Bitten

Just when we thought we got out of our wilderness vacation unscathed... we found what we're pretty sure is a deer tick on Mike yesterday, and the baby has a bite on his ankle that looks all kinds of weird. So they're both getting checked out, just to be safe. What happened to good old mosquito bites and poison ivy? Not that I like those, but I at least know how to deal with them. Here's hoping we're just being overly cautious.

This morning I ran for the first time since before vacation, and it went surprisingly well, but then again it's usually the second run back that gets me. We'll see. For some reason I find that the fourth song that comes up in my playlist can make or break the overall success of my workout. I used to run without any music at all, I had this thing about being in the zone and it was all a big mental challenge for me, but when I was gifted with an iPod shuffle I realized the whole "zone" thing was my way of making up for the lack of a musical device. Anyway, there's something about that fourth song that can get me pumped or slow me down and today "Hypnotize" came on (I've gone on record with my feelings about the Notorious B.I.G. many a time here) and though it's not the fastest paced song, those first "Uh, UH!"s came on and I was on fire for the rest of the run. It's good to be back into it, my body already feels happier.

**HUGE SYTYCD section** - cozy down or get lost, because this is gonna be a long one. As I live and breathe, the season finale starts tonight and I can hardly believe it. I'm so excited I could pee! And as for the Top 4, I have to say I approve. I don't think Tadd should win, even though I'm quite enamored with him (and he was extra hot with Melanie in the broadway routine), but his body of work isn't the strongest among the four. Other than that, though I am rooting for the unbelievable Miss Melanie, I'd be just as happy with a Sasha or Marko victory. More about the current season tomorrow and the next tomorrow, I'm sure.

Now let's talk about some of the All-Stars - my very favorite winner, Season 4's Joshua, will be on tonight. Josh-bear, where have you been? I'd link my favorite dance of his, but I don't have one. He was magic in everything - nothing he couldn't do. I can't wait to see what the pairing will be.

That said about Joshua, I would like to take a moment to go public with my enduring devotion to Season 3's Neil Haskell. Good god Neil. I liked him OK in his season, it was the first one I got to see all the way through and I appreciated his athleticism and eye-candy factor (and I don't go for the pretty boys usually, so that's a thing) but he wasn't my favorite (to be fair, this was the year of Danny Tidwell). Something happened along the way though and now I can't get enough of the guy. He turned into a man as so many do after the competition, and I guess you can say I'm a bit obsessed. I have the All-Star program to thank for that since we see him a lot. Honestly though, go here and tell me you don't want your own personal Neil. If I were a choreographer, he'd most certainly be my muse. And that's enough about that outta me.

Anyway, I'm dorkily counting the hours to tonight's show (8), hoping my insect-violated menfolk are OK and looking for a breath mint because that garlic lover's hummus I just ate is no joke. In honor of last summer's winner, Lauren Froderman (who I sort of want to be) and one of the BEST routines ever performed on the show, here's some Ludacris and Nicki-Nik. Stay in the pocket, y'all!