Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - August 29, 2010

Sunday morning ... lots of time with nothing to do, lots of time to spend with you, on Sunday, Sunday morning. -- Spanky and Our Gang, "Sunday Morning"

Well, I don't know about the "nothing to do" part of that. But it is Sunday morning and that means it's time for my weekly off television photo post reflecting on the week gone by. Sometimes my photography is decent, other times I'm just showing you a bit of what I've seen in my day to day life. I think this week is more leaning towards the latter.

I believe I'm wearing down. The early part of the week was rainy and, in the latter part, I seemed to be running late, not seeing anything which really struck me as photo fodder for "the picture of the week" or I had my hands full. Sometimes it was a combination of all three things. I had a great hawk opportunity, but he just wouldn't fly still! He was so close that he kept flying out of my camera's path much too quickly. Hmm ... why was a hawk circling ME?

Sigh. As much as I enjoy the blog community and all the fun, Big Brother tends to really tire me out by about this time every year. (Note -- a new BB12 live feeds report will be posted a bit later. We're talking puppets and punishments.) Something odd or traumatic usually happens during the blogging of the summer in the BB house, too.

The first year I attempted blogging it, the cartilage in my left knee had inexplicably shredded as I was merely walking along. I spent the summer awaiting surgery that, when it happened, the knee never recovered from. One year I had shingles. One year I deliberately scheduled knee replacement surgery during the BB season so I wouldn't be working full time and covering the feeds. Of course, it's the knee which didn't recover before and I had a DVT atop the surgery just to make things more interesting. Last year, my 17-year-old cat died a few weeks into the season.

This year? Hmm ... it's been relatively trauma free and we only have a few weeks left. (Everyone knock on wood, please.) About the only thing out of the norm going on is that I have jury duty scheduled the day after Labor Day. I've had jury duty before and it usually ends up being a whole lot of people watching, reading, sketching ... and boredom. I've never even made it to the voir dire. At least I'll get to photo stomp around Elizabeth, NJ ... a city I haven't had a reason to wander around since I moved to the state.

Although I'm in a busier crime county than the last time I was summoned (Union County versus Somerset County), I don't think it will mean anything other than the usual. At least my workplace pays me the difference between jury pay and my normal pay. Otherwise, I'd earn a whopping $5 a day for being on jury duty!

Other than that, it's been the same old stuff here -- BB live feeds, BB show reviews, work, eat, sleep and pay attention to a certain cat. Onto the photos for the week (clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window, clicking again will make it even larger) --

Ghost train at night

The almost empty train looks a bit eerie as it sits at the Bridgewater Train Station last night after dark. This is the train heading west, away from Newark and New York City. Apparently everyone is having too good a time to head home this early. I'm actually waiting for the train to go towards Newark and NYC, but getting off in Plainfield.

Ballpark lights at night

I worked later than usual last night and it was dark as I waited for my train adjacent to the TD Ballpark in Bridgewater -- home of the Somerset Patriots, a minor league ball team. It's usually light as I pass through there when ball games are on. At least it gave me a chance to shoot the lights. The small white flecks are bugs attracted by them.

Tuesday night's full moon

I keep trying to get a decent full moon shot -- one in which the moon isn't so glaring white as to obscure the details. This is my best attempt so far. I need to keep trying! (Or get a better camera which is out of the question.)

Morning moon over Presbyterian

Wednesday morning as the sun shined in the east, this was to my west. Note the leafless branches on the left. So many of the trees have suffered here this summer. It was dry for so long accompanied by record heat waves. Earlier this past week when it rained for three of four days straight, many big branches and entire trees came down, unable to continue on. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Rainy train day

My apologies for all of the train station shots this week. Alas, that seemed to be the only time I could (a) be out of the rain or (b) actually had time to shoot photos. I liked this one because of the reflection of the station lights on the train windows -- practically a light a window. Plainfield Train Station.

Same Day, the Other Way

Now I feel I'm cheating with the photos. I turned around and shot the other way. But the lights aren't reflecting in unison with the train windows. Note the platform difference between Plainfield and the photo of the Bridgewater Station.

Plainfield is a raised platform which makes it level with the entrance. Once in the train, there is a handicapped/bike/bathroom area, then you can go either upstairs or downstairs to sit. At stations without raised platforms, it's a climb into or a steep descent out of the train. Me? I prefer a raised platform, please ... even if it means you see feet when sitting on the lower level.

Let there be a mushroom

Yes, the stinkhorns are still around for photo fodder if I want to go that route. But I decided a cute little mushroom in wet grass instead. Notice how the stem is nearly translucent. It's so delicate. So I stomped on it!

Er, no. I didn't.

I made the stomp part up.

Looky! More Plainfield Train Station!

This time in sepia.

Even MORE Plainfield Train Station!

This one I edited to leave the "Plainfield" sign in color, the rest in black and white.

Train station, but different

There was a huge dark bank of clouds obscuring the sunrise early Monday morning. It made it look almost like we have mountains in the distance. We don't have mountains here. In the other direction from this shot, there are the Watchung Mountains. But they really are no more than hills. When I first moved here, I was shocked over how flat everything is. I was used to the Adirondacks and then the Berkshires and Catskills. Or, in my skiing days, I loved the Rocky Mountains.

Panda King

A new Chinese restaurant replaced the old one on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield. I deliberately obscured the phone number on the sign just so they don't get any crank phone calls. But I'm not here to talk about the new Chinese restaurant. I want to talk about the color scheme. Who does this? Melon, orange and lavender mixed with the original red and tan mosaic tile on the front of one of the buildings. Drugs, anyone? At least the orange Caribe taxi fits in well with the color scheme.

I don't think it's New York

I think it's more like China, Malaysia, etc. When I lived in New York (remember, I'm originally from NY), I don't recall seeing any "New Jersey Furniture and Linens." East Front Street, Plainfield.

I NEED to be on your shoulder!

Vincent droops himself over the edge of a chair. I've never known such a drooper of a cat. This is pretty much his pose when he's draped over my shoulder. What an odd kitty I have in my life. But I wouldn't give him up for the world!

How was your week?