Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - January 16, 2011

It's Sunday morning, once again time for an off television topic look back on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. Let's see ... what happened this week? Snow. Bitter cold. That's it. Goodbye.

Er, well.

I guess we're having a real winter this year. Back when my knees were good, I'd be loving it and spending much too much money skiing. Instead, I'm gingerly walking across ice patches, dodging slush at times, and working to get a foothold in snowbanks. The strain on the knee which needs replacement is making it hurt more. Grr. Mind you, I'm not on any pain medication other than ibuprofen.

Enough whining.

I received an email from the library with the theme for this year's photo contest. The theme will be "Plainfield ... On The Go!" Oh, I can SO find fodder for that! Being a pedestrian, train rider, and occasional bus rider, photographs within that theme are all around me. I felt honored that the library used one of my shots as an example of "composition" on the theme announcement.

The television aspect of my life has been picking up once again. (Thankfully!) New Letterman shows nightly, Detroit 1-8-7, Southland and more. Cast announcements were made for Celebrity Apprentice (which sounds like it should be a hoot this year) and Survivor: Redemption Island. With all the cold and snow, at least I'll have some enjoyable television to go with my other addiction ... reading.

Onto this week's photos -- clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window.

AHEM

Notice the taxi is blocking the only visible clear path to the Plainfield Train Station. Since NO ONE SHOVELS THE SIDEWALK ON NORTH AVENUE and there are only a few cleared areas to enter the station property after you've had to walk in the street to get there (!!!), this is not a good idea. Yes, the area is a cab stand ... but not blocking the way of pedestrians!

One morning this week, a red cab was blocking the walk. As I walked by him I yelled, pointed at the snow piles and made gestures at a pathway. He looked at me like I was dumb. So, when I walked around to the back of his cab, I gave it a thump with my hand -- not so hard that it would hurt either the cab or me, but enough so he could hear. D'oh! He moved forward and unblocked the path. I received a round of applause from all the others who had to walk even further for egress or climb over the snow.

Here comes the train
Here comes the train
Better get ready, 'cuz
Here comes the train.

My apologies to Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. Plainfield Train Station.

Club kids?

Not a typical sight in town -- club scene kids with their skinny yet drooping pants. They're probably lost. The boy walked right smack into me (before I took this shot) when I stopped at an intersection to await the right of way to cross in the crosswalk.

"Hey, you stopped right in front of me!"
"The light is red."
"What?"

North Avenue and Watchung.

How do you walk across ice?
Very carefully!

A streetlamp and a traffic light make the ice glow in red and golden hues. This shot was taken on East Fourth Street, but the drainpipe in the front of the building is creating the same effect. This building is also an annex to the narcotics squad for the Plainfield Police Department. The exit they use was also coated with ice Friday night. When I went through Saturday I noticed someone had chipped all that away. Good. I ended up catching a cop one other year when it did that. If they come out of that door and forget the ice is there, it's an instant fall.

Oh, New Jersey Transit ...

You put an "All Trains" sign there. You obviously know your customers walk there. SHOVEL IT. There is a stretch of nearly 100 yards totally ignored. I end up walking in the street until I hit the grate, then cautiously head over the foot-packed snow. Bridgewater Train Station.

Assimilate now, bike!

One more snowstorm and the bike will be consumed. Bridgewater Train Station.

Sunrise

Lookin' at their 'hood from my 'hood. Looking from East Front Street to East Second Street. Red sky in the morning, eight (or so) fresh inches of snow that evening.

Sunset

Bridgewater, NJ. Those aren't mountains, they're gray clouds. It's very flat around here unless you look east. Then you can see the Watchung Mountains. Alas, the "mountains" are really just high hills.

Is he facing Mecca?
Where is his prayer rug?

Oh! Acorns!

Someone didn't

The corner of Berckman and East Front. I edited it to leave the fire hydrant and sign in color. Sure, our raised fire hydrants look foolish most of the year, but the snow is why they're not flush with the sidewalks!

Let's lean the other way

I can see this Christmas tree will never be picked up. They probably think it's growing that way.

Local sight

I don't know this man. But I see him out there almost every day on his bike, usually toting bags. His clothes are always clean and he seems quite sober at all times. He also, unlike so many, rides in the street and doesn't terrorize pedestrians on the sidewalks.

But the man has Bozo hair. If he dyed it pretty colors, it would be better than Bozo hair. He always wears a cowboy hat which poufs his hair out even more. Watchung Avenue, Plainfield.

Orientation Today

What kind? Sexual? Portrait vs. landscape? What do you mean? Oh. It's Union County College on Church and East Second. I guess it's for the new semester.

Corner of Christmas Wonderland

The home at the corner of Richmond and East Front still has all of their holiday decorations up. But they're only lighting this one corner. I think the decorations are going to stay until the snow drifts in the yard are gone.

Keep your eye on the prize, Vincent

This is what happens when I hold a plastic straw in the air.

So, how was your week?