Bitchy Double Review: Nailene's So Natural Everyday French Nails & Ultra Adhesive Tabs

As the title says, this is a double review. I use artificial nails from time to time, mainly when I'm trying to grow my real ones out or look professional (I have what I call 'kid hands'--small hands, small fingers, even smaller nailbeds lol) and most of the time when I use artificials I go with Nailene. I like the clean look, the design takes away my desire to paint them and they usually stay on long enough to suit the purpose I put them on for. I've been looking into doing some testing for beauty products as I love makeup and nail stuff, pretty obsessed with them now that I think about it, so after some searching and research I emailed Nailene to become a product tester for their new products. I didn't hear anything back from them, so I didn't think anything of it until a box came from UPS a couple of weeks later.

The nails

The adhesive tabs

They sent me a pack of their Natural Everyday French Nails and Ultra Adhesive Tabs to accompany the nails. I didn't get around to trying either until this morning because my nails were healthy at the time I received them--and longer than the artificials lol so I didn't need them--but with the holidays approaching I wanted to try out something cute and it looked completely elementary trying ideas out on my tiny nailbeds with no nails. I wanted to try the nails out with the tabs and see if maybe this would be a better option for my nails than the glue, which usually wrecks havoc on my beds when its time to remove the artificials.

The instructions told me to use tweezers to remove the adhesive from the sheet and then again to remove the top layer once the tab was on my nail, but I ended up not needing them. It doesn't fit across the entire nail, but I remember reading that it wasn't supposed to anyway. So I put the nail on top of the adhesive and it seemed a little loose at first, but I pressed on it for about 30 seconds or so and it seemed okay I guess. This was until I actually looked at the entire nail and realized that because the adhesive is kind of centered on your nail if you have small nailbeds like mine, it leaves the bottoms lifted and very false looking, kind of like you need fills. I didn't get a pic of that; next time I take off my nails I'll update this post with some pictures.

I had applied two nails and was trying them out to see how they held; I work with my hands on most things that I do and need my nails to be manageable, not claw-like but I also need the adhesive to be heavy-duty so they don't pop off so easily. In other words, my nails and the adhesive need to be too legit to quit on my ass.

This adhesive lasted all of 10 minutes before I had to visit the little girls' room; I washed my hands and the nails seemed fine, until I went to dry my hands and 'pop!' 'pop!' go my nails, in quick succession the minute I began to towel off my hand. Popped the nail and 'adhesive' from the tab clean off. Good thing is that the adhesive didn't stick to my nailbed either, so it made removal super easy. I redid the nails with super nail glue, my usual, and we'll see how long they'll last; I'll update and let you know.

Bitchy Rating:
(Nails) 12.14.UPDATE: They lasted 2 days. One popped off yesterday and I didn't even realize it, when my right thumb came off while I was trying to open a lid I decided to remove the rest of them and pop! pop! --No problem removing them at all, they didn't really adhere to my nail I guess because it was too easy to get them off. If you only need nails for a hot night or two, go with this set; they don't last much longer than that so if you need nails that hold up through the workweek, these aren't the ones to get. By the time they come off, the edge has already began to loosen from your nail, creating the 'needs fills' look again and the nailbed changes colors. My nails were the beige set, but by the time they came off the nailbed had bubbles underneath and were more of a pale pink. Looked totally fake no matter what I did with them.  
((2 out of 5 stars))
(Tabs) *Terrible. The adhesive does not hold up well at all in water, does not cover the entire nailbed so it runs the risk of causing air bubbles to sneak up in the nail and loosen it anyway and it makes the nail look like it needs fills even when you have just applied them. I wouldn't recommend them. The instructions tell you to ensure that all bubbles are removed from the adhesive tab upon applying it but even when you smooth it out there are still bubbles and they also tend to slide a little bit. The only good part is that once the adhesive tab loosens, removal is a snap and doesn't damage your natural nail.
((0 out of 5 stars))

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Time for Change!

If you've been with me through the years, you know I do something different at the start of every new year. This past January I decided to stop doing Daytime Suds entirely and would only do a post on it if there were significant updates, then I stopped doing that as well. I also upgraded the design.

January of 2011 I upgraded the design of the blog, changed the name and began to include tv show and movie reviews on the site. January 2010 I first mentioned adding tv reviews but they were mainly food related, then the blog went dark for awhile.

This coming year is no different. As you know, when I started this blog it was originally called Daytime Suds and I provided soap opera recaps and commentary. I have since stopped watching soaps, so I changed the blog name to include reviews of various television shows. It took me awhile to find my groove but I found it, then promptly went on hiatus. lol I then came back, changed the name again and started reviewing a bit of everything. But amongst all these changes, one very annoying thing has remained the same--the website address. It still says Daytime Suds, even though I have tried to change it several times. So come January, we're going to be moving to another site to reflect the new name and Daytime Suds will be shutting down. I'm also thinking of changing the name of the blog from Bitchy Reviews to.....something. lol I don't have that part nailed down just yet.

Either way, come January this site is going dark and I'll be starting up the new blog. Time to start looking for designs and all the other fun stuff!--aka I'll find so many designs I like I'll get overwhelmed before finding one, then end up finding one after I've already started the new blog. lol

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Bitchy TV Review: Dollhouse

So firstly, yes I know this show is off the air. Has been for almost 3 years. I heard of the show when it was still on, but I wasn't really interested in it and I didn't get the CW anyway, so I never saw it. I got Netflix at the end of September though, so I've been trying to find new things to watch. One thing I can say about Netflix, they don't have a lot of shows or movies that are really popular with the public, a misconception that I think they helped feed. They don't have updated seasons of current shows--there are many shows in current seasons and Netflix may only have up to the last season or, if the show spans multiple seasons, may only have the first couple. For example, I love Bridezillas. I got caught up in that whole Dish Network-AMC feud earlier this summer as a Dish customer and as you know, they snatched our AMC programming from us for a few months while the two were in court. Because of that, I missed about two months of Bridezillas. I got Netflix and saw that it was there, so I was going to go watch, but to my confused surprise, they only had two seasons=7 and 8. LOL Why do they have two seasons in the middle of the show and none of the seasons either before or after them? Scandal, a very popular show on ABC, only has the first season on Netflix. Unfortunately, we're already in the middle of Season 2. My satellite dish is suspended at the moment, so I can't get my locals, which means no Scandal for me. I have to find it on Hulu Plus during the weekend because Netflix hasn't gotten the contract to stream current episodes yet. That's a huge disadvantage that I believe Netflix has, in addition to not having many popular series and movies and thinking that the many B-list shows and Hallmark movies are going to make up for it. With that being said though, it is still probably the best streaming service to use, and you do get a lot for the monthly membership price. I pay $8 a month and can watch whatever I want however many times I want (this doesn't apply to the rentals, ofc) and if I give out the code to my family, they can do the same. That's a great deal for $8 a month. There's a lot of lesser-known comedies and movies, so I guess the positive is that you can at least expand your viewing library and try something new that you may end up liking.

Anyway,

I've been watching Frasier for the past month and a half. It's become a bit of a nightly ritual, I realized. lol Watched the entire series save for a few episodes at least 3 times. lol Netflix doesn't carry a lot of my regular tv shows and movies, so I was on the hunt for something new last night and kept seeing this tv show Dollhouse on the "Best of Netflix" lists, so I figured what the hell. I like the techie shows, I like Eliza Dushku (I can admit with no shame that the real reason why I like her so much is because of Bring It On), and the concept was something I hadn't seen before. It was like 1am so I decided to give it a go.

The show only lasted for 2 seasons, so it wasn't really given the time that many shows get to pick up steam, and usually achieve cult status after their premature cancellations. I believe this may be one of those shows. Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, was behind this redheaded stepchild of the CW, but that part didn't much matter to me since I didn't like either of those shows. LOL Anyway, the concept is that the Dollhouse is actually a top-secret agency for the extremely wealthy in which "dolls," or Actives as they are referred to on the show, are leased out for certain periods of time to paying customers to fulfill their fantasies, then returned once the job concludes. Many are lonely, some want to dabble in wish fulfillment, others need actual jobs carried out. Think of it as a fixed Match.com for the Bill Gates level income bracket. Now for the part that serves as the major conflict for the show. These "dolls" are actually people, but they are programmed to be the exact thing that the client wants. They are programmed to fit the criteria and become complete people in that manner, complete with memories, feelings, thoughts and backstories that they genuinely believe, so they can become virtually anyone. When the job ends, the person is whisked away by their "handlers" for "treatments." Said treatment is really a memory wipe and after the job finishes, their minds are wiped clean and they stay at the Dollhouse until they are contracted, or engaged, to another job. Each person at the Dollhouse is under a mandatory 5-year contract, after which they can return to their normal lives. What happens to their personalities you ask? They are wiped and stored on hard drives, to be replaced in the person's mind once the contract is up. This allows for different personalities to be downloaded and imprinted in the doll's mind throughout their time at the Dollhouse. Between jobs, the doll is in a trance, child-like state with simple thoughts and actions and not many, if any, feelings. The Dollhouse, for obvious moral reasons, is an illegal activity and must be kept secret, but as is the case with many of these shows with conflict, there is already an FBI agent on the case trying to blow the lid off of the Dollhouse. There's also a rogue doll running around and helping the agent get closer to Echo, which adds to the drive that the Dollhouse has to find and eliminate him as well as keep the public from finding out.

I wasn't completely sold after the first couple of episodes, but for some reason I couldn't stop watching. I ended up finishing the first season and it's kind of a bad show, like bad to the point that it's good. lol Eliza Dushku, the main protagonist of the show, plays No Last Name Echo, who is the Dollhouse's most requested Doll. Over the course of the show and despite the memory wipes, Echo begins to show signs of self-awareness and increasing ability to take initiative. This causes conflict, because obviously she is not supposed to be her own person and make her own decisions. She's also not supposed to remember her former life at all, which she also begins to do in bits and pieces throughout the course of the show. A couple of the dolls begin to break free of the mind wipes and fall in love, although the blank state between jobs and the various personas help them not to realize it. It ends up being that their love is part of their instinctual drive more than driven by mere feelings and finds ways to manifest itself. I like that side story, especially in my newly-single, bitter-driven state. lol

I'm still debating on whether or not I want to watch the second season. The first season was okay and the varying personas that Echo and the other dolls had to take on did allow the actors to stretch their wings, but again, still not sold. I got lost towards the end of the season and I'm by nature one of those people that wants a solid story so I kind of get drawn to any plotholes or other things that generally don't make sense. This kind of detracts from my experience, but that's a personal problem. Anyhow, there are a lot of elements about the show that I think were ingenious and I also liked that in one of the episodes they showed reactions from the public about how a service such as the Dollhouse would be received. I think the reactions, varying from disgust to intrigue to genuine interest, fear to avoidance and even acceptance, were a pretty good picture of how the public would really receive a service like that, which is where the conflict with self and within the show begins.

Some would see this show as a form of human trafficking or prostitution and be disgusted, which I can see because at first I was rather upset about the possibility of this being able to happen to us--these people are getting their entire lives wiped clean, as if they didn't exist, and being asked to become con artists in a sense with no control or power over their own minds; in essence, they don't have their own minds. To the outside world, they don't even exist anymore. They have a sleeping brain and neurons until the next job, when they are programmed to have them. Walking and breathing robots in a sense. They have to be programmed to feel! How crazy is that? We feel an array of things all day long. To think about being in a state in which I'm not sick but I still cannot feel, cannot even think enough to know that not feeling, in essence not being is abnormal, I'd lose my mind once I figured out what happened to me. If the real person were to get wind of what was happening to them, its more than likely that they would want to get out but in one of the episodes, we come to see how each of them ended there and unlike human trafficking, each of these people signed a contract to become Dolls. Not all of them had a great deal of choice in the matter, but the point is that they signed over their rights for the 5-year duration, which in court will hold up to being a voluntary decision, therefore not human trafficking. Very good point. Morally, however, is it wrong? Don't many people comment on wanting a fantasy man or woman to be all that they need in life, to give them the happiness they can't seem to find anywhere else? These Dolls are walking fantasies; they can be programmed to be damn near anybody--hell they can be programmed to be themselves. Crazy stuff. But back to the question, if many people indeed want such a thing at some point in their lives, would they turn it down if it were offered to them?

Some people are staunchly against the concept. But put this in the mind of a 45-year old just about spinster. Never had a boyfriend, lives alone, and just wants a man for her, that she won't have to worry about cheating on her, hitting her or otherwise taking advantage of her. The loneliness is overwhelming. Someone tells her that if she writes down everything she wants in a man and someone will deliver it to her, you really think she's going to say no? Some people wouldn't take a second to sign on the dotted line and finally have the man or woman of their dreams. Some would hesitate, but sign anyway. Some would hesitate and finally say no, and many would not only say no, but find the nearest FBI department and get them to investigate. It's a moral-twisting question and I can say that I enjoy that immensely about the show. You want to see this agency as the villain and sometimes, many times, you do. But when you see that they actually do get to help in ways that genetically or physically are impossible (its not all about the fantasy man/woman concept) and keep in mind that when the 5 years are up, the people get to resume their lives, you find yourself questioning sometimes.

Bitchy Review: This show makes me question many things when looking at my own life. Would I, if asked to do something like this, do it? Morally, could I do that to myself and become a Doll? Or on one of the flip sides, would I contract someone to me that way? Lonely or not, could I live with a virtual robot for 5 years, knowing that they're only with me because they're programmed to be? It takes the fun out of love, the adjusting and growing and learning. On the other flip side as a simple member of society with no personal stock in it, could I exist in a world where that sort of thing is okay, or would I want to do something about it? How would I feel if it were my loved one having to endure something like that for 5 years, being in various situations where I cannot save or protect them? How would I handle that? I enjoy that; I can't answer the question with a clear mind and I like the challenge it presents. The acting isn't always spectacular and sometimes that part's funny, but the camera and tech skills are on point. I also don't enjoy the plotholes too much because I find a few of them distracting and it can be confusing trying to keep up, but in general its a good show to watch when nothing else is on. Even though I see the potential that the show had to succeed, I can sort of see why it didn't. I don't think we were ready for anything of that caliber just yet; the interest level wasn't high enough. I wouldn't invite a date over to watch the show unless that's your sort of thing because again, its tech-savvy in a kinda campy sort of way and its not high on the humor factor, but in general its an okay show to follow for a little while.

Bitchy Rating: ***

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TV Renewals, Fenceriders and Cancellations

I know I said in June that I was on hiatus, and for the most part I guess I still am; I'm not going to go back to trying to review every damn thing like I was. I was getting overwhelmed and really needed the break. I'll review what I want when I get ready to, I guess. lol But I just got a hold of some cancellation news and had to post it. All upcoming show, cancelled show and fenceriding show information is from SideReel, so you're free to check and peruse their website as well. Without further ado...

Cancelled
Partners (CBS)
666 Park Avenue (ABC)
Last Resort (ABC)
America's Best Dance Crew (MTV)
Fairly Legal (USA)
Common Law (ABC)
X-Play (G4)
Animal Practice (NBC)
Made in Jersey (CBS)
3 (CBS)
I Just Want My Pants Back (MTV)
Jane By Design (ABC Family)
The Killing (AMC)
Trust Us With Your Life (ABC)

Fenceriders
The Mob Doctor (FOX)
Community (NBC)
Top Chef: Just Desserts (Bravo)
Hell on Wheels (AMC)

Renewed
American Horror Story (FX)
World's Worst Tenants (Spike)
Nashville (ABC)
Married to Jonas (E!)
Haven (SyFy)
Beauty & the Beast (CW)
Trickleberry (Comedy Central)
Chicago Fire (NBC)
Burn Notice (USA)
Kickin' It (Disney)
Long Island Medium (TLC)
Luther (BBC)
Regular Show (Cartoon Network)
The Amazing World of Gumball (Cartoon Network)
Covert Affairs (USA)
White Collar (USA)
Royal Pains (USA)
Wilfred (FX)
Jerseylicious (Style)
The Neighbors (ABC)
Scandal (ABC)
Elementary (CBS)
The X-Factor (NBC)
Vegas (CBS)
Homeland (Showtime)
Arrow (CW)
America's Next Top Model (CW)
Bob's Burgers (FOX)
The Mindy Project (FOX)
Go On (NBC)
Ben and Kate (FOX)
Revolution (NBC)
Suits (USA)
The New Normal (NBC)

Series Finales
Treme (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Fringe (FOX)
30 Rock (NBC)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
The Big C (Showtime)
Gossip Girl (CW)
Private Practice (ABC)
Pan-Am (which was already cancelled but is being brought back for the series finale to tie things up) (ABC)
The Secret Life of the American Teenager (ABC Family)
Weeds (Showtime)
iCarly (Nick)
Political Animals (USA)
Attack of the Show! (G4)

New & Upcoming:
Malibu Country (ABC)
The Carrie Diaries (CW)
1600 Penn (NBC)
The Following (FOX)
Love You, Mean It with Whitney Cummings (E!)

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Hiatus

Well, not that anyone's going to read this post (just like nobody's been reading ANY of these posts for the last 3 yrs)but just in case some lone soul is (which I thank you for!), this post is necessary so it doesn't look like I fell off the face of the earth. Since I have had no feedback or response in all the posts I've made excluding a piece of not-so-constructive criticism, I have become a little busier with school and my current classes which has caused me to fall behind in my reviews, I have decided to put this blog on hiatus. I would love to say that it'll only be until I get everything situated and settled in my life, but the truth is that I really don't know. When you combine a lack of readers/attention with continuing to post to nobody at all with an overwhelmed writer and put this on repeat for a few years, it takes the fun out of it. I've got 12 posts in draft right now and have no desire to finish them. That's not good.

I write for pleasure, not a paycheck. I wish, however, that at least 1 other on the blogosphere would stumble across this and find the pleasure in responding; give me someone to share my tv thoughts with. I've promoted the blog on the social networks I'm part of, but to no avail. Since I've done all I can do and no longer have the desire, energy or time to continue to write knowing that I am writing to myself, I decided the best thing to do would be to put the blog on hiatus. Perhaps the joy of writing and relaying thoughts will return; I'd certainly like for it to, but then again it may not and this could be the very last post I write. Who's to say, really. Not trying to be dramatic about it at all, but I can't say whether or not I'll be back. Let me take this day by day and see what happens. Hope your journeys, paths and experiences are all blessed!

Auf wiedersehen!

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Playing Catch-Up

I'm a little behind on my reviews but don't worry, I'm going to try to get to them all within the next couple of days. I just started two new classes this week and they both carry a hefty workload so in an effort to stay on track, I had to scale back my tv viewing and really focus on my homework. (Don't worry, I DVR'd everything lol) So this week I'll be playing catch-up, both on homework and reviews. Bear with me just a little longer! :D

M

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Bitchy Review: Culture Clash Weddings

I found this show after watching My Fair Wedding and I love this premise. It puts a spin on the traditional wedding shows that air on We and any of its sister channels, and I have to say that it takes alot of courage to go through something like this. The show focuses on a couple who decides not to go with the tried-and-true method for their wedding and embraces another culture's traditions instead. The episode I caught was about a couple named Kristin and Brandon who scrapped their idea of a traditional American wedding in favor of an Indian ceremony because they wanted something more fun and unique for their wedding proceedings.

I can admire that courage; even if the American tradition gets boring, it's all we know. The formal ceremony, big white gown, lots of flowers, the first dance, the bachelor/bachelorette parties, those are the staples of an American wedding. The Indian way of marriage is so different; for many Indian couples the ceremony itself is on the last of a 5...yes, I said five...day celebration. The days leading up to it are meant to celebrate the upcoming nuptials, to bring the families together in an effort to bond, and to partake in normal Indian wedding activities, such as the henna and blessing ceremonies. Much different from ceremonies that Americans have.

Out is the big white gown; wearing white in India is actually the color of mourning, while our color of mourning here in America is black, which is not really favored at wedding ceremonies. The bridal color in India is actually red, as this symbolizes longevity. Gone are the traditional bridesmaids' dresses in the same color; in India the bridemaids all wear different colors. The fathers are actually dressed more formally than the groom, as they are the heads of the household in which the bride and groom were raised. Gone is the couple's big first romantic slow dance, in favor of a more upbeat Indian dance to kick off the reception. Gone is the quiet entrance of the groom to the point where he is almost unnoticed; in India the entire processional follows behind the groom as he comes into the ceremony on a horse, yelling and cheering. According to Indian custom, the rowdier the crowd, the more worthy the groom is. Gone is the ability to watch the bride walk down the aisle; the groom actually has a sheet put up in front of him as the bride walks down the aisle and sits down on the other side of the sheet, then the curtain is dropped. Elements are brought into an Indian ceremony and gone is the wedding ring exchange; a necklace is given to the bride by the groom instead. Instead of a raucous bachelorette party the night before, there is a blessing ceremony where the bride sits and all of those around her take turns putting a red blessing dot on her forehead and telling her about how they feel about her and her upcoming marriage. Gone is the princess cut of the gown, Indian wedding dresses are actually saris in which the stomach is usually left bare with only a small scrap of fabric connecting the top to the bottom of the dress.

These were just some of the differences that this couple had to accept mere weeks before their ceremony, which must have brought about a very large, well, culture shock. The bride's mother seemed to be the least receptive of the proceedings and the way things were supposed to go according to this new custom her daughter adopted for the ceremony and this bothered the bride a great deal, as she had hoped her mother would partake in these things with her. Eventually she came around a little, but this goes to show that even though the wedding is supposed to be about the bride and groom, everyone has feelings about it and sometimes those who end up dampening the time leading up to it are the couple's own parents.

Another difference between American and Indian ceremonies that had a negative effect on the couple was that according to Indian custom, the mother of the bride and the groom are supposed to spend time together before the ceremony. The bride's mother and the groom in this situation don't get along well at all, with the groom feeling as though the mother doesn't really listen to the bride's desires and the mother of the bride being protective of her daughter. Things that would normally be a kink in the plans became a huge obstacle with the added stress of a change in culture for the ceremony.

The concept for this show is a good one; bringing some variety to a ceremony by changing up the culture entirely is a big change. It's alot to take in; for your big day you want things to be perfect and the uncertainty of knowing whether an entirely new culture that you're not familiar with will mesh with what you want or even end up being what you want in the end. There aren't any re-dos, there aren't any take backs. It'll be what it is and that'll be the end of it. Those are hard realities to accept when you get to the nitty gritty and everything isn't all fun and games like you anticipated. Hell that's the case for ANY wedding planning but I would imagine the stress of that reality is tenfold when it's in another culture entirely and the added layer of not disrespecting people of that culture is thrown into the mix.

Bitchy Review: Like I said, I like the concept that this show's got going on for it. I like that they show the good and bad of the couple accepting an entirely new outlook for their wedding and I like that guides of the new culture are given to the couple instead of them going on the road alone and potentially disrespecting others of that culture or integrating certain elements without understanding the significance. The show is honest and candid and allows the couple to be as well. Apparently though, it was only a special to display how different the atmosphere can be for a couple's road to marriage when everything, down to customs, are changed. Brides to be, consider these things if you get cold feet about your current wedding plans and want to change anything up!

Bitchy Rating: 3 (out of 5)

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Bitchy Review: Mary Mary

 SN: I feel a little sacrilegious putting the word "bitchy" in the same sentence with Mary Mary considering that they're a gospel group, but I digress. That is the name of this site, after all, isn't it?

Anywho, Mary Mary debuted tonight as the replacement show for Braxton Family Values, which just wrapped up officially tonight. As I'm sure you all know, Tina & Erica Campbell make up the Grammy-award winning, 5 million album selling duo, with Erica being the older sister (surprising since I always had a problem telling them apart lol) and Tina being two years younger. Erica's husband Warren is the girls' producer, and Tina's husband Teddy is the drummer on the Tonight Show. Not bad, huh?

At the time of the debut episode, Erica was 7 months into her pregnancy (she has since had her child and Tina has announced that she is now pregnant) and their younger sister is their current stylist, much to the chagrin of the girls' manager, Mitchell. The show is about them trying to juggle full lives as mothers, wives to men who are also in the industry, their obvious duties as Mary Mary but more importantly, maintaining their relationship and bond as sisters.

I can see already that a large portion of the drama arc on this show is going to revolve around Mitchell and the ladies' sister/stylist--they do not seem to get along at all. The girls have a performance in this debut episode, and we're able to see that lingering tension, the fact that Tina is a perfectionist, causing them to run a little late, and that Erica is probably the calmer sister. What I enjoyed the most was that despite their tardiness, they still made the time to give all the thanks and glory to God. Most times when people are in a hurry, they put God on the backburner, with an "I'll pray later" or "He knows I'm grateful," instead of saying bump it to everything else and giving Him the thanks He deserves for even presenting the opportunity.

I gotta stay on topic. Anyway, my lawd these two can saaang! That's right, I didn't say "sing," I said saaaang. Listening to them always reminds me of my upbringing and childhood in the church, and it's always a pleasure to reminisce. It reminds me to always give my thanks to God in anything I do, no matter what. That's why I love gospel music so much and I think for no other reason, I'm going to love this show because I enjoy getting back to my roots.

The girls' manager waits until after their show to let them know they have an upcoming show in Atlanta for the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, which has caused more than a couple of problems with Tina, as her kid's performance and her husband's gig on the Tonight Show are both the day before. Erica brings it up to her husband the next morning, who really isn't having it at first because all of his extended family will be there but (after a slight guilt trip lol) agrees to bring the kids out and spend the holiday with her. Tina's family can't make it and because of it, she doesn't want to do the performance because then she'll have to spend the day without her family, while Erica doesn't want to be alone and doesn't want to leave her family at home just because Tina's isn't coming. I sense a little lingering tension between these two as well, so hopefully like its sister show BFV, we'll see that explored a bit. Hopefully without the help of a family therapist on a permanent retainer; we already have Dr. Sherry. lol Tina's kids don't take the news well, which exposes Tina's guilt at being a successful performer because of her success at the expense of missing important moments as a mother. But the show goes on, and Tina's disconnection from her family hits her hard when she calls and everyone seems more busy with what they're doing than missing her--I kind of thought that was messed up. It must suck to have to be alone on the holiday and the only one who appears bothered at all is you. They're still busy, so they get off the phone with her and surprise her at the hotel instead, really lifting her spirits. Erica and Tina go on to have a successful show and end.

SN: I keep seeing previews for Shannen Doherty's new show Shannen Says and I cannot wait. The more previews they release, the bitchier they are making her look, and I'm still a fan from her days on Charmed. I want to see how different Prudence Halliwell really was from Shannen Doherty, and judging by the few previews I have caught, the two are night and day. I digress though, I love them both. Can't wait. lol 

A side story (and the focus of next week's episode) has been Erica's contractions, which are coming a little too early. Which is why I thank goodness that these shows are taped months in advance; Erica went on to have a healthy delivery--I wouldn't want to have to wait with baited breath to find out if the baby was born healthy. 

Bitchy (smh) Review: If you are expecting this show to be like watching Bobby Jones on Sundays on BET, sorry to say you're not going to find it here. Born again or not, there's gonna be some craziness on this show for no other reason than that they are so busy trying to juggle it all. There's going to be more impromptu singing so that's something these shows have in common; if you enjoy watching shows that genuinely put God first and don't hide it in an effort to cater to the needs of all of its audience, then this show could be something good for you. If you don't want a break from the craziness, however, then Mary Mary probably isn't for you. Fitting to the theme that March goes in wild as a lion and leaves tamed, the shift from the wild Braxton atmosphere to the tamer, calmer environment of Mary Mary fits as well. I don't know if I'd watch this every week, but I'm interested enough to give it a go.

Bitchy Rating: 3 (out of 5)

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Bitchy Review: The Vanilla Ice Project

I don't remember what I was reading a couple of days ago, but I remember reading that Vanilla Ice had his own show on the DIY Network and thinking, "What the hell?" Little did I know, the guy's been renovating homes for 20 years. Long way from VH1's Surreal Life: Fame Games, isn't it? But I caught two episodes of the show today and you know what, I like it. He actually knows what he's doing, and I was expecting something like an Xzibit/Pimp My Ride kind of thing where he stands around, cracking not-so-funny jokes as the real workers do their jobs. I was so wrong. He knows exactly what he's doing, what increases the value of a home, and furthermore, looks right at home <-- pardon the pun-- while doing it.

The concept for the show is far from new, taking something busted and making it awesome, but I like the crew's delivery. The show is like a Pimp My Home and specializes in renovating each room in a home that will later be sold on the market. The price tag for these renovations isn't cheap either; the first episode I saw was about renovating a garage and the doors alone were $45,000. Yes, I said $45,000. Why so expensive? Not only are the doors genuine wood, but they're also impact and hurricane resistant. For a location like Florida, this is a very sound investment to make on the home, which will also increase its value should the owner decide to sell it. So even though the price is a very hefty one, because of the location I believe it's worth it. That's something that I like about this show; in addition to renovating the room and making it much better than it was, throughout the show you see what features help increase the value of the home, such as the hurricane garage doors. The next episode was about renovating a room and turning it into a game room, then renovating the spiral staircase leading upstairs. Vanill--er, Rob--got the idea to get a mural of ships from back in the 1600s painted on the wall lining the staircase, with an old-style map painted at the bottom of the staircase. The guy came in and really did the damn thing; it looked amazing. They even brought in the crew from Mega Dens to help renovate the game room and the finished product was awesome, if I may say so myself.

I have to admit that I tuned in at first because I wasn't expecting him to know much. That's my fault. lol I think many people might have that opinion before watching the show, and after reading a review right before I started mine, a fellow blogger felt the same way. Except Rob does know what he's doing, and does it quite well. But while the other blogger felt that his experience will contribute to the cons of the show (ironically), I disagree. I think for those who expected one of the most ridiculed rappers of all time to be a complete waste on this show, actually seeing that this is probably his niche will be a welcome surprise. I can see where dude is coming from, but speaking from the viewpoint of one of those who tuned in for that exact reason, expecting Rob not to know anything, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I couldn't have been more wrong. And that just goes to show that assumptions are no bueno.

Bitchy Review: At 30 minutes long, a lot goes on in the renovating of the rooms in this short time and its interesting to see it all come together. You can tell these guys like what they do, and they enjoy working together on these rooms. It's a little more interesting than While You Were Out or Trading Spaces, think Pimp My Ride meets Cribs: Renovation Edition. lol On a more personal note, watching the show is good for me because I think Rob is cute. lol These guys do really interesting stuff for these rooms and I know it sounds weird, but I actually enjoy that they shell out the bucks to create quality amenities, which ultimately increases the home. It does teach you a bit about how to squeeze an extra dime out of your home should you ever sell it. Not to mention they do explain what they're doing, so if there's a bit of a DIY'er in you and you have some bucks to spare, go for it. I like the show, just came into it rather late lol (it debuted almost 2 years ago, the second season is out now) and if you enjoy watching shows like this, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the Vanilla Ice Project.

Bitchy Rating: 3 (out of 5)

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Bitchy Review: Hollywood Girls Night

Check your local listings for airtimes

As I mentioned last week, Hollywood Girls' Night premiered on the TVGuide Network and once I was able to catch one of the replays, it was alright, but I could tell some of the chemistry at first was rather forced. I would have liked a little more talking, but the end segment of the show seemed kind of silly and this threw me off.

Again, as mentioned in last week's preview post, the debut brought out Tracey Gold, who most recently was on Celebrity Wife Swap, Kyle Richards from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and Sheryl Underwood, host of CBS's The Talk. The theme for the night's show was secrets, the first question being who the biggest star was that the women had had flings with. The only one that seemed to give us any juice was Sheryl, who without revealing names mentioned that throughout her numerous flings with men in Hollywood, she managed to snag a couple of men in 2 Presidential administrations, as well as a lead guitarist for a rock band. Who knew Sheryl even liked rock? 

Next, the ladies took it outside, where they ate dinner and played a guessing game where they each dropped a secret in a hat and the ladies took turns guessing whose secret belonged to whom. The secrets weren't necessarily salacious or anything; the deepest secret belonged yet again to Sheryl, who confessed that she hates nudity, even alone, and will not allow anyone else to see her nude either. I've never heard that from another woman before, but I guess you do learn something new everyday. Ali L. confessed that she and her now-husband agreed to remain abstinent with each other until their marriage, Tracey confessed that her husband is the first man she fell in love with. I don't remember the other secrets lol, but they were all pretty tame in nature. The end segment featured a cameo by celeb stylist Ken Paves, and he let them all in on some of his most popular hair pieces and wigs. Honestly, a couple of them looked foolish, but Ali Sweeney's turned out great. They're probably expensive as hell, this is Ken Paves we're talking about here, but they seem worth it because they're very easy to put in and remove. I wonder if they have these options for chicks with naptastic tendencies. lol That's the only part I found silly, watching these women try on fake hair and pretend to be so wow'ed by it--Kyle Richards has absolutely beautiful hair. She doesn't need any of that mess. I also found it hilarious that Ken didn't single out Sheryl like he did with a couple of the other women--he knows we're already all up on that road. LOL The wig he put on Ali didn't flatter her at all; it looked completely fake and I wondered why she she pretended to be so awed by it when she had to know it didn't look that good. I'll agree that Tracey looked good with the bang style that Ken put on her, but the coloring was off and the piece was no good either. She looks better with natural hair and natural bangs. Minus that, however, and it was alright.

One note that I took during the show was that Ali Sweeney has a hard time allowing people to talk. lol It annoyed me to watch a little, as she did this several times. I understand being excited while talking, but to continually cut in and not let people finish, even in a group setting, can get rather irritating after awhile.

Bitchy Review: Sometimes the talking and chemistry between some of the ladies seems rather forced, and that's a little off-putting, but in general this show is a nice break from the catty, demeaning reality shows that we've become accustomed to over the years. These women clearly don't hate each other, some don't even really know each other, and hopefully the changing themes of each episode bring a weekly variety to the show so that the audience doesn't become bored. I also like that 3 different women from Hollywood are invited to the show every week in addition to this theme; just in previews I've seen Robin Givens, Kendra Wilkinson & Daisy Fuentes, and I like that they're not using lame product placement strategies or blatant promoting/shilling during the episode either. For once, women seem to be getting together to do what we like to do best--eat, gossip, drink and laugh. I can get with that. Next show has a cameo from Perez Hilton; let's see what he brings to the table. If you've read his site, you already know his tongue is laced with sugar-tipped razors. At times it is hilarious, and depending on his target, is a riot. I can't say I'm waiting with baited breath to watch this show every week, but I don't mind popping in from time to time so I can be nosy. lol Anyway, if you're interested in seeing what certain ladies in Hollyweird are up to these days and want to learn a couple of things along the way or be inspired to create your own version of Hollywood Girls' Night with your friends, watch the show. If gabfests aren't you and you've had enough of shows that resemble The View or The Talk, keep switching.

Bitchy Rating:  3 (out of 5)

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