Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 23, 2017

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here.  You can find any posts I make about TAR at this link -- The Amazing Race.

Random stuff o' the past week:

• My health insurance company has approved the procedure to do the vein work on my right leg. The vascular surgeon will be inserting a foam to close off the saphenous vein in the lower part of my leg -- the source of the worst swelling and a bundle of veins that stick out like a bunch of snakes under my skin. This will take a few treatments to do the entire leg and the left leg will most likely be laser treatment. I go on May 12, a procedure done right in his office. He tells me I'll walk out feeling better.
• I got stuck in the elevator at the Plainfield Train Station late Monday night (about 10:15pm) -- the doors wouldn't open in the tunnel and it wouldn't return to any other floor (ground or platform). The smell was HORRENDOUS! I usually hold my breath to take the elevator down to the tunnel that late at night as I catch a taxi home. Thankfully, it's the Plainfield Police dispatcher answering the emergency phone from the elevator and the Plainfield Fire Department who rescued me. Had I had to wait for NJ Transit, I'd probably still be stuck in the elevator, probably deceased from the odor. As of last night, the elevator still hasn't been fixed. Get on the ball, NJT! 
• On the home front, I complained to the landlord's office about the kids running amok in the hallways for hours daily into the night, littering, breaking things, scuffing up the walls, staining the hallway carpet, etc. -- and all the people (kids and adults) crammed into one one-bedroom apartment which doesn't even have the child window guards. Those kids are the ringleaders of the Hallway Hellions. Within a few days after my phoned/then written complaint, the kids haven't been hanging out in the hallways. Instead, they're hanging out in the parking lot, mostly under my windows. My complaint or nicer weather? They're not supposed to be in the parking lot either -- it's dangerous. But their parents obviously don't care. At least it's not as loud as them right outside my door in the building. If I had a car out there, I'd be yelling at them, though.
• Also on the home front, my upstairs neighbor has sporadically been booming his stereo once again. You'd think if the cops come to his door twice withing 12 hours, he wouldn't do it again. How many times have the police been at my door in my 40+ years of apartment living due to complaints from neighbors? NONE. NADA. NEVER. Maybe if I make it that bad for him to play his music so loud, he'll move on his own. Since I just complained about the kids, I don't want to file another complaint about him right now. I don't want the landlord to think I'm some sort of chronic complainer. But, sheesh. Have people no consideration for others these days? Right now as I write this up, his stereo is vibrating my ceiling with its bass. Every Sunday morning. I only get one day off at a time and Sunday is one of them. I'm tired of this idiot. No one else in my wing of the building does it and no other tenant up there has made the kind of noise he makes. And he's the first one with carpet instead of hardwood up there! Grr.
• Rant over

 Onto this week's photos. Clicking on an image will open a larger version. 
 

Let there be spring pink!

Plainfield Train Station

Earth Day

Volunteers cleaned the grounds of the Plainfield Train Station. All of the bums went away as they cleaned. Of course, they'll return and litter all over again. Sigh. Something seriously needs to be done to keep unticketed passengers from loitering around the train station!

A patch of pretty

Bridgewater, NJ

Play ball!

It's baseball season once again at the home of the Somerset Patriots -- TD Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater. The game seemed to be in a rain delay as I headed to the train station after work. As I walked up the steps leading to my platform, they were playing the theme to 'Jaws.' NOT COOL! I expected to find a bear at the top of the stairs smiling at me or something!
 

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 9, 2017

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here.  You can find any posts I make about TAR at this link -- The Amazing Race.

We had another week of cold and flooding rains. (Yet the drought advisory hasn't been taken down.) Yesterday we actually saw the sun! However, the temperatures were chilly and the wind chill almost required a winter coat. Today is supposed to be leading off a warmer temperature trend. Supposedly, Tuesday's highs might be in the 80s. Now, I don't really want that. I just want low 70s -- I want SPRING, not summer or winter! Sheesh.

My week has been a bit of the doldrums. It seems like I've worked and came home, rinse, repeat. That said, I think I'll just move on to the photos I took this past week -- clicking on an image will open a larger version in a gallery format.

A rainbow over Plainfield

After a horribly cold and stormy day, the sun came out on Thursday creating a beautiful rainbow over the city of Plainfield. I took this shot from inside a car driving on West Front Street headed into town with sun at our backs. No, I wasn't driving.

Whazzat?

It's a hawk

I'm not sure what kind of hawk as it has its feather spread out on its tail. It had been rainy -- he (she?) was probably drying them that way. Red-Tailed Hawks are the most common around here. But, if it has its red tail, it's hiding it under those spread feathers. 

When I got off the train in Bridgewater one day, I spotted a large bird atop the stadium lights at the TD Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater. I was hoping it was a small eagle. They are around but tend to stay closer to the Raritan River.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 2, 2017

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here.  The Amazing Race season premiere was this past Thursday. While it looks like it's going to be a good season with its strangers teaming up twist, I saw that the ratings are way down. I would blame that on the late night (10pm) time slot. You can find any posts I make about the show at this link -- The Amazing Race.

I'd also like to remind folks that the cut-off for joining the blog pool for The Amazing Race is TUESDAY. You would need to sign up on this linked post to get in on the fun! Please don't sign up on this post you're reading now -- your request might be missed.

Since I've been so far posting about television in my weekly off television topic photo post, I might as well continue. Tonight is the season finale, two hours worth I believe, of The Walking Dead. I'm looking forward to that one! And, the series finale of Bates Motel should be coming up soon. But, when that kicks in, Fargo returns for a new season! Unfathomable pinheadery!

Okay, to life stuff. Um, it was a week. It rained a very cold wind-driven rain with temperatures just above freezing for much of the week. I really didn't take many photos at all. The weather didn't cooperate with me much when I was out and about. And, I lucked out with getting rides to work quite a bit. 

I found out my across the hall neighbor Joe is not moving out. He's in the hospital. His niece is in the process of moving in to take care of him upon his return home. Her furniture is nicer than his, so they discarded a lot of his. I noticed they kept his favorite recliner! They've been scrubbing and cleaning over there. I hope Joe is okay with the changes they've made when he gets home.

Healthwise for myself, I don't have any new news. I'm still awaiting insurance approval and the set-up dates for the vascular surgery on both of my legs. I still have extreme swelling and pain when I stand for any period of time. Elevating them helps. But Vincent the Cat thinks the couch pillow on the chair near my computer is for HIM to rest upon! No, Vincent, it's so I can elevate my legs! Sheesh! What a spoiled cat!

Oh, well. Onto the few photos I took this week ...    

Gull Patrol

Gulls keep watch over a parking lot in Bridgewater, NJ.

Down, but not out

The snow tried to kill them. Heavy cold rains tried to keep them down. But the daffodils, although not really perky, continue to fight for survival. Berckman Street, Plainfield.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 26, 2017

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here.  Remember-- The Amazing Race season premiere will be THIS Thursday, March 30th! I will be live-blogging the show and there will be blog parties!

Let's see ... what's new this week?

Well, the weather still isn't new -- we're still having winter temperatures for the most part although (thankfully) we've had no more snow. Yesterday was the first day with temperatures above the 40s. Today we're back to high in the 40s. March is often like this. But that doesn't mean I have to like it!

On the apartment front: I think Joe, my neighbor across the hall for fifteen years or so, is moving out. I stopped some kids I saw lugging things out during the week. I've never seen kids visiting him. Joe is one who will come out and yell at kids playing in the corridors! Since these were very young black kids I didn't know and they were taking stuff to the dumpsters, I just asked them if Joe was okay. He's in ill health and I thought he may have passed and relatives were clearing out his place. The oldest boy, about 12 years-old, told me Joe was fine, they're his great-nephews and they were just helping him by bringing stuff to the dumpster. Okay, sounds good. Until today ... when I took a bag of trash to the dumpsters. Uh-oh. I recognize furniture out there and the dumpsters (with the exception of one with closed lids and the recycle one) were over-fllled. That's JOE'S furniture! Yeah, he's alive, I guess. But he's moving, perhaps to an assisted living place, I would think. I wonder what the new neighbor will be like. Sigh. Joe and I always got along well. He has even offered to loan me his car if I ever needed it for something.

In other apartment news, the idiot ... um, guy with the loud thumping stereo upstairs has been quiet all week. Good.

In workplace news, a two-year nightmare has ended. It's like a weight off my shoulders, fresh air ... but I still want to retire as soon as I can. In health news, I really have no new news. I haven't been on my feet as much during the workdays and my leg issues feel a lot better. But I still have to have that vascular surgery done.

Onto the photos from the week. It's a bit gull heavy. We've had bitter cold temperatures and strong winds most of the week. So, I only took photos at certain times and some days I didn't want to kill off the camera's batteries with the cold. Clicking on an image will open it in a larger gallery window.

NJ Transit Plainfield Train Station

The main building off of East 4th Street is (of course) on the Newark/NYC bound Track Two side of the station. With NJ Transit, anything train or bus has better shelter on the side that heads in that direction. They're under the false assumption that people wait only on that side and just head home without having to wait on the other side.

Things are looking up?

Well, at least this ring-billed gull is looking up! Corner of Gavett Place and North Avenue.

Hmm ... another one

Perhaps they're waiting for the Rapture? I don't know.

Oh noes!

Snowstorm white and yellow daffodil victims in Plainfield. How sad is this?!?!

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 19, 2017

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here. A word of warning -- The Amazing Race season premiere will be Thursday, March 30th!

Around here the biggest news of the past week is the snowstorm (or blizzard) that hit us Monday night through into late Tuesday afternoon. Because Plainfield had a couple of inches of sleet in the middle of the storm, our snow totals were only about a foot. Many areas along the shore had rain and ended up with very little, if any, snow. Further north, it remained all snow and some totals were more than twenty inches.

Unfortunately, unlike many storms this late in the season, the temperatures didn't warm up and help rid us of the snow. Instead, we had days hovering right around the freezing point and bitterly cold nights. Looking at the forecast, we're going to be stuck with this for a while. Meanwhile, the warm temperatures last month brought out buds on trees, daffodils and some tulip activity. Not anymore! 

I went for the follow-up on my tests on my legs this week. The surgeon wants to do both about two weeks apart. The worst one, he wants to treat with injecting a foam which will close down the great saphenous vein and its affected branches. The other leg, he wants to do with more traditional laser treatment. He claims that other veins in the leg will take over for circulation. In researching about it, I found that the great saphenous vein is the one used when someone has a heart bypass. I better not ever need one of those down the line! Now it's just a waiting game for insurance approval and scheduling. It probably won't be happening until May.

In apartment living news, I ended up calling the police on my upstairs neighbor's blasting music late last night. I thought those days were over when he moved his speakers up off the floor. But, then came last night. He turned on his stereo at about 9pm, extremely loud and thumping. At 11pm, I went upstairs in the elevator just to see how loud it was from there. Sure enough, it was blasting through the whole hallway and was very loud from the elevator door. I don't want to confront him. I went back downstairs and, at nearly midnight, I called the police. Since the Plainfield Police changed over to an encrypted radio system, I can't hear them on the scanner anymore. But I did hear them pounding on his door about 15 minutes after I called. The stereo went right down. He continued to play the lowered stereo for about two hours more. I could hear it, but it wasn't all that loud. The damage was done, though. I ended up not sleeping most of the night.

As I'm typing this now, he has turned it on loud again. I'll give him a half-hour until I call the police again. Obviously he has no consideration for others.

Onto the photos -- clicking on an image will open it in a larger gallery version.   

Tomorrow is SPRING!

So this can all go away. Now. Tonight, overnight. Vamoose! Be gone, damn snow! Corner of Watchung and North in Plainfield.

Me and my shadow

It's not me, though. He and his shadow? The low angle of the winter morning sun caught this just right and I had to shoot the guy. (With my camera.) East Front Street, Plainfield.

Have a seat!

Most of the city street benches are buried in (now very dirty) snow. You need to take a bus? Chances are you'll have to stand in the street or take the risk of climbing over a huge snowbank. Back in the day, the climb wouldn't be an issue. Nowadays, I'm fearful I'll fall under the bus! Looking towards the Park Madison building from East Front Street in Plainfield.

Monday tree buds

Despite a few days of bitter cold arctic temperatures, I saw these buds growing on a tree at the Bridgewater Train Station on Monday before the storm hit. 

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 12, 2017

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here. 

Here near the NYC area we continue to have wacky weather patterns. We have had so many days through February and the beginning of March with outright spring temperatures that flowers are blooming and some of the trees have buds. But Mother Nature isn't letting us off that easy as we were fooled into thinking that this past winter wasn't bad at all. We started off the week with 60-plus degree temperatures and then we got some snow on Friday along with horribly cold temperatures and high winds. Now they're talking a major nor'easter Monday night through Tuesday with blizzard warnings around here and snow totals of more than a foot. It's just a waiting game to see if this storm will come to fruition or not. 

On the Living In My Apartment Building Front:

• I did my good deed for the day today. As I went to go downstairs for my Sunday morning newspaper, my neighbor on the one side (the one with the knee issues) was also leaving. I found out his name is Andy. He was struggling with his fancy seat walker and asked if I could get the door for him on the first floor. He's on oxygen and had left it in his car, so he was having trouble breathing. I not only walked him to his car, but I loaded his walker in the back seat for him and made sure he was all hooked up to his oxygen before I headed to the front for my paper. I'm glad I had my coat on (mainly so I didn't have to change out of my pajama top) -- it's SO COLD out. That's how neighbors should be -- he knocked on my door once to ask where I got my grocery deliveries from and I've knocked on his door once bringing up a package for him that the mailman just left sitting by the front door. He's not inconsiderate with his noise and told me he rarely hears any of my noise. Good neighbors rule. 
• Then there's the hallway playing kids. Sigh. I came home one evening from work and there were about eight of them running around, playing and making a mess on the first floor, front wing of the building. (I live in the rear wing.) The oldest boy, perhaps nine years old -- they ranged from him down to about four years old -- saw me coming and ran to open the front door for me. He then yelled at his underlings to get the first floor security door for me as well as call the elevator. Now, he KNOWS I've yelled at him before not to play in the building corridors! I guess I'm just not mean enough, huh? What a little Eddie Haskell albeit Hispanic in the making! No, I couldn't yell at them after he made such an ordeal about my arrival. Let them rip apart the first floor front wing of the building. Just don't be outside my door making that racket and mess!    

That's about it for now. I plan on staying out of the frigid temperatures today -- perhaps a nice hot bath, catch up on television shows I missed, etc. My shows are slowly returning. Of course, there was the season premiere of Survivor this week. But I've also been watching Bates Motel, The Walking Dead and some other shows. I've missed the newest episodes of Blue Bloods and Elementary this past week, so I'll watch them today. I also have to catch up on Superior Donuts -- I'm enjoying that one. If I'm not mistaken, tonight is the return of ABC's American Crime. If it conflicts with TWD, I'll have to put it on my watch later list.

Onto the photos -- if you click on an image, a larger gallery version will open. 

Tuesday early evening

This was before the arctic temperatures took hold this past week. Plainfield Train Station as I arrived home from work.

Early week daffodils

Although not as perky as they should be had they waited until actual spring, the warmer temperatures we had last week and into the beginning of this week brought about the daffodils. The tulips want to come up, too. They will regret the decision to bloom. Wah. Berckman Street.

The Full Worm Moon

The March full moon is called a "Worm" Moon because this is the time of year when the ground warms up enough to generate earthworm activity. Um, well. Perhaps not this year since we seem to be observing February in March! I took this shot last night at the Bridgewater Train Station waiting for my train home from work. The wind chill was in the single digits.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**