It's Kind Of a Public Service

I don't know if anyone else listens to podcasts, but you should check out NPR's "This American Life."  Each week they take 2-3 real people and develop a theme based on their stories.  This week's episode was heartbreaking! Actors read true stories about the excitement and fear that soldiers and their families feel as they come home from Iraq. The soldiers don't know how life has changed in their time away, whether their kids will recognize them, how their wives will treat them, and how they will respond to being back in "civilized life."  One wife wrote her husband to say that she was scared of him - she didn't know what he might do to her.  Their experiences are very raw and it made me very thankful for the sacrifice that all the soldiers and their families make. 

So anyway, it's fascinating and very different each week.  What do you think? Does anyone out there already listen to NPR?  Has the scandal(s) over the past months changed your mind?

Now on to part 2 ...

Did anyone else watch the Bachelor last night?  What a trainwreck.  I'll admit that I've only seen a few episodes but I keep up with what's happening on the show through websites like www.televisionwithoutpity.com.  I think the part of the show that always floors me is how the women in the final two or three have to convince themselves that the other women aren't actually there and the man/woman that they "love" is at least dating (and possibly sleeping with) two other women at the same time.  Then, one day, he/she "proposes" to them and they're meant to ride off into the sunset.  I often ask my wife if she would have been cool with me dating other women right up until the time of our engagement.  You can probably guess her response.

I watched the "After the Final Rose" thing last night and here are my quick takes:  1.  the women in the studio audience HATE Brad.  They were ready to hate him from the minute he showed up!  2.  I think he's a nice guy, but wish he wouldn't have let Chantal push him into a corner. It was obvious from his reactions that he had to take someone to the final two but he knew Emily was his choice all along.  3.  If I'm Chantal's "new boyfriend" I'm breaking up with her today ... seeing my girlfriend bawl about a guy she met on a reality show would make me seriously question her.  4.  Emily seems like a sweet girl but she needs to get real.  One minute she's "definitely engaged" the next minute she's "not ready to get married right now."  Ummm, isn't that kind of what the engagement is?  5.  I skipped all the wonderful, sage advice that the past bachelor couples gave.  I couldn't help thinking that the 25 couples who broke up would probably be more helpful in this situation.  And where was Jake and Vienna - I thought those kids were going to last?? :)  6.  What's up with no one wanting to move to Austin this year?  That seemed like a real issue with most of the women. Austin's a pretty cool town to live in - especially if you own a bar!

Last thoughts:  I think that both Brad and Emily came on the show "for the right reasons" (whatever that means), but they forgot that they were on a game show that gets manipulated for ratings without regard to their relationship. I'm actually kind of pulling for them, but I'm afraid that the glare of the spotlight won't let up anytime soon and they're bound for failure. At least they'll have good company at all the reunions - maybe Brad just needs a third try!

So what do you think?  Am I right or will Brad/Emily beat the odds?  Let me know in the comments ...