Speaking of Vegas...

As much as I love to watch CSI for the intrigue and drama, I sure don't want to end up meeting any characters like Grissom, (who is very well played by William Petersen) when I'm there..I know they say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I'm hoping for no dead bodies left behind on my next trip, just lots of coins ching-chinging out of machines :)

The Lady In Vegas

When one thinks of a Las Vegas Showgirl, the word lady doesn't necessarily come to mind for a lot of people, but why is it that we judge books by covers and jobs. The word "lady" refers to a woman who is "polite, refined, and well-mannered" and Janu Tornell of Survivor Palau is all that and more. From my emails with her, I've learned she's a damn hard worker, a kind soul, intelligent and very artistic. You can see in her eyes she's dealt with a lot of pain, but can also see there's a lot of love in there to give. In my book, a Las Vegas Showgirl who made it on Survivor would be cooler to hang with than most the self-proclaimed ladies I know.

Hooray for Broadway

I'm leaving tomorrow for Buffalo and was hoping to get to NYC to take in a show or two or three. I really miss the cultural arts. We don't have that many in South Texas and when going to Broadway, seeing plays anywhere else just doesn't compare. It would have been great to see Chita Rivera perform. I've always loved that name. Some names just belong to entertainers. But I am so looking forward to 9 days of no work, and some nice rest and relaxation with the family. I may even put on my dancing shoes myself...now, that's a scary thought!

A subtle reminder

Gena Lee Nolin has always bared a resemblance to my sister Julie for some reason. Most people don't see it, and I'm not sure what it is that make them similar to me, but living down here in Texas with my family back up in NY sometimes makes me homesick and I look for every little similarity for fond memories of home. It was nice to get this autographed photo back from Gena Lee exactly a week before my departure to the great North. Hopefully, I'll be able to take some of this nice warm weather with me!

The Good Doctor's Advice

Dr. Carl Bilanicone sent a great response to my collage request including an 8x10 color photo and a nice handwritten letter with the advice of what Survivor is looking for....young, buff folks who aren't afraid to take their clothes off...well, one out of three's not bad! Its great to see a fellow Italian and Yankee fan have made the show, and I think because of Dr. Carl, since then, the folks with prominent jobs have tried to keep them hidden in fear of an early dismissal...

Its a Small World After All

When I got these successes back in the mail from Clay Jordan of Survivor Thailand, I found out that he has a plant right up the street from where I live. He was nice enough to sign my collage and add 3 photos of his own along with offering to meet up when he comes down next time. Its nice to see a celebrity with public stature realize we are all just humans living on this small planet and its great to get the chance to meet folks with common interests that life normally wouldn't have thrown together.

Life Is A Cabaret

Sometimes I tend to let the day to day struggles of life get me down and it takes things to put life back into perspective. Time passes so quickly and sometimes, many times, the failures outnumber the successes, so this Liza Minnelli autograph put that reminder back in my head to enjoy life and take it as if it were a Cabaret!

What's in a name?

There are some celebrities that just have the coolest name. A good example is "Deadwood" star Powers Boothe. It just seems to be a name that carries a lot of "power"...wow, I'm bright to catch on to that one. OK...Sunday, night almost midnight, and you're expecting ingenius creativity!

Sick for the weekend

I hate getting sick on the weekend. You work all week, finally look forward to some R and R, and enjoyment and some little flu bug comes and ruins the whole thing. I guess I shouldn't complain. It would really bite to go through all the steps it takes to get on Survivor, get sick after you get there and get voted off for it like Jessie Camacho did in Survivor Africa, but looks like overall Jessie has done pretty well for herself after the show. So maybe getting sick is the sign of good things to come. I sure hope so :)

Five Strong Women

In the mail today came the autographs of five strong and beautiful actresses who all have been known to break away from the norms set by society and do their own thing. It was a thrill to find these autographs of over the top Roseanne Barr, creative Neve Campbell, exotic Jacqueline Bisset, versatile January Jones and innovative Robin Givens. All are wonderful and beautiful women in many ways and great additions to my collection.

Wreck of the Day

"Wreck of the Day" is the title of the first CD by talented young singer Anna Nalick. Many of the songs on the CD deal with the moods I'm in and they've helped me deal with my recent loneliness, depression and frustration. So far 2006 has been one of those years when something just seems to go wrong day after day after day. Overall, it seems to be making me stronger, but sometimes I just want to yell..."ENOUGH ALREADY!" Her CD has really helped me get through some of those moods, and she has a great career ahead of her!

Star Struck...

..is something I sometimes question whether I am or not. Its something I've seen that I have had different from other autograph collectors as I feel I can relate to the people I right to on a peer level, not as much that I think they are better than me. I like to write to people who have dreams and goals and do what it takes to follow those dreams and make a life that others only dream of. Brooke Struck of Survivor Guatemala goes to law school, is persuing entertainment and got to live my dream of being on Survivor. She does this all with a smile and she definitely has a bright future ahead.

What you see is what you get

Big Tom Buchanan from Survivor Africa is one of those people that what you see is what you get and you can just tell that. He obviously loves to have fun, cherishes his family and goes through life without making excuses and trying to please anyone. What you see is what you get and if you don't like it too bad...great way to be. Tom also had the distinction of spending the most Survivor days on the Islands over any other castaway that's been on the show. He almost made it to Final 4 the second time around, but missed by a hair.

Always a winner

Tina Wesson did a great job in Survivor the Outback and went into the Allstar Edition knowing she'd have a huge target on her back, but she went in with a positive attitude knowing she most likely wouldn't last long and did the best she could with the cards she was dealt. Its been a motivation to me to keep striving for my dreams, and not to let difficult situations get the best of me. The results don't always come out as we like, but we've got to be in the game to even have a chance.

A Man of Honor

On the original Survivor, besides having some of the best one-liners ever on the show, Rudy Boesch was truly a man of his word. He promised Richard Hatch he'd stick with him to the end. Regardless of Richard not knowing personal things about Rudy in the Final Tribal Council and even after getting out of the Final 3 Immunity Challenge, Rudy could have easily given Kelly his vote, but he didn't, he stayed true to his word, which in this day and age is sadly a rarity. People's word doesn't really mean much any more be it on Survivor, in business, or even with friends and family. It just seems much easier to lie than have honor. That's one of the things about the old days I wish would come back.

The things we do...

for family and food! Jenna Morasca had a yearning for peanut butter and got naked it for it on Survivor Amazon, and was devastated when she couldn't get a letter from her mom later in the game in the auction. When on the Allstars, Jenna quit the game home to be with her mom as she was losing her battle with cancer. My heart went out to her as I would be devastated to be in that situation. Of all the castaways, I think we've seen Jenna grow the most as a human being. I'm sure she cherishes the time she had with her mom deeply.

The Fabulous T-Bird

Teresa Cooper had the nickname T-Bird on Survivor Africa, which whenever I hear that reminds me of my first car....a bright red 1977 Thunderbird. It used to be the family car but became mine at college, and on a snowy day, I decided I was from Buffalo and could drive in any weather so decided to take a bunch of my friends down the bill hill to go get some food. Well, my ego got the best of me...the roads were horrible, the brakes failed and we slowly and I mean slowly drove right into a telephone pole on the way down. The incline of the hill and the weight of all of us (I think there were 7 of us packed in the car) meant the end of the Red T-Bird, and the beginnings of harsh lessons in responsibility. Teresa on Survivor was the one that was able to meld with both the older and younger crowd and was seriously there to play the game. She's one that I was surprised wasn't on the Allstar edition.

The strong mother

My mom has played a very strong influence in my life especially on how to treat other people and how to stay tough through hard times. We definitely hadn't been dealt the best hand of cards in the game of life, but have learned to take each day at a time, persevere, treat others kindly and make the most out of what life brings your direction. Another strong woman who admire is Kim Johnson from Survivor Africa who being the oldest woman there toughed out and found herself in the Final 2 vs probably the most likeable Survivor of them all and was able to sway at least a few votes her direction.

Appreciating your roots

I personally find it very interesting to find out about people and cultures that are different from my own. When I was younger I may have been a bit scared about different religions and social practices of cultures that were different than mine, but have learned that the more we learn about and accept different types of people for the way they are rather than how we want them to be, we'll be better off as a society. I enjoyed seeing Linda Spencer of Survivor Africa embrace her roots and the opportunity to cherish the land of her ancestors. How blessed to apply for a show not knowing where its going to take you and get to experience something so personal.

Family Comes First

After hearing the story of how Leann Slaby of Survivor Vanuatu donated a kidney to her father and the success he's had from the operation totally touched my heart. Working for the Red Cross, I've seen there are many people in this world who won't even donate a pint of blood to help someone in need so to give up an organ is totally awesome. I had been rooting for her to win from the first episode, but she ended up on the boot Eliza bandwagon which marked banishment for anyone who went there. Leann's upbeat personality, friendly nature and giving heart make her a standout in any arena.

Alphabet Soup

One of things now Doctor, Sean Kenniff was know for when he was on Survivor was his strategy of voting for people in alphabetical order. Sean gave the first season somewhat of a goofy side, and barely missed getting to the Final 4. He was the last player left in the game other than the "Tagi 4" alliance, which has been a huge part of the game ever since. I give a lot of credit to Dr. Sean for his doctor status as it is an avenue of life that definitely wasn't meant for me. And how about that wonder that was called the SuperPole 2000. I'm kind of like Sean in that I like to be humor and silliness to otherwise turbulent situations.

Isle of "Caprice"

When I opened the enveloped and saw the autographed photo of model/celebrity Caprice Bourret from London, all I could think of was going gambling at the "Isle of Capri" Casino in Lake Charles. Since the last time I went, the machines pretty much chewed up my money without even getting very much back, the gambling fun part of going wasn't all that satisfying and I still have the itch! But until then, I'll have to make do :)

Scout's Honor

Lillian Morris was an interesting character on Survivor Pearl Islands. She was voted off third and then with Burton given the opportunity to come back into the game as Outcasts. She ended up making it to the Final 2 even though she was targeted many times, and then was crucified in the jury vote for not being a good role model to the Scouts. To me, she was loyal until someone attempted to stab her in the back, then she fought back, so I'm not sure why there was so much banter about her being a bad example to the Scouts. She fought back. By being voted off earlier in the game though, it didn't help her get jury votes. I don't know that I liked that particular twist, and glad the show hasn't used it again. Of course, if I was on the show and booted early, I may think twice about that statement :)

Why do we judge others?

I often ask this question to myself..Almost everyone I know that watches "LOST" automatically hates Michelle Rodriguez's character Ana Lucia. I think often times in life we judge people without knowing the whole story. I did this recently with one of my neighbors. She's a bit crotchety, but then I found out she's alone, has cancer, etc. So I've learned to try to be more kind to people in general. Its not easy sometimes especially when they act like monsters, but we all have our days.

See you on the show!

That's how Lex Van den Berghe finished his letter to me when he returned his Survivor collage. Hopefully Lex's predictions have improved since Africa...he did after all think Kelly voted for him. I really admire Lex's character, similar in a lot of ways to JoAnna who I just got. He is who he is, and doesn't make excuses to any one. I really admire Lex's "make things happen" state of mind and of the audition tapes of players on the show I've seen, his was my absolute favorite. His kids are very lucky to have such a creative, open-minded, high-spirited man for a dad!

Imagination is more important than knowlege...

This came on the brief letter from Robin Williams with his signed picture and its so true. This quote comes from Albert Einstein, and imagination and creativity to me are the spice of life. There's nothing worse, or almost nothing worse than a know-it-all. I sometimes feel sorry for kids nowadays. I remember growing up we didn't have the toys they have nowadays and we had to use our imagination to have fun. Creativity seems to be fading. Robin Williams has a great imagination, a big heart and puts out the best movies. "Dead Poet's Society" is one of my favorites of all time.

Following what you believe in

JoAnna Ward is a woman with strong conviction, stands behind what she believes in regardless of what other's think, and you have to admire that. You may not agree with what she believes in but you have to respect the strong conviction she has. What's been great with collecting these Survivor autographs is that with each one there often comes a letter and I learn a little about myself (good and bad) with each one I get. One thing I learned from JoAnna is to just be me and not worry what other people think..something that's been hard for me my entrire life, but I'm getting better at it.

Six Million Dollar Man

I'm not really the "need to be rich type" but gosh, the idea of six million bucks could sure settle a lot of the stress that comes with this world. I could get out of debt, help my family and friends, and do some much needed and desired traveling, not to mention not worry about losing my pants at the casino...I remember as a kid pretending to be Steve Austen the "Six Million Dollar Man" and it kind of made me feel like I had some strength as I was the little runt kid that always got picked, but dang, if I had to fight, I sure could find it deep down in there.

A Daly autograph keeps the bills away...

Oh if only that were true, but it sure does sweeten the getting the mail, when there's something there other than junkmail and bills. Tyne Daly has graced my television for many years between "Cagney & Lacey" and "Judging Amy". Her acting only gets better with time and she's definitely a great addition for my collection. Its also nice to have the solo shot in case when I send the Cagney and Lacey photo off to Sharon Gless it doesn't find its way home...

Dedication to a great friend

I dedicate this post to my friend Beth (http://www.kajunbeth.blogspot.comblogspot.com) who I met online about a year ago. We belong to the same autograph group and have grown to more than just fellow collectors, but we've become great friends. We've both had rough years and have been there to support each other, encourage each other and even help with our collections which has made getting the mail much more exciting. We finally had the opportunity to meet each other at the casino a few weeks ago, and it was great to finally put a real face with an online and phone buddy. These autographs from Antonio Sabato Jr, Ellen Muth, Alec Baldwin, James Rebhorn and Thea Gill wouldn't have been possible without Beth's help! Neither would have getting through this rough year! Hats off to you Beth....And on a side note....when going to the casino, all you need is a little cash and a whole lotta faith. Beth went with a little and went home with a lot whereas I went with a lot and went home with a little. Glad she won! And I had fun so definitely not complaining!!

Let's Give Them Something To Talk About

OK...maybe music is appropriate for this post. I love Bonnie Raitt's music, but she's one of the few performers I've not seen in concert that I'd like to. Her music is edgy, meaningful, and she's survived a long career. Hope she's around playing music for many more years!

Thank God I'm A Country Boy

OK. Maybe I shouldn't be doing this blog when I'm cleaning, cuz everything seems to be reverting to music, old and corny music at that, but hey, I'm having fun. Brandon Bellinger of Survivor Guatemala chose not to sell his soul to the devil and follow his alliances, truly a country boy good guy attitude. Brandon made it one step away from the jury, but gained a lot of respect and fans with his dry, witty humor and integrity.

You're bound to lose control...

when the Rubberband Man starts to jam....OK..I'm aging myself... but its cleaning day, and I hate cleaning...I like the results but hate the process, so I crank on some upbeat tunes, take frequent breaks and try to make the most of it. And the Rubberband Man of the Office Max commercials and actor on the successful new show "My Name is Earl" himself, Eddie Steeples sent me this great signed photo to bring some more joy to the weekend.

Youth ain't everything

Jake was one of my favorite Survivor contestants. He really took the role of father figure with the Sook-Jai tribe. Unfortunately some of the "kids" didn't get along and after a premature e-jed-ultaion, the family was dismantled and kicked off one by one. One of the most touching scenes ever on Survivor was Erin and Jake in the cave after losing the hold your breath challenge, and Jake wins the honor of finally getting Thailand on the board in my Survivor collages!