Off Topic: St. Patrick's Day, Circus, and Roofus

I hope the luck of the Irish was with everyone today ... and that you all won the lottery! Well, I guess we have to keep on working for a living. Zoetawny got Snoopy all Irish for this graphic! I was thinking of some years back -- skiing at Kelly's Irish Alps (Brodie Mountain) and Jiminy Peak, both in Massachusetts. Green snow, bagpipe players on the ski lifts, and some green beer, too. Ah, those were the days! For more than a decade and a half, I skied every St. Patrick's Day. I didn't ski today.


This is a shot I took of the same cat local city blogger Bernice snapped inside the office of the ex-rental car place. See, they can come and go. Sydney wondered why I was shy about peering in the window. Well, someone's going in there with the food (I think it's the same elderly guy). If it's him, he snapped at me a few years back when I was taking photos of the strays. I don't think he realizes I'm harmless.


And ... who's ruling the roost and the roofs? If you click on the image, the resulting larger image reveals a bird on the ledge right under Roofus the Cat.

Last in the photos today, the Big Apple Circus is back for its annual stint. I've never been. I have been to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, but not in years and years.

I'll be watching American Idol soon. I'm not as enamored with country night as some of the other genres. Hopefully they'll give me some fodder for another quick show-related post late tonight.

The Amazing Race: "She's a Little Scared of Stick, but I Think She'll Be Okay!"

The show is starting on time here on the East Coast -- it has to be a new record for 8 PM ET CBS shows! As it airs, I'll update this post with major events. My full review of the show will be on TV Squad later. For those who looked for my previously mentioned article on reality show hosts, that's been rescheduled for Tuesday.

As always, please feel free to hang out in the comments area during the show! I've put in a new bungee jump. I hope you like it!

Pit Stop Order
1. Margie and Luke - won a trip to St. Lucia
2. Tammy and Victor
3. Jaime and Cara
4. Mel and Mike
5. Mark and Michael
6. Jen and Kisha
7. Christie and Jodi -- NON- PHILIMINATION!

Speed bump for them next leg!

Mostly Off Topic

There was no waking up Roofus the Cat over by the Plainfield Train Station yesterday morning. Not even birds flying by could get his attention. Maybe he was out late the night before, eh?

Local town blogger Bernice, inspired by my Roofus photos, actually walked up to the ex-rental car place and snapped a photo of one of the (gorgeous) cats inside. I know I've posted a photo or two of another cat in there but she has more nerve than I do -- she went right up to the window. She notes in her blog entry that there's fresh food and water for the cats (that's inside and out) although the building has changed owners. I saw the older man who used to run the rental office not all that long ago going in. The whole area with the feral cats is slated for a construction project down the road.

Onto a bit of TV --
A post I made about reality show hosts should be up on TV Squad a bit later today. Tonight I'll be catching up with the last episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. That is ... after I get home from work. Saturdays tend to be a late workday for me.

I hope everyone has a good day! Spring can't get here soon enough!

Survivor Tocantins - "You're Going to Want That Tooth"

The show is starting! While my full review will be up later over on TV Squad, this post will be updated with major events. Everyone is welcome to join in on the fun in the comments area!

Jalapao won reward -- cafe, coffee, pastries, restrooms with product placement -- they chose Brendan for Exile Island. He chose Stephen to go from the winning tribe. Tyson is suspicious.

Surprise, surprise ... letters from home were at the cafe.

Timbira wins immunity. JT, who did the best for Jalapao, is really ticked off. He also broke his tooth.

Spencer was voted out.

American Idol Results Bulletin

I haven't seen the entire show as I recorded it. Yes, you heard me. I actually went out to dinner and beverages with a friend, getting home about 9:45. The new power of the judges is that they can make one save during the season. They chose not to use it tonight.

Eliminated are Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez.

American Idol - The Top 13 Sing

Well, tonight was the big night for the American Idol hopefuls. The Top 13 took the stage. I have to give them all credit -- I couldn't do it. Of course, I have the kind of singing voice which should be confined to the shower or in a car with all the windows rolled up. In other words, my singing is on par with many of those going through the auditions for American idol. I make up for my lack of singing talent with my mad dance moves.

Er ... um ... okay. I can't dance well either. Never mind.

As for the show, I think this season has the best talent with the fewest clunkers of any season so far. Actually, I don't think there are any real clunkers (thinking to past seasons with kids like Sanjaya, etc.). I was disappointed with Anoop's performance tonight although he's shown he can sing well in the past. Why he chose Beat It beats me! There's not much that can be done with that song and not have it sound like Karaoke Night.

Although his style isn't my cuppa, Adam Lambert snagged the winning comments of the night. I just remember the uproar about Fantasia being a single mother a few seasons back. Adam's past is a bit racier with gay male porn doings. I'm kind of surprised that he made it through all the screening with what's available about him on the web and the squeaky clean image of Idol.

I don't care that the judges didn't care all that much for Megan Joy Corkrey. There's something about her voice and performances which make me smile. I'm not saying I'd run out and buy a record, but I enjoy listening to her and watching her little Meganisms.

All in all, the talent was showing tonight. Two will be going home tomorrow. I fear Anoop will be one of them. With him ...? I just don't know. Maybe Kris Allen, but he has teen fans. Megan? Jasmine? Hmmm.

They'll be announcing a rules change which will definitely affect the show on tomorrow's result show. Vote for the Worst might have to go out of business. From the rumors I've seen, it looks like the judges are also going to have a say in who stays and who goes. They could be false rumors, but we'll see.

Oh. When I went to Vote for the Worst to get the link, they're pushing the vote for Megan. I don't care. She makes me smile.

Dancing With the Stars 2009 Blog Talk

Yes, it's a new season of Dancing With the Stars! This is YOUR place for discussion about the show with friends. Grab your comfy chair, bring snacks and beverages ... and, most of all ... have a good time. Oh -- there is a dance floor over there if you want to practice your moves, too.

The show's official website is here, but the real action is right here in comments!

The Amazing Race - "It Was Like a Caravan of Fools - Ep.4

So, does the new Zoetawny logo for us rock or what? Tonight we travel to Siberia and the promos are promising us a "blind" U-Turn. Uh-oh!

Make yourself comfy in the comments areas, but remember to share your snacks and beverages! This post will be updated with major events and my full review of the episode will be posted later over on TV Squad. Enjoy!

Don't forget ... if you watch Celebrity Apprentice, we have a blog discussion post for the show right here! I won't be catching it live tonight, not the first hour at least. But you're all invited to share your thoughts on the show!

On with tonight's TAR!

Whoa! Pit Stop
1. Christie and Jodi - each won a motorcycle
2. Kisha and Jen
3. Tammy and Victor
4. Margie and Luke
5. Jaime and Cara
6. Mel and Mike
7. Mark and Michael
8. Amanda and Kris -- Philiminated

TV Doings This Week

Yikes! What a TV week ahead of us, starting tonight! Before I get into some of my viewing plans, just a quick mention on the photo. I took this one a while back as the stereo sign lined up nicely with the double "stereo" lamp post. I liked the way it turned out messing around with a photo editor above. The original shot is at the bottom of the post and was taken in North Plainfield, NJ. And, no. That has nothing to do with television.

Sunday: Argh. I have to write up two shows tonight -- The Amazing Race for TV Squad and Cold Case for CliqueClack TV. Barring any sports delays, TAR begins at 8 PM ET and my other shows schedule is clear. Good. Then comes 9 PM ET -- Cold Case starts, but there's also a two-hour Celebrity Apprentice starting at 9 PM. Waah! I know CA will be available online tomorrow and rerun on Saturday night, but I'd really rather watch that than CC! Throw into the mix that A&E has a Sopranos episode I want to see on at 10 PM (repeated at 11) -- what a night I have!

So, my plan is: Get my Reality Clack column for CliqueClack TV out of the way this afternoon except for the TAR bit. Watch TAR with a post going here as is my standard. Take notes on TAR and Cold Case as they air. I'll write up both reviews at 10 PM, hopefully to be done by 11 PM so I can catch the second airing of The Sopranos episode. As I write, I'll have the second hour of Celebrity Apprentice on in the background. I guess I can catch up with the first hour online. Sunday nights didn't used to be this complicated!

Monday: In the 8 PM (ET) prime time hour, I'll watch The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother. I will have to write up a review of TBBT for CliqueClack TV. But I probably won't do that until after I've watched Heroes. My 10 PM hour has lots of possibilities for background as I write -- Saving Grace on TNT or maybe the new Animal Cops Phoenix on Animal Planet.

But then, later on, I have to absolutely positively see Letterman! He has two (not one, but TWO) of my all-time favorite guests on! First, Jack Hanna and animals. Those segments are priceless. Not only are the animals always fantastic, but I love the banter between Jack and Dave. Then, he also has Russell Brand on. That guy's a trip to a delightfully quirky place.

Tuesday: Ah, a relatively easy TV night. Two hours of American Idol, then I want to catch Trust Me (which I haven't seen) on TNT. Letterman has Stupid Pet Tricks, always a must see segment for me.

Wednesday: I plan to check out the new cooking reality show, The Chopping Block, on NBC in the 8 PM hour. Then it's American Idol and Criminal Minds on during the second hour. I'll record CM. LOST is a repeat. Even though I know it's going to be canceled, since they promise answers at the end of the season, I'm sticking with Life on Mars in the 10 PM hour. Letterman has on Tom Brokaw, another guest I enjoy. So I'm staying up.

Thursday: Gee, I think I'll watch Survivor for a change! Heh. Of course, I'll be writing that episode up for TV Squad. I see Bones is also a new episode running up against Survivor, but I'll catch it on the FOX website. In the second hour of the night, I'll probably catch Hell's Kitchen ... a show I've been keeping up with on the FOX website for the most part this season.

Friday: I sleep. Er, I watch shows I've recorded or shows on the Internet. Or, I catch up with my Bonnie Hunts recorded all week. Or I read. I sometimes catch Wife Swap. I'm not proud.

What are your TV plans for the week?

Today's musical non sequitur:
If there’s music we can use it
We need to dance.
We don’t have that time
For psychological romance
No romance
No romance
No romance for me mama
Come on baby tell me what’s the word.
Ah – word up.
-- "Word Up" by Cameo

Survivor: Why Taj Voted for Joe and Off Topic, too!

My, it was nothing all that nefarious at all. Taj wasn't trying to plant a seed of suspicion or create a rift in the tribe. Apparently, she just didn't want Sandy voted out unanimously yet didn't want to create issues by voting for Sydney. I guess she knew no one else would be voting for Joe and it was pretty much a throwaway vote.



I love it that CBS is making their video clips embeddable once again. They had stopped that capability last season. In watching this clip of the voting, it's obvious that although she could get on the nerves of others with her quirks, they liked Sandy. They really did.

Onto some off topic photos ...

We've had a weird weather week here. It started off with near blizzard conditions and arctic temperatures at the beginning of the week and we're going to be near 70 degrees now over the weekend. I hope it was winter's last hurrah! Due to snow on the roofs, I haven't seen Roofus the Cat yet this week. The ornamental kale is just sad right now.

Like in Mad About You when Paul Reiser tried to film the wind for Yoko Ono, I found it hard to just photograph COLD. What to do? What to do? Well, I had to create my own photo op -- it's called a stale croissant and a bunch of seagulls. Enjoy! You can click on the images to bring them up larger in a new window.


Gee, they always look so clean and white against the blue sky while flying.


Bulletin: The economy is so bad in New Jersey that bread lines have been forming all over the state.

"I've got my piece of the pie (croissant) and if you try to take it from me, I can be outright evil. Don't come near me! Where's that Coach dude? I can peck him if you give me more bread!"

American Idol Bulletin

For the first time ever, just as Anoop thought he was gone ... they're going for a top thirteen!

The top thirteen are:

Danny Gokey
Michael Sarver
Alexis Grace
Adam Lambert
Allison Iraheta
Kris Allen
Jorge Nunez
Lil Rounds
Scott McIntyre

Added in the Wild Card tonight:

Jasmine Murray
Megan Joy Corkrey
Matt Giraud
Anoop Desai

And ... poor Tatiana broke down when she didn't make it. A real shocker there, eh?

Survivor Tocantins: "The Strongest Man Alive" Blog Party

Welcome one! Welcome all! While my more extensive show review will be posted later at TV Squad, this post will be updated with events and my thoughts as the show airs here on the East Coast. Everyone is invited to party in the comments -- just remember, if you make a mess in there, you have to clean it up.

Jalapao won reward -- raid the other camp for two items. Because Brendan hadn't talked to Sierra yet, Taj selected Sierra for Exile and Sierra selected Taj instead of Stephen.

Timbira finally won something -- Immunity!

Sandy was voted out. Not a huge surprise.

LOST - "LaFleur" - A Thirty Second Review

We moved forward a bit as we jumped back and forth between a three-year span. Here's the scoop:

• Locke's turning the wheel in the Orchid Station did stop the time jumping for the island.
• That doesn't mean the viewers stopped time jumping.
• Faraday, Miles, Juliet, Sawyer, and Jin are stranded in 1974 on the island.
• That's not to be confused with being stuck in 1973 Manhattan.
• Sawyer (and Juliet) saved a damsel in distress.
  
• Said damsel and her (now late) husband are part of the Dharma Initiative.
• The husband was murdered and she was about to be murdered by "hostiles."
• Richard Albert is the leader of the hostiles and still looks exactly the same (no matter the year). Surprise, surprise.
• Sawyer and cohorts were kind of taken in by the Dharma folks.
• Sawyer is now a flower. Er, he's going by the name Jim LaFleur, which is Jim the Flower in French. (See, all those years of studying the language certainly have made a difference in my life.)
• In the beginning, Sawyer was told he's not Dharma material. Heh. He definitely isn't!
• They must have worked their way into the hearts and minds of Dharma as they're there three years later and in with the in crowd of the initiative.
• Sawyer now is with Juliet and deems Kate a distant memory.
• They're still waiting for Locke to return.
• But it's Jack, Kate, and Hurley who turn up.
• Now we know why Jin was wearing the Dharma uniform.
• And, Sawyer may just fall for Kate all over again, eh?

They've discontinued the LOST Entangled videos, but here's the video briefing of the episode from the ABC website.

The Bachelor's Big Finale Blog Discussion Post

Oh my, it's down to Melissa and Molly, eh? Here's a new blog discussion post as the last one got really swamped with comments. Remember to watch for the link to read more comments once we hit over 100! If you want to peek in at the official website, it's here.

The Celebrity Apprentice - Season Two Blog Talk

Unlike many of the shows I set up a blog discussion post for, I do watch Celebrity Apprentice. I doubt I'll be able to watch it as it airs each week due to other writing obligations. The show is on every Sunday night and, if I'm remembering right, it's going to be two-hour episodes every week for the season. It starts at 9 PM ET/PT.

I watched the premiere tonight and think the right person got fired. I never liked that person anyhow. So there. While I won't be watching the show on time each week, everyone is invited to discuss the happenings here. Spoilers don't bother me when I know the show has aired.

The Amazing Race - "I'm Not Wearing That Girl's Leotard" Blog Post

Yes, it's time for ... The Amazing Race! Yay! I'll be writing a more thorough review for TV Squad a bit later tonight, but this is the place for the party! I'll update the post here with important events and all are welcome to join us in the comments area. For the third week in a row, we're starting on time here on the East Coast. Yikes!

Pit Stop Order
1. Mel and Mike -- my team in the blog pool -- also won trip to Costa Rica
2. Amanda and Kris
3. Kisha and Jen
4. Margie and Luke
5. Mark and Michael
6. Christie and Jodi
7. Jaime and Cara
8. Tammy and Victor
9. Brad and Victoria -- Philiminated

Aw, I really liked them. I didn't think I'd like Mike and Mel and wasn't really thrilled when I got them in the pool. I was sure Mel would be a problem, but I'm really enjoying them. I'm glad they got first place this week!

Celebrity Apprentice, Amazing Race, Survivor, Roofus the Cat and other stuff!

Let's talk us some TV ...

Of course, you all know that tonight is Amazing Race night! As usual, I'll have a post up and running at 8 PM ET so we can gather and cheer on our teams as the show airs here on the East Coast. Everyone is welcome to hang out and party in the comments area!

But then I get into dilemma time blogging-wise. After TAR airs, I have to write up a review of the episode for TV Squad. Thankfully Cold Case isn't on tonight due to a special movie on CBS. If it was, I'd be writing up the episode for CliqueClack TV. I want to watch The Sopranos at either 10 PM or 11 PM on A&E (the episode is aired twice in a row) as I'm trying to catch the last handful of episodes.

But, throw into the mix the new two-hour episodes of The Celebrity Apprentice and I'm really getting dizzy! Although I gave up on Trump's plain ol' The Apprentice with its lackluster and grasping-at-straws last season, I enjoyed the first season of The Celebrity Apprentice. Since there is no Cold Case tonight, I'll be watching the show albeit a bit distracted as I'll be writing up TAR for TVS as it airs.



Next week I'll have to change my plans. Since I record the shows I write up in case I need to go back to clarify something and my recording technique is a bit antique and I can only record one show at a time, it looks like I'll probably be catching the repeat of Celeb Apprentice when it airs on Saturday nights. Hopefully they'll keep the Saturday night slot running with it (8-10 PM ET/PT) throughout the season. I'll be a week behind, but it's not like my Saturday night TV watching schedule is full or anything. I'm pretty excited about the cast this season and I adore Joan Rivers -- she's made me laugh on and off my entire life it seems. To be honest, I'd rather watch this show than Cold Case, but I've committed myself to the CC reviews whenever there are new episodes.

On Survivor this week we saw Jerry get voted out. Sigh. He was someone I wanted to like -- he seemed to be stable and get along with folks. However, it's been shown time and time again that if you get ill, chances are you're a goner. Well, not literally, but off the show! EW.com has a video interview with ex-castaway Eliza and Jerry. Now, Eliza was never one of my favorites, but she has Coach nailed! Jerry was interviewed in more depth by Reality TV World. Yep, a stomach virus is not a good thing in Tocantins.

Onto some off topic and a certain roof cat ...

I haven't felt too well all this past week. Unlike Jerry, it's not a stomach virus. It's basically that right knee. (The left knee replacement knee is fine.) The cortisone shot only worked a few days and it's getting progressively worse. In this economic atmosphere, I definitely need to hang onto my job although I've heard rumors that they might be offering early retirement packages to some folks and I'm probably in the eligible group.

But I need the health insurance and, to keep on working, I need to gather up my FMLA leave time so my job is protected. That should be sometime late summer. I'm going to have to go back to my orthopedic surgeon. I've been taking tons o' ibuprofen but, if I have to, maybe he can give me something stronger. I didn't want to take any heavier duty pain meds as I don't want to have a tolerance during recovery from surgery. The left knee was handled with Vicodin ES, which is amongst the milder meds in comparison. We'll see. But I must be able to work and walk until late summer.

In Roofus the Cat news, one of the local bloggers from my town has also spotted Roofus thanks to this blog. She focuses on a lot of the city politics and things which aren't covered by the local papers (which she retired from a while back as a reporter). We share an interest in local photographs and in the town although I'm not politically active -- I still like to know what's going on!

Roofus wasn't on his usual balcony roof yesterday. But I spotted him four rooftops over (click to make the image larger in a separate window) --



Then there's the commute --

Strangers on a train

One man uses his laptop while another catches a few winks while yet another one (me) uses the commute to take a few candid shots. Oh, I also read the paper and eat a donut sometimes.

Even stranger on the train

Oh my gosh, what's that in back of Napping Dude? All I could see was a hood, a nose, and mountain man beard. Oh, and a hand. Very scary man. I didn't get a better shot as he might have been able to see through the hood. He was giant, he was really hairy. Eek.

Welp, we're expecting up to a foot of snow overnight into Monday. While I don't really want the snow with my knee the way it is, no one is asking for my approval. If I can get to work, there's a lot I want to get done that I haven't been able to do as budget cuts have not only cut my hours, but made me work other jobs and neglect a bit of my own work. Priorities, grr. If I can get in and it's quiet (which it should be), I could get tons of stuff done. But, if we don't open or travel is almost impossible, I can take a day off and use paid time to cover it. I guess I'll know in the morning.

Survivor Tocantins - "Mama Said There Would Be Days Like This" - Ep. 3

Welcome one! Welcome all! While my more extensive show review will be posted later at TV Squad, this post will be updated with events and my thoughts as the show airs here on the East Coast. Everyone is invited to party in the comments -- just remember, if you make a mess in there, you have to clean it up.

Jalapao won reward -- comfy stuff. They chose Brendan to go to Exile again. He chose Taj again to accompany him. Tonight there is finally a separate immunity challenge.

Jalapao wins Immunity! Jerry is worried he'll be the target because he hasn't been feeling well.

Brendan found the hidden idol at his camp. Yay!

Jerry was indeed voted out.

American Idol - The Second Twelve

Well, tonight was the second group of twelve. Obviously, I didn't go into what each one sang this week. But I figured a quick post with those who I think will make and/or I liked --

My picks for the top three would be: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Megan Joy Corkrey. Of those three, I think Adam would have the teenage female fans, but I find Megan the most intriguing.

It's too bad Nick Mitchell had to be Norman tonight, but it was funny. He's so not right for the show, but I got a giggle. I never giggled back in the days I was paying the Norbert E. Mitchell Oil Company my bills back in CT.

I kind of like Kai -- he's got a disheveled John Stamos thing going on. I feel I should note that the Jimmy Ruffin song he sang, "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted?" was released the year AFTER "Satisfaction" (sung by Adam Lambert) was -- 1966 vs. 1965. They gave grief to Kai about the "old" song, yet loved Lambert. Sure, it was a different kind of song and Lambert rocked his out ... but!

The Amazing Race - 02/22 - "Your Target is Your Partner's Face"

Yes, it's time for ... The Amazing Race! Yay! I'll be writing a more thorough review for TV Squad a bit later tonight, but this is the place for the party! I'll update the post here with important events and all are welcome to join us in the comments area.For the second week in a row, we're starting on time here on the East Coast. We're going to get spoiled, eh?

Off to Germany!

Pit Stop
1. Tammy and Victor
2. Mel and Mike
3. Amanda and Kris
4. Margie and Luke
5. Brad and Victoria
6. Jaime and Cara (14 hours after the first team)
7. Kisha and Jen
8. Mark and Michael
9. Christie and Jodi
10. Linda and Steve - Philiminated

Sunday, Sunday - Some Off Topic and a Bit o' TV

Oh my gosh, Roofus the Cat was watching me take photos of him from his little balcony roof yesterday! (If you click on the image it will open larger in a new window.) I get the feeling that Roofus is one of those cats who does anything he can to avoid contact with humans. Actually, the feral cats near the train station are pretty amazing in their street smarts.

Once, at night, I saw a parked car with its lights on alongside the street. The ferals were crossing the street and, although the car was parked and not even running, each cat looked at the headlights and changed direction to run in back of it, not in front of it. I see the cats stop and look both ways before they run across the street as fast as they can. My own cat would be a goner in the feral cat world.

To my bit o' TV:

I'm still not really into anything airing on Friday nights. Usually that's okay as I can take time to watch daytime shows like The Bonnie Hunt Show which I record as I'm off to work. This week Bonnie was in reruns all week. I decided to take a brief nap after dinner and ended up waking up in time to watch Letterman. Argh. I hate when I do that!

But I do know why I was so tired. Y'see, after I watched Survivor on Thursday night, I wanted to watch C.S.I. before I got into writing my Survivor review for TV Squad and my TV Shows Off the Beaten path column for CliqueClack TV. So my plans already had me staying up pretty late writing when I have to get up at 5:45 AM for work. I watched C.S.I., turned to the computer determined to speed write my way through the two articles and then it happened ... my power went out. Poof. No storm. No nothing. No power. I looked out my windows and saw my own block was dark for as far as I could see yet the block in back of me had lights. I got out my scanner and heard fire and police talking about a pole down on the street in back of me. Yet they had power! Grr. It came back on about an hour later and I finished writing at about 1 AM. No wonder I power-napped.

Cold Case and The Big Bang Theory are both repeats this week. So I won't be writing them up for CliqueClack TV. Later today I'll write up my weekly Reality Clack for that site, though. It will go up on site tomorrow. Later tonight (of course), I'll be posting an Amazing Race post here and my full review of the show for TV Squad.

One thing I will certainly be watching tonight is the airing of The Sopranos on A&E. I got into the show over the summer when I was home recuperating from the knee replacement but kept wondering how I kept missing the last few episodes in the A&E airings. Well, duh. That's because they weren't showing them! But now on Sunday nights, they have the last handful. Sure, I know how it ends, but I want to see it for myself! If the entire thing wasn't so cost-prohibitive, I'd buy the DVDs.

For years I lived in the Danbury, CT area. I still read the online version of the local paper there. One of the most notorious American Idol contestants this year, Nick Mitchell (Norman Gentle), is from nearby Brookfield. When I first moved to CT, I lived in Bethel and his father's oil company was my heating oil supplier for the rented cabin I had. The Danbury News Times has an interview with Nick. Should he make it through this week? I just don't know. But I recall those Mitchell oil delivery payments I made way back when! I had to order a minimum of 150 gallons. Oy!

I probably won't watch any of the Oscars. I know, I know. But I don't think I've seen any of the movies up for wins and I'm not all that into Hollywood glitz and red carpet stuff. If any of you want a discussion blog post for the Oscars, let me know and I'll get one going for you.


Here's a different angle on the fancy-schmancy double-decker train from NJ Transit. I was standing on the ramp leading to the raised platform and had the camera at ground level of the platform. Most of the trains I ride are still the older one-level ones. But I'm seeing fancy-schmancy more often. In a way, it's not so good for my knee as, unless I sit in the vestibule area which is between levels, I have to go either up or down stairs. As much as I ride the trains, I'm still a window seat kind of person. I like to sit high and oversee the terrain. One thing I want to note -- as much as I ride the commuter trains, I've never been in the bathroom of one. Not once, never. I just don't want to know.

Today's musical non sequitur:
Good sense, innocence, cripplin' mankind
Dead kings, many things I can't define.
Occasion, persuasions clutter your mind
Incense and peppermints, the color of time.
Who cares what games we choose?
Little to win, but nothin' to lose.
-- "Incense and Peppermints" by The Strawberry Alarm Clock

Survivor Tocantins Ep. 2 - "The Poison Apple Needs to Go" Blog Gathering

Oh, I wonder who the bad apple is, don't you? I hope it's "Coach" because he's so obnoxious! He lost his real job for lying about being away on the show. Heh.

Welcome one and all to the blog party known as a Survivor episode! Feel free to join in down in the comments as the show airs or afterward. If you're in the Survivor pool, I hope your chosen one fares well tonight. That is, unless my own pool choice is kaput because of your chosen one! I'll be updating this post with the major events and my review of the show will be posted later on TV Squad. Survivors ready?

Jalapao won immunity, fishing gear, and sends Brendan to Exile. The note twist from promos is that Brendan can choose one from the other tribe to go with him. He chooses Taj.

Neither have the idol.

Candace gets voted out in a blindside.

LOST "316" Thirty Second Review, Plus "LOST Untangled" Video

Welp, they made it back to the island ... all of them. Jack, Sayid, Kate, Sun, Hurley, and Locke's body, as well as Ben. Here's the brief skinny:

• Jack, Sun, and Ben met with Eloise Hawking (Faraday's mother). The church is actually some sort of Dharma site.
• She said the island moves and they can track it with an oddly convoluted pendulum doohickey.
• She decides they can recreate the crash by taking Flight 316.
• Meanwhile, Desmond shows up to give her the message from her son. He says he's through with the island. She warns him the island isn't through with him.
• Somehow even Hurley and Sayid show up for the flight. Kate, too.
• One of the crew on 316 is Frank Lapidus -- the helicopter pilot who saved the original six.
• The plane doesn't seem to crash, yet Jack, Kate, and Hurley all personally crash on the island.
• They are met by Jin driving the Dharma van (which looks new) and wearing a crisp Dharma uniform. Oh. And he has a gun.

My guess is that they've arrived in another time, a time in which Jin had to join Dharma to survive. Then again, I could be totally wrong.

Here's this week's LOST Untangled video ... gosh, these crack me up:

Quickie American Idol Update

The three voted into the top twelve from last night's group are:

Alexis Grace
Michael Sarver
Danny Gokey

And Tatiana cried. Out of all of the ones not voted into the top three, she was the sole drama queen. I'm so not surprised.

I would have rather Anoop Desai had made it rather than Michael, but I think he has strong wild card possibilities. I can only hope never to see or hear Tatiana again.

American Idol - The First 12 Group

Now, I can't promise to do this each night, but I'm here now with a look at the first group of twelve. I'll be updating this post sporadically as the show airs. From this group, all but three will be eliminated. The judges seem to be playing Three Nice Judges against One Mean Judge. Guess who is whom? Interesting, each contestant's parents have been with Ryan for the after performance interview. What if there are family issues?

Jackie Tohn: Eh, great first name, lots of energy. I don't think she'll make it.

Ricky Braddy: Wow. What a voice! I don't really remember this guy much, but he's good!

Alexis Grace: Better than Jackie, but still not amazing like Ricky was. Hmm ... even Simon is liking her. He's comparing her to Kelly Clarkson. Maybe I'm wrong -- no. I'm not. I think Ricky was better!

Brent Keith: He's a bit country. I think he could probably have a hit country record right now. But will he make it? He's good, but he's against a lot of talent tonight.

Stevie Wright: Hmmm ... off to a rough start, methinks. Nice girl, but I'm not seeing her making it or winning it all.Weird outfit -- she has HUGE feet. Phew, Randy agrees with me. Well, he didn't mention her feet. The judges aren't thrilled at all.

Anoop Desai: Ah, here's some talent! I'm not overly thrilled with the song choice. But he can sing! The judges agree with me so far. None of them seemed to click with the song choice, but Anoop should do well.

Casey Carlson: She's doing an old Police song. I'm just not getting into it. Not good. So far, the guys have been much more impressive than the girls. Once again, Randy is agreeing with me ... Cara, too. Paula, too. Simon tells her she was atrocious. She looks like a deer caught in the headlights.

Michael Sarver: This is the oil rig guy. I enjoy his voice ... let's see. Country, yes. Um, he might want to reconsider his dancing style. Definitely not bad, but not the best of the guys so far tonight. Randy has an issue with the performance, so does Cara. Gee, I should be a judge. Paula liked it. Simon isn't thrilled, but likes Michael.

Ann Marie Boscovich: She's going for Aretha ... already a better choice than some of them. Decent, but not awe-inspiring. Okay, the judges are agreeing with me. She didn't "kill it."

Stephen Fowler: I want to like him, but this Michael Jackson song is sounding a bit off key or something. Randy agrees with me ... pitchy and not good.

Tatiana Del Toro: It's a shame. She's singing better than most of the other women and some of the men. Too bad. I so don't like this excitable girl drama queen. She must go away even if she's stellar. Simon just called her a drama queen, desperate to be famous.

Danny Gokey: I really love this guy ... and he can sing! Paula is up and dancing. Heck, let's cancel this season and declare Danny the winner. He's my favorite!

My three pick for tonight is: Danny, Anoop, and then either Ricky or (more likely to be voted in) Alexis.

The Amazing Race - Season Premiere Blog Gathering

Yes, it's time for ... The Amazing Race! Yay! I'll be writing a more thorough review for TV Squad a bit later tonight, but this is the place for the party! I'll update the post here with important events and all are welcome to join us in the comments area. Margo is running the pool and may your team (or mine) win the first leg! Once again, Zoetawny has created yet another spiffy show logo for the blog. Have I mentioned that she rocks lately?

It's off to Switzerland. I don't like Preston and Jennifer and they're living up to my expectations.

Pit Stop Order
1. Margie and Luke (YAY!) - won a trip to Mexico
2. Tammy and Victor
3. Mark and Michael
4. Mel and Mike
5. Amanda and Kris
6. Brad and Victoria
7. Jaime and Cara
8. Kisha and Jen
9. Steve and Linda
10. Christine and Jodi
11. Jennifer and Preston -- Philiminated

Off Topic: Roofus the Cat

I haven't seen Roofus the Cat for nearly a week. Although I was pretty sure I was just missing him, I was a bit upset that he stood me up for my Saturday work commute. After all, Saturday is almost the "sure bet" day. Just a minute or two before my train was to arrive ...

Hey, what's that walking along the roofs?

Why, it's Roofus the Cat about to go onto the fire escape!

Look! It's Roofus ON the fire escape!

And, then the arrival to his favorite napping spot and my train comes in at the same time. Clicking on any of these images will make them open larger in a new window. Then you can just click back to this page.

Later tonight -- it's the blog party for the season premiere of The Amazing Race! C'mon back and join in on the fun!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Zoetawny created yet another fantastic graphic for the day! I hope everyone is someone's Valentine ... or, at the very least, get to eat some good chocolate!

Me? Um ... I have to go to work.

TV Bitsy Bits

As they say --- "police activity" by my NJ Transit train this morning. Thankfully they held the train at my arrival station instead of the one before it. It was something to do with a non-responsive passenger. I don't think he was non-responsive because he didn't give a nod when asked "howyadoin." The conductors didn't seem all that excited and they weren't helping the person, so my guess is drugs or drunk. Ah, at 7:30 in the morning!

Onto my TV Bitsy Bits

I watched my recorded Bonnie Hunt Show from today. Two things. First, I had forgotten how funny, quick, and sometimes way raunchy Joan Rivers can be. She was a hoot! And then there was Phil Keoghan. It's great to see him in a surrounding other than a welcome mat in a strange country. He's adorable and also has a quick wit. More importantly, he's thrilled with the attention Bonnie gives The Amazing Race and all the teams will go on the show as they get Philiminated. He said the teams are looking forward to it.

My Survivor review on TV Squad is here if you haven't seen it yet. I push monkeys. You've been warned. Reality News Online has an interview with the ousted castaway Carolina. Uh-oh. Those cowboy boots I mocked were JT's, not hers. She borrowed them because her sneakers were wet. Now I have another two things. First, I like JT and hope she didn't give him fungus foot or root rot or something. Second, um ... small feet there, JT? Oh, by the way, she decided God didn't want her to be on the show. Little did she know that no one wanted to listen to her helium voice all season!

My latest TV Shows Off the Beaten Path column is up over on CliqueClack TV. I did this week's one on America's Most Wanted. I foresee running out of shows eventually on the column. Yikes.

Today's musical non sequitur:
Very superstitious, writing's on the wall,
Very superstitious, ladder's 'bout to fall,
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past.
-- "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder

Survivor Tocantins -- Season Premiere

Welcome one! Welcome all! It's the season premiere of Survivor Tocantins! Zoetawny has made us another rockin' blog logo for the show and ORKMommy will once again be running the blog pool in the comments area.

While my more extensive show review will be posted later at TV Squad, this post will be updated with events and my thoughts as the show airs here on the East Coast. Everyone is invited to party in the comments -- just remember, if you make a mess in there, you have to clean it up.

Survivors ready? It's ON!

Yikes ... Sierra and Sandy voted off? They won't go on "this adventure." This adventure turns out to be the four-hour trek to camp. They get to fly. We've been had. So, two are NOT voted out right away!

Timbira wins fire and immunity! Sandy better find that idol or, they might go for weak Carolina. Hmm.

Yep, they voted out Carolina! (I know I will have some more comments about her on TV Squad!)

American Idol: The Top 36

Yep, here's another American Idol blog logo made for us by Zoetawny! How cool is that?

Well, they've changed things around a bit this season. Obviously, there's a top 36 instead of the 24 of previous years. They also told the wannabe idols their fate a bit differently, as well. Reminiscent of "dancing for your life" on So You Think You Can Dance, some of them had to sing against others to earn their prized spot. Eh. I suppose it added some drama, something the show is notoriously short on. Er, yes ... I'm being sarcastic. Me? I'd rather they get up and talk about how they will not be obnoxious. Like that's going to happen, eh?

Here's the list:

The gals

Alexis Grace
Allison Iraheta
Ann Marie Boskovich
Arianna Afsar
Casey Carlson
Joanna Pacitti Felicia Barton
Jackie Tohn
Jasmine Murray
Jeanine Vailes
Jessie Langseth
Kendall Beard
Kristen McNamara
Lil Rounds
Megan Corkrey
Mishavonna Henson
Stevie Wright
Tatiana Nicole Del Toro
Taylor Vaifanua

The guys:

Adam Lambert
Alexander Wagner-Trugman
Anoop Desai
Brent Keith
Danny Gokey
Jorge Nunez
Ju'Not Joyner
Kai Kalama
Kris Allen
Matt Breitzke
Matt Giraud
Michael Sarver
Nathaniel Marshall
Nick Mitchell
Ricky Braddy
Scott MacIntyre
Stephen Fowler
Von Smith

Joanna Pacitti was replaced by Felicia Barton when they finally deemed her ineligible to compete. It's something about previous contracts and the relationship with the record company.

Two who made it and can go away

I'm sorry, but Tatiana and Nathaniel Marshall can go far away. These are two of the most annoying contestants ever on the show. I don't care if they can sing or not. They're both drama queens and, as they say, save the drama for your mama ... you aren't welcome on my TV set, neither one of you.

Really iffy

Nick Mitchell made it? Or, should I say ... Norman Gentle made it? He can sing and has that annoyance factor, too. However, at least he doesn't cry all the time. He's from Brookfield, CT, near my old stomping grounds in Danbury. I've been reading the online newspaper from the area -- they're cheering him on. I guess we'll see.

Random comments

• Aw, too bad that Jamar and Danny got split up. I was sure Danny would make it. I think Jamar would be more fun to watch than Nathaniel.
  
• None of the girls are striking me the way Melinda Doolittle did. Hopefully one or two will stand out for me to cheer them on.
• Anoop is good, as are many of the other guys.

Did you watch? Have you any early favorites?

LOST - Thirty Second Review - "This Place is Death"

Oh, my. Lost has me suckered right in once again. Mind you, I don't have it all figured out, nor am I one of the fanatics watching the show analyzing every scene. I just don't have enough time in my life for all that! And, would it make the show more entertaining for me? I don't think so. I believe if I researched every tidbit of information out there, watching the show would become work ... not entertainment. I'm in it for the entertainment.

Here's my quick take on last night's episode:

• Jin realizes the island is death and makes Locke promise not to bring Sun back (as she'll die). He gave Locke his wedding ring and told him to tell her he's dead.
• The smoke monster attacked the French group, driving them wacky and/or killing them -- except for the pregnant Danielle Rousseau.
• Jin was reunited in time and space with Sawyer, Locke, Juliet, and the newbies with them.
• Locke was told by Jack's father (Christian) to complete the turn of the wheel Ben had started down underground -- that would fix the time warping.
• Sayid and Kate took off and refused to go with Ben.
• Sun, convinced by Ben (who used the wedding ring to prove Jin alive, not dead), went with Jack and Ben to a mysterious church where they met up with both Desmond and Eloise Hawking (who had wanted all six there).
• Eloise is indeed Faraday's mother.
• Charlotte died after making mysterious references to Faraday warning her she would back when she was a child and lived on the island.
• Almost all of the time-traveling group have had bloody noses.
  

So ... Hurley, Kate, Sayid, and Aaron -- four of the six -- aren't there. I have a feeling that we'll see them join Jack and Sun soon enough. They've played up the "must be all of them" bit too much for anything else to happen. Hmmm. I still think Ben is a bad guy. I think Jack's being a dense guy. Probably the best "good guy" would be either Sayid or Hurley.

Once again, I'm including the "Lost Untangled" video here. These are hilarious!

What the ...? Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman Last Night

I'll be posting on Lost and American Idol soon, but I just had to comment on this and snag the video from YouTube if you missed it. Joaquin Phoenix was sort of on Letterman last night. Very odd. Is it an act? He looks like a well-dressed Blues Brother possibly captured from Skid Row. He makes the long-ago Farrah Fawcett stoned interview look coherent. Is he on drugs? Has he lost it? I admire David Letterman's restraint and, although Phoenix looked very uncomfortable and embarrassed at times, he brought any commentary on himself.

What the ____ is up with this?

Survivor and TAR Blog Pools, Tonight's TV, and a bit of Off Topic

It's that time again! Thanks to members of this blog community, the pools for Survivor and The Amazing Race will once again go on in the comments area. If you didn't participate before, don't worry -- no money or wagering is involved. Those who want to be in the pool just need to speak up and the show contestants are chosen randomly for us to cheer on throughout the season.

ORKmommy is running the Survivor pool and here's who she has listed as in so far:
Terry in CA
Jennasmom
PDX Granny
Laurie
Becky
Dixie
Rbennie
lynn1
Margo
Joyce
meb
dla
Caroline
ORKMommy
Jackie
Sydney
Gayle
Jodie
Sizzie
Donna in AL
Petals
Zoetawny

Margo has volunteered to run the pool for The Amazing Race. So far (I'm adding my name):
Margo
Donna in AL
Meb
Sizzie
Caroline
ORKMommy
Lynn1
Jackie

If you want in, just reply in comments and mention which pool. Or, if you prefer to notify Margo or ORKMommy, they left messages in my last post's comments. I just don't want to put email addresses here on the main page of the blog.

I have a TV dilemma tonight. I want to watch American Idol as they're going to narrow it down to the final 36. Argh! It's two hours tonight! Meanwhile, at 9 PM ET, Lost comes on. What I'll probably do is record the second hour of AI and watch Lost as it airs. Then it's Life on Mars for me. Hopefully either late tonight or tomorrow I'll at least get some commentary up about both Lost and American Idol.

And, now to a bit of off topic. I haven't seen Roofus the Cat for a few days, but I'm sure he's fine. Unfortunately, there was a murder at the station in the wee hours of Sunday morning. An 18-year-old was shot, no one is in custody. The train station I go to daily and the neighborhood surrounding it are safe as I go through both on my way to work and home. I'm friendly with fellow commuters and the shopkeepers in the area. But I wouldn't be there at 2:30 AM. It's a totally different world there at that hour.




Today's musical non sequitur:
When you walk through the garden
You gotta watch your back
Well, I beg your pardon
Walk the straight and narrow track
If you walk with Jesus
He's gonna save your soul
You gotta keep the devil
Way down in the hole
-- "Way Down in the Hole" by Tom Waits

The Amazing Race 14: Meet the Teams, Part Three

Okay, we're down to the last three teams we'll be seeing on the season premiere next Sunday, February 15. You can check out the first two groups of teams I took a look at here and here. Again, I apologize for the slow load time due to all of the videos on the main blog page. If you're having problems with the videos, try using the time link at the bottom of the post which will bring up only that post.



Linda and Steve Cole have been married for 17 years. She's 52, he's 43, and they call Martinsville (Virginia) their home. He's a carpenter while she's a customer service supervisor. I think they're going to be another likable team. But I'm not so sure that they're going to be as well-traveled as many of the other teams. In their favor is that they're huge fans of the show. I think the idea of adventure probably is as much of a lure as the financial prize for the winner. I'd personally love to do the show all the way through just for the fun and excitement.



We have another sibling team with LaKisha and Jennifer Hoffman. LaKisha is 28, lives in the Bronx (NY), and is a program coordinator. Jennifer is 24, lives in Louisville (KY), and is a marketing assistant. Although LaKisha has that "you know what I'm saying" speech pattern which tends to irk me, I like these two. I love that Jennifer said you have to think to be evil and she doesn't like to think that much. I think they're going to be fun to watch, but I'm not sure how well they'll fare on the race itself.



Jennifer Hopka (26) and Preston McCamy (28) are a dating couple from Columbia, South Carolina. She's a student and he's a software engineer. Um, okay. She's a student at 28 ... wonder how the bills get paid? She's pretty, but she's really rubbing me wrong for some reason. I don't know. Perhaps it's the way she kept interrupting him in the clip. I think this might be the couple I boo and it's going to be because of her. Or, I could be totally wrong and my first impression is off.

Survivor Tocantins Castaways Part Three

Welcome to the last group of castaways! Once again, I apologize for the slow-loading pages with all the videos. Once I get the last group in for The Amazing Race, the huge video pages will start to drop off the main page and the blog will load quicker. If things aren't loading right for you, try going by individual post. It seems that the CBS videos are causing a lag time. Parts one and two can be found here and here on the blog. Onto the castaways ...



Spencer Duhm (must have been fun growing up with that last name!) at 19 years old is the youngest castaway ever on the show. He's a gay student from Lakeland, Florida. While he comes across as very mature in his video, I'm not so sure he's my favorite for the win. Yes, he's very poised and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. But I have some sort of nagging doubt about him that I can't explain. I'll have to watch him in action.



Stephen Fishbach, age 29, is a corporate consultant from NYC, NY. When he said he looks like a Muppet, I had to snicker. I'm all too aware of a soul-sucking job and wanting just to go away from it all to write. But has he really paid his dues? I mean ... Yale and only 29. I'm sorry. I don't think the rat race has claimed enough of his soul yet for an early retirement. That aside, if his strategy works as he's planned, he could go far in the game. His thoughts of being eaten are a bit off base. That is unlikely to happen on the show. But could he win? Maybe, but maybe not.



Look! It's SYDNEY! Yay! Blond and into fashion and design ... kind of like our own blog Sydney, eh? This Sydney (Wheeler) is 24 and from Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm kind of liking her. She's a very pretty girl, but she looks like she is made of tough stuff, too. She's a model who's currently living in San Diego and hopefully will be a fine representative of our very own Sydney. She seems to have a good game plan and could do fine physically.



Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George is 37 years old and from Nashville, Tennessee. While the CBS website describes her as a "former pop star," I've never heard of her. She's worried about people finding out who she is and to whom she's married. Um ... to be honest, I've never heard of Sisters With Voices even if they are "Grammy nominated." Nor do I follow football and would have no idea who her husband is -- former NFL running back Eddie George of the Tennessee Titans. Nor have I read her book. Maybe I'm just living under a rock, but I kind of doubt folks are going to be recognizing her as some sort of star. With her delusions of worldwide fame aside, I like her strategy and she made me giggle about living off her stored fat. She could do well in the game.



Tyson Apostol, age 29, is a professional cyclist from Lindon, Utah. The CBS website lists him as the fan favorite so far. I just can't get behind that. His favorite castaway is Johnny Fairplay? Yikes! That would put him at the bottom of my list. I don't think Fairplay played the game well at all and he creeped me out, too! Tyson is in good shape and might do well. But I'm almost hoping not just because he's a Fairplay fan. Ew.