Overrated
While at first it was voyeuristic fun to peek inside the lifestyles of the nouveau riche and want-to-be famous, the “Real Housewives” shows have devolved into tedious screech-fests emphasizing the worst stereotypes of female behavior. Every excursion seems engineered to engender a ridiculous catfight: ganging up on the outsider; shrieking at the party planner; flipping over the table at a restaurant. Plus, viewers are expected to endure the whining of spoiled children and the hawking of questionable ventures (clothing lines, modeling and/or singing careers, sales seminars). The unifying theme is a stunning sense of entitlement. Money doesn’t buy class or happiness — just tackily similar McMansions.
Underrated
Is the end of summer really such a tragedy? September provides some of the most beautiful weather in Minnesota: The air gets crisp; the skies are blue, and it’s a time of fresh possibility. Put the boat in dry dock, step away from the grill and embrace fall.
