Are you watching American Idol?  If not, you may want to tune in tonight.  They have the most talented group of ladies I’ve ever seen and they take the stage again this evening. 

Let’s talk guys first.  Last night marked the come back for Sundance Head.  He’s from my neck of the woods, so to speak.  A resident of Porter, Texas, just north of us (Super Wal*Mart has a hand made sign at the exit reading “Vote for Sundance”).  Well, Sundance did really well last night singing Mustang Sally.  Let’s hear it for our local Idol!

No disrespect to Sundance, my favorite continues to be Blake Lewis, the beat boxing champ from California.  My husband calls him “a clean-cut Eminem”.  Ok, I see the resemblance.  He showed some of that last night with Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity.  Loved it!  Simon was mixed on his performance, though.  Blake is unique and has a great voice.  I’d love to see him in the top twelve.

The ladies perform tonight and, if last week was any indication, it will be a fantastic show.  There are four very strong singers to look out for … Sabrina Sloan, Melinda Doolittle, Jordin Sparks, and Lakisha Jones.  Each brought the house down last week and all of them deserve to be in the top twelve.

Want more Idol?  Check out http://dialidol.com/asp/predictions/Predictions.asp.  It’s a website that tracks busy signals and predicts who will be voted off.  The website boasts a 65% success rate.  In addition to American Idol, it works for Dancing with the Stars, Canadian Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, and Celebrity Duets.

What are your Idol thoughts (past, present or future).

Did you catch the Oscars last night?  From what I understand, it was the third lowest rated Oscars telecast ever, so you may have missed it.  I did see some of it and several actresses stood out as being “best dressed” in addition to one hillarious moment by Will Ferrell, Jack Black, and John C. Reilly.

Let’s go with best dressed first.  Rachel Weisz (THE CONSTANT GARDNER, THE MUMMY, CONSTANTINE, etc.) looked gorgeous!  Always beautiful, she looked very “old Hollywood” last night.  Helen Mirren and Diane Keaton looked fantastic!  These are two women who know their style and always look great (they also keep getting better with age).  Other fashion winners were Reese Witherspoon, Beyonce, and Cameron Diaz.  Their gowns, their hair & makeup … all of it seemed flawless. 

Whose look didn’t work?  Kate Winslet’s dress didn’t work for me.  I don’t know if it was the color or style. 

Now, one thing that has been commented on a great deal is the amount of weight Reese Witherspoon lost since her separation from hubby Ryan Phillippe.  Everyone says she looks great.  She always did, in my opinion.  She was never “heavy” by any stretch of the imagination. 

The funniest moment by far was the song by Will Ferrell, Jack Black and John C. Reilly.  It was hillarious!  The DREAMGIRLS number was also fantastic!  Those women can sing!  I still haven’t seen the movie but maybe this weekend?

So, who do you think stood out on the red carpet last night?  What was the best moment from last night’s ceremony?  Do you even care about the OSCARS?

I’ve thought long and hard about whether I should blog about the Anna Nicole Smith case and I’ve decided to speak my peace.  I had bronchitis last week and spent a few days home recuperating and flipping channels.  And what I saw truly disgusted me.  Are those proceedings really indicative of the US Judicial system?  It was a circus, a free-for-all at times, with a Judge who liked to discuss himself more than the facts relating to the case.

What disturbed me most is that the Judge wasted hours on topics not relating to where the deceased Anna Nicole Smith wanted to be buried.  He told the court about his jogging routine, what type of reputation he has, what type of a man he has, how much power he yields, and how he wanted to know the truth about the baby’s paternity.  The Judge said they had tons of time, don’t rush, they had weeks.  All the while Anna Nicole lay decaying in a morgue.

Has our society gotten so comfortable with the dysfunctional life of celebrities that any exposure, even that of the ridiculous kind, is considered good publicity?  Here is a Judge behaving like he’s holding court over a Jerry Springer show.  Doesn’t this question his credibility?  I think it should.

I was glad to hear the battle for her body was over only to learn the decision has been appealed.  Enough already.  I know Anna Nicole Smith led a rather tabloid-prone life but the circus must end some time.  Why can’t she just rest in peace with her son? 

Have you been following the trial?  What are your thoughts?

Do you have a MySpace page?  I’ve had one for many months however did nothing with it until last week, when I worked on page layout, my profile, and adding my netwok of friends.   You can check it out at www.myspace.com/tracygoodwin.

So, how do you feel about MySpace?  Some love it, some hate it.  As long as it’s used responsibly, it can be a great networking tool. What are your thoughts? 

It’s that time of year again … Valentine’s Day.  And here’s my question: is it too commercialized?  We’ve all heard it called “the Hallmark Holiday”.  Is it?  Or is that nickname too cynical?  Is romance defined as one day of hearts and flowers or is romance in the little, every day things you share with your spouse or significant other?

Greg and I haven’t exchanged Valentine’s Day cards in a few years.  I don’t quite know how it started.  Perhaps that’s because we have been married for so long (twelve years in May) or the fact that we don’t need Valentine’s Day cards to express how we feel?  I must admit that I’m very fortunate to have married a man who is not only the love of my life but also my best friend.  Maybe that’s why we don’t need a card to enjoy Valentine’s Day.  In truth, a simple trip to the supermarket is fun if Greg is with me.  And we express how we feel on a daily basis.  I’m blessed in that regard.

So, for me, romance is the little things Greg says and does throughout our year, not just the one day in February.  Sure, we’ll have a romantic dinner tomorrow evening, but that one day doesn’t mean more than the 364 other days throughout the calendar year. 

How do you feel?   Check out http://theholidayspot.com/valentine/history_of_valentine.htm and then tell me what you think.  Have we lost the true meaning of Valentine’s Day?  Or is any occasion to celebrate Saint Valentine an occasion to celebrate?

Ok, let me put this in context.  I was reading an article about America Ferrera, the gifted actress who stars in ABC’s UGLY BETTY.  The author was commenting on how some have complimented America on her curvy, more “plus” sized body.  The article then went on to say that America is a size six.

What?

Yes, I read it again.  She’s a size six. 

Is this what our society has come to?  Six is now considered big?  I’m sorry, but this is getting ridiculous.  Is our society so customed to seeing skin & bones models that a size six is plus sized?  I guess so, because you have tabloids reporting that Tyra Banks is a “pork chop” at 130 pounds. 

To all of those with a skewed sense of what’s heavy, please get a grip!  This really has to stop.  Tyra Banks is gorgeous and healthy.  America Ferrera is a beautiful size six.  She doesn’t get plus sized until at least a 14-16.  Please, feel free to call her “plus” once you add a one to her size.  Until then, enough already!

I’m off my soap box now.  Until next time …

I received my very first author quote last month.  YEAY!  Gayle Wilson was kind enough to read Dance with Deception and here’s what she had to say:
“Tracy Goodwin is a fresh new voice in historical romance.  In Dance with Deception, Ms. Goodwin has penned an engaging tale of true love overcoming lies and duplicity. Sebastian and Gwen must work through numerous obstacles to reach their well-deserved happy ending. The reader will find herself cheering them along on their journey.”  — Gayle Wilson, two-time RITA Award Winner
 

Thanks again to Gayle Wilson, a gifted Author and lovely woman. 
 

Well, this is it.  The announcement every Harry Potter fan has been anticipating (and dreading) … the realease date of the final installment of the series.  HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS will hit book stores July 21, 2007.

Sigh.

Yes, I’m excited to read the novel but I’m also a bit apprehensive.  It’s the end.  No more installments to look forward to.  And there’s still that pesky question … will Harry survive? 

Anyone familiar with the Harry Potter story knows he’s an orphan who grew up with his nasty Aunt, Uncle and cousin.  He’s also battled evil since the age of eleven.  If he doesn’t get a happy ending, a chance to live without neglect or fear for his life, I’ll probably bawl.  And gasp.  Then toss the book across the room.  I just know it.  How about you?

And, if anyone doubts the popularity of JK Rowling or her Harry Potter series, they must look at the sales ranking for DEATHLY HALLOWS.  In the first day of pre-orders, it became the number one seller on both AMAZON.COM & BARNESANDNOBLE.COM.  Very impressive … 

What will you be doing on July 21st?  I’ll be savoring the last Harry book and hoping that he does indeed survive.