the aforementioned ninja revenge? So what the hell was the point of Occupy Warehouses, then. What's the point of any of it? WHY SHOULD I GO ON. Gah.

Hello, lovely snarkers! I stopped watching the RH franchise a couple years ago because the fun seemed to have been replaced with flat-out nastiness and mental instability, and it made me feel dirty for watching. But I got nostalgic for the good old days (after an unfortunate accidental foray into this year's RHOBH reunion), so I sought out some old NY clips and have had a blast reading through all your comments. Someone upthread suggested that the show lost its essence when they stopped filming the housewives separately, with multiple crews. YES. Alex and Simon were my favorite trainwreck t.v. Did they have one scene in which they didn't make complete asses of themselves? The classic shot of Alex and Simon wallowing in their filthy kiddy pool made me laugh even harder this time around, now that they have an actual swimming pool and wasted no time proudly showing it off on Twitter like the aspirational braggarts they are. Wonder if their Australian rental features a hassock upon which Johan and Francois may recline whilst reading Dickens and singing nursery rhymes in Latin? I disliked Jill from the very first season. There's an early scene in a restaurant where Jill congratulates herself - out loud and very smugly - for knowing something. "*I* knew that. No one else knew that, but *I* knew that." Yuck. But she does get some points for not disemboweling Alex and Simon when they let their kids run feral in Zarin Fabrics. Lu was always awful, but I respected her for trying to shut down Ramona's temper tantrum when Simon appeared at the women's dinner. But the way she spoke to servers, drivers, her daughter's friends, the housekeeper, the girls she was "mentoring"... ugh. Alls I know is her line "money can't buy you class" is one of the most ironic things ever spoken/sung by anyone. Ramona was always awful, too, and vain and vulgar and tactless and trashy and drunk and mean, but dear god her dancing. Her DANCING. And her crazy killer catwalk eyes at Brooklyn Fashion Weekend. Bethenny's quick quips and sardonic delivery were a nice contrast to the complete lack of self-awareness displayed by the other cast members. It wore thin, eventually, along with her "poor little me" shtick, but at first she seemed like a real trouper. And we'll always have Liberace Koo-koo-rachi. Sonja. Well, I suppose we should have seen the warning signs. How goes it with her toaster oven empire? Kelly, Kelly, Kelly... "in the trenches" lol I have a theory about Kelly and it started with the scene where she tells Bethenny "I'm up here, you're down there". I actually don't think she meant it in terms of social sphere, but the problem for Kelly is that (according to my armchair theory) she lacks whatever wiring is required for one human being to communicate (verbally or non-verbally) with another human being. Same reason she got so freaked out about the gift bags - handing out gift bags wasn't on her agenda, and as it was outside her immediate mindset she was fundamentally unable to comprehend why another person might have done it. Same with ordering Alex to stop turning red, which most of us understand is an involuntary stress response. There's some sort of limitation going on with Kelly, imo, and Scary Island was sad to watch. It's a very lucky thing she was born with looks to trade on. Sorry for the wall of text, I must go off and shoot a messenger. (That's from literature, you know. lol)

I'll admit that I've lost the plot on most of these characters and their motivations, to the point where I gave up on trying to watch the last four (five?) eps. These new forced storylines make even less sense than the crap that came before. Why does Dylan have to guard Sharon in her own home when he already noted there is on-site security? Sharon said Nick broke a girl's neck, now it turns out the girl willingly jumped off the roof, and the Newmans got the girl all the medical help she needed and gave her family financial assistance, so what's the fucking problem? Question: what happened to Joe Clark's evil plan to buy up the warehouse district? I'd assumed that Joe's ninjas caused the Underground collapse but it seems like Nick just had a bad handyman and no one's the least bit suspicious? *sigh* Maybe Chuck Pratt is too smart for me.

Oh dear. I'm sorry to hear of your mom's illness. Sending best (virtual) wishes to you both. And also a hug, if hugs are welcome.

I just watched this ep and literally anger-swooned right off the sofa. Excuse me but they're pulling out the Newman security angle NOW? After lo these many months, nay years, of there being no security ever mentioned, such as when Mariah was traipsing back and forth onto the Newman ranch during her Ian Ward phase, or when Sharon ran out of firewood in the blizzard and needed help, etc. etc., suddenly now it's suspicious that someone could write on Sharon's mirror because it's a secure property? For fuck's sake either have security and a gate house on that goddamn ranch or don't, but keep it consistent you assholes writing this soap, whoever you are. Sheesh. (hi, how's everyone been? thanks, peach, for continuing with these recaps - it's the lord's work!)

Sunshinelover, did you finish Winter's Tale? I recall having trouble getting through some of it, would be interested to hear your thoughts. Unfortunately I don't have time for this month's selection but hope everyone else enjoys it!

The Lord of The Rings. Pretty sure it's the only assigned reading I ever skipped out on. The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence. Sorry, Canada. And does the Bible count? When I was maybe 12 or so I decided to read the entire Protestant Bible. I got as far as Deuteronomy. lol

Sorry to hear that you're not feeling well right now! A lot of people look askance whenever I recommend this, but... when I'm really sick or going through a bad time I turn to some of Garrison Keillor's work. We Are Still Married is a good, earlier collection of inter-connected stories, as is Leaving Home. I've also enjoyed the Lake Woebegon monologues on audio (collected from A Prairie Home Companion), especially when I'm stuck in bed. Sweet, gentle, funny, poignant, and somehow reassuring. There's also Fierce Pajamas: An Anthology of Humor Writing From The New Yorker. Hope you're doing well today. :)

Did that scene ever really happen, or are they making stuff up now to justify the Abby Loves Austin thing??? This show is messing with my mind... And do we know who Victor met in the confessional booth?

I definitely think it's being set up as a side effect of either Brash and Rapey (LoL!!) or Hex, but not necessarily an intended one. Maybe we'll discover that Kelly stole some from Stitch to make herself irresistible to Jack, or Ashley secretly dabbed a bit on Jack as a super-scientific experiment. I started caring about Kelly when she gave Jack some straight talk, a few months back. We need more straight-talkin' Kelly, imo.

This needs to be a gif. I screamed and cheered like a hockey mom. Billy Abbott = nope. Just... nope.

Thanks!!! I think the bright coral shades are a good transition color from now to spring. Thanks again.

LOL! Nothing but the BEST imploding plaster for a Newman establishment. Speaking of plaster, has anyone noticed the dust that's all over Nikki and Phyllis's faces has a greenish tinge to it? It's the same way on my computer screen as my t.v. Maybe my contact lenses are drunk. I laughed my ass off when Jill said not to go walking blindly around, in front of Neil. (Hopefully the writers did that on purpose, it was the only redeeming part of the episode.)

Can any of you fashionistas recommend an on-trend nail color for a pedi? My feet are re-emerging from their wintry slumber and it's time to spruce up... (I am fair skinned, btw)

Thank you AuntiePam and Sharpie66!! I will definitely look at The Unwinding. I saw a couple of other books on the list that may interest him, too. So thank you very, very much.

IMO the best antidote to The DaVinci Code is Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. :) http://www.amazon.com/Foucaults-Pendulum-Umberto-Eco/dp/015603297X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424711203&sr=1-1&keywords=foucault%27s+pendulum

Meanwhile, I was hoping for Billy to look more like Kirk Cameron in Fireproof... ETA: I really don't understand everyone's motivations (other than Noah, hey good lookin') to cover up this supposed murder. Fen admits to drugging them all, Summer admits to remembering the murder weapon, so that's a good defense for the rest of them, versus the risk of being charged for a freakin' murder cover-up. What's in it for Kevin, Mariah, Courtney, and Abby????

I agree that they needed to hit the "reset" button on some (most?) of these dreary storylines, but imo they are just insulting the viewers with cartoon flames, a little toy airplane on a string, Nick making out with Sage while his own mother needs rescuing, people running around disaster areas like they're at an amusement park, the police chief has no idea what to do, no one asking for first aid for a baby that has just been taken out of a burning building (binky intact, natch), Jill of all people acting like she'd never been on a private plane before, the Scooby Doo Mystery Gang at the Abbot cabin, Lauren in charge of the phones at Command Central... for starters. Y&R has always had some lol moments during their big dramatic stories, but this is just flat-out trashy. IMO. eta: I agree peach, if it abates after this week then MAYBE it will have been worth it... but the dialogue is terrible, too. "I didn't find you again just to lose you in a pile of concrete." Ugh.

Is it a UO to hate the trashy, over-the-top, nonsensical, extra-shit-writing turn this show has taken over the past four or five episodes? I was never a fan of Passions, and that is exactly what this is devolving into, imo. All we're missing is a witch, and I wouldn't be surprised to see one on today's ep giving the Winters a ride on her broom (oh sorry that was just Lily). After decades of being a Y&R viewer through thick and thin, this new writer may be the last straw for me. :(

Aaaand... I will picture that goat whenever HK comes on screen from now til eternity. lol (Why couldn't the cabin dwellers have all died and put an end to that dud generation of Y&R characters in one fell swoop? Except Noah, because I like looking at him.)

Hello readers, I wonder if anyone here has good book recommendations for someone who enjoys non-fiction that focuses on contemporary North American or British politics. They like biographies but also accounts of specific incidents or events. I know that's kind of a broad description but it's all I know of this person's tastes, and am shopping for a gift. Thanks!!!