Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - 1/24/10

It's Sunday, time to take an off topic look back at the past week in words and photographs I've taken. We had a fairly mild week here weather-wise. It amazes me how warm 40 to 45 degrees can feel after we had such frigid cold just a few weeks back. Of course, the nights are still below the freezing mark. It is still winter after all.

On the home front things are quiet. I didn't win the Mega Millions. Hey, I spent a dollar. I should have won, right? They say "a dollar and a dream." Well ...? Where's my hundred million? I spend a good ten dollars a year on the lottery. I want a refund! Okay, I'm not a big gambler, I guess. It bugs me when I see the folks with a gazillion lottery numbers playing every game imaginable. It usually seems to be the people who can least afford to do so.

Instead of throwing vast amounts of my money away, I prefer to keep the bills paid and a roof over my head. If I make it to retirement alive, hopefully my 401K, retirement pension (yeah, I actually have one, but it's nothing exciting), and social security just might let me continue to spend ten dollars a year on the lottery. But you won't see me acting like it's some sort of daily ritual.

The Conan/Leno/Letterman/Kimmel shows should be calming down this coming week. Well, we know Conan will quiet down as he's now history at NBC. As Letterman loyal as I am, I recorded Conan's last show and will watch it later today. In poking around, I found out that Conan was the valedictorian of his high school class and graduated from Harvard. Impressive. I knew he was a writer on SNL before he hit late nights, but I wasn't aware that he had that sort of educational background. I'm sure he and his staff (along with the several million bucks) will land on their feet. And I'll continue to not watch Jay Leno.

I watched the celebrity-laden telethon for Haiti on Friday night -- 57 million dollars raised and they're still counting. I still can't imagine what the people of Haiti are going through. My company (the one I work for, not one I own) is providing $100 calling cards and offering free counseling for Haitians who work for us. Plus they're sending support to Haiti. That made me feel good about the corporation on the whole. I first started with them (when I obviously was a child) in 1977. I don't recall them ever doing anything like that before. I know they did a lot for 9/11, but the company itself lost several people on one of the planes. So, that one really touched home.

Hmm ... as I type this, I notice my heat isn't working once again. Grr. While it's supposed to go into the 50s later on, this isn't good. They're also predicting thunderstorms and heavy rain during the time I head out to work Monday morning. Grr again. I suppose rain will wash away the really dirty remaining snow piles. Shame on me, but I hope we don't see any more snow this season. I could live with that.

I was saddened to hear of some deaths in the news this past week, outside of the Haiti tragedy. Survivor Palau's Jennifer Lyon, only 37 years old, died of breast cancer having fought the disease since shortly after her television series. That is too young to die. Another death which I took particular note of was the passing of author Robert B. Parker. Police, crime, and mystery buff that I am, I have many of his Spenser books in my collection, including a few signed copies as I met him a couple of times. His character Spenser, a Boston private detective, was the focus of television's Spenser For Hire starring Robert Urich some years back. Parker was 77, but not known to be ill, and was working on yet another Spenser novel at the time of his death. Author Erich Segal also died last week. He wrote Love Story, which was one of the big tear-jerkers of my high school era, as well as the screenplay for the Beatles movie Yellow Submarine.

As you can tell, it's been another quiet week for me. At least, by not driving, I have enjoyable commuting times. I can listen to my not-an-iPod, look around for interesting photo shots, and get to know the people in town. That and patronize local businesses, mind you. It's so much better than sitting in traffic in New Jersey. Here are my shots for the week, clicking on a photo will open it larger in a new window --

J.D. Loizeaux Lumber Company

It's long gone from 470 Watchung Avenue in Plainfield, but its ghost sign remains in the brick.

Yikes!

He looks intent on something ... perhaps overthrowing humanity!

Papa John's

This is a few blocks away from where I live. Yes, I messed with the colors with my photo editor. It's early in the morning. I guess there's not much demand for pizza at 7 AM. Unless, of course, it's cold leftovers for breakfast! East Front Street, Plainfield.

Huh? Whazzat?

Yes, I know it's the local Presbyterian Church. I mean on the pole!

It's one of those solar panel doohickies!

I read in other local blogs that these were popping up in various places all over town. Now there's one in my neighborhood. I hope it doesn't fall on anyone! It's HUGE. And, the wire leading to the other side of the street is just flopping around. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Striped sunset

Taken from the Supremo Supermarket parking lot (Roosevelt Avenue-ish, Plainfield) at sunset on Wednesday evening. If I had more energy, I'd edit out the pole and wires. I still might ... some day.

Jus' resting

He seems to have his own special nook. Or is it a cranny? East Front Street, Plainfield.

Poison Ivy

"Late at night while you're sleepin' poison ivy comes a'creepin'" - "Poison Ivy" as sung by The Coasters. Here's another look at the dormant poison ivy vines growing near the Bridgewater (NJ) Train Station. Now, I know it's poison ivy because I see it growing through the other seasons. But another way to tell is by the "hairy" vines.

Etched in frost

We've had a number of warmer days with high temperatures in the 40s. But at night, it's dipping way below freezing. The result? Some really cool heavy frosts before the sun melts 'em.

A frosty close-up

If this wasn't the dead of winter with many sub-freezing days behind us, this would be a killing frost. And, no. The killing frost did not kill Wildfire. Frost can't kill a horse, just plants. Horses generally don't care about frost.

Am I boring you, Vincent?

Apparently he's tired. Or bored.

Sigh

Some fool(s) went and covered up the cool street art I previously featured with this junk. Non-stop fun, eh? Off of East Fifth Street in back of the YMCA in Plainfield.

Alone

Been down so long it looks like up to me. Watchung Avenue, Plainfield.

Valdez Supermarket

Yes, I edited this one to have only the store windows in color. Watchung Avenue.

Spoonful of supplies

The E&A Restaurant Supplies place on East Fifth Street and Cleveland Avenue in Plainfield really spiffed up their building with new graphics!

Gangster Whitewalls

This was my find for the week. It's definitely a Cadillac LaSalle. I believe, from poking around on the Internet, that it's a 1946 one. They added another trunk emblem on the models from 1947 on. Obviously restored nicely, I found this on Cleveland Avenue in Plainfield.

"Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Diamond in the back, sunroof top,
Diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean,
Gangsta whitewalls, TV antennas in the back." - "Be Thankful for What You Got" by William DeVaughn

Another view of the Cadillac

It's sitting outside of Wreck-A-Mended, an auto body repair business.

Pigeons plot in secrecy

I seem to be in a lyrical mood today. Hamsters turn on frequently. That is "At the Zoo" by Simon and Garfunkel. However, these pigeons are plotting on the streets of Plainfield, NJ.

View From the Down Low

I took this shot from the ground level of the platform at the Plainfield Train Station. I didn't stoop -- I just didn't go up the stairs/ramp to the platform, setting my camera on the platform. It had stopped raining a few hours before, so the ground (and platform) were still wet. Pre-dawn, not at night ... per se. I suppose pre-dawn could be night. But night has a totally different crowd.

Bad Sneakers

... and a pina colada, my friend. Eep, there I go with more lyrics. I have too many songs in my head. That one's Steely Dan. Actually, it's more like bad steps than bad sneakers in this shot. I hope they didn't pay a contractor to do them. East Second Street, Plainfield.

Raising capital

Uh-oh. They're gathering funds to overthrow mankind. Bridgewater, NJ.

How was your week?