A new show on A&E called HOARDERS!!!


It completed its first season. And the bar is set HIGH people.



You might want to enter your garage, but watch a couple full episodes online first ---- these people have not only lost marriages and homes, but even custody of their children. It's ROUGH!

I've never parked a car in our garage, and its full. But my garage looks like an organizational dream compared to the rodent poop filled hovels they show.

And in McMansion cul-de-sac neighborhoods! It's awesome trainwreck stuff. Mostly because we all (well, most of us) know we're just a couple 1997 phone books away from becoming these folks.

I mean, which one of us hasn't spent two hours going through an old box and only tossing maybe a sheet of paper or two? right???

I feel this show really shows that the extreme Hoarders (there's another name for a show) are really crossing the line into Squalor. What is the difference between the two?

Now, off to clean out a closet. Baby steps....

Happy Bourbon Heritage Month!

Who says our gov't never gets anything done??

National Bourbon Heritage Month is an observance in the United States that calls for celebration of bourbon as America's "Native Spirit". On August 2, 2007, the US Senate declared September 2007 as "National Bourbon Heritage Month." The bill, sponsored by Republican Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky, passed by unanimous consent. The resolution calls for consumers who enjoy bourbon to do so responsibly and in moderation. The bill reinforces the 1964 Act of Congress that declared bourbon "America's Native Spirit" by celebrating the family heritage, tradition and deep-rooted legacy that the bourbon industry contributes to the United States.

And what a better thing to do with your favorite grain? right Lara???

Did you even know September is Whole Grain Month? There's still a few days left to celebrate!

First of all, if you're not sure what a whole grain IS, click here...

Here are my top five favorite whole grains...
Amaranth (taste like grits to me!)
Brown Rice
Corn
Oatmeal
And of course, my beloved Quinoa!!

I CHALLENGE you to try a new whole grain before September is done - complete list here - I know it scares you carb-conscious people, but seriously - whole grains are REALLY good for you!

What's your favorite whole grain??

Wow, both lovely ladies turn 75 this week! And they're still gorgeous!

Then...and now....

First Brigitte...





And now Sophia...

Doris Snyder was the first director for the oldest continually running professional (NFL) cheerleading squad in the world, The Washington Redskins Cheerleaders

She is now 82. We have an alumni performance at the Redskin Game halftime this weekend. At our last practice, she gave us a bit of advice...

Doris's advice?

"KNOCKERS OUT -AND SMILE"

Gotta love it. She WILL be out there performing with us....and showing us all how it's done!!

(Image from feministing.com)

This morning I got to vote for Mayor of my hometown. Not only that, I got to vote for someone I've known for more than 25 years (go Setti Warren!). But that was just the cherry on top of the sundae.

Whenever I go to the elementary school gym polling place (AFTER applying fresh lipstick), I notice stuff. I smell that kid-sweat smell, check out the semi-private voting set-up, and hold my head high as I approach the tables of volunteers to get my ballot. I remember going to vote with my Mom, which always makes me smile.

I try to imagine what the volunteers do with the rest of their lives, and wonder why they're always reading sci fi books.

It's all an effort to try to not cry with gratitude.

Even voting for Mayor makes me proud to be an American and excited to have the chance to silently say, "I am EXERCISING my RIGHT to VOTE. I am giving YOU, government machine, MY OPINION. When you politicians study your statistics later on, my vote will be combined with the other people on my block, and you'll get an idea of what's important to us. Then maybe you'll do things like pay attention to the potholes on my street, and consider what I want you to do with my tax dollars."

I managed to not cry (and ruin my eye make-up, I was on the way to work!), but I voted for my friend and got that warm rush of emotional pride. I hope you get the chance to vote today, too.

"Crazy Legs" Conti poses with cannolis after winning the eighth annual Little Italy Cannoli Eating Competition on September 10, 2009 in New York City. Image via Getty.

I loves me some eating competitions! Especially the official International Federation of Competitive Eating, Inc. (IFOCE) events. They run Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest on the 4th of July on Coney Island, which I actually got to attend a few years ago. I was in the first couple of rows when Takeru Kobayashi beat his old record by eating 53.5 hotdogs in 12 minutes. Crazy Legs Conti was there, too, as was Sonia "Black Widow" Thomas. Luckily, there were no "reversals" onstage that year (in other words - no one puked on me!). Good times.

On this very sad day, I'm trying to replace horrifying images and experiences with some fond NYC memories. Would love to know what's on your mind today, too.

Vibrating Mascara.

It's more adult toy than make-up.



Can you just envision the product development meeting?

This is not new, I see it is at least as old as summer 2008 (BellaSugar)

But in a huge product launch this summer Maybelline is touting their Pulse Perfection by Define a Lash, Vibrating Mascara.

No, the mascara doesn't vibrate. The "wand" does.... ok...ahem....

I just never cared about my lashes THAT much. But maybe I should!! : )

BUT, can you just imagine the pain and the MESS if you accidentally hit your eye? yikes!

If you've been listening to ChickChat for a while (thank you!), you know that I've been on a quest to try a Deep Fried Twinkie, hopefully at some kind of Fair. I thought it was the ultimate culinary adventure. I love Twinkies, and I love Deep Fried Anything, so why not?

Now the State Fair of Texas (where else?) has announced that some GENIUS/SICKO has entered Deep Fried Butter into its annual competition for "new and interesting food offerings." How can butter lose?? And how can I get myself to Texas to try that and all the other Deep Fried stuff? Do you do the Twinkie first, THEN the butter? Or is it the other way around?? That Fair is going on my bucket list, right now!

My new favorite T.V. show is "Monsters Inside Me" on Animal Planet. (every Wed and Sun night).

But perhaps the best part about it is that you can Adopt a Parasite at the Parasite Pet Shop online!




And beware --- if you watch this show and you've ever been out of the United States....you'll get a very very creepy feeling (parasites are never ever "gone" -- they just lie dormant for years on end....he he he).

One of my gay friends posted this on Facebook, and I had to share it with you. I don't mean to show anyone disrespect by using the term "gay;" and in this case, maybe I mean "happiest" anyway!

Happy almost-last-weekend-of-summer!!!!!!

I hadn't really paid attention to the song by 3oh!3 that has been on a MILLION TIMES --- until my 8 year old repeated the "catchy" lyrics out loud.

"Shush Girl. Shut Your Lips. Do the Helen Keller and Talk with your Hips."

Um, Ok. I know he has nooooooo idea what he is saying (he used to belt out "Angel is a Centerfold" when he was 4). But the whole Helen Keller thing. She must be turning in her grave.

Just wait till these little kids finally figure out who Helen Keller is....they heard about her first in a pop song.

Weird. Strange.

(and who else keeps seeing Melissa Gilbert flailing? How many times did we see that on the TV "The Miracle Worker"???)

But after watching the video -for some reason, I feel much better about the whole Helen Keller thing.

Why is that????????????

We're both pregnant!

Here's what Gisele looks like....



And here's what I look like (I'm 27 weeks along)....



Don't want you to miss the best part....



Me and Gisele, separated at birth, right???

What do Donny Osmond and Tom Delay have in common?


Why DWTS of course!

Dancing With the Stars is in it's 9th season. The Premier is September 21st!

And I am digging to find out about my beloved Edyta Sliwinska. She's the HOT professional. Will she get Tom Delay? Maybe..... lemme know if you found out already!!!

Find out who else is cast here at FoxNews.

Yes, you should see Julie & Julia - especially if you're a guy.

In addition to award-winning actors, mouth-watering food, a clever story, and a tale of two women who get saved by food - I submit "happy marriages to perfect men" as the real star of this movie.

I got to see it with one of my bestest girlfriends, a large popcorn & Sour Patch Kids. We should have seen it with our husbands, or dragged any single guy we could find so they could see how men should treat women.

The REAL star of Julie & Julia shows two relationships in two different eras, with the world's two most supportive husbands. Don't get me wrong - I'm six months pregnant and loved watching all the food. And I adore my husband, as does my friend. But the only moments when we looked at each were when the husbands did something SO thoughtful and SO supportive that we had to make eye contact and psychically ask each other, "Where did they find these guys???" And there's even a big ol' blow-out fight with one of the couples!

There was a whole article in The New York Times about how rare it is to see a happy marriage on screen, let alone two, and how Nora Ephron got the mojo to portray these two couples as happy. Click here if you missed it...

This weekend I saw District 9 - which was better than I thought. The only problem I had was believing that the hot girl was married to the goofy guy.