Sunday, May 09, 2010

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - 5/09/10


Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there!

Yes, it's Sunday and time for my weekly off TV topic look back on the week gone by in words and photos I've taken. I think I can sum up this past week in just a few words -- work, hectic, annoying weather. Yep, that's it! G'bye!

Er ... well. I guess I can go into a little more detail. The weather just won't stay nice here. We went from too warm last week to tons o' rain to high winds and frost warnings. Last night the local police ran themselves ragged trying to respond to all of the downed trees/wires calls. Of course, those calls were in addition to the regular "It's Saturday night, I'm gonna get drunk and fight with people or crash my car" calls.

My work wish for this week is just one day without crises. It seems that every single day lately has some sort of drama or critical emergency going on. I hate coming home and just wanting to collapse day after day. Please ... just one day. Thank you.

In regard to the writing work, a feature I wrote about my favorite moments from this season's The Amazing Race should go live a little after 1 PM (ET) today on TV Squad. The easiest way to see if it's up is to go to my individual blogger link on the site. The big season finale is tonight. Of course, I'll have a blog party post here for it as well as writing a review for TVS. I was offered the opportunity to interview the teams by TVS, but can't do it due to my day job. Now, if they want to have me go to the Survivor finale next Sunday in the city ... I have time to alter my work plans!

On the home front, nothing much is going on. Vincent is fine and the elevator is still broken. The season of mice in the walls might be over. Vincent isn't staring at the radiator anywhere near as much as he had been. I spotted the four and five year old kids from the apartment next door a block and a half away on their own. I shouldn't be surprised since they're allowed to play in the hallways at all hours. Why aren't parents licensed? I swear animal shelters take more care to find caring homes for pets than some people put into the thought of parenthood. I realize that's not a great topic for Mothers Day, but I'm jus' sayin' ...

Onto the photos -- clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window.


From Manhattan to Queens skyline

I'm not sure if I've ever seen the Manhattan skyline from this vantage point before. I took this from the shuttle bringing me to LaGuardia for my vacation trip. I generally don't have many reasons to go to Queens and, if I do, I tend to take the subway. I recall as I rode the shuttle bus, as I watched the skyline the song which came on my not-an-iPod was "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City" by Nilsson. Last Saturday night might have been proof of that, eh?



Fortitude

Nah, I'm not talking about character traits. I'm talking the lion. Also taken from the shuttle bus window that day, this is Fortitude -- one of the two lions gracing the entrance of the main New York Public Library in Manhattan. The lion to the left of the steps is Patience. They're rehabbing the building. If you visit the city and haven't been before, it's a free sight not to miss -- stunning and intricate architecture. And lions. Can't forget the lions.



Speaking of famous lions

Lion at rest, master of his domain (so to speak), Vincent naps. His latest thing is he wants to be carried around. Y'know ... it makes me walk crooked to have a cat draped over my shoulder and it's hard to hear anything over his purring! No, he's not spoiled. Not much.


Spring is still springing in between wind gusts

Berckman Street in Plainfield


He didn't watch the gap

See? No feet, no hand, no entire arm! That's what happens when you step into the gap. Plainfield, NJ


Vroom

I edited this one to leave only the car in color. Watchung Avenue and East 4th Street in Plainfield.


Wall of Azaleas

Bridgewater, NJ


Love the metallic appearance of the hmm ... anthers?


North Street demolition "fixing" still going on

Now they've filled where the basement was with dirt and are shoring up the walls. The other building wall is the one which presents more problems -- a "party wall" with exposed shared fireplaces between the ex-building and its neighbor. No sign of Roofus.


From the house for all seasons

The flowers are stunning at the house located on the corner of East Front and Richmond in Plainfield. Every season, the woman who lives there has something going on. I think she hires men to do a lot of the work!


Rainy Monday Morning

It's now light when I go to work earlier for my early day(s). Looking up East Third Street from the Plainfield Train Station platform.


Saturday night odd skies

With the wind roaring, the sunset took on strange hues last night. Looking up Watchung Avenue to East Front in Plainfield.


Same sunset, different location

North Street looking up Gavett Place towards the back of East Front in Plainfield. You understand if you live here.


Same shot, edited with the "posterization" mode in GIMP.



Transportation

Bike to the train, train to the plane ...


Deadly Nightshade

Growing along the cemetery fence in back of the Friends Meeting House on Watchung Avenue/East 3rd Street in Plainfield.


Poison Ivy berries

Bridgewater Train Station

How was your week? I leave you with one last slideshow of Texas photos --

6 comments:

joy n said...

Happy Mother's Day to Vincent's "Mom", too!

We got the winds here too. Yesterday I was driving aroumd branches and one big tree that covered half the road. Went down to 32 degrees last night and supposed to be 60's tomorrow. Gotta love spring!

Hope your coming week treats you better.

Can't wait to watch your feature on TAR. Wish you could have interviewed the teams which would have been SO COOL! But there are only so many hours in a day as we all realize.

Love your beautiful pix as always. The slide show was great. Love those old buildings and signs.

Starting to feel that Roofus may not be seen around as much anymore which makes me feel a little sad.

Have a good day and Happy Mother's Day to all!

Delee said...

The shot of the morning lights at the train station is one of your best in my opinion.

My backyard was clean of any sticks smaller than 3 inches, now it is littered with branches-leaves and limb. UGH! Have my bedding plants in and hope what I can not cover survives, calling for 31 tonight. NOooooo!

I think Vincent over your shoulder is the new "if I am here she can not leave me"!!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos, as always, Jackie. Thanks for posting them. The 'rainy morning' one and the Iris esp caught my eye. Oh, and, I don't want to have to be the one to water those stair flowers in the slideshow.

Zoetawny said...

Happy Mother's Day to all!

I appologize for not having time to make a new Mother's Day graphic for the blog but I can see Jackie didn't disappoint with some beautiful flowers.

Life is hectic for me and my computer time is non-existent other than paying bills online.

My monitor went out so that was another problem. Fortunately I was able to get it repaired and didn't need to buy a new one but it took almost two weeks to get it back.

I'm looking forward to the TAR finale and for once I won't have to watch it on the DVR a couple days late.

Vincent is so very handsome and I'm so glad he's been such a loving companion for you, Jackie.

I have a lot of reading and catching up to do here to find out what I've missed. I sure hope all is well with everyone here.

Miss everyone so much!
xoxo

joy n said...

Miss you too, Zoetawny.

Sally said...

Seems like Spring weather is always unpredictable. We had thunderstorms with tornadoes in the area last week, followed a couple of days later by a May snowfall.

I've always liked it when magestic lions stand guard at the entrances to libraries and museums. Didn't realize that those on the NYC library had individual names.

I agree that your Rainy Monday Morning photo is especially nice. Vincent looks very contented. I'm choosing to believe that Roofus has found a new sunny roof to view the city from, free of condemned buildings and just out of view from your daily commute.