Tag Archives: Big Brother

Middle of Summer Thursday Rundown

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It is the middle of July and that means we are in the heart of summer. I absolutely love this time of the year! Here I go with the latest edition of the Thursday Rundown…

Eating Good – One of the best parts about marriage is the food! Sidney has made me some incredible meals since we tied the knot. This week alone we have feasted on some terrific dinners. On Monday, we celebrated our one month wedding anniversary with delicious steaks. The meat was very flavorful and the homemade mashed potatoes she made from scratch would make Paula Deen envious. On Tuesday, she used inspiration from another recipe to create her own sausage pasta. Doesn’t it look pretty? The dish tasted even better yesterday when we ate it for leftovers!

Steak one night, sausage pasta the next.

Steak one night, sausage pasta the next.

Taco Time – A popular Mexican fast food restaurant in the northwest is Taco Time. This particular location below is a restaurant in Spokane. My brother sent me a snap of the marquee a couple days ago. With the Pokemon Go craze dominating the interest of our country right now, I thought the sign was pretty funny.

I enjoyed this message on the sign of a Taco Time restaurant in Spokane.

I enjoyed this message on the sign of a Taco Time restaurant in Spokane.

Movies – Over this past weekend, I saw two movies. The first one I watched was “Free State of Jones.” The film stars Matthew McConaughey and tells the story of southern defectors who fought against the Confederacy during the Civil War. It was interesting and the scenery in the film was beautiful. But what really stuck with me was the superb acting performance from McConaughey. It was worth the admission.

I also saw “The Purge: Election Year.” I went by myself to this one as Sidney is not into that type of stuff. I got pretty much what I went there to see: chilling and sadistic images of purgers. Tough to explain but I just like seeing the twisted costumes they wear and the way the producers highlight them for optimal “creep out” impact. Each film in the series sheds more and more commentary on the structure of society, with this latest movie doing it to a high degree. I was entertained by “The Purge: Election Year” but if given the choice, go see “Free State of Jones” first.

I enjoyed both "Free State of Jones" and "The Purge: Election Year."

I enjoyed both “Free State of Jones” and “The Purge: Election Year.”

Trump’s Vice President Pick – First off, I was completely wrong when I predicted two months ago that Donald Trump would pick John Kasich as his running mate. Then, this week, my gut told me that Trump would probably select Newt Gingrich as his second-in-command. But with credible news agencies saying he is going with Indiana Governor Mike Pence it looks like I have no idea what I am talking about. To be honest, out of the finalists announced this week, I was hoping Trump would give the nod to Chris Christie (although I truly thought he was going to select Gingrich). That pair just seemed more entertaining to me.

Distinguishing Between Reality TV Shows – Before I met Sidney, I did not watch reality TV. Now I watch every episode of “Big Brother.” This isn’t by force either; I enjoy “Big Brother” and look forward to it. However, most of my reality show watching ends there. A co-worker asked me today if I watch the other shows that Sid watches. I answered no. The reason why I can watch “Big Brother” and not programs such as Real Housewives of whatever and “The Kardashians” is simple: I can relate to “Big Brother.” I see myself and I see others I know in the people on the show. There is strategy and there is a point. With the other shows, I don’t see anything familiar or real. I can’t bear to watch.

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It was a good week of blogging, I hope you all enjoyed. I will catch up with you on Sunday. Have a great weekend. Don’t Blink.

How I Fell in Love with “Big Brother”

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On a Wednesday evening early in the summer I was bummed. Sidney and I were to leave for Spokane to enjoy vacation with my family. However, Delta Airlines called me right as we were about to leave for the airport to tell me our flight was canceled. With our trip now on hiatus at least for the night, we tried to make the best of the situation. We went and picked up Chinese food and returned to my place to eat and watch television. Sidney had the remote and changed the channel from ESPN to CBS. If there was a silver lining in our whole mess with Delta, it was that Sidney could now watch her favorite summer program.

It was the “Big Brother 17” season premiere. On a typical day I would have protested. I am not a fan of most reality television and at the time I considered the Big Brother franchise the scum of the genre. How boring, uncreative, and trashy can you get? People are confined to a house for three months while cameras follow their mundane activities and random conversations. No thank you.

I watched that first episode with Sidney from start to end. I made fun of it the entire time. I wasn’t really even paying attention to the content of the show, I was just expressing how dumb I thought the people and concept were. Sidney told me that she didn’t want me to watch it with her anymore.

We went to Spokane and for roughly the 12 days we were there, she kept up with the show. I didn’t. When we returned to Myrtle Beach and she started watching it on the scheduled nights again, I told her I wanted to watch it with more of an open mind. She gave me a second chance. Those first few episodes I was still very cynical. I tried to be on my best behavior but my sarcasm sometimes came out and Sid became frustrated with me. However, after those initial episodes, I started to chill out a little bit. My interest was piqued.

My insults turned to questions. I asked Sidney question after question about game strategy. I inquired about Power of Veto competitions, double evictions, Zingbot, and Julie Chen. I learned about the tradition of the show and common tactics. I actually learned the names of the cast and the weekly format of the show. Although I wasn’t necessarily a fan of the program yet, I was at least becoming educated.

As the weeks went on I actually started to kind of look forward to Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings in front of the TV. I started to understand the competition. Perhaps most importantly to my Big Brother initiation, I began to root for certain houseguests. I also zeroed in on a few houseguests who I absolutely detested and wanted to see evicted. A subtle passion was developing inside of me.

By late August I was very involved with the show. Sidney and I planned our evenings around the program and discussed it during our free time. I was talking “Big Brother” with people at work. At times I would watch the expanded “Big Brother After Dark” programming. In a couple true moments of weakness, I turned to blogging sites for spoilers. Sidney had converted me into a true “Big Brother” fan.

My fandom reaches a new level tonight. The “Big Brother 17” season finale will play out at 9:30 p.m. Three contestants remain but by the time 11 p.m. hits, only one person will be left. A cool $500,000 will be awarded to that skillful player and his/her name will forever be revered in Big Brother lore. I will have a rooting interest…

Throughout the season I strongly supported Jackie, Austin, and Vanessa. Jackie appealed to me much to my fiance’s chagrin. Austin was just a likeable and eccentric guy. Vanessa had been on my radar since her poker playing days and I respected her intelligence and strategy. Unfortunately, not all three made it to the end. Jackie earned herself a spot on jury but was evicted weeks ago. Austin was stunned early last week when he was evicted by an unlikely houseguest. Who was that houseguest, you ask? It is the person I am 100% rooting for tonight…Vanessa!

Like I mentioned, I am in awe of how smart and calculating Vanessa is. She has been my favorite the whole show and I want to see her win that half million. I know she faces a tough road this evening but her back has been up against the wall several times this summer. I really hope she makes the final two and that the jury makes the right decision to crown her the champ.

Sidney, you were right…”Big Brother” isn’t that bad. I have enjoyed watching the show this summer and I appreciate you putting up with me! Will I watch next summer? Tough question. These shows bring with them a significant time investment. I might watch, I might not. However, I won’t knock it. Enjoy the finale, everyone. Don’t Blink.