Bachelor

Now we're getting somewhere. Last week, Michael ("Puppy") and Erica ("Plastic Princess") were voted off, Blakeley ("Cougar") declared war on Chris ("Lt. Dan") and Ed ("Adam Corolla") revealed his lack-of-desire for Jaclyn ("The Muppet") in front of the whole house. Now that everyone hates each other and Rachel ("Snaggle Tooth") is permanently crying in the corner, Chris Harrison drops another bomb -- they are now competing, and voting, as couples.  Elementary school spelling bee Sarah: This week the contestants compete in a triple-elimination spelling bee. I know we aren't dealing with the smartest bunch of adults, but seriously?

Aileen Prunesti and Gregory Downs Jean and Dominic Prunesti, of Laurel, announce the engagement of their daughter, Aileen Marie Prunesti, to Gregory Tyson Downs, son of Cynthia and James Downs, of Damascus. The bride-to-be is a 2004 graduate of Atholton High School and received her Bachelor's in speech-language pathology from Towson University in 2008. A 2003 graduate of Sherwood High School, the prospective groom received his Bachelor's in chemistry from University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2007 and his master's degrees in chemistry and education from the University of Maryland.

Here's our vote for the third week in August as the most annoying week of the year. It's when the lull between spring and fall television programming really takes its toll -- our DVR is only 10 percent full (22 episodes of "Repo Games" and five episodes of "My Cat from Hell"). That, combined with overwhelming complaints from teachers that have to go back to work after a relaxing summer, is enough to reach a boiling point. News flash: Most of us work full-time all year and still get paid less than you do. Here's hoping tonight's episode of "The Bachelor Pad" makes us feel better during the year's most annoying week.

It's hard to focus on tonight's "Bachelor Pad" while we are eagerly awaiting ABC to confirm Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte as the next Bachelor. And this isn't a pipe dream like our " Make Chris Harrison the Next Bachelor " Facebook group. A few days ago, Lochte let slip to Matt Lauer on"Today" that he wanted to be the next Bachelor and appear on "Dancing with the Stars. "  Is he a good candidate? Well, he's single and famous. Without the gold medals, he's just like Bachelor Brad without the southern accent.

We may have bigger problems than being fans of "The Bachelor" series, watching it every week and writing this blog. "The Bachelor Pad" is now consuming our random thoughts. Questions like, "do these people have full time jobs?" come to mind while I'm in the shower. Chris thinks on the toilet, "how can I become a luxury brand consultant?" After a serious debate of these questions and more, we're still perplexed as to why grown-ass men and women taking part in reality television (when less than a million dollars and/or a recording contract is on the line)

In 1985, attorney David Snyder purchased one side of a duplex in Baltimore between the upscale neighborhoods of Roland Park and Guilford. The 1929 brick Georgian-style home had a stately exterior but would need an interior makeover. Nevertheless, Snyder said, the house was "very livable for a bachelor like me. " Unfortunately, it was a bachelor pad in the not-so-flattering sense of the term: He initially didn't improve the interior, which consists of two stories and an attic. The house, by Snyder's admission, fell into a state of disrepair, and he worked halfheartedly at fixing it up. But after the double snowstorms of February 2010 brought down his gutters and battered his slate roof, causing numerous leaks, Snyder seriously considered renovation.

Now in its third season and running low on "Bachelor"/"Bachelorette" rejects, "Bachelor Pad" pulls a card from "Survivor" to stay alive. This season combines old contestants with the show's hyper fans. It's good to bring some fresh faces into the mix, but we all enjoy the has-been contestants more. If the fans are nuts enough, which we suppose they have to be, this is going to be epic. How it works Here's the gist of the show for first-time viewers: All the contestants are single and live together in an absurd mansion.

Kelly Auxt , Angela Springer and Stephanie Yonowitz , of Owings Mills, graduated with a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction; Lisa Goldberg and Rebecca Harman , of Reisterstown, graduated with a master's degree in Counselor Education, and Michael Myers , of Pikesville, graduated with a master's degree in Exercise Science and Physical Education from McDaniel College, Westminster. The following students graduated from York College of Pennsylvania, York, Pa., on May 19. Gabriel Ehrlich , of Reisterstown, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science; Courtney Heller , of Reisterstown, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education; Theodoros Karambelas , of Reisterstown, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology; Brooks Walter , of Owings Mills, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations; Tracey Carroll , of Owings Mills, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science.

Do you want to be that guy? Or one of the women that follows him around and fights with the other media whores? If so, audition to be the next "Bachelor" or "Bachelorette" this Thursday at the Greene Turtle in McHenry Row from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The only requirement is your age: 21 years or older. Don't worry if you are of below average intelligence, have no personality or an annoying voice -- ABC's producers don't discriminate.

Eve Carlson, of Towson, was named to the spring semester dean's list at Bucknell University, in Lewisburg, Pa. Bethany Reynolds, of Timonium, a junior at Washington and Lee University, has been selected for the spring/summer 2012 Johnson Opportunity Grant at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va. Reynolds will travel to Guatemala to take the course "revealing the Mayan Communities at Solola Guatemala: Ethnographic Research....