Christina and Blake appeared to have solid ideas of what they wanted. In many cases, it seemed like their decisions were made before the knockout rounds started. And unlike Monday night, when the people who did something a little different made it through, last night it was the people who played it straight. Those who took risks in arrangement and song choice did not stay. (Christina’ Fighter is not a risky song choice, no matter how difficult to sing.) In some cases I disagreed with their decisions, but overall, think all the teams are strong going into the live shows.
Archive for October, 2012
The Voice: s3 Knockout Rounds Teams Adam & Cee Lo
30
Oct
The problem with the knockout rounds is the same as my problem with the battles. By having contestants go head to head, the coaches do NOT end up with the strongest teams. Sometimes, a person who wows is sent home because they went up against someone just a little bit stronger while the very next battle, someone mediocre stays because their opponent was just a little bit worse. This was more apparent on team Cee Lo than team Adam, but it was there.
I do think they ended with good teams, just not the strongest teams they could have had.
MythBusters Halloween Special (s9, ep4)
29
Oct
My favorite thing about last night’s episode was that it is apparently easier to maneuver a dead body than a corresponding bundle of the same weight, and that the reasons you would think it might be harder (awkward shape, limbs, etc) is what actually makes it easier. It turns out that while friends help you move, you don’t really need real friends to help you move bodies.
Last night was one of the few nights when I was happy I am not a Mythtern (can they really be called that anymore). No scorpions or snakes for this girl, thank you.
Blog Feature: Oh, Corbin
27
Oct
On some level, it’s kind of nice to realize I haven’t featured one of my favorite blogs, yet. it makes writing easy. Corbin is a beautiful Pit mix who is one of the happiest dogs around. He often shares his happiness with foster dogs, almost all of them also Pit mixes- and guess what, everyone is happy and playful and gets along just fine.
Oh, Corbin is mostly told from Corbin’s point of view, though he occasionally lets ‘the mama” write something. This post, from two weeks ago, has almost no words, though, and is absolutely one of my favorites.
Your Money Friday: Peer to Peer Lending
26
Oct
Have you ever considered peer to peer lending? We’ve been investing with Prosper for almost 6 years. Overall, we’ve lost money, though part of that is because we were invested during the major economic downturn. Over the last year, our returns are positive.
However, each state has it’s own laws about whether or not their residents can invest with Prosper, so even if you love the idea, your state may not allow it.
Remember that peer to peer lending is an investment and it carries the same risks all investments do- the possibility of great returns or losing it all.
Mind over Pain
25
Oct
What would you think if your doctor gave you the option of virtual pain relief? You might be concerned that “virtual” pain relief would not relieve anything, but for those who are concerned about developing an addiction to powerful narcotics, the option might be very welcomed.
Enter SnowWorld, a virtual reality game that is played by burn patients during their daily would care- care that can be more painful than getting the burn itself. SnowWorld gives the patient something else to focus on, and does it so well that they often feel less pain than they did when taking drugs.
The Voice- s3 Battle Rounds 6
24
Oct
Final night of the battle rounds! It did not disappoint. Every battle they showed was good. Even the battle that had a clear winner had two really strong performances. On some level, though, the drama was diminished by no one other than Christina having any steals left.
I am a little bummed that the knockout rounds will once again be head to head competition. Unless the coaches decide to treat this like a basketball tournament pairing their best singers against the worst, there’s still a good chance that the teams won’t actually end up with the 5 best singers left.
The Voice- s3 Battle Rounds 5
23
Oct
Last night’s episode was a little disappointing. I didn’t think the “Whataya Want from Me” performance was good. It made me wish a coach could choose no one. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the “Free Your Mind” performance (though both of those singers were good), as it seemed like the girls were screaming the song. I remember the original version of that song- it doesn’t need to be screamed. It made me wonder how bad the three battles they didn’t show us were. But the battle rounds are almost over, and soon we’ll see the new knockout round.
Seattle Restuarant Week Reviews
22
Oct
We have gone out twice for Seattle Restaurant week.
First was ART restaurant and lounge in the Four Seasons hotel. The house made, curried potato chips were delicious, as were our appetizers and deserts. The main courses were kind of bland. They were not bad, but nothing to write home about. The service, however, was excellent. If I wanted to impress someone, ART would be high on my list.
Second was Monsoon East inBellevue. They serve both traditional Chinese style food and curries. The food was good but not enough better than most places to pay their regular prices.
Blog Feature: What Your Boss Really Thinks
20
Oct
This week I want to highlight a fairly new blog, written by someone I already adore. It is called What Your Boss Really Thinks. As someone in middle management- I am a boss and have a boss, I love this blog. In fact, I am having a hard time writing about it this morning instead of just going in and commenting on every single post.
The one I want to highlight today is about telling a manager you have gotten a better job offer, especially if what you really want is a counteroffer. Attitude matters, and you can’t have one.