The Amanda Doll: This Season's Hot Children's Toy

I'm not one to jump on bandwagons. A decade ago you did not see my rushing out to buy a "Tickle Me Elmo."  Cabbage Patch dolls were never my thing, either. But now that I'm the mother of young children, I do tend to keep my eyes open for the latest "hot" toys.

This Christmas my daughter wanted the "Amazing Amanda" doll, a doll that talks and poops and recognizes her "mommy's" voice. A quick price check at Target showed that the thing cost 90 dollars. Ouch!

At first I was angry. How dare Nick Jr. air ads for 90 dollar dolls? That's just plain rude. Most people can't afford such an expensive doll-- us included! When it was time to write a letter to Santa (actually an email),  all my daughter kept asking for was "the Amanda doll." Nothing else? No, just the Amanda doll. So of course Santa had to bring it.

The doll arrived Christmas morning as scheduled, and my daughter was thrilled. Unfortunately, Amanda called for 3 "C" batteries. We only had one. My husband found some old batteries in a toy in the playroom, so we inserted them. My daughter gave Amanda'a hand a squeeze and the doll started talking. Then....ffffffftttzzzzzzzz. She sounded like she shorted out. Alas, it was just the batteries!

We bought new ones and then began the (tedious) process of "programming" Amanda to "understand" my daughter's voice. Talk about painful.  It took forever and we kept making mistakes and had to start over. A few times Amanda said my daughter didn't sound like her mommy. My little girl was very sad when that happened.

Finally, we got everything programmed and we got to play with Amanda. My daughter was so dear, caring for and coddling her new doll. Feeding her, putting her on the potty, singing songs with her..... it was almost worth the 90 dollars! That was on the 26th. Amanda has been laying asleep on my daughter's bed since then. She doesn't want to wake her, she explains. Guess she realizes that playing with Amanda is a lot of work indeed.

'Reunion' is canceled and I'm lambasting FOX

Lambast (verb). Call on the carpet; reprimand; lecture; bawl out (Websters)
I have never in my life used the word "lambast," but for some reason that is the only word I can think of to describe what I want to do to the FOX network.

OK,  so we all know the show "Reunion" wasn't the greatest. The writing was medicore, there were too many characters, too many twists, etc. etc. Still, when you draw viewers in with an intricate murder plot, dropping new clues each week, isn't it only common courtesy to finish out the series?

FOX has cancleled "Reunion"-- mid series. So the viewers will never know who killed Samantha. I have wasted weeks on this show, hours of my life, and now I'm left hanging??? The writers can't even come up with a quickie way to wrap up the plotlines;  it's too involved, there are too many characters we haven't met yet, etc. I guess I can't blame them for being bitter.

So thanks, FOX. Guess "Reunion" will stay stuck in the year 1995 or so. Which may be what FOX's problem is after all.

Holly Jolly Holiday Spirit

OK, so the new season of "The Simple Life" has started shooting. Am I the only one who thinks it's preposterous that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are being paid mega bucks to do a show together-- yet they won't even speak to each other? Not even two words. In the "real" world, if you can't get along with a coworker, then someone's got to go. I wish that were the case here. But no, instead the producers of the show are shooting around the girls' feud. They won't even be in scenes together. Seems kind of silly to me. Spoiled rich girls.

In other news, this weeks episode of "Grey's Anatomy" was the best one yet. I just love "Grey's." I love how Izzie tried to get everyone in the Christmas spirit and they were all a bunch of Grinches. I cried over the little boy who needed a heart transplant. And I can't get that Sixpence None the Richer version of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" out of my head. I immediately downloaded it on  iTunes and I've listened to it over and over and over ever since. The best part? At the end of the episode when Izzie, Meredith and George were laying under the Christmas tree looking up at the twinkling lights.

"What are we doing?" George asked.

"Lights," Izzie said, dreamily.

Yes, we could all use a few more lights in our lives.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

photo credit: ABC Television Network