TV shouldn't require this much thinkin

This show makes my head hurt, in an I'm-having-time-travel-induced-nosebleeds-and-seizures kind of way.

My vote for most annoying thing on the planet

Also, I'm pretty sure some of these songs aren't appropriate for kidz...

In case you didn't get enough...

Deleted scene from last night's episode.

A Super Dessert

Get it? Super? Anywho, I made the Nutter Butter-Banana Pudding Trifle today (it's on the February cover of Southern Living), and it was quite tasty. I had it on good authority that it was worth it to make the pudding from scratch (instead of making the shortcut version), and I have to agree. Five bananas and a whole package of Nutter Butters seemed like way too much, so I used about half of each. (By the way, Nutter Butters were not affected by the recent peanut butter/salmonella outbreak.)

Have you heard about this?

Did you see this guy on American Idol? He was on during the Louisville auditions last week, and after he was rejected, he told the judges, "Take care, and be careful." Well, Simon and Paula both freaked out, saying "be careful" was a threat, and the producers definitely played it up. Sure, the guy has crazy eyes, but at the time I thought, "No way! People say that all the time in the South."

It looks like there was some backlash, because they producers released an official apology. Seriously, they make it sound like they were visiting China, not Kentucky!

Clarification From Louisville Auditions
We apologize to any viewers who were offended by the misinterpretation of the contestant's comment to "be careful" upon completion of his audition in Louisville, KY. Our visits to audition cities are relatively brief and sometimes regional greetings and salutations are lost in translation. We had not heard that phrase from any other contestants during the day, so it took everyone by surprise. We now know better and look forward to visiting Louisville again someday.

Things are looking up!

I love blog giveaways, and I enter each one with the full intention of winning. (Side note: I assume I'm going to win Stephanie's blog giveaway, but you should enter to win one of the other two prizes.) I felt the same confidence when I entered the giveaway on Anna Maria Horner's site. If you're not familiar, she's a fabric designer, and her stuff is amazing--and I don't use that word lightly. But when I checked her site later and saw that there were 1,466 entries, I was a little discouraged. Imagine my delight when I visited her blog today and discovered that I won! What are the odds? (Somewhere around 1 in 1,466, I suppose.) What am I going to do with the gorgeous fabric? I don't know. Something awesome.

Does this mean Karma has stopped kicking my ass? I'm taking it as a sign.

I love Phyllis. And Darryl.

This is is a deleted scene from last week. I can't wait for the Super Bowl episode! Am I going to be able to stay up that late?

Finally...a success!

The Baked Ziti was a hit. I liked the bechamel-type sauce that you pour over the noodles. Tasty. It took a little more time than I usually spend cooking a weeknight dinner (even though I cooked the meat and shredded the cheese the night before), but it was worth it.

Book giveaway on Mummy Deals!

Head over to Mummy Deals to sign up to win a copy of Don't Panic....Dinner's in the Freezer. Click here for more info.

I had scrambled eggs for dinner last night

Something went horribly wrong with the Scalloped Potatoes With Ham. I'm not sure what the problem was, but it went straight in the garbage and left me in a bad mood for the rest of the night (perhaps that was an overreaction). On the menu tonight: baked ziti. I hoping it is foolproof.

Meal planning

I've not been doing a very good job of meal planning lately. We've eaten more grilled cheeses recently than I care to admit, so it's time to make a change. Here's what's on the menu this week. I'm trying three new recipes, which is quite ambitious if I do say so myself.

• chicken-and-black bean quesadillas
• Sausage-and-Chicken Cassoulet (Sounds fancy, right? It isn't.)
• Burgers on the grill
• Scalloped Potatoes With Ham (Made in the slow-cooker. Intriguing.)
• Baked Ziti

Wish me luck! If you see me in the McDonald's drive-through later in the week, don't judge.

Sunday selection

Sunday is usually one of my favorite TV nights, but right now I have NO shows to watch. NOTHING. I suspect it's because we canceled HBO and Showtime, otherwise I'd be watching Big Love (which is awesome, by the way) or trying out The United States of Tara. Help! What do you guys watch on Sunday?

This commercial is driving me nuts

It's for Gatorade, right? So why all the mystery? And how much money did Gatorade have to shell out to get all of these athletes in one commercial?

Best deal in town

Did you know that all drinks at Sonic are 50% off between 2 and 4 p.m. every day? That means soft drinks, slushies, shakes, everything. I would go there every day if I didn't have a job. I just got three large drinks for $2.88. Come on!

My favorite food

Boar's Head Cracked Pepper Mill Turkey

Seriously, I could eat it for every meal. Sure it costs $9 a pound, but it is worth it!

Aw, crap.

Luke broke my Karma necklace. I'm not sure how to intepret that, but it can't be good.

In case you're wondering why I'm so in harmony with the universe today...

That's right, my Karma necklace arrived!Man, that's one freckly neck.

And it seems to be working! Today I did NOT spill my lunch all over my work bag. I went to the grocery store after work, and I did not leave my purse there. Nor did my milk leak all over the inside of my truck.

As if that's not enough proof, I just learned that TWO new episodes of Bones air tonight, along with a new episode of The Office (two of my favorite shows, in case you're not keeping track).

Coincidence? There's no such thing.

The New Girl

I haven't made up my mind about new Idol judge Kara DioGuardi (although I predict her futile attempts to stand up to Simon will get tiresome). But I will say that I was surprised to find out that she's 40 years old. Maybe sitting next to Paula is doing her some favors, but I think she looks much younger!

This is funny. And kinda creepy.

CHICAGO – The company that made Beanie Babies a top toy craze is hoping for another winner with dolls named "Sweet Sasha" and "Marvelous Malia."

Now where have we heard those names before?

Ty Inc. has released the 12-inch plush dolls as part of the company's "TyGirlz Collection," introduced in 2007. The Sasha doll has pigtails and wears a white and pink dress with hearts. The Malia doll has a side ponytail and a long-sleeve shirt with capri pants.

The Oak Brook-based company chose the dolls' names because "they are beautiful names," not because of any resemblance to President Obama's daughters, said spokeswoman Tania Lundeen.

"There's nothing on the dolls that refers to the Obama girls," Lundeen said. "It would not be fair to say they are exact replications of these girls. They are not."

Public figures have a legal right to control their how their images are used, but Lundeen would not comment on legal issues or if the company's lawyers have become involved with the dolls.
"I'm not an attorney. I can't answer that," she said.

I love that quote. I'm going to start using it. A lot.

The wait is over!

I am so excited for the 2-hour season premiere of Lost tonight! I have a love/hate relationship with the show, but last season was mostly love. It is by far the most frustrating show I watch, but when it's good it's really good. Do not bother me between the hours of 8 and 10 p.m.