Trav's Thoughts

Today, many across the bloggosphere have chosen a day of silence to honor the victims of last week's horrendous shooting on the Virginia Tech campus, as well as the thousands of military personnel and countless civilians killed in the Middle East. I am saddened by the tragedy and the loss of life and my heart goes out to the families. Sileo in pacis.



Sounds of Silence
Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence


To those of you who have elected silence as your statement, I respect your choice. Ultimately, I believe that true change cannot be worked upon the world unless we come together with one loud voice, crying "Enough".

That said, I believe nothing can come of that loud cry unless we also earnestly listen to each other.

Be kind. Be strong. Speak. Listen. Dare to make a difference and change the world.

The movers left a short time ago. Everything went smoothly.

Mr Tucker is a little freaked out - he's hiding in the bathroom, inside a cabinet. I don't think he appreciated that I just took his picture. I'll post it when I find my download cable.

There's still a lot to do, but that's the treasure hunt part!!

YAY! The network is up and running at the condo. Wooooooooooooooo!

And Mr Tucker is doing OK. He hid in the closet when we first got here tonight and watched me hook up the network. Now we're sitting on the floor together. He's given me the approval head butt, so I guess we're good.

Thanks for all the well wishes. Movers show up at the apartment at 0800 tomorrow.

Later gang!

Well gang, it's nearly time!!

Tonight I take the network down and move it to the condo. So the next post you read will be from here:



I'm taking Mr Tucker over tonight. He doesn't know that yet - we're keeping it a secret until the last minute. I've tried every trick, and consulted every pet specialist I can find...I've never been able to get him into his carrier and into the car without him freaking out. He's just a big spook!



But he'll have his woobie. When a guy has his woobie, all is well!!

Later gang!

It's my guilty pleasure and I'm blogging about it dangit.

This is a lot of fun y'all!! Group Swing!



Quick!! Somebody get me some ice!! A firehose!! Something!! My lady says Julianne Hough's brother Derek is to die for. I gotta wipe up a drool puddle now.



I'm not sure I like Joss Stone.

First to safety - Apolo & Julianne and Laila & Max. Certainly no surprises there.

Dreamgirls in the ballroom with Stepping to the Bad Side. WHOA!!!! The DVD is out next Tuesday May 1.

Hey y'all...don't believe what you read about this results show being full of a bunch of filler. The quality of talent this season is amazing, from the professional demonstrations to the invited singers and dancers - first class all the way. The show doesn't take itself seriously. They know it's cheesy. But they play the cheese for laughs and entertainment and it works.

Next to safety are Joey & Kym.

John and Edyta are in the bottom two, which I expected.

Ian & Cheryl are safe! Billy Ray & Karina are safe. That puts Heather & Jonathan in the bottom two with John & Edyta.

Heather & Jonathan are out.

Hey!! I called that! YAY me!

Next week the stars learn two individual dances - a classic ballroom and a Latin.

Quick move update: Everything is going well. I had the cable contractor out today to relocate a jack and install a new one. So now the master bedroom cable is where I want it, and I have a cable outlet in the office. This might be my last post for the week. I have the kitchen to box up and I have to get Mr Tucker's things organized to minimize his freak out.

Friday night is the network and Mr Tucker relocation. The movers do their thing on Saturday. Next week's Dancing event is on the new plasma. Woooooooooooooo!! We might need to get our fu-fu finery out for the occasion!!

Take care gang and we'll see ya on the flip side. Everybody Mambo!

Yup. It's that time again. You didn't think I'd miss it just 'cause my apartment is in boxes????

Cue the theme music!

Tonight is a group dance, which always has the potential for disaster but generally goes off without a hitch. The group dance has been Waltz in past seasons, but this time it's Swing.

Here's how the pros do it...


The celebs also must master a Latin dance.


Joey and Kym dance Samba. He's great with the up tempo stuff, which is expected because of his history with N'Sync. That was a really good Samba. Kym's choreography was much better this week. The performance had energy and he nailed the steps. The judges say he messed up some footwork at the end but I didn't see it. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.

Heather and Jonathan dance Paso Doble. That looked really awkward. I didn't like it at all. Once again, Jonathan did his best with excellent choreography but now that I'm over her ability to dance on an artificial leg, I'm expecting her to dance as well as the rest and I just don't see that happening. Judges say 7,8,8 for a total of 23.

John and Edyta dance Mambo. This is another dance that he's physically not really able to do that well. He's getting most of the steps in, but no hips at all. And there was a section of that Mambo where Edyta danced around him. It was enjoyable, but it wasn't up to quality. Judges say 7,6,6 for a total of 19.

Laila and Maks dance Cha Cha Cha. Oh DAYUM this woman is HAWT. She's great at the "fun" Latin dances. OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP. Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28. Carrie Ann and Len picked on little stuff, but I agree with Bruno that it was perfect. Although I admit I was distracted by the drool worthy gold dress. I need a cold shower.

Billy Ray and Karina dance Jive, which I don't actually understand since the celebs are supposed to be dancing Latin. But I haven't understood Billy Ray all season. That was just silly and I wish the judges would stop talking about his effort and how much he tries. They should be focused on his dancing, which is awful. Judges say 7's across. That's just ridiculous. He got a pass on the Latin dance and didn't do a proper Jive.

Apolo and Julianne dance Rumba. OK, that was really good but I didn't like it. I didn't care for the chair at all. I don't like the props - they don't need them. There was a lot of posing in that choreography and not enough dancing. Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28.

Ian and Cheryl dance Paso Doble. He had much better control of that dance and he had the character. The steps were very good. I get what the judges said about the enjoyment - Ian seems so focused on doing the dance well that he misses the performance element. Right now, he's not doing as well as Laila, Apolo, and Joey, but he's not doing as poorly as Heather, John, and Billy Ray. He's right in the middle and needs something to spark the performance element because he could be as good as the best. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24.

Now the group Swing and the judges won't be scoring it.

Well, that was kinda nuts! Don't ask me to tell you what happened during that dance. It was all over the place and a lot of fun! In the past it's been much easier to see the couples and compare them when they danced a group Waltz. This was a free-for-all and I have no idea who did well and who didn't.

Who's going home? Tough call. I thought Billy Ray was the worst tonight, followed by John and then Heather. But Billy Ray has fans that will vote for him no matter what he does. Until the judges actually mark him harshly for his poor dancing, he stays.

So that leaves Heather and John as the bottom two. I could see Heather going home.

Joss Stone performs on tomorrow's results show. Also appearing is the cast of Dreamgirls.

Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Don't forget to visit MM HQ at It's A Blog Eat Blog World.

Today's word is Sun.

I've chosen a poem. I actually posted this when I first started blogging.

But, I think that this is a worthy piece to repeat. It fits my thoughts about last week's events. It speaks of sadness, and offers hope. Unspeakable tragedy may bring us low. But we have the power to rise again. We owe it to ourselves and to the memory of those lost to continue and to find our hope and our strength to live.

PHOENIX

He sat
And gazed with tired eye
Upon a sight born of
Nature's first breath

Rolling playful ocean
Sun bathed sky of infinite motion
Forested garden, hawk's dominion

He breathed
Only to choke on mists
Set astir by raven's
Feathered wing

Fighting boundless beauty
Turning from ageless bounty
Dead to wondrous divinity

He burned
Did the phoenix
And from the dusted ash arose
In timeless splendor to eternity

Welcome to packing day!

So we've got boxes, tape, markers, music, and beer. That should be all the required supplies.

Yikes! Forgot about ordering the pizza! BRB.

Whew! Can't believe I almost forgot the pizza. Sheesh.

Mr Tucker hasn't gone to full freak out mode yet. Although he's giving some real thought to getting under the bed, and a little while ago when we started getting the boxes ready he ran down the hall to his litter box. I guess we literally scared the crap out of him!

All packing starts with books. But since I didn't unpack every book I own when I first moved here, this should be a breeze. Then comes DVD's and CD's. After that, it's kind of a free for all just moving through the place and putting stuff in boxes. The kitchen is always last.

OK - break time over!

Due to popular demand, today I offer a glimpse of the new home my lady and I will share in just 11 days.

The grounds...


The front hallway from the entry. Behind those doors on the right is the laundry. To the left are the two bedrooms with the bathroom to the right of the closet at the end of the hall.


The slider leading to the balcony.


If you click on the picture, you can get a look at the great tile floor.


Picture the 42" Plasma above the fireplace!!


My great windows off the dining area (which is going to be a library). The glass needs replaced.


There it is empty.

The pros perform a kick ass group Swing to Zoot Suit Riot. That's what I really enjoy about this results show - watching the pros.

First couple to be safe - of course it's Laila and Maks. And a big woooooooooooooooooooooooooooo for John and Edyta!! YAY!

Lisa Rinna is up with a performance from Chicago. She stars opposite her husband Harry Hamlin on Broadway this summer.

Macy Gray in the ballroom.

Apolo and Julianne - safe. Joey and Kym - safe. No surprises there.

Ian and Cheryl - safe. Billy Ray and Karina - safe. That's the fanbase at work, just like I expected.

So it's Clyde & Elena and Heather & Jonathan in the bottom two.

Clyde and Elena go home.

Next week, the celebrities start learning two dances. Throw in a group dance and the competition is on!!

Gimme that theme music - it's time for Dancing!! Wooooooooooooooooooo!!

Tonight our hoofers try super sexy Samba...


...and ultra sultry Rumba.


There are only 2 ladies left to 6 fellas.

Whoa!! Julianne Hough is sporting the Rooster Head!! It looks way better on her than on the evil one from that other show.

Ian and Cheryl dance Samba. He's much more in control of his balance this week. And Pam approves of the hip swivels. It looked like there were a couple of spots where he wasn't sure of the choreography. It wasn't as smooth as I would have liked, but overall it was a solid performance. The potential is there for a WOW on these Latin dances, but it's not quite there yet. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24. That's a pretty good score for a dance that they thought was merely "competent".

Clyde and Elena dance Rumba. This has the potential to be awful. He's determined to just walk through the steps. He's not dancing badly, he's just not dancing a proper Rumba. No hips, no passion, no romance whatsoever. The judges are understandably harsh. But Len the curmudgeon is the nice guy on the panel!! Judges say 4,5,5 for a total of 13. And that's correct - when dancing the Rumba, charming and polite won't cut it.

Heather and Jonathan dance Samba. Jonathan really does a fine job choreographing these dances for her. But in this case she was really exposed. She did well, but she was awkward. She threw herself into it, but this wasn't her dance. And her disability was evident as the leg wouldn't hold her on the final pose and she fell. If the judges are fair, they'll mark the dance down because that's like missing a step. Judges say 7's across. They did mark her down for the fall.

Joey and Kym dance Rumba. That was nice. I'm not sure I liked the choreography, but the performance was outstanding. Pam is frowning at me while I'm trying to be objective. I think the judges were saying that it wasn't subtle, which is important in Rumba. If that's what they meant, then I agree. But I think that was more about choreography. Judges say 8,8,9 for a total of 25. I'm glad Bruno threw the 9 because this dance was better than Ian and Cheryl. And now Pam is glaring at the judges instead of me. Whew!

John and Edyta dance Samba. He was a little off beat. But he enjoyed what he was doing and he was really trying to do the steps. And when he couldn't do the steps, he played it for fun. He was a little lighter on his feet this week, more bounce than stomp. It still wasn't very good, but it was entertaining. Bruno said it was one of the best worst Samba's. Judges say 6's across for a total of 18. He gets the reward over Clyde for the fact that he tried.

Laila and Maks dance Rumba. Slowing her down this week was just the answer to get the fire back. She's hawt Laila again!! OH OH OH OH OH OH OH!!! She had the f**k me look at the end. Sexy, passionate, romantic, HAWT!!! Judges say 9,10,9 for a total of 28. Yup! I'm getting glared at again. How come she can get all hot and bothered over Joey and Ian, but I can't....oh nevermind.

Apolo and Julianne with the Rooster Head dance Samba. Now there's the abandon that Ian needs when he dances. That was really good. Apolo is a natural. Everything was locked in on that dance. There were a few things to pick on, like slippery shoes. But other than that it had it all. That was comparable to Laila's Rumba and possibly better. Judges say 10's across for a perfect 30. And they deserved it.

Billy Ray and Karina dance Rumba. Oh why couldn't we end with Apolo and Julianne? **sigh** Karina is dancing around him. I didn't think anything could be worse than Clyde's. This is the woman's dance, but the man has to do something. He just stood there while she danced. That has to be marked way down and they can't just grade his effort this time. He didn't dance. Judges say 6,6,5 for a total of 17. I don't agree with that score at all. It might have been a point better than Clyde, but not 4 points better.

Clyde, John, and Billy Ray are in trouble. Based on fanbase, it's likely to be John that is out. None of them really danced all that well, but John did capture the essence of the party dance while the other two really murdered the romance in the dance of love.

The top couples danced so well. Apolo and Julianne were tops just by a hair over Laila and Maks, with Joey and Kym right behind them. Ian and Cheryl have the potential to get in the mix, but Ian needs to let loose. Jonathan may be able to carry Heather through, but I don't think she'll be able to step up to the level of the other pairs.

Results tomorrow night!

It's time for another Manic Monday. Don't forget to visit MM HQ at It's A Blog Eat Blog World.

This is a good time to update y'all on the big move. Things haven't been too taxing so far. The folks came up for the weekend to see the new place. They gave it an enthusiastic stamp of approval.

We went shopping on Saturday and found a computer desk on clearance - only $42 for the floor model!! So we'll get it next weekend already assembled.

No move is complete without at least 17 trips to Home Depot. We made the first two trips over the weekend, picking up a new maple cabinet to increase storage in the kitchen and some shelving for the office. We'll install those next weekend.

And the big purchase...42" plasma TV!!!! Wooooooooooooooooo!! That gets installed a week from today, complete with a home theater system and new DVD.

The last major purchase I need to make is a new washing machine. The one in the condo would be fine, but it isn't large capacity. So I'll have to take care of that this week.

Did y'all get your taxes done?? You've only got until tomorrow to file.

Dang! I'm tired and I'm already stiff and sore. Good thing I scheduled movers for the big day. They'll get it done in a couple of hours. When was it that I got all old and creaky???

Tune in tomorrow for a Dancing review! It's Rumba and Samba!

Hey gang!

Sorry I haven't been around to blogs. Life is beginning to invade a little bit.

Posts will be sporadic for the next three weeks or so while I get organized for the big move. I just closed on a new condo!! YAY me!

Wish me luck and I'll see ya here and there!

A place to relax...

...a woobie...


...and a little patch of sunshine.


What else does a fella need?

Big and Rich invade the ballroom - and season 2 champ Drew Lachey reprises his championship free dance with Cheryl Burke. For DWTS geeks like me, that's cool rock star stuff.



Dances for next week are Samba and Rumba.

Bottom 2 are Leeza & Tony and John & Edyta.

Leeza and Tony go home.

Everybody dance now!! I could never have imagined that I would enjoy Monday's so much!!

So tonight's dances are Paso Doble...


...and Waltz. This is last year's champ, Emmitt Smith with Cheryl Burke.



Laila and Maks dance Paso Doble. She danced the steps very well, but I didn't feel the passion. Hmmmm. Something was missing from that. Technically, the dance was very good. But emotionally it was flat. It didn't have enough passion. Dangit! She's hawt and sexy, but she didn't bring any of that to the dance. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21.

Apolo and Julianne dance Waltz. Too fast. Not smooth. The crowd makes a fuss, but it wasn't a good Waltz. It was rushed and not romantic. The judges are gushing but that dance did nothing for me. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26. That's way too high. When they watch that dance back, they'll see how flawed it was. You can't just reward the effort and the progress.

Leeza and Tony dance Paso Doble. Here comes an unfortunate music choice - Bon Jovi is not Paso music. And this is not Leeza's dance. She has no emotion and no fire. That was really bad. She looked very uncomfortable in that outfit. Judges say 6,5,5 for a total of 16. That's a tough score, and probably accurate.

Ian and Cheryl dance Waltz. Now that's how Waltz should be danced. Outstanding! Smooth, elegant, romantic. The judges are picking on this dance. Judges say 7,9,8 for a total of 24. That's messed up. It's a good score, but this Waltz was better than Apolo and Julianne's.

Ruh-roh! Pam is annoyed that the judges picked on one of her favorites!

John and Edyta dance Paso Doble. More unfortunate music - Paso to Queen? He got the steps, but he wasn't able to overcome the music and the athletic nature of the dance. It wasn't good. Judges say 6,5,5 for a total of 16. And that's right.

Clyde and Elena dance Waltz. She choreographed a very basic Waltz with simple steps. He did glide through the steps but won't get any bonus for technique. Basically they sketched a box around the floor, and a completely unromantic box at that. Judges say 6,4,5 for a total of 15. That might be generous. It's tough to dance Waltz any worse.

Billy Ray and Karina dance Paso Doble. Oh man - the music! Yeesh! There was the train wreck. I don't know what the crowd is screaming about. It was horrible. The judges are praising effort instead of critiquing the dance. Now that irritates me because they've been so hard on the better dancers. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. That's just wrong.

Editorial comment: The double standard is rearing it's head. The better celebrities are being harshly graded for not being perfect. The celebrities who are struggling are being graded on effort and not dancing. And the judges are not even applying that double standard evenly! Billy Ray just clunked through his Paso with the same lack of grace that John had, yet John gets a 16 and Billy Ray gets 21?

Heather and Jonathan dance Waltz. That's the first time I was really aware of her disability. It was almost like she was falling into each hold and he was catching her before she lost her balance. It was good, but not great. Judges say 7,8,8 for a total of 23. I don't know, maybe. Jonathan's choreography and strong partnership is hiding a lot.

Joey and Kym dance Paso Doble. Whoa! Oh man! That was so good!! He had the passion, the fire, the character. That may have been as good as Mario's Paso from last season. Judges say 10,9,9 for a total of 28. Yup. That was worth at least one 10.


Indulge me. I'm disappointed in some of the scoring tonight. If you're going to judge the dancing, then do that for everyone. If you're going to judge progress, then do the same for everyone. But don't confuse things by judging some dancing and some progress.

I suspect Leeza and Tony will go home.

Welcome to yet another Manic Monday with Mo. Today's theme is Snap. Don't forget to check with Morgen at It's A Blog Eat Blog World.

Earlier in the week I got a chance to participate in a neat writing exercise. The idea was to develop six word stories. I came up with three that I posted on Saturday.

I thought that this format would be fun to combine with today's Manic Monday word. So here I present my six letter Snap stories.


"Not while I'm working," he snapped.

She sees them together and snaps.

Metal caskets arrive.
Troops snap to.

Snapping, his fist connected.
She fled.

Rope swings.
Creaking wood.
Branch snaps.

Blooming snapdragons.
Heart-broken, he turns away.

Big lead.
Snap throw.
Picked off.

Blind date.
Snap appraisal.
Hooked up.

Tires screech.
A scream.
Neck snaps.

I just read that Emma Watson will play Hermione Granger in the final two Harry Potter films.

YAY!

Both Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint have already signed to play Harry and Ron through the end of the series. So the original trio will remain intact.

The continuity is surprisingly important to me.

I think I've done more memes over the last week than I've done since I started this blog. There sure have been some good ones too. I haven't gotten to the goals meme yet, since I'm smack in the middle of achieving a doozy. But that's a story for another day.

Today it's about the Writer's Meme. My darling Turn of As the World Turns tagged me for this one. Well, she didn't really tag me. It's another one of those "I tag everyone" things. I thought it was cool, so I'm giving it a go.

The meme is all about very short stories. We're talking stories of only six words. Here's the meme's instructions, as copied from Turn's blog:

A writer's meme.

Ernest Hemingway said the best thing he ever wrote was a six-word story. It is this:

For sale--
Baby shoes.
Never used.

My challenge to you, Dear Readers and Writers, is to come up with your own six-word story. That's all. Six words. How hard could that be? It'll only take a minute.

How hard could it be? Well, it's easy enough to put six words together. But do they actually tell a story? A story generally has a beginning, middle, and end...with characters and plot and conflict and climax.

Look at the Hemingway piece above. On the surface, just a very simple premise. But underneath? So many questions. Of course...it's Hemingway!

I've tried two. Here they are.

Hearts desire hastily spent.
Bitter feelings.

April passions.
November rain.
Never again.

Here's one more:

A life considered carefully was discarded.

It's tough not to turn them into poetry. But this is a fun exercise. Give it a try.

Neila from Blog That Mommy hit me with this Obsession Meme. And now, I present my five obsessions of the moment.

Obsession: persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling.

1. Dancing with the Stars. Just visit this place every Tuesday and you'll get this one. But if an obsession can be harmless, then this surely must fall into that category.

2. Blogging. This might be more of an addiction that it is an obsession.

3. Spelling and using the correct word. I'm a writer and a poet. The correct phrase is critical, especially in a poem. But I have a very difficult time just writing through a segment. If I'm not getting it right, I'm usually unable to go forward until it is right. I can't simply write the bones and move on, which is why my novel is stuck.

4. I don't like to let anyone down. Just the thought that I might not have measured up to my own standards is enough to keep me awake for days.

5. TV shows on DVD. I must have them. Especially the ones I remember as a kid.

I am not obsessed with tagging, so get out from behind the sofa!!

I'm a bad blogging pal tonight. It was a long day at work. I cruised by some of you very quickly and may not have left a comment, and I didn't make it to others. I'll catch up in the next few days.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!

You'll die from a Heart Attack during Sex.

Your a lover not a fighter but sadly, in the act of making love your heart will stop. But what a way to go.

'How will you die?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Dancing update: Shandi and Brian go home. Next up for our remaining couples - Paso Doble and Waltz. YAY!! My favorite dance is Waltz!!


So, what to do on this Wednesday. I was working on a story, but it's not really doing anything for me. It's just a bunch of words that don't seem to go anywhere interesting.

A poem perhaps? I could pull an older piece. But that's the problem. I have older work, but very few new verses. I need something fresh.

I started a particular piece a couple of months ago. As with most of my poetry, the opening lines just wrote themselves. But I've been struggling with the theme. Is it a poem of spring? Of renewal? Is it melancholy? Does it have a point at all?

The best thing I can say about poetry is that it does have meaning. This poem means something to me - it must since it came from my thoughts. But that meaning may have absolutely nothing to do with you, my dear reader. You may find something entirely different. Or you may find nothing at all.

Anything to anyone or nothing to no one, these are my words on Wednesday.

I Watched A Flower Grow
By Travis Cody

I watched a flower grow
A blur of color through my window
Simple and elegant
Beckoning spring to dance

I watched a cloud form
A soft shadow on the horizon
Placid in the moment
Yet holding ominous intent

I see the starkness in a life
Challenged daily by strife
Wishing only for peace
And a quiet place to dream

I have a song in my mind
A melody strong and alive
Yearning to be heard
To be sung and shared

A thing of joy, the flower
Roiling cloud chooses the hour
The music of many souls
May guide the weary ones home


April 2007


On this day in 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated in Memphis TN. He was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. We have come so far, and still have so far to travel. Give a thought to the idea of peace, justice, and liberty for all. I believe that it is in the striving for these things that we find in ourselves the better human being.

Well, I haven't finished my Manic Monday rounds yet. If I haven't been by yet, I'll get to you soon.

This is becoming a real event for us on Monday nights. I'm even choosing Dancing over the NCAA championship game. Well, not completely. I'm taping the end of the game. Looks like Florida might be just a little too good for Ohio State. It's a 12 point game with under 10 minutes to play. Maybe Florida's foul trouble will be a factor.

But enough of such things. It's time to Dance!

Tonight, it's all about Jive...


...and Tango.


And away we go...

Shandi and Brian dance Jive. She does the steps but she doesn't match his enthusiasm. Wait...about half way through she started getting into it. That was a lot better than last week. That actually turned out pretty good. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21.

John and Edyta dance Tango. Not only does he dance well, he plays the character throughout. He's acting as much as he's dancing, and it works. I'm impressed by that Tango. Wow. The jugdes picked on his technique but gave him praise for his interpretation. Judges say 7,6,7 for a total of 20. I disagree because I thought that this Tango was at least as good as the Jive from Shandi and Brian.

Clyde and Elena dance Jive. An unfortunate music choice - Bad Moon Rising for Jive? He looked very unsure of his steps. That wasn't good. He looked embarrassed by what he was doing and there was very little dancing. Judges say 6,5,5 for a total of 16.

Laila and Maks dance Tango. Oh they scored on the music - Goldfinger. Oh man - the outfit. Yikes. But dangit! They broke the hold in the middle and that's a no no. Once you take the hold, you're not supposed to break it during the dance. The judges should mark down for it and they did take them to task. The dance really wasn't that good. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. That's consistent with the broken hold.

Apolo and Julianne dance Jive. I didn't like the opening. They had lots of energy, but the dance was really rough, like they didn't have enough time to rehearse it. The technique was disjointed and there were spots where they slowed down and kind of lost the dance a little. They performed it well, but I don't think they danced it well. Judges say 7,8,8 for a total of 23. I think that might be a little high because the dance really was a little sloppy.

Joey and Kym dance Tango. And more unfortunate music choices - Star Wars theme?? The music was ridiculous but they danced a first class Tango. This was a fantastic dance. They should get bonus points for not cracking up laughing during the thing because of the music. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24. That's too low - they had the difficulty and they danced all the steps. That should have been 8,9,9 for 26 at least.

Ian and Cheryl dance Jive. Now that was a Jive!! Best dance of the night. I'll say it again - when your partner is Cheryl, you are going to learn and you're going to dance well. Ahhhh no! They had a little problem with steps at the end, which kept that from being 9's across. Otherwise that was a fantastic Jive. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24.

Pam has chosen Joey and Ian as her two favorites. I believe I've made it clear that Laila is my favorite, although she didn't do well tonight. She was still smokin' hawt.

Florida defeats Ohio State to repeat as NCAA champions in basketball. They also won the NCAA championship in football this year by defeating OSU in January.

Leeza and Tony dance Tango. He keeps the choreography very simple and classic for her, and that gives her a chance to be comfortable. That was a very safe and basic Tango and they danced it well. Judges say 8's across. Now I have a little problem with that, because Ian's Jive and Joey's Tango were so much more difficult. Leeza danced well, but her choreography was too simple to be tied with the two guys.

Heather and Jonathan dance Jive. Well, I guess if you've got the cash you just go get another bouncier foot so you can dance Jive. She did the steps. It had energy. Gotta give the woman props. She's doing the dancing. And Jonathan isn't cutting any corners on choreography - he's making her do the required elements. Judges say 8's across. You know what, she deserved that score.

Billy Ray and Karina dance Tango. Yet another unfortunate music choice - Tango to Rock the Casbah?? He's very clunky and his frame is awful. Oh geeez! He's bouncing his head while he counts out the steps!! That was horrible. Part of it was the music, but most of it was bad dancing. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. There's no way that was a point better than John and Edyta. This is a true WTF moment.

There was some odd scoring tonight. Some of the scores were spot on, but some didn't make any sense at all.

And there was a lot of wacky music choices this week.

In the main, the stronger couples continued to be strong while the weaker couples didn't improve much - at least in my opinion. Four pairs were tied at 24, although I don't agree with some of that scoring.

Results tomorrow night and another celebrity goes home.

Welcome to another Manic Monday! Don't forget to visit our fearless leader Morgen at It's A Blog Eat Blog World.

Today's word is Branch.

My offering today is a recognition of the branches of military service and the warriors who safeguard our freedoms. Regardless of your politics, the men and women of our armed forces deserve our respect and gratitude for their sacrifices.

The Few and the Proud
The United States Marine Corps was established 10 November 1775 as the Continental Marines to provided infantry support to the Navy. Today, USMC stands as our amphibious force-in-readiness capable of rapid deployment as first responders to international incidents.

Accelerate Your Life
The United States Navy was established by passage of the Naval act of 1794, although the Navy traces its roots back to the Continental navy, which was disbanded after the Revolutionary War. The officially recognized birth of the USN is 13 October 1775. This is the date on which George Washington took command of three armed schooners in order to intercept British supply ships near Massachusetts.

Be Army Strong
The United States Army was originally the Continental Army, established 14 June 1775. After the revolutionary war, the US Congress established the US Army on 3 June 1784. The Army is responsible for all land-based military operations, supported by active duty and reserve personnel. In the 1990's, the Army adopted the 7 Army Values of LDRSHIP - Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.

Answer The Call
The United States Air Force was originally part of the Army. It was established as a separate branch of service 18 September 1947. The current mission of USAF is to "deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests — to fly and fight in Air, Space, and Cyberspace".

The Shield of Freedom
The United States Coast Guard was originally established as the US Revenue Cutter Service in 1790 under the Treasury Department. In 1915, the Cutter Service merged with the US Life-Saving Service to create the modern Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is now a component of Homeland Security responsible for maritime law enforcement, mariner assistance, search and rescue, and national defense.

Don't wait for a special occasion. If you see a Marine, Sailor, Soldier, Airmen, or Coast Guardsman, then walk up to him or her proudly and thank them for all they sacrifice in the name of our freedoms.

Wikipedia Credits:
USMC
USN
USA
USAF
USCG

Many thanks to the lovely, talented, and thoughtful Empress Bee of the High Seas.

She did this...



...for a number of bloggers who didn't get their badges from the Bestest site.

Muchas gatitudas my dear!

It's about that time to add a few more links to blogs I've been visiting.

Beckeye from The Pop Eye tagged me for yesterday's meme. Beckeye's blog is about popular culture. She writes a biting and wonderful recap of American Idol every week. There's also quite the history - Beckeye has been blogging since June 2005!

Claire at A Little Piece of Me is a hiker from across the pond. You'll see beautiful photos she shares of her various hikes in the UK. When you visit, be sure to leave a comment! Claire tracks her visitors and recognizes every 100th hit - she'll award you her booby prize if she catches you lurking!!

I feel bad about this one. I thought I had already linked up Terra Shield from The Secret Backup Blog. I found Terra's blog quite some time ago and I was surprised when I checked my links and she wasn't there. So I apologize. Terra blogs from Malaysia and shares her unique insights on issues and literature and art and music.

I've decided to add a special link section that includes some of the fantastic writing blogs I've encountered. Look for that section coming soon to my sidebar.

Happy Sunday!!