Ashley Hebert's Blogs - Discussion - Spoilers

Gina wrote:

mnmhughes wrote:

Gina wrote:Thanks, Love_me. Well those blogs point to Ben being her F1 for sure, especially the last sentence of the last blog

If I realized anything in the impressive city of Chiang Mai, it is that time is precious. I want to end this journey with an engagement that is sacred and meaningful, and I feel that after being in such a spiritual surrounding, I got one step closer to that dream..

Wow. I didn't think it pointed to Ben at all. I think being in spiritual surroundings (Chiang Mai) made her realize that she wanted her future engagement and relationship to be sacred and meaningful, which is why she got rid of Bentley once and for all. :greenman:

I hope you are right, mnmhughes. If I have to watch a back to back season that didn't show the passion with the F1, but with the F2 (like Brad's), I lactually, like Ben and JP. However, when I see real chemistry and genuine affection bordering on love between the lead and a contestant (JP), to have that person not be F1, AGAIN, may just do it for me. If I had detected the same passion with Ben and not JP, I would feel the same way towards Ben and want him as F!. Just don't see it as of the 1 on 1 date last night. :greenman:

ironcat wrote:

anders wrote:

beader wrote:

anders wrote:I read these boards and I think she’s a moron, and if I was allowed to use certain language I would.

Just curious, and I mean no offense--when someone feels this way about the lead in a show, why do they spend so much time watching it and reading/writing on a board that discusses it? Having this much negativity going through one's mind can't be a good thing.

Actually, I'd like to see posts from anyone about this subject. Is it truly an addiction? Is this just what Fleiss wants from his viewers? Some say Ashley is (insert negative word of your choice). But what does that say about those who continue to watch the show, hating most everything about it, and continue to spend valuable time reading/writing about it on boards. Other shows on TV that we don't like, we just don't watch. Why is TB so different?

oh and being completely obsessed with a lead picking a certain person is a good thing?? At least I watch with no delusions that this is real or that a 'love story' is unfolding before my eyes. I watch for the trainwreck that it is – pure entertainment, and maybe that is a form of self torture but isn’t that my prerogative?

Everyone has their own reasons for watching the show. For me, it's not the same reason every season because it depends on who the lead is, and who the contestants are. I only watched one season where I really couldn't stand the lead (Jake), and knowing in advance that it was going to be a trainwreck since he picked Vienna, I watched it purely for that reason. Yet others were cooing over the love story between him and Ali, or Gia, or even Vienna at the end, and I held my tongue for the most part, because there's no accounting for taste. This season, it seems that if you don't find JP interesting or attractive, now that he is the presumed F1, the default position is that the whole season must be a joke and Ashley's a moron, and that's fine if you feel that way. That others, including myself, can see and enjoy watching the chemistry between the couple develop, and can hope that maybe it might work out for them at least for a while, should be respected as well.

Hong Kong was incredible! Yes, it's true that my week there got off to a rocky start with all the Bentley drama, but after I got my closure with Bentley (and I definitely got it!) I was able to let loose and focus on the great guys who were really there for me.

My first date was with Lucas, and I thought what better thing to do on a first date in a new city than just to hit the streets and explore! Lucas and I strolled through Kowloon, an area across the water and north of Hong Kong island. If you really want to know how the people live in Hong Kong, Kowloon is the place to go! Over two million people live in Kowloon, just a handful more than in my hometown of Madawaska, Maine!

The first thing you notice about Hong Kong are the lights. They are everywhere. They blink above shops, shine down from buildings, and even light up the sky. I've never seen anything quite like it. I didn't get the chance to talk to him about it when we were there, but I can only imagine what was going through Ryan's mind when we were there. Ryan is my solar energy stud, and seeing all that electricity being used probably drove him nuts!

Okay, back to my date with Lucas. I really wanted the two of us to just spend some time hanging out in Hong Kong, getting a taste of the local flavor. Lucas is a born and bread Texas boy, so he flinched a little when I suggested we try some squid on a stick. Still, he was a good sport and gave it a go. He even said it tasted like chicken. No joke! After, we washed down the squid with a refreshing mango coconut smoothie, then set out for more exploring. Over the course of the next few hours we learned how to write our names in traditional Chinese characters, checked out some street performers dancing in lion suits, and even sat down with a fortune teller who used a pigeon to help him tell our fortunes! You won't see us sitting down with the fortune teller in the show, but it was pretty funny. At first the fortune teller told us we weren't a good couple, but then he changed his mind and told us we were! Very suspicious!

Later that night, Lucas and I hopped aboard the Aqua Luna, one of Hong Kong's last remaining red sail junk boats. Being out there on the harbor with a view of the Hong Kong skyline was so romantic. Now I've had dinner in some romantic settings this season, but this might have been the most romantic. Lucas and I ended the night slow-dancing and sharing a few kisses there at the bow of the boat. What a great date!

The next day, I met up with six of my guys for a group date at Stanley Beach. I wanted to do something with the guys that remained true to the spirit of Hong Kong, and Dragon Boat racing seemed perfect. Dragon Boat racing has been around in Asia for over two thousand years and it's huge in Hong Kong. My big problem was figuring out how we were going to race these boats when you need around twenty crew members per boat. I decided I would challenge the guys to put their own teams together. There's a really cool, open-air market there at Stanley Beach, so it was the perfect place for the guys to recruit crew members for their boats. I checked in on the guys while they were running around recruiting, and two of the teams seemed to be doing really well. The third team, Ben F and Constantine, were really struggling. When I checked in with them, they hadn't recruited anyone! Yet when it was finally time for all the teams to meet up on the beach, Ben F and Constantine had transformed themselves into Team Red Dragon, and they'd managed to recruit an entire crew! Once everyone was in their boats, I hopped on Blake and Ryan's and banged the drum for them. I felt a little bad just taking it easy and drumming while the guys sweated away, but I don't think I would have been that much of a help with a paddle in my hands! Mickey and Ames won the race, and I'm pretty sure Mickey kept that cool trophy!

We ended the night at Sparkle, a high-end private nightclub where the guys and I got a chance to let loose and share some one-on-one time. The nightclub had a pool table, and even a little two-lane bowling alley. What kind of nightclub has a bowling alley in it?! The views from the top of the building were spectacular, and one of the guys made my elevator trip up there more than a little eventful!

I wanted to add a little history to my last date in Hong Kong, so I invited JP to join me for a romantic picnic dinner within the ancient walls of The Kowloon Walled City Park. I love a good picnic, and nothing's more important than the setting! As relaxing as it was sitting there sipping plum wine with JP, I was nervous about what I needed to tell him. After I spilled what I needed to spill, we grabbed the tram up to Victoria Peak for some of the best views Hong Kong has to offer. We even stumbled past a traditional erhu player who strummed a few romantic chords while JP and I got close. There was something so romantic about looking out over Hong Kong while in the embrace of a hot guy!

After three great dates in Hong Kong, I headed for the cocktail party aboard the world-renowned floating Jumbo Kingdom in Aberdeen Harbor. Riding over and seeing those lights on the Jumbo Kingdom, I couldn't help but think how special my time in Hong Kong had been. Little did I know I was in for a rough night! That night aside, Hong Kong was incredible. The city is just so full of life, light, and adventure. Now it's off to Taiwan!

wanted to add a little history to my last date in Hong Kong, so I invited JP to join me for a romantic picnic dinner within the ancient walls of The Kowloon Walled City Park. I love a good picnic, and nothing's more important than the setting! As relaxing as it was sitting there sipping plum wine with JP, I was nervous about what I needed to tell him. After I spilled what I needed to spill, we grabbed the tram up to Victoria Peak for some of the best views Hong Kong has to offer. We even stumbled past a traditional erhu player who strummed a few romantic chords while JP and I got close. There was something so romantic about looking out over Hong Kong while in the embrace of a hot guy!

I've decided to approach this week's blog in a nontraditional fashion. I usually watch the episode and easily recount the most memorable moments and candid feelings in my own inner voice.

This week, I cannot do this.

With all of the negativity surrounding the Bentley debacle and the viewers' inability to understand how I was unable to see through what seemed to be a very obvious facade, I am here with an explanation and hopefully final "closure" to this never-ending saga.

In last night's episode, I hope you were finally able to see what Bentley was consistently doing in each conversation with me. His ego and competitiveness made him want to "get the girl," but you know, as well as I do (now), that I was certainly not what he wanted.

But he continually fed me lines like, "I didn't think I would miss you as much as I did," and, "Come to Salt Lake City." It was only at this meeting that I was able to clearly see the way he would try to smooth talk his way into my heart and then attempt to crush it on his way out. Looking back, one would think that I would be fearful that my judgment was not intact. However, I am more fearful of the fact that there are men out there so convincing of untruth.

An outsider might look at this situation and see a complete lack of social intellect on my part, and I understand that. However, when I look at my actions, I see myself as someone who was willing to give a person a chance to prove himself. I'll admit that I was burned by a boy who saw my feelings for him as a conquest. A conquest he quickly achieved and slowly lost. In retrospect, it was just as painful for me to hear his name as it was for all of the viewers who were aware of his ill will.

But I still believe in my instinct, and most importantly I still believe myself ... hopeful of finding a man who would never make me question myself, or treat another person with such lack of regard.

So if you have any question as to whether or not I am ready, confident and in a great place to move on after this episode, please know that I am, and also know that you will never have to hear the B–– word again.

I want to make it clear that I sought closure from this mystery because my heart was heading towards love and I owed it to all of these great guys to get the answers and never have to think about it again. During my date with J.P., I decided to tell him about Bentley's return. He handled hearing the news with grace, as I had expected, and gave me the confidence to share it with the rest of the guys at the cocktail party.

I always told the guys that it was important for us to be honest with each other. I knew this cocktail party was the perfect time to tell everyone about the rendezvous I had earlier in the week. What I didn't know is that I would have such a hard time explaining what had happened. How do you explain to the men you are dating that you had "fallen" for someone who chose to leave? And that he came back because you needed closure?

I am not sure there is a good answer to this, and I certainly see how that could make anyone feel as if they were second best. The truth is, it made me realize the caliber of men that I had and it made me feel closer to them.

Truth is the only way to build a real love. And in more ways than one, this episode marks the beginning of my beautiful, truthful, honest, genuine love story.

Alanna wrote:

I've decided to approach this week's blog in a nontraditional fashion. I usually watch the episode and easily recount the most memorable moments and candid feelings in my own inner voice.

This week, I cannot do this.

With all of the negativity surrounding the Bentley debacle and the viewers' inability to understand how I was unable to see through what seemed to be a very obvious facade, I am here with an explanation and hopefully final "closure" to this never-ending saga.

In last night's episode, I hope you were finally able to see what Bentley was consistently doing in each conversation with me. His ego and competitiveness made him want to "get the girl," but you know, as well as I do (now), that I was certainly not what he wanted.

But he continually fed me lines like, "I didn't think I would miss you as much as I did," and, "Come to Salt Lake City." It was only at this meeting that I was able to clearly see the way he would try to smooth talk his way into my heart and then attempt to crush it on his way out. Looking back, one would think that I would be fearful that my judgment was not intact. However, I am more fearful of the fact that there are men out there so convincing of untruth.

An outsider might look at this situation and see a complete lack of social intellect on my part, and I understand that. However, when I look at my actions, I see myself as someone who was willing to give a person a chance to prove himself. I'll admit that I was burned by a boy who saw my feelings for him as a conquest. A conquest he quickly achieved and slowly lost. In retrospect, it was just as painful for me to hear his name as it was for all of the viewers who were aware of his ill will.

But I still believe in my instinct, and most importantly I still believe myself ... hopeful of finding a man who would never make me question myself, or treat another person with such lack of regard.

So if you have any question as to whether or not I am ready, confident and in a great place to move on after this episode, please know that I am, and also know that you will never have to hear the B–– word again.

I want to make it clear that I sought closure from this mystery because my heart was heading towards love and I owed it to all of these great guys to get the answers and never have to think about it again. During my date with J.P., I decided to tell him about Bentley's return. He handled hearing the news with grace, as I had expected, and gave me the confidence to share it with the rest of the guys at the cocktail party.

I always told the guys that it was important for us to be honest with each other. I knew this cocktail party was the perfect time to tell everyone about the rendezvous I had earlier in the week. What I didn't know is that I would have such a hard time explaining what had happened. How do you explain to the men you are dating that you had "fallen" for someone who chose to leave? And that he came back because you needed closure?

I am not sure there is a good answer to this, and I certainly see how that could make anyone feel as if they were second best. The truth is, it made me realize the caliber of men that I had and it made me feel closer to them.

Truth is the only way to build a real love. And in more ways than one, this episode marks the beginning of my beautiful, truthful, honest, genuine love story.

So sweet and a huge clue IMO. :D

Alanna wrote:Yeah, she has a People blog and a travel blog.

Ashley Hebert wrote:burned by a boy who saw my feelings for him as a conquest.

cfck2222 wrote:

Ashley Hebert wrote:burned by a boy who saw my feelings for him as a conquest.

Ha!

The only other comment I have about Ashley's People blog is: THERE'S the intelligent, articulate and strong woman TPTB have been hiding!

But I still believe in my instinct, and most importantly I still believe myself ... hopeful of finding a man who would never make me question myself, or treat another person with such lack of regard.