Toby Keith - Do We Really Need More Sleeveless Shirts?

I've never been a big Toby Keith fan, and became even less of one when I heard that he only supported Obama in the presidential race in order to drum up publicity for his new movie "Beer for My Horses." There is so much I can say about both this situation, and the title of that film.

But right now I'm going to talk about the fact that is was announced today that he will be coming out with is own clothing line. The line, which he plans to market to Target, Wal-Mart, Kohl’s and Macy’s, will feature long-sleeve shirts, t-shirts, polos, sweatshirts, jeans, cowboy hats, baseball caps, bandanas, belts, leather wrist straps (???) and ... several types of sleeveless shirts. Question: How many different types of sleeveless shirts are there, other than the white trash kind?

Well, if any of you Las Vegans are interested, he will launch his line February 18th at his restaurant I Love This Bar & Grill in Harrah’s Las Vegas. Oh goodie.

What Super Bowl? It's All About the Puppy Bowl!

For those of you who don't care about either team in this year's Super Bowl (including yours truly), then don't forget about the Puppy Bowl! For the fifth year, Animal Planet will host its yearly canine competition on Super Bowl Sunday. Which is basically just cute little puppies playing with chew toys on a make-believe football field. But it's so gosh darn fun to watch. I mean come on, I would take watching puppies over John Madden any day. You can even make fantasy picks and vote for the MVP (Most Valuable Puppy). They are even going to have a parrot sing the National Anthem for Pete's Sake ... how can you NOT watch this? Plus, every puppy featured in Puppy Bowl is recruited from a local shelter, so all of them are looking for a good home.

For those cat people out there, there will also be a Kitty Half-Time Show. The games kick off on the Animal Planet Channel at 3pm Eastern and Pacific Time.

Verse of the Day

Today's verse is courtesy of me getting my tax return! The early bird catches the worm ... or in my case, the early bird gets to pay off her credit card.

Proverbs 21:20 - "The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get."

See, I'm Not the Only One!

My first post ever on this blog, which urged people to shut up in movie theaters, may have made me out to seem cranky (and trust me, I am at times). But I know I'm not the only one who gets annoyed in movie theaters. Just take the article from this week's Las Vegas Weekly, entitled: "Old Ladies, Please! Drama at the Movie Theater," in which the writer tells the story of her trying to see "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" over the weekend, but was distracted because a group of 80-year-old women came in late, and then argued throughout the film. Seriously.

Don't believe me? Read it here for yourself!

You Know You Live In Vegas When ... (Part 1)

Foreword: This is a secondhand story from my dear friend Kim, who actually didn't witness it herself, but a friend told her about it. So I guess it would make this a thirdhand story? 

Seen working out at the gym this past Sunday morning: A stripper (at least we can assume she's a stripper) wearing high stripper heels while working out. After working out, she changed into Ugg boots. 

Let's think about this for a second. If you were to forget to bring your work-out shoes to the gym, and HAD to work out in alternate shoes, would you pick: a) six inch clear stripper heels or b) Ugg boots. Hmmm ...  

Crazy Super Bowl Bets

There aren't a lot of things I like about living in Las Vegas, but one thing I do like is the fact that you can bet on every single sport possible. I'm not a big better, but after reading about some of the crazier Super Bowl bets this year, I may just put some money down. Here are some of my favorites (and yes, these are real - you can actually bet on these!):

1. How long will it take for Jennifer Hudson to sing the National Anthem? (she usually lasts over 2 minutes)

2. How many different food types will John Madden mention? (the better bet would be, how many times will he mention Brett Favre)

3. What songs will Bruce Springstein sing during halftime?

4. What type of celebration will the player perform after the game's first touchdown? (spike football, bicep flex, backflip or pretend to talk on the opposing team's phone like Donovan McNabb)

5. What color Gatorade will be poured on the winning team's coach?

Verse of the Day

Luke 1:37 - "Nothing is impossible with God."

Real Desperate Housewives of OC

How I love thee, "Real" Housewives of Orange County. Not because you're you, but because the days following each episode I get to read about you getting bashed over and over again all over the Internet.

First, let me preface by saying that I'm from Orange County, and while I hate to admit it, there actually are people who act like this. I promise, there are normal people there. But there's also that small percentage of complete idiots who make the rest of us look ridiculous, and they of course are the people they profile on television. I'm sure the same goes for Atlanta and New York City, the two other cities with Housewives shows. At least I hope Atlanta isn't full of people like Kim.

Anyway, I'm not going to say much about last night's episode, other than the fact that I threw up in my mouth a little bit when Vicki said, "my boobs want to come out and play" and sat on her friend's husband's lap. Ew. There's not much more for me to say because this blog says it all. This is seriously one of the best blogs ever. I can't wait to go on it every Wednesday and see what Gilmore has drawn about our OC crazies. His portraits of the ladies are absolutely priceless and right on.

Jessica Simpson: Not Fat, Just Dumb

So all these pictures have been surfacing this week about how much weight Jessica Simpson has gained. I have never liked the girl, but I do feel bad for her because I really do just think she was wearing the ugliest pair of "mom" jeans on the planet. Although this kind of stuff is actually funny (I know, I'm a horrible person). I'm sure if we saw her in person, she would look completely normal. And we wonder why the anorexic/bulimia rate continues to rise ...

Anyway, no, I do not like Jessica Simpson, but not because she may have gained a few pounds. She's one of my least favorite celebs because:

a) She's dumb
b) She's not talented (although she's moreso that her ridiculously lame sister Ashlee)
c) She's dating (supposedly) the Dallas Cowboys quarterback (do we really need a reason other than this?)

Oh Snuggie, How I Love You!

You have no idea how happy this article in today's USA Today made me! The Snuggie, infamously known for the absolute tackiest infomercial known to man, has become a pop culture phenomenon!

In case you don't know what a Snuggie is (and I don't know how this is possible) it's an oversized fleeze blanket with sleeves. Can you believe that 4 million Snuggies have been sold?!? 4 million!!! Actually, this shouldn't be too hard to imagine, considering that some places in the Mid West and Back East have had temperatures as low as 50 below!

I am seriously considering getting a Snuggie. Not only because I will look awesome, but because I am one of the cheapest people you'll ever meet. It's gotten pretty chilly in Vegas (if you can believe it, it even snowed the week before Christmas). But even with temps in the 30's, I still refuse to turn on my heat. Instead, I will lift weights and work out in front of the TV, and pile on as many layers of sweatshirts and blankets as possible. If I had the Snuggie, I wouldn't need to do all of this and I'd still be warm and cozy. For only $20! Hmmm ... the only decision I need to make now is what figuring out what color Snuggie to get ...

Driving Pet Peeves (Part 2)

In Nevada, as in most states, the speed limit on the freeway is 65 miles per hour. Not 50 miles per hour. And not 100 miles per hour. Please, if you are driving 50 MPH on the freeway, get off and use side streets. Or at least stay in the right lane. And if you are driving 100 MPH, then you should also get off the freeway because you are clearly way too awesome to be driving amongst us mortals.

Remember, if you tailgate me, I will brake. And then when you try to go around me, I will speed up. Yes, I really am one of those drivers.

Update: My cutie cop friend just warned me that I shouldn't do this, and should always move to the right when a fast car is approaching in the left lane. Even if I do want to brake and mess with the dummy driver. But I am a law-abiding citizen, so I will post this as a warning.

Verse of the Day

Isaiah 40:31 - "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

This has always been one of my favorites. And it talks about Eagles - a verse can't get much better than that! When my sister and I toured the Eagles locker room back in October, the highlight was Brian Dawkin's locker, as he had this verse plastered all over. Along with action figures. Gotta love it.

Nevada Legalizing Prostitution?

So it's no news that our country is in a financial crisis, and the state of Nevada is no exception. Last week Governor Jim Gibbons announced his budget proposal, which included significant cuts to our local education system to avoid tax increases. Nevada already ranks as one of the worst states in terms of education, so you can imagine the backlash the Governor has been receiving for wanting to cut even more funds for education.

Now people are coming back with alternative ways to help the budget, and one of the proposed ideas is to legalize prostitution in Las Vegas and other urban areas of the state where it's currently illegal.

When I first heard about this, I immediately thought no no no! What are people thinking?!? But I've been hearing people talk about it, and as crazy as it seems, are there some valid arguments about the legalization of brothels and such in Vegas.

First off, it's going to happen anyway. Walk up the strip right now and you'll be handed tacky pamphlets or see a sign for "girls direct to your room." Now, what do you really think that means? Do you think the girl is getting paid to hang out with you in your hotel room, drink Shirley Temples and play checkers? Uh, no. These girls and their pimps are making a TON of money off Vegas tourists - you know, the business man in town for a convention who wants to have a little fun while he's away from home. It is HORRIBLE to think that this happens, but it does. Yet, the working girls don't have to pay any taxes on what they make, because technically what they are doing is illegal. If prostitution were made legal, the government would be able to earn more money on taxes from services rendered.

Secondly, a lot of our local cops' time is spent tracking down and arresting prostitutes and their pimps. The crime rate in this city ain't going down anytime soon, so it could be beneficial for our local law enforcement to be fighting other crime instead of spending their time hunting hookers.

Even with these arguments, there is still a part of me that could never argue FOR the legalization of prostitution. The "they're going to do it anyway" argument doesn't hold that strong. I mean, then we could say the same thing about drugs. Why don't we just legalize those since people are going to buy/sell them anyway? Plus, even though it's the oldest profession in history, there is just something WRONG about the whole thing. As a woman, I could never imagine having to resort to doing that in order to make money. God help me if I were ever that desperate for money. And if we legalize prostitution, then that's sending the message that it's ok to do that, when in my heart I know it's wrong.

Driving Pet Peeves (Part 1)

I'm going to provide everyone with what I consider to be a public service announcement for driving. I've noticed that people don't use this certain instrument in their car when driving, so I thought I'd give a refresher.

There is a tool in your car called a turn signal. It is also known as an indicator or blinker. It is located to the right of your steering column. You can push it up or down, and it will make the lights blink on the outside of your car, depending on if you are going right or left. The signal should be used when you are either turning, or want to switch lanes. It is a courtesy to use your signal so that other drivers around you know what you're planning to do. For example, it will let them know that you are planning on turning right at the next street or light instead of just randomly stopping in the middle of the road.

Now that you know what a turn signal does ... USE IT!!!

Also, I should point out that once your signal has served its purpose, turn it off. There is nothing more annoying than driving behind a car that's had its signal on for 10 miles.

Gym Pet Peeves (Part 3)

Since I'm on such a roll with gym pet peeves today, I might as well continue. Here's just a simple list of all the annoying things people do at the gym that make me want to scream:

1. People who talk on their cell phones while working out, or even bring their cell phones to the gym in the first place. Honey, if you're not there to work out, then don't come at all.

2. People who walk around and talk to other people the whole time, but you never see them actually work out.

3. People who sit on the machines for hours on end talking to each other (or on their cell phone) but you never see them actually work out.

4. Women who wear make up/do their hair for the gym (this one is so annoying, I wrote a completely separate blog for it). This also includes women who wear Juicy Couture sweatsuits to work out. Really? I love me some Juicy, but there's no place for it at the gym.

5. Guys who are only at the gym to hit on girls. There's a reason I have headphones on. And that reason is that I'm here to work out and not talk to you.

6. Women who walk around the locker room naked. Sorry boys, but it's never the type of ladies you want to see naked. That's totally fine if you want to shower at the gym, but let's quickly dry off and get dressed. I don't need to see your boobies or hoo-ha. I have these, thank you very much. (Guys, I'm sure you have the same awkward situation with the guy who let's it all hang out. Just put it away.)

7. People who ask the gym employees to change the channel on the TV. I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were the only person in the gym! God forbid you care about what other people are watching. I happen to like country music videos! And seriously, out of the 10 TV's at the gym, do half of them really need to be set to ESPN?

8. People who don't bring sweat towels with them. It's always the nasty, smelly guy too who just worked out on the machine that I want to use. Ew.

9. People who insist on getting the closest parking spot to the front entrance, even though they are going to the gym to work out. You are about to walk on the treadmill for a half hour. Walking an extra ten feet out front isn't going to kill you.

10. People who do cardio for 3 hours at a time. Seriously, there's a lady in my spin class who does cardio before and after spin class. I can barely walk after class, nonetheless think about doing more cardio. Really dear, enough is enough.

11. When there are 50 open cardio machines, yet someone decides to get on the one right next to me.

I think that's a good top 11 list to start with. I'm sure I'll think of tons more, and let me know what gym pet peeves you have! (PS: I stole this photo from my brother. Do I really need to explain why?)

Gym Pet Peeves (Part 2)

I need to get off my chest something I have been complaining about for quite some time. I LOVE my spin class every Tuesday and Thursday morning. It's one of the most amazing work outs, especially after eating a ridiculously large brunch. 

But as long as I've been going to this particular class, there has been something that has been bothering me. Actually, it's someone. And I think after I describe him, you will know exactly what I'm talking about and say "a-ha!" because EVERY gym has this guy.

It's the guy who thinks he's encouraging you by screaming out loud in the middle of class, but he's really just annoying and embarrassing himself. First off, this guy's outfit is completely Spandex. Which, I'm sorry, should make anyone uncomfortable. Unless you're a Cirque du Soleil performer, leave the Spandex at home. Second, the guy gets to class AT LEAST 15 minutes late every class. Come on ... If you come every week, you should know when the class starts. Really? 

But the most annoying part about this guy is that he feels the need to yell out in the middle of class. Sometimes it's "yeah, yeah, yeah!" or "come on!" which is fine for the class instructor to say (and even when she does it, it gets annoying). But then he seems to get irritated when no one else in the class is being as loud and annoying as him. "Come on, am I the only one awake this morning? I must be the only one really working hard!" Now, when I'm in spin class, I usually get in a zone and it would take a lot for me to get off the bike. But there have been multiple occasions where I've wanted to leap off my bike and slap this guy silly. 

He also feels the need to say comments (which I imagine he thinks are funny, but they are just altogether lame) about the songs we are spinning to. Like one time we were spinning to "Lady Marmalade" and the part where Christina Aguilera sings about "all her sisters," this guy also feels the need to yell out "come on all my sisters!" (because he's the only guy in class. Yes, I think it's weird for a guy to be in spin class. Doesn't it hurt your junk? Really?) Plus, this guy couldn't get any whiter, so for him to be yelling out stuff like "you go girl" and "there you go sister" is just plain inappropriate. 

Again, I love this spin class, but having this guy in there ruins my workouts. On the rare occasion that he doesn't show up, my work outs are so much better. So Spandex guy, if you're out there please - a) wear looser clothes and b) keep your cheering to a minimum. 

Remember Kids: ASSUME = Makes an ASS out of U and ME (but mostly U)

I love being an American. I love having the freedom to express my own opinions about religion, politics, etc. without any fear. 

Lately, Nevada has become a lot more "blue" in its voting patterns and for the first time in years, the state elected the Democratic presidential candidate. I completely understand why some people chose to vote for this candidate and have no problems with their opinions. I realize that I am in the minority when it comes to what political party I belong to and who I supported in this past election.

HOWEVER ... Just because the majority of the country voted for Obama in this past election, doesn't mean that all of us were full of joy on inauguration day. Yes, it was day that went down in the history books and blah blah blah. But I wasn't too excited about it, and appreciated that most people who didn't rub this in my face. For the most part, everyone I come in contact with respects my beliefs, even if they don't necessarily agree with them. 

But there are a select few out there who ASSUME that everyone thinks the same way as them. On inauguration day, I had someone call me regarding a business-related matter and the first thing he said was "Happy Obama Day! Isn't today great?" Well, no, actually it isn't for some people, including me, who didn't vote for him. Well, this guy could not BELIEVE that I didn't vote for Obama. He then proceeded to ask me how I could work in the entertainment industry if I was a Republican, and how I could possibly have any friends. I don't know this person well enough to know if he was kidding, but it doesn't matter because he was RUDE! You shouldn't go around assuming everyone thinks the same exact way as you, and then call them out when they disagree with you. In addition, this was a business-related call. Not a friendly chat. And as far as I'm concerned, the two things you never talk about at work are religion and politics. There's just too much drama when you go there. Trust me, I know this from experience. Not pretty! 

I vividly remember a junior high math teacher who was explaining the basics of geometry, and one day in class he wrote this equation: ASSUME = ASS out of U and ME. I don't remember a lot of things I learned in junior high, high school, college and even last week, but I do remember this. Yes, of course everyone wants people to agree with them and everyone thinks that THEIR opinion is the right one. But guess what, we're never going to agree on everything and as cliche as this sounds, we're just going to need to "agree to disagree." But NEVER EVER assume that the person sitting next to you agrees with you. It's just plain rude and creates extremely awkward situations. Plus, you end up looking like ... well, an ass.   

Finally, a Rave

I started this blog today, already posted 3 blogs, and all of them have been rants. I must sound like the crankiest person ever. I do like things - I promise!

Case in point. I went to the new Sunday brunch at Simon at Palms Place this past Sunday. I don't even know if there's a word in the dictionary to describe how freaking good this was! I've always liked Kerry Simon's food - he's so creative and fun with his dishes. And Sunday brunch was no exception. First off, all of the waiters were wearing their pajamas. How fun is that?!? I was a little confused by the "pajamas" of some of the hostesses though. The girls were super cute, but were wearing men's dress shirts and ties with high heels. Hmm ... It was like a slutty form of Tom Cruise in "Risky Business." Also, the female bartenders were wearing slutty nurses outfits. Where do these people buy their pajamas? I've stopped wondering about stuff like this, though. This is Vegas after all. 

Anyway, the brunch has both buffet-style stations and a menu you can order from. But don't let the stations confuse you - this ain't your grandma's Vegas buffet. There were made-to-order smoothies, fruit and granola parfaits, sushi, miso soup, shrimp and sandwiches. Then off the menu we ordered little pieces of heaven called pigs and a blanket, and then each of us ordered our own dish for breakfast. I got an egg white omelet, which was dumb. If I was already eating all the rest of the crap in front of me, what's the point in trying to eat healthy? You might as well just make the whole meal an artery clogger and try to work it off later. Anyway, my friend Diana got the most amazing French Toast I've ever tried. It was encrusted with ... wait for it ... FROSTED FLAKES! Like I said, way to go Kerry Simon. 

The meal ended with a dessert platter. I know what you are thinking. After stuffing your face with all of the above, how can you even think about dessert? Well, if you saw this platter, you wouldn't dream of passing it up either! Plus, the whole buffet has a flat fee of $38 per person, so you might as well get everything that comes with it. Dessert made me feel like I was a kid again ... it had everything from brownies to chocolate chip cookies to COTTON CANDY! Yes, that's right. A big old bowl of pink cotton candy.

I would like to point out that today is Tuesday and I am STILL full from Sunday's brunch. It was worth every penny. And every calorie. 

That's Crappy!

One of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas is go running outside. The weather is pretty good (for at least half of the year) and we have awesome trails and beautiful scenery to look at. 

The weather here has been unseasonably warm lately, so I decided to go for a run Saturday morning around Henderson. I had the new Britney album on my iPod and would have had the perfect run except for one thing ... At least five times during my run, I had to step into the street or completely change directions because someone couldn't figure out how to pick up their dog's poo. 

Ok, let's get one thing straight. No one likes picking up dog poo. It's not pleasant. I will never argue against this. What I will argue about is the fact that it's not difficult to pick up the poo. Is it that hard to bring a plastic shopping bag with you when you're walking your pooch? Go to any pet store these days and you'll find all kinds of nifty bags for picking up crap. They even clip onto the leash or your belt so you don't have to hold them. Some cities even provide plastic bags to dispose of your dog's waste, usually on some of the more popular walking paths.

With all of these convenient options, there is NO excuse not to clean up after your pet. How rude and disrespectful of others can you be? No one likes to step in dog poo (at least no one I know of). So why would you leave your dog's crap behind? Do you not care about what happens to others? Furthermore, dog waste that isn't picked up usually ends up in our drainage systems. Well, that's just great. Like we don't have enough issues with the world's water supply these days. Now I have to worry about potentially drinking dog crap. 

Puppy picture courtesy of Ms. Libby Frey at around 4 months old. 

Gym Pet Peeves (Part 1)

I'm giving this a "part 1" because I know I have so many pet peeves about the gym, it will take several posts to cover them all. But let's start with what I saw this morning ... 

I go to the gym around 5:30 or 6 every morning. And I look like HELL when I go. Why? Because it's 5:30 or 6 in the morning. It is still dark out. There is no need to do anything in the morning besides roll out of bed, brush my teeth and put on my shoes. 

Yet this morning when I walked into the gym, I noticed two separate women who were wearing more make up on their face than I've worn in the past week altogether. And their hair looked like they had spent a good hour on it. One lady was doing one of the leg weight machines, and the other was on the stair climber, although it looked more like she was window shopping through the mall with a vacant look in her eyes. And they were both wearing pink. Hot pink. Really? This is not the first color I want to see in the morning. Or any time throughout the day for that matter. 

I just don't get it. If you're going to the gym, you might as well work hard and sweat. I mean, you're already there, why not make good use of your time there. What purpose does it serve you to slather your face with an inch of foundation and hairspray your hair up in an intricate do? I know there's some good looking guys at the gym, but any guy in his right mind is concentrating on working out that early in the morning, and not on picking up chicks. And if he's not, he's a complete douche (I will save this subject for a separate post entirely). 

Both women were in the cougar age range, so I get it that you want to look your best for you potential little cubs. But do that when you're going out to Hank's or Blue Martini after work for Happy Hour (all of you Las Vegans out there know what I'm talking about!) 

For the Second Time: Shhh ... I'm Trying to Watch a Movie!

I decide to start my own blog based on a blog I posted on my company's website yesterday. I was able to post this rant because it is related to the industry I'm in, and because I felt like I was providing people with a public service. So my first rant on my own blog will be about the same subject: why people cannot stay quiet in movies! So, here goes: 

When you go to see a movie ... SHUT UP! Seriously. I have been to 3 movies in the past week, and in each movie, people cannot seem to shut up. And it's not just whispering, it's people talking out loud in the middle of the movie. Asking each other what just happened, or what is going to happen, or what s0-and-so actor just said. I understand that movies oftentimes leave us confused. Being a blonde, I have been left in the dark many-a-time. However, this is no excuse to disrupt the movie watching of other patrons. Movies cost at least $10 per person these days, and I would really prefer to enjoy my film watching experiences without having someone in the seat behind me chit-chat throughout the entire movie.

Furthermore, has anyone noticed that the screen before previews which reminds people to turn off their cell phones is lasting longer and longer? And yet people still haven't figured out how to turn off their phones. Really? It's 2009. Cell phones have been in popular use for over 10 years now. It should be second nature to switch off your cell phone when entering a movie theater. During two movies this week, someone's cell phone not only rang in the middle of the movie ... THEY ACTUALLY ANSWERED IT AND STARTED HAVING A CONVERSATION! In the middle of the movie! I'm sorry, did I miss something? Did we suddenly all land on a planet where it's ok to be rude and completely dismissive of other people?

And don't even get me started on people bringing their babies and young kids into completely inappropriate movies. 

Please people. I'm begging you to be more respectful of others when going to the movies, theaters, etc. (even church for Pete's sake ... do you really need your cell phone in the house of the Lord?!?) In these crazy times, movies can be our saving grace and escape from reality. It has always been one of my favorite past times. I would hate for anyone to ever hesitate going to the movies because they are afraid their movie-watching experience will be ruined by a handful of disrespectful patrons. Let's all help each other have the best time possible at the movies!