Tuesday, March 25, 2008

MARCH 25, 2008

DANCING WITH THE STARS
Steve Guttenberg and partner Anna Trebunskaya started off the night with a so-so mambo. Though the judges loved Steve's spirit, but felt the performance wasn't his best. The couple's scored a 16 for this week's dance.

Monica Seles' mechanical mambo gave the tennis star her and her partner Jonathan Roberts a score of 15. Bruno told Monica that she needed to connect with the dance and Len could sense that she was out of her comfort zone.

Magician Penn Jillette and Kym Johnson's quick step was fun, but it was Penn's footwork that got them in a fix and led to a 17. Bruno said the dance was a mess. Carrie Ann agreed that Penn needed to clean up his footwork, but said that his performance was charming and endearing.

Last week's basement dweller Adam Carolla his partner Julianne Hough improved to score a 19 this week up from last week's low score of 15. All three judges thought Adam's mambo was entertaining, with Len calling the performance brilliant.

South American soap opera star Cristian de la Fuente and Cheryl Burke's quick step scored a 20 from the judges. Carrie Ann and Len both thought that Cristian's posture had improved from last week, but Len thought the dance was "too wild."

Priscilla Presley and Louis Van Amstel impressed the judges for the second week in a row. Though the judges loved Priscilla's glamorous mambo, Len thought her moves were a little too precise. Priscilla and Louis' scored a 21.

Dynamic! Fantastic! Nailed it! The judges loved Shannon Elizabeth and partner Derek Hough's quick step enough to give them a score of 24 for the evening.

Jason Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska's magnificent mambo earned Jason the title "Mambo King" from Bruno. Len called Jason a winner and Carrie told the N-F-L's Man of the Year he was a contender. The couple ended the night with a score of 27.

Marissa Jaret Winokur and Tony Dovolani charmed the judges with their bubbly quick step. Though Carrie Ann noted a few missteps in the routine, all three judges thought this performance was an improvement over last week's.

Marlee Matlin once again amazed the judges, this time with a quick step that earned her and partner Fabian Sanchez a 24. Bruno said that Marlee lit up the room and Len called her dance impressive.

Skater Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas mambo'd to a score of 27. Carrie Ann called the performance precise, Len said it was fantastic and Bruno said the dance exuberant.

The judges thought R-&-B singer Mario's quick step was charismatic, but needed a little more finesse. He and partner Karina Smirnoff pulled off an impressive 26.

There will be a double elimination tonight, with the two lowest scoring teams packing up their dancing shoes, taking a long hot bath and going home.

Here are the standings and our picks...
Kristi Yamaguchi & Mark Ballas- 54
Mario & Karina Smirnoff- 50
Jason Taylor & Edyta Sliwinska- 49
Marlee Matlin & Fabian Sanchez- 46
Priscilla Presley & Louis Van Amstel- 45
Shannon Elizabeth & Derek Hough- 45
Cristian de la Fuente & Cheryl Burke- 41
Marissa Jaret Winokur & Tony Dovolani- 39
Steve Guttenberg & Anna Trebunskaya- 34 (Our elimination pick)
Adam Carolla & Julianne Hough- 34
Penn Jillette & Kym Johnson- 33
Monica Seles & Jonathan Roberts- 30 (Our elimination pick)

9 TIPS FROM 3 WEIGHT-LOSS SUPERSTARS
You're not the only one out there struggling with your diet, trying to get into better shape, maybe lose a few pounds after having a baby. So, couldn't you use a few tips? Well, instead of turning to women's magazines or your friends for advice, listen up to these tips from actual people who have lost more than 100 pounds each!

32-year-old Mandy lost 172 pounds. Her top 3 tips:
*Plan and portion your food.
*Weigh yourself regularly (for motivation and accountability).
*Keep a log of your food and exercise.

41-year-old Jodi lost 162 pounds.Her top 3 tips:
*Minimize liquid calories (sugary sodas and fattening coffee drinks).
*Avoid foods that once you start eating, you can't stop.
*Walk for at least 30 minutes each day.

57-year-old Carolyn (a recent widow) lost 101 pounds.Her top 3 tips:
*No eating while watching TV. (None!)
*Keep afternoon and evening snacks to no more than 150 calories.
*Use small plates for your meals.

HOW TO GET THE RAISE YOU WANT
You've been paying your dues, working tirelessly for The Man, and now you feel like you deserve a bigger salary. Here are some tips for getting the raise that you want...

1) HAVE AN AMOUNT IN MIND. It's pretty silly to walk in to discuss a raise... yet have absolutely no idea HOW MUCH extra you want. Be prepared with a fixed number of what you really think you're worth.

2) HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. Let's face the facts: You're not going to get a 100% raise. That's just a pipe dream. So don't ask for some crazily high amount.

3) USE "I" MESSAGES. If you're disappointed with their offer, tell them "I'm disappointed" instead of "YOU need to give me more". It sounds less accusatory. Also, give specific examples of all the good stuff you've done at work to back up your case.

4) DON'T THREATEN TO LEAVE. Unless you're willing to be jobless... it's not really a great idea to threaten them that you'll leave if they don't give you more money.

5) NEVER COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER EMPLOYEES. Who cares if Bob from accounting just got a huge raise? Using this as an example of why you should get more money will turn your boss off, and you could end up with NOTHING.

6) ASK FOR A FOLLOW-UP. If The Man just can't give you more money, ask if you can touch base on the subject again in five or six months.