Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 14, 2012

Good Sunday morning to you! As it is Sunday, it's time for my off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. Lots of photos today, so I hope you have a cup of coffee with you! 

I'm feeling much better this week -- still a bit fatigued, but definitely more myself. After a real dip in the temperatures at week's end, today is supposed to be delightful. My last day off (Wednesday) started out rainy, chilly and grey. The weather turned around by noontime and I ended up having myself one fine day off with my camera at my side.

I had decided to go for a Trader Joe's run in Westfield. And, despite my disappointment over the summer with the algae and neglect in the nearby Mindowaskin Park, I walked over there to see what I could see. As I approached the park, some HUGE bird flew low directly overhead. Yipes! What the heck was that? 

Following my last sighting of where it seemed to go, I found a gorgeous great blue heron. I guess I'm into cheap entertainment, because I watched him for a good hour as he stalked about the low waters, watching and waiting, and then ZOOM ... fish in mouth!

Canada geese, various ducks and a rambunctious squirrel or two made for the most enjoyable, yet quiet, afternoon I've had in a long, long time. The kids were all in school. The park had its walkers -- one woman walked laps around the park for the entire time I was there. A few folks were out with their dogs walking. Some young mothers were there with toddlers. A few people just sat on the benches and read books. It was a perfect day for a walk in the park!

Here's some of the gazillion photos I took -- clicking on an image will open it in a new window, clicking again will make it larger. Just close out that last window to return right here to the blog.

Great blue heron in Westfield

After the rain

This was the result of overnight rains as I walked in Westfield on Wednesday.

Catching the early train

Heading off to work early in the week. Plainfield Train Station.

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

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - May 20, 2012

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. Well, man ... this has been one busy and rather sucky week for me. Yeah, you heard me. Sucky.

Work has been busy with unexpected auditors popping in. Not through my doing at all, we didn't do all that well. It's one of those "I told you" so kind of scenarios, but of course it's not really politically acceptable to say that. (But I told them so before this went down. I did.) The sad part with some of the latest auditors is that I actually know more than they do about company practices.  That's what happens when you spend half your life in one workplace.

The home front has been a bit hectic, too. First, on Wednesday I received a notice under my door that I have a new landlord. Okay. That wasn't unexpected. The last real landlord went bankrupt (and more, as you'll see) a few years back and the building has been being run by a receivership appointed by the bank. I read last summer that there was a winning bid of 9 million on the building at auction.

No, I didn't buy it.

We recently had our five year state inspection. Then there was another inspection by the city (for the sale?). On Thursday, which was my day off this week due to a switch, there was a knock on my door while I was still in my pajamas. HEY! Day OFF! It was a new superintendent of another building owned by my new landlord. He had a list of repairs including removing the old caulking around my tub and replacing it with new, new bathroom ceiling tiles, fix the low cold water pressure in the kitchen and a few other things. Um. Okay. I told him, as I've told others, that they need to fix whatever is leaking upstairs in regard to the bathroom ceiling.

When will these repairs be done? Today.

Ack.

I made him give me ten minutes to put real clothes on. Then I let unexpected repairmen in to my apartment which had some housecleaning chores scheduled for my day off. Remember, it's my DAY OFF.

I watched a few episodes of the Falling Skies screener TNT sent me while a huge man was closed in my tiny bathroom choking on caulking fumes. Vincent peeked under the door at him either worried for his welfare or concerned that the man would use his litterbox.

That DAY OFF ordeal ended, fast forward to Friday after work. A notice under the door that the new landlord will be doing inspections on Tuesday between 4pm and 6:30pm. Argh! How many inspections can one tenant go through? I feel like Arlo Guthrie at Whitehall Street -- inspected, neglected, dejected, rejected!

Along with that notice, there was a questionnaire to send back to the new landlord. It asked the basics -- name, contact numbers, car info for the parking lot, who else lives there, etc. Along with the questions, it asked how much rent is being paid. Huh? I'm sure the receivership gave them that info. Heck, if David Connolly gave the info to the bank when he went bankrupt, you know the bank's appointed folks told the new landlord. As tempting as it was to try to lower my own rent, I told the truth. Maybe it's a test of my integrity.

But the story doesn't stop there. Saturday in the mail I received what looked like trouble -- a letter from a lawyer's office and a notice of certified mail being held at the post office. Huh? Is someone suing me? Nope. A neighbor in the elevator told me everyone got the same thing. Of course, he was telling me in Spanish, so I wasn't sure if I was understanding him right. I was. It was from the bank saying that the receivership was released of its duties, my security deposit transferred to the new landlord, and much legalese. Um. Okay. Apparently the certified letter is another copy of the same thing. If I get there while the post office is open, fine. If not, fine. The notice from the new landlord on the first day told me that they had my security deposit, what bank it's in and the account number.

Then there's my original landlord (not the original original one, but the last one). What comes around, goes around. He's facing two counts that could each net him twenty years in prison and five million dollars plus in fines. His real estate Ponzi scheme caught up with him. The FBI and Securities Commission went after him for wire fraud, laundering money and a host of other charges. That's what he gets for jacking up my rent each year he had the building and letting the elevator remain broken for months when my knees were bad!

Now that I've bored everyone to death, onto this week's photos. Clicking on an image will open it in a new window, clicking again will make it larger and closing that window will lead you right back here.  

Monarch Building reflected

A testament to all the rain we had (again) this week. The Monarch Building (condos) on East Front Street is reflected in puddles in their neighbor's driveway.

Plainfield Train Station irises

If I'm not mistaken, I think local blogger Bernice had a hand in planting these. East Fourth Street, Plainfield.

Westfield planter flowers

I don't know what they are, but they're big and pretty. Elm Street, Westfield. (I had to make a Trader Joe's foray on Friday due to stress!)

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

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - November 27, 2011

It's Sunday, time for my weekly off television topic jaunt through the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. This past week was a shortened work week for me due to the Thanksgiving holiday. However, unlike many office workers, government and factory workers -- I worked Black Friday and Saturday, too. My days off were Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday. Thankfully, unlike some unlucky folks in retail, my workplace is closed on Thanksgiving. (Yay!)

I continued my pledge to not shop on either Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday. On Thanksgiving, I think it's horrible for the stores to open and the employees don't get to spend the holiday at home when they're already in a busy busy season. Sure, I realize that police, fire, health care workers, etc. have to work the holidays. However, they're not under the major business crush of retail workers. 

I don't shop on Black Friday because I don't like large crowds of crazy people. I don't care how good the bargains are. I know folks who buy so many things they don't need just because "they're on sale!" -- my budget really doesn't allow for that kind of craziness. 

That said, I do have intentions of going into the city for some of the holiday sights photo stomping this year. My knees are feeling well enough and I haven't done it in a long time due to knee pain. I'll probably go in on a Wednesday as it isn't AS crazy there mid-week. But not this coming Wednesday as Justin Bieber and President Obama are both in town and the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting is going on. That's crazy.

After a rainy start this week, the weather turned glorious for the holiday and through today. It's even been in the 60s! I'm loving it! My windows have been open and a light jacket or sweater is all that's needed to make my work commute.

Vincent and I had a nice quiet holiday at home. He got his Fancy Feast Turkey with Gravy, licked the gravy off and begged for more. I made a mini-feast for myself and have lived on leftovers ever since. I hope you all had a fine Thanksgiving holiday!

Enough rambling ... time for some photos! Clicking on an image will open it larger in a gallery doohickey thingee.

Patch of dawn

I realize I posted this one on my Facebook wall this week, but I was pleased with how it turned out. I edited it to leave only the patch of dawn in color. Plainfield train Station.

Like early autumn deja vu

With the warmer temperatures and sunshine the latter part of this week, the mums have returned. Alas, I fear they won't last too long now. I guess we can't stave off winter forever. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Boots on a porch

No, they're not MY boots! I don't have a porch either. Edited to leave only the boots in color. Berckman Street, Plainfield.

USE THE READ MORE LINK TO SEE THE REMAINDER OF THE PHOTOS! 

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - October 24, 2010

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in words and photos I've taken in my travels. For some reason, I took a lot of photos this week, not all of them necessarily artistic. But that's how things go sometimes. It helped that most of my walking and commuting times were rain-free, although it rained at night during the week.

I have an addition to my train passengers gripes from a few weeks back --

• For the sake of all that is good in this universe, invest in a box of Kleenex. Sheesh, I realize I had my super cold, but I don't constantly sniffle in public. Blow those noses and stop the sickly noises!

Work, eat, sleep ... then get up and do it all over again. I did take a diversion from my usual routine going to dinner at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, having a few beers, then hitting Trader Joe's with a friend on Wednesday. No, I wasn't drunk in Trader Joe's. I don't like getting drunk as I tend to get sick, so I stick to a limit. 42. Er, no. Two.

I really don't have much else to say. The photo exhibition for the Plainfield Library Photo Contest will take place in two weeks. I'm hoping for a decent showing and another ribbon (and check!) this time, but there's a lot of talent in town. Until then, you get what I got for the week -- clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window.

Clouds in the early morning

I know I tend to take a shot from this vantage point quite often, but things change. This time it was the just-after-sunrise sun's rays on the clouds which caught my eye. Plainfield Train Station.

Last night

Aaaooooo! The real full moon was the night before. But this is full enough for howling! Bridgewater, NJ.

Our house is a very, very fine house
With two cats in the yard
-- "Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

I don't think they meant lion statues. Note the straw gazelle in the background stalking the lions. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Watching, they're always watching

They're up to something!

You're not the only cuddly toy
That was ever enjoyed by any boy
You're not the only choo-choo train
(Or big stuffed pink thing)
That was left out in the rain
The day after Santa came ...
-- "Cuddly Toy" popularized by The Monkees
- written by Harry Nilsson

Berckman Street, Plainfield. Edited to leave the big stuffed pink thing in color, the rest black and white.

Late season weeds

Red sky in the morning again

Sure enough, it rained all night. I hope those sailors took warning. Bridgewater, NJ.

That same morning in Plainfield just a bit earlier.

The sun also sets

Looking at the sun's final hurrah over the Plainfield Train Station while standing on East Fourth Street.

Plotting in the sun

Yay, Trader Joe's!

I love that each store employs an in-house artist to do all their signs. If it were just lettering, it's something I'd love to do. Alas, they want a lot of drawing with the signs. I'm not as good at that. I'm a letterer kind of person. Years back I used to make signs for various businesses, but computers have taken over a lot of that.

Reflections

Trees are reflected in a bakery's window in Westfield, NJ. Again edited for the color/black and white look.

Yes, it's a flower.

It needed to be shot.

Okay, if you unravel the canopy,
We can attack the humans.

Westfield, NJ at the now-closed Leaders Store.

Westfield?

Yikes, I would have thought that they'd take better care of their real estate. You can see through the roof in the old Leaders Store. While they do seem to be doing something with the building, the upper floors and roof are letting in rain, birds, you name it. That can't be good for the structure. For those not familiar with the area, Westfield is the more posh town in the area.

It's also where John List murdered his family in 1971 but we won't go there.

He hit on me!

EEK! Westfield, NJ.

Vicki's Diner

I love this diner's building even though an SUV is blocking a lot of it. But I wasn't too thrilled the one time I ate there. It was full of high school kids and you couldn't even hold a normal conversation. Plus, the employees were as bad as the kid customers, all hanging out at a table. The food was only so-so, not good but not bad. It was the ambiance or lack thereof which did them in with me. Westfield, NJ.

Autumn's Glory

Westfield, NJ. As a matter of fact, this is the colorful tree reflected in the window in one of the shots above.

But no candy

Gotta love Five Guys Burgers and Fries ... and peanuts! But you can't do it too often. We're talking calories here. Westfield, NJ.

Full moon

I keep trying to get decent moon shots without fancy equipment. It's hard to get detail. This was Thursday evening in Plainfield.

Full moon over the Plainfield Municipal Court.

Taken shortly before the other moon shot. Watchung Avenue, Plainfield.

I can't see!
I can't SEE!
I CAN'T SEE!

Open your eyes, Vincent. You're a nut!

Don't forget to stop back tonight for the Amazing Race blog party! Hopefully the show will start somewhere near on time. How was your week?

Off Topic - That Was The Week It Was 12/20/09

It's Sunday and time to take a look back at the past week in words and photographs I've taken. The biggest news of the week actually happened yesterday and into the overnight hours. Yeah, it's a freakin' winter wonderland here. But I don't anyplace to go, so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Then clean it up so I can get to work tomorrow!

To be honest, we didn't get hit that bad. It's hard to tell how much snow is out there because the wind has been blowing it all around. There are drifts, then almost to the ground. I'd say maybe six to eight inches? I could be way off, though. I'm not going out there to find out. My own street is plowed as it's a county road. I don't know about the side streets. I can predict right now some jerks won't shovel their sidewalks. (Grr.)

The snow has stopped as I get this written up. Last night, coming home from work, it was a different story. But I had on my not-fashion yet very functional winter boots. I did not slip, nor did I slide. I did cheat and took a cab home from the train station instead of walking. He slipped, he slid. Ho ho ho.

Other than that, my week has been rather unremarkable. Work is very busy and thus, so am I. I haven't had the chance on weather-cooperating days to go into the city to photo-stomp the lights this year. Perhaps after Christmas, but before New Year's I'll get there.

Anyway ... onto the week ...

Snow? Cold? Not MY problem!

Vincent is as snug as a bug in a rug. My gosh, that's a horrible saying! I, to clarify, have no bugs in my rugs. And, if I did have a bug in my rug, he wouldn't be snug! He would be in fear of doom from either me or Vincent, Paws of Death!

Lesson learned - turn off the flash on snowflakes

It looks like we're getting hit with tiny bubbles. This is last night as I arrived home from work. They had already shoveled the platform. But the snow just wouldn't stay away. Plainfield Train Station, NJ.

Without the flash

Much better. My train line doesn't have too many problems in bad weather. We're diesel (which is why I have to transfer to another train to go into Manhattan) and even our electric lines on NJ Transit have overhead wires, not the electrified third rail which causes the issues in bad weather in the city and on Long Island (or Lawn Guyland for any locals).

Long Island and southern NJ got the brunt of this storm with over 20 inches of snow. I heard a report that an LIRR train was stuck in Ronkonkoma for over four hours with 150 passengers. I just like to say Ronkonkoma. It's not as much fun to type.

Watchung and East Second intersection

Looking over at Pete's Fish Market as the snow came down last night. The snow picked up steam in the overnight hours. Well, not steam, per se. That would be like how they melt the snow in Times Square. It picked up inches. Much better.

Get my drift?

The stairs coming out of the tunnel at the Plainfield (NJ) Train Station last night. This so violates my habit of going up on the right side of the right side! Yes, I'll admit I'm a bit OCD about some things. I felt out of place going up the right side of the left side.

The NJ Transit tunnel under the Plainfield Station again

Someone else goes up the right side of the left side.

A Tale of Two Trees

Both inner-city, both third floor. One is festive, the other is silent. I wonder what psychological ramifications are involved here?

Okay, that darn train is late!

Two pigeons wait for the train in Plainfield, NJ. When we see them start driving the train, we know it's the end of mankind as we know it.

The calm before the storm

Yesterday morning at the Plainfield Train Station.

Who you gonna call?

Nope, Ghostbusters won't stop the impending snowstorm! It's a shame he wasn't wearing more colorful clothes as I made the background of this photo black and white, leaving him in color.

Yes, I was bored waiting for the train

I used GIMP's "old photo" filter to make this photo sepia with faded edges. I didn't use its defocus function. If people want to see it defocused, alcohol will do the trick. But don't drive!

Downtown Westfield (before the snow)

This is the view up Elm Street Friday evening as I did a Trader Joe's grocery run. The big tree in the background is one of two on either side of the train station there. I came from the train after work. But I take the bus home as the bus stops right in front of my apartment building and, since they come from the city during evening rush hour, one passes every twenty minutes or so. I never have to wait long.

A Sea of Festivity

A close-up of the lights on one of the Westfield (NJ) trees.

There's been a crime!

Oh my! The whole top half of the Westfield Train Station tree on the eastbound side is missing! Call the authorities! Call the FBI! Who could have done such a dastardly deed the week before Christmas?

Wait, is that the missing tree top?

Nope. It's the tree on the other side of the station. I took this from the tunnel under the tracks. Oh. And I seem to have created a stir over nothing. Apparently just the lights were out on the top part of the other tree. Never mind. Cancel the FBI.

Fair weather clouds over the Plainfield Train Station

Obviously, I took this earlier in the week before yesterday's weather brouhaha.

Those clouds

I've looked at clouds from both sides now.

Reefs 4 Sale

When two languages collide, you get some interesting spellings. I was tempted to go in and ask how much they charge for a coral reef. I always wanted my own! I get the feeling they really mean "wreaths" as there's a wreath right above the sign. North Street in Plainfield, NJ.

Ho Ho Ho

This home at the corner of East Front and Richmond in Plainfield is a joy every season. They're heavy into all kinds of holiday decorations at this time of the year. In other seasons, it's a wonderful world of flowers.

Plainfield Train Station as dawn breaks

The skies looked a bit threatening, but this wasn't our storm coming in. I took this shot earlier in the week and it was just very, very cold.

That was my week. How was yours? Don't forget to return tonight for the big Survivor finale blog party! Bring snacks and beverages ... no cover charge!