Speaking of Donald Clark Osmond

He was a guest on the health and fitness show I worked on as a Production Secretary (and that's Marion Ross, "Mrs. C" on Happy Days, as one of our hosts).

Yes, this is on camera... everyone in the office knew I had been crazy about him when I was kid, so they invited fellow officemate, Armeen and I to come to the set at the Marina del Rey hotel to say hello.

Well, I wasn't going to meet my teenage idol empty-handed... so I bought I little bouquet of white mums with a big purple flower in it. Like he really needed flowers.

Little did I know that the producer and the crew had a surprise for me -- I was going to get to give it to him on camera! HAHAH I thought I had calmed down after all the Donny Osmond songs Armeen and I shouted/sang in the car... but no, this was absolutely nauseating!

Then all of a sudden, there I am on stage interrupting Marion. How tickled I am! I still look at that picture and crack myself up.

I said something like, "These are for you -- and the there's a purple one in the middle." He said something like Prince has usurped the color purple now... and it was over. Wish I had tape.



We took a picture afterwards, Armeen and I, with the guy I was going to convert to Mormonism for. Ah, the mind of a 10-year-old. But I'll always have a special place in my heart for Donny. Don't you? :)

I Wanna Be a Soap Star

Ah, the guilty pleasure! For not having a working television, I sure watch a lot of TV... aol.com video on demand and I get to see whole episodes only 24 hours after actual airing...

I love this show! I like to watch struggling actors, trying to be real on screen and real in their lives when they're under a microscope... oh, another road not taken...

[For the record, I'm betting on Alec or Prudence. They both have the "look," have a worldly, mature sense about them, and are terrific actors and good people.]

Went to the store after what seems like 30 million naps... got tons to drink. Ginger ale, tea, juice. I'm gonna wipe this damn cold out quick, I hate being sick.

But can I just say -- I am so glad I live where I live. In L.A. In a town full of singles like me. Because everyone was in the grocery store shopping after 11, only buying one or two bags worth of stuff. So contrary to what I grew up, when mom would go to the (military) Commissary and we'd have to spend what felt like HOURS in there pushing two filled-to-the-brim carts, then coming home and folding paper bags all day. Blech!

I've always told my friends with kids... I don't know how you do it, planning meals and being responsible for the nutritional health of growing children (and of course, you and your spouse). I'm just happy I remembered to take the dairy enzymes before I had my feel good when you sick food of Ben and Jerry's Marshmallow something-or-other.

I guess I just don't have that grocery gene. Maybe next life.

Sergio Mora, The CONTENDER

I've been in a funk of late, pretty unable and unwilling to write, compose, clean... but obviously, not unwilling to keep up with my weekly TV date evenings with my friend, L, who has a terrific home entertainment system.

We love The Contender, and have been watching since Episode 2 and enjoying the backstories of these 16 incredible warriors. And yes, before you try to get me on the word "warriors" -- it's testosterone at its best and as a woman, it makes me feel SAFE. Period. (Don't try and push that one with me, I'm not in the mood and I've read too many message board discussions today to argue anymore.)



Our man, Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora from East L.A. won a good, clean tournament with a bang-up job at the end against a favored Peter Manfredo, Jr. Honestly, I hoped Peter would win (he's a good cookie as well), but you know, it came down who really wanted it more. That was Sergio. (His buddy Alfonso Gomez was also the underdog, went up two weight classes and kicked butt in the bronze fight against poor Jesse. He wanted it BAD.)

But back to The Reigning Contender, Sergio. He's tall and lanky, with a good reach -- but what got me the most about him was he was SMART (he wants to use his BRAINS to change the world, now that his Mama doesn't have to work anymore!), he studied history, war strategy from ages, he has a beautiful lawyer girlfriend, he has pride in his family. He has focus and ambition, and guts and heart that just never quit. For example, he fought the two strongest power punchers (and strong characters too!) Ishe Smith and Jesse Brinkley -- but made them used their strengths against themselves. He ducked their punches (which apparently takes as much out of you as when your punches connect), and he also said that he knew they were gonna hit hard -- BUT HE WASN'T GONNA LET IT SHOW. Wow. Come on, look at those two -- skinny Sergio should have been squashed!

But he won against those two to get to the top -- and was the only one in the house to not have to hang up is gloves in the "graveyard."

Today, though, after watching boxing all day yesterday, I woke up in the crappiest, ickiest, foulest mood ever -- overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do for clients and dragged down by my inability to take care of myself and my own needs. AARGH! The story of my life.

But then I thought of cocky Sergio, how he pumps himself up and comes up surprising his opponent and everyone else except himself.

HE PLAYED HIS OWN GAME AND KNEW HIS OWN DESTINY. Unlike Peter Manfredo Jr., still boxing under Manfredo Sr's guidance -- once last night Manfredo Sr. even trash talked Sergio in the ring -- what, did he feel he had to help Jr. out? Poor Peter... time to grow up and out from under Pops.) Sergio answered to ONE man -- SERGIO.



So today, I made a plan. Play my own game. MINE. Not the way it "should" be played, not what others say is the BEST way to play it. The 24 hours in this day belongs to ME and what I want to do and accomplish -- know my own destiny.

And then I got pissed. Pissed and complaining... and funny, how that can bring out the true emotion of who I am. And yes, I can out swear any sailor, but who the f*ck really cares about that, if it gets me where the hell I need to be!

Can I be my OWN Contender? You betcha. Watch.