Amazing Race? Amazing!

Oh no! Did I miss the first show? I'll be watching from now on.

Tico, It's on Sunday night now.

That's why I missed it. And I've missed any hype because, I guess, I don't watch much TV. Sunday's good though, not much happening on a typical Sunday evening.

Do you have any insights? Personality conflicts to watch for? It's way too early to predict a winner, but which team do you think looks good?

I watched. It seemed with the rope thing it was more a matter of knowing how to use the loops to help you rather than actual pure strength. It seemed agility was more important, at first the women with the leg was trying to use pure upper body strength - those skinny cheerleaders basically ran up those ropes.

There is a couple that are boyfriend/girlfriend that seem like they may end up fighting a lot. Also, interesting concept to see - two friends that are male models, but met when going through drug rehab. I was also very impressed with the dad/daughter combo - seems like they surprisingly have a good chance.

I'm liking the dad/daughter so far too. I was prepared to dislike the gay couple based on their pregame comment to the effect that "we're not here to make friends, but to win the game" which kind of set my teeth on edge. Yeah, it IS a game, but the hippies from last season showed you could be nice, friendly and likable and still win.

But then they were actually outgoing and nice to the others during the race, so I think I'm changing my tune there. As for the rest, I don't have much opinion yet.

Well the gay guys did also say after that comment that they would still be likeable and nice - just that the game came first. Pretty much the same attitude the hippies took. They hippies were my favs from the beginning last year.

I didn't start really watching last season until about the middle and didn't really appreciate the hippies until they left money behind for the black couple who'd had to forfeit all theirs for coming in last at a pitstop. When they did that, I thought hey, maybe these guys deserve to win.

I just liked them because they were weird. I liked the nerdy couple too.

Don't remember much from last season. And I've been watching reruns of earlier shows on the Game Channel. So what happened in the past is all smooshed together in my head. But I do remember the hippies leaving money for somebody. Mensches all the way.

This season, I also like the father daughter team. But I think that the male models will be hard to beat.

The woman with the prosthetic leg is leaking hydraulic fluid. Will she be able to get through the whole race without having full flexibility? Are players allowed to get stuff like that fixed? Would they take time to get stuff like that fixed? Quien sabe.

I predict that the couple who just started dating will not continue dating when the show is over. That's a very intense situation to be in with someone you don't know well. Live and loin.

I don't much care for the male models. In another comparison with last time, they strike me as the "Frat Boys" of this season.

I want to like the one-legged woman, but I haven't seen anything yet to make her seem likeable in the least.

I like the father/daughter because clearly there's so much love there. I know dad's disappointed that his daughter is a lesbian, but it looks like they've come a long way and they'll work through it all by the end. at least, I hope so.

I didn't know she was a lesbian - must have missed that part. And here I was thinking there hasn't been a lesbian couple, but lots of gay men.

Yeah, when they were giving their intros the dad choked up saying something about disappointment with his daughter. The daughter went on to say that when she came out to her parents, she and her dad didn't speak for some weeks and now they're puting things back together, or somesuch.

I missed that tidbit too. And I also had noticed that there was almost inevitably a male gay couple, and there's never been a lesbian couple, at least not that we know of.

Oh, I think the cheerleaders have dabbled....

At least in your fantasies.

Wow, it's like you can read my mind!

I feel so dirty....

I was sad to see Vipul & Arti eliminated. I thought they would do well.

I sure hope we've seen the last of the gross-out tasks. Fish eyes? Yuck!

That said, the other tasks were very good. Imaging having a chance to
scale the Great Wall of China? I liked the paddle-ball "relaxation exercise"
and thought the grey stone border in the brick-laying task just tricky
enough.

Favorite line so far: "We've never been anywhere outside of Kentucky."

Well, the cheerleaders are gone.

Has anyone noticed that getting lost seems to be at least as much trouble as the tasks?

I'm developing some strong likes and some less than overwhelming dislikes--at least so far.

I'm really rooting for the father and daughter. The woman with one leg is starting to get on my nerves. Speaking of whom, how did she and her friend get to be first? They did both tasks--the bundle and the water!

I'm glad they're in Outer Mongolia. Never thought I'd get to see that. I wonder whether there are flights out or whether they'll have to ride 900 miles back to catch a plane.

I'm amazed that almost everyone got the arrow to hit the bowl. On the few occasions that I've shot arrows, they NEVER went even remotely close to where I was aiming.

I'm finding that at this point I like the coal miner & wife, gay guys and father/daughter, in that order.

I dislike the recovering male models intensely.

And I find that I have no clear idea how one group or the other ended up in whatever place they came in at.