CousinAmy

The three houses looked nearly identical to me - brutalist architecture on the outside, all white interiors - I would rather see a home with character! I mean, warmth, with at least some wood showing; cozy not cold. I imagine winters must get rough there, but did any of the numerous rooms have fireplaces? Even inserts, just to give the illusion of warmth. It occurred to me that one thing these shows all have in common is that they exist in a world in a different universe than our own.. One of my first questions would be how do they heat it? Yes, I know, she could burn money day and night, but assuming the owner has some sense of responsibility, I would have liked to hear about the solar panels on the roof, or the hot springs running under the basement level, or just about any other renewable energy source. I always feel a thrill when we get down to the lowest level of a house and find an extra living space, equal to the home's footprint, with an extra kitchen, a home theater, or game room. It's like finding an unexpected bonus. These homes are all bonus, so where's the fun in that?

I've been home sick, so I've been grabbing every episode, no matter what time it's on, meaning my "feed" is messed up. But tonight I saw one of my favorite episodes, where a family in Florida won $6M so there was no fussing about the cost of anything. I hate when the Lottery Dream Home is about the budget - just give me $1M and turn me lose. There were 2 quite modern homes, and one Florida mansion. They chose one of the modern styles (#2) which was huge, open, airy,with expensive finishes. I'm not one for Florida living, but how nice to see how this show can really take it to the max when it wants to.

Did they actually take Beach House #3? I know the two in the Town were rejected, but I thought there were a lot of flaws with #3, and they ended up with a generic house on the beach. I always worry less about the rent, than about variable expenses, like food, electricity, etc. If he had to stick that closely to his budget of $600 for rent, there wasn't much wiggle room left for anything else.

He wanted a workshop with space to work on his own projects, as well as more land.

Some of these husbands really bug me. The wives (or partners) are seriously looking at houses that they hope will turn into family homes - while the husbands whine about video games and "a space for me." Where is the wife's space: the bedroom, the kitchen? They seem very childish to me, as if they're still teenagers who want to have that freedom from Mom's prying eyes. Maybe this is normal for their generation, which I've long since grown out of, so I don't really know. At least they don't call it a man cave anymore. I can't remember which episode it was, but in the debating scene at the end a young couple both said the same two sentences - it was something about the in-unit washer/dryer, and each said, "I forgot about that." During the writers' and actors' strike I wondered if their lines were scripted and if that made them actors. It sounds like they are and they are.

Now that I know the trick - they must own the house already - the show makes no sense. Why would you turn down the perfect house for one with the only bathroom in the basement (slight exaggeration). Sometimes the deal breakers are broken - "We must have a 4th bedroom but we'll settle for 2." I prefer British house hunter shows because it's definitely not the same repetitive thing. And the people are delighted when they're shown a 300-year-old barn. They revere quirky houses with CHARACTER!

From the sorrowful tone in the beginning, I was sure that the $10M was a result of the tragedy - basically a settlement. But the tragedy had nothing to do with the lottery win (other than he was prompted by a sign?) so it really wasn't part of the windfall, and I don't know if it needed to be part of the storyline. I guessed it was to evoke some pathos, but I felt somber watching the house hunt. (Not saying that their life should be entertainment for me, just pointing out the storyline was a little deceptive.)

The wife who took her husband's brain with her to look at $2M Florida homes - who played the part of Logan's brain? She came along to represent his interests, but I didn't understand if he had assigned a proxy? Was she Logan's sister? That was a very strange relationship. But it was one of the few episodes where basically, money was no object, so at least we got to some fabulous spaces.

Wasn't the second house a split level? I grew up in a split-level (built in 1955) and they are definitely roomy. I guess it looks too suburban for her taste? I will take 1950s roominess over a smallish Cape Cod.

Sea Cliff is a very expensive little village so I'm surprised they expected to pay $800K. But you get what you pay for. The first house, which they chose, was just a brick Cape Cod, nothing Tudor there. You could see from the outside shot that there is no backyard- the only yard is on the side and I couldn't tell how big it was. Sometimes I wonder why they only see three houses, because each has at least one deal-breaker feature. But then I remember that these are actually the homes they've already chosen, so I hope they're happy. And sometimes I wonder why these two people are even thinking of buying a house together, when they often seem so mismatched. But then I remember that these are the people they've already chosen, so I hope they're happy.

"I need to see the children from the kitchen..." If they're toddlers, yes, keep an eagle eye on them. But do parents worry if the children are out of the line of sight inside the house? That's weird. What age is it acceptable for children to play in their own rooms, or in a playroom on another floor?

I was rooting for Ty's team all along. Their home was beachy and calming - I love the sand-colored theme throughout the house; against that backdrop you can add your own blue and green accents. Funny how all the designers immediately ended up in the Big Bed; it's just so inviting. I didn't like the mentors telling the teams to just buy something and it will add value - like the free-standing grill. I get why everything was consructed with cheap wood - money saving. But all that for a $50, 000 prize - that's just crazy! Jk

Some of these repetitive lines - like the one about eventual prom pictures of preschoolers- don't seem serious, unless the Dad was really very shallow. Perhaps the producers give them talking points that help define their "characters"? Which leads to the question, are these shows scripted? Are the house hunters actors? Thinking about both the writers' strike and possible actors' strike; how does this fit with a "reality" show?

It's just like a regular "House Hunters" show where they have to factor in the budget as well as location, style, etc. The dream of winning the lottery is, to me at least, to find the most over-the-top luxurious home available. If I want the fantasy, I want to see huge rooms, extra rooms that I don't even need, room for a huge pool with gazebo, hot tub and tennis court. I don't swim or play tennis, but I want to have those amenities just because. Give me the fantasy!

Im watching David show a couple a home in Bethany Beach, Delaware, Season 11, Ep. 3. I've only been watching for a few weeks so I can't place this in time, but David has no neck or hand tattoos. Was this filmed before all the ink, or had he covered up with makeup? (Watching house-hunting type shows is my guilty pleasure. I broke my shoulder in January (tripped on a rug!) and was searching for a distraction. Somehow the formula, the structure, the pattern of these shows felt comforting and soothing and kept me from gnawing my arm off.)

I loved the old barn, but I was cringing in advance knowing that it would be "opened up" to look modern, light, and spacious. White walls just look wrong in a structure with beautiful old wood. (You should hear me on John Lennon and Yoko Ono's white walls in their apartment in The Dakota). Instead of bright white, I'd go with more of the blue and green - or even cream - paint.

I started seeing a psychiatrist at 16 on the advice of school counselors, because of long-term depression, anxiety, and problems at home and at school. The psychiatrist who worked with the school district was several miles away, so my mom had to drive me there. She sat in the waiting room and heard every time I raised my voice or cried. Then she wouldn't take me home until I told her everything that happened during the session. I have a feeling that Jeanette either sat in on Jazz's therapy or somehow violated her privacy. I just can't see her letting Jazz confide in someone else.

I happened to see Jazz's book in our youth center Library today. It was so upbeat, happy and hopeful. Teenage years are always hard, but this is devastating. She's incredibly unhappy and to be honest, she needs to move out of that house. If she had indeed gone away to college, it might have helped her become more independent, plus all colleges now have counselors available if she felt out of control. And college roommates - if you're lucky - don't fat-shame you like your family can. My mother struggled with her weight since she was a child - she became addicted to laxatives in high school in the 1940s. Her sister was younger, blonder, and naturally slim. At the end of her life, at 89, when she had no interest in food but did drink Ensure, she was delighted to tell me, "I weigh less than my sister now!" It seems like a lot of us have been damaged by our family. I hope Jazz can find her independence and re-discover her voice.

But she doesn't want to. I agree, it was much easier when I was young and I counted calories - because I really wanted to. Now all the urging in the world won't get me off the couch and in my sneakers. It's obvious the rest of the family wants Jazz to exercise and stop overeating - but unless they can fill up that empty space inside her, it won't work. And she's the only one who can choose how to fill it up. Obviously the plot line for this season has already been planned, and it's going to be "Hilarious ways to get Jazz to lose weight."

It isn't the extra weight keeping her from Harvard (when was this filmed? Couldn't she do some courses online?) it's her depression. And that isn't going to be helped until she can separate from her family. They should NOT be watching what she eats - that makes secret binging worse. I guess the show now is more about her family, because I'd like to see her trying some independence, even if it's only for an afternoon. My mother watched everything I ate, even insisting to take me to some quack doctor - in my 20s. I'm 72, she died 8 years ago, but I still get a little thrill when I order a Coke. I hope Jazz doesn't follow in my footsteps.

None of them are intelligent enough to discuss politics. (Is Sunny on today?) This isn't a both sides issue. He has said enough in public that is already damning. If they wanted a GOP voice why not Ana Navarro? Someone who identifies as a Republican who can offer the view of that party. And does this show always need another blonde? Sarah is useless.

Esty spoke Yiddish to her family and friends but knew how to speak English. The young German musicians, being cosmopolitan and educated, spoke German and English. An Israeli would speak Hebrew and English. English is taught at schools around the world; in this case it was everyone's common language. I doubt modern-day Germans would know Yiddish, a very old language that actually varies from region to region in Europe, because it picked up words from the surrounding community.

I think the whole college debate would make more sense to the audience if we had seen Jazz doing schoolwork her senior year. She was the Valedictorian of her Homeschool class? Did she wrote papers, correspond with her teachers or other students? She gave the audience the impression that she was lazy and pretty much blew off school, so how did she get accepted to Harvard? I recently connected with a second cousin I've never known who is part of the California branch of our (mostly) New York family. It turns out her son was a famous child actor. When I talked to her on the phone I asked her what she had done for work (we are both in our 70s so I assumed she was retired) and she said, 'managed my son's career.' Later I found an article about what a determined stage mother she had been. Jeanette's career is managing Jazz. What is Jazz going to do with her college education? If she is going to be a trans advocate I'm not sure she needs to go to Harvard for that. Maybe she wants to be an inspirational speaker like Oprah? Who worked for years in local TV markets to get to have her own platform. A successful speaker or advocate should have an academic background in their subject as well as being passionate about it.

I finally finished watching the series last night and it left me win a question: at the end, when Elizabeth is in her coach, alone, it looks like Philip comes up to salute her, and then disappears into the guards on the left side of the screen. Literally disappears, as if he had been a ghost. Was that supposed to be her father, not Philip? Sort of an affirmation that she was making him proud? If it was Philip, where did he go?

I agree her emotional and physical health is more important than the show. I do think she needs to separate from her mother, though. Going away to college would have provided some distance.