"If You're Going to Walk on Thin Ice, You Might as Well Dance."

Little One and I were in the middle of a grinding homework marathon Monday evening. Her afternoon had been spent at dance class, so what would usually have been finished was dragging on and on due to tiredness and frustration...from both of us. Finally, she looked up at me with teary eyes and begged for a "10 minute break". Doubting this was the answer to the issue, I caved and turned on the TV. I could hear The Husband and The Boy in the den remoting back and forth between baseball, football and the season premier of "House"...but we were in the mood for some light distraction. As I flipped channels, Little One suddenly shouted with joy: "Dancing With the Stars is on!!!"....Oh dear. Ok, well, just 10 minutes. Now Little One loves this show, but I had avoided it last year since she had softball practice or games on Monday nights.



It's not that I don't like the dancing. I do. I just don't like the judging sometimes. Especially when someone is really bad....you know, cringe-worthy. I don't like any show where I have to be embarrassed for anyone. If you read this blog regularly, you know that I spend enough time being embarrassed about stuff that I do...I don't need anyone elses' stuff....But the look of pure joy on Little One's face was enough to convince me to put down the remote.



It was the men's night to dance, and it was a very eclectic group: Michael Irvin, the football player; Tom Delay, politician (weird choice), Donny Osmond; Aaron Carter,
either a Backstreet Boy or some boy-band guy; a boxer; a Food Network chef..and a couple of other guys who I guess didn't make an impression on me, because I can't remember them. Now Michael Irvin was average...he will not do as well as Jerry Rice or Emmitt Smith did (both former NFL players too)...but he won't go home first either. The Backstreet Boy was good...but he should be, right? I mean, he's a dancer. Tom Delay was downright embarrassing. He just looked out of place, however I give him credit for trying. (His partner, Cheryl, looks like she is embarrassed to be dancing with him). My favorite was Donny Osmond. Like the Backstreet Boy, he should be good...but he has so much charm that it is easy to root for him. Little One asked who he was...and I launched into a long explanation about how he was my generation's equivalent of the Jonas Bothers, and how I had liked him the way she likes the Jonas brothers. She gave me the look that she often gives me and shook her head. "Oh mom." This means I have given her too much information....
Ok, I suddenly remember the worst dancer...that Asley Hamilton, son of George, who was on the show a couple of season's ago. Poor Ashley did not inherit his dad's dancing ability or his charisma. I think he will be the first to go.

Now last night, it was the girl's turn. Little One and I got in late from a softball game, so we missed a few dancers. But in quick summation, it looks like Maya (is she a singer?) and the swimsuit model girl will be top contenders. And my favorite was Kelly Osborne, daughter of Ozzy and Sharon. All I knew about her previously was that she was a wild-child with a drug problem. But she had such a sweet and vulnerable presence that I immediately rooted for her. Not only did she work hard, but she was really good! Plus her mom and dad cried after her dance which made me cry too. The worst girl in my opinion was the singer, Macy Gray. Now look, I was cheering for her initially because she seemed like such a fish out of water...but after her dance, I thought she looked like she was "under the influence" in her interview, so she dropped down a few places in my mind...of course, I could be wrong...

So that's it for this morning. The elimination show is tonight, and Little One has already negotiated for a later bedtime so she can watch. She was initially rooting for the girl that plays Sabrina on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", but Little One is easily won over by prettiness...so I'm guessing she will be voting for the swimsuit girl...

Until tomorrow, when we will wait with baited breath to see who goes home...