I’m excited. The movie “The City of Ember” will be out in October, and the studio released a trailer from the movie today. The City of Ember is a children’s book, and I read it for the first time just a couple months ago. I started reading it and didn’t put it down until I was finished. It was fascinating.

Click this link to go to The City of Ember website where you can read about it and see the trailer.

the City of Ember is about a city that was built deep underground. The book never tells us why the city was built underground and why there would be no way to leave it for over two hundred years. However those hundreds of years have passed, and Ember’s powerful generator is old and it is getting close to being beyond repair. Now, two young people are in a race against time, and they search the city of Ember for clues that will solve the mystery of Ember’s existence and allow them to leave ember - before the lights go out forever.

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It’s another “Celebrate Me Home” night. Tonight either Syesha Mercado, David Archuleta or David Cook will be sent home. It will be Syesha.

I have no doubt whatsoever that Syesha will go home.

The majority of the people who watch “American Idol” are young girls - and too many of the young girls are ga-ga over the Davids. With good reason. Both Davids are incredibly talented - and they’re both easy on the eyes - if you’re a teeny-bopper.

David Archuleta has that wide-eyed baby face.

Then David Cook has that edgy baby face.
Who will win the whole thing? I could argue for either of the Davids. I think David Cook will win. However, I can see David Archuleta winning and going on to have a Josh Groban type of career. His vocals seems so effortless - and he appears humble and appreciative of his fans.

Check back later. As soon as one of the three is sent home tonight, I will post it here.

UPDATE: Syesha went home. So the finale will be the two Davids. And I believe it will be a toss-up between the two of them.

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Well, Dancing With the Stars voted off the ONLY interesting couple left in the group. Kristi Yamaguchi HAS to be the most boring and bland contestant to ever be on the show. Jason is a close second to Kristi when it comes to being totally uninteresting. He’s tall and good-looking, and that’s fortunate because he sure couldn’t make it on his personality. Christian is much better than either Kristi and Jason, and his determination to keep competing despite his injured arm is admirable. I hope he wins the whole thing.

ABC should be proud to have produced THE most boring season of DWTS ever.

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The Bachelor: The Women Tell All. The show is starting. Stay tuned for updates every five minutes.

Stacey (about putting her panties in the bachelor’s pants pocket the first night): “I’m so embarrassed. That’s not me. I’m the sweetest girl, to be honest.” ANYTIME you have to say “to be honest” - you’re generally not.

Robin: “It IS a competition. I will fight for what I want. . . I”m not here to play fair. . . The girls are bitches.” Yep - Robin included.

Chris: “Were you there for the right reasons?”
That is THE one line that RT and I laugh about all the time. Everybody talks about whether or not people are on the show for “the right reasons.”

Marshana: The drama queen. Not much to say about her. She talks about other people (Robin) acting superior - and yet Marshana was the one who shook her finger at others and dismissed them. Buh bye.

Amanda is up next. I love the fact that when he said that everthing he’d said to her was true, she said “I don’t believe you.” I’m proud of her. But then she did the stupid “fake parents” joke, and that would have been enough, as far as I am concerned, for Matt to send her home. Oh I didn’t realize Amanda was the “meep” girl.

Matt is up next. Not much to say.

Stacey and the panties - can’t let that incident go.

The usual recap of Matt, Shane and Chelsea. I’m just not into this season that much. I don’t care who he picks. I DO think that Shane is more into this for the publicity and the boost to her acting career. Maybe she’s not in this for the right reasons. LOL!

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RT and I are watching Deal or No Deal Philippines, and it just doesn’t have the pizzazz of the American version. It is B-O-R-I-N-G. Deal or No Deal Philippines is so boring that after a long day of work, RT got up and started doing the dishes rather than watch it. Which is why I’m still sitting here. I don’t want to mess with a good thing.

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Here’s your American Idol spoiler for this week. This week’s results show of American Idol just ended. And I missed with both my predictions. I was certain that either Jason or Syesha would be eliminated. They weren’t - although Syesha was in the bottom two…with Brooke. Brooke was “celebrated” home - and boohooed through her farewell song. Buh bye, Brooke.

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Another night of American Idol. I”ll be blogging about it. So check back often for updates - at least every five minutes I’ll update what’s going on and what I think about it. I know there will be literally thousands of you who will be anxiously awaiting my thoughts and opinions about the contestants, their song choices and their performances. Yea! Another night of American Idol.

7:01 - The obligatory biography of Neil Diamond. Yawn.
7:06 - Jason Castro is up first. Each contestant will sing two songs, but they won’t be judged until after the second song. He’s singing “Forever in Blue Jeans” and “September Morn.”

“Forever in Blue Jeans” is the first one. I wonder why he’s singing in such a quiet voice. It’s about to put me to sleep. Let’s get a little enthusiasm in there, Jason!

My verdict: weak and uninspired.

7:12 - David Cook is up next. “I’m Alive” and “All I Need is You” - two fairly unfamiliar songs. Neil Diamond said “I got goose bumps” when David sang for him. First song is “I’m Alive.” It started out slow, but is getting better. Definitely getting better. I don’t think I’ve heard this song, but I like it.

My verdict: Not outstanding but better than average.

7:15 - Brooke White is next. Her two songs are “I’m A Believer” while she plays the guitar, and then “I Am, I Said” - playing the piano. First up - “I’m a Believer.” Her voice is kinda wavery tonight. Hmmm. I’m not being impressed.

My verdict: Nope - not inspiring at all. Totally forgetable.

7:21 - David Archuletta is up next. He’s singing “Sweet Caroline” and “America” I think he’s smart to select well known songs. “Sweet Caroline” is first. He’s definitely giving it his own spin.

My verdict: It was fair. Not outstanding but okay.

7:24 - Syesha is next: “Hello Again” and “Thank the Lord for the Nighttime.” With her Broadway style singing last week that got so much praise, I think she selected two good songs. “Hello Again” is first. What’s with all the folks down front swaying their arms back and forth. That looks so stupid, and they do it every week on any slow song. Well, Syesha is good but, again, forgettable.

My verdict: Sweet but boring.

7:28 - a quick assessment of the first round of songs. I agree 100% with what Simon said - which was basically what I wrote on my verdicts of each performance. Round 2 coming up after the commerical break.

Jason Castro: “September Morn” - Now THIS is truly a karaoke performance. I could use this performance as a sleep aid anytime. No emotion - b-o-r-i-n-g - a little pitchy at the end, too.
Randy: It was just okay. That was just another okay whatever performance - definitely not the best
Paula: I feel like it’s safe and you need to get out of your comfort zone
Simon: We don’t recognize you at the moment. You struggled through both songs. I think both songs were forgettable.

David Cook: “All I Need Is You” - Very slow start. I sure hope this gets better. RT’s comment: “I ain’t impressed!” I agree. Hmmm. Not impressive at all.
Randy: Again, you rocked the house again tonight.
Paula: I’m so proud of you…I feel like I”m already looking at the American Idol
Simon: I thought the first song was okay. I thought the second song was brilliant.

(I TOTALLY disagree. I thought the performance was a yawner)

Brooke White: “I Am, I Said”. I liked it.
Randy: Nice job!
Paula: It shows your vulnerability. That just works.
Simon: I really really hated the first song. This is the Brooke we like - sitting behind the piano singing a good song. It wasn’t incredible but it was a million times better than the first song.

David Archelleta: “America” Again, definitely his own take on the song. I like this.
Randy: For a young man, you’re definitely in the zone now.
Paula: This was the absolute perfect song for you to sing. I love you. You’re brilliant.
Simon: THAT was a smart choice of song. Check, check, check. Very good.

Syesha Mercado: “Thank the Lord for the Nighttime” I’m not being impressed with this.
Randy: I think you’ve finally realized who you are. That’s also in the zone.
Paula: First song - that’s your magic. Second song - that’s you theater performance place
Simon: You are a very good actress/singer. I think, however, you may be in trouble tonight.

I think either Jason or Syesha will go home tomorrow night.

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(Spoiler alert! April 28, 2008 episode)
I’m sitting here watching “The Bachelor” and Chelsea (Chelsey?) is the only one making any sense - but her “sensibility” is fading fast. Now she’s falling back into the typical woman-vying-for-the-bachelor mode. At first she was acting a little distant because she knew that Matt had just spent each of the past two nights with two different women. She’s the third in line. And yet she is supposed to act natural and share her feelings with this man who is kissing and making out and having sex with three women at the same time. Now she’s acting as goofy as the rest of them. Oh well, I knew the brief glimpse of common sense was too good to last.

Is it any wonder that these “Bachelor” relationships almost never work out long term.

Here’s the rose ceremony. Where’s Chris Harrison? Matt’s handling this rose ceremony by himself. So Matt gives the first rose to Shane. The second rose goes to Chelsey - which means that he dumped Amanda tonight. As Matt walks Amanda off to talk to her about why he is sending her home, Shane and Chelsey just stand there looking forlorn. Yea for Amanda. Instead of crying and acting like a complete wimp, she told Matt what she thought of his behavior - and when he told her that he meant everything he had said to her, she told him she didn’t believe him.

By the way, with the stupid practical joke with the fake parents that Amanda played on Matt last week, I’m surprised he didn’t send her home last week. I think he kept her the extra week just to show that he can take a joke. However, the joke was really bad. You don’t put someone you “love” in such an uncomfortable situation on national TV when you’re trying to win him over.

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I was in high school when “Dr. Zhivago” came out in 1965. I loved the movie. I bought the book. I loved the book, too. I researched the characters. When I read that the “Lara” in the story was a nickname for Larisa, I swore that if I ever had a daughter, I would name her Larisa. It was the most beautiful female name I’d ever heard.

One of the last scenes in the movie - Dr. Zhivago having a heart attack as he watches Lara walking past unaware that he’s there - the whole idea of lost and war-torn love. It was romantic, it was sad, it was emotionally wrenching, it was memorable.

Years passed, and RT and I had our first child - a girl. We named her Larisa. I still love the name - and always will. Now, for us, “Larisa” is so eternally wrapped around our sweet daughter with the dark curly hair and gorgeous brown eyes, and because of that, I love the name even more. I rarely think of the connection between our daughter’s name and “Dr. Zhivago.” It moved beyond that connection long ago. Our Larisa is definitely her own person - the CEO of a successful business, the mother of our two wonderful grandgirls, and someone I talk to every day.

There could not have been any more perfect actors to play the key roles in the movie. Omar Sharif and Julie Christie became Dr. Zhivago and Lara.

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Next week on “American Idol” the music of Neil Diamond will be featured, and Neil Diamond will be the mentor and coach of the remaining five contestants.

I looked at the official Neil Diamond website and found a page with all the Neil Diamong Songs listed, along with the lyrics to each one.

So here are MY choices of which songs each contestant should sing:
David Cook - Cherry, Cherry
David Archuletta - I’m a Believer or Play Me
Ayesha Marcada - Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show
Jason Castro - Thank the Lord for the Nighttime
Brooke White - You Don’t Bring Me Flowers or Play Me

So what do you think? I think I picked some great songs for the contestants. I took into consideration their voices and the type of song that they do best with. For Jason, I wanted to give him something a little upbeat and edgy because he keeps doing B-O-R-I-N-G songs. It’ll be fun to wait till next week and see which songs they choose

Click on the Neil Diamond Songslink, and let me know which songs you’d give each contestant.

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