extreme makeover experience

SOTD: Carrie Underwood - 'Temporary Home' 

What. A. Weekend.

 VIP Access!!

I had the most incredible experience yesterday. ABC's hit show Extreme Makeover Home Edition has been working on a special project just outside Chattanooga for the last week and yesterday I got to attend the unveiling as a special guest of a production crew member, which basically means I got to see everything except the kitchen sink (ya know, cause it's inside the house...)! 

An old production friend helped make it all possible and from the moment he met me and my friend at the special guests entrance I was in a state of suspended disbelief. He has been traveling with the show for a few seasons now and as he pointed out on an actual call sheet, he's known as Ty's wrangler, but truth be told, his work with the show goes far beyond the handling of Ty on set. 

After graciously giving us a quick tour of the entire neighborhood of production (and I do mean 'neighborhood') he helped us find our two other friends and took us back to the area where the talent trailers are located. We met up with another former production colleague and chatted right outside a trailer simply identified with a piece of copy paper with a a large X on it taped outside the bumper window. After a ten minutes or so I saw a cute little boy and familiar, attractive looking guy emerge and head toward one of the four wheelers. A minute later I realized it was Xzibit. The X stood for Xzibit!

Still standing in this area, about ten minutes later, a pretty petite blond lady emerged and climbed aboard one of the four wheelers. This time I knew instantly I was standing three feet away from Leigh Anne Tuohy! My head was literally starting to spin. I knew I would see the cast, but my expectations were pretty low and here I stood just feet from the people who make bring me to tears every Sunday night. 

Just when I thought we had experienced it all, I was told, and I quote "Ty asked if the girls had arrived yet." I kid you not. It seems our favorite former colleague had mentioned we would be on set and Ty was actual interested in meeting us! *cue major blushing* So as not to disappoint Mr. Pennington, the four of us (and some random guy who decided to ride our coattails) proceeded in the direction of his trailer. I am not one to get star struck but again, I was in a state of disbelief.

Ty & the girls: Alicia, Amy, Holly & Anna

He emerged from his trailer the bubbly, energetic person we all know from the show. I was standing first in line, right next to the steps, so of course, I was the fist one he greeted. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I do remember that he was aware of me (by name only) and it made my day to hear him say he had heard a lot about me and was happy to finally meet me! It was short, but so sweet!! He continued down the line greeting each of the girls and then posed for several photos. After our quick meet and greet he was wisked away to prepare for the epic 'Move That Bus' scene.

"Move That Bus!!!!"

We moved locations too, and found a very nice spot right beside the finished house to watch as the limo arrived and eventually an overwhelmed family got their first look at what will be their new home. With my background in production, I was prepared for a pretty lengthy wait, but trust me when I say it was completely worth it!

Once the family was inside the house, the crowd dispersed rather quickly. We found our production contact and made our way back to the area with the talent trailers. After raiding the cast and crew craft services trailer for snacks and water we were ready to head downtown for a nice meal, but not before taking one last opportunity to say thanks to the friends who helped get us such unbelievable access. It was during this time we got our last two perks. First our 'wrangler' friend presented us with our very own blue shirts. Then just as we were leaving we ran into Leigh Anne Tuohy again, this time she actually had a chance to say hello! 

It was a pretty cool day, even for a girl who doesn't get too excited about production related stuff! It's truly unbelievable what goes in to making just one episode of this show and I have a great respect for all the people who donate their time and resources to make it happen!

Photos courtesy of Anna H. & Chaz H.

english comp 101: the definition of sex (essay edition)

SOTD:  Connie Francis - 'Stupid Cupid'

During one of my recent moves, I found several old notebooks from college. Among them I found the following essay in a notebook marked English Comp 101 from the fall of 1999. 

There are three things you should know before you read it: 

#1 - This was a real paper for a real english 101 assignment

#2 - I had no real life experience or basis for the position I argue

#3 - I recieved a grade of A- along with the comment: "Engaging & Well-Expressed"

Happy Valentine's Day Y'all! Enjoy!!

Alicia P. Watson

English Comp. 101

Definition Essay

Sex: The Best Sport on Earth

     If sports require good physical health, aerobic activity and at least two participants, then sex has just become the best sport on earth! This 'sport' should become a new alternative to regular games, since in many ways, having sex can become as intense, if not more so than football or basketball. I consider sex a sport because it demands good physical condition, it gets the heart rate up, and people do it one-on-one, and sometimes, even in groups. 

     To stand the long haul while performing strenuous sexual acts, one must display the best health possible. Having poor health can cause various problems such as shortness of breath, increased chance of heart attack and fatigue. To keep in shape for sex, one can jog, do sit-ups, or even lift weights. By practicing these exercises,  one can keep the heart strong and build a breathing endurance. This assures that one will have an enjoyable experience without the fear of ending the night at the local hospital due to health complications. 

     As an exciting, physical game, sex allows one to reach the level of aerobic activity quickly. As the intensitiy of the situation increases, so do the heat and heart rate. These factors bring the effectiveness of sex as a sport and an aerobic workout to full impact. In fact, one can burn 120 calories an hour just by having intense sex, the same amount as two hours of swimming. One game of doubles tennis does not burn this many calories. This proves that sex allows for the same effects as many practiced sports. 

     Just as sports have teams, sex, in its own way has teams as well. Most people play one-on-one, but the more adventurous at heart choose orgies, or 'team sex.' As with many other sports, sex played as a team event gets a little more complicated. One has a more difficult time determining his or her role and goal when sex turns into a group activity. Whether played with just two people or as a group, sex still reaches a certain level of competition. One competes to please the other person or persons involved. These qualities make sex the most actively competitive sport in the world. 

     In  conclusion, because it requires good physical condition, increases aerobic activity and takes at least two people to play, sex makes the best sport ever. With just a heated interaction, one can achieve an extraordinary workout and intensify one's bond with the other partner. The next time you need a quick, fun, fat burner, try a good old fashioned round of sex, the most competitive sport in the bedroom. 

not to be

SOTD:  John Mayer - 'My Stupid Mouth'

Earlier this week, I wrote about a boy. I don't usually wear my heart on my sleeve and it's not often I meet someone who meets my impossibly high standards and makes me want to shout it from the rooftops, yet I did, and I said I would tell this boy how I felt, and I did.

Sadly, the results were not as positive as I had hoped. Turns out that although the distance isn't a deal breaker for me, it is for him. I guess some things really just aren't meant to be. Timing has never really been my strong suit, and now I can add location to that list. 

"The heart is the only broken instrument that works" - Kalem 

So, in conclusion, I am officially going wide with the offer. Valentine's Day is tomorrow and I refuse to be a Sad Sally! If you or someone you know meet my impossibly high standards and don't mind that I've relocated to the smallest town on earth - give me a call...

be mine?!?

SOTD: Cheap Trick - 'I Want You To Want Me'

It's been a while. I'm not used to being on the vulnerable side of these feelings, but much to my surprise, here I am. We are all in need of something/someone to remind us that we aren't alone. For me, this hasn't always been a big deal, but somehow I've found myself needing and wanting things that have never really been too important before. Maybe I'm a little lonely or maybe I'm just getting older, in either case, I've found myself in a very new and scary place.

You see, there's this guy...

We've known each other for over 15 years and recently we reconnected. At first it was just nice to chat with an old friend, but as our talks have become more frequent and predictable I've started looking forward to them with the anxious, excited, kind of nauseous, anticipation I used to get before a first date.

Am I crazy? My world has been turned upside down so much recently that some days I feel like I'm standing on my head and I'm thinking about putting it all out there to potentially end up with a pretty broken heart.

Maybe I'm just crazy enough!

Assuming my instincts aren't wrong, there are still a million reasons things might not work out - the least of which is a sizable distance between the places we call home. Funny thing is, in the past I would have turned this into a deal-breaker (I've been known to self-sabotage) but this time I'm already thinking about ways to make it work and make the most of the time we would have together. I don't think I'm crazy - crazy was the old me and I've definitely changed!

Obstacles aside, he gets me. He gets my ridiculous jokes. He gets my need for for attention and also my demand for space. He understands that I'm ambitious and wants nothing more than to celebrate my successes with me. Most importantly, he really is a good friend.

Partially inspired by the upcoming holiday and also motivated by my goal for 2011 to 'LIVE', I've got to step out into the unknown. As much as I like the goofy feelings that come from not knowing, it's time to sink or swim; I've got to tell him how I feel. There's a chance I might destroy a great friendship, but it won't be the end of the world if he doesn't feel the same.

Of course, if he does, it could very well be the beginning...

on a personal note...

SOTD: Paul Simon - 'The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)'

A few weeks ago, I read an article online about things that babies born in 2011 will know nothing about. Among the items on the list I was saddened to see 'Hand Written Letters'. I get it. We are a technological society. My eight year old god-daughter has her own blackberry style phone and has no problem texting her 2nd grade friends or navigating my facebook page (not that I encourage her to do either of these things)! 

We were talking about school the other day and I mentioned that I got my first pen-pal in the second grade (Lauren from St. Paul, Minnesota) to which Gabby asked 'What's a Pen-Pal'? I explained that it was a friend that you only talk to by sending letters. She quickly stopped me to ask why not just email or call them, "it would be quicker" she noted. I was at a loss, my eight year old god-daughter had made a good point. I tried to explain how exciting it was to receive a letter from Lauren when I was her age, but it just never seemed to phase her. And then I started thinking; when was the last time I sat down and wrote a personal note and sent it out by snail mail? Better yet, when was the last time I communicated with someone outside my core network with more than 140 characters via twitter, facebook or texting? I used to be the queen of communication and now most of my thoughts can fit on a gum wrapper. 

Social networking has certainly helped us stay connected and updated, but there's a bit of cognitive dissonance. As part of my goal for the new year to really 'live' my life, I've started taking a few minutes everyday to reach out to an old friend. So far, this has been such a positive thing. 

Subconsciously, I think I carry some guilt over lost friendships. I've mentioned before that I let my job rule my life and it's true, for the last couple of years I worked in television my friends were the people I saw at work everyday. That isn't a bad thing, but it wasn't completely healthy either; the friendships I put aside to accommodate work were some of the most precious I've ever made.

I believe in setting a good example, so tonight I pulled out my stationary bin (yes, I actually have a bin) and showed Gabby how much fun it is to pick a cute card and write a short note and surprise a friend with an unexpected piece of mail. One of you might be in for a surprise in a day or two... 

Also, on a completely separate personal note...Happy 30th Birthday to one of the best friends a girl could ask for, Ms. Swoozie Dan Dinglehopper, or as you might know her, Ashley M. Holland! I love you more than my shoes!!!