Here we go, another debaucherous season of the Bachelor franchise has eeked its skeezy way to the network! I am a huge fangirl of both Britt and Kaitlin (as you are well aware) last season, so I wasn't really peeved about the twist on this season as many seemed to be.

While I don't really think the multiple guy scenario yields itself to the quality commentary that comes from a quality season of the Bachelor, I can't resist a good overview!

• Loving their dresses... they both look amazing.
• Wow, the intros are so awk, both of them on full display for everyone's exchanges. 
• So, basically half the guys are from Nashville and the other half are personal trainers.
• Whoaaaa, drunk Ryan. Button it up.
• My top picks: Ian! Joe from Kentucky (moonshine! nice touch!), Joshua the welder from Idaho, Ryan from Florida (dying over that scruff and suit), Ben the software guy, Ben from California who was in the NFL. Cory from Pearland (is he the lone Texan?), JJ "I'd love to puck you," Tanner with the tissues.
• Not feeling: Jared from Rhode Island... yoga healer Tony. Kupah the overzealous entrepreneur. Corey the former investment banker. Shawn the "amateur sex coach." Not really feeling any of the three Nashville guys. The stripper-attorney has to go too. Clint from Chicago looks like he might be in WWE on the side.
• Dark horses! Where ya at?
• Fun fact: Shawn B. is from the same hometown as some of our closest friends. Apparently a really great guy, my sources report.
• A little surprised that Kaitlin was chosen over Britt... but happy, nonetheless.
• The music they're playing is eerily similar to the score of Homeland. Is there a terrorist in the house? Is Carrie Mathison looming by the pool?
• Poor Britt. She really looks blindsided. And now the tears. 
• Chris Harrison is such a jokester. I mean, he's had a decade or so to hone those mad skills.
• I want to be best friends with Kaitlin. She just seems like the coolest chick, right?
• Hahaha, Chris looks so grim when he explains she still has to go through the rose ceremony. "You're the bachelorette." As if "bachelorette" = POTUS or some such.
• Awww, the guys' excitement about Kaitlin is really cute.
• You're not "esstatic" about it, Justin. You might be "ECSTATIC," however. In which case, I also think you need to calm down.
• This Ian cat is a charmer.
• Loving that welded rose!! How crafty and cool. 
• Kaitlin's confidence and comfort is so easily discernible now that she's The One. 
• Let's get to that rose ceremony! 
• Hahaha, she's thrilled he told her that he voted for Britt because it's easier to knock him out now.
• It's funny--I think I'm more forgiving to the varied personalities of female contestants... I'm a little more critical of the dudes.
• Ahhh, JJ has a daughter! ...and a terrible midwestern accent. I like him, but voices are big for me...
• She is really, really giving him good face.
• The Nashville dentist reminds me a lot of Nate Archibald's politico cousin... what was his name? Tripp?
• That is a huge ass wine glass. I need something similar.
• Shawn B. has a McConaughey vibe about him.
• Yayyyy, and he gets that rose!
• I like him... just not loving the hair swoop situation. I have him in my top 5.
• What is happening with this Brady cat?
• Okay, that's admirable.
• Wait... he's going to go find Britt? 
• Oooooh, actually... I'm putting two and two together! Brady is from Nashville, and I saw recently via insta that Britt was in Nashville... could there be an ongoing relationship happening currently? 
• Yay, Texas boy was chosen!
• They all don't look nearly as attractive when they're lined up next to each other on that chopping block.
• Oh gosh... it's literally broad daylight when they're leaving. Talk about long night.
• Onto the previews--looks like ABC found their travel budget once again. No more passing off South Dakota as an exciting locale.
• Was that the Alamo?!
• Uh oh... that was Moonshine Joe professing his love... he must make it pretty far.
• Riverwalk! They ARE in San Antonio!
• Amy Schumer!!!!
• Oooh! A death threat! Maybe this 
• Whaaaat.... Nick??
• I always liked him until he called Andi out for shacking up on the After the Final Rose sitch.
• She really is kissing everyone...
• Maybe don't broadcast the breathy moaning.
• Tears. Drama. Sex. Gang's all here!
• Oh man... if she slept with Nick and then told them all, and now they want to murder him, that would sort of be karma in its best form.
• Oh man! So much happening!! So many emotions!
• Just like that, I'm sucked back into this tornado.
• Is Britt really still crying?
• Ooooh, I'm excited about that little reveal.
• My really premature top five--err, six...seven--are Ian, Shawn B.,  JJ and Ben the former NFL-er, Ryan from Florida. And Joshua the rose welder because making flowers out of metal is kind of badass in my book. And Chris/Tripp van der Bilt.

What do you think? Are you watching this season?

My heart breaks for my hometown today.

You've probably heard of the insanity that transpired in Waco yesterday. Biker gangs opened fire in a restaurant in a well frequented shopping area in what appears to have been an orchestrated plan. It sounds crazy to read out loud: biker gangs. This isn't a series on FX--this is the town I grew up in, the place my parents chose to make a home.

To the outside world, Waco doesn't have a sterling reputation to begin with. I can't tell you how many dozens of times, upon meeting people for the very first time, I'm inundated with Branch Davidian jokes. Or interrogated about Baylor Basketball... basically been the focus of someone's mock concern due to having grown up in what was obviously such a terrible part of the world.

For the first handful of times this happened, the formerly polite version of me would feign amusement, and essentially change the subject. Gradually, I grew more defensive. Now? I curtly reply that David Koresh's reign ended with his death TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO, and seeing as I was the ripe age of 7... no, no I wasn't ever a card-carrying member of his cult.

I don't have a reasonable explanation for what happened yesterday. It's heinous, what happened. I am dumbfounded, that in this day and age, so much hate exists at all, much less for something as frivolous as a turf war. My brother is a policeman back home, and every single time a disaster like this goes down--of any magnitude--I hold my breath as I stare at news tickers and attempt to seem casual as I check in with my family. He's defending the people of my beloved hometown (near it anyway), and when situations like this arise, my anger level skyrockets. Being 700 miles away doesn't help my cause.

While I can't explain the senselessness of incidents like yesterday's, I do, however, get really tired of people instantly labeling a place as "BAD." Tragedy happen everywhere, every day--the difference is, people have come to expect terrible things to happen in large cities:

• Remember that bombing in Olympic Park in Atlanta back in '96? I mean, I remember it, but my first thought of Atlanta falls in line somewhere with the Braves or Falcons, and Coca-Cola and Chick-Fil-A and godawful traffic.
  
• When I think of Boston, I don't instantaneously think of the marathon bombings, even in spite of the recent sentencing. I envision how richly historic the city is, with all of the universities and landmarks... and how I can't wait to visit later this year.
  
• When I envision Oklahoma City, I don't immediately think of Timothy McVeigh. Oddly enough, I think of tornadoes and small-town life and all of the amazingly friendly people I met in college who were Okies.
  
• Perhaps the most debatable example--when I think of DC and NYC, I don't immediately think of 9/11 (and if you did, I wouldn't be surprised)--I am reminded of monuments and museums, shopping and shows, politicos and bustle... and how much fun I've had in both of these cities.

I realize much of this can be attributed to the size of these locations--not many people know about Waco, if you haven't passed through, spent time there, or know someone there. It's human nature to attribute what you know to what you've heard. The closest comparison to be made is that of Columbine or Sandy Hook--I couldn't tell you one thing about either of those places other than the tragedies they've faced at the hands of delirious gunmen.

I'm here to tell you that Waco? Is a pretty incredible place.

Kids grow up with a respect for land and country, a heartfelt connection to their roots. I often liken my childhood to a Rockwell painting--everyone knows everyone (or seems to) in Waco. We were raised with a strong sense of valuing and respecting our elders--and veterans and servicemen and women--and their stories. Waco was where my faith was planted and bloomed. And now, every time I return home, there are a dozen new causes that have sprouted--people everywhere are just yearning to help their fellow man. School rivalries run deep, but the respect is there, all the same. It's rather easy to make a name for yourself in Waco, to use it as a platform to dive into this big crazy world. Yes, I speak from experience.

The size is ideal--just about 200,000 people tucked halfway between Dallas and Austin. There is an abundant medical field, a fabulous university (not biased at all), lots of unique shopping, some of the best Mexican food known to man, my favorite grocery store in the world, and tons of history. And it's home to Joanna & Chip Gaines, as if you didn't know. Dr. Pepper was founded in Waco. The city is home to lots of pro athletes (and former athletes). Several musicians and actors make their homes here. It's an incredible town--as a 22-year-old, I couldn't wait to get out--as young adults are wont to do--but now that I call Nashville home, I ache for the sweet simplicities and familiarities of Waco in a way I never anticipated.

It's beautiful, it's authentic, it'll always clutch a substantial piece of my heart. Waco isn't a sum of its events--it has grown by leaps and bounds from when I was young--in every way imaginable. I daresay it has overcome the many shadows cast over it due to a handful of selfish souls. And I have every faith it'll rise above this tragedy as well.

how you doin'?

summer is inching its way to Nashville and gah, I am ready for her. we are off for two weeks of vacay here in a matter of days and the timing couldn't be more golden. here's a roundup of life, as of late:

reading | just finished the girl on the train. honestly, looking back, it was a little meh. while I don't think it was entirely predictable, some of the buttoning up of the story line was a bit too neat, considering the intricacies of the plot line. that said, I don't NOT recommend it. it was touted as "the next gone girl," but I wouldn't put it in the same arena. I just started dana perino's "and the good news is..." and I am instantly transported back to my round-the-clock-fox-news-watching days in college, hellbent on pursuing the path of political journalism. I'm loving it.


browsing | I have a ridiculous number o' windows open on my chrome (this is new! just made the switch to chrome!) browser: lots of mad men commentary (poor betty!), grad school stuff, overpriced swimsuits for aforementioned vacation, upcoming events in nashville. tone it up. same ol.

donning | step right up. the most comfortable summer jeans known to man. I'm impatiently waiting for rain so I can finally model the wellies I've wanted for years. and my new (cheap!) bag. I have a thing for structured, simple, solid-colored bags and h+m has yet to let me down.

watching | the good wife. why the hell did I not jump on this bandwagon sooner? OMG, Alicia Florrick, you are a total shero. also? finally binged on the jinx. and it has blown my mind. ST stayed up two nights ago and watched all of them--homeboy couldn't get enough. we saw "age of adaline" a few weeks ago and it was so, so good. definitely recommend. could blake lively be any more gorgeous? life is so fair. also, rounding out mad men. whatever will I do without the mystery and deceit of don draper? (this is such an awesome forecast as to how it'll end...)

next, I am having a serious moment with amy schumer. girl is funny. go spend four minutes watching this.

wishing | texas weren't quite so many states away. and that people actually kept plans when they made them (passive aggressive to whine about, maybe... but that annoyance has become a recurring theme this week).

jazzed about |  my upcoming trip to texas! oh... and our week on a little island known as st. thomas. ;) my first two-week vacation from work ever.

sipping on | this grapefruit cocktail I found referenced in a TIU snippet.. juice one grapefruit, add a teaspoon of agave and a shot (or so ;)) of vodka... holy YUM. I've been knocking them back left and right. crazy refreshing and super easy.

wondering | how the hell was it seven years ago that I graduated from college?

looking forward to | summertime! we have so much planned, per the usual. I thrive on a full calendar.

nervous about | leaving maizie when we head out on vacation. I have such crazy anxiety about not being with her, but I know she'll be in good hands.

last, but most importantly (and therefore not least!), ST's birthday is today! happy birthday, lovey! so excited to share a fantastic weekend with you... you make that whole aging thing look so damn good. ;)