Happy Halloween!

In every neighborhood, there's one really popular house on Halloween. I'm talking about the house you want to go to twice. It could be the house that gives out full sized candy bars or the older couple who give out money. Some families go all out & create a real haunted house with smoke machines & costumed monsters. In our neighborhood, we're the most popular house...with the parents! For the last five years, we've been giving out alcohol (little bottles of wine & coolers). We noticed after the first year that the parents were lining up early outside our house. I've even heard kids say "Dad, we've already been to this house!". Don't worry we don't serve minors. Have a wonderful Halloween!

I Won a Costume Contest!

I won a costume contest last night! No, it wasn't for the costume pictured. But until I get photos, at least it's a picture of me in a Halloween costume. Yesterday was one of those crazy days where I ended up interviewing some of the kids from the Laguna Beach show and totally put off finding a costume for a party that I HAD to go to. Fifteen minutes after I was supposed to leave for the party, I realized that I had absolutely nothing to wear (sounds just like a girl, right?). So, I started frantically looking around the house & suddenly my eyes were drawn to something that was approximately the size of a dress....A bag of dog food!! I dumped the remaining dog food into a container, cut open the bottom and cut arm holes. With a little help from my husband, I pulled it over my head. I completed my little ensemble with a mini nylabone dog bone, tied in my hair. In case you're curious, a bag of dog food is a ladies size 2-4 & I'm ready for the grocery store challenge on Project Runway!

What Happened to Andrae?

Ahh, Project Runway! What can I say, except that in the world of reality television, it's definitely one of the best. They won me over on the first episode of the first season, when the challenge involved making an outfit from items at the grocery store. Austin Scarlett made an entire dress out of corn husks that I would totally wear to a party. While reality stars as a whole may be looked down upon, I personally admire the ones with talent (singers, dancers, designers & chefs). And, if I haven't mentioned it before, I absolutely LOVE fashion! So, when I came face to face with Andrae Gonzalo I became a blabbering idiot (really, no exaggeration). I felt the need to tell him that I was dressed in a Project Runway themed dress: designed by Michael Kors. When he seemed to truly be a fan of mine, I quickly dismissed him & said "No, no, no. I love you MORE!". Andrae told me that he'd be happy to design a dress for me & even gave me his phone number! Maybe we'll meet at Red Lobster! (Project Runway fans will know what I'm talking about.)

Survival of the Cutest!

Last week I met JP Calderon from Survivor at a party. I ran into him again at an event last night & he told me that he reads my blog. So, I told him that I'd write about him. There's a funny phenomenon on the show Survivor. Every season an attractive, athletic guy is voted out way too early. I understand that the tribe might see him as competition, but they should probably keep the really athletic guys around to win the immunity challenges & then vote them off after the merge. That's what I'd do if I were on Survivor. Last week when I met JP, he was convinced that he knew me from somewhere. He was equally convinced that it wasn't from seeing me on TV. After thinking about it a few minutes, he announced...VOLLEYBALL CAMP! I was on the volleyball team in Junior High, when I was 12. I'm pretty sure JP wasn't even born then, but who was I to argue. Luckily I have the most secure husband in the world, who only seems mildly amused when I flirt with the cute Survivor boys. Last night after JP came over to chat with me, a friend asked where I knew him from. I smiled and said "volleyball camp!".

Knott's Scary Friends!

I just noticed that many of my friends are divided into groups. I have my Junior friends that I volunteer with. I have girlfriends that I have dinner & watch movies with. I have mom friends for playdates at the park. I have couple friends for double dates. I have work friends that I meet for coffee or lunch. I have Reality Remix friends who meet monthly for dinner. AND, I have my Knott's Scary Friends!
Knott's Berry Farm is an amusement park in Southern California. Every year, during the month of October, they close the park at night & turn it into Knott's Scary Farm with monsters & spooky mazes (They changed the name to Knott's Halloween Haunt years ago, but it will always be Knott's Scary Farm to me). I started going when I was in high school. My oldest kids now go with their girlfriends and my youngest kids are way too young (it's really scary!). My Knott's gang includes Bill: my amazing website guy, who's an incredible writer (I wrote the foreward to his book). Zack: who's a wonderful singer & was the Obsession model years ago (remember the one with the naked torso!). Now he does stunt work, etc. & works on Standoff & Desperate Housewives. Tony: An actor who was on Head of The Class & is in one of the best/ bad horror movies ever: Chopping Mall. Now he works on the George Lopez show. They're all probably going to kill me for giving out so much info, but I can't help but brag about my friends!

People Read My Blog!

Something really extraordinary happened last weekend! My husband & I were attending an industry/ red carpet type party (the kind people pretend to hate, but I secretly LOVE). Well, the event was winding down & the biggest celeb in attendance was the guy who plays Ari's assistant on Entourage. This has absolutely nothing to do with my remarkable event, but I thought you'd like to know the "level" of stars at the parties I go to (calling them D list would be generous. Sorry Ari's assistant.) Well, I was standing and talking to some friends (who are bloggers at a great site called TVgasm.com) & a gentleman came over who casually mentions that...HE READS MY BLOG!! I think he even said that he ENJOYS my blog, but I was so shocked to have a reader that, I could be wrong. I know this shouldn't be surprising (and certainly not extraordinary), I know that blogs are meant to be read, but I truly thought my only readers were the 20+ friends I sent it to & possibly a couple Bewitched fans. I don't think you can find my blog with a google search and before the party it wasn't even linked to my website. So, let me introduce you to my first unknown reader (pictured above): Jerry.

You Look Like a Celebrity!

Have you ever been told that you look like a celebrity? Come on, I'm sure someone has told you that you look like someone famous. Well, I've found a fun website that compares your photo to a database of celebs & tells you who you REALLY look like.
I tried it with a couple different photos & it said that I look like Jessica Biel, Evangeline Lilly & Brooke Burns. OK, it doesn't seem to be very accurate...but it's very flattering!!
http://www.myheritage.com/FP/Company/tryFaceRecognition.php

Not So Random

If you're a teenager, you know a teenager, or you've ever watched an episode of Laguna Beach, you know that the phrase sweeping the teenage nation is: "That's random!" Everything from pizza for dinner to inviting a boy you like to the prom is considered "so random". But what I'm talking about today is the concept of "random acts of kindness" and as far as I'm concerned there's nothing random about them at all. I just got home from our local Cure Autism Now: Walk Now Event (where I gave a little speech), so I'm feeling motivated. There are a couple little things that everyone can do. These are really just basic common courtesy, but others will really appreciate yor kindness.
1. Put the little divider down behind your groceries at the grocery store.
2. Pick up someone else's trash. 3. Smile & say "Hello" to a stranger (this seems to freak people out in New York). 4. Give up your seat on a bus, train, airport shuttle to anyone older, pregnant or injured. 5. Let a car merge in front of you on the freeway (if you swear under your breath it doesn't count). 6. Hold the door open for a stranger. & my number one suggestion: Give the Gift of Time. Find something that you're passionate about and donate your time. It only takes a couple minutes (plus a loaf of bread & pack of lunch meat) to make a tray of sandwiches to drop off at a homeless shelter. You can volunteer to play with dogs at the humane society, or read stories to kids at a local classroom or library. Most adult day health care centers have monthly parties where volunteers can sing, play bingo or hand out cupcakes. If you live by a military base, most of them have programs over Thanksgiving where you can "Adopt a Marine, Soldier, etc" & bring them into your home to enjoy the holiday with your family. I have 6 kids & 4 dogs & still find time to volunteer. If I have time, so do you. OK, I'll step off my soapbox now. http://www.cureautismnow.org/site/c.bhLOK2PILuF/b.1021889/k.BFD8/Home.htm

Lack of Tools

Am I the only person in America without a garage full of tools? I have the basics: hammer, nails, assorted screwdrivers. I'm also proud of the fact that I have one drawer in the kitchen designated to every battery size known to man. But this week I found out that I'm missing the true necessary tools to be considered "crafty". I just filmed a few episodes of a new show for the DIY Network. We made a variety of items including candle holders made out of concrete & belt buckles out of silver clay. I've learned that to be a successful crafter you need, not only time, patience & steady hands but : a nail gun with an air compressor, a blow torch, a kiln and assorted acid sprays & stains. Does everyone but me have a workshop in their garage? Where do you park your car?

Separated at Birth?

The new Bachelor started last night. My early picks are Sadie (the virgin publicist from Carlsbad) & Lisa (the tree hugger who drank too much and got the diamond earrings). I don't think she'll go far, but I'd pay money to see the bachelor have a hometown visit with Erica the "socialite" from Texas!


Is it just me or does Prince Lorenzo look like a cross between Balki from Perfect Strangers & Steve Carell?

High School Confidential

High School photographs are best kept in a box. I think most folks keep them in a closet or the garage. In a perfect world, all high school photos would be kept at your parents' house where you can pull them out every few years at Thanksgiving and marvel at your lack of fashion sense and questionable hairstyles. Your siblings can safely giggle with you, because they looked just as silly. But I can't hide. Someone has posted my high school yearbook on Ebay! How do you like the feathered hair & chubby cheeks?