etc.

I decided, as a social experiment..on myself I guess, that I would watch 'Extreme Couponing' on TLC.

What the hell is that, you ask?

It's a reality show about crazy people who spend a great deal of their time gathering/clipping/organizing coupons and matching sales to get hundreds of dollars in groceries and household products free with those coupons.

So, it is pretty amazing, these people have huge stockpiles of food and stuff in their homes that they've paid almost nothing for.

They're like organized hoarders with more money saved.

Many do give the extra items to food banks and charitable organizations, which is great.

When they go and ring in the items and then take the coupons off the HUGE amount, and you see the savings it is impressive.

However, what I fail to understand is the faux drama produced by the mounting amount on the register...will they or won't they have planned properly!?! Will they save enough!?! Will they have to pay a $500 grocery bill!?!

Okay, 2 points:

1. This stuff is at the center of these people's lives, so yeah, they planned right, they have lots of experience, they understand how the system works, it'll be okay.

2. If they didn't check out properly or per say, the coupons were wrong or something, they wouldn't have to pay the $600. They could ask the transaction to be voided, like it happens all the time, people need things taken off their grocery bill if they have a set amount of money to spend.

Yes, you would feel like a jackass and yes, you would be one, because the person at the til would have a hell of a time voiding, but like, they aren't going to hold you to it if you don't have the money.

It's not like a meal has been made at a restaurant or labour has been put into fixing your car and you can't pay.

Just sayin.

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Michelle gives you entertainment advice you didn't ask for:

I'm in the midst of Mad Men Season 4 on Netflix and am late to the game on it, I always thought "meh, advertising..the clothes look nice..I dunno". It is SO good, if you're not watching, go do.

It's dramatic, it can be depressing, but the writing is amazing. And the characters are fantastic and the wardrobe is the cherry on top of it all. Get on it ya'll.

Do you watch Raising Hope? It's on after Glee on Fox and it's really fun and charming. It's a lower class family who had their son when they were teens, he's grown up, slept with a serial killer on the run, she had his baby and was executed and now the family is raising the baby.

It sounds deranged and it kinda is, but it's also pretty funny.

I'm reading Kate Morton's first book, The House at Riverton, I'm about halfway and am really enjoying. It's historical, during WWI, in England, grand house, from the household staff's point of view and there is a tragedy unfolding that is being eluded too.

I've heard great things about her book, The Forgotten Garden, so that will likely be next.

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Did you know how happy we are in Canada? (CBC)

We're so happy we're like the second in the world, the Danes are happier, but the Swedes, they're just as happy as we are.

We're also way happier than the Brits, maybe because the entire country has been prepping for a wedding for like, a really long time? Maybe.

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M.