As the stay-at-home mother of 2 little boys, ages 2 and 11 months, it is no surprise that I don't have a lot of time to myself. Honestly, I am happy to do everything I can for them and make myself last. There is one exception, Tuesday nights! On Tuesday nights we do everything we can to get the boys settled into bed by 8:00 so we can watch TV. Tuesday night line up is my favorite part of the week.
This season is not as good as seasons past, but it still has me riveted. Everyone is going nuts for blond haired, guitar toten', Casey James. While I think he is great, he isn't the one I predict will win. Much like Chris Daughtry, American Idol was never the perfect platform for Casey's talent and now has enough exposure that he will get his own contract and go far without being the winner.
Two other noteworthy contestants are Crystal Bowersox and Michael Lynch (aka Big Mike). Crystal is a folksy, hippy musician who is distinctively like Joan Biaz and especially Janis Joplin. I admire that she really knows her musical instruments. She learned to play the piano at an early age, then moved on to self teach herself guitar. She also plays the harmonica. Remaining true to her dread wearing hippy roots, she will be fine without winning American Idol. AI isn't the best platform for her either.
The reason most of us are intregued by Big Mike begins during Hollywood week when his wife delivered their baby girl while he was competing to become a star in Hollywood. To be honest, I might like his story better than his talent. He definately is a talented vocalist. A lot of us just didn't want to see him leave too early after not being there with his wife when in labor just to go after his dream of musical stardom. Being a runner up makes you famous as well, so all is not lost.
The one I am routing for is Lee DeWyze. I have voted for him every week. Thankfully he has stayed in the competition in spite of his shyness. Everyone agrees he can be a hardcore star if he would just show more confidence in himself. He is great and is coming out of his shell everyweek. I expect to see him in the finally. He reminds me so much of David Cook!
Tuesday nights are performance nights, with eliminations taking place live Wednesday at 9:00. I try to catch the elimination, atleast the last couple minutes, but Tuesday performances are my favorite part.
After AI, Glee is next. Glee is a new hit show based on a high school Glee club. Mr. Will Schuester, William McKinnely alumni (mid 90's) and spanish teacher, recalls his days in the Glee Club as some of his best. He wanted the current kids at William McKinely to experience the same joys he did. With great resistance from the administration, Will proceeds to start a new glee club and bring new life into it, naming it "The New Directions". After a few music geeks and a couple reluctant jocks join, they really start to get in a groove. Their music is outstanding, performing several songs each night. This cast is very talented and the songs they choose blow my mind, being many of my favorite songs.
With only the first several episodes of their first season behind them, they already have 2 sound tracks out, and dozens of mp3s online to download. Thank goodness for my recent free trial of Napster. I have downloaded nearly every song on my mp3 player and jam to them every day. If you have been missing this, you must go to Fox.com for full length episodes.
Lastly, there is Parenthood. I strive to stay awake on Tuesdays for this very special reason. Parenthood is based on Ron Howard's 1989 movie by the same name. The movie starred Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, and a young Joaquin Phoenix. It was based around the trials and tribulations of parenting in the Buckman family.
The TV version has been a long time in the works and was going to debut last year, with the same dynamic based on the Braverman family. Maura Tierney was cast in one of the lead roles as single mom Sarah Braverman. When Maura was stricken with breast cancer, the project was put on hold. Eventually she backed out and was replaced by Lauren Graham, most famously known for her role as Lorelai Gilmore, whom she had beat for the role in the original audition. Since then Maura Tierney has made a full recovery and has moved on to other roles.
Braverman patriarch Zeek and his wife Camille are former Berkley hippies who live in sunny California and have 4 grown children. Their 2nd oldest child, Sarah (Graham), moves home with her 2 adolescent children after leaving her deadbeat husband. Their oldest son Adam, and his wife Kristina, seem to be a well balanced family with their 2 children, until their youngest son Max is diagnosed with Asburgers, which rocks their world. Dax Shepard plays bachelor Crosby who finds out after 5 years that he has a son named Jabar. Their youngest daughter, Julia, is played by Erika Christenson. She is an attorney and is married to Joel who is a stay-at-home dad with their daughter Sydney. I have fallen in love with this family and love making comparisons to the movie. I look forward to this show every week.
So there it is! Of course, if my kids needed me during this time I would go to them in a flash. However it is fun to think that I am off duty for atleast one evening a week to enjoy something all for myself.
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