"Lock the doors and close the blinds -- we're going for a ride..."

If you've been an avid reader of this blog, you already know that I have an obsession not with a pop starlet like Lindsay Lohan; not with an accomplished Academy nominate actress like Kate Winslett; and not with a supermodel like Heidi Klum.

(Heidi and Seal having a kid -- that will be one cool baby! But I digress...)

No. My obsession is with MSNBC political commentator and former MTV News "Choose or Lose" reporter Alison Stewart. Beautifully stunning. Stunningly beautiful. Seuctively Interesting. Interestingly seduc.... you get the picture.

And often I comment on her outfits for the day. And her hair. Her glasses. I admire from a distance. You see, they pipe in TV screens showing CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, the Weather Channel, etc. And the moments during my afternoon where Alison shows up? Just a nice break for me during the day.

Take, for example, today: She was wearing her orange top again -- but this time with a brown jacket. Quite flattering -- really works quite well for her. the only pictures I could find online, however, have the jacket closed a bit so you can't get the full effect of the orange. have a look:



Don't get me wrong -- this isn't a sexual fantasy type thing. Just the notion of looking into her eyes while snuggling under a warm blanket in front of a roaring fire, listening to her sweet voice as she comments on Medicare funding. It ain't a kockin' da boots thang.

That being said, I was a tad embarrassed when my wife questioned me when she went down to our basement and found the TV tuned to MSNBC and a bath towel draped across the sofa.

(Yes, this is true! As is my explanation: I had just showered and gotten dressed while setting the TiVo to record "Countdown with Keith Olberman" later that evening! Granted it was because Keith had the night off and someone was guest hosting... But nothing happened. Honest.)

Am I the only person strange enough to have a crush on a news celebrity? Aren't there any folks pining for Ashleigh Banfield? Gaga over Bob Franken? Composing silly little love songs about Soledad O'Brien? Wanting to do an entire 360 around Anderson Cooper?

Don't know; don't care. But hey -- if nomad can be in love with Tom Welling, I can have my Alison...