It took 9 years in the swimming pool industry for me to earn the title of Pool Princess, and I still like to brag about it from time to time. Take a look at my post from earlier this month for my cameo in a swimming pool commercial! I think it shows how much I love everything about swimming pools and can’t wait to put one in my own backyard someday soon.

What I can wait for, is the inevitable swimming pool leak. Leaks can be in the liner or the underground pipes or the filter system. I know a few tricks for finding them myself, such as marking the water level and watching for bubbles in the return, but most the time you need a professional to locate and fix a leak. It’s just the matter of finding a good professional.

I’m all set if we move to Florida though, because a kissimmee pool leak can be taken care of long before the pool is empty with Hydrotech Pools!

My sister bought me Kitchen Confidential for Christmas, which I read in approximately 48 hours and which rekindled my love for Anthony Bourdain. The Nasty Bits and Bone in The Throat both arrived in the mail today to complete my current reading list.

To round out my Anthony Bourdain experience, I’ve been watching No Reservations on Netflix and have requested that my mom Tivo the current episodes (cutbacks – cable had to go).

This week, Tony is on the east coast, visiting DC and the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl. If you’re keeping up with the news, President Elect Obama just visited and from the clip below, it looks like Tony is equally as impressed with the tasty chili dogs.

The culinary experience doesn’t stop there. Tony is all over the DC area, indulging in the regional cuisine, including Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs, which makes my mouth water.

Be sure to tune in to the Travel Channel, Monday, January 19th at 10pm to the latest episode of No Reservations, and read Anthony Bourdain’s blog for the leftovers. And don’t leave any spoilers in the comments. I’ll have to wait till next weekend to watch the full episode.

Oh, and if someone wants to buy me previous seasons on DVD for my birthday, that’s a welcome addition to my foodie (and Bourdain) collection.

I’m going to my parent’s house to search their basement (where everyone’s extra mattresses, end tables, and electronics end up) for a small television so that I can watch the inaguration at work next Tuesday. It’s the beginning of a new era. I can’t miss that!

President Elect Obama isn’t the only one Reinventing America. Regular people everywhere are advocating frugality, simplicity, and the importance of investing in education and healthcare, and they have an estimate of what their initivies will cost and how they will impact America.

Their platform is a very interesting read, with points everyone can agree on and other points that will seperate many. It’s a great conversation starter and a perfect jumping off point for people that want to reinvent America!

Ryan Seacrest is on a roll this week. First he gets snubbed by Brad & Angelina at the Golden Globes, then he offers a congratulatory high-five to a blind guy on American Idol. I, of course, had to immediately Twitter the faux pas.

But at least Ryan Seacrest doesn’t have an attitude problem, unlike Kara Whatshername. Seriously, it was her first episode as a judge and she’s already rolling her eyes, making rude comments, and acting offended that people can’t pronounce her difficult name? I don’t know who she thinks she is…hell, half of us don’t even know who she is!

One of the advantages of being snowed in and working from home is being able to have daytime television playing in the background. The mention of Tiffany Brisette on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet caught my attention this morning.

Tiffany played Vicki (VICI – Voice Input Child Indenticant) on Fox’s very first sitcom, Small Wonder, about a married engineer who creates the very first robot and tries to pass her off as their daughter. Vicki had super human strength, was a mathematical wizard, and runs on atomic power, but looks like a real little girl.

I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. If you’re not familiar with the show, here’s some clips…

Besides the fact that my sister teased me endlessly about looking like Vicki’s TV brother, Jamie, Small Wonder was one of my favorite television shows. Is anyone familiar with the show? Did you watch it as a kid? Did your kids watch it? Are you now stuck on YouTube watching old episodes like I am?