Off Topic: That Was the Month It Was - February 4, 2018

Good morning. My apologies for not posting a weekly off television topic photo post for the past month or so. I really haven't been taking any photos. As some of you might know, I've been having some health issues which are keeping me from running around with my camera.

No, I'm not dying or anything like that. It's the sciatica I had which worked its way into severe nerve damage in my right leg and foot. Due to back pain, I'm finding it hard to walk or stand (or even sit at times) for any extended period of time. I've started walking like some stooped-over old person. I've fallen down due to either weakness in the affected leg or misstep because my foot is numb. I've had strangers walk up to me concerned with my welfare. Ack! I should be having an MRI this week and, hopefully, some sort of treatment. 

I have been covering The Amazing Race and will be covering Celebrity Big Brother on the blog. At this time, I'm not sure how intensive I will get with the live feeds coverage, but we'll see. I will be posting more on it before its season premiere on Wednesday.

One thing I did this week was that I finally used the Sabrent USB to SATA/IDE hard drive adapter that I bought a couple of years ago for about $12 on Amazon. I had kept telling myself that when I had time, I'd use it. Dang, it's been a long time since I took a computer apart! I was able to remove the hard drive from the computer before this one, hook it up to the adapter and my current computer and access all my old files from the old non-running computer. I recovered photos and music that I haven't been able to access for years. Some of those photos are the ones I'm sharing with you here today.

I also removed the hard drive from the computer before that, a 1998 Compaq desktop. I can hook it to the adapter and power unit, but the hard drive isn't starting up. I think the problem might be due to master/slave and jumper settings which aren't on more modern computers. I'm going to have to research a bit. I'm not a computer technician. I don't even play one on television. 

Oh, well. Onto the photos I'm posting this week. There is a new cell phone photo of Vincent at the end! 

Abandoned

I used to hike all around Plainfield and adjacent North Plainfield looking for photo fodder. If memory serves, I found this abandoned bike along the Green Brook in North Plainfield. Sepia tone seemed to serve it best.

Thomas Fine Furniture

Oh, it certainly doesn't look like this today! This Park Avenue (Plainfield) building has been through many changes just in the time I've been in town. This is what it looked like in the early 2000s. The furniture store wasn't really there. On the ground floor was a company named Atkol which I think was some sort of sex or porn film business. Yet in the windows, they had full-size cardboard cut-out figures of Alfred E. Neuman (MAD Magazine), Batman and other characters. It was all very odd indeed. The upper floors seemed vacant.

It was originally the home of the local newspaper, The Courier News. A few years back when they were rehabbing the building, the ghost sign across the top front touting the newspaper was brought to life. Also, the original marque unveiled the building's name -- the Frost Building. It's now a mixed use building with businesses on the first floor and pricey (but very nice) apartments on the upper levels.  

Roofus the Roofs Cat

For more than two years, perhaps three years, I photographed a feral cat who roamed the roofs on North Avenue across from the Plainfield Train Station. A few times I even saw him with a pure black little cat buddy. Once I spotted him in the back of the row of buildings. He was gaining access to the roofs via an abandoned derelict building. When that building was demolished, I never saw Roofus again. It's rare that a feral cat survives more than a few years on the streets. Roofus beat the odds and made himself a fine little cat life with a following of fans here on the blog. He may have survived the demolition and moved on to roofs not in my view. But, I'm sure that by now, several years down the road, he's been roaming the roofs past the Rainbow Bridge. 

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - January 24, 2016

Good morning! For my fellow East Coast and Mid-Atlantic Jonas veterans ... we made it and lived to tell the tale! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Next weekend I'll be starting cast posts on both The Amazing Race and Survivor as both shows make their season debuts in about three weeks. Stay tuned for that.

Some random musings from the week:

• That storm was ridiculous! The predictions for snowfall amounts just kept going up. We ended up getting maybe an inch or two less than 30 inches from what I've read. It's hard to tell because there was so much blowing and drifting.
• I'm seriously crushed that my favorite store -- Trader Joe's in Westfield -- is, at the moment, no longer. The roof collapsed under the weight of the snow and major walls are buckling. It sounds like the entire building is a goner. I hope they repair or rebuild in the same location. Thankfully, when the roof went down at 2pm, they were closed due to the storm and nobody was inside the store.
• I want to go rummage through the ruins for some Bacon Ganache bars.
• Wah.
• I was set for storm groceries because I got in a Peapod grocery delivery order on Wednesday.
• But it's not the same as Trader Joe's. WAH!
• Our high temperatures this week are predicted to be above freezing every day. Good. Make that snow go away. It was cool yesterday and it's nice to have something other than barren trees to photograph, but I want those streets and sidewalks cleared!
• I watched a bit of the Kojak marathon on Decades TV -- oh my. That show is seriously outdated. I don't remember why I liked it in its original run.
• On the other hand, I found Lost in Space on ME TV late last night. I still get a kick out of that one!

That's about it. Onto the photos for the week -- clicking on an image will open it in a larger gallery version. Who loves ya, baby?

That lizard hit us good!

I went out for five minutes or so yesterday in outright blizzard, at times whiteout conditions, weather. I couldn't take photos in the other direction because the snow was coming sideways from there -- I didn't want to get my lens wet. This is my street. Someone had shoveled a diagonal path to that SUV from the front door. While it was filled in by several inches of snow, it was the best way for me to go. My street, a major one in town, was down to one lane and was filling in once again with snow.

Those cars actually shouldn't be there as there are signs that it's a snow emergency route and they'll be towed. I've never seen them tow the parked cars after a storm. Many will sit there snowbound until it melts while moving vehicles vie for space on the narrowed street. More storm photos after the jump!

Aw, a deer

A small deer came within five feet of me at the Bridgewater Train Station. The photos I took aren't the best. But the deer took the flash in stride. She only frightened when a bunch of rowdy NJ Devils (hockey) fans came up to catch the train. More deer encounter photos after the jump!

Chotola chilly birds

It was very frigid early in the weeks. When it's cold and sunny like that, pigeons gather on the facade of the Chotola Apartments building across from the Plainfield Train Station on North Avenue. I guess, with the sun shining on it, the bricks heat up a bit. On this day, starlings joined the pigeons. On the lower right, where it looks like starlings are atop a pigeon's back, that's a bit deceiving. There's some sort of plant growing from the cracks there and they're on that.

Yay! It isn't generic!

They have Watchung Avenue near the Plainfield Train Station closed down as they put the end-pieces (bookends?) on the new bridge. I fussed that the same work on the Park Avenue bridge was generic and just pointed to the train station. The Watchung Avenue one has "Plainfield" and "The Queen City" on it much like the original. It's so blocked off with cranes and construction stuff that I didn't notice if the city seal was on it or not.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - December 13, 2015

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, you know what that means -- it's time for my off television topic weekly reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Remember to drop by Wednesday evening for the big Survivor finale blog party! Be here or be square.

We're still having record setting warmth here in this part of the country. I won't complain at all. Sure, it would be nice to have an inch of snow on Christmas Eve for the kids. But, before that and after that, I welcome NO SNOW NOR ICE on the streets and sidewalks! Who's with me?

My own week on a personal level was rather tedious and boring. I worked too much. I slept too little. Oh, well.

Onto the photos from this week -- clicking on an image will bring up a larger version in a gallery ...

Ready for winter

The planters near my workplace which boasted the hibiscus blooms all summer are now redone for the season. One year these berries fed extremely early returning robins through horrible cold and snow.

Busy, busy

Looking towards the Rialto Theatre at the intersection of Elm and East Broad Streets in Westfield. 

Keyboard Man works the trumpet

The man I've dubbed Keyboard Man at the Plainfield Train Station had a trumpet in addition to his keyboard one evening this week. I'm beginning to think he can't practice his music where he lives due to the noise factor and has found the power outlets and acoustics just fine at the station. He's not asking for money. And, while I'm really irked about all the people who hang out at the station, he's a pleasant addition.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 3, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. I'll be posting about television soon. I promise!

This week started out very nicely ... and then went downhill.

On Sunday, I went to neighboring Westfield for my first visit to their 26th Annual FestFall street(s) fair. Wow. They know how to put on a street fair! Most of their downtown business section, made up of several streets, was involved. There were foods of every kind imaginable, crafts booths, bakery booths, even a Polska Kielbasa booth! At least two streets were dedicated to children with rides, activities and booths with stuff kids enjoy. Local businesses had sales. There was an artist who does drawings and paintings of your home. His work was truly detailed. There were civic groups and a local ski club I knew nothing about. I haven't skied since moving to New Jersey after being a ski addict for years.

There was something for everyone there -- something I feel lacking in Plainfield street fairs. Almost everything street fair I've attended in the downtown area has seemed focused on either hip hop or Hispanic and definitely geared more towards the young crowd. Sure, I have missed some street fairs because I work on Saturdays. The FestiFall is on Sundays, a day off (usually) for me. But we don't have anything this huge with something for everyone to enjoy all in one fair, either.

On Monday I got good news at work. So, the start of the week went well.

Then came the downhill -- bad weather, constant rain and a virus going around my workplace caught me. Gah. I'm still under the weather, both figuratively and literally. Okay, my roof is under the weather more so than I am. However, it's still grey, cloudy, rainy and windy here. Due to the bad weather and the fact that I haven't felt well, my photos this week ended up being mostly the Westfield FestiFall. Oh, well.

Clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version.

Proving once again ...

... that flowers DO bend with the rainfall.

It made me want to be 10 again

They didn't have stuff like this when I was ten years old! One side has a rock-climbing wall, but it's the bungee/trampoline side that's so cool! The kids sit in harnesses and bounce off the trampolines high up in the air. They can do all kinds of acrobatic feats. I wanted to do it. I refrained.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 20, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photographs I've taken along the way; This post is a year 'round "feature" on the blog. If you're looking for Big Brother posts, they can all be found at this link right here. If you're not interested in this particular post, please feel free to skip on by it. I'll be posting a Big Brother blog party post coinciding with the East Coast airing of the show and, late this evening, another live feeds post. That is, if they actually do anything worth reporting! Stay tuned.

I was on a staycation from work this week. I had a slew of things I planned to get done. Alas, only some of the things on my list were finished. But I also needed to relax and I did get a lot of that done!

Here are some random bits from the week:

• I went to the Feast of San Gennaro in Littly Italy (NYC) where I took many photos, ate some (expensive) fried chocolate ice cream, stopped for an espresso and chocolate dessert, ate fried calamari and drank a $7 beer ($8 with tip). 
• I don't go to the city often enough.
• I'll have to go back soon. I still have money on my MetroCard. So, I need to go back before I misplace it.
• I also visited Mindowaskin Park in Westfield, taking photos.
• Despite getting a Peapod grocery order this week, I ended up picking up some things at Trader Joe's anyway.
• I bought alcohol this past week, first time in a while. I'm not a huge drinker kind of person. I bought craft beers, some of those little bottles of interesting flavored liqueurs and a bottle of strawberry vodka.
• Now I can predict I won't be by a liquor store again for months to come!
• I went to a Farmer's Market.
• The weather this week was beautiful, albeit a bit warmer than I like for this time of year. It's drizzling as I write this, but the week was free of rain until today.
• Coming back from the city on the bus Monday, I ended up with an old friend who takes the bus for work. His first words to me ... "I hear you had some excitement at your building." -- referring to the gunshots a week or two ago.
• My neighborhood is back to its quiet self.
• On Thursday I saw big hubbub (and took photos, after the jump) of a huge investigation into the fire scene on East Second Street. There were state fire marshals (with dog), county fire investigators and Plainfield Fire Department people there. I don't know if someone rekindled the fire or whether it was just some delayed reaction investigation.
• Google has finally updated its Plainfield street view map. Despite the fact I photographed a Google truck a few years back, the map is now really recent -- August 2015. It has the East Second Street construction going on and the two fire houses intact ... shortly before the fire.
• About time they updated us. Plainfield 2007 is way different from Plainfield 2015!

Onto the photos for the week. There's a whole bunch of them. If you click on an image it will open a larger version.

Eek! There's a large man there!

Now, I've arrived in the city numerous times via NJ Transit bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. I've taken photos of these buildings before. But I've never noticed the giant Peeping Tom dude! He has to be new. I didn't notice him this time until I was going through the photos I took.

Turn around, dragonfly!

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna ...

Krishna, Krishna, Rama, Rama. I have my personal doubts about this gentleman's whole gimmick. He approached me and I just shook my head no to him. He tried to give me something. I'm sure, had I taken it, he would hit me up for money next.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 26, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photographs I've taken along the way! This post is a year 'round "feature" on the blog. If you're looking for Big Brother posts, they can all be found at this link right here. If you're not interested in this particular post, please feel free to skip on by it. I'll be posting a Big Brother blog party post coinciding with the East Coast airing of the show and, late this evening, another live feeds post. Stay tuned.

Let's see ... what happened this past week? Hmm. Between work and blog work, my mind seems all muddled! I remember the weather has been nice for the entire midweek on. I was able to open the windows, turn off the air conditioner and not drip sweat upon exiting my home or workplace. Yay for that! I'm so not a fan of heat and humidity. I could deal with a high temperature of 75 all summer.

Gosh, I'm really pulling a blank on the week. I guess the first thing you lose is indeed your mind!

Um. Um. Well, Vincent has a new "trick" but I can't make him do it and haven't been able to get the camera going on time. He runs and jumps on his cardboard scratching doohickey, making it slide five or six feet across the hardwood floor. Then he does it from the other direction. The first time I heard the noise, I was out in my kitchen and ran to the living room thinking something fell. No, it was just Vincent taking rides.

Why is CBS Sunday Morning all about love this week? I don't watch the show for love stories!

Oh, well ... onto the photos. If you click on an image, you'll get a larger version.

Is this pose good?

This year's pigeon babies in Bridgewater have grown!

NYC green cab in Plainfield

Parked at the Plainfield Train Station one morning this week. The train into the city costs about $10, the cab (because they charge round trip flat rate in NJ) costs over $100. Silliness!

All occupants will be photographed

So, I did. This is the sleeping NYC green cab driver.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 31, 2015

Good morning! It's Sunday morning. You know what that means. It's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the past week in both words and photographs I took along the way. I've been on a staycation (budget not allowing any extended trips, but I needed to take the time off) this week. I was thinking of going into the city to capture Manhattanhenge but it was too muggy, I was too lazy and now it's such a crowded event that it's almost annoying.

I did make a trip into neighboring Westfield and spent a part of one day at Mindowaskin Park. Most of this week's photos are from my park visit. For the first time since I started visiting the park several years back, I saw three bullfrogs. I didn't get any photos of them as I startled each one of them and they leaped into the water. Hey, they startled me, too!

A chipmunk also scared me at the park. There I was, innocently sitting on a bench, looking through photos I had taken. Next to the bench, set in the grass, was an old sewer grate. I just caught movement from the side and my thought was RAT or PENNYWISE THE DANCING CLOWN! Er, no. It was a chipmunk. I did get a few shots of it, but they didn't turn out all that well as he ran so darn fast.

The biggest news of the week is that my horrible, noisy, thumping so my floorboards move, child screaming at all hours neighbors moved out! I hadn't voiced any more complaints to the landlord about them since the first time. I figured whoever moved in under them would take care of that. And, so it did. Apparently the landlord lost a second tenant who moved under them.

Alas, they only moved downstairs to the first floor -- the very same apartment that two different families moved out of because of them.  I would guess the were given the ultimatum to move to the first floor or out of the building. It's been blissfully quiet here since they went away. Yay!

If you missed it, I wrote a post with some Big Brother news in it the other day. As more information comes around, I'll be posting. You can always find my BB posts by using this tag.

Onto the photos from the week! I might share some more of the gosling shots next week as they were so cute. I didn't make a slideshow as some people were having trouble loading it. If you click on an image, you'll get a larger view in a gallery.

Wood (or Carolina) Duck

This is the second time in several years that I've photographed a male Wood Duck at Mindowaskin Park. I have yet to see a female there. This male, like the last one I saw, stayed alone, refusing to mingle with the mallards or (heaven forbid) the Canada geese.

The mallard has his own beauty

The males are the ones with the white bodies and iridescent heads. Both male and female sport a swatch of blue or purple speculum feathers on their wings.

Mallard's colors close-up

I love the color of the blue on this mallard!

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 2, 2014

Welcome to my weekly off television topic post! Each week I take a journey through the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. My next post will indeed be about television -- stay tuned!

Random musings about the week:

• I could do this get an extra hour of sleep thing every day.
• We had nice temperatures and some nice days, then some really icky cold rain. Now it's just cold. I guess it's really late autumn. Sigh.
• At least it didn't rain for the kids on Halloween. Not that I had any trick or treaters knocking on my door. I never do here.
• My superintendent told me the person upstairs is a younger guy. I think the "younger" bit is relative. He can't be too young or he couldn't afford to live alone there. I'm think probably 30ish-young. But I did kind of call it right. I still haven't seen him. He's still not annoying. Yay!
• I'm tired. Can I retire yet? I'm really getting tired of being exhausted day in and day out. There has to be a better way!
• While I had way too many "out of stock" items on my Peapod grocery delivery order this week -- they're still adjusting to the new huge distribution center in Jersey City -- they more than made good on it. They told me they'd remove the delivery charge and put the sale items missed in my cart at the sale price for my next order. Well, since I ordered on Super Saver Wednesday, instead of $6.95 delivery, it was $5 off, then another $1 off as I chose the wide delivery window which they narrow down to two hours the day before. So, technically, my delivery cost a 95 cent delivery charge. (I also get $1 off for paying by electronic check, so ...!) I received an email from them. They took $10 off the order.
• I also received an email from the Plainfield Library in regard to the photo contest. I won something, but don't know what. The awards presentation and exhibition is slated for November 15th.

Onto the photos for this week -- clicking on an image will open it larger in a new Photobucket window. You can make it even larger there and just close out that window to return to the blog.

A touch of color

I took this shot of ivy on a building adjacent to the Plainfield Train Station.

Oh my

What the heck broke into that locomotive engine car? This is one of the new fancy/schmancy locomotives which runs diesel and can convert to electric for a one seat ride on the Raritan Valley Line into NYC. Since our line is diesel, we've always had to switch trains in Newark as diesel locomotives can't run in the tunnels. Now, with these new locomotives, some of the trains run directly into the city, but not every train. There are also tunnel crowding logistics running amok in the planning. I'm thinking this locomotive might have struck a tree branch. I'm innocent. Plainfield Train Station.

This week's Flowers and Foliage slideshow has photos taken in Plainfield, Westfield and Bridgewater. Clicking on the diagonal arrow on the bottom right will make it full screen for you!

Yes, I see you, Squirrel.

Is it Rocket J. Squirrel? East Front Street, Plainfield.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 3, 2014

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly Sunday morning reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. If you're looking for Big Brother live feeds reports, you can find those posts at this link right here. The post you're currently reading is off television topic and a weekly post I make throughout the year on the blog. You can read it or not -- your choice!

Here in New Jersey, we had more than enough rain once again. Our reservoir levels have remained in the positive all summer long. It's a shame that we can't steer the rain off to areas in the West which are experiencing droughts! Overall, after a harsh winter, it's been a mild summer. Hey, I'm not complaining! I'm not a fan of the extreme heat. I'm not one to lay around on a beach sunburning and sweating. I don't like to sweat. Give me the 70s and I love it!

I was bitten by another mosquito this week, going into the full allergic reaction once again. Well, not to the point of anaphylaxis, but yet quite serious. I have no clue why all of a sudden I'm having these allergic reactions. I've been wearing Eau D'Off pretty much wherever I go, but forgot to put it on the morning I visited Mindowaskin Park in Westfield. I put it on after a while as I carry an Off "pen" in my pocketbook, but it was too late.

That's all for me for now. It's onto the photos! If you click on an image, it will open a new window and you can increase the size of the image twice by clicking on the magnifying glass on the lower right. If you click on the X to close that page, you end up right back here where you left off. I have two slideshows this week -- to make those full screen, just click on the diagonal arrow on the bottom right!

I hope everyone has a great Sunday and I'll be posting the latest BB16 live feeds soon!

NJ Transit, Raritan Valley Line

Because the double-decker trains are so tall, they look quite short when seen from a distance. Don't let the optical illusion fool you -- this train is seven or eight long cars long! Thankfully for drivers, it's nowhere near as long as some of those freight trains which take forever to pass by.

Ducks at rest

I made a trip to Mindowaskin Park in Westfield this week. The ducklings I photographed at the beginning of summer are growing up! After the jump, I have a slideshow of my day in the park. This is just a sneak peek!

East Front Street bunny

I don't have to go to the park to see cute bunnies ... they're all around my neighborhood. This is a young one resting in the grass.

Blue Dasher Dragonfly

This is another shot from the day in the park. Dragonflies were all over the place! I wonder why more Blue Dashers than other varieties seem to have wing damage of some sort. I've seen in in photos I've taken before. Their wings must be more fragile than other kinds of dragonflies, I guess.

After the rain

Again, more than enough rain here this week (and it's raining more as I write this). This is the reflection in a huge puddle after the rain stopped one morning.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS AND SLIDESHOWS OF BOTH THIS WEEK'S FLOWERS AND THE DAY IN THE PARK**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 18, 2014

Good Sunday morning to you! As it is indeed Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. If you watch The Amazing Race, stop back later tonight for the season finale blog party. But, until then, it's off topic.

Since I have an abundance of photos this week -- baby squirrels, a day in the park -- I'm doing something a bit different. I'm posting three slideshows of related photos along with the links to look at the photos one by one. This probably isn't something I'll do every week. But I had just too many photos I wanted to post this week.

Not a heck of a lot is going on here. Thankfully, after this coming week, I'll be on a staycation. I wasted so much of my paid time off from work being in ill health this year that this is the first real ME time I've taken since last fall. Oy! I really need it.

My apartment hallway has been a bit quieter since my neighbors and I all said something about going to the landlord about too many people living in that one one-bedroom apartment. I'm sure the quiet won't last. But now we know that they know they could get the boot. I really can't imagine so many people in this place -- at least seven! Heck, I've got enough room for Vincent and me!

Oh, well ... onto the photos!

Hanging in there

The now adolescent squirrels are exploring and playing all over the bridge at the Bridgewater Train Station. A metal mesh covering attached over part of the bridge near their nest provides the perfect place for them to hone their climbing skills. One of the slideshows after the page break has more coverage of their antics. I've discovered there are three babies, not just the one I initially saw with Mom Squirrel. They're exploring their world, but aren't to the point of leaving the bridge itself on their own yet.

Tough love

Sink or swim, ducky boy! The mother duck at Mindowaskin Park in Westfield pushes her young into the pond. One of the slideshows included on the next page has many more ducking photos.

Early morning Presbyterian

The early sun catches to top of the local Presbyterian Church in my 'hood. The dogwood is blooming and a bush of red azaleas brightens the hedge. Some years back I wouldn't be able to see that red door from this angle due to all the trees. Storms, not only but including Sandy, have blown down more trees than those remaining on the property.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - December 1, 2013

Good morning! It's Sunday morning. You know that that means, right? It's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Later on tonight I will get back on the topic of television with The Amazing Race blog party post. If you watch the show, c'mon back for the party as it airs!

Let's see ... what happened this week? Oh, right. Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a good holiday with family, friends, food, whatever brings contentment to your soul. I'm thankful for a lot of things, too many to name. I'm thankful for the friends I've met through the blog. You all rock!

I had a quiet holiday at home. As I have no family nearby and don't really have enough time off to travel any distance, I usually fix a small feast for myself and spend the day with the cat. Often, when people hear I'll be alone for the holiday, I'll get invites. But I'd feel out of place trying to fit in with a family I don't really know. I'm a bit of a strange duck ... I really enjoy my holiday in the comforts of my own home, eating what I want, enjoying the company of a certain cat and just doing my own thing.

This year, instead of my usual turkey breast, I made prime rib with mashed potatoes and broccoli. For dessert, I had Trader Joe's Ultra Chocolate ice cream topped with Kahlua (also bought at Trader Joe's). It's odd they have hard liquor there now. When I was in there, I swear I heard the Kahlua calling my name. I haven't had any in years and the price seemed quite reasonable. That was my little feast and I was very pleased with how it all turned out!

I made my Trader Joe's run to nearby Westfield on Monday after work, just staying on the train a few more stops and then taking the bus home. I figured I'd avoid the bad weather expected Tuesday and Wednesday and the crowds on Wednesday. Well, I avoided the bad weather. The crowds were so bad that they had someone in their parking lot directing traffic. Yipes! But, in the newly expanded store with many more registers, the wait in line wasn't bad at all. It was much shorter than the wait people had trying to get through the parking lot. Just walking across the street to the bus was so much easier, too!

The cold rain and winds started here on Tuesday. Although I had to fight through the weather on my way home from work Tuesday, I had Wednesday and Thursday off from work -- regular day off and paid holiday. I made sure there was no need for me to go out in it on Wednesday. And, no sales will ever drag me out on Thanksgiving Day even though I'm usually alone on the holiday. I know that if I need something grocery-wise in an emergency, the bodega around the corner is open every single day of the year. Since the owners also man the store, that's their decision and holidays are lucrative for the small business. But I made sure I needed nothing!

How was your holiday?

As a result of the shortened work week out and about and the bad weather for part of the week, I don't have a lot of great photos this week. Most of them, I took the day I hit Westfield after work. But, here goes ...

Happy Hanukkah!

This is the Menorah at the Westfield Train Station. None of the lights are lit as I took the photo on Monday. 

Mums

I'm surprised some of the mums in planters in Westfield are still hanging in there. Most around here have been taken by the cold nights (and some days!). I was going to take a shot of a dead rose on East Front Street in Plainfield, but it was all too darn sad.

With a red bow

Watchung Avenue in Plainfield on Tuesday afternoon as I headed home from work. Despite the fact they said the rain would start in the evening, it started by noon. Grr. I edited this shot leaving only the bow in color. After the jump, I have a similar photo in actual color.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 3, 2013

Hello, welcome to Sunday! This is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Later tonight I'll be posting the Amazing Race blog party post. If you watch the show, please come join in on the fun as the show airs!

Did you set your clocks back an hour? This is the time change I enjoy rather than that annoying "spring forward" change. I recall last year that wasn't the case, though. Last year I was still deep into a power outage from Hurricane Sandy -- daylight was precious and not to be wasted. As I wasn't working the clock change day, I actually slept in. When I awoke and realized (thanks to my cell phone) that it would be dark an hour earlier in the evening, I almost cried. My candles and batteries were both running low at that time into the ordeal. No open stores for miles seemed have any. Thankfully I had plenty of batteries for my MP3 player which is also a radio. That was my big link with the outside world.

Last year at this time I was living in a weird post-Sandy surreal kind of existence. This year was much different. Our weather this week was mostly sunny with above seasonal temperatures. Overnight last night, the colder air crept in. Oh well, it is that time of year. Last year around this time we had snow on top of the Sandy woes. I can't complain.

On Wednesday it was overcast, but I made my way over to Westfield for a Mindowaskin Park and Trader Joe's visit. As a result, lots of fall foliage and (of course) duck shots in today's entry. I've always loved Trader Joe's, but thought it was small and cramped. Oh my gosh, I love it even more now because it's more than doubled in size! I noticed during my latest visit that, in addition to the wine and beer they carry, they now have a small section of actual hard liquor. Most are name brands, but I did pick up a bottle of Trader Joe's brand "Rum of the Gods." It was very reasonably priced and I think I'll make cookies with it and have an occasional rum and Coke. I'm not a big drinker, but I occasionally will imbibe.

The kids actually had Halloween in the city this year after two years of it being canceled. Last year was Sandy, the year before a six inch snowstorm. Both resulted in downed wires and downed trees for Halloween. Even though the holiday was on, I kept up with having no trick-or-treaters here at my apartment. I haven't had any for the dozen years I've lived here. As I arrived back in town after work, I did see the downtown streets full of children in costume. Good for them!

On Saturday, I had the day off from work to attend the Plainfield Library Photo Contest Exhibition opening and awards presentation. Going into the contest this year, I had trouble with the theme of "Plainfield Celebrates." I usually work on Saturdays when they hold the fun city events.  I also had trouble getting the Saturday off to attend the event as a new boss didn't like the short notice although I've said I needed a Saturday off in November for nearly two months. I just didn't know which one!

Much to my surprise, I won first prize for a photo I really love, but thought too somber for a win. I won a third place prize for a photo I took the 4th of July parade the last knee replacement recovery summer (which is why I had the parade Saturday off). And I won a Special Time Capsule Award for a photo I took during Sandy recovery, the only Sandy-related photo entered. The photos in the competition become a part of the local history archives in the library. Just as we look back on photos of days gone by, someday in the future folks will be checking these photos out for a clue about what our lives are like.

On the home front, the workers showed up yesterday to do Crazy Joe's (across the hall) windows and the common area/stairway windows. It's amazing how much better the building looks with all the new windows! I think the only windows which remain to be done are the ones in the stairway by the elevator. They'll probably show up this morning to do them. If my "huge" five dollar rent increase hadn't gone down in the beginning of September, I'd be very worried about a rent hike with all the building improvements.

Eep, this is way long-winded and there are tons of photos, as well. Let's get to it! If you click on an image, it will take you to the Photobucket page with a larger image. Close that page to return directly back to the blog!

Eagle! Bald eagle in flight!

Unfortunately I didn't get any great photos of it. I spotted it flying over my workplace near the Bridgewater Train Station. At first I thought it was a large hawk, but then I noticed the white head and tail. EAGLE! Woot! Woot! I watched it for nearly a half-hour. Alas, it decided to either fly too high or to soar too fast when flying low and this was the best shot I got of it. But, man ... an eagle here in Central Jersey! While I've seen some in the far north part of the state and also in Connecticut, it's a first for here.

True dat

In front of the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield on Park Avenue. I also can't help but notice the Amazing Taste lunch truck in the background. Mmm.

What? Mums again? Yes!

These were growing in a planter on Elm Street in Westfield.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 22, 2013

It's Sunday morning! Woohoo! Hey, wait ... what am I so excited about? That means it's the last day of my staycation. Wah. However, it's also time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way.

I had all kinds of grand plans regarding what I'd get done and do this past week. While I did get some things done, I ended up goofing off most of the time. After three months of getting little sleep between work and covering the Big Brother 15 live feeds and show here on the blog, I was exhausted.

While I did get some of my planned errands done and I made a trip to Mindowaskin Park in Westfield to take photos and enjoy the peaceful tranquility there, I never did make it into the city. I was going to go into Little Italy in Manhattan for the Feast of San Genaro -- which was going on all week -- but I never got the energy to do so. Instead, I spent a good part of the time this past week stuck under a cat.

I need to go back to relaxing ... here are the photos!

Idyllic

I believe this was my favorite photo I took at Mindowaskin Park in Westfield. The footbridges over the water lend themselves to fantastic reflections, throw in three ducks and you got yourself a bit of tranquility!

Red eared slider

More about this little guy a bit later in the post ...

Reflecting on a duck

A duck and her reflection at Mindowaskin Park.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 16, 2013

Good Sunday morning to everyone! I hope all the fathers out there have a great Fathers Day. My own father died young, so please cherish your dads while you still have them in your life. A good father is priceless.

As it is Sunday, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. On television topic for a moment -- there should be news tomorrow on the new Big Brother house and, by the end of the week, on the new cast of hamsters. You can still get the Early Bird Special on the live feeds at cbs.com. If you're having trouble signing up for the live feeds, my only advice would be to clear your cache or reboot your computer. It might be easier to sign into the CBS site with your Facebook account if you have one.

Onto the week ... it rained. And then it rained some more. On Wednesday, my day off, it actually did NOT rain! Woohoo! I took a trip into nearby Westfield to visit Mindowaskin Park for a photo stomp of flowers, water fowl, bugs and the cicada "invasion." Here's a video I shot at the park with the cicadas singing their mating song as the background ...

Once I hit Trader Joe's, I was thrilled to find out they're expanding and taking over the whole building at their location. It's now twice the size! YAY! Although everything is still under construction, I already found new items I've never seen before. Trader Joe's is my favorite grocery store and the Westfield location was so tiny. I'm overjoyed for sure!

On the home front, the new landlords sent me the notice of a lease quit/renewal and rent increase. I had been worried as, even though I'm paying above market rate due to past mismanagement, they've been doing a lot of improvements to the building. My lease isn't up until September 1st, but I usually get this notice this time of the year. Okay, they raised my rent $5 more a month. I can deal with that. About the only thing better would have been no increase or a decrease. I can't see that happening!

One thing the new landlords should do, however, is learn their math. The state legal form was led off with an apology for the way it was worded (these notices required by the state always sound like you're getting the boot), how they understand how tough the economy is and blah-blah-blah. Then they said my rent increase is so tiny that it ends up being less than 75 cents a day! Um. Do the math. I believe it's more in line with 15 cents a day.

I found six dollars on the ground at the Bridgewater Train Station last night. I'll put that towards my rent increase! Onto this week's photos ... due to the never-ending rain for most of the week, the majority of these were taken on my Wednesday in nearby Westfield. 

Is it an ALIEN?

Nah, it's just a Magicicada. More on these in a bit.

Hey! Paparazzi! Stop shooting my butt!

My, what a big mouth he has! I guess he wanted to let me know he wasn't just a sitting duck.

Morning glory!

These are lining the chain link fence at the back of my apartment building.

Whatchoo lookin' at?

You know, it's rude to honk with food in your mouth, Goosey Lucy.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 5, 2013

It's Sunday morning! Happy Cinco de Mayo! Since it is indeed Sunday, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. 

But, first ... let me touch on television --
Tonight is the big two-hour season finale of The Amazing Race. It's supposed to start at 8pm EDT. But we know how that goes. I'll have the blog party post up on time whether the show starts on time or not. I hope to see you there!

Also, on a television note, I received promotional screeners for the first six or so episodes of Falling Skies, the Steven Spielberg produced saga on TNT. Yay! As I get them watched (probably not today, unfortunately), I'll post about them without spoilers. I'm looking forward to the return of this show, as well as checking out the upcoming Stephen King show based on 'The Dome.' I think with some of these shows and Big Brother, I should remain entertained all summer.

The past week was a glorious spring week here in my part of New Jersey. The days were sunny, often without a cloud in the sky. The nights were cool. It rained overnight into Monday and not since. I know we need the rain (and apparently will get some this coming week), but this was splendid.

On my day off Wednesday, I spent some time in Mindowaskin Park in nearby Westfield. The bulk of today's photos are from that trip. While the park itself is very nice, the water in the pond not so much. It really needs a major clean-up. I think it's the first time I've been there that I saw no signs of fish in the pond, none at all. That's not good. 

During the week I received an email from a company in Cincinnati -- they want to buy one of my photos to use it in their marketing materials. It's the company that built the solar panel frames at the Bridgewater Train Station parking lot. The shot is one of the empty frames with the sunrise in the background and the sky going from pinkish to a deep velvet above the frame. I looked at their website and, while they have many photos of completed projects, they have nothing like this shot -- kind of an artsy shot of their work. When I know more about the deal, I'll let you know.

Yesterday when I made eye contact with a stranger, a woman perhaps my age. I felt I should say something. So, in honor of Star Wars Day (May 4), I said, "May the fourth be with you." Without skipping a beat, she replied, "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" Ah, gotta love the geekdom.

Onto the photos for this week ...  

Do these feathers make my butt look big?

Gymnast

This little guy was balanced high up in a tree at the Plainfield Train Station.

Goslings!

Too much cuteness to take in all at once!

The family

Get your ducks, er ... geese, all in a row.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - February 3, 2013

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken. If you haven't checked it out yet, I have a post about the returning castaways on Survivor and hope to get the remaining cast up soon. If you want in on the blog pool for that show, email lifeguardlaurie at gmail dot com or reply to the show cast post. Please don't ask for in on the pool on this post as I'm not sure she'll see the comment!

Today is Superbowl Sunday. Huh. I don't watch football, not at all. I can catch the commercials on the internet. I will have to keep track of when the game ends as they're broadcasting a new episode of Elementary after it. That's one of my favorite new shows even though I think Sir Arthur Conan Doyle might disapprove if he were alive to see it. Two shows down, I'm still intrigued by The Following on FOX, too. It makes me feel a bit creeped out to be an Edgar Allen Poe fan, but I'm not about to be part of the cult! Heck, my latest favorite shows are quasi-literary related and feature killers. But I'm normal. I swear I am! Really! Er, maybe not normal-normal ... but not dangerous. We'll leave it at that.

I apparently am a danger to myself, though. On Tuesday, after a smattering of icy snow the night before (when I took a cab home from the train station as the sidewalks were icy), it was nearly forty degrees. The sidewalks I encountered on the way to the train station were just wet. That is until I hit North Avenue by the train station. ICE, ICE, BABY! I went right up in the air and slammed back down on the concrete (whatever). I'm still bruised and a bit sore. Thankfully both knees made it through the event without permanent damage. I SO don't want to have those operations redone! I hit my head pretty hard, but I do have a pretty hard head. That's fine -- a bit sore to the touch still, but it's a surface hurt, not a Hillary Clinton double-vision hurt.

It snowed last night, maybe an inch or two. Everything outside is pretty and white, but I doubt I'll be going out in it. I don't have much on the table for today other than housekeeping which has suffered a bit here this week as I felt sore due to my fall. On Friday I went into Westfield to run some errands as well as a Trader Joe's run (thank you, Russ!). So, I have some cool Trader Joe's goodies in the house. Vincent can have cat treats. Have a great Superbowl Sunday, folks!

Clicking on an image will open it in a new Photobucket window, clicking again on it will make it larger. To return to the blog, just close out the Photobucket window and, like magic, you're right back where you left off! 

Track 1 Sign

I took this shot at the Westfield Train Station, South Avenue side. I felt it screamed for black and white.  Although it's not particularly noticeable, there was a snow squall going on cutting visibility down quite a bit. The spiky things which look like comb's teeth are there to keep pigeons from the top of the sign. Gee, maybe they could put little fake coyotes up there!

Plainfield Train Station

And this is the Plainfield Train Station last night after I got off the train and everyone had boarded. I used a cartoon effect in my photo editor which seemed to lend itself for this photo. There wasn't a crowd on my train home and the regular train bums must have warmer new diggings. So, I was all but alone. Even Omar, the regular train station homeless dude, has gone missing again in this rather indecisive winter (very warm, then very cold). Of course, his missing is quite likely jail related rather than warmth issues.

Kale

Yay, decorative kale! This was in Westfield. I do see some growing across the street from my apartment, but don't want to upset folks by going up on the lawn there.

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