Whether you enjoy the Oprah Winfrey empire or would rather pass, it's undeniable that Winfrey is a force to be reckoned with. It is a hard admission for me to make as a pop-culture aficionado that I do not actually have a television.

Fortunately, most programs that are on TV can be accessed on DVDs or the internet through new programs like Hulu, so I don't miss much. And, lucky for us, the Cult of Oprah Winfrey has transferred to the internet seamlessly, with many bloggers following the Tao of Oprah.

Probably the most impressive experiment in "living your best life" is the blog Living Oprah, written by a "writer, performer, and artist" from Chicago. The author, who uses the name of her blog as her handle explains her mission as follows:

I am performing an experiement: for one year, I will live as Oprah advises on her television show, on her website, and on the pages of her magazines...will I truly find bliss if I commit wholeheartedly to her lifestyle suggestions?

Living Oprah, started January first of this year, will continue through December 31st. So far the author has kept up an impressive momentum, and seems to have drawn in a lively community though comments, polls, and encouraging feedback such as, "If you could ask Oprah one question, what would it be?"

I really enjoy her tone. She is funny, thoughtful, upbeat, and optimistic at the project's outset, but vows to stick to her budget and even seems relieved to have dodged a financial bullet in some cases:

I've also learned that Michael Kors pants are best for women with
big butts. I have a big butt. Therefore, Michael Kors pants are best
for me. Luckily, Oprah didn't insist I purchase a pair, so my wallet
goes unscathed for the moment.

Living Oprah is appropriately critical and has a great handle on the big picture:

I also noticed that if you want to sign up online for Bob Greene's [fitness guru and regular Oprah guest]
internet-guided weight loss program, it's $59.85/3-months. And you must
sign up in 3-month chunks. So, for a year, that's $239.40. I totally
believe that health is priceless and joining other diet programs might
cost even more money. HOWEVER...Oprah's website says they're looking
for ONE MILLION viewers who want to lose weight to join the challenge.
So, if the minimum of 1 million people join, that's $239,400,000.00
that is going into someone's pocket. Impressive. I guess everyone is
out to make a buck, but I wish they were being a bit more philanthropic
when it came to this issue. What do you think?

She has also followed the 21-Day Cleanse and the Live with Less Challenge. You should go see her dedication for yourself. It's pretty mind-boggling.

A blog that seemed to have a promising start is/was Whatever Oprah Says by Linda Teverbaugh. It seems to have been abandoned now, but I mention it because what is there is well-written and funny. Teverbaugh seems to be genuinely fond of Oprah, but there is often a teasing a satirical tone in her posts as well. If she started another blog, I'm sure I would read it. In her first post, Teverbaugh writes:

Anyway from Dr. Phil to "In the Kitchen with Rosie," the Chambers
catalogue and Oprah's Book Club, Oprah has a long tradition of wanting
to help us, save us, fix us. And even though it's a little late for New
Year's resolutions, I've decided to spend 2008 being helped, saved and
fixed by Oprah. I pledge to watch the Oprah Winfrey show every day and
do exactly what she says. If she's got an organizational expert on,
saying you have to clean up your clutter, then I'm going to declutter.
If she's got Dr. Oz admonishing everyone to drink acai juice (ew) and
do 20 minutes of cardio three times a week, then just try to keep me
off the bike. If she's sent Suze Orman out to yell at some weepy
credit-card profligate, then bye-bye, Linda's debt.

I hope she picks it up again. I'd love to hear how her year is turning out.

Our Learning Moments committed themselves to the Live with Less Challenge and blogged the results as well:

 I didn't really feel the challenge when it came to the whole eating
out, and electricity abuse, because I don't necessarily abuse those
items. The computer wasn't much of a challenge however there were
ongoing projects that had to be worked on. I am the kinda person that
usually has noise in the background. Its usually the TV - not really
sure why I do it. I guess I have always done it, even growing up. So
this week was wonderful, the TV stayed off. The weather was nice so the
windows were open, and every once in awhile I would turn the radio on.
The TV only turned on once Rob got home from work. (he didn't want to take on the challenge).
So I would come in to watch my 1 hour of TV usually for American Idol,
Survivor, (Reality TV - yes I am pretty sad). All in all I feel like
this week was really good for me. It was a chance to "recharge". I
don't know how much my life will really change from doing to this
challenge. I guess I would say that it has definately made me aware of
the "Time-wasting" activities that I get myself into. So I guess it was
worth the effort spent.

I will say one thing. I watched a lot of the late-nineties "reinvented" Oprah when I was in college and had a job that ended at midnight. There was Oprah waiting for me at two a.m. The best advice I got from her, and the only I remember is that if a book is boring the pudding out of you, you shouldn't give it more than fifty pages. Works for me!

Have you tried an Oprah challenge? Love her? Hate her? Let's hear it.

SJ also writes at I, Asshole