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Archive through November 23, 2004

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2005-3: WifeSwap: ARCHIVES: Archive through November 23, 2004 users admin

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Annie
Member

11-10-2004

Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 11:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I was surprised too! I was ready to hate him also, but now I have the utmost respect for him to confess and tell Kim how grateful he was. He turned out to be a big ole teddy bear w/ a soft heart. I did think it was cruel of "stay at home" mom to make Hallmark burn his resume and pictures. Making arrangements for him to go to work is one thing, but making him toss his "dream" into a fire and her telling Bailey.."we're burning Hallmark" was not right.

Alisons
Member

01-10-2003

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 3:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
The entire program I kept saying to myself - "Did someone REALLY name their kid Hallmark?" I kept thinking I must have his name wrong somehow. Oh well, if I have a son I may name him "American Greetings."

This was at least a fairly positive program in that both families seemed to learn something from the experience and were able to go home with at least some appreciation for a different type of lifestyle.

The subtitle of this one could be "Revenge of the Doormats."

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 6:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I was amazed too! Jimmy really turned out to be quite wonderful. Didn't really care for Hallmark, found him a little passive agressive. It was good that the stay at home mom learned how to speak up for herself. Kim, I am ambivalent about, agree with Julieboo.
too ture, Alisons.

Puzzled
Member

08-27-2001

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 8:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
"Revenge of the Doormats"--LOL, Alisons, great description.

Jimmy was great, and Mrs. Jimmy found her backbone. Unfortunately, the only thing Mr. & Mrs. Hallmark seemed to learn was that he didn't like it when she got mad at him.

Daphnematthews
Member

07-22-2004

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 9:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Maybe Hallmark's name originally wasn't his name his Mother gave him at birth. He could have chosen that name in hopes that it would boost his career, for "that one classic movie" he desired, and had whatever it used to be, legally changed to Hallmark.

I liked what Kim was able to do for Jimmy but it's sad that she didn't have the foresight to start her marriage and their lifestyle to the same standards she was giving Jimmy in his lesson.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 9:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Very true Daphne!

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 10:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Evidentally, Kim doesn't care if men are doormats! LOL

Tishala
Member

08-01-2000

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 10:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I really disliked the woman from Oklahoma the most last night. There was no reason for her to stand in front of another person's child and lecture him on gender norms and what does or does not constitute a "real man." If Kim and Hallmark have worked out alternate arrangements that differ from those of most of America, fine. If she thought he should be more aggressive about having a career, that is one thing--and she could have dealt with it appropriately--but to suggest that a "real man" engages in manual labor and should be out digging ditches is just hooey as far as I'm concerned. Insist he look for a job, but don't give me some bunk out of the 1950s about how man are supposed to act.

Frankly, if I were ever in a position to have a job where I could afford to have a husband who didn't work and instead stayed home and cared for my child [ha!] and my house, I'd welcome it. Sure Hallmark needed to speak up more and needed to figure out a better way to seek happiness--hello, Hallmark? You're not going to be in a big classic film living in Texas, buddy. That happens in LA, Vancouver, and Toronto--but the way is not to have him cleaning lockers and digging ditches.

This really returns to my larger critique about this show, which is the idea that women are fungible goods--Hallmark was the first male example of this--but that's something for another day.

Daphnematthews
Member

07-22-2004

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 11:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
He could find stepping stones in Texas. Sandra Bullock lives down there and looks for Texas sites for her films/productions and I think Robert DuVall does, too. It may not be the "one classic movie" Hallmark is looking for but it could be a stepping stone if he has talent.

However, one part of the show last night that made me sad was when Mrs. Jimmy told Kim's daughter she had a cooking set to teach her to cook. Then in the kitchen the little girl says she something like she liked making what looked to be brownies and wished her Mom would do that with her. If Hallmark was such a Mr. Mom, could he not have taken the child in the kitchen and did things like making brownies with her? That stood out to me of being sort of unusual and rather sad because instead of being Mr. Mom, it made him more look like the housekeeper or Mr. French with added perks.

Was he using Kim for a relationship that was conducive for him to stay home and send resume's out or was Kim using him to take care of her house and child while she did what she pleased in the business world? Sadly, I think a little of each with the child smooshed between the two.



Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 11:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Daphne, that was the impression I got about Hallmark and Kim too. I felt the same pangs when the little girl said that.
Austin has become quite a mini hub for movies. I got the impression that he was waiting for something to happen but not actively pursuing anything.

Fabnsab
Member

08-07-2000

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 3:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
This show seemed more like husband and wives swapping roles than merely wives. Kim had Jimmy do the wifes role and the other lady ended up having Hallmark do Kims.

I agree with everything above. Jimmy was a pleasant surprise. Jimmys wife did not go about proving her point properly. Hallmark may have been dreaming of his career too long but to make him burn it is just not nice. He is a stay-at-home Dad. There is nothing wrong with that if both parents agree.

Also, I don't know about you guys, but if someone sent me digging ditches and cleaning lockers, I would not be thinking,"gee, i missed so much not doing this all these years!" She just beat him up again.

Kim did not truly learn from this. She got rewarded for her highhandedness by Jimmy changing and being so grateful so, in her mind, she's being the way she should be to get results. That was sad.

Seamonkey
Member

09-07-2000

Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 8:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I gave Kim props for actually attempting to do all of Kim's jobs.. in the house plus all that data input and then she made the husband do it so he really GOT it.. Kim did that couple a real service.

Meanwhile the other wife went to Kim's job but certainly didn't DO it.. she just sat there and hated being there and criticized Kim for working outside the home. Then she humiliated Hallmark.

Meanwhile the burly dad complained but boy did he learn!!

Hallmark pretty much whined the whole time.

Cathie
Member

08-16-2000

Friday, November 19, 2004 - 1:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Kim & Hallmark were on the local news last night. They live in Hurst, in the DFW area. They had rented a local movie theater and invited a bunch of friends to watch the episode there with them. Kim said it was the worst experience of her life and she would never do it again. At least Hallmark got to see himself on the big screen, lol.

I can't believe nobody else spewed their drink over one of Jimmy's remarks. My hubby, who doesn't watch the show, was walking through the den when Jimmy was knocking on the door to wake Kim up on her first morning there. He said, "Kim, I need you to wake up and get me off" meaning make his coffee and send him off to work. Hubby's reaction was WHAAAAAT did he say??? He thought the show was really swapping wives in every way, lol.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Friday, November 19, 2004 - 1:14 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Ah I hate to sound judgemental but 18yrs waiting for a movie career?? when seem like you are a middle-aged, short funnylooking guy?? Hallmark's headshot was so good I didnt even think it was the same guy ROTFL.

My guess is the headshot was from 18yrs earlier and he was STILL drifting on the dream.

Each time I watch Wifeswap I am left kinda confused. WHY do these people SO THIS SHOW when there is no money exchanged? What do they hope to gain?

Hallmark was told to go get a REAL job like men have. Why didnt he go in and do the CAR SALES job which the other woman didnt WANT to do anymore?? Seriously, I think that he would have LOVED selling cars .......meeting new people and NETWORKING/ making connections. instead he was forced to do a different menial labour job each day. It was humiliating to him and I cant see why anyone would be surprised that he'd act out.

The big Teddybear guy seemed really to 'get it' towards the end of the show. I think many men miss out so much on their children's big moments in life DUE to their working long hours away from home. Military guys can be gone for 6mon to a year at a time.......they miss out on whole blocks of their children's lives. SIGH....

Rslover
Member

11-19-2002

Friday, November 19, 2004 - 5:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
The out of work actors I know usually work as waiters, not ditch diggers.

Llwynn
Member

07-19-2003

Saturday, November 20, 2004 - 9:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Being a medical transcriptionist who works from home, I was so irritated by the fact that they edited it to look like the swapped wife could just walk in, sit down at the computer and get all the transcription done. There is always a stigma that we are just typists and there are no skills or schooling involved. To add insult to injury, then the husband sat down and did it! Medical transcription is more difficult than it looks and it just isn't possible that they sat down and got all that work finished. The swapped wife was lucky if she got through one dictation!

Chieko
Member

11-20-2003

Saturday, November 20, 2004 - 9:35 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Llwynn, I caught that. I don't know much about your work but I really doubted that they could just sit down and get started like that.

Daphnematthews
Member

07-22-2004

Saturday, November 20, 2004 - 3:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hallmark didn't have a choice of what he wanted to do. Mrs. Jimmy made out a list of manual labor type things to do so he really didn't have a say. But I'd venture to say he might not have wanted to go work in the car place since that was Kim's business and if he messed up, he would have heard about it royally.

Tho, I was curious after his eyes were opened by Mrs. Jimmy's visit how he decided that being a painter as his future career to be. I wouldn't have thought he had any experience to feel so passionately about...unless it was on the list during the week of what Mrs. Jimmy made out but didn't make the final edit.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Saturday, November 20, 2004 - 6:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
As far as I know, the only skill needed would be an ability to spell the medical words and know how to separate out comments into paragraphs. A dictionary would be available.

I would love to know why a person who transcribes by typing would not be considered a typist.

I personally think anyone who can type could do the job if they were able to understand the doctor who is doing the talking on the tape. The mistakes I know of often occur when the doctor has an accent.

Not trying to be argumentive. I just like to understand another person's perspective when I truly dont understand a comment made.

Llwynn
Member

07-19-2003

Sunday, November 21, 2004 - 8:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sunshyne--Thats exactly the kind of thing I am talking about. This isn't the case on WifeSwap, but in my situation I use a steno maching, like a court reporter to transcribe. I went to college to learn how to do that, and believe me I dont' have time to explain all that is involved but the dropout rate for court reporting is something like 94%.

As far as medical transcribing goes, what you say is true, knowing how to spell the words is quite important, but knowing what they mean and in what context they are being used is just as important. Having a very good grasp of the English language and punctuation helps. Sometimes I can spend an hour just trying to find a drug or a word that isn't quite right. There are so many medical specialites out there and frankly, it can take years to become familiar with all of them. Cardiology is an entirely different language than Orthopedics. Radiology and operative reports are in a world all their own. I wish the only thing I fought were dictators with "accents." LOL. There are fast dictators and mumblers, dictators that do not give patient names and dates, dictators who don't know how to use a machine and cut off half of thei r words. Believe me, sitting down cold with no experience, it absolutely would not be possible to sit down and do even one dictation, and for me and for most of my co-workers, the word typist is just an insult! A typist wouldn't have to make sure a specific gravity in a urine could actually be 110 or if it should be 1.100 when the doctor does not dictate the decimal point or research. The best way I can describe medical transcription to someone who has never done it, is its like learning a whole new language, not just to speak, but to put on paper and then interpreting someone else's way of speaking it. Hope that makes it easier to understand what I mean!

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Sunday, November 21, 2004 - 3:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
ROTFL!!!!!!!! I think the new label should be "Decipher-er"!!!

Meaning= to discern the meaning of words which are poorly written, obscure or foreign.
******

Yes, it is a whole NEW language but once you know it, you are typing what you hear on the machine. In my opinion, it is the abbreviations that are the hardest to understand. Believe me, READING their Writing is just as hard as figuring out what they've said LOL.

Here in town Medical Transcription is like a three month course then you can work. I can see where a COURT transcription course would be a college course though. Legal Secretary is one of the hardest courses to pass as well, from what I hear. .

Thanks for your further explanation.


Mssilhouette
Member

07-11-2001

Monday, November 22, 2004 - 10:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think for the wife swap they just gave the swapped wife a standard non mediical ditaction copy to type. Same with the hubby. I really don't seem them actually allowing the swappee and her hubby actual medical ditactions to type.

And from the way her hubby was pecking at the keyboard it's no wonder he couldn't finish anything.

That being said, it doesn't surprise me that medical transcribing is difficult since we all know doctors can't even sign their name legibly. LOL

Watching2
Member

07-07-2001

Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 12:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
And doncha just love the dictators who eat and chomp on food while they're dictating? Arrgggh! I worked in a medical transcription pool for a health center so you had literally 100 different voices, styles, slurring..... lol ... not to mention all the different specialities.

I agree neither one of those people could have done that transcription with no experience. I also noticed they had no headphones on and they couldn't have had speakers going since we didn't hear it. I wondered what the heck they were typing from.

Riviere
Member

09-09-2000

Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 4:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Any wife would have hated swapping with me when I was working a 1-900 astrology advice line.. It's where the phone rings off the hook and you have to be 100% accurate. My pc software crunching numbers while my 35 yrs experienced brain kicked in reading the overall natal chart while I used my 3rd hand and eye to grab my ephemeris to note current planetary transits! I can imagine any of the swap wives trying that job for 4-7 hours per day or night though it paid very well.. "You're a whut? I'm a Vegetarian!" Plus the ability to conclude 1 call and immediately take another from scratch, over and over and over with unique data for each client needing deciphering immediately! And of course, be patient no matter what...
Just like Jimmy's 2 finger keyboard pecking it is doubtful that wasn't overseen by a pro. There can't be any risk of job loss with this show, it's just to show people how the other half lives and see their own grass is greener!
:-)


Danas15146
Member

03-31-2004

Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 5:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I had a boss who used to leave me dictation tapes and right in the middle of a letter - he would start telling me a story or something! I would be so into typing I would type half the darn letter before I realized - Oh your talking to me now - this doesn't go in the letter!