Discovery Channel: How Bad is Your Programming?

I am extremely relieved that the hostage situation at the Discovery Channel's headquarters resulted in no one being hurt other than the guy taking hostages. But I also have to admit that this fact makes me feel less guilty joking about the irony of it all. My teenage niece called it "old school" because these days you rarely hear about hostages being taken. These crazy gun-toting people usually just shoot a bunch of people and then shoot themselves. And who would ever think of protesting bad TV by taking hostages and demanding that a network change its programming? I have been meaning to post a rant about how tired and perplexed I am of TLC's obsession with big ass families. I mean really, the idea of 19 kids just seems gross and irresponsible. A commercial for one of these shows has a woman saying, "The cost of raising these five babies is huge!" No shit. Who told these people to have so many kids? Apparently the gunman believed that Discovery was promoting overpopulation. What seems more accurate to me is their promotion of reproductive planning for dummies. What genius came up with the I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant show? I haven't seen it but have heard stories about babies falling out of woman's uterus at the mall, on a roller coaster, anywhere - all for the camera to see. That's just sick.
I can only hope Discovery will reevaluate its programming after the hostage incident but I doubt it. At least now I can watch What Not to Wear over on the Planet Green channel.

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One of Those Days

This was truly one of those days when I am happy just to be home. It started off bad. Suffering from another bout of insomnia, I woke up late only to realize that I forgot to buy coffee beans over the weekend. This is not good for someone like me who needs to be plugged up to an IV of caffeine as soon as I wake up. I knew it would be raining but I forgot my umbrella of course, in my rush to get to work. And of course, when I left work it was pouring outside. I ran back in and asked someone in the office if there was a spare umbrella. The only one he could find was a child's mickey mouse umbrella with ears! Well, beggars can't be choosers. On my way to the train I get several funny looks and I finally yell at someone, "It's not my umbrella!" I got off the train at Dupont Circle to meet Mitch for dinner at Thaiphoon. I didn't eat lunch so I was starving. When I exited the train there was a burning smell in the station and we were told that the north side was closed because of a fire. As luck would have it, the escalators were not working so there's a massive crowd waiting to make the trek up. I finally made it out of the station only to notice that Mitch, being the hysterical queen that he is, has sent me a million texts asking where I am. At Thaiphoon, I ordered pad thai and as I began to dig in, to my horror I noticed a long hair weaved in with my noodles. What the hell! I completely lost my appetite. I was tired and just wanted to go home at that point. After Mitch dropped me off at my door and drove off, I shuffled through my purse and realized that I didn't have my keys. Hell no! The image of my keys sitting on my desk at work immediately popped in my head. And just as this realization hit, it also starts to rain again - hard. The umbrella with the ears? I left it back at Thaiphoon. Luckily, my landlord lives nearby so it didn't take too long to get in my apartment. There's a Mad Men marathon on and a bottle of wine with my name on it! Home sweet home.

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Gay Straight Men

I used to think I knew exactly what the term "Gay Straight Men" meant. I now realize it's more than being metrosexual or an odd sexual tendency, or a feminine mannerism I can clearly detect. It's the man who engages in weird gossipy he said/she said bullshit and thinks it's a one-upmanship contest. If I were in my twenties maybe I would care but at this point in life I find it sad and pathetic that a guy I'm no longer interested in would resort to engaging in information gathering with another guy I was never interested in and then call me up to tell me shit that's barely half true in order to get back at me. The really weird thing is that while I was initially upset, I became increasingly intrigued by the idea that anybody could be talking about me like I'm some kind of celebrity. I started to love it actually. I feel famous almost. Hmmm...how many more men do I need to sleep with to make it on TMZ?

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Failure to Launch

Between being back at my old job and getting reacquainted with that stress, and experimental dating, I almost forgot I had a blog. Leave it to me to awaken from my Lovahville slumber to the realization that I'm with Failure to Launch Guy. I'm beginning to think that if I keep dating, I will have met every loser guy character in a movie and on Sex in the City. My biggest beef with this one is that unlike in the movie, I was not being paid by his parents to get him to leave their house. Maybe I should have suggested that to them. He actually believed that they liked having him around and that out of several other siblings, he was the favorite. Well gee, why else would he be the only adult child still at home. While the mother seemed content using her 39 year old son as an errand boy, the father had completey given up and didn't even speak the times I saw him. Yes, he actually thought trips to his parent's house qualified as dates. The last straw was when he suggested that I do my laundry there. Let's see, I'm not in college anymore and those aren't even MY parents! At one point he told me that his mom wasn't speaking to him because he was spending so much time with me. Can we spell freaky? Oh, and I can't forget how he was always borrowing a family member's car, which he had to quickly return to the suburbs the next day. Probably the biggest benefit of all that extra money he saved not paying rent was being able to use it for his toy helicopters. And no, I'm not kidding. He had several that he even tried to fly around my tiny apartment. Yes, at this point you've got to be saying I was crazy for sticking it out as long as I did. Well, to be honest, I was getting a cheap thrill out of seeing just how bad it could get. I didn't really believe this guy was serious. I do love a good story, even at the expense of my own sanity. And I did get the funniest line I've heard in a long time from him. When I finally ended it, he reassured me that there was "a gang of broads" that wanted to fuck him. I didn't even know guys still used the term 'broads' anymore. My sister, who is now separated after 20 years and dating again, tried to one-up me with her story of a guy bringing a bottle of Nutcracker liquor on a date. At least he came with an offering.

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Reality DC Starring The Sa-LIARS

As much as I hate giving these people anymore attention, now that I've come out of a leftover turkey-eating coma, I just had to vent. The party crashing Salahi psychos personify all that's wrong with DC - incessant social climbers who stretch the truth to appear more important than they are and think politicians are celebrities. One of my personal favorites is a guy I went out with who told me he was patent attorney but turned out to be a docket clerk. He's now known as 'fake attorney guy' to my friends. In most other cities, this guy would've have no problem with his job title. But this is DC. And this WH crashing incident has race and class written all over it - also consistent with the huge social and economic disparities in this city. If this couple had been Tyrone and Shaniqua from Southeast DC, they never would have gotten into the White House. I almost feel sorry for these people...but I don't. How delusional can you be? They were also kicked out of a Congressional Black Caucus dinner in September after sneaking in through the kitchen. I mean come on, Wedding Crashers was funny, but that was a movie. Maybe if they were in their 20's it would be a funny but these 40-something people should know better. But then, I guess not. They're being given validation by Bravo and this whole reality subculture. And it seems that's the whole premise of reality TV - this blurred line between reality and fiction. I think we should start calling it fantasy TV. When you think about it, the Salahis are perfect for the Real Housewives because it seems nothing they do is real, just like the cast of the existing shows. They're a bunch of delusional, fame-seeking people with fabricated lives who often have sketchy, and sometimes criminal pasts. As we now know, the couple has several civil suits pending against them. Maybe we'll be getting footage of them in court when the show airs. Or, maybe coverage of the Salahis and the Bravo camera crew being kicked out of more events they weren't invited to. My theory is that the wife is the mastermind behind the whole operation. Her failed attempt at being a model has made her obsessed with getting in the media anyway she can. They probably know every alley entrance to every kitchen where high-profile political and social events take place in the city. Makes you feel real secure, doesn't it?

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Random Thoughts: American Music Awards

I can't remember the last time I sat through an entire awards show on TV but last night I watched all of the American Music Awards. Well, ok, I did do a lot of flipping to other channels. It was just one of those stay at home, catch up with all of your out-of-town friends and family nights. And I was literally on the phone for hours. I did a good job of multi-tasking though: texting, IM'ing, emailing, and even tweeting (which I am very new to). After the show was over I was on the phone with my California friend Janell who was watching the show. She didn't see some of the things I saw, which I didn't understand until today when I learned that several things were edited out for the West Coast audience. And this kicks off my first thought:

• So the big question today is whether or not Adam Lambert's performance was lewd and inappropriate. I would say so, especially for network TV. But the more important issue is that his singing was really bad, which is ridiculous for someone who came in second place on a singing competition show.
• Similarly, embarrassing, but not a big deal that J-Lo fell while performing. The more important issue is that she's still trying to make music when she can't sing.
• I have a feeling Jermaine Jackson is rather enjoying his moment in the spotlight now that Michael is gone. What's up with his strange plastic hair and who in their right mind would name their child Jermajesty?
• Paula Abdul needs to fire her stylist.
• Good to know that was a fake tattoo on Rihanna's neck and chest during her performance. Only wish I had the body for a strappy bondage jumpsuit - not that I would wear it, of course. Does anybody know if Chris Brown was there?
• It seems obvious now that Whitney Houston will never sound the way she used to. But as my friend Leah pointed out, it was a touching performance.
• We can always tell when Janet Jackson is not on tour. As Janell pointed out, she was in "her big girl pants" last night. Just wasn't a good look.
• As many have speculated, Carrie Underwood's dress looked a lot like a dress from Carol Hannah's final collection on Project Runway. Hopefully she designed it and is having success in the fashion industry.
• Has Kate Hudson ever heard of double-sided tape?
• Overall, great show. I absolutely loved the over the top costumes and performances.

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Chia Obama

Ok, Chia Obama has got to be the dumbest product hawked on TV. Maybe my late access to cable TV this year is the reason why I'm just now seeing this commercial. All of that Chia crap is bad but this has gone too far. When I saw the commercial I thought I was watching an SNL sketch. This is even worse than the Snuggies for dogs. What's even crazier than the product itself is that it's been embroiled in controversy and snatched from some store shelves for fear of being offensive and even racist. I had no idea that other presidents have been Chia heads so I guess this doesn't bother me. My only question is, who the hell is buying this thing? Probably those same people who have been giving out weird holiday gifts for years. I know I 'd have no qualms about swiftly returning this gift to CVS this holiday season.

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Why Do People Have Kids?

Why do people have kids? This question may seem odd and even offensive to some. But I just don't get it. It probably doesn't help that none of my close friends have kids and don't get it either. The answers I've gotten over the years have never been satisfactory for what seems like a lifetime prison sentence. They've ranged from the narcissistic (I want a mini-me in the world) to the selfish ( I want someone to take care me of in old age). Then there's the conformist response, "That's just what people do, it's part of life." I've never heard it voiced by actual parents, but the tax incentive that comes with having kids is certainly a bonus. Among them all, the very common unplanned accident explanation makes the most sense. I've also never understood this desire some women express for wanting something growing inside of them or the idea that motherhood is akin to sainthood. Can we all just agree that children are the result of sex and not a miracle? I do sometimes see a big chubby baby and want to hold it but after about an hour I would be bored and want to give it back to its parents.
And what's up with these extremes people will go to, like fertility treatments, in vitro, sperm donors, and surrogate mothers? Lately, I've come to realize that there is a very lucrative reason for having children: reality TV stardom. There's Octomom (even without a TV show, we all know she's getting paid), Toddlers and Tiaras (very weird), Jon and Kate Plus 8 (this cash cow may be over), and now Balloon Boy. I guess you've got to pay for all those happy meals somehow.

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Random Thoughts Thursday: Top Chef

The cold, windy, rainy weather has kept me inside for several days. I luckily had some consulting projects to keep me busy. But as usual, staying in has turned into much mindless internet surfing, experimental cooking (pasta con le sarde, tofu noodle soup, ...), and TV watching. I love Top Chef and have been a regular viewer since it started, but this season has been awfully annoying.
First off, I would bet my last dime that Eli has never gotten laid. That little troll actually lives at home with his parents. His bad attitude matches his looks. We really don't need him showing up on Iron Chef. Then there's the nasty snubbing of Robin. Eli even had something negative to say about her mentioning that she was diagnosed with cancer! While I agree that she's not as talented as some of the other chefs, big deal. Let the judges handle that. And the ageism is very apparent, especially from Mike Isabella. "I hope grandma goes home"?! I think every woman in DC over 40 should boycott Zaytinya or at least show up and taunt him. He's already been called out for sexist remarks. As I mentioned last week, what's up with Padma's tacky clothes this season? She usually looks great. At the beginning of this week's episode she had on this awful big white belt and tall white boots with her jeans tucked in. Does it have something to do with being in Vegas, like Vegas equals tacky? Last but not least, if one of those Voltaggio brothers wins Top Chef, the other one will surely snap and we will be in for the best reality TV cat fight ever.
On a more positive note, the episode has inspired me to learn more about food and wine pairings. A friend in the restuaurant industry recommended the book, Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food, as a good start. I'll keep you posted.

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Random Thoughts Friday

• Why are there so many big dogs in DC, a city with so much small-space housing? Ok, maybe these people I see walking sheep dogs and greyhounds live in townhouses with backyards, but I doubt it. In fact, I've seen plenty of people coming out of buildings with units that I know for a fact are no more than 400 sq. ft. That's just animal cruelty.
• What was up with that crazy green 70's disco outfit Padma was wearing on this week's Top Chef? I'm almost sure there was a bit of cameltoe going on.
• Is it just me or is Project Runway boring as hell this season? Would it have been better on Bravo? Maybe, but there's no room with all the stupid Housewives. And more importantly, why does a 36 year old celebrity woman with several kids, who has been married for years, need to change her last name?
• Do single people in DC actually participate in Things To Do activities and do the Things To Do people ever find more men to participate in their singles events?
• Can someone please give Hillary Clinton a makeover? Rachel Zoe, where are you? I just can't take another putrid-colored pantsuit.
• Uh, no Barbara Walters, David Letterman is not "a very attractive man." I can only hope that none of his female employees risked losing their jobs or career advancement for not sleeping with him. Can you imagine seeing that goofy mug in the CBS hallways snickering the day after?

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Insomnia Baking

What does a single City Girl do when she's battling insomnia? Apparently, bake. It's weird because I'm way out of practice with it aside from the sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving. There's just something about baking that goes so well with being up at 5am for no reason. Maybe it's all the waiting around - for dough to chill, for the finished product to be done, for the product to cool.... And it gives you a reason to sift through saved recipes that you've been procrastinating about trying and then figuring out if you have the ingredients to make any of them. What I've produced so far in the early morning hours have been gooey walnut brownies that I spotted on FoodandWine.com and a version of black forest cookies I saw demonstrated on the PBS show, Everday Baking. With dark chocolate bars, dried cherries and walnuts, I was good to go. I am now a huge fan of Divine Chocolate, a fair trade product available at Whole Foods and perfect for baked goods. I managed to escape a 10-pound weight gain by sharing these goodies with neighbors. So far I've gotten rave reviews. I figure if I don't get over the insomnia, at least I'll have a shot at a baking career!

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Models of the Runway: How Stupid is This?

In the words of my friend Lena, the show Models of the Runway, which airs right after Project Runway on Lifetime, is a waste of air time. It seemed like a good idea in theory but has just fallen flat. Given the success of America's Next Top Model, one would think this new show would work. I have to admit that Top Model is one of my guilty pleasures. It's hard to deny that the show reinforces the stereotype that models are just stupid. And it doesn't help that in the fashion industry, models are expected to be very young which comes with obvious problems. They're often awkward in their own bodies and don't have a clear sense of who they are which comes through in their photos. Last season, one doe-eyed contestant could only manage one facial expression - confused. She, however, was preferred over a talented but "too old" 25 year old. But you get a combination of things with Top Model. It's comedic to watch the drama between the girls, enlightening with regard to the world of modeling, and offers a critical forum around beauty and acceptable female images in this country and around the world (since they do go to other countries). So far, Models of the Runway just seems like an afterthought to the creators. And a pet peeve of mine is that the age of the model is not displayed by their name when being interviewed yet designers ages are always shown. Hmmm....why is that?

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Still on the High Horse

I am watching the Chris Brown interview on Larry King Live with a necessary glass of wine. The assault on Rihanna by Chris Brown was hard for me to hear about because I have personal experience with dating violence and know family and friends who have experienced either dating or domestic violence. I think these two young stars dealt with the aftermath of the incident terribly. I mean really, jet skiing at P. Diddy's? These two people have millions of impressionable young fans who needed to see this as a serious incident. But then, as far as victims of violence are concerned, trauma can make you do all kinds of things - including getting a gun tattoo. But anyway, I am having difficulty listening to Chris Brown who I think is just trying to save his career. I don't see the point of even having him on the show. He has said very little to nothing about his state of mind and reasons for why he behaved so violently. But then, this is not unusual for abusers. They tend to see their actions as justified no matter what anyone says and will continue to claim "love" for their victims. Like so many others, I think he is: delusional, insincere, in denial, defensive, immature, arrogant, and will most likely abuse again. Sadly, I think many of those characteristics also describe Rihanna. It seems as though many women don't wake up until well after their twenties and some never do. I think Brown, like so many others, unfortunately still believes that violence in relationships is just part of life and this belief is detrimental for both men and women. And why does his mommy need to be there or "keep an eye on him" while picking up trash in Virginia? This coddling of grown men by their mother, or other female relatives, is pathetic and a significant part of the problem. I don't think his sentencing or treatment will be effective. An "aberration?" I think he will hook up with another immature woman and he will hit her too. And like teenage girl-loving R. Kelly, female fans will be there to defend him and buy his music. Until we change our beliefs about violence, especially in intimate relationships in this society, nothing will ever change.

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Dancing With the Stars: Don't DeLay

Ok, so I'm getting on my ideological high horse. I have to. I am offended by the decision of Dancing With the Stars to include former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay this season. A Texas grand jury indicted the man on charges that he violated campaign finance law back in 2005. While he hasn't been convicted, others involved with him, like Jack Abramoff have. The investigation of him and others revealed that he had knowledge of and benefited from all kinds of atrocious and illegal activities including the slave-like treatment of workers in the U.S. territory of the Northern Marianas. There's a very good PBS documentary by Bill Moyers on this whole situation called "Capitol Crimes", which prominently features DeLay, Abramoff, and others. I actually don't even watch DTWS, but I really won't now. I've noticed from the blogosphere and ABC's own site that some fans are planning to boycott the show and/or advertisers. I think that's a good idea. It's just disturbing what TV producers will do to get ratings. I mean really, we're talking about someone who, whether indirectly or not, contributed to major human rights violations as well as violating the democratic political process. The thinking that DeLay would boost ratings is just odd to me anyway. That mug shot of his is just creepy. Who wants to see this guy dancing around? But then again, that seems to be the direction of reality TV. One of these shows had no problem casting a dude with a criminal record who may have murdered his ex-wife. All I know is that I'm adding two more categories to the "Who Not to Date" list: politicians and reality TV participants.

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Project Runway?

I met a couple of neighbors last night for the season premiere of Project Runway at the Duplex Diner, which was guaranteed to be showing it. I got there somewhat late but I don't think it would have mattered. The place was packed! Could there have been more gay guys in one place? I've noticed that in my old age I've become claustrophobic so I couldn't take it, not even for Project Runway. I took my old ass to Clyde's for a roasted turkey sandwich and a beer and called it a night. At least now I know Clyde's is having a filet mignon special for the month of August and a 1st Annual Old Ebbitt Grill (same owners) Block Party on September 5th. But the question remains...how was Project Runway?

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Mad Men Party Recap

Last night's Mad Men viewing party turned out wonderfully, even with one broken TV. The venue, show, and people were all great. I want to thank all the folks from Yelp for showing up. I just wish I had more time to mix and mingle and take pictures but was off to another spot right after the show. As expected, the Season 3 Premiere was worth waiting for. It was a thought-provoking, conversation starter that has already taken the characters to the next level. I can't wait for the next episode.
Ulah Bistro is one of those U Street places in my regular rotation but I obviously don't hang out upstairs enough. The lounge is gorgeous and it's a great place to throw a party. Since I'm usually there late when there's a limited menu, I haven't had much other than the typical bar food - burger, pizza, wings - and it's all been good. Next time I'll have to try one of the many entrees that sound delicious like the short ribs with gorgonzola polenta or the braised lamb fettuccine. They also have a great beer selection. While I didn't have a true Old Fashioned like Don Draper, I did have a bourbon drink prepared by Brian the bartender, who was great. As luck would have it, he informed me that Ulah will be showing Mad Men every Sunday now! Brian assured me that other TV will be fixed by next Sunday. So, for all of you TV-challenged people like me or those of you who just like coming out and watching a great show and socializing with cool people, come on out to Ulah next week. See you there!

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Mad Men Viewing Party at Ulah Bistro

After hearing a friend's rave reviews of Mad Men, the show has been in my Netflix queue since late last year. I absolutely love the show. I'm always amazed at how few people have heard of it especially since its been on for two years now and has received so much critical acclaim. I would say 16 Emmy nominations is quite impressive. One of the best things about the show is how stylish it is. The fashion has obviously struck a chord with women and I see that Banana Republic has jumped on that. I have a feeling we will be seeing lots of women in DC this fall wearing pencil skirts and shift dresses. But I can imagine how the slow pace, intense yet subtle dialogue (you really have to pay attention while watching this show), and overt sexism, racism, homophobia, etc. could turn some people off. I look at it as a sociological study. It's unbelievable how much behaviors have changed since the early 60's.

Well, given that I still haven't upgraded my television situation to a full cable lineup and only have basic cable (that's another post altogether), I can't watch it at home. Apparently, there are others with this same dilemma. So, the folks over at Ulah Bistro were kind enough to offer the upstairs lounge for a viewing party. This works out great! I love the food there and it's right at the U St. metro. And don't be shy! Why not show up in your favorite 60's inspired outfit?

What: Mad Men Season 3 Premiere Viewing Party

Where: Ulah Bistro, 1214 U Street NW, upstairs

When: Sunday, August 16 at 9:30 (show starts at 10pm)

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Sometimes Talking Just Isn't Necessary

I feel like the last few days have been a blur as I have been constantly on the go at one party or date after another. As usual, when it rains it pours. On Thursday I had a promising date with Bachelor #2 at the new W Hotel's very pretentious POV Roof Terrace. It's weird because I remember not too long ago when this was Hotel Washington's Sky Terrace and was filled with tourists in shorts and sneakers. I'm starting to wonder if every place in DC will turn into a scene from a music video. Anyway, the weekend also included a birthday get-together for a relative, a great Indian dinner at Mitch's place and a Sunday night date with Bachelor #4 - a new addition to the list. Another former college athlete and trader at a Baltimore firm. This guy is definitely lots of fun.
I was exhausted on Monday and decided to chill out in front of the TV for the night. My 20 minute venture out was a good example of why people really should just shut up sometimes. I headed to the convenience store around the corner for a 6-pack of Sam Adams Summer Ale (my current summer favorite). The guy in line in front of me was buying one of those single cigarettes they keep behind the counter and matches. He glanced at the beer as I sat in on the counter. On my way out he asks if he could join me for a drink. Okay, what kind of pathetic line is that? Let's see, can I have some of the beer you just bought? Yeah, if you pay for it!
I also ventured around to CVS. It's unfortunately that time of the month and I needed supplies. First of all, going to any CVS in the city is annoying with the long lines, nasty workers, and over-priced products. The one in my neighborhood now has a DC police officer at the front counter due to robberies. So, as I handed the cashier my pads, she loudly says: "Looks like a lot of people are having issues today." I looked confused so she pointed to the pads and dropped them in the bag. What?

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Late Night Out

The lazy days of summer have been dragging on and rather than stress over what I'm going to do with my life or watch late night public TV cooking shows (I love Lidia's Italy) or my latest Netflix movie (Feast of Love) or search the net, I ventured out. This is new only because I've become somewhat of a hermit lately. Ok, a few days doesn't really count as being a hermit but, whatever.
I hung out with Derek and his service industry friends at the usual Monday spots. But given that I couldn't sleep the night before and fell asleep at 6 in the morning and woke up at 2pm, I was still wide awake even after breakfast at The Diner. What to do? Well, fortunately in DC there is always someplace to go even at 3am. We headed to my new favorite after hours spot where I had the most weird and interesting conversations I've had in a while. It was exactly the kind of fun I needed. I even have a dinner date scheduled for later this week with a rather cute performance artist and have agreed to accompany someone to see The Color Purple at the Kennedy Center. The perfect nightcap? Falling asleep in the early morning light to Michael Franks' Passionfruit CD of course.

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The Dating Spectrum

In typical DC spring/summer fashion, the men are out in abundance and I've managed to snag several regular dates. Of course, there is always a story to tell. Out of the three, I'm still seeing just one.
I met Bachelor #1 during the NBA Finals. We had one thing in common - basketball. He was a divorced attorney with a child and lived in the burbs. I managed to miss the boredom because on every date we ended up watching basketball at a place with a TV. I also hoped things would work out because he came from a good family, seemed very stable, and was such a gentleman. I actually thought his nerdiness was kind of cute. It didn't hurt that he played sports in college and had a great body. However (cue circus music), one night he took me to his non-distinct suburban subdivision townhouse and on every, and I mean every wall, was a huge picture of his 7 year old child. There were also pictures on tables and oddly, even drawings in the corner. Some were just of her, and others, of both of them. In addition to the pictures there was an endless stream of toys throughout the house. I literally thought I was in Disney! Yes, I was freaked out. The straw that broke the camel's back? The three huge framed pictures on his nightstand of the child next to his bed. It didn't matter much though since I discovered that there was an erectile dysfunction issue. Oh well.
Bachelor #2 was a little different. Different race and religion and ten years older than me. But I've never let differences stop me when the guy is interesting and nice. Also divorced with a child but the kid happens to be a teenager which makes a huge difference. As it turns out, this guy is an expert in his field and often shows up on political talk shows. Not a lot of physical attraction for me but when you're in your thirties, you learn to get beyond that as you attempt to get to know the person. Our first date involved dinner, drinks, live music, and lots of interesting conversation. He's out of the country for work but has emailed several times and we have plans to go out when he gets back.
Bachelor #3: Cute, bohemian, vegetarian, non-drinker. He told me that he didn't believe in supporting the capitalist system by buying drinks at bars. Need I say more? The fact that I learned he lives in the burbs and has a young child didn't even matter at that point.

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