Tivo this: “Undercover Boss”

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by kchristieh in tv, work

When I studied Industrial Engineering, it seemed like everything was reduced to an acronym. Even simple concepts were reduced to three- or four-letter words. I thought that the silliest was MBWA: Management by Walking Around. Isn’t it obvious that you’ll be a better manager if you get out of your office and find out what’s going on at all levels? It’s probably the oldest management technique that exists. Apparently not everyone follows it, however, which is why the new reality show, “Undercover Boss,” is able to find company presidents whose eyes are opened to what’s really going on when they go undercover in their own organizations.

Although it’s sad that these people haven’t taken the time to do this before the show filmed them, I’m impressed that they cared enough to participate and air their company’s dirty laundry in order to make things better. The first episode followed Larry O’Donnell, the President and COO of Waste Management. He spent five days at different locations doing everything from picking up garbage on a windy hillside to accompanying a garbage truck on its daily run. He learned that directives to increase productivity were having unintended consequences such as not allowing female truck drivers to use a restroom on the route, and that staff reductions were forcing some people to do that work of five people. He met a man whose attitude towards cleaning out portable restrooms is so sunny that he inspires everyone who works with him. At the end of the show, O’Donnell brought all the people he met to the company headquarters, and when he revealed who he really was, he also promised to take what he’d learned and who he’d met to make the company better.

Last night’s episode followed Hooters’ CEO, Cody Brooks. He took over the management of the company from his father, who founded it. His father was very hands-on, and was known for visiting different stores and facilities, but Brooks hadn’t done much of that before this show. Like many women, I’m not a fan of Hooters, and this show didn’t change my mind. When a company calls women “girls”, dresses them in tight shirts with big owl’s eyes reminiscent of breasts, and has a “Humps Ahead” sign in its boardroom, I don’t consider them to be very respectful of women. I was amazed that Brooks didn’t realize the extent to which women don’t like his restaurants, but I wasn’t surprised that this company image would foster a restaurant manager who would “inspect” the “girls” before each shift and make them play “reindeer games” where they’d have to eat beans off a plate without their hands or utensils. I’m happy that Brooks had his eyes opened to what is really going on in his company and the image it has with the public, but I think it’ll be tough to surmount Hooters’ reputation.

I look forward to next Sunday’s show, which features 7-11 CEO Joe Depinto. I doubt this series will be able to continue for very long, because it’ll be harder to convince workers that a trainee with a camera crew isn’t being filmed for a reality show.

Here’s what I think the next reality show should be: “Undercover Student.” I wish someone would put a hidden camera on a student at an American high school, and see what happens on a regular day. Although there are, of course, wonderful stories of learning and friendship that take place, I’m stunned at some of the stories I hear from my kids. Perhaps I’ll blog about that in June, 2011.

Note: If you missed the first few episodes of “Undercover Boss” you can view them on the CBS website.

Take me back to the Mac shack

Posted on 29. Sep, 2009 by kchristieh in my life, technical, things that bug me, tv, work

When my husband and I first met, we were poor graduate students. We were happy eating ramen (me) and Kraft Mac & Cheese (him), as long as we were together. (awww!) I’ve always considered it a blessing that we fell in love when we had so few material possessions, as our expectations of the relationship weren’t based on finances.

But over the years, there’s one thing I’ve come to depend upon: my internet connection. It’s impossible to be a website designer or serial volunteer without a fast, reliable connection. I’ve told my husband many times that I’d be fine living in a much smaller abode as long as I have my computer and a good internet connection. (and my dog, and my pillows)

I may have to test that promise. Although I live in a thoroughly modern Los Angeles suburb, I have nearly given up on having a decent internet connection. My internet provider, Charter Communications, was fine for many years, but since this summer my internet connection has become increasingly unreliable. I’ve had countless technicians come out to fix it, but thus far they’ve only made things worse. Last Wednesday the same technician came to our house twice: after the first time the connection went down four times within the next hour, and after the second time our television signal was lost, even though we hadn’t previously had a problem with our signal. Every day since then, Charter has told me they’d have a technician here, and every day has come and gone without a technician servicing us. Tomorrow marks a week since we lost our signal, and I’m not holding my breath that it’ll be fixed by then.

I gave up last night, and decided to switch to AT&T. Unfortunately, AT&T doesn’t provide high speed internet service to our area, so the speed they promise, 768 KBps, isn’t much faster than a dial-up modem. I want reliability, but I don’t want the speeds I gave up in the last millennium.

I’m writing an email to Charter Vice President / General Manager Fred Lutz. () He makes a big deal out of how important customer service is to Charter. I agree: it should be important. I just wish it were. Hopefully this will be resolved soon. If not, maybe I’ll even call him. . Or even worse, I’ll have my attorney husband call him. He misses his football much more than I do.

Many thanks to Amy B. for paying attention to Mr. Lutz’s email address and phone number when he recently appeared on our local cable news program.  :)

Giving thanks

Posted on 11. Sep, 2009 by kchristieh in local news, tv

This evening the citizens of La Canada Flintridge gathered to pose for a group picture which will accompany thank you cards which the city will send to each agency that sent personnel to fight the awful fire that burned here last week and is still burning in Angeles National Forest. I was so impressed by the outpouring of appreciation from so many people. This is a great place.

Many members of the media showed up. I made it to the 10 pm newscast on CBS2/KCAL9 here in Los Angeles.

I hope that next time I’m in the news it’s for something more upbeat. I can’t imagine the courage it takes to be a firefighter, or the pain the families of the fallen firefighters are feeling now.

Don’t forget: Meet at 9:00 am on Saturday, Sept. 12th at the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge to carpool to Dodger Stadium for a memorial service for Ted Hall and Arnie Quinones. Even if you didn’t know them personally, and most of us didn’t, it’s still meaningful to show how much our community appreciates the ultimate sacrifice they made for us.

Links:

• Pasadena Star News article: Residents near Station Fire thank firefighters, law enforcement
• CBS2/KCAL9 newscast
• Camera snaps ‘Thanks’ from La Cañada

Why is it so surprising that Susan Boyle has an awesome voice?

Posted on 15. Apr, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, music, tv, videos

In just four days, on “Britain’s Got Talent” has had over 10 million hits.

She’s got a lovely operatic voice, and lots of spirit. I hope she wins.

Here’s what Wikipedia says about her:

Boyle is the youngest of nine children and lives in Blackburn with her ten-year-old cat, Pebbles. Boyle suffered oxygen deprivation during birth, resulting in learning disabilities. Her classmates teased her because of this and because of her appearance. She stopped her pursuit of singing to look after her sick mother who died in 2007, at the age of 91. Her performance on Britain’s Got Talent was the first time Boyle had sung after her mother’s death. She is unmarried and presently unemployed.

^{It’s too bad the judges, the audience, and so many on the internet seem to be surprised that she can actually sing.}

^{Is it because she’s 47? If so, then I wonder what people think of me at 45. Also, why judge her so harshly when American Idol judge Paula Abdul is nearly 47? Is it because of her appearance? Or her learning disability?}

^{Whatever the case, I hope that people learn a lesson from Susan Boyle about not judging people by their outward appearances, and instead giving them a chance to perform.}

^{As Susan says,}

^{Modern society is too quick to judge people on their appearances. … There is not much you can do about it; it is the way they think; it is the way they are. But maybe this could teach them a lesson, or set an example.}

^{What would you perform here?}

^{Posted on 02. Apr, 2009 by kchristieh in local news, my life, theater, tv}

^{Just south of the pathetic Cesar Chavez Memorial Garden at Farnsworth Park, there’s an 800-seat amphitheater. It’s so well-hidden that I didn’t realize it was just 100′ away from me while I partied down at the blogger picnic on Saturday afternoon.}

^{I wonder how often there are performances here? I can envision a summer Shakespeare or concert series. If I were a kid living near here, I’d put on my own show. Think of the possibilities!}

^{I wish we had something like this in my town. I hope Altadena’s appreciating it!}

^{When I lived in Pasadena, I served on the Recreation & Parks Commission. Farnsworth Park wasn’t under our jurisdiction, since it’s maintained by the County of Los Angeles. But Pasadena has many other fine parks, so we had lots to do.}

^{I can’t wait until the new series “Parks and Recreation” debuts on April 9th. I love “The Office” and I think Amy Poehler is terrific, so my expectations are high.}

^{Another pathetic California public school statistic}

^{Posted on 02. Mar, 2009 by kchristieh in education, startling statistics, tv}

^{MSNBC reports that}

^{California ranks 48th in the nation in the percentage of high school seniors who go on to a four-year college the next academic year, according to the annual California Educational Opportunity Report — involving UCLA researchers — released Monday.}

^{The near-the-bottom ranking comes despite the fact that the majority of California students who graduate indicate an intention to get a bachelor’s degree, according to the report.}

^{The report goes on to state that California students are}

• ^{More likely to attend overcrowded, less personal schools;}
• ^{Less likely to have qualified teachers;}
• ^{Less likely to take advanced math classes in 11th and 12th grade;}
• ^{Getting less than $2000/student to educate them than the national average…and that was BEFORE our budget crisis.}

^{This is so depressing. I’m going to bed. I just watched “24″ so I’ll probably have some pretty wacky dreams. I wonder if Jack Bauer could save the California public schools???}

^{My new mug: Chloe O’Brian for President, 2016}

^{Posted on 25. Feb, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, shopping, tv}

^{Now that I’m trying to drink tea instead of Diet Coke, I figured it was time to get a few new large mugs. I couldn’t find any I liked online, so I made my own. If you don’t watch “24″ this won’t mean much to you, but it features my heroine, Chloe O’Brian. To spiff it up, she’s sporting an Aretha Franklin inauguration hat and posing for a presidential candidate poster, a la 2016. I put the graphics together in Fireworks, and then had them printed up at Shutterfly. You can download my image here. Feel free to make your own mug!}

^{My kids don’t understand why I like Chloe so much, but to me it’s obvious why I love this self-described “stay-at-home mom”:}

• ^{She’s always on the right side.}
• ^{She’s a total geek, and knows how to do just about anything.}
• ^{She says it like it is.}
• ^{She’s not afraid. Ever.}
• ^{She’s incredibly loyal.}
• ^{Her bosses couldn’t do their jobs without her.}

^{My gosh, she sounds like Chuck Norris!}

^{I’m not sure she’d be the best President, since she probably wouldn’t want the job, but I thought the mug was fun anyway. I love Jack Bauer, too, but I’d never pretend I want him for President. He might be a little too…trigger-happy.}

^{I’m adding Anderson Cooper to my Favorite People list}

^{Posted on 17. Feb, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, tv}

^{OK, I don’t really have such a list. But if I did, Anderson Cooper would definitely be on it!}

^{I had the pleasure of hearing Anderson Cooper speak this evening at the Distinguished Speaker Series of Southern California at the Pasadena Convention Center. (Thanks, JB!) I was impressed by the dedication, humility and heart he brings to his job. He could have easily sailed through life living off his trust fund, but instead he’s chosen to go to the world’s most dangerous and heartbreaking locations and report on the real stories behind events. He makes a big effort not to take sides, and isn’t impressed by celebrity or power. He said his favorite interviews are when he finds an everyday person whose story illuminates a given situation.}

^{Here are a few of his main tips, all of which I agree with:}

• ^{Never underestimate the power of working harder than everyone around you. Now to teach that to my kids…}
• ^{Follow your bliss. Amen to that, too. There’s no job more rewarding than doing what you love. Not everyone is blessed to be able to do what they love like he does, but it’s worth a shot!}
• ^{Always keep your heart in what you do. I think that whether you’re reporting or doing any other job, you should always remember your humanity and respect those around you. You’ll do a better job and live a fuller life.}

^{I wonder if he’s friends with Nicholas Kristof? I bet they’d hit it off quite well.}

^{Teens who watch tv with lots of sex are far more likely to be involved in a pregnancy}

^{Posted on 05. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in movies, parenting, startling statistics, things that bug me, tv}

^{No matter how hard I’ve tried to manage my kids’ media exposure, stuff sneaks in. Whether it’s watching “Sex and the City” at a teen sleepover or the R-rated “Romeo Must Die” at an eight-year-old’s birthday party (yes, this happened), my kids have been exposed to way more sex and violence than I ever intended for them to be, or than I was at their age.}

^{It turns out my vigilance was justified: a recent RAND study titled “Does Watching Sex on Television Predict Teen Pregnancy? Findings From a National Longitudinal Survey of Youth” shows that}

^{Teens who were exposed to high levels of television sexual content (90th percentile) were twice as likely to experience a pregnancy in the subsequent 3 years, compared with those with lower levels of exposure (10th percentile)}

^{I’m not surprised. Parents need to watch not only their kids’ tv exposure, but what they see in video games, movies, books, magazines, and other influential sources. And it’s not just teens, either: if you’re not careful, your younger children will see this stuff too. The younger kids may not see as much sex and violence, but they might see more bad attitudes and hear more foul language than a parent would like. (Click here for my tips on monitoring your child’s media input.)}

^{The Los Angeles Times story about this study brought up a very good point: that teens want to learn about the REAL effects of sex. They’re cynical when rich, popular girls on tv get pregnant, and assume they’ll have a miscarriage and resume their former lives. They also don’t usually see teens struggle with raising the baby after it’s born. Maybe it doesn’t make for great drama, but it’s reality, and if we’re going to expect teens to make good decisions, we need to show them what the real potential consequences of those decisions may be. The same should be said not just for sex, but for violence. Don’t just show the dramatic chase scene and shooting: show the grieving family, the longterm disability.}

^{Don’t just titillate: educate.}

^{Note: After I wrote the above post, I picked up my son from the church high school program. He said they had a guest speaker who shared the consequences he faced after getting a girl pregnant as a teenager, and the even more dire consequences a friend of his faced in a similar situation. My son said the topic wasn’t teen pregnancy, however: it was accepting responsibility for your actions, and surrounding yourself with a strong support network. I think he got it. We’re so blessed that our kids can hear good messages from other people than just us.}

^{Jack is Back!}

^{Posted on 23. Nov, 2008 by kchristieh in international, tv}

^{I took a break from my love affair with my new iMac to watch “24 Redemption” this evening. Jack Bauer is saving the world once again, this time from African warlords and the people who fund them.}

^{I was impressed that there were commercials encouraging people to donate to MalariaNoMore and to learn more about the use of child soldiers. Maybe this show will make a positive difference in the world.}

^{It was also cool to see a woman president. I hope Barack Obama’s first day in office isn’t as eventful as hers is. Too bad Obama doesn’t have a real-life Jack Bauer to back him up.}

^{I loved the preview for the upcoming season. My favorite line was Chloe’s: “I’m just a stay-at-home mom.”}

^{Oh, Chloe. Never say “just” a stay-at-home mom. Like all other moms, I’m sure you’ll prove yourself pretty quickly!}

^{Why I don’t trust Charter Cable}

^{Posted on 16. Nov, 2008 by kchristieh in my life, things that bug me, tv}

^{After reading an article about cancelling premium cable tv channels and switching to Netflix, I checked our bill to see how much money we were wasting on HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz. Sure enough, we were spending $36/month on these channels that we hardly ever watch unless we’ve set our Tivo to record their shows. It didn’t cost nearly that much when we’d signed up, but at some point the price went up. I convinced my husband we should cancel these premium cable channels, and put a call in to Charter this morning. Their representative said they would lower my bill by $40/month, and I could keep my premium channels. I’ll keep this rate for a year, after which I can cancel the channels. So I set up a “Memo to Me” reminder to call Charter in a year and get another deal.}

^{I’m glad I’ll save money, but I’m annoyed that I only got the good deal by being an organized, squeaky wheel. I wish they’d just price their services at the same price for everyone, and not only give good prices to people that complain. I wonder how much money I’ve lost by not complaining more often. Hopefully I’ve figured out their system now.}

^{I’d still rather use Netflix, but I won’t go to the mat for it. I don’t watch that much tv anyway.}

^{For everything there is a season and a place}

^{Posted on 24. Sep, 2008 by kchristieh in animals, tv}

^{A few weeks ago, I received a letter from the crematorium that took care of my dog’s body. It appeared that I needed to go in and pick up her ashes, so I set the GPS and headed over to the northeast edge of the San Fernando Valley.}

^{You know a location is remote when you can’t even find it with a GPS. I passed the address twice before I finally realized that it was located through an unmarked opening in a fence right next to a junk car lot. The small, non-descript building was hidden behind old cars, and the people inside were surprised to see me. It turns out I’d misinterpreted the letter, and the ashes weren’t ready. But I paid, and got to choose a little box for them. They hand-delivered them to me the next week.}

^{Why am I writing this post? Because here’s how B.J. Novak, writer and actor for “The Office,” describes where this amazing show is created:}

^{“We work in an industrial cul-de-sac in a scary, God-forsaken corner of the valley,” he said.”It is across the street from what appears to be a lot where they strip cars for parts, which is guarded by a pit bull, and next to a bunch of crematoriums, where they cremate bodies. We’ve been in that unglamorous location since before anyone ever gave us a compliment on the street. It fosters a lot of humility.”}

^{It must be near where I was. It was completely absurd. I can totally understand how the creative juices could flow there.}

^{Stay tuned Thursday night, Sept. 25th, for the season premiere of “The Office“!}

^{Trashy 90210 poster invades local mall}

^{Posted on 14. Aug, 2008 by kchristieh in advertising, parenting, shopping, sports, things that bug me, tv}

^{Can you imagine taking a 6-year-old to the mall and having to explain this banner to her?}

^{I took these pictures at the food court of the Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia, CA today.}

^{It’s bad enough that older kids (and adults) have to see it, but little eyes shouldn’t see this stuff. The more we see and hear things, the more normal they become, and I don’t think young children should be exposed to this. Some of my most frustrating moments as a parent have come when I’ve had to explain nudie billboards on the freeway or Viagra commercials to young kids.}

^{I’ve tried to shield my kids from issues and vices that are way beyond their years, but it’s tough. The only way would be if we totally retreated from the outside world: no trips, computer, tv, radio, newspaper, magazines, or friends. That’s not the life I want for my kids, nor will it prepare them for living in the U.S. in the 21st century. But should they have to see this junk at such young ages? Should I???}

^{Click here to see a great article from OpenSalon.com about the discrepancy between what the men wear vs. what the women wear in this summer’s Olympics. The title says it all: Olympic Wedgies all Around!!! The Pornification of Sports.}

^{Dolphins in my favorite river}

^{Posted on 18. Jul, 2008 by kchristieh in animals, my life, tv}

^{I lived in many different houses growing up, but one of my favorites was the house my mom bought on . It was a little Victorian house at the end of the street, near the Navesink River. It got a little loud sometimes, since it was across the street from a restaurant/bar called Barnacle Bill’s, but any inconvenience was more than made up for by the water access. I chose the third floor attic as my bedroom, and had a spectacular view of the Oceanic Bridge out towards the ocean.}

^{In the summer we would sail our little Sunfish sailboat, and in the winter we’d walk on the ice. I’ve always been pretty risk-averse, so I never sailed so far that I couldn’t get back or got separated from the main block of ice on an ice floe like others did. Besides the water, we were a half a block from a park with a beach and a wall to hit tennis balls against, and two blocks from a Dairy Queen. And let’s not forget the store on the corner that sold bagels and the Sunday NY Times. Life was good. (Except for the fact that we were living there because my parents had gotten divorced…details, details…)}

^{My father and stepmother still live in the area. They sent me this link to a Today Show segment about dolphins that have taken up residence in the Navesink River. Actually, the Navesink isn’t a river: it’s an estuary, connecting a freshwater river to the ocean. I wish I could have seen dolphins in the river! But, I’ve seen them in California and Hawaii, and these days the Horseshoe Crabs we used to catch at the Fair Haven pier seem even more exotic.}

^{Here’s a picture of me, my sister and my stepbrothers from around 1980 that was taken at the river. Of course, both boys are bigger than me now.}

^{For more information about the dolphins, see “How to Help a Lost Dolphin” on Slate.com.}

^{Is beauty only skin deep?}

^{Posted on 06. May, 2008 by kchristieh in my life, tv}

^{When I got my braces off right before high school, I had a sudden boost in self-confidence. After a lifetime of bad teeth and metal mouth, I could finally smile without embarrassment. I felt a little guilty for being so happy, since my mother had always taught me that what mattered wasn’t how I looked, but what was in my heart. Even so, I knew that I was living in a society that valued attractiveness, and getting the braces off gained me a few points in that department.}

^{Perhaps that’s why I was so struck by the photos below. They’re before and after photos of women in the June, 2006 show “The Swan.” They were treated to every possible beauty treatment, including plastic surgery. I hate to say it, but they do indeed look much better in the “after” pictures. Seeing these makes me wonder whether I would assume different things about the women depending upon how they look. Hopefully I wouldn’t. It also reminds me that it’s no surprise that wealthy women often look more attractive. (Though that can be a chicken and egg thing, too, for our society often rewards attractiveness with wealth.)}

^{Where does one draw the line? Would I be a hypocrite to criticize someone for having a nose job or having Botox injections, when I had teeth removed to get my braces?
Judge not, lest ye be judged.}

^{And besides, my family has made it clear that when my hair turns completely grey some day, they want me to dye it. Ugh. I don’t even like to wear makeup.}

^{Tivo this: “Oprah’s Big Give”}

^{Posted on 03. Mar, 2008 by kchristieh in life lessons, non-profits, tv}

^{Leave it to Oprah to put a fresh and positive spin on reality TV. The kids and I watched the premiere of “Oprah’s Big Give” last night and we’re hooked.}

^{Oprah chose 10 people to compete to most effectively give away money each week. The contestants are all quite impressive. They’ve each got lots of energy and a big heart for helping those in need.}

^{On the first show, the contestants were divided up into five teams. Each team was given $2,500 and the name of someone who needed their help. They were evaluated on the basis of how much of a positive impact they were able to make on the person’s life within a week.}

^{Each team did a great job of using their $2,500 as seed money to generate more money and other important things. I won’t give it away in case you didn’t watch it, but I will say that the sincerity and energy that everyone threw into their challenges was inspirational.}

^{It was great to see something so positive on television, and hopefully it inspired my kids as much as it inspired me.}

^{You can see “Oprah’s Big Give” online at ABC.com.}

^{My most popular blog posts of 2007}

^{Posted on 31. Dec, 2007 by kchristieh in books, local news, movies, tv}

^{When I call my blog “An Eclectic Mix of Musings,” I’m not kidding. I cover a pretty wide range of topics.}

^{According to my blog stats, here are the Top 10 most popular posts on my blog for 2007:}

1. ^{Little Manhattan: Great movie, fantastic soundtrack
   The soundtrack isn’t available on iTunes, so I listed all the songs from the movie.}
2. ^{San Diego fire status links
   My parents evacuated up here, so we kept track of the fires near their house.}
3. ^{“Ugly Betty” wedding announcement in NY Times
   I can’t wait until the writer’s strike is over!}
4. ^{“Atonement” movie better than book}
5. ^{Yiddish word of the day: kaynahora
   The most useful Yiddish word my Jewish stepmother has taught me so far.}
6. ^{Does the direction of a man’s hair whorl indicate his sexual preference?
   I wonder if parents are checking their sons, or people are checking their friends or themselves…}
7. ^{Kids say the darndest things
   Includes quotes and Charles Schulz cartoons from the 1957 book}
8. ^{Did today’s teens kill chivalry?}
9. ^{Here’s the best gift for your wife or girlfriend}
10. ^{Which is worse: “slut” or “prude”?}

^{Thanks for reading my blog, and stay tuned for even more fun in 2008!}

^{One mom’s view on Jamie Lynn Spears’ pregnancy}

^{Posted on 19. Dec, 2007 by kchristieh in parenting, tv}

^{I recently asked my daughter if Jamie Lynn Spears was following in big sister Britney’s footsteps. My daughter didn’t think so, but all that went out the window when we found out that Jamie Lynn, who’s only 16, is pregnant by her 18-year-old boyfriend. Not surprisingly, my kids said this was a major conversation topic at our local high school today.}

^{I feel sorry for her. We all mess up, but some of us mess up in bigger and more public ways than others. So, in the spirit of forgiveness, I’d like to highlight two positive things that she’s done. First, she’s taking responsibility for her own actions. She’s not making excuses, and she admits she made a stupid mistake. Second, she’s not aborting the baby. There are many, many more Hollywood and non-Hollywood teen pregnancies we never even hear of because they don’t make it to term. At least this baby will get a chance to live.}

^{(On the other hand, rumors that her parents knew that her boyfriend crashed at her condo and that she’s sold the rights to the baby pictures are pretty disturbing. It’s probably a good thing that the publication of .)}

^{Of course, the positive things she’s done don’t begin to mitigate that this a nightmare for her and her parents. One of my buddies and I have boiled down all parenting rules to these: don’t get pregnant or get someone else pregnant and don’t do anything that brings harm to yourself or others. If you can manage not to do those, anything else you achieve is icing on the cake. And of course, we all want a cake with lots of icing. Right now, the Spears parents have lots of pricey crumbs.}

^{When I first heard the news, I thought that perhaps it would encourage other teens to get pregnant. However, the sentiment I’m hearing is that kids think she did a really stupid thing. We can only hope. I don’t envy the parents of young fans of Jamie Lynn’s hit show, Zoey 101. It’s no fun . Then again, those parents didn’t have to explain Monica Lewinsky to that child like I did to mine. Oy!}

^{Wherein I admit my newfound addiction to “The Office”}

^{Posted on 17. Dec, 2007 by kchristieh in quotes, tv, work}

^{The last thing I need is to watch more tv. I have many books and magazines I’d like to read, so I’d prefer not getting hooked on yet another* tv show. Even so, I decided to check out “The Office” since so many people whose taste I trust swore to me that I’d like it. Lisa P. and Leslie J. suggested that I start at Season 1 so I’d understand all the subplots and meaningful looks found in later seasons.}

^{I was hooked immediately. The trials and travails of the humble (not!) employees of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company of Scranton, PA are laugh out-loud hilarious. My kids and I have spent the past several weeks plowing through the first three seasons, and are eagerly awaiting a way to watch Season 4. (Darn writer’s strike! Darn lack of online episodes!) I love Jim and Pam (“Jam”) and can’t wait for them to find true love. I can’t believe people put up with Michael, but there’s never a dull moment with him. And recently I came across someone who reminded me of Dwight. No, I’m sure you don’t know him.}

^{I was afraid that watching “The Office” would make my kids never want to enter the working world. To the contrary, they say it looks like it can actually be fun sometimes. We’ll see. My husband says the show drives him crazy, and that these people wouldn’t last a day in his office. He’d rather read “War and Peace” than watch “The Office.”}

^{Of course, there are lots of “Office” fan sites. These include ones dedicated to “Jam” and others to the many quotes the show produces. Here’s one of my favorite quotes:}

^{Ryan: Last year Creed asked me how to set up a blog. Wanting to protect the world from being exposed to Creed’s brain, I opened up a Word document on his computer and put an address at the top. I’ve read some of it. Even for the intranet, it’s… pretty shocking.}

^{Now that I’m done with Season 3, maybe I’ll catch up on my reading.}

^{* I already won’t miss “Ugly Betty,” “24,” and “Flight of the Chonchords.”}

^{“Ugly Betty” wedding announcement in NY Times}

^{Posted on 04. Nov, 2007 by kchristieh in tv}

^{Only the uber-rich or uber-famous get their weddings announced in the NY Times, so it’s no surprise that Wilhelmina Slater and Bradford Meade had an announcement in today’s paper:}

^{In case you can’t read the small print, here’s what it says:}

^{Wilhelmina Vivian Slater, Creative Director at MODE Magazine, will marry Bradford Emerson Meade, media mogul and chairman of Meade Publications, on Thursday, November 8 at 8pm. To prevent excessive press coverage, the location of the wedding is not being released, but it will be covered exclusively on the ABC Television Network.}

^{Ms. Slater works in New York as the Creative Director of MODE Magazine. She is a former supermodel who started in the fashion business as the assistant to former MODE editor-in-chief Fey Sommers. Ms. Slater is the daughter of the esteemed Senator Slater. She has one daughter, 17-year old Nico Slater, who is currently attending boarding school in France. The bride will be wearing a custom-designed Vera Wang gown for the ceremony and will be attended to by close friend, global fashion icon and pop superstar Victoria Beckham.}

^{Mr. Meade, 60, is the founder and CEO of Meade Publications. He has 2 children, eldest son-turned-daughter Alexis and New York bachelor Daniel Meade, both currently co-editors-in-chief of MODE. Mr. Meade’s previous marriage to Claire Meade, the co-founder and co-owner of MODE Magazine ended in divorce in May 2007.}

^{All press requests should go through Ms.Slater’s personal assistant Marc St.James.}

^{For all the nuptials details, visit abc.com.}

^{Darn! My invitation got lost in the mail. Guess I’ll have to watch it on tv. I’m sure it’ll be MUCH more exciting than any wedding I’ve ever attended in person. That probably says something good about my friends and relatives.}

^{A mother’s love..NOT!}

^{Posted on 19. Oct, 2007 by kchristieh in quotes, tv}

^{Heard on the season premiere of “Samantha Who?” on ABC this week:}

^{Daughter: “You made me who I am.”}

^{Mother: “That is a terrible thing to say!”}

^{Catch this show – it’s got a great premise, about a woman who goes into a coma as a jerk and emerges as a nice person, and Christina Applegate and Jean Smart make it funny and thought-provoking at the same time. And, it’s only 30 minutes long, and even less if you watch it online a day later.}

^{Movie recommendation: “We Are Marshall”}

^{Posted on 13. Oct, 2007 by kchristieh in movies, sports, tv}

^{Great movie – we just watched it on pay-per-view. Here’s the description from Wikipedia:}

^{We Are Marshall is a 2006 motion picture directed by McG dramatizing the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed most of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, the rebuilding of the program, and the healing that the community undergoes. It stars Matthew McConaughey as head coach Jack Lengyel, Matthew Fox as assistant coach William “Red” Dawson, David Strathairn as University President Donald Dedmon and Robert Patrick as ill-fated Marshall head coach Rick Tolley. Georgia governor George “Sonny” Perdue has a cameo role as an East Carolina University football coach. [1] The movie is rated PG. The movie was scored by Christophe Beck.}

Our whole family enjoyed it. Have a tissue box ready, if you’re so inclined.

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Coming soon: “Quidnunc Queen”

Posted on 20. Sep, 2007 by kchristieh in tv

I had to laugh when I saw today’s Merriam-Webster Word of the Day in my email inbox:

quidnunc \KWID-nunk\ noun

: a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip : busybody

Example sentence:
Those who criticize Joanne for being a quidnunc are usually the first to go to her when they want to know the latest gossip.

Forget “Gossip Girl.” That’s so passé. “Quidnunc Queen” could be the next iteration, when the rich private school kids go off to the Ivy Leagues.

“You’re nobody until you’re talked about.”

Posted on 19. Sep, 2007 by kchristieh in books, tv

Or so says “Gossip Girl,” the mysterious narrator of the new CW television series.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Not really. But when my daughter wanted to watch the premiere of this much talked-about new teen series, I figured I should sit on the couch and watch it with her. After all, she’d read some of the books, though she says she stopped reading the series because it was so trashy. She’s nearly 16, and has a good perspective about what’s appropriate / inappropriate. Besides, I figured that by watching it with her, I could comment on what was going on.

Maybe I’m just naive, but are there really people who live such shallow, licentious, nasty lives? If I had known what garbage was in these books, I never would have let my daughter read them. (I’ve wised up more since then, but it’s still tough. See my Teen Books Guide.) The parents in the “Gossip Girl” TV show are no better than the kids. They belittle their children and expect them to do anything for the almighty dollar.

Thankfully, there were a few decent characters to root for. Hopefully they’ll stay that way. Only time will tell. And I’ll probably be sitting on the couch finding out…

Tivo this: “Inside the Living Body”

Posted on 17. Sep, 2007 by kchristieh in health, tv

I’ve seen lots of IMAX / Discovery Channel / National Geographic specials about the human body over the years, but the “Inside the Living Body” show we saw last night on the National Geographic Channel beat them all. Technological advances allow their videocameras to reach far into the human body and produce incredibly vivid images. Also, the computer graphics that simulate various cell and aging processes make complex concepts quite clear.

My “aha!” moment occurred when they explained that perhaps the reason we change as we age is that each time DNA replicates itself, it loses a little something in the process. It’s like making a copy of a copy of a copy…the last copy won’t resemble the original nearly as much as the first copy did. I also shrieked when they did the rapid age progression from 45 to 70. But, I guess it beats the alternative.

Anyway, I highly recommend this for anyone of any age. Not only did I learn a lot, but now I’m more determined than ever to treat my body right. The images of fat surrounding internal organs were quite frightening.

This must be Body Week at the National Geographic Channel: tonight we’re scheduled to start recording a series which includes The Science of Dwarfism, The Science of Conjoined Twins, Brain Child, The Science of Babies, The Science of Obesity and more. I think I learned about them by reading The Week. With the limited space on our old Tivo, it’ll probably start deleting all of those unwatched Colbert Reports soon!

Britain’s Got Talent, and her name is Connie

Posted on 04. Sep, 2007 by kchristieh in music, tv, videos

I’m a sucker for a talented kid, and I’m REALLY a sucker for one who sings, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Click to see an amazing 6-year-old named Connie Talbot as she competes in “Britain’s Got Talent” for a chance to sing for the Queen.

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Is that flipped-out boss mean or merely self-centered?

Posted on 06. Aug, 2007 by kchristieh in articles, tv, work

After watching “Flipping Out,” our stunned silence was broken by my daughter, who said, “Well, at least he isn’t mean.” Perhaps, but…

She was referring to Jeff Lewis, the self-professed obsessive-compulsive star of this new Bravo reality series. Jeff is a “house flipper”: he buys downtrodden houses, fixes them up, and sells them for a pretty profit. He needs things to be perfect, whether it be in his life or in the houses he sells. Slate.com has a great review of the show, and quotes Jeff’s lunch drink request to his assistant,

Jeff: I want to change my drink order.

Jenni: What would you like?

Jeff: Ideally, 70 percent lemonade, 20 percent punch, 10 percent Sprite. If they don’t have fruit punch, do like 85 percent lemonade, and 15 percent Sprite.

Brant: All right.

Jeff: If they don’t have lemonade, do 85 percent punch and 15 percent Sprite… or 7UP.

It’s a perfect example of what my daughter was saying. He’s not necessarily mean, but he is self-absorbed and a bit crazy. He freely admits that he’s found a profession that celebrates his OCD, but is that a good thing?

He may not be mean (though it could be argued that he is), but I wouldn’t want him as a boss. I’d prefer a boss who cares about my welfare, not just his own.

Want to learn more about raging bosses? Then check out my old professor Bob Sutton’s Work Matters blog.

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Batmobile spotted on 210 Freeway in Pasadena, CA

Posted on 30. Jul, 2007 by kchristieh in travel, tv

How cool is this? My son and I saw the Batmobile in Pasadena and La Canada on the 210 Freeway today. He grabbed the camera from my purse and managed to snap a few pictures with his healthy arm.

Note the license plate and the parachute in the back. Pretty cool. Way cooler than my minivan, even with its Obama sticker.

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Simpsons Movie review: like a TV episode

Posted on 29. Jul, 2007 by kchristieh in movies, tv

I love the Simpsons, but I only give the movie 3/5 stars. It was funny, but it truly was like watching a long TV episode. For the price we paid for the family to go to the theater, we could have purchased a whole season DVD set of the Simpsons. My son agrees with this assessment. He said there have been funnier TV episodes that he’s seen than this movie.

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Simpsons in French on YouTube

Posted on 24. Jul, 2007 by kchristieh in articles, my life, parenting, tv, videos

Loyal readers know that I not only speak French, but I can do a pretty credible Marge Simpson imitation. So it was no wonder that upon discovering that there are French episodes of “The Simpsons” on YouTube, I started babbling like Marge in French.

My poor son. He experienced a level of fear and embarassment I’d never seen before. I stopped immediately.

Here’s a link to one of the episodes, (Let’s give him a gift). You can find more by seeing other related videos.

I discovered these when I read in New York Magazine that

In adorable news, the actors who dub the voices of Homer and Marge Simpson for French television have found love. Phillipe Peythieu (who also dubs Danny DeVito) and Veronique Augereau (France’s Courtney Cox) met while auditioning for the show in 1989 and were married in 2001. Check out this clip from the 1998 episode “Mayored to the Mob”, in which their blossoming romance is clearly audible.

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