Saying Good Bye and Celebrity Apprentice

This morning was drop off for the sixth grade field trip to Savannah. Two luxury buses with restrooms and TVs were loaded with backpacks, lunches and snacks. About 40 sleepy boys and girls climbed on and sat down and tried to pretend not to look for mom or dad. Once spotted, there was a quick, nonchalant wave. I was instructed on the quiet drive to school "don't do anything embarrassing." I wasn't sure what that meant, so I asked "Can I get out of the car?" He answered, "If you want, yes." Ok, I went a little further. "Can I hug you and say 'I love you'?" He nodded quietly, "Sure." Ok. "What might be embarrassing?" "Well, no more talking after that." Ok. I understood.

So I helped him find his bus and pack his lunch and bag. I didn't say anything to him, just smiled. He leaned over and gave me a bear hug and said "I love you." I bit my tongue so I wouldn't cry and nodded. "Me too." He climbed on the bus and took a seat by his friends. I stood a few more minutes and watched him get settled. As I walked back to the car, I glanced over one more time to makes sure he was ok. He was watching me and gave a quick wave. I waved back and ducked back into my car just in time for the tears to come. I figure I did ok. Nothing too embarrassing. I didn't talk and I didn't wait around until the bus pulled away. (I don't get too much credit for that...I had to get home to pick up Gabrielle and bring her back to school.) I have a lump in my throat that refuses to go away. I don't expect it to go away until Wednesday at 4:00 when the bus pulls back into the parking lot. With movies, tours, riverboat cruises, square dances, and sharing a hotel room with buddies, I'm thinking he will be fine...but I need a distraction. So on to something mind-numbing and silly...



Another thrilling episode of Celebrity Apprentice last night. Last week, we watched former NBA player and all-around strange guy Dennis Rodman get fired. Rodman had kind of stayed under the radar for a few weeks, not doing anything impressive, but not being derisive either. The challenge last week was to be the concierge desk for a luxury hotel. This included handling cleaning and room service too. Rodman was picked as team leader and at first, it looked like that even though he is not the brightest of the group, he might be able to pull it off. But unfortunately, due to his drinking problem and laziness, he tanked. The highlight of the episode was Jesse James. When I first tuned in, I knew he was the monster truck guy who was married to Sandra Bullock, and quite honestly, I wondered what she saw in him. But after a few weeks, he has become my favorite. What a nice guy. He was the only one with the guts to address Rodman's drinking problem. Everyone else beat around the bush, but he spoke compassionately and kindly. I think he has been a diamond in the rough the whole time.

Last night, Clint Black and Melissa Rivers were team leaders. They had to produce an internet commercial for All Dishwashing Detergent. Suffice it to say, they were both terrible and ridiculous. But the standout part of the episode was what a controlling, arrogant jerk that Clint Black is. I think there is a good chance that he tanked any career he had after that one. His commercial was not only cheesy and offensive, but it bordered on the ridiculous. If I were his wife (and even the thought of that is scary), I wouldn't speak to him for a month. The other team was not much better, so neither team was a winner last night. Trump said he was going to fire two people, but I had to get Matt packed, so I only saw him fire Tionne Watkins from Melissa's team. She made the tactical error of offering to go back into the boardroom with Melissa "just to support her." She should have known that Trump would view that as weakness. It was kind of a shame because she won as her team's leader last week. But in the end, I don't think she would have won anyway.

I'm hoping Clint Black was the other one to go. If he didn't, the whole thing is a joke.(Ok, I know, it is anyway...). But he literally would not let anyone give an opinion or do anything. I thought Joan Rivers was going to strangle him. She is such a loose cannon, but hey, anyone in their 70's who can still get it done like that, then more power to them.

Anyway, regardless of who stayed or went, we are left with a pretty sorry group on both teams. Herschel Walker and Joan Rivers are probably the front-runners, along with that annoying wrestling lady, Claudia something or other who I would have had to kill by now. And then there is Jesse James, who I am personally rooting for, but is probably too nice to win.



So on with the week. Snow in the forecast, North Carolina vs Michigan state in the NCAA finals...

and until tomorrow, when I will hopefully get rid of this lump in my throat...