Tag Archives: TV

The Bletchley Circle

The Bletchley Circle

The four women in the Bletchley Circle worked together in a top secret department during WWII. Years later they moved on to ordinary civilian lives (more or less). Susan, the main protagonist, hears about a series of gruesome murders over the radio and notices a pattern that everyone else seems to miss. She calls in the help of her Bletchley Park friends and together the four women solve the crime.

Absolutely LOVED this show and I’m so glad to hear that they have been renewed for a second series coming this Spring!

~*~

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything. ― Mark Twain

Hello Watson!

Posted in Media, The Telly, Thoughts by

IBM succeeded in building a computer that was able to beat two top Jeopardy players, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter.

I saw this comic from Abstruse Goose in my RSS reader and smiled.

I think that many humans, at one point or the other, wonder about the advances in technology and if one day technology will take over the world. I know I’ve often marveled at how far we’ve come, from the 90s where the internet was just beginning to pick up pace, to 2011 where a computer wins Jeopardy.

However, the thing that marvels me the most is that these contraptions exist, not on their own, but from the thoughts, tinkering and hard work of people just like you and me. Once my mind heads down that road, I take a second, say a prayer of praise, smile and get on with my day.

The human mind is an amazing thing with great potential to create.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Posted in Media, The Telly by

I’ve recently started watching Jimmy Fallon on Hulu (because I’m in bed by the time he’s on TV. Yeah, that’s how I roll). I like watching him because he’s so dorky, but in a funny and endearing way. I especially love his Thank You Notes segment and his crazy games. So when I got the opportunity to go to a taping of his show I jumped on the opportunity quicker than fleas on a dog (or, nicer analogy, it’s late, I don’t want to be creative).

We got to 30 Rock around 2:30pm to get in line for our tickets, once we had those in hand we waited around until 4:15pm where we were then allowed to line up to be taken in. Around 5pm we were in the studio and ready to see Jimmy. He had a great show with some lovely audience shots during the game – we threw balls at guys with cones on their heads.

Jimmy was just as wonderful in person as he is on the telly, I would definitely try to go again (and sit on the aisle again, but this time closer to the back. And armed with a magazine and a pen for him to sign – and that’s your tip of the day).

 

what I got after the show

Hello Rachael Ray!

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About two months ago a friend emailed me asking me if I wanted to go with her to a Rachael Ray show. I hadn’t watched the show in a long time but said I would. So we set off to see the show and were turned away because there were no available seats. We were told that we could give our names again and the next time they invited us it will be with “VIP Passes” so that, if we showed up, we were guaranteed a spot.

Two months later I received another email from my friend, I said yes, and yesterday we went to see the Rachael Ray Show!

We got to the studio around 9:45 am and were told to wait for a little while. At around 10am they took us to the security line where, 20 minutes later, they checked us and let us in and up to a black room. We had some breakfast snacks – muffins, tea/coffee, water – and awaited for further instructions.

Around 11 we were ushered into the Studio and seated. The audience sat on a rotating stage, so that every now and then we would go for a ride on the giant turn table to face another part of the set. There were cameras and microphones EVERYWHERE! I suppose that’s to be expected seeing as it’s a TV show and all. Immediately I spotted my dream job … I will one day grow up to be the person who wraps and unwraps the wire behind the camera as I follow the cameraman around the set. I’m sure there is a technical name for it.

For the curious, Rachael Ray was very nice to her audience. She answered questions between segments, made fun of herself and made you feel at ease. She had personality.

Her guest on the show was Barry Manilow, whom I heard of but never listened to. I must admit that when he sang for us I turned to my friend and said, “Amazing! Can I take him home with me!?” His voice blew me away. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a man sing like that, LIVE!

She made a soup dish and a fish dish. They spoke about shampoo and shaving products and then she did some promotional segments. The audience left with a sample of some shampoo/conditioner, an eco friendly Manilow bag that included a beach towel and his newest love songs CD. We also got to snack on some organic cookies.

Unfortunately there are no pictures, you’re not allowed to take them in the studio. The show airs this Friday, for me it’s on ABC at 10am.  I love living in New York, where I get the privilege do these things. Hopefully I will do more fantastic things this year and report them on this blog (finally a use for this thing).

This has been your very first segment of Shanella does New Yorkie Things. =P