Trav's Thoughts

I have an original Senseo coffee machine that my folks got for me when the units were first introduced.  I loved it then and I still do.  It uses coffee pods to make a great single cup with a frothy foam.  You can buy the ones Senseo markets under their brand, if you can find them on a store shelf somewhere.  My Safeway doesn't carry them anymore.  I may have seen them at Fred Meyer once, but we don't shop there much these days.

Folgers coffee pods work with it.  You can probably find other brands that make coffee pods too.  I'm partial to the Senseo ones.

The brewer is a bit on the noisy side.  The pods are messy after use.  The water reservoir is hard to clean.  The spout has a tendency to drip for awhile after the coffee pours.  And even though you can use other brands of coffee pods in place of Senseo's, there really aren't all that many varieties.  Plus they can be expensive when you do find them.

We also have a Mr Coffee machine that we bought last year around this time.  But Pam and I have widely different morning schedules and it isn't always convenient to make a full pot.  We might do a full pot on weekends.  Or when we're having company.

But what we really like is a single cup brewer.  So this past weekend we picked up a Keurig Mini Plus Brewing System as an alternative to the Senseo machine.  I can report that we love it!

It isn't much quieter, but like the Senseo, the Keurig is very easy to use.  The K-cups don't leak and are easily dropped into place, then removed after use and tossed in the garbage...without dripping onto the counter or into your hand as you move from the brewer to the trash.  The Keurig brews within 2 minutes, pours quickly, and doesn't drip after it finishes pouring.  And the variety of coffee flavors is amazing.  We're drinking our way through the assortment that came with the machine, plus an extra box of mixed flavors we picked up.

So now we have three choices when it comes to coffee brewing.  And a lot of variety in our coffee flavor selections.

We like choices.  We like variety.  Choices and variety are good things to have.

So, Senseo vs Keurig...is there a clear winner?  I'd have to say it depends on what I'm in the mood for.  Although it isn't an espresso machine, Senseo does pour a nice frothy cuppa, and sometimes I want that.  Keurig pours a clean cuppa with lots of flavor variety, and sometimes I want that.

Hmmm...perhaps I should experiment some more.

I have a couple of thoughts to share on this last November Tuesday.

Before the holiday break, one of the women I work with passed her US citizenship test and participated in a ceremony to become a naturalized citizen of the United States.  Unless you know someone who has done that, I don't think you can understand how important it is to the individual, and how truly proud they are.

I admit that I take for granted some things about living free in this country.  Not a lot...I was raised to understand my civic duty and contribute to the health and well being of my community.  But sometimes I lose track of how easy it is to walk out of the home I own, get into the vehicle I own, drive a couple of blocks to the grocery store, and pick up just about anything I feel like eating in that moment.

I appreciate the history and the people who have made it possible for me to do stuff like that.  But that isn't the first thing I think of when I want a pizza, you know?

I'm rambling a bit.  I get to be a citizen of this country by accident of birth.  My colleague chose it, worked for it, and earned it.  I have profound respect for her.

The other thought I have today is frustration with people who throw the First Amendment around like a shield against consequences.  The text of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution reads this way...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Nowhere in that passage does it say anything about relieving any person or persons of the consequences of what they say.  So exercise your right to speak your mind.  But be aware and prepared that someone may just decide to exercise their right to object to what you say and speak their mind about it.

If you can accept that someone can say what they want in response to what you say, then you truly understand and respect the spirit of the First Amendment.  If you can also see that the amendment protects speech from government interference and censure, then you truly understand and respect the actual purpose of First Amendment.

So...citizenship, rights, consequences, and responsibility.  I guess those are some pretty good thoughts to have on a Tuesday, or on any day.

Remember this?  Volume 3 was way back in April.  I started thinking about doing another one to celebrate the end of the year.  And wouldn't you know, Cherie suggested it in comments last Friday!

In case you don't remember what I'm talking about, the basic idea is to start with a song and then let something about the song...a lyric, the artist, the way the record was produced, etc...lead you to the next track.  And keep following that progression until you have a 5 song Set.

When we did this back in April, I gave you the first song.  This time around, I'll give you three possible avenues to take in building your Set.  Ready?

1. This one is "easy".  Just come up with whatever strikes your fancy.  
2. Define 2011 with a progression that reflects how your year went.
3. Set the stage for what you expect in 2012.

What do you think?  Are you up for it?

Let's set the date to post our progressions for 16 Dec.  That gives everyone three weeks to get organized and decide on a Set.  Then it's your choice whether to post the explanation of your progression with your Set, or post it later and give us all a chance to interpret it.

I hope you play along.  And if you've never tried this fun way to enjoy music, this might be a good way to introduce yourself to it.

I trust that everyone had a wonderful meal yesterday.  We did.  Butterball offered a boneless turkey breast...about 3lbs.  So we roasted that up and it was just the right size to give us a nice meal with some left over for sammiches today.

We cheated on everything else...Stove Top stuffing, asparagus and sweet potatoes out of a can, and Idahoan brand instant mashed potatoes (4 minutes in the microwave).  Topped it off with cranberry sauce - not the berry kind.  And some great bread from our Safeway bakery.

Pie was pumpkin by Sara Lee.  We also have a Sara Lee cherry pie that we'll bake up over the weekend.

Sucks that my 49ers couldn't pass block last night.  But I'll still take 9-2 over where they were last year. 

OK.  So what's on tap for Set 96.  Well that's a very good question and I'll answer it.

The group is called Pentatonix.  They are one of three finalists on the show Sing Off.  I am so impressed by these 5 singers.  Remember, there are no instruments...only vocals.

If you haven't watched the show yet, check out the finale Monday night.  











Got a bonus track for you from this past Monday's show.  This is the Dartmouth Aires putting on a whale of a show with Shout.  They made the finale, along with a third group called Urban Method.



Have a great weekend!

If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines:

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.

2. Go to Playlist.com to make your Set of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the Set, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.

2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.

3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.

4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

Go forth and enjoy music!

It's the Grand Finale!


Yes indeed.  We've got our fru fru finery, our bread and cheese, and our double-step-over-lip-lock-chocolate-fudge-supreme-layer-CAKE.  Oh, and our nice merlot.  We are ready for 2 hours of frivolity.

And when you get to the end of this post, you'll know which of our three remaining pairs has danced away with that Glittering Globe of Glory!

First off, let's have a few encores from Monday's performance finale.

I'm not convinced that the freestyle from Rob and Cheryl was worth a perfect 30, but I did enjoy it.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


I loved the Cha Cha Cha from Ricki and Derek.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


The judges gave the other two freestyle performances perfect scores of 30 and thought that Ricki and Derek only deserved 27.  We thought their freestyle was dance of the night.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


Here's our leader board after Monday's two dances.

57 Rob and Cheryl
54 Ricki and Derek
54 JR and Karina

We'll add one more score from the judges before eliminating one pair, and then the remaining two couples will dance a final time before the winner is crowned.

Of course we have our pros leading off the show.  You know I like that.  And all of our celebrities are back as well.

Lady Antebellum is in the ballroom, accompanied by Kym, Dmitry, Peta, and Val.  Not a bad song, but I thought it was made better by the beautiful Rumba.

The first round of competition features our couples dancing a favorite and hoping to better their original score.

Ricki and Derek dance Tango.  This was fantastic the first time.  I love the drama in this dance.  I thought this was one of Derek's all time best efforts for choreography because the Psycho music was so challenging.  I think this time around, Ricki improved on her footwork.  That's something she has struggled with all season, according to the judges.  And her shoulders.  Now that she has figured out how to keep them down and back, her posture looks a lot stronger.  This was a calculated choice, because it's tough to improve on how well they danced it the first time.  It all comes down to detail, and I think that's what made this performance even better than the first time.

Rob and Cheryl dance Foxtrot.  I think this is a good choice, because Rob has improved so much since they danced this and I think the style suits the personality we've seen emerge over the last 7 weeks.  Unfortunately, it took him too much time to relax into the musicality.  The beginning was stiff and he had a couple of footwork bobbles.  The dance ended well, but I think he missed an opportunity to really improve on this.  It was a little sloppy.  I do appreciate the journey he and Cheryl have been through, and I like that he chose this routine.  The problem I have with it is that there isn't any amount of charm that overcomes the mistakes at the beginning the threw off the timing.  

JR and Karina dance Jive.  This is the Jive that Len didn't care for because he said it had too much Lindy Hop influence.  I did like this Jive, probably for that reason because I love Lindy Hop.  They'll change the choreography to take some of that out, and remove the opening lift.  The problem I have with the dance this time around is that they didn't connect all the movement.  There were a couple of moments when they stopped, almost like they were waiting for the counts to catch up to the music because they didn't put in enough steps.  In retrospect, I think they should have stuck with the original routine because it had more excitement.  This one looked like it was just thrown together and I didn't like it.  

Now the judges rank the couples to award points.  Third and 26 points go to Rob and Cheryl.  Second and 28 points go to JR and Karina.  First and 30 points go to Ricki and Derek.  I'll agree with that ranking.

Here's our combined leader board with the third round of scoring added to Monday's two dances.

84 Ricki and Derek
83 Rob and Cheryl
82 JR and Karina

Here we go now with the first elimination.  Finishing in third place...Ricki and Derek.


Thought so.  I thought she got jobbed for scores last night, but I also thought that the fan bases for JR and for Rob would overwhelm hers. 

So Rob and Cheryl will face off against JR and Karina with an Instant Samba to Shake Your Bon Bon for the final scores of the season.  JR and Karina go first, followed by Rob and Cheryl.

Ah...here comes the parade of eliminated celebrities.  Ron and Peta return, but his Cha Cha Cha isn't much better than it was in week 1.  Elisabetta and Val return...I thought she had potential but didn't have the fan base to stick around long enough.

Kristin and Mark return with a new routine, to which they added a second pro dancer.  I agree that she was probably eliminated too soon, but keep in mind that if you don't grab the fans, then it doesn't matter how much potential you have as a dancer.  That was a fun Jive routine.  I'd have thrown an 8, maybe even a 9 for that.

Chynna was an early favorite of mine with partner Tony.  She couldn't survive the mistake in her Mission Impossible routine.  I love that they get a chance now to do the dance as it was meant to be done.  With the pressure off, Chynna reminds us of the talent she had.  It's a shame she couldn't get it the first time around, and didn't have the fan support to make it through eliminations.  Who knows, maybe she still would have been eliminated after this dance.  But then again, maybe not.  She was really good.  I would have thrown 8s across.

Carson and Anna get a chance to put together a new routine to Madonna's Vogue.  Now that's entertainment.  Fun stuff.

Nancy and Tristan return with their Broadway Foxtrot.  This dance makes me smile. 

Next up it's Chaz and Lacey, accompanied by Lacey's dad Buddy Schwimmer.  Love it!  You know, Buddy is a former world class swing dance champion and still a first class teacher.

David and Kym return with their Broadway Quickstep routine, dressed up with our Dance Troupe.  That was fun!

Lady Antebellum are back with one more song, accompanied by our Dance Troupe.

Hope and Maks return with one of my favorite routines of the season...their sunny Quickstep. 

OK.  Here we go with Instant Samba.

First up, JR and Karina...Samba was one of my favorite dances from these two.  JR doesn't look good at all this time around.  The dance looks off time and out of step.  Judges say 10s across for a total of 30.

Now Rob and Cheryl...Rob looks very relaxed and in control.  Samba was also one of my favorite performances from him.  Gotta say it...Rob had a better performance than JR.  Judges say10s across for a total of 30.

I get what the judges did there.  The fan vote should decide it.  But if they were going to throw perfect scores regardless of what they say in the dancing, what was the point of doing it?

Here's our grand finale leader board:

113 Rob and Cheryl
112 JR and Karina

OK.  We've been through nearly 2 hours of frivolity.  Here are the final results.  Finishing second...Rob and Cheryl.


That means JR and Karina are the Season 13 champions!


Wahoooo!  Congratulations to JR, and to Karina for winning her first Mirror Ball Trophy.

I enjoyed this season.  There are always pleasant surprises and sometimes shocks when the celebrities actually get on the floor and start dancing.  But I'm always entertained.

Thanks to all for putting up with my silly obsession.  Season 14 is due next March.

Later gang!

It's live from Hollywood!

Well gang, we've reached the performance finale of Season 13.  Of course, that means that we get to see each of our remaining 3 pairs perform two dances, one of which is the highly anticipated freestyle where anything goes.

First, each couple dances a style they haven't yet tried.

Ricki and Derek dance Cha Cha Cha.  Carrie Ann visits rehearsal.  One of the things I appreciate about Ricki is that she usually dances with confidence and assurance no matter if she's nervous.  She may be insecure in some of the styles, but she usually keeps her composure.  Her posture is always contained and controlled, even if she gets the steps wrong.  I really liked this Cha Cha Cha.  Ricki has an elegance and grace about her that is very appealing to me.  I liked her musicality in this piece.  The dance had sensuality and a bit of cheekiness.  It wasn't perfect, but it was definitely smooth and relaxed.  Judges say 9s across for a total of 27.

Rob and Cheryl dance Waltz.  Bruno visits rehearsal.  I really wanted to like this dance, but the musicality felt off to me.  It looked like they were dancing at a different tempo than what I was hearing.  I think I know why...I often can't hear the rhythm.  Rather I hear and feel the melody.  And I think they were dancing to the rhythm.  That's why it looked awkward to me.  I did see some issues with his posture.  He kind of hunched a bit, and I think that pulled him off balance in a couple of places.  I did like the rise and fall, but his footwork occasionally looked plodding.  It was a good effort, but in a Waltz I want a fairy tale and I thought this dance fell short of that.  Judges say 9s across for a total of 27.

JR and Karina dance Cha Cha Cha.  Len visits rehearsal.  I love this music for Cha Cha Cha.  He's dancing through that ankle, but he doesn't look as smooth on his feet as he did before the injury.  But the thing I like about this dance is his confidence.  He was confident, even when he missed a step and got ahead of the music.  He performed the character, and that hid a lot of the problems and mistakes in the actual dancing.  He went off time.  And it seemed like Karina may have scaled back the choreography in this dance to spare the ankle for freestyle.  I didn't see enough Cha Cha Cha content for my taste...certainly not as much as Ricki and Derek had.  Judges say 8,7,9 for a total of 24.

Here's our leader board after the first round:

27 Ricki and Derek
27 Rob and Cheryl
24 JR and Karina

Next up, it's freestyle.  These dances can go horribly wrong, or amazingly great.

Ricki and Derek...Derek has chosen a combination of ballroom and Latin styles for a show dance routine.   I prefer when the pros show off the technique they've been teaching all season.  This dance had energy and a ton of content from almost every style.  Plus it had crazy lifts and tricks that were well integrated into the choreography.  That last spin at the end was so fast it made Ricki dizzy when Derek finally put her down.  Wow!  All the movement was connected throughout, and some of it was hard to connect.  This freestyle definitely lived up to my expectations.  Derek has won every final he's been in, and he and Ricki certainly laid down the challenge with this performance.  Judges say 9s across for a total of 27.

Rob and Cheryl...Cheryl choreographed one of the best freestyle dances for Drew Lachey.  Cheryl had also chosen more of a show dance for Rob, which I think makes the most sense for Rob.  I think this is his strength, and Cheryl was smart to emphasize it and show off how far Rob has come in this competition.  This dance began with a Foxtrot feel and ended with Quickstep.  In the middle, it had difficult lifts and tricks.  I loved the concept and the staging of the dance, and I thought the presentation was outstanding.  There's no doubt that all those lifts were difficult and Rob handled them pretty well.  That's a winning freestyle right there.  Judges say 10s for a total of 30.

JR and Karina...Little bit of a scary rehearsal with Karina really wanting to got for some outrageous tricks and JR putting on the breaks.  And Karina panicked some about the lifts during dress rehearsal.  They've gone for Salsa inspired choreography...with a really great lift at the beginning that could have gone very wrong, but didn't.  They have quite a bit more side by side than the other two pairs.  This kind of routine really needs to be in synch and sharp for me to enjoy, and I didn't think it was.  There were some very difficult tricks and they certainly had the energy.  But I didn't care for the performance.  Most of it felt out of balance to me.  However, I appear to be in the minority because the judges and the ballroom audience thought it was great.  Judges say 10s across for a total of 30.

Here's our leader board after both dances:

57 Rob and Cheryl
54 Ricki and Derek
54 JR and Karina

I'm OK with any of these three couples winning.  I have a soft spot for Karina since she is the only pro in this season's final who hasn't won, and I think JR certainly has the fan base to win it all.  Our preference is for Ricki and Derek, but I feel like she had to win the night to make the final two.  I have a sneaky suspicion that Rob and Cheryl have the momentum now to pull off the upset.

Congratulations to all three pairs.  Each couple has one more dance for scores tonight during the results show.  Then one pair will be eliminated and our final two will get a final dance.

Tune in tonight to see who takes the coveted Fabulous Mirror Ball Trophy!  And check back tomorrow for my final encores and results recap.

Later gang!

Saint Sanguinus is the first book in a new vampire trilogy, written by my blog pal Julia Phillips Smith.  Pam and I read it together this weekend.  We only put it down twice, and it was a struggle to leave it both times.

The first time was Saturday night so we could go to sleep.  The second time was Sunday afternoon to watch Pam's Seahawks play the Rams.  As soon as the game was over, we put Sunday Night Football on mute and finished the book.

It's a captivating story of...well, I don't think I'll tell you.  I think instead that I'll encourage you to read it for yourselves.  If you have an eReader, you can download the book from Amazon and Smashwords for $2.99.  

I'll say this also...Julia has crafted a believable mythology for her vampires.  They are dark and ravenous; monsters more in the tradition of the vampire as deadly dangerous and blood thirsty.  But it's not a horror story.  It's a dark romantic adventure with appeal to men and women. 

Trust me...Pam and I both liked it.

Pick this one up.  The characters stand up off the page to tell their stories.  Julia has a writing style that is comfortable.  She invites you into the story and keeps you there.  She understands how to build the story to a climax that closes this first chapter and sets up the next.

All together an outstanding debut.

After stumbling to an 0-2 start, Notre Dame has gone on to have a respectable season. 

Today was Senior Day for the Irish.  I offer my congratulations to this group of seniors who struggled as underclassmen, made it through the firing of the coach who recruited them to Notre Dame, and have adapted successfully to a new system designed more for the kids who will remain after this group graduates in the spring.

Best wishes to these Notre Dame seniors.  May you find success in your future endeavors.

Robert Blanton 
Braxton Cave
Lane Clelland
Patrick Coughlin
Dayne Crist
Taylor Dever
Steve Filer
Darius Fleming
Michael Floyd
Jonathan Frantz
Mike Golic Jr
John Goodman
Gary Gray
Jonas Gray
Mike Grieco
Ethan Johnson
Ryan Kavanagh
Kapron Lewis-Moore
Nick Lezynski
Dennis Mahoney
Dan McCarthy
Anthony McDonald
Matthew Mulvey
Brandon Newman
Andrew Nuss
Sean Oxley
Andrew Plaska
David Posluszny
Mike Ragone
Trevor Robinson
David Ruffer
Chris Salvi
Ryan Sharpley
Ryan Sheehan
Jamoris Slaughter
Harrison Smith
Deion Walker
Hafis Williams

And to these juniors who may leave school early for the NFL, I hope you stick around but wish you all the best if the decision is to go. 


Theo Riddick
Manti Te'o
Cierre Wood

I had a great memory this week associated with the music in this Set.  I'll keep the memory to myself, but I'll share the music.

Have a grand weekend!  Make some new memories!

Stand By Me, written by Ben E. King/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller, as released by Mickey Gilley, 1980


You Don't Know Me, written by Eddy Arnold and Cindy Walker, as released by Mickey Gilley, 1981


The Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time, written by Baker Knight, as released by Mickey Gilley, 1976


 That's All That Matters, written by Hank Cochran, as released by Mickey Gilley, 1980


Put Your Dreams Away, written by Richard Leigh and Wayland Holyfield, as released by Mickey Gilley, 1982


If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines:

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.

2. Go to Playlist.com to make your Set of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the Set, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.

2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.

3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.

4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

Go forth and enjoy music!

It's encores and results!


When you get to the end of this post, you'll know who made next week's finale.  But first, it's encores!

We liked the Argentine Tango from Rob and Cheryl.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


We really liked the Argentine Tango from Ricki and Derek.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


It was so close...our choice for dance of the night could easily have been the Samba from Rob and Cheryl.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


It was scored as perfect, and so earns dance of the night honors.  It's the most excellent Samba from Ricki and Derek.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


Outstanding!

Now here's a reminder of our leader board after three dances on Monday:

67 Ricki and Derek
65 Rob and Cheryl
56 JR and Karina
49 Hope and Maks

The judges select the Samba from Rob and Cheryl as the encore.

First results...Rob and Cheryl and in the finale!

A group called Cobra Starship is in the ballroom.  I have no idea who this is.  Oh...it's club music.  That's why I don't know it.  We do get to see Tristan, Kym, Sharna, and Sonny Peterson dance to the music.

Macy's Design A Dance features Anna and Derek dancing Paso Doble to Bad Romance.  Wow!  That was so good.


The AT&T Spotlight performance features kids from The Gold Studio...Kyle Scanlan, David Guzman, Jacob Guzman, and Matt Gilmore...who dance despite stereotypes against male dancers and the bullying that can sometimes come from it. 


Now it's The Muppets!  Muppets make me smile.

Final results...Earlier we learned that Rob and Cheryl are in the finale.  Ricki and Derek are also in the finale.  JR and Karina are in the finale as well.

And that means Hope and Maks are eliminated.

I try to be positive with the celebrities that come on the show.  But I'll be honest.  Hope's attitude really irritated me this week.  The styles didn't suit her and she didn't dance well Monday.  The judges tried to be constructive.  And she decided that the appropriate reaction was to say, "F*** the judges.  I don't even want to look at them."

So back to the soccer pitch, my dear, where that kind of attitude works a little better.  See you in goal for the US national team at next summer's Olympics in London!

Tune in next week for the finale.  It's down to JR, Ricki, and Rob for the coveted Fabulous Mirror Ball Trophy.  It's anybody's game now!

It's the Final Four, live from Hollywood!

Our 4 remaining pairs take on three dances this week in the quest to make next week's finale.  The pressure is on baby!

First up is Latin.

Hope and Maks dance Paso Doble.  I don't like the beginning.  Too much fooling around.  Hope was terrific last week, but I think this dance is awful.  Her posture and frame are slouched and sloppy.  Her footwork is poor.  I think she had the attitude of Paso, but none of the skill or technique.  It's fine to attack the dance, but there also has to be control and performance.  I didn't care for her musicality.  She lacked the fluidity that she found last week, and the whole performance suffered.  Intensity is one thing, but over-intense just ruins the mood.  Too bad.  Judges say 7s across for a total of 21. 

JR and Karina dance Paso Doble.  JR badly turned is ankle in rehearsal.  Karina took a bit of a pounding too.  They are pushing themselves hard and increasing the level of difficulty.  Admirable, but you don't want to go too far with that.  I'm sure the injury is causing him some pain...that leap at the beginning wasn't as crisp as I would normally expect from JR, and his balance is off a bit.  His posture suffered as well.  He's also having a lot of trouble connecting the movement.  Not sure if the grimaces are part of the character of the dance, or if they are for the pain.  There was a lot of potential in the choreography.  It's a shame he's injured.  He tried to go for it and just couldn't get there.  And then he twisted the ankle again.  Props for the effort.  Judges say 8,7,8 for a total of 23. 

Rob and Cheryl dance Samba.  The problem I always see with Rob in Latin styles is stiffness.  He is usually precise with his footwork, but it takes him awhile to get relaxed in the dance.  Not this time!  He comes out with confidence and terrific musicality.  So often the male celebrities get rushed in Samba, but Rob has got everything under control in this performance.  I was a little concerned about that float they started with, but they made it work.  Rob had exactly the right hip action.  Cheryl's choreography was outstanding.  The performance was wonderful.  It definitely had that party flavor.  Rob is peaking at just the perfect time.  What a great journey.  Excellent work young man!  Judges say 10,9,9 for a total of 28.  Wow on the 10.  The 9s were definitely deserved.

Ricki and Derek dance Samba.  I'd like to see her stop worrying so much about being great and just dance.  Then she'll be great because she just is.  Perfect music!  I love this performance.  It's fun and happy.  I would have liked to see her shake her shoulders a little more toward the end of the dance.  I thought she hung onto it just a little too much and let it be just a touch too proper.  However, she was focused on keeping her shoulders down, so that probably was why she didn't let loose and shake them harder.  In retrospect, probably a good decision.  The overall performance was outstanding.  Derek's choreography was excellent.  To my untrained eye, I thought she had her footwork squared away.  Not much to pick at this time around.  Judges say 10s across for a total of 30.  Yup!  Len says she got her feet right, so she got her feet right!

Here is our leader board after the first round.

30 Ricki and Derek
28 Rob and Cheryl
23 JR and Karina
21 Hope and Maks

Sandor and Parissa, extraordinary dancers and choreographers, join our pros and Troupe for a demonstration of Argentine Tango.  That was amazing.

And now our pairs each dance Argentine Tango.

Hope and Maks...Her flat feet are really a turn off.  Her legs and lower body have always been her weakness.  That was completely exposed in this Tango.  And Maks didn't do her any favors with some of the ugliest lifts I've ever seen.  There was nothing graceful in the movement with her feet flexed and knees bent awkwardly.  However, I do think Hope's upper body was very well controlled.  I liked her posture and connection to Maks.  I think the choreography was good and quite ambitious.  I think she had the attitude, and there were moments that were sensuous.  But overall, I didn't care for the performance.  Judges say 8s across for a total of 24.

JR and Karina...I hope JR is able to overcome the ankle injury and perform well.  Sometimes you can do it, and JR did.  I loved their footwork.  Everything was precise and clean.  All of the movement was fluid and connected.  He managed the lifts very well.  In fact, the way he kept a strong base in and out of the lifts was really terrific.  I only knew he was in pain because we knew that he had the injury.  Otherwise he put it aside and just danced.  JR channeled all of the frustration of being injured into that 90 seconds and threw down a great performance.  Well done.  Judges say 9s across for a total of 27.

Rob and Cheryl...The confidence is clear in Rob's posture and his control of the movement.  I think that was one of his strongest performances yet.  The footwork was very difficult and there were some tempo changes that he managed really well.  He had solid technique.  His lines were wonderful.  I didn't see any of that old stiffness.  He was immediately relaxed in the style and the movement was fluid and smooth.  I liked the chemistry he and Cheryl had.  I really enjoyed that performance.  Judges say 9s across for a total of 27.  Outstanding.

Ricki and Derek...I've got a high bar for these two in this dance.  I like that they all got legitimate Tango music for this round of dances.  The lifts Derek chose looked so effortless.  There was a floating quality to them.  The tempo changes in the movement felt seamless.  The movement from dance into lift and then from lift to dance was fluid.  Derek's choreography made maximum use of Ricki's strengths.  Their shapes and lines were terrific.  I loved that performance.  It was controlled and contained, but also passionate and dramatic.  Judges say 9,10,10 for a total of 29.  Excellent!

Here is our updated leader board after two dances.

59 Ricki and Derek
55 Rob and Cheryl
50 JR and Karina
45 Hope and Maks

Our third dance is the Cha Cha Cha relay.  Everyone dances to the same song in sequence.  The winner gets 10 points, 2nd place gets 8, 3rd place gets 6, and 4th place gets 4.  This is hard for me to judge because it goes by pretty fast.

Ricki and Derek go first.  I would have liked to see a little more hip action, but I thought she did well.  Hope and Maks are next.  Her frame wasn't very good, but she did have good hips.  JR and Karina are next.  He struggled through it.  It was probably one dance too many on that bad ankle.  Rob and Cheryl go last and they made the most of that spot.  They finished strong and I wouldn't be surprised if they take the 10 points for first place.

I thought they all did pretty well.  Judges say...4 points go to Hope and Maks, 6 points go to JR and Karina, 8 points go to Ricki and Derek, and 10 points go to Rob and Cheryl.

I thought so!  They were great!

Here is our final leader board after all three dances.

67 Ricki and Derek
65 Rob and Cheryl
56 JR and Karina
49 Hope and Maks

It was really a good show.  I enjoyed almost every performance.  I did feel badly for JR with the ankle injury.  He had the strong dance for Argentine Tango, but the other two weren't as good as they would have been had he been healthy.

We thought Hope and Maks struggled in dances that weren't really suited to her strengths.  Sometimes that happens.  Her best week was last week.

We thought Rob and Cheryl had a great night.  If they have the fans, they could pull off an upset. 

We're locked in though.  It's Ricki and Derek for us all the way to the end.

You know the drill...tune in tonight for results.  And check back here tomorrow for my encores and results recap.

Later gang!

You'll find my Five on Friday Set if you scroll down.  You'll also find my Veterans Day tribute to those who have served and who currently serve our country in the armed forces.

Sometimes I manage to put together the sequence of words that conveys my message in the best possible way.  When that happens, I don't rewrite...I simply re-post.

I posted this same commemoration in 2010 and in 2009, and I can't think of any better way to honor Veterans.

At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, major hostilities in World War 1 ended with the signing of the Armistice.

Whether you call it Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day, please turn your thoughts to the men and women of the armed forces who have defended our freedoms.

Thank you to all of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and members of the US Coast Guard for their service and sacrifice. May you all be safe today, and in all the tomorrows of your service. And if you must make the ultimate sacrifice, may you go to your rest with the humble thanks of a grateful nation and her citizens.

This I also send to the men and women of all other nations who defend freedom and justice around the world.

Pam asked to do another Set.  I suspect that's OK with y'all.

She may be trying to tell me something.

Right back atcha Lady.

Could I Have This Dance, written by Wayland Holyfield and Bob House, released by Anne Murray, 1980.


And I Love You So, written by Don McLean, released in 1970.


Sunday Morning Sunshine, written by Harry Chapin, released 1972.  Yeah, I know we just had this one a couple months ago.  But Pam wanted it again, so she gets it.


If, written by David Gates, released by Bread in 1971.


The Goodbye Girl, written by David Gates, released in 1977.


If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines:

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.

2. Go to Playlist.com to make your Set of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the Set, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.

2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.

3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.

4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

Go forth and enjoy music!

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. As of October 2010, there are currently about 203,000 active duty Marines, with another 40,000 in the reserves.

Marines have seen action in the Revolutionary War, Quasi-War, Barbary Wars, War of 1812, Seminole Wars, Mexican-American War, American Civil War, Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, Boxer Rebellion, Banana Wars, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War I, Somali Civil War, Kosovo War, War in Afghanistan, Iraq War, and Operation Odyssey Dawn.

In 236 years of history, Marines have been decorated by the governments of France, the Philippines, Korea, and Vietnam. Marines have been awarded nearly 300 Medals of Honor and scores of other decorations for valor in action.

The current Commandant of the Corps is General James F Amos. The Assistant Commandant is General Joseph F Dunford. Sergeant Major of the Corps is SgtMaj Michael P Barrett.







Today, cake-cutting ceremonies will be held in honor of the Corps' birthday. The first piece of cake goes to the oldest Marine present, who will hand it off to the youngest. Then, Marine Corps Order 47 will be read. This is Commandant Lejeune's Birthday Message:

On November 10, 1775, a Corps of Marines was created by a resolution of Continental Congress. Since that date many thousand men have borne the name "Marine". In memory of them it is fitting that we who are Marines should commemorate the birthday of our corps by calling to mind the glories of its long and illustrious history.

The record of our corps is one which will bear comparison with that of the most famous military organizations in the world's history. During 90 of the 146 years of its existence the Marine Corps has been in action against the Nation's foes. From the Battle of Trenton to the Argonne, Marines have won foremost honors in war, and in the long eras of tranquility at home, generation after generation of Marines have grown gray in war in both hemispheres and in every corner of the seven seas, that our country and its citizens might enjoy peace and security.

In every battle and skirmish since the birth of our corps, Marines have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue.

This high name of distinction and soldierly repute we who are Marines today have received from those who preceded us in the corps. With it we have also received from them the eternal spirit which has animated our corps from generation to generation and has been the distinguishing mark of the Marines in every age. So long as that spirit continues to flourish Marines will be found equal to every emergency in the future as they have been in the past, and the men of our Nation will regard us as worthy successors to the long line of illustrious men who have served as "Soldiers of the Sea" since the founding of the Corps.

If you have a chance, please cruise by Castra Praetoria and wish 1stSgt Mike Burke and his Ninjas a Happy Birthday for their Corps.  And also offer your congratulations to Sgt Burke, as his selection to the rank of Sergeant Major has recently been approved. 

Semper Fi.