A Letter From Your Dog

                    A Beloved Friend By:Jamie

I am your dog.I was sent by God into your life, because He knew that you needed a friend. My life is very short compared to yours, because my soul purpose is to teach-yours is to learn and grow from knowing me. I will teach you how to love, how to laugh from your belly, how to be patient and how to say good bye one day when my time here is complete. I will greet you with kisses, and keep you warm when it's cold. I will be there to wash your tears away and listen to anything you say. I will show you how to live one day at a time and find joy in the little things (like rolling in the grass or splashing in a pond!). I will be your clown, your confidant, your shadow, and I will never let you feel alone. Not never ever. All I ask is that you love me too. Please don't tie me outside and forget about me-I was meant to be with you. Please don't dump me in a kennel or abuse me-I may not understand what I did wrong. Just love me. I promise to be a good friend. I promise to love you always-even when you get mad. I promise to be the highlight of your day, and if you let me-I promise to stay in your heart forever. 

We're Back!

In today's post-we cover Robin Roberts recovery, Big Brother 14 finale, X-Factor, and much much more! Thank you for stopping in-please enjoy!

                 Robin Roberts Transfusion Day Has Come

UPDATE: Today Robin Roberts began her bone marrow transfusion but before she did, there was a very special message she left for us on GMA this morning-she says that she feels the love from everyone who has sent their messages of support. You can tweet her encouragement by using the @RobinRoberts and then #TeamRobin hash tag. You can also follow her journey on a special page on ABC.com on the Good Morning America Page. There is a page on Facebook for GMA and you can leave her a mesage there as well. Please continue to show Robin your love and support.

Big Brother Season 14 Finale

Chalk one up for the good guy! For those of you who follow the Big Brother show, season 14 was quite the ride. There was Willie the ejected player who head butted Joe and then managed to get himself arrested. There was laughter and tears. And then there was..Dan. Or as I call him-Dirty Dan who "left his morals at the door'" as he stated last night during the final two. I have been rooting for Ian the entire season because he is a genuinely good kid who wore his heart on his sleeve and proved to the world that you don't have to lose your morals to win. Dan tried to excuse his behavior by stating he was not as physical as some of the players he betrayed-but neither was Ian. Dan tried to bluff his way through the entire game by lying to everyone and then sucking up-but the truth came out and Ian won. He walked away with everyone's respect and won honorably, Dan on the other hand lied and back stabbed his way to the top only to be shot down by the jury whom he had betrayed. 

X-Factor

Last night I was finally able to catch the X-Factor and see for myself how well the show was doing with it's newest judges, Brittany Spears and Demi Lovato. While I do very much miss Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherziner it was interesing to see how the judges interacted with the audience. I am still not quite sold on the show this season to be honest. It felt awkward at times especially with the commentary between the contestants (like the overly rude CeCe). The asides showing the contestants trying to psych each other out was very unnecessary and whoever thought of that needs a huge smack on the forehead. This is NOT Jersey Shore, its a freakin' singing contest. Let the people sing. Let the judges do their flippin' job. You don't need to drama it up! For the love of cheese, I was so confused last night at times I thought I was watching Jerry Springer. When you over tweak something that was working well-people will get turned off. Just look at what happened to Facebook. Take notes X-Factor.

Automotive Highlight:2013 Chevy Cruze Eco

I LOVE cars. That being said, I have began my hunt for a new one to replace my aging 2006 Chrysler Sebring. As much as I love cars-I HATE car shopping. Mostly because of pushy salesmen and the hurry in gimmicks they use to lure you in then they try to upsell you to death. Finally after several months of debating and research I have decided to buy the 2013 Chevy Cruze Eco. It gets 42 mph highway, comes equipped with tons of safety features and is one of the highest rated cars as far as customer satisfaction is guaranteed. It has Onstar, and many options that can be added.You can have in dash navigation added to your vehicle which is nice if you are like me and always manage to forget to grab your GPS. Overall I am very impressed with this vehicle and I really think Chevy has hit a home run with this car. The Eco package makes this a green car that sips gas, gives you a lot of bang for your buck and starts as low as $16.995!

New York On A Dime

New York City is by far the greatest city in the world. With so much to see and do there is something for everyone, but if you are on a tight budget do not let that dissuade you from enjoying what the city has to offer. Parking in NYC is a nightmare and can get extremely expensive-so why not opt for a cheaper way to reach the city? Greyhound has the most reasonable prices and 

extremely flexible schedules with the most departures to the city than any other bus carrier. For $72.00 or less you can ride to NYC, you end up right at either the Port Authority Terminal (in Times Square) which is just a short walk away from the Subway, or you can take it to the Penn Station Terminal. Taking the train is slower and slightly more expensive, but if you like scenic rides and are not in a hurry this is another low cost option. However you get here,getting to the city is half the battle. 

If you are scared to come to the city, don't be. There are Police officers and security personnel everywhere and it is by far one of the safest places you can go. If you get lost, there is always someone there to guide you and there are amazing people in New York who are glad to help a weary tourist find their way.

Now. If you want to go to NYC, there is a way you can do it very cheaply and still have a blast!! Walking around Times Square is free and you can get some great shots of the buildings! Want to see some shows for free? Go EARLY and stand in line for Live! With Kelly and Michael (there's Starbucks across the street!) on W.67th and Columbus! You get to see what it takes to produce a live television show and it's completely free! Or go check out Good Morning America in Times Square! (Again get there EARLY)! You can pretty much stand in any stand by line for whatever show you want to see but I advise you to get there early, be polite and you should be able to get in!

Are you into photography? Go walk around Soho, Chelsea, Times Square, Rock Center, or any of the other picturesque and diverse places in and around the 5 boroughs. Go catch a Yankee's Game in the Bronx (I got tickets for $15.00 from Ticketmaster and they were great seats!!) Go visit Brooklyn or Coney Island. Are you a history buff? Go see the White Star Line dock where Titanic was supposed to be, it's still there! Or go see the USS Intrepid Museum which now houses the space shuttle Enterprise. This city is rich in history and has so many interesting things to photograph it is no wonder people who visit never want to leave!

While in line for The View and Live! With Kelly! there was a food vendor that the show pays to give cheap or free eats and drinks while you wait outside! How awesome is that!? 

Want to see more of NYC? Walk around Central Park, which is free, or go see some of the street performers in Times Square. Take your picture with the various characters that line the streets in the Square. For good coffee, head over to Cafe Benne on 49th and Broadway. For food in the Square, there's everything from McDonald's to four star restaurants. 

Want to do some shopping? NYC is a retail mecca! You can get I <3 NY t-shirts for as little as $5.00! So if you look around, there is a ton of free fun things to see and do. Go visit Macy's flagship store, or go check out the skyline from the Top of the Rock (Rockefellar Center) or the Empire State Building. Go take the SI Ferry to the Statue of Liberty! Even if you stay in the NY area for a week you would be hard pressed to see and do everything there is in the greatest city on earth! Whatever you do-have fun and take in everything this city has to offer. I guarantee you will fall in love.

Wednesday Edition

Hello and welcome to the Wednesday edition of my blog. In today's news we will discuss Kanye West being considered for American Idol as a Judge, Live! With Kelly News, and more! Thank you for stopping in and I hope you enjoy today's stories.

                      Kanye West Possible Judge On Idol???

VH1 has reported that Kanye West is being considered as a possible judge on American Idol which leaves just one question..do they not remember Kanye likes taking microphones?? SERIOUSLY Idol?? This season is already proving to be a bag full of crazy considering that they have also considered Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey (Mariah being the only sane one of the three). Can you imagine Kanye and Minaj as judges?? Oh my God...just throw Chris Brown in there and we could have an old fashioned smack down at half time. Ok folks, we realize that the numbers for Idol have been slipping as audiences have tuned out but come on, ya'll are just asking for trouble right from the word go.

               Live With Kelly Co-Host Search...the Real Deal

Ok so now is the moment of truth. There has been a report going around that Michael Strahan was selected as Kelly's new co-host despite the fact that ABC stated the co-host will not be revealed until Sept.4, 2012. Here's my take on this whole mess-as a former Disney employee (parent company of ABC) I find it very hard to believe that someone talked to the press regaurding Strahan. Disney does not take these types of breaches lightly and whoever did it would be fired immediately without question. Generally speaking this type of decision is usually kept from the general staff until the reveal for security reasons and therefore IF (and this is a HUGE IF) someone did talk it would be very easy to pinpoint who said something. So I highly doubt anyone close to the "situation" spoke to the media. Unless it came from Strahan's side because Disney is extremely strict on such matters. When I was on Extreme Makeover Home Edition I had to sign a two page disclosure that any photos I took could not be released until the episode aired. And I was not allowed to talk about any details of said episode until it aired that fall. It was filmed during the summer (August) and aired that November. If they required such confidentiality with us I cant imagine the paper work involved in an even bigger announcement such as Kelly's co-host. I think it is high time that the media had some respect for the show, for Kelly and the entire staff and respect the fact that they do not wish to reveal who will replace Regis until September. I think it is irresponsible and quite frankly wrong to just fire off reports and rumors that cannot be verified 100%. People get your facts first and if it cannot be confirmed then at the very least have some respect for the wishes of those involved with the show.

If it is true I think he would be a fantastic choice but this author is not buying into the hype out of respect for Kelly and all the staff at my favorite morning talk show. I believe that at the very least that respect is owed. As far as this blog goes I will not speculate or entertain rumors. I will only await the facts that will be revealed on September 4.

             NBC Premieres "Go On" with Matthew Perry

We know him from the hit series "Friends", Matthew Perry stars in a new sitcom  "Go On" on NBC that premiered last night at 10pm. This is actually quite a funny show! Perry plays a sports radio talk show host who is just returning to work after the loss of his wife and ends up in a support group. This is actually a lot funnier than the synopsis and worth checking out. It is no "Friends" or "Big Bang Theory" but it is a welcome change to the reality crap the networks keep churning out. I believe this will be a sitcom to watch in the coming months.

         Travel Spotlight: The Outer Banks, North Carolina

It's not too late to take that final road trip of summer and I highly recommend that you give the Outer Banks in North Carolina a try. I went for the first time in 2011 and fell in love with this slice of heaven on earth. There is so much to do there-from surfing, to sight seeing, horse back riding in the surf and more! This is a perfect couples get away place, take the kids to the beach or the many towns with activities like putt putt golf or taking pictures of the wild horses that inhabit the islands. If you enjoy the feel of a mom and pops town then the Outer Banks is for you. There are hundreds of family owned businesses all throughout the islands and there is plenty of great family owned places to stay. I stayed at the Breakwater Inn on Hatteras Island and ate breakfast daily at Sonny's (which had great prices and excellent food). They have entertainment and lodging to meet all kinds of budgets.If you are a Monster Truck fan, be sure to stop off at Dennis Anderson's home in Kill Devil Hills which is opened to the public and where you can take your pictures of Grave Digger I stayed next door to Oden's Dock where they had salt water fishing guides and tours where you could go see the wild horses on Ocrachoke Island. There is literally hundreds of things to do while you stay in one of the most incredible destinations you may ever see. Go have lunch on the beach near the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, one of several lighthouses that dot the strip known as the Outer Banks. Go relax in the sand and let all your cares drift away as you watch the sun rise over the ocean. If you would like to know more about the Outer Banks you can follow them on Twitter @TheOuterBanks or go to their website for activities, reservations and more.

                          "The Office" to End After Season 9

Dunder Mifflin is packing it in after 9 seasons according to NBC officials which means NBC will have to step up their game in their scripted shows. "The Office" is still very highly rated and according to its director, Greg Daniels it was just time to bring the story to an end. They are looking into a spin-off show in the future. The end did seem near with the exit of Steve Carrell, a fixture of the show since it's beginning. Best of luck to all who work for this great show. Thank you for the laughs all these years.

Hello and welcome to the Tuesday Edition of Entertainment & World News. In today's blog cast we cover the CSX train derailment in Maryland, Mariah Carey furious over American Idol snub, Michael J. Fox returns to tv, and much more! Thank you for joining us and happy Tuesday!

General Dempsey's Plane Attacked by Afghan Insurgents

Reports are coming in today that US Army General Martin Dempsey's C-17 was damaged by rockets set off by Afghan insurgents while the plane was on the ground at a US military base in Kabul. The taliban are laying claim to these attacks, one of which included a claim they shot down a US helicopter last week. A taliban spokesman claims they followed information on where exactly the General would be. There was some damage to the exterior of the C-17 and two maintenance workers were injured by shrapnel.

            Mariah Carey Fuming Over American Idol Snub

There's a little rumbling in the search for new judges on American Idol and this time it involves Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. Sources say that Minaj is also in talks with the show to become a judge along side Mariah Carey. TMZ is reporting that Carey is not happy at all that they are considering Minaj because she was told she'd be the only female judge on the show.  They state that it may cost the show Mariah as a judge as she hung up the phone on them during negotiations. Sources at TMZ are stating that none of the judges are set in stone despite reports that Mariah was signed on in July.

      NBC Has Announced Michael J. Fox Returns to TV

Michael J. Fox will return to NBC with an all new comedy series based loosely on his life that is set to premiere in the fall of 2013. He has a 22 episode commitment, the comedy has not been named as of yet. It is set in New York City and Fox plays a father of 3 who's also dealing with Parkinson's disease. 

CSX Train Derails Outside Baltimore, MD 2 Killed

Ellicot City, MD A CSX train hauling coal has derailed and fallen from a bridge in downtown Ellicot City, MD. Two people were on the tracks and were killed by the train, which in turn fell onto cars below. There is a possibility of more victims of this horrific accident and investigators are still looking for the cause. The two people killed on the tracks were not railroad workers. The train cars that fell from the bridge crushed several cars in a county owned parking lot with tons of coal in each rail car. The conductors were not injured. Stay tuned for more updates on this tragedy.

Former Yankee's Star Roger Clemens Returns to Baseball

Roger Clemens, 50 years old will return to baseball in the minor leagues this Saturday night for the Sugarland  Skeeters. Sources say his fastball was clocked at 87 mph. He will take the mound for the first time in five years. Clemens return has some speculating that this may be the first step to his return to the major leagues, but only time will tell. In the meantime, his once team mate Joe Girardi, manager of the New York Yankees says he will be cheering him on.

                                   Fashion At Its Finest!

There is an excellent blog for the fashion forward or even the fashion challenged that has really caught the attention of this author and that blog is http://www.beckabellastyleinspirations.com/ . She covers a wide variety of fashion related items and it is completely worth checking out. Beckabellastyleinspirations will be featured in this blog each day so you can read all the latest and greatest in the world of fashion. Have questions for our resident fasionista? Tweet her at @DaFashionista1 . And please subscribe to her blog!

                         Celebrity Highlight: Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts is quite possibly one of the most inspirational and beloved newscasters of all time. She grew up in Pass Christian, MS and is the youngest of 4 siblings. Her father, Colonel Lawrence E. Roberts was a Tuskeegee Airman and retired out of Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS. Robin began her television career as a sports anchor and reporter in 1983 for WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, MS. She joined ESPN as a sportscaster  in 1990 and became known for her catch phrase "Go on with your bad self." In 2001 Roberts recieved the Mel Greenberg Media Award as she worked for both ESPN and Good Morning America contributing to both shows. In 2005 GMA announced that Robin was promoted to co-anchor and was introduced into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 for her contributions and involvment in the sport. 

Robin published a book called " From the Heart: Seven Rules to Live By"  as well as co-authoring a book written by her mother, "My Story, My Song". 

Robin is continuing to inspire and change the lives of all she encounters and she is in my book, the most beloved newscaster of all time. She's a trusted friend, a beloved sister, daughter, and co-worker. Robin you are amazing. Thank you for all that you are.

You can follow Robin on Twitter @RobinRoberts, @GMA and you can like the GMA home page on Facebook.

Monday Edition

In today's edition we have an exciting announcement for fans of Live! With Kelly, we also cover the plane crash in Long Island, and much more!

                    Light Plane Crash in Long Island Kills 2

A light plane crashed into a Long Island street Sunday leaving the soul survivor of the crash mourning the loss of his wife, who was killed along with the pilot. The plane erupted into fire on impact leaving shocked neighbors desperately trying to save all inside the wreck. Witnesses in Shirley where the plane came to rest say the pilot is a hero for steering the plane away from homes moments before it crashed into the street. The plane took off from Brookhaven Airport at 11:48 am and crashed just minutes later. The husband and wife were possibly ejected from the plane on impact, neighbors found them laying next to the wreckage with severe burns. The pilot died inside his plane unable to escape.

                  LIVE! With Kelly Co-host Search Is OVER!

Kelly Ripa made a surprising announcement today that they have chosen a new co-host and it will be revealed September 4, 2012. Kelly has been doing the show solo since November last year when Regis Philbin left the Live. She has had a variety of fill in hosts since then and it has been a careful search for the right fit for Live. Well done everyone. 

            Tax Payers Bailed Out California Home Owners

Fox news has reported that US tax payers have bailed out California home owners because the banks failed to pay their share. Honestly this has me outraged. The state of California has taken $100,000 from US tax payers and given it to their home owners and the banks to help float the defunct mortgages in their state. The original agreement was a 50/50 that bankers and the home owners would each pay half to reduce the principle of homes that were worth less than their mortgage. The banks have refused and now the state is stepping in with the $100,000. This takes the bankers and default home owners off the hook.  Go to the Fox News Website for the full article. 

Bad Economic Times Blamed for Lack of Concerts for 2012

For anyone who attends the New York State Fair, there has been a marked decline in recent times and finally the fair officials have fessed up to what we NewYorkers have suspected all along-the economy. This year it is even more evident than in years past because of the lack in entertainment at the Fair's biggest venue, The Grandstands where major acts from all across the country are usually plentiful. Fair officials addressed questions on why there is a greatly reduced number of big named acts this year and their answer was because of the economy. 

                     Director Tony Scott Died at the age of 68 

Legendary director Tony Scott, who's work includes Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop 2, and Days of Thunder has died at the age of 68 after an apparent suicide by jumping off a bridge in Los Angeles. Scott was suffering from an inoperable brain tumor and presumably took his own life yesterday. Officials say they found a suicide note inside Scott's prius. Our thoughts and prayers going out to his family and friends today.

*BREAKING* Phyllis Diller Passed Away Today She was 95

Comedian Phyllis Diller has died today at the age of 95. According to her long time  manager, she passed away in her sleep this morning in her home. She performed in a variety of nightclubs and television shows from the 1950's until she retired in 2002. Diller paved the way for female comediannes and she left behind 5 children. 

Rosie O' Donnell Recovering From Heart Attack

People Magazine is reporting that Rosie O' Donnell suffered an apparent heart attack last week. 50 year old O'Donnell credits a tv commercial for saving her life. Doctors have inserted a stent after finding that her coronary artery was 99% blocked.