After a perfectly dismal holiday season, things are looking up. The first two weeks of 2001 brought us two new reality TV shows: ABC’s The Mole and FOX’s Temptation Island. These programs couldn’t be more different from one another.

The Mole is intelligent, intriguing and engaging. The contestants must band together in physical and intellectual challenges, all the while trying to figure out who among them is “the mole,” a fake contestant whose job it is to sabotage the game.

Temptation Island, on the other hand, pits its players against, well, temptation. Four couples, wanting to test their relationships, have been sent to paradise and then split apart, only to be surrounded by leering hotties of the opposite gender. It’s slightly mean-spirited and deliciously voyeuristic, but it’s not what I was hoping. A mixed-gender batch of potential temptations would have made things much more interesting.

Later this month, we get Survivor 2 - yippee! And on that note, Venturi and I finally managed to get out of the house and into the city, in time to catch the last night of Christmas lights on KC’s exquisite Country Club Plaza. On a quest for body jewelry and latex, we got lost in the Kansas Outback before making our way downtown. I was more hungry for architecture than I’d realized, and a terra-cotta school building out in the middle of nowhere had me panting. The first glimpse of the city on the horizon had me literally drooling.

Then, on a whim, Venturi went in a different direction so we could drive over a cool bridge. As we crossed the Kansas River, a bald eagle flew low overhead. We were speechless. As beautiful as the plaza lights were, they couldn’t compete with that stunning sight.

The last weekend of this month, we’ll be going to a different city - Austin! After three months, gooey and Mishi will be reunited for a weekend of fun, frolic, and Rent. Woo hoo! Assuming we all survive, we’re bound to have some good stuff for you. Stay tuned!

xoxoxo,
Mishi (and gooey, who’s putting in major overtime at work so she can afford those Rent tickets)

There’s not much to report this week - at last, the holiday season is behind us, and maybe life will begin to resemble normal (whatever that means).

For now, here are a few tips to make future holidays go more smoothly:

• If evergreen garland is nearly dry when hung, it will be very dry when taken down.
• Do not attempt to burn more than one duraflame® log at a time.
• When driving in winter weather, the rims of the wheels on your vehicle are not an acceptable substitute for chains.
• Vacuum cleaner belts must be ordered before Christmas Day to ensure delivery by Christmas Day.
• You are not a better singer on New Year’s Eve than you are any other day of the year. Bear this in mind when contemplating a Karaoke performance.
• Dogs should not eat Silly Putty®.

Until next time, be well!

xoxoxo,
gooey & Mishi