Defective Design

I am an avid HGTV watcher. I love to see all of the wonderful ideas they come up with for room design and another favorite is the Gardening Guy from Gardening by the Yard. I even cheered on David Bromstad when he won the first Design Star.

Design Star has been a pretty good show. I enjoy watching the raw talent become polished as the show progresses. A lot of times, at least with the first 3 years, you could tell which one of the designers would be going home on the first day. This year was different, though.

For those of you that don't watch, or have not had a chance to see the first episode, I will try and explain this without ruining too much, but this story needs to be told because it's a sad one. And frankly, if this is the way that HGTV wants to go, it won't be watched in my household ever again.

There were two contestants on the show named NataLee and Tashica that decided that they wanted to do a dramatic Hollywood bedroom design. They both went shopping for the room and spent what seemed like way too long at the stores. Once they got back, you could see Tashica rushing to get painter's tape on the floor and rushing to put silver paint on the floor, as well. They only had about an hour to do this before the first day was done, so anyone in their right mind would not even try to attempt to paint a floor at this point because the chance for major errors are more probable than for it to come out well.

The next day came and when they were pulling off the painters tape, they found that the silver paint bled through. This can be common with thin paint and you have to allow yourself time to fix it. Most designers who have even the slightest bit of experience would know this. However, time was not on their side. Tashica, not NataLee, said "We don't have time to fix it." They went to do what was left in the room and the cameras kept going on Tashica who kept saying "We don't have time." When lunch rolled around, NataLee asked when Tashica wanted to break for lunch and Tashica said "We don't have time." So NataLee tried to continue working until the day was done and on that particular day, they worked for 14 hours straight.

When the host called time, NataLee started to feel every muscle in her body ache and her body also started to shake from not eating. She ate a little and then tried to get some sleep. Once she woke, another contestant asked her how she was doing and she replied, "I feel like a truck hit me." I, of course, immediately sympathized with this poor woman because her statement echoed how I feel with the pain of fibromyalgia.

She got up, though, pain and all, and proceeded to try and finish the room. Tashica started to sound like a broken record and repeated her mantra of "We don't have time." Tashica in her rush to get things done, duct taped the curtains to the ceiling.

Now, needless to say, one of these two contestants went home that night because their room was the only one that was very poorly executed, but by reading this, which one do you think was sent home? Well, if you think it was the one that rushed through everything and slapped everything together with duct tape, while stating that "We don't have time.", you'd be wrong.

The judges felt that NataLee could not handle being a designer because she lacked stamina. Um, excuse me, but even a healthy person needs to stop and take a break if they are working 14 hour days. And let's see-- eat for God sake! I can't believe they'd let a girl go because she wanted to work, but they did. One of the judges did say that NataLee should have eaten, but come on now, if someone you work with-- or worse-- your boss said "We don't have time.", what would YOU do?

What's worse is that almost every comment on the first page of HGTV Design Star is filled with comments about how weak NataLee is and how she lacks stamina. I'm sorry, but this just disgusts me to no end that a bunch of people will except a poor, sloppy, uncaring, and certainly not a dedicated worker over someone who clearly has a disability, but CARES. I mean, would these people enjoy having a designer like Tashica come into their own homes and do over a room for them with duct tape? I know I wouldn't. I can't say for sure that NataLee has fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue, but what I can say is that she should have been commended for trying so hard.

What's even more sad is the fact that society today seems to be embracing poor workmanship with open arms because it can be done quickly while shunning anyone with a disability that may take the time to be thorough. This just should not be stood for anymore. Everyone in this world is capable of designing a room the way they want. Some may take longer than others to do it, but that's not a reason to get rid of them. Getting rid of someone who performs poorly just to get ahead-- well that SHOULD be a reason!

Okay, I think I've said enough about HGTV and my boycott... I'm stepping down from my soap box now.

Stay fabulous!
Love and friendship,

Kimberley

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