Cuteness for a gloomy day ...

It's rainy and dreary in Cincinnati. If you're like me you need a little pick me up. Well here are a few pics of Phil dog to make you happy.

The Oscars 2013 ...

Ballot is ready to go!

My ballot is filled out and my movie-themed cupcakes are iced and ready to eat.   What am I talking about you might ask? Well maybe not since the title of this post is Oscars 2013.....yes, I'm talking about the Oscars.

The academy awards are famous for ignoring what many people think were great accomplishments in film, but it also has the amazing red carpet and this year's host, Seth McFarlane.

I'm watching this year with the girls in our sweats eating movie/actor themed foods.  I made silver linings cupcakes with red carpet frosting. I've admittedly not seen any of the movies that are nominated for best picture.  Nevertheless, I'm in for the festivities.

I'm off to ogle the dresses the dresses for their good and bad qualities, and laugh at a few Seth McFarlane jokes.

Silver Linings Cupcakes
with Red Carpet Frosting

Why I enjoy the biggest loser ...

Reality TV in general is full of drama and crying especially my guilty pleasure the bachelor.  Although reality TV is amongst the trashiest of TV, I still get sucked in by the manufactured stories.  That being said, one reality show that I watch brings a bit more to the table, The Biggest Loser. 

At first glance it seems like it’s a way to shame fat people by making them work out for endless hours and screaming in their faces.  Which admittedly is why it took me until the 10^th season to give it a go.   In reality, overeating is a form of self -destruction.  These contestants go through grueling physical work-outs and mental revelations as well.  Like any kind of behavior modification, the show helps expose their underpinnings to the behavior and then gives them tools to improve upon them. 

There are bloggers and people who believe the show is forcing starvation and dehydration, which I don’t believe.  I’m sure a lot of things aren’t shown on the aired episodes, which Jillian Michaels addresses on her podcast.  Since it is TV, many of the “healthy eating” segments are a bit like commercials.  And the beeping as they weigh in seriously drives me a bit nuts. 

I enjoy watching the show because it’s about overcoming a large psychological obstacle to become a better person.  Not only do they feel better about themselves mentally but also they have the tools to become healthier, and share that with their families.  Our country is in need of this type of change since about 2/3 of people are overweight. 

The season introduces a challenge for kids to get healthy.  Impressively, the show so far has been able to do this in a manner that is constructive to the children. 

In the end, The Biggest Loser is a reality show, which means it doesn’t really show reality, but it provides the message that you can overcome your mental obstacles and be a better version of you. 

End of the hiatus ...

I’ve been on a little hiatus from blogging. It’s not necessarily that I haven’t had enough free time, but that my thoughts haven’t felt like they are worth sharing.  Let me expand on that statement.

The world seems to be going a little “crazy” lately.  You and I both see what is happening in the world through our 24-hour news coverage that seems to focus on the horrific and shocking. I’m not actually sure whether the world is experiencing more violence or it’s because are exposed to more violent stories due to the news.  Either way, my small musings haven’t felt significant enough to share with the world. 

Instead of feeling insignificant, I’ve decided to utilize this blog more as an outlet to share some positive in my world to hopefully share the positivity with others. 

Currently, I’m ramping up to finish my dissertation, which obviously means I’m finding new ways to procrastinate.  Here are a few of the things I’ve found to make me laugh and pass time:

            Jenna Marbles videos on youtube (FYI they have adult language)

            Cute Overload

            Reading fun articles on hello giggles

            Whatshouldwecallgradschool.tumblr.com (Science grad school jokes)

            Dog Shaming

Check out some of these and have a good laugh for the day.  After all, it’s Friday so enjoy it.