Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - October 24, 2010

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in words and photos I've taken in my travels. For some reason, I took a lot of photos this week, not all of them necessarily artistic. But that's how things go sometimes. It helped that most of my walking and commuting times were rain-free, although it rained at night during the week.

I have an addition to my train passengers gripes from a few weeks back --

• For the sake of all that is good in this universe, invest in a box of Kleenex. Sheesh, I realize I had my super cold, but I don't constantly sniffle in public. Blow those noses and stop the sickly noises!

Work, eat, sleep ... then get up and do it all over again. I did take a diversion from my usual routine going to dinner at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, having a few beers, then hitting Trader Joe's with a friend on Wednesday. No, I wasn't drunk in Trader Joe's. I don't like getting drunk as I tend to get sick, so I stick to a limit. 42. Er, no. Two.

I really don't have much else to say. The photo exhibition for the Plainfield Library Photo Contest will take place in two weeks. I'm hoping for a decent showing and another ribbon (and check!) this time, but there's a lot of talent in town. Until then, you get what I got for the week -- clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window.

Clouds in the early morning

I know I tend to take a shot from this vantage point quite often, but things change. This time it was the just-after-sunrise sun's rays on the clouds which caught my eye. Plainfield Train Station.

Last night

Aaaooooo! The real full moon was the night before. But this is full enough for howling! Bridgewater, NJ.

Our house is a very, very fine house
With two cats in the yard
-- "Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

I don't think they meant lion statues. Note the straw gazelle in the background stalking the lions. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Watching, they're always watching

They're up to something!

You're not the only cuddly toy
That was ever enjoyed by any boy
You're not the only choo-choo train
(Or big stuffed pink thing)
That was left out in the rain
The day after Santa came ...
-- "Cuddly Toy" popularized by The Monkees
- written by Harry Nilsson

Berckman Street, Plainfield. Edited to leave the big stuffed pink thing in color, the rest black and white.

Late season weeds

Red sky in the morning again

Sure enough, it rained all night. I hope those sailors took warning. Bridgewater, NJ.

That same morning in Plainfield just a bit earlier.

The sun also sets

Looking at the sun's final hurrah over the Plainfield Train Station while standing on East Fourth Street.

Plotting in the sun

Yay, Trader Joe's!

I love that each store employs an in-house artist to do all their signs. If it were just lettering, it's something I'd love to do. Alas, they want a lot of drawing with the signs. I'm not as good at that. I'm a letterer kind of person. Years back I used to make signs for various businesses, but computers have taken over a lot of that.

Reflections

Trees are reflected in a bakery's window in Westfield, NJ. Again edited for the color/black and white look.

Yes, it's a flower.

It needed to be shot.

Okay, if you unravel the canopy,
We can attack the humans.

Westfield, NJ at the now-closed Leaders Store.

Westfield?

Yikes, I would have thought that they'd take better care of their real estate. You can see through the roof in the old Leaders Store. While they do seem to be doing something with the building, the upper floors and roof are letting in rain, birds, you name it. That can't be good for the structure. For those not familiar with the area, Westfield is the more posh town in the area.

It's also where John List murdered his family in 1971 but we won't go there.

He hit on me!

EEK! Westfield, NJ.

Vicki's Diner

I love this diner's building even though an SUV is blocking a lot of it. But I wasn't too thrilled the one time I ate there. It was full of high school kids and you couldn't even hold a normal conversation. Plus, the employees were as bad as the kid customers, all hanging out at a table. The food was only so-so, not good but not bad. It was the ambiance or lack thereof which did them in with me. Westfield, NJ.

Autumn's Glory

Westfield, NJ. As a matter of fact, this is the colorful tree reflected in the window in one of the shots above.

But no candy

Gotta love Five Guys Burgers and Fries ... and peanuts! But you can't do it too often. We're talking calories here. Westfield, NJ.

Full moon

I keep trying to get decent moon shots without fancy equipment. It's hard to get detail. This was Thursday evening in Plainfield.

Full moon over the Plainfield Municipal Court.

Taken shortly before the other moon shot. Watchung Avenue, Plainfield.

I can't see!
I can't SEE!
I CAN'T SEE!

Open your eyes, Vincent. You're a nut!

Don't forget to stop back tonight for the Amazing Race blog party! Hopefully the show will start somewhere near on time. How was your week?

Survivor: Nicaragua - October 20th Episode Blog Party Post

Survivors Ready?

Welcome one, welcome all! The blog party is ready to start! Everyone is welcome to join in with comments as the show airs here on the East Coast or even later in West Coast time. As the show airs, hopefully I'll post major events here as I'm setting this to auto-post due to going out to dinner (if I'm not here at the start, I should be by the end), but the real fun and most of the reactions are in the comments section. See you there!

8:02 PM ET -- I'm HOME!

Jill won immunity for herself and a feast for La Flor while Holly won immunity for herself on Espada.

Tie - Marty and Kelly B to go for La Flor. Marty did NOT use the idol. Perhaps he's not as smart as he thinks he is! Kelly B out on the second vote.

Yve was voted out of Espada. Gee, has there been an Yve on this season?

The Amazing Race - Oct. 17 Episode Blog Party

Football AGAIN -- the show is delayed here on the East Coast by about about twenty minutes (I think). Sheesh. Once it starts, as it airs here on the East Coast, I'll update this post with major happenings. Later tonight (or at least by morning) my show review should be posted over on TV Squad. But the real fun will be during showtime right here in the comments area. Everyone is welcome to join in!

8:20 PM ET - It started and now we're in commercial after the recap. I see from comments that the show's on time elsewhere. Grr.

Pit Stop --
1. Nat and Kat, also won a trip to Belize
2. Gary and Mallory
3. Brook and Claire
4. Michael and Kevin
5. Jill and Thomas
6. Nick and Vicki
7. Chad and Stephanie
8. Katie and Rachel
9. Jonathan and Connor - Philiminated

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - October 17, 2010

Sunday morning is here, time for my weekly reflection on the week gone by in words and photographs I've taken. I'm finally over that bug I had. Man, that was a doozy. It seems like it's going around. I don't think I've been that sick for that long in years. The only problem remaining is that I could probably sleep around the clock for a day or two if not for that pesky thing called my job. Oh well.

Unfortunately, due to that tired factor, I fell asleep early on and off through the week and missed shows I like to watch. Now, if I had planned to fall asleep, I would have recorded them. But there was no plan. It was "I'm just going to close my eyes for five minutes" and then I'd wake up at 3 AM. Argh! There's not much to do at that point other than to head to the bedroom and go to bed. Thankfully, most of the shows I missed can be found online.

We continue to have wacky weather here. One day will start out beautiful, then end with an inch of hail on the ground at nightfall. A nor'easter is finishing out now. Due to the temperatures, there obviously wasn't any snow. We didn't even get horrible rains. But there was the wind. Usually I love autumn weather -- more typically it's highs in the 60s to around 70, cool overnights, dry and sunny skies. That's what I want. Please.

I heard the news that Barbara Billingsly died. For those of my generation, that was June Cleaver, the Beaver's mother. She was 94, but I've seen her on a few things in recent years. She was the epitome of the mother of the 1950s. I blamed a friend for her death. He's a punster and before her death was announced, he came up with this one -- "I hear all the boy bands have disbanded. They decided to leave it to Bieber." Rest in peace, Barbara Billingsly (who always made me wonder why my own mother didn't wear pearls around the house and had no patience with children).

I really don't have much news here. I've worked, slept, hid from the rain, ducked the hail and acorns and had a pretty standard week. I hope your weeks went well! Onto the photos -- if you click on an image, it will open larger in a new window.

Bad Formation

Hey, geese ... it's supposed to be a V. I hope you're not heading to Newark to bring down a plane.

The Sun Also Rises ...

On North Avenue in Plainfield. I enjoy the angles of the sun this time of year. It's not quite as harsh as it is in the winter. Plus, I actually see sunrises and sunsets. It had rained most of the night before I took this shot. My apologies to Ernest Hemingway.

Sunrise

Sunset

Sunrise

Sunset

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears
- From "Fiddler on the Roof"

The train arrives with the dawn

Monday morning, moments before the sun came up, I saw the light. Plainfield Train Station.

Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning

Plainfield Train Station the morning of the torrential evening downpours and hail.

Me and my shadow

Okay, not me ... HIM and his shadow. North Avenue, Plainfield.

Dave's birds

Dave, the Indian gentleman who owns The Corner Store on Watchung and East Second in Plainfield must figure that if he feeds the birds daily, they'll spare him when they take over the world. And don't ask me about his name being Dave. I'm sure it isn't. But that's how he introduces himself and what everyone calls him.

Seasons change with the scenery
Weaving time in a tapestry
Won't you stop and remember me
At any convenient time
Funny how my memory slips while looking over manuscripts
Of unpublished rhyme
Drinking my vodka and lime.
-- "Hazy Shade of Winter" by Simon and Garfunkel

Okay, it's not winter. Nor have I ever had a vodka and lime. I've had plenty of unpublished manuscripts, though. Does that count?

The Autumn Reds

This is on East Front Street in Plainfield. This tree is usually beautiful, but this year the leaves are a bit sparse due to all of the wind we've had the last few months. Plus, we went through long hot periods in the summer with no rain, then had terrific storms. That's not too cool with the fall foliage.

Reds and Golds

Warming their feet ...

... before they swoop down and attack us, that is! I know I've taken similar photos of this before, but not with so many birds. Taken at the Dunellen Train Station from inside the train.

Heading away from Newark

Plainfield Train Station

All set for the fall

When winter comes, it will be all decorated with lights and moving things. The house at the corner of East Front Street and Richmond in Plainfield.

Fall flowers abound

Look! A mouse!

It was running along the sidewalk and people scared it. So it hid up there on the wall. Isn't he cute? (As long as he's not inside my apartment!)

VINCENT! Now, stop that!

Sure, she sees a mouse and doesn't bring it home for me. I never have any fun anymore!

Don't forget to stop back tonight for The Amazing Race!

Survivor: Nicaragua - October 13th Episode Blog Party Post

Survivors Ready?

Welcome one, welcome all! The blog party is ready to start! Everyone is welcome to join in with comments as the show airs here on the East Coast or even later in West Coast time. It looks like the merge is on tonight -- that should be interesting, to say the least.

As the show airs, I'll post major events here, but the real fun and most of the reactions are in the comments section. See you there!

With a rock draw, Brenda and Holly are new tribe captains.

Jane, Jill, Marty to younger. La Flor

Alina, Benry, Chase and Bianca to older. Espada

Tribe names remain, La Flor and Espada. No more young vs. old, no more medallion of power. Espada wins reward -- live chickens. La Flor won immunity.

Tyrone was voted out by the fools -- leaving weak Danny and want to go home and didn't play her idol Na'Onka.

The Amazing Race - Oct. 10 Episode Blog Party

Football strikes once again -- the show is delayed here on the East Coast by about an HOUR. Sheesh. Once it starts, as it airs here on the East Coast, I'll update this post with major happenings. Later tonight (or at least by morning) my show review should be posted over on TV Squad. But the real fun will be during showtime right here in the comments area. Everyone is welcome to join in!

1. Connor and Jonathan - each won $5000
2. Gary and Mallory
3. Chad and Stephanie
4. Katie and Rachel
5. Nick and Vicki
6. Brook and Claire
7. Jill and Thomas
8. Nat and Kat
9. Michael and Kevin -- Non-Philimination!

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - October 10, 2010

It's Sunday, time for my weekly off television topic post reflecting on the week gone by in words and photos I've taken.

I still feel a bit "eh" this week. I actually called out Monday and Tuesday from work, an oddity for me. But the apparently-flu really knocked me for a loop. But, as a result, I only spent three days coming and going. I plan on a quiet day today.

Hmm ... John Lennon would have been 70 if he lived. I'm not near 70, but that makes me feel old to think he's been gone thirty years.

Random commuting in New Jersey thoughts:

• I'm horrible. After sharing my commute home with throngs of NJ Devils hockey fans heading to Newark disrupting my normally peaceful commute, I feel a thrill when I hear the Devils were trounced 7-2.
• Lady in back of me ... stop singing. Now. You're singing off-key to something you're hearing on your iPod. It makes no sense and hurts my ears. Quit it.
• You, yes you ... eating the Indian food with the curry, knock it off. Eat that stuff at home or, at the very least, not on the train.
• Get those nasty feet off the seat. Sheesh.
• But do keep your shoes on, please.
  
• If you like your cell phone so much, why do you keep yelling at it?
• Okay, lady ... it was funny that you announced the next stop was Tickleville and tickled your child the first twenty times you did it. But even the kid wants you to knock it off now. Make the next stop Quietville, please.
• Look, if you're going to sit in the aisle seat leaving the window seat unoccupied while you hang out body parts into the aisle space, you're going to get thunked by passersby. Stay within the seat area and that won't happen.
• Underage hockey fans with the beers, cool it. (Why does NJT let people consume alcohol on the trains?) You're getting loud and obnoxious.
• Stop trying to scam the conductors. The fares went up six months ago. Don't act so surprised and don't try paying a $4.00 fare with a $100 bill. You'll end up booted at the next stop.
• Stop trying to impress your friends with your train knowledge. Maybe you ride a train twice a year. You know nothing.
  
• Get your knees out of my back, thank you very much. Sit like a human, please.
• No, the seats don't flip and you can't all sit together -- not on this line, anyway.
• Don't leave that half-empty cup of coffee on the floor, fool.
  

Blue stop

This oddly-colored stop sign is down along the railroad tracks. I hope the engineer knows where to stop.

Synchronized eating

The next Olympic sport! The corner of Watchung and North in Plainfield.

Wired in the night

A street lamp lights up the wires in Bridgewater, NJ.

Carpenter bee

I took this one before my vacation (flu) and didn't post it. While I posted the same bee on my Facebook, this is a different shot of him. You can tell it's a carpenter bee because its butt is shiny as opposed to bumblebees who have fluffy butts. I like the sweater vest.

Night train

Strangers in the night, exchanging glances ... but never too close. Raritan Valley line of NJ Transit.

Stop calling me Alvin

Police activity

Watchung and East Second Street in Plainfield. Actually, the only activity was traffic direction. East Second was closed off due to utility work.

At five o'clock it's much too crowded
Much too crowded, so crowded
No room for me (too crowded)
Oh, too crowded

The traffic jam on Watchung and East Third Street in Plainfield rush hour Friday. My apologies to the Soul Survivors ("Expressway to Your Heart")

Golden Rails

An NJT train rides off into the sunset which has lighted the rails a golden hue. Bridgewater, NJ. While the train looks short, it's actually six (or more) cars long. Each of the cars have about forty rows or so of seats and there's a vestibule section with more seating in between each car.

A few minutes later

Fading into white

Vincent in one of his favorite spots.

How was your week? Don't forget to stop back for tonight's Amazing Race blog party!

Survivor: Nicaragua - October 6th Episode Blog Party Post

Survivors Ready?

Welcome one, welcome all! It's the fourth episode and the blog party is ready to start! Everyone is welcome to join in with comments as the show airs here on the East Coast or even later in West Coast time. Are you as irked as I am that they're still trying to capitalize on Jimmy Johnson in the promos for this week?

As the show airs, I'll post major events here, but the real fun and most of the reactions are in the comments section. See you there!

Rats, NaOnka has the hidden immunity idol.

Younger tribe won reward and immunity ... again.

The knee replacement beats out buffoon. Jimmy T voted out over Danny.

The Amazing Race - Oct. 3 Episode Blog Party Post

Oh my, we're starting on time here on the East Coast. As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll update this post with major happenings. Later tonight (or at least by morning) my show review should be posted over on TV Squad. But the real fun will be during showtime right here in the comments area. Everyone is welcome to join in!

In Ghana -
1. Brook and Claire/ Hawaiian trip
2. Katie and Rachel
3. Michael and Kevin
4. Chad and Stephanie
5. Jill and Thomas
6. Connor and Jonathan
7. Nat and Kat
8. Nick and Vicki
9. Gary and Mallory
10. Andie and Jenna - Philiminated

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - October 3, 2010

My apologies, but I've been very sick all week. Thankfully I was on a vacation, so I didn't have to call out from work. I've been in bed most of the week with a cough, fever, chills, headache, body aches, you name it. It honestly felt more like the flu than a cold. I still have a bad cough and feel weak. But since I've eaten very little all week, I guess that's to be expected.

As a result, I didn't take any photo walks. But I do have a Vincent shot for you and I'll be back for the Amazing Race blog party tonight.