Design Star
Monday, September 14, 2009 at 11:19PM Sweet Grandma Della e-mailed last week to ask if I was feeling okay, worried because my blog sits here deserted, abandoned, neglected. She's right. I have been walking around in concrete shoes, dragging myself through each day. I'm not sure what it is, but there is a certain fog that has me exhausted, unfocused and feeling as though I constantly need a nap. I keep thinking it's the hundred degree weather that has bullied summer into lasting well past it's welcome. Maybe it's the daily 5:45 AM volleyball practice or 7 AM math class. Maybe it's the child whose internal alarm clock rings each morning at 4:30. Or, I'm wondering perhaps, if it just simply isn't my (old) age. I've spent the past decade telling myself that I'm a good deal younger than I actually am. I brag to myself about my youth, about how young I look and how young I feel. My body seems to believe the lies and continues on at an accelerated pace that most 25 year-olds would envy. Maybe now, with this past week of fatigued exhaustion, my body has finally learned the truth. Maybe, the jig really is up.
Whatever the haze, my husband and I high-fived each other that we survived this past weekend where, on Saturday, we hosted our youngest son's soccer team's pre-season party. With 50+ people, including at least 25 kids, some of whom settled into every nook and cranny of our home while happily eating bar-b-cue weenies in one hand and chocolate chip cookies in the other. My husband became proficient in turning the munching children 180 degrees in mid-stride so they were headed outside, instead of into the house. We enjoyed the fellowship and friendship with some wonderful families while the parade of kids decorated the interior of the house with pool water, crumbs and bar-b-cue handprints.
Sunday quietly came and we enjoyed a lovely morning of worship. The boys, wearing their jersey's, took off after church and excitedly headed straight for the Cardinals season-opener football game, while the girls and I enjoyed lunch out together and a visit from their Nana. By early Sunday evening, after an afternoon of laundry, I was cooked and unable to stay up to watch one of my favorite TV shows, Design Star, on HGTV. So, I taped the season's final episode and watched it this morning after the kids went to school.
Rarely do I find the time to sit and watch TV, but there are a handful of shows that I do like. Design Star takes eleven designers from around the country and pits them against one another in design challenges. Immediately, I took a liking to a few contestants who I found talented and basically just enjoyable to watch. Lonni was my early favorite, as she had a wholesome, down-to-earth personality that I could relate to. She wasn't flamboyant, off-the-wall or in-your-face. She just did sensible design that reflected what the client was looking for. The other designer that I really enjoyed was Dan. My husband, who watches the show only because he wants to spend time with me, decided several weeks ago that Dan wasn't going to be "the guy". He decided this only because in one challenge, Dan, who happens to be lean, muscular and handsome, decided he would take his shirt off while they furiously worked outside to landscape a back yard. My husband, forgetting all the tasteless beer commercials I endure while watching sports, immediately decided that Dan showed far too much skin and should go.
Last week there were three contestants remaining and two of my favorites were still in the running to be America's next Design Star. As I watched the ending last week, I was heartbroken when Lonni, my very favorite design contestant, was voted off - leaving only two contestants, Dan and Antonio, remaining. (Lonni and Dan really should have been the final two contestants.) Antonio has been one of the judges favorites all along and definitely, without question, not mine. Antonio, bless his heart, is a big, happy guy who is covered in tattoo's from his neck down. He doesn't seem like a bad guy, it's just that he's loud and says yo a LOT. "Yo, this is Antonio and I'm gonna do whateva it takes to win this thing. Ya know. Yo." I'm not sure what he's doing to get all the votes from the judges, but I'm really not digging his style.
So, this morning, disappointed the final design challenge is not between Lonni and Dan, I'm watching Dan duke it out with Antonio in their last challenge. Perhaps Dan's first mistake was not taking his shirt off, but the judges found his design just wasn't colorful enough. I loved it and so did the homeowners he was working for. Antonio came in and threw all kinds of colors around while shouting yo and throwing his head back as he laughed at himself. The judges from this oh-so broken world chose the big tattooed guy over the sensible, well-spoken choice that I'm sure 9.9 out of 10 people in America would have voted for. I liked the judges and found them to be fair most of the time. I do not, however, agree with their choice for this season's Design Star winner, who gets his own design show on HGTV. I wish Antonio the best, but there's no way I could watch, listen to or enjoy hearing him when he gets his own design show. Isn't that the real point? My logic tells me that they would want to select someone to host their own show who will attract viewers who want to watch.
What do I know? I need to start reading more anyway! I just got the 411 that my very favorite author has a new book coming out. Woo hoo! That's tomorrow's blog...
Reader Comments (2)
Speaking of living in a broken world, I also experienced this on my walk the other morning. While out walking I passed no fewer than six people out walking their dogs. Well-groomed little critters walking their owners. If I didn't know any better I would say the dogs had attitude! After watching the third owner stand behind their dog, wait for it to poop, and then bend over to scoop it up, I decided that we live in a fallen world.
Glad you're back.
Funny and witty you always are! Yes, you describe it so poetically - it is a fallen world. Thanks for checking in - it's always good to see comments and it proves to me that, alas, someone is reading.