Alternative Cancer Treatments - Your Choice?

Jack Hornsby -- Scholarship Essay

Should cancer patients and doctors be able to use whatever treatments they like in treating cancer? Why?

My father has battled cancer three times in his life. Once before he and my mother met, once when they’d been married one year, and the last time when I was one year old. That was over seventeen years ago and even though he can’t run around the block and I never played sports with him, he’s here. And he can still bust me for staying out too late. In some ways, I feel like his fight is my fight. His struggle to stay healthy is a part of this family and that hasn’t always included conventional medicine.

The first time he was sick he was a single man living the good life in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in the 1980’s, the second time he was a newlywed in 1992, and he credits his final recovery in 1997 to the addition of my mother and I to his life. According to studies, men who have a family have a greater chance of survival than single men who haven’t the driven need to survive for children. Why is that? Attitude. If a good attitude is a primary factor in the survival rate of a cancer victim, then what else is out there besides chemotherapy, radiation and surgery?

James, “Rhio” O’Connor was a man diagnosed with mesothelioma and beat the odds of surviving past one year through alternative treatments. Mesothelioma is often caused by fiberglass exposure and attacks the mesothelial, a lining in the abdomen and chest wall. Treatment involves the big three—Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation. Once cancer takes hold in the chest wall, mesothelioma is very aggressive but that’s not to say that time cannot be bought to prolong life. In the case of Rhio O’Connor, he bought himself six more years beyond his prognosis by following a special diet that included amino acids, combinations of fruits and vegetables, fatty acids, vitamins and by keeping positive. That’s six times the amount of time they gave him as a victim! If that isn’t proof enough that diet, herbal ‘drugs’ and attitude is a governing factor in a cancer survival rate, I don’t know what is. Mesothelioma victims do not get six years once diagnosed. They are lucky to get one year before death.

Personally, I am not so presumptuous to assume that only drugs can cure cancer. Or only radiation therapy. Or a combination of both. Only. If you look at the world in the late fourteenth century when the world was thought to be flat, is it possible that only seven hundred years later, there are still things in the universe we don’t know? I believe so. If attitude is important, why not include the basics of health and include nutrition as factors that can help treat cancer? The experts already know that eating certain foods are carcinogenic and some foods are antioxidants, so why not eat healthfully to increase your odds in the fight to get rid of cancer?

We have a family friend who changed her eating habits drastically for two years and used this lifestyle change along with surgery, chemo and radiation to beat breast cancer. She’s still going strong years after her diagnosis. She coupled an exercise regime and drastic change in diet with conventional medicine to enhance/expedite her recovery.

I can’t say that my father used any alternative therapies for his recovery (now going on seventeen years) besides living the good life with a good attitude. But in the years since his last treatment, we have encountered cancer many more times in our circle of family friends and various alternatives have accompanied their treatments that haven’t been FDA certified. It takes years and apparently many millions of dollars to get a drug certified to use for any type of disease and while waiting for testing and certification for these drugs, people die of cancer. Who’s to say that something not approved might have helped?

Ten years ago this month, our family had another member join us. Not a baby, but a fifty-four year old woman who was my mother’s closest friend when they both lived on Maui together. She came to live with us when the Mayo Clinic sent her home to get her affairs in order after a diagnosis of both lung cancer and breast cancer. My mother took charge of her recovery in Seattle, driving her to appointments, keeping her laughing, and not letting her give up. The odds were not good but she got through surgery, chemo, and radiation and lived within our family fold for five months, instead of going home to Maui where she lived alone. We cooked healthy meals, kept things light, took her camping with us and our family dogs when she felt like giving up and didn’t allow her to think about not pulling through this bump in the road. She took vitamins, watched funny movies, got foot massages and took some herbs that were recommended for her type of cancer. It’s been ten years since then and our friend is back to being a cocktail waitress in Hawaii, loving life, hiking, and dancing the hula. To this day, she attributes her successful recovery to not only conventional medicine, but also to not identifying herself as a cancer survivor, not giving the experience credit.

We have another very close family friend who was diagnosed with Leukemia fifteen years ago who had a bone marrow transplant that didn’t successfully take and was sent home to die.  Not only did she insist on having her own bone marrow put back in but she qualified for a clinical trial drug within a year and continues to credit the drug and her healthy life style on her recovery. We thank God that the drug came available for this trial exactly when she needed it. Without it, she’d be gone by now.

One of my friend’s fathers is battling brain cancer as I write this. Last summer he was still able to work between chemo treatments, surgeries and digging in for the biggest fight of his life. This summer, his tumor is back and after finishing all the treatments available for conventional medicine, he is spending the next few months taking a tar-like substance derived from Marijuana, called Rick Simpson Oil. After exhausting every other conventional possibility, he is making a last stab attempt to shrink his tumor with an unconventional method. A method that has not been FDA approved, a “drug” that is illegal in some states but has been proven to help in many different forms of cancer by shrinking tumors. My father took Marinol for nausea long ago when it wasn’t quite considered conventional therapy. If we didn’t live in a state that allowed for medical Marijuana this would not be a possibility and it may be a long time before the full beneficial effects are known, tested and legal. But for many willing to try a last-ditch attempt, it has worked.

If there is a sign posted at a beach to say that swimming is not recommended because of a jellyfish invasion and a person decides to swim anyways, they take responsibility if something happens. The same should be true with untested drugs and herbal remedies. If someone is willing to try an alternative medicine or treatment, they should be allowed to use it at their own risk. Not blocked to try a drug that might save their life just because it hasn’t been approved over several years or had the benefit of millions of dollars of testing and certification.

If the FDA can’t patent natural remedies (and that makes it difficult to regulate and study them,) the American Medical Association can’t recommend them. It stands to reason that pharmaceutical companies aren’t happy about herbal remedies or studies to show the benefits of taking vitamins for cancer victims. They can’t manufacture and monopolize the production of vitamins or herbs. The word propaganda comes to mind.

I see the tides turning now where conventional doctors are encompassing alternate ideas when patients have tried everything else. Medical doctors seem more willing to recommend preventative medicine like healthy eating, sleeping and exercise and it’s only a matter of time before alternative medicine merges with the medical community and the AMA breaks their stand on treatments that are showing great results with cancer.

It’s my belief that soon these same doctors will be telling patients about nutrition, vitamins, exercise, and herbal remedies such as Rick Simpson Oil to accompany the standard big three treatments for cancer. Medical doctors are under an obligation and oath to use medicinal treatments that are safe and have the best results but with the legalization of marijuana in some states, I see a change coming.  It is my opinion that patients should choose their doctor carefully and take charge of their recovery the way Rhio O’Connor did. After all, it’s your life.

This essay was written by Jack Hornsby as part of a scholarship essay.

#SickofNick and Jared rises to the top of the Boyfriend Heap!

I'm getting so tired of Nick Viall that I hated this episode of THE BACHELORETTE. I'm sorry if you are TeamNick but I don't trust him and I don't think any man who's already been on the The Bachelorette and vied for a woman's hand in marriage, then trash talked both of them, has the right to do it again in any other capacity than villain.
#SickofNick

Last night began with Ian the deep thinking Princeton grad with all the white teeth, telling Kaitlyn that basically compared to him, she's a publicity-seeking buffoon. Ian said just enough for us to laugh at his pomposity and feel badly for Kaitlyn who took his words to heart enough to tear up. While he was calling her shallow, she had perfect reactions, however. Head tilts, frozen bitch face, incredulous chin tuck, and licking her front teeth without opening her lips. All reactions that would have stopped me in my tracks if I wasn't trying to hurt someone's feelings but simply be honest.
Unfortunately Ian resigned before Kaitlyn could say the words "You're outta here, Deep Thinker!" The funniest part was in the limo as Ian was suggesting himself as the next Bachelor not realizing that he just made himself the laughing stock of Bachelor Alumni, he went on and on about how profound he is, what a intellectual he is then said "finally I get to have some sex." That was a Deep Thought! Kelsey Poe, are you available for some stimulating conversations? Get those two together to talk about themselves.
Shawn B sees his girlfriend kissing Nick afterwards and a little love died on the vine as he realized he is on a game show. Oh, excuse me. A reality show. Kaitlyn continues with the rose ceremony sending home the guy who looks like Tom Hardy and the southern guy with the shaved head.
The cast and crew fly to Dublin, Ireland and settle in at a Radisson Blu Hotel that looks like a castle. It's sunny, it's rainy, it's cold, it's hot. That's Dublin!
Nick gets the first one on one much to the men's disgust. All except Jared who says that it's important to just concentrate on your relationship with Kaitlyn, not anyone else's.
I'm going to skip the description of Nick's date but after wandering Dublin, they end up necking in Christ Church, which says a lot. Then they go back to her room, close the bedroom door and we get to hear them have sex in whispered tones. Uggh.

The group date involves a remorseful Kaitlyn (about having Whiskey-driven sex with Nick when she had all these great other boyfriends) at her own Irish Wake. How appropriate for the way Kaitlyn is feeling. I don't know if she saw the irony but the men toast her, write limericks, say goodbye to this lovely lady (they have no idea that Nick stayed the night) while she lies in a coffin. The banjo arrives, they sing, and then head off to the Guinness Factory down the street for their cocktail party. She has good conversations with Shawn B and Ben Z but Jared rises as a front runner, not wasting his time talking about Nick and gets the rose. He is taken to a gorgeous cathedral where the Cranberries serenade the dancing couple. Do you have to, Do you have to let it linger? Love that song. Good to see the Crans.
Shawn is so pissed about Nick and all his teenagerish bragging about his date that he had a serious talk with a producer about leaving the show. It should be noted that Shawn wore a black suit, cut to his chiseled form and I would have given him the rose simply for the way this man looked in that suit. Watch him walk down the hall.

He heads to Kaitlyn's room where she's scarfing down some food after a long day and they sit down to talk. She's worried he knows Nick stayed the whole night.
From ads, we know she eventually starts crying, he says "do you not know what we have?" and things get testy, but we will have to wait until next week to see if Shawn stays on the show. The previews show trouble in Nick paradise next week so it might be worth watching but I tell you, if he doesn't leave soon, I'm going to watch through a crack in my hand next week. I'm #SickofNick and his teenagerish ways. And what about that hairdo?

During the closing credits, Britt introduces her mother to her boyfriend Brady, and the mom repeatedly tells Britt he seems like a nice friend. By now Britt is dressing like Brady and looking very worried her mother won't approve. There is something fragile and sad about Britt, like maybe her mom won't let her have a boyfriend and she'll have to let him go.

See you next week!

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Kim Hornsby is a National Bestselling Author of Suspenseful novels with Romantic elements. She won the Chanticleer Best Mystery/Thriller Paranormal and was nominated for Best Indie First Book by Indie Romance Convention with The Dream Jumper's Promise.

I Went to the Casting Call for THE BACHELOR!

Yesterday I braved heavy bumper to bumper traffic into Seattle to get to The Bachelor Casting Call Auditions at Pacific Place. It took 90 minutes to make the 20 minute drive but thanks to Cortana, we made it, valet parked, and were greeted by a KOMO 4 representative at the door to welcome us to THE BACHELOR CASTING CALL.
She was giving out long-stemmed thornless roses to girls who were there for the chance to get on the Reality TV show.
My friend and I took the escalator up to the next level where the atrium was open to the next four levels and filled with pretty girls. At first glance the competition looked fierce. Curled, long blonde hair was everywhere, as were pretty smiles, figure-hugging outfits and lipsticked mouths.

KOMO, the NBC affiliate in Seattle was in charge of the event and greeters with KOMO name tags were everywhere. We were told to get in line to register if we were there for the casting call. The line was fifty deep populated by coiffed young women wearing whatever they thought would make them look like reality show material. The line snaked around the atrium's center café and bar that was doing a great business in the alcoholic department from what I could see. The bar was filled with girls filling out the application, talking, flicking their hair and checking out the competition. Ringing this group were representatives from the hairstyling place upstairs helping girls with their Bachelor-ready hairdo's and makeup.
The line moved slowly and when asked by people what everyone was in line for I said The Bachelor Casting call the first four times. Honestly I did. Then I began to tell people it was for a free iPhone. I needed a laugh amongst all the desperate worry and nervous energy in the mall.
I have to say, there were some lovely looking girls there. The casting directors were looking for pretty girls and if you think otherwise, you haven't watched the show. They pretty much only take the beautiful people crowd. And for a good reason. Would you be so excited for Magic Mike XXL to debut if the guys were old, pot-bellied men? Beautiful sells tickets. It's called escapism.
While sizing up the line that never seemed to get shorter as more women arrived, I picked out maybe five women who I thought were possible contenders. And I had to put on my extremely superficial glasses and look with the eyes of a Bachelor producer. Certain looks just have that thing that translates well to camera. When most of the women got to the head of the line where the photographer had them hold up their name card for a photo, most looked scared, or too normal to translate to a reality show about beauty. Star 101.5 radio station was in charge of this portion of the process and I took it upon my 58 year old self to point out to the desk of college-aged interns that they had these girls facing the atrium and the four floors above showing their names and phone numbers to the world. I kept turning around to see if single men lined the railings across from the girls and hoped that no one was taking phone numbers. Safety first and all that. I guess that's the mother in me. The interns said thank you for pointing that out and they'd take that into consideration next time, probably whispering "crazy old lady" under their breath.

Once your photo was taken, like in prison (holding up your number and name,) you could sit down and wait for the Star 101.5 rep to call your name over the microphone. The wait seemed to be about 20 to 30 minutes. At one point he called Sassy Farty and I laughed out loud. While waiting, the girls had a glass of wine, lots banded together to talk, some had a quick touchup on their makeup. I eavesdropped on the next table to hear this gal with red hair (and I don't mean naturally red hair) telling someone she just met that she's an extremely sexual person, like Kaitlyn. At one point she told the gal that she's a "little, short, sexual person!" And she did not have a drink in front of her, either.
I talked with a gal named Cindy who was adorable in a little navy blue outfit who reminded me of a 1930's film star with her red lipstick and bobbed hair. I kept telling her she should try tap dancing. Her friend Anna, who doesn't even own a TV, came to support her effort to be on the show and we sat in the café talking about life in general.
There was one woman in line who was my age, and she was very stylishly coiffed with spiky highlit hair and wearing a black leather jacket. Very pretty. And very brave. Or very cuckoo. Her friend watched from the café, wringing her hands. Most gals were under thirty.
When they called your name, you went into a circular lobby, like at a Grecian spa and waited again for your name to be called. Black out curtains ringed this room to prevent Snoopy McSnooperson (me) seeing in unless you snuck around to the side and found that one of the wall panels moved and a 58 year old woman could sneak in behind a panel and listen. And take a picture! This is the photo above. The counter in front held Aveda gift bags for all the girls, filled with two tiny products and a coupon for a haircut. My friend was horrified I was behind the wall panel so I popped out and just peaked through the clear glass area. When a candidate's name was called they went into one of three rooms labeled A, B and D (to the right) to meet with two casting directors.
According to girls I asked, they were filmed and asked questions from their applications about hobbies and relationships etc. If you made the cut, and I'd have to think that only twenty out of 400 did, from what I saw, you advanced to another curtained off area (on the left) to get a package labeled LFQ filled with legal papers to fill out and FED EX by Monday to Bachelor Headquarters. One gal I met who had the cherished manila envelope called them "Lady Fuckin' Questions." Get the bleeper ready for her! Once they had the packet, the chosen candidates went on to room D get more photos taken.
I got a chance to see the papers inside the folder and they asked for information about police records, driving records, asked if there were any nude photos anywhere, if the candidate modeled, acted, worked in any way in the entertainment industry, had any type of a record that might surface later. They also asked the candidate to be available early August to fly down to LA on ABC's dime and not tell anyone about this. They asked for more photos and had examples like when you get your passport photo taken--This ...  Not This ... style.
As the guy with the microphone began to pack up his sound system and the last few girls were processed, things wound down at Pacific Place. It was 9 pm and the call was officially 4-8. One of the casting directors emerged from the curtained area and stood surveying the room in her grey cardigan sweater and her weary eyes. She looked like any shopkeeper in the mall closing up for the night, ready to go home. It was impossible to see what she looked for in the thinning crowd or if her trip to Seattle was worth the effort but with more Bachelor married couples than any other city in America, I'd have to say that Seattle turns out some good prospects.
Best of luck to the girls. One never knows what they are looking for in this crazy dating show.

Kim Hornsby writes a romance novella series called The Husband Hunt, based on The Bachelor. The first book is free and available for download on Amazon.

Kaitlyn Throws One Man Under a Very Heavy Bus!

Last night we watched Kaitlyn and the men throw another man under the bus to stay on a reality TV show.

The Bachelorette kicked off last night's show with the drama of Nick Viall's arrival. Pulling a tiny carry-on to the men's suite, Nick then seated himself across from the eleven men while they shot daggers at him with their eyes.
Silence. Tra la la. More silence.
AWKWARD!

Tanner has taken it upon himself to be the group's spokesperson in this matter. He seemed to know that Nick had dinner with Andy last month and I was impressed with his wealth of knowledge. Especially because cell phones and such are taken at the beginning of this process and the ability to look anything up on the internet or watch TV isn't possible. Tanner knows a little too much to be normal.

For the rose ceremony they took off to Citi Field, the home of the Mets baseball team where JJ carried Kaitlyn around the bases to get back on track with female dating (even though he was wearing pink socks and told one of the guys he was the most handsome one there.) Shawn B was clearly upset that Nick Viall was still there and told Kaitlyn that her actions weren't matching up. She wants honesty above everything, she said.
The Rose Ceremony was on the baseball diamond where it appeared to be absolutely freezing according to the men's blue lips. (Kaitlyn wore a wool coat and gloves.) No surprises on who went home and I can't even tell you their names but I'll try--Cory, Jonathon and scarf guy with cool glasses. Nick stayed, like we knew he would.

Next, they were off to San Antonio Texas to the St. Anthony Hotel where Ben H got the first one on one date. I like Ben. He's someone who hasn't said a heckuvalot but when he does, it makes sense. They took off in a vintage FORD truck to a dance hall where they entered a Two Step contest after a lesson. THIS DATE TOTALLY ROCKED!
Now this is what I'm talking about when I say that the wrestling dates are stupid. This is the perfect type of date. They danced, laughed, met a bunch of middle-aged people who thought they were cute, drank beer, and listened to Del Washington and his Big White Hair sing a song called Quick Quick Slow Slow. Kissing followed and Ben H secured himself a frontrunner spot.

Back at the house, Nick was blabbing on and on and trying to fit in (?) but I yelled "Shut Up Nick" to the TV. There was a day I liked Nick but I think it was the nasty phone call that he made from the plane that was filmed and circulated after he left Andi's season, that ruined it for me. Calling Kaitlyn a "cool chick" didn't earn him any popularity points when he walked in either.

On the group date the remaining guys (except Shawn B) dressed in Mariachi Costumes (tight pants, big hats) and wrote Kaitlyn songs to the tune of the Frito Bandito song. Nick took her up to a balcony to serenade her, (the guys thought it was a good move) and Ian totally choked again to sing in public, like a little scared puppy. I can tease him because just wait until how this man digs himself into an early grave later.

After, Kaitlyn gave Joshua a bad haircut that seemed like an especially terrible idea when she accidentally shaved one side of his head, he took her aside to divulge his hatred for Nick. The worst part of this revelation was that she turned his words around to make it sound like he told her everyone else was lying to her (about Nick's popularity) when in fact, he was simply telling her that no one likes Nick. Pretty much true! Joshua then slipped back in to the log house cocktail party and made his second mistake by lying to the guys by saying he was doing an interview. They knew he'd taken Kaitlyn aside and when she marched in to throw Joshua under the bus about hating Nick, the men stepped aside and let him fly. Even Tanner, who is very vocal about not trusting Nick was silent as Joshua got run over by sixteen heavy bus wheels.

The 1 on 1 went to Shawn B. Kaitlyn said she even loves Shawn's smell. That is a good sign that she is falling for the Ryan Gosling look alike. They kayaked down a picturesque river, had a romantic dinner and Shawn got the rose. No drama so it didn't get much time on camera.
The next night, Ian the Princeton graduate who has a lot of sex, if he wants it, was bragging and clearly feeling upset that he has no connection with Kaitlyn. Buddy: She's not the right girl for you so walk away gracefully, don't shove down our throats that you should go on to be the next Bachelor. After saying how great you are and that you get lots of sex, you are doomed, Man. You may not even be invited to any after parties when she boots your butt next week for telling her she is a surface level person. Can you say "Sour Grapes"????

Jared got to cross the hall to Kaitlyn's rose- petaled bed where they kissed and he secretly collected petals to form a rose in hopes that she will forget if she already gave him one or not. As much as he looks like he'll turn into a wolf during a full moon, he's actually quite a cutie.

Next week we see who goes home. I predict Ian will leave to get some sex from ladies who realize what a catch he is, maybe Justin because I can't even remember who this is, and Joshua for shooting off his mouth and letting her buzz the left side of his head. What do you think?

Spoilers Ahead:


Scroll down to hear what I've heard through Bachelor Nation....









According to Social Media buzz a photo was posted of Kaitlyn in bed with her boyfriend last week and it was none other than Shawn B. the Ryan Gosling guy. It went up on Snapchat for a few minutes and was taken down, making us wonder if they end up together or if The Bachelor producers staged something.
Also, Nick Viall was spotted getting cozy with Whitney Bischoff, the ex-fiancee of Chris Soules. Uggh. The thought makes me kind of want to hurl in sympathy for Whitney.

Bachelor In Paradise Cast Reveal!

It's official! This year's partial Cast Reveal for BACHELOR IN PARADISE is out! In a few months, we'll watch a Lunatic, Virgin, Body Builder, Singer, and a Wild Mustang compete for men on a beach, presumably in Mexico.

Here's what we know:

The Women

Ashley Salter, Chris Soules’s season/Crazy Talker










Jade Roper, Chris Soules’s season/ WILD MUSTANG/NAUGHTY PHOTOS

 Clare Crowley, Juan Pablo Galavis’s season/Last Year's BIP

Tenley Molzahn, Jake Pavelka’s season/ SWEETHEART

 Carly Waddell, Chris Soules’s season/CRUISE SHIP SINGER

 Jillian Anderson, Chris Soules’s season/BODYBUILDER










Ashley Iaconetti, Chris Soules’s season/VIRGIN (?)

Juelia Kinney, Chris Soules’s season/WIDOW

Plus one Mystery Woman


The Men (so far)

Dan Cox, Desiree Hartsock’s season








Kirk DeWindt, Ali Fedotowsky’s season







Mikey Tenerelli, Desiree Hartsock’s season









Plus at least 4 Men from Kailyn's Season

Bachelor in Paradise will kick off on Sunday, August 2 at 8 PM on ABC. Set your Calendars!

The Bachelorette Kicks One Out and Lets One In!

This evening's installment of The Bachelorette opened with Clint's vocal and menacing departure from the show. He plays the villain almost too well, almost like he is Heath Ledger playing a bad guy!

In the first scene Kaitlyn listened to him try to dig himself out of the hole he was standing in but she was too smart to fall for his mind-wrangling. She did, however, let him walk through the group of gathered bachelors (mistake!) and when he stopped to give them the evil eye and choice words, JJ threw him under the bus by telling him to apologize for taking valuable time from them. Not sure what the strategy was there from Clint's BFF. My hubster was convinced this was part of the diabolical plan to take over the world but to what end, I asked?
There was a lot of bleeping and posturing and snake eyes from Clint as he said his final words to JJ. I think he might have even threatened him. JJ had some tears, regrets, face slaps (by himself!) and Tanner said it was like Brokeback Volcano erupting.

Kaitlyn decided against having a rose ceremony and they all took off to New York City! (Imagine that cowboy from the salsa commercial saying that last part!) JJ vowed to turn over a new leaf, one that includes romancing women.
Holed up at the Knickerbocker Hotel, the men received a date card that mentioned the word 'fresh' and Shawn, JJ, Ryan B, Jonathan, Corey and Ben Z went on the first New York date.

Rapping Wars: Apparently Kaitlyn loves to rap (but can't really do it?) and with the help of Doug E. Fresh, the men wrote and performed raps insulting each other all in the name of good fun. Another stupid date.
Why fight, insult, pit these men against each other in this season? Tony the plant talker is looking better every date. And to make this show even worse, Nick Viall was in the audience waiting to ask Kaitlyn if he could join the show. If you remember Nick from Andy's season, he behaved like a teenager and was secretly filmed on his exit flight insulting Josh, the winner. Andi ended up saying he was bad news. He looks like a young, handsome John Lithgow.
Apparently Nick's been very vocal on social media and Tanner told the men all about this Bach alumni's history. Tanner's vast inside knowledge made me wonder if he is actually Reality Steven secretly infiltrating the show.
When Kaitlyn got all flustered that Nick showed up, she mentioned to the men he may join the ranks. They were overjoyed to have another competitor. NOT! The Bachelorette said she'd decide Nick's fate in the morning.
Note: If Kaitlyn likes this Nick guy, I officially am done rooting for her. Not only does she have much better prospects in her group of existing men, but it is downright disrespectful and immature to consider Nick's inclusion all because of some flirtatious messages on twitter, for crying out loud. Kaitlyn talks about husband material but is this player husband material? I don't believe so.
I was upset in my comfortable chair at home and had to go get another glass of wine!
Ending up in the "hairdresser" chair at Ashley S.'s beauty salon, Kaitlyn asked for advice and actually got a good tip. She's just in lust.
Two things about Ashley S. the onion peeling wacko contestant from Chris Soules' season. She is not a hairdresser, she's a business woman, and I believe she's going to be on Bachelor in Paradise. That'll be great!
Kaitlyn ignored the good advice and told Nick to move in.

The evening's date was a black tie affair at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the after hours. Must've been midnightish because the street was deserted as Jared, the hawk-eyed man from Maine entered the Met to see Kaitlyn descending a grand staircase. This was the type of Bachelor date we actually enjoy, but her thoughts were with Nick. Uggh! Oh, then they kissed a bit, talked, and she was back on track. You know when the romantic Bachelor guitar music comes on, this is a special moment to get us thinking that Jared might be the ONE. Little did Jared know until watching last night's show that Kaitlyn's mind was somewhere else. Wonder how he feels this morning. They left the Met and had a romantic helicopter tour of the night lights of NYC. So why Nick?



The next date had the limo taking Joe, Ian, Chris, Joshua, and Ben H to Broadway to rehearse a dance number in Aladdin, the Disney musical.
The man who passed the dancing and singing audition got a tiny walk on part in the show's performance that night with Kaitlyn. Most of the guys couldn't sing except Ian the runner, who is way too accomplished and mature for Kaitlyn. The dentist got the job due to his broad gesturing and theater-like posturing. Apparently he sings the song "A Whole New World" in the car. Red Flag!!! First he arrives in a cupcake, then knows Disney songs. We must watch this man.
Kaitlyn and the dentist dressed in elaborate Aladdin costumes walked on for twenty seconds and off again. Once out of makeup and costumes for their big Broadway debut, they walked around the theater district and visited the New Year's Eve ball that drops in Time Square, stored in a building. Cupcake looked a lot more manly in his jeans than the harem pants, bolero, rope hat and makeup so they kissed.
Back at the hotel room where the budget apparently didn't allow for a couch big enough to fit ten men, they awaited Nick's arrival like a pack of jackals ready to pounce on an unsuspecting gazelle. And this is where we left it.
To be continued. The previews show that Nick sees conflict from the men, Ian finds his dignity and the mood is tense. I'll probably watch next week even though this season is kind of stupid, but I know people who've dropped off this season due to the immature tone of the show this time around. Just sayin'.

Oh, and former Bachelor Bob Guiney has moved into my neighborhood and I'm wondering why this Playboy channel DJ/ Country singing celeb is living in suburban Seattle amongst Microsoft executives. Life is strange sometimes. I'll try to get an exclusive interview if I see him walking his dog!





Kim Hornsby is the author of The Husband Hunt, a series of short books based on The Bachelor.

Stupid Dates, Pranking and Popping Pimples on THE BACHELORETTE

If you've been waiting for my take on Monday's The Bachelorette, I apologize for not writing a blog until now.  On Monday night, we were at a soccer banquet and got home to find that we didn't tape the show! Catching the last 45 minutes and then trying to loop in the final hour the next day on On Demand, the show lost that momentum and excitement of watching on the night of. But what I saw made me kinda glad I missed the first half.

I watched the last hour, and saw in the final out takes that the men wore sumo diapers, and can assume that the violent Kupah left the show in a puff of rose dust. Here's where I came in:

It looked like the muscular Ben Z. got a one on one date where they headed off to some type of horror house to experience their worst fears before deadly gas would leak into the place presumably to kill them. Kaitlyn is afraid of birds and the first thing they encountered were three scared pigeons who flew out of the dark room at Kaitlyn and Ben. She screamed and clung to her date, just before the ASPCA moved in to take the pigeons for therapy. Then Ben and Kaitlyn moved on to the next room with bloody knives and dismembered bodies and gore. I hate this type of thing, do not go to horror movies and looked away for almost the whole remainder of the "Date". They collected clues along the way to enter into a computer in the last room to open the door and get out of this horror house. Were they trying to initiate feelings of dependence with birds and snakes-- the wildlife fears of the two daters? After developing this interconnected dependence, the two daters cleaned up and had a lovely time with drinks and appetizers and kissing and talking, deciding that they liked each other. Ben Z seems like a good choice even though he screams like a girl over snakes. (My husband does too) He got a rose.

Meanwhile back at the mansion, JJ and Clint were either developing a preposterous plan to prank The Bachelor producers or falling in love. If you watch their interaction, it looks like love, but if you read Clint's twitter account, you can almost see the tongue in his cheek. JJ is definitely his friend on twitter these days. They banter back and forth including each other in tweets. JJ wants his daughter kept out of all this, he says on twitter where his profile picture is him and his 4 year old daughter. Their tweets are flirty, fun, secretive. They definitely are two peas in a pod and Clint's shot at wooing Kaitlyn has gone out the door with both men's credibility.
We all know The Bachelor producers spin loads of weird stuff and edit for ratings. The contestants sign away their privacy and right to yea or nay their comments on national TV and the producers cajole them into saying things. Get them drunk and get them to talk on camera.

Here's what I believe from reading both JJ and Clint's twitter accounts. I think they made a plan to be silly because they didn't get dates that week, and wanted to have some fun. Enter alcohol, boredom, ostrecization from the others and you have two guys saying they pop each others' pimples in the shower, love turtles, (only Clint says these things) and have the strangest Bromance ever seen on the Bachelor. They look like two boys in the first grade who are having the best play date EVER! I'm pretty sure, the producers were involved in all this. Time will tell but Clint doesn't seem too worried, or silent, on twitter. He appears to be amused by the whole thing. JJ too. They are still close, it appears.

On the next group date, Kaitlyn takes a group of unsuspecting men to teach a sex education class to talk about menstruation, sex and wet dreams to 10 year olds. The only good thing about this date is that the kids are actually actors (duh!) and the joke is on the very embarrassed men, Kaitlyn-style.
This schtick wasn't funny, wasn't amusing, wasn't entertainment at all. It was squirm-worthy. Bachelor Producers -- Shame on You! What a stupid idea. It was like the producers sat down with Kaitlyn to develop the plan for the show drunk. They pulled out all the stops and suggested the most asinine dates ever. I happen to know that most of the producers are over 30, the audience is over 30, so why have such immature ideas for dates? Kaitlyn seems amused but come on people!

The show ended at the Rose Ceremony cocktail party with Kaitlyn hearing about Clint's craziness and to the viewer at least, hinting that both he and JJ have labeled themselves as the Villains and are in love. The new thing is to keep the viewer waiting for the Rose Ceremony so this week's show ended with out takes of the diaper-wearing daters making fun of Kentucky's testicle hanging out of his diaper.

The show that we watch because of the romance factor, the dates, the potential love in action has now become not only a farce of gay love but a horribly stupid show. If they don't lose viewers over all this sex talk and potty humor, I'll be surprised.
What happened?

If The Bachelor doesn't step up their game, I won't be taping next week. Purposely.

Kim Hornsby is the author of THE HUSBAND HUNT, a romance novella series based on The Bachelor, for sale on Amazon. First one free to get you interested.