The Secret

Welcome back, viewers! First off, my apologies for not writing a blog last week. There were some technical glitches and some scheduling problems, so it just didn't happen.

But here I am, so let's dig in!

Brandi's party: Where to begin? Brandi hosted the party at a friend of hers' beachside home in Malibu with a spectacular view of the Pacific. Sounds great, right? Visually, yes. Logistically, it was quite the challenge. It was a very small house that naturally has lots of windows to enjoy the view. However, windows are a pain in the TV world. During the day, it means the light coming in is constantly changing. At night, it proves to be one big mirror, so for the crew, it was a constant challenge to find angles in which they were not reflected.

Now, as for what happened at Brandi's party. . .We all know now how Taylor's marriage ended. But at this point in time of our shooting schedule, we had no idea what would happen. Anyone who has had a friend or relative in a stormy relationship realizes that no matter how much advice anyone gives, the marriage isn't over until the people in it make that decision.

Watching Taylor in this episode breaks my heart.

However, like I said, I still feel for Taylor. As I've stated in previous blogs, I'm a gay man. Everyone in my life knows, and (other than politically) it's not much of a day-to-day issue. However, twenty-five years ago, it was a big issue -- because it was a secret. Please be clear, I am in no way equating being gay with domestic violence. All I'm saying is that I understand what it's like to keep a secret in your life. The same could be said of anyone who is having an affair, has substance abuse issues, has financial issues, or any issue that they are desperate to keep a secret. Keeping a secret can start to consume your life if you've convinced yourself that being honest will cause you great pain. The truth is, it's these secrets that often cause you the most pain.

So watching Taylor unravel at Brandi's party reminded me a lot of my own experiences. And while we don't normally like to speak about future episodes, I am happy to report that Taylor is rebuilding her life, one step at a time.

Hope you enjoyed this week's episode, and as always, I look forward to reading your comments. Oh, and yes, Diannalynn, the Heyerly's bakery I referred to in my Thanksgiving blog is in Ossian, Indiana, the small town where I grew up!