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

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and a great holiday weekend (if you had one of those)! I'm thankful for all of the loyal blog readers out there -- many have also become my friends, too -- who have followed this blog year in, year out ... even when Big Brother isn't in season! Safe travels to all heading home this evening.

Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

I actually had two days off from work in a row this week -- a rarity in my life. True to form as of late, I spent a lot of time napping on the first day off. The days off in a row were Wednesday and Thursday. My third day off during the holiday week was the Sunday leading into the week. 

While the two days in a row off were nice, it's not enough time to even travel up to my nearest relative in upstate New York for the holiday. I had to be to work Friday morning (and Saturday, too). So, it was a solitary, with the exception of Vincent the Cat, holiday for me. I'm used to it. I often do get invitations to join in at local friends. But I feel it's uncomfortable to intrude on family gatherings when I'm not family. I don't like eating with a crowd of strangers where I might only know one or two people. I prefer to be alone rather than to do that.

On Thanksgiving, I made myself a little feast -- turkey breast, sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, asparagus and a Mrs. Smith's apple pie for dessert. Heck, the rest of the stuff was more work than I usually do, no way would I throw in a homemade pie! I had/have enough leftovers to last me through the weekend so I didn't/don't have to cook for four days after my big kitchen doings. I spent a good part of the day binge-watching The Sopranos on Amazon Prime. After all, that's a family-related show, right? Right? Heh. It's even a New Jersey family! But, I'll admit I don't know anyone in the mob in NJ. I did know some in both New York and Connecticut. But I'm not part of those families, mind you.

What else? Oh, here's a bit of urban life in New Jersey for you ...
I was waiting for the bus to get across town one evening after work. A street kind of guy pushing a bike stopped to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving. He showed me his tire was flat. Um. Okay. What do you want, dude? He showed me the glue and patches for the tire from his pocket. But then he hit me up. He only had a dime and the cheapest air is 35 cents. Oh, well. It's a quarter. I gave him one. We commiserated a bit about how air used to be free and it no longer is such. As he parted, he told me he shoplifted the glue and patches from the store down the street. ACK! I felt like an accomplice after the fact! Thankfully, my bus came shortly afterwards. I cannot fall into a life of crime in my advanced years!

I'm thankful that the guy upstairs went away for the holiday weekend. The quiet is nice. He's had his loud visitors there for the past few weeks and I meant to call the landlord about his extremely loud stereo on Monday this past week, but I forgot. 

Onto the photos for this week. I don't have a lot of them for you and many were taken with the cell phone rather than the camera. The moon shot was the camera. I can't get the cell phone to focus on that.  

Okay, train station. I'm here.

Train be on time. A friend often drives me in these days when our work schedules mesh. However, she had a four day weekend. I didn't. Taking the train on random days the past few weeks has made me late to work twice even though I should have an "early cushion" with the departures. I'm not happy about that. I always plan to be early and NJT makes me late. I'm always at the train station early to catch my train. The least they could do is run vaguely on time!

Friday's moon

You know I can't resist shooting the moon. Had I been out about four hours later, some meteors streaked through the New Jersey skies.

Chotola Pigeon Gathering

Pigeons often line the roof at the front of the Chotola Apartment Building on North Avenue in Plainfield. When I feel I have little photo inspiration while across the street waiting for my train, I turn to them. I often wonder what the building was like in its heyday or what the apartments look like inside. But I wouldn't want to live there even though it's so close to the train. I prefer to live where I don't have to worry about the denizens of the night ... even in the daytime.

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

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

Just another week here. Work, more work, home a bit to eat, sleep and pay attention to a cat. At least I can look forward to a four-day work week ahead. I'll even have two days off in a row, a rarity for me. I get so tired of people asking me how my weekend was or telling me to have a good weekend when I don't really have any idea what a weekend is. While I will have the two days in a row this week, it will be Wednesday and Thanksgiving Thursday. I have to work on Friday and Saturday. With no family really near me in the area, it will be a little feast for Vincent the Cat and me. At least I will be able to relax some. I'm used to spending the holidays alone. Work is hectic through the holiday season and I treasure any time off; holidays give me paid extra days off. I like that. Often the one day off at a time just doesn't do it. I'm chronically exhausted.

I really don't have a heck of a lot else for you this week. Not even photo-wise. But here you go ... clicking on an image will bring up the larger version. Some are from my camera, others are cell phone.

Autumn remains

I love these bushes in the fall -- so intricately colorful! Bridgewater, NJ.

Watching the pigeons on the Chotola

I took this shot with my cell phone and really should have edited it to make it a bit more level. I was waiting for my train and bored. North Avenue, Plainfield.

Seagrass run amok

They'll probably be chopping it down soon. Outside of the TD Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater, NJ.

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

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

Brr! Baby, it's cold outside! The past few days around here have had record low temperatures. To be honest, as long as I'm dressed for it, I don't mind the cold of winter (even though it's still fall) as much as I hate the heat and humidity of the summer. With the cold, you can layer up and dress for it. With the heat and humidity, taking your clothes off, you're still all sweaty. And, in my case, I'd be all sweaty with people laughing and pointing at me before the police hauled me away! 

I bought a nice new winter jacket a couple of weeks ago. It's been some years since my last winter jacket purchase. I think it's money well spent -- this one is quite warm and fits well. And, my heat is included in my rent at my apartment and I have control of it. It's cozy in here. In the summer, I have to pay for electricity, thus pay for air conditioning.

As I get older, I don't care so much for snow or ice, though. If we could harness it just so it would fall everywhere except roads and sidewalks, I'd be a happy camper. I still find snow breathtakingly beautiful. I just don't want to fall.

I had yesterday off from work, having requested it off as a personal day long ago. It was the day of the Plainfield Public Library Photo Contest. I ended up not entering this year. The theme for the year wasn't a great one for me and the change in judging criteria turned me off last year. I don't really do photos of people posing and smiling or just candid uncropped photos with half-people at the edges which seems to be the draw of judging now. I like to be more art-related in my photos and I guess that's out now. I'll think about next year, but will see what won prizes and honorable mentions versus what was entered this year once they release it online. I was thinking of going yesterday, but spent the majority of the day sleeping it away. I needed the rest.

All that said, my photos this week aren't all that artsy! But, here they are ...

Kodachrome ... brings the nice bright colors

Um. Of fall. Although these leaves are gorgeous on their own, I found a Kodachrome filter on my Google Nik photo editor brings out the colors even more.

I find it easier to take videos with my new phone rather than the camera. Here's a train going the other way at the Plainfield Train Station while I waited for my extremely late, almost time for the next train, to arrive on Friday.

Plotting to overthrow humanity

Soon all will be barren

Looking out on Watchung Avenue from the eastbound platform of the Plainfield Train Station.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 5, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

This past week included Halloween. I kept to my record of never having kids come to my door since I've lived in this building -- 18 years! Now, there are indeed too many kids living here for it being mostly one-bedroom apartments with supposedly a limit of two tenants in them. But the kids do know me and, even though I speak to them about playing in the hallway, they seem to like me and trust me anyway. (Just my luck!) Yet, no one trick or treats within the building. Oh, well. Each year I buy candy I like just in case someone comes by. All the more KitKat bars for me this year!

Other than Halloween and work, not much is going on in my life right now. Same old, same old. I'll be happy once we vote on Tuesday no matter who wins what -- I'm sick of all of the election junk mail in my mailbox! Although, I must say, I'm happy that there will be a new governor for New Jersey. I never cared for Chris Christie. He always comes across as a rather obnoxious bully to me. Perhaps he's not such, but I always get that feeling whenever I see him.

After our non-ending heavy rain and wind at the beginning of the week, we have had pretty nice weather. When you compare it to Hurricane (Superstorm) Sandy of five years ago or the seven-inch snowstorm the year before that, the weather has been gorgeous! The kids had a bit chilly Halloween, but it was sunny and clear and the power was on. We had a few really warm days this week, but now we're heading into more seasonal temperatures. That's fine by me. I do like a chill in the air. 

Onto the photos I took this past week -- clicking on an image will open a larger version ...

Heading to work

My NJ Transit train arrives at the Plainfield Train Station on Saturday morning.

Gotta love it!

I stopped into my local bodega on my way home from work on Halloween evening. These three also stopped in there. They had gone all out on their costumes -- I found it refreshing that young teens are still into the fun of the day! If their parents happen to see this, you've raised some friendly and polite children. I'm thinking they probably felt too old for the Trunk or Treat at City Hall, but made their own Halloween a happening.

The Beaver Moon

It actually went full sometime during Friday night. I took this shot last night (Saturday). I'll trap the moon with my camera, but I won't go out trapping beavers.

Flags, Flakes and Bikes

Saturday morning, before cars took over Watchung Avenue, a herd of bicyclists took over the street. All in all, there were a good dozen of more bikers racing through. Oh. And I guess it's Christmas season now. Way too early! Plainfield.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 29, 2017

Good afternoon! Since it's a Sunday afternoon, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. Yeah, I know I usually post this in the morning. But I'm in a lackadaisical mood today. If you're not interested in this, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

We're under a flash flood watch here today with heavy rains and heavy winds expected as the day goes on. It's raining as I get this written, but it's not really stormy ... yet. I just hope it doesn't cancel or delay my expected Peapod grocery delivery order I expect between 4pm - 6pm. 

We've certainly had worse weather around here on this day in past years. Five years ago, Hurricane (or Superstorm) Sandy hit the area turning everything topsy-turvy in the area. While I'm not close enough to a shore point to worry about ocean storm surge, the wind damage in this area was bad. My power was out nearly two weeks. And, a few days after the storm, we had a three inch or so snowstorm. I had no power, no heat. I found out the meaning of not wasting daylight. We had received possible evacuation notices from the city of Plainfield before the storm -- I live near a stream called the Green Brook and it has necessitated some boat rescues across the street in the past. In a few other storms I've seen water come up about a foot or so around my building. But here with Sandy, the rains weren't the issue. It was the wind.

The year before Sandy on this date, we had a seven inch snowstorm ... with all of the trees still bearing leaves! The wet snow brought trees down throughout Plainfield which knocked out my power for three days. Gah! We need underground cables! While I remember an earthquake back around eight years ago, they would be more reliable in this area. 

So, Halloween was canceled here two years in a row -- 2011 and 2012. Looking at the forecast this upcoming week, Halloween is the only day with lots of sunshine expected. I never have trick-or-treaters here, but I always buy something (I like) just in case. But I do know they're out there. I'm glad they'll have a good day for it.

I really don't have much photo-wise this week. I worked a lot. I'm tired. But, then again, I always feel tired. Oh, well. Onto the photos I took -- clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

Saturday night's moon

I tried taking a shot with my cell phone, which does have a quasi-decent camera. But it came out as a white blob in the sky no matter what I did. So, this is the real camera. Hmm ... all of these shots this week are the real camera. I didn't take much with the cell phone.

Birds on a wire

Probably planning on overtaking the world and destroying humanity. Yep, they do things like that. Or, at the very least, they think about it.

Color through the trees

While the trees lining my apartment building's parking lot are still either green or shedding brown dried leaves, the neighbor has color in his backyard.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 13

Good afternoon! Since it's 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. This is a regular Sunday part of this blog in addition to the television posts. Right now I'm covering Big Brother: Over the Top daily -- you can find those posts at this link. I'm also live blogging Survivor episodes as they air on Wednesday evenings. Come join the blog parties!

My apologies for getting this up so late. I'm still fighting the super-cold that's gone rampant through my workplace and the general public. And, it's just not been a great week on the whole for me on a personal level.

The amount of hate and unrest in the world is getting to me. I voted my conscience on Tuesday. Now I see the hatemongers who posted so many racially charged memes of President Obama over the years continuing to post hateful things, I'm dismayed with humanity. 

My upstairs neighbor decided that since Friday was a holiday for him, the world needed to hear his subwoofer stereo late into the night on Thursday. The police responded over a half hour after called and talked to him. But, by then he had turned it off. The landlord will get yet another complaint tomorrow about that. And, mind you, Friday was NOT a holiday at my workplace. 

For the first time ever at the Plainfield Library Photo Contest, not a one of my five photos was deemed worthy of even an Honorable Mention. I don't really like to sound like a sore loser or sour grapes, but obviously the judging criteria has changed with a different person judging the photos. I really feel like I had two photos that were strong contenders and they got zilch even though one of them had all kinds of people gathered around it saying how wonderful it was. I guess I'll rethink what I do next year. 

So, for me ... it's been a week of dismay, disappointment and disturbing. I won't even go into a few deaths of people who touched my life.

Onto the photos, for what they're worth ...    

Reflections on the library.

The Plainfield Public Library's windows reflecting the nearby street scenes.

Yes, I voted

A birds-eye view?

I always liked this building.

Although it could definitely use a bit of tender loving care, this is one fine building. The mosaic tiles are beyond cool. It was obviously built back when art was part of designing buildings. Corner of Park Avenue and East 5th Street in Plainfield.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 6, 2016

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, 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. This is a regular Sunday part of this blog in addition to the television posts. Right now I'm covering Big Brother: Over the Top daily -- you can find those posts at this link. I'm also live blogging Survivor episodes as they air on Wednesday evenings. Come join the blog parties!

Well, the election will be over in a few days. But we all know that, with all of the issues, it will never be over. No matter who wins, the folks on the side that lost will continue the hate. I'm tired of it all. I fear for the future of the United States and the world on the whole. In addition to society's radical elements and religious zealots, we now have radical political zealots in our midst. Well, many have been vocal for a number of years, now they're coming out of the woodwork. I'm so tired of all of the hate without rationality. 

I was sick most of this past week with a bug that seems to be going around -- very sore throat, fever and no appetite at all. While I'm still not 100%, I've been going to work, missing a few days mid-week. 

This coming week, I only have four work days and a personal day. I'm taking next Saturday off for the Plainfield Public Library Photo Exhibition and Awards. If you're in the area, stop on by and see what Plainfield (and I) can do with our cameras and a theme!

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

Despite frost on the pumpkin ...

... the displays still look good in Bridgewater. This past week, the landlord's new public display (whatever) person had benches installed throughout. Very nice!

ATTN: NJ Transit and Plainfield Police!

When I arrived home from work to the Plainfield Train Station on Saturday evening, about 7:45pm, this is what I saw when I opened the elevator door on the Track 2 (eastbound) side. It's bad enough that when I want to go through the tunnel to the other side of the station I have to hold my breath due to the constant stink. But now they've moved in, mattress and all? SERIOUSLY NOW. Something has to be done. Start giving out trespass warnings, then follow through with arrests. This is beyond ridiculous. 

I work for a living. I use the train station. I pay taxes. I'm not responsible for the bad life choices the riff-raff who hang around the train station have made. I fought my own demons in life decades ago and have always worked to keep a roof over my head. I don't squander what little money comes my way in life on drugs and alcohol. In a space such as the Plainfield Train Station, honest working people who actually use NJ Transit should not have to deal with this!

Avoiding the pigeon-neck harvesters

These pigeons heard word on the streets that the next delicacy will be pigeon necks sauteed in a garlic-butter sauce. Necks? We have no necks! Atop the Chotola Apartment building on North Avenue in Plainfield.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 30, 2016

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, 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. This is a regular Sunday part of this blog in addition to the television posts. Right now I'm covering Big Brother: Over the Top daily -- you can find those posts at this link. I'm also live blogging Survivor episodes as they air on Wednesday evenings. Come join the blog parties!

Happy Halloween tomorrow to all! While many at my workplace are wearing costumes and their are costume contest prizes, I'm not partaking. I've had too much on my plate the last few months at work. Tomorrow will just be another day with too much I need to get done and not enough time to do it in. I won't have time to partake in any of the work festivities. However, I might snag some chocolate from the lunch room to keep me going!

In all the years I've lived in this apartment, I've never had a trick or treater even though children live in the building. First, I got to the point where I'd buy only Reese's peanut butter cups or, perhaps Butterfinger bars, because I like them and would eat them if no children came by. Some years went by that I bought no candy and no one came. This year, unless I pick up some tomorrow, I have nothing for kids. No kid better knock on my door!

Someone stole my Sunday newspaper. Grr. I went down relatively early for it and it was gone. I have gone several months with no Sunday newspaper thefts, now have had two in the past four weeks. Someone new in the building? If I didn't want online daily access, I wouldn't get a hard copy at all. And, subscribing to just Sunday's paper is the cheapest route, plus I can use the grocery coupons. I really hate thieves. I wish I could get them to throw the paper up on my fire escape. But, with my luck, they'd probably break the window with it or throw it onto the wrong fire escape.

AMC is showing all of the Halloween movies. I've had them on since about 6am. I wish I didn't have to work during their Stephen King marathon this past Monday. I like scary stuff although real life is a lot more scary. Speaking of horror ... wow, Walking Dead. Just wow. Rest in pieces, Abraham and Glenn.

While I don't really know any new tenants in my apartment building, some tenants (I also didn't know) moved out this past week. I can't believe the stuff people throw out when they move! They could have made several hundreds of dollars selling the stuff on Craigslist! They chucked a good condition couch and matching chairs. Now, I'd never trust that stuff due to bedbug scares. But I did grab a small metal (in brand new condition) baker's rack shelving doohickey. It perfectly fits between my table and refrigerator in the kitchen. And, it's perfect for my onions and potatoes on lower shelves, canisters on the top. Heck, I can even fit my toaster on a shelf and free up counter space.

That's about it. Onto the photos for the week! Clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.    

Downtown mums

The planters in downtown Plainfield are now sporting yellow mums. I'm talking light yellow, not the gold of the ones near my workplace. It's great to see the planters go seasonal in Plainfield -- I remember many years when they didn't have them. They're a nice touch for the aesthetics of downtown.

Autumn in the 'hood

We have touches of color mixed in with the green leaves many trees are still sporting in my neighborhood. The acorns are coming down on rapid order, making squirrels happy little critters. Where I grew up, the trees are already barren by Halloween. Here, they haven't even hit peak yet. This year many of the trees were de-leaved with heavy winds for nearly a week, though! I'm still waiting for the trees outside my windows to turn yellow.

Whole lotta pumpkin

Even though there's been frost on the pumpkin a few times during the week, the ones adorning my workplace grounds are still looking mighty good! I've noticed some of the small pumpkins have gone missing (grr). But the large ones would take a few people to pick them up.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 23, 2016

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, 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. This is a regular Sunday part of this blog in addition to the television posts. Right now I'm covering Big Brother: Over the Top daily -- you can find those posts at this link. I'm also live blogging Survivor episodes as they air on Wednesday evenings. Come join the blog parties!

Tonight is the big season premiere of The Walking Dead. Yes! Finally! I fear Lucille's target will be Glenn. But I hope I'm wrong.

We went from summer to winter this week here in New Jersey. Well, not quite winter, but close. Until late in the week, our temperatures were hitting records with a few days just a couple degrees short of the 90-degree mark. Then yesterday morning, it became raw with an at times wind-blown cold rain coming down sideways. We do need the rain. My area was one of the counties in the state listed under a drought warning this week. While we had rain on and off for about 24 hours, I doubt it put a dent in the reservoir levels.  

Work continues to be very stressful for me. I feel like I'm surrounded with people who don't care and are undependable. I swear everybody's calling out or taking vacation every other week while I have so much on my plate that I feel like I'm scrambling every minute I'm there. I've been working more hours than usual and still feel I'm not getting things done as well as I should. Oh, well. If I can make it to retirement (maybe next year at this time!), all will just be a bad memory.

That's it for now. Onto the photos! Clicking on an image will bring up a larger version ...  

The best season of all, it's FALL!

Autumn is usually my favorite season of the year. While spring is a close runner-up, fall is usually more crisp in the mornings, warmer in the afternoons with cool overnights. Generally, it's not as rainy as spring (although we need the rain this year) and it's colorful. I love the seasonal displays near my workplace. Unfortunately, I've seen some of the smaller pumpkins go missing. Why can't people just appreciate seeing them and not feel the need to steal? Sigh.

If only ...

In front of the Friends (Quakers) Meeting House on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield, if only peace on Earth could be possible. 

Golden dreams

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was: November 29, 2015

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're a television fan, please make sure to stop by on Wednesday and Friday evenings for the blog's Survivor and The Amazing Race live blogging parties!

I hope everybody had a nice Thanksgiving! Vincent and I had a quiet one here. While he had his turkey with gravy canned cat food -- he loves to lick the gravy off and then pick at the turkey -- I didn't have turkey this year. I'm just one person. I can't eat a whole turkey before it goes bad, nor could I find any acceptable (to me) sales on turkey breast. Some years I go for Cornish Game Hens or even chicken. However, I found a nice sale on butterflied leg of lamb. So, that accompanied by mashed potatoes, asparagus and apple pie was my Thanksgiving feast. Yes, I can eat an entire apple pie before it goes bad! I'm having the last of that today!

We are continuing to have fairly warm weather (outright unseasonable at times) here. I love it. I'm dreading icy and snowy sidewalks and streets. I really don't mind the cold so much; it's the ice and snow.

A couple of random things:

• I can still hear that screaming thumping child downstairs and one apartment to the side. I don't hear the screaming, but I hear the thumping. Let's see if they're out of here in February when their lease is up. I saw the woman going down to the laundry room this morning as I went for my Sunday newspaper. I said hello and she didn't even acknowledge me. Her and her family should go live on their own private island or something. They make way too much noise and aren't even cordial in the hallways.
• Meanwhile, I ran into five other neighbors in the hallway on Thanksgiving day when I went out for a walk. All greeted me enthusiastically with holiday greetings and were friendly. That's more like it.
• I can't believe one showed up with his wife and toddler. When he was ten, he used to clear snow off of my car. He was here to have dinner with his parents.
• Yes, I've lived here that long, I guess.
• I've always tended to think of that family as "the hardest working Jamaican family in the world" reflecting back on the old skits from In Living Color. Those parents still seem to be working around the clock! 

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

Posing pigeons

You can tell I'm lacking photo fodder when I take several photos of the pigeons atop the Corolla Apartments building on North Avenue in Plainfield.

Too much turkey?

More like too much catnip for Vincent!

Almost full

Or, partly empty if you're a pessimist. The Beaver Moon, the 12th full moon of the year, was full on the 25th. I took this shot on the night of the 23rd. 

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 8, 2015

I'm SO late with this week's off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photos I've taken along the way! But, I did way too much walking around (and standing around) yesterday. I overslept and I'm a bit on the lame side today. Okay, I know some people consider me usually lame ... but I mean physically! Sheesh!

I took so many photos yesterday when I went to see 'Misery on Broadway' with Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf that I'll have to post some Plainfield area photos and some of the NYC ones next week, too.

Here's the week in rough --

• Four day work week as I requested Saturday as a vacation day to go see the show. Yay!
• I also have a four day work week next week as I've requested Saturday as a personal day for the Plainfield Public Library Photo Competition. I have my doubts about winning first place again as the theme wasn't a great one for me.
• I left early yesterday to go into Manhattan. I had to pick up my tickets at the box office before the 2pm matinee show. I got to town around 10am, got my ticket, ate a late breakfast and roamed around Times Square until about 1:30.
• I will post a full review of the show and theatre later tonight.
• It's very weird, but three of the people I talked to during the day were from Los Angeles. One was a 20-something woman who put a cling on a pole I was leaning against in Times Square. I looked to see what it read and she said, "I'm taking it down. I just need to get a photo of it with Times Square in the background." I didn't care if she left it there. It turned out that her fiance had designed the cling, was killed in an automobile accident and they had dreamed of coming to Times Square together. Aww. She and I talked for about fifteen minutes. Sad story, very nice young woman.
• The other two were a lesbian couple outside the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Fun people! We mocked some of the people passing by and counter-intimidated a surly bum who approached us for money. We talked East Coast vs. West Coast and really had a pleasant conversation as we stayed out of the lane of pedestrians by standing up against the building.
• The show ended late (started late, too) and I ended up taking the 6pm bus home. Oh. The 6pm bus was late, too.
• While I had a seat alone heading into the city, I shared a seat with a young man from the Ukraine here to go to college. He was interesting. He's been in the USA for only two months and didn't know any English before he came here. While he has to hesitate at times, his English is much better than many!

Onto the gazillion photos for this week. Clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger window.

West 44th Street

Although it's technically NOT Broadway, this block is the home of many Broadway shows. The expensive Sardi's restaurant is across the street from the Broadhurst Theatre where I saw 'Misery on Broadway' but that was way out of my budget. I ate a late breakfast at the Evergreen Restaurant over on West 47th Street and a not really lunch at Ben and Jerry's which is past the bowling alley in this photo. I ate dinner at home.

SO cool ghost sign!

They're doing construction on West 47th Street and this is now exposed -- a ghost sign for the Hotel Longacre, Rooms $1.00 a day, Rooms with bath $1.50. Lunch is 40 cents, dinner is 65 cents and, I assume, the "Club Breakfast" comes with the room. I wonder how many years back it dates.

Who wants lunch?

A sign I saw in the window of Pete's Fish Market on East Second Street in Plainfield this week.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 1, 2015

Good morning! Since it's indeed Sunday morning, that can just mean one thing. Yep, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Please, if you're a fan of either show, join us for the live update/blog party posts for both Survivor and The Amazing Race on Wednesday and Friday evenings respectively.

Here are my random thoughts, happenings and observations on this past week:

• My apologies for being so late with this today. I was exhausted after coming home last night and it continued through this morning. Also, I've been having to go downstairs every half-hour looking for my Sunday newspaper. This makes three weeks out of four with no Sunday paper -- the ONLY day I have delivery. Courier-News SUCKS.
• It was the big Halloween week. On Friday I went by the City Hall Trunk or Treat event. While it was great for the costumed car owners and the costumed kids, it wasn't good for photo taking as it was so dark there. I didn't want to run around with my flash going off. I ended up taking the bus home from there accompanied by a rather strange woman who snagged her own huge bag of candy at the event. A man sitting nearby and I had rolling eye contests going on as she talked about each piece of candy.
• This is also the weekend of the big Watchung Avenue bridge replacement with no rail service between Westfield and Dunellen train stations. I planned ahead. It did no good. Saturday morning was a debacle. Ack.
• While I plan and watch out for these things, many commuters don't or don't have internet access to see details. If you called NJ Transit on the phone over the weekend, they said there were no traffic alerts.
• Meanwhile, special buses were shuttling passengers from Westfield, Fanwood, Netherwood and Plainfield train stations to the Dunellen Train Station where rail service west of the shutdown resumed (and, the reverse trip as well). Going eastbound from before Dunellen, the trains were running a half-hour or so early to make up for the wasted half-hour bus commute and the trains from Westfield east were supposedly to run on time. Arrival at points Dunellen and west was a half-hour or so later than it should be.
• I had new hires to start at my workplace, so I figured I'd go in early and tried for the first bus/train combo west.
• My bus for that was late after one went whizzing right by and the bus going the other direction was right on time.
• Then two buses came (late for that second run) and no bus for the other direction came anywhere near on time.
• The bus driver was going crazy as people were all shouting at her. She had just been asked to work the day as overtime and thought she was running a regular bus route. She had a bus following her that had no idea where he was going and she didn't dare lose him in traffic.
• She told the screaming eastbound people to get on her bus and she was just doing the turn in Dunellen and then would be heading to Westfield. She had no idea where the bus(es) headed to Westfield were but would get them there.
• One woman was totally unreasonable. Now, I had talked with her while we're were waiting and I knew she was unreasonable. I just decided I wasn't going to argue with a stranger. She had arrived five minutes after the first Westfield-bound bus left and kept insisting it never came. It did. I saw it. It was on time to the minute. I even asked the driver where it was going. (That's when a bunch of people realized they boarded the wrong bus and got back off.)
• While I wasn't foolish enough to argue with an unreasonable crazy woman, another woman on the bus did. It almost got to fisticuffs. Meanwhile, the bus driver just kept pleading with them to stop fighting. 
• I suggested singing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall." The guy next to me and the driver joined in as we tried to sing over the arguing women. 
• Then this Jamaican dude decided to ring the bell to get off.
• "No stops! Dunellen Train Station only!"
• "These ladies are giving me a headache!"
• The night trip home went better as NJ Transit actually had a guy at the Dunellen Train Station communicating with the bus drivers and passengers. Once again we led a second bus (inexplicably with the lighted sign for IVY HILL, NEWARK on its front while all the rest read RARITAN VALLEY LINE) who didn't know where he was going.
• As it was Halloween night and costumed people were heading to the Village (NYC) for the big costume parade, some of the people on the bus were in costume. It made for a rather surreal trip to Plainfield. Unfortunately, people were so grouchy over the bus/train situation that I didn't think it a good idea to try to get photos.
• While I knew what was going on, NJ Transit dropped the ball with the lack of communication with its bus drivers (who know nothing of rail services) and its customers on the whole.
• We'll see if everything is really back to normal Monday.

Onto the photos for the week -- clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version.

Vincent conquered his Halloween costume

There are more photos of his Halloween costume adventure after the jump. I had to bribe him with catnip to slip it on. But it didn't last long. He thinks it's a cat toy and was walking around with it in his mouth last night, throwing it up in the air and then pouncing on it. Silly cat.

Not taken this week, but ...

... since I didn't get any good Halloween-themed photos this past week, I thought I'd add this one in. I took it a few years ago in Manhattan. It's the skeleton costume in a store display with the reflection of nearby buildings in the window.

The new bridge sections await placement

More photos of the big Watchung Avenue bridge replacement project are after the jump. In this one, taken last night after I got home from work, the old bridge is out and the new sections are lined up on Watchung Avenue and North Avenue awaiting their mission in life.

Monday night's full supermoon

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