Off Topic: More NYC Doings, TVS Article, Almost 2009

Yep, it's almost that time! Above is a lighted artsy-doohickey thingee I photographed in the Times Square subway station on Monday. She isn't all that mystical -- that white ray coming from her eye is the reflection of the fluorescent light. Clicking on any of the images in this post will bring up a larger image in a separate window. Then, just hit your "back" button to go back to reading.

I apologize for not posting yesterday. I felt like I had been run over by a subway train! My knee replacement knee has a slight bruise and some muscle soreness from my fall. But it's the other knee which is the problem. A huge BLACK and blue along with a bit of a mouse right under the kneecap. I ended up spending the day not moving more than I had to, icing, and elevating. I actually used my crutches to get around.

But today it's a bit better. I went out for errands this morning and, although sore, it got me where I had to go and even carried some groceries. I'm very proud of the knee replacement knee -- I know it hit the pavement just as hard. So, go for the operation RJM!

I have a new article of my "Odd Duck TV Crushes" up over on TV Squad. And, Sydney asked what happens when the writing gig stuff slows down ... I don't earn money. I'll probably be posting more news/opinion articles in January. I hope so, anyway.

For those who really find the subways interesting, I threw some video clips together and made a YouTube video of them. The first clip was this extremely loud jazz group under the Port Authority Building. As I caught the bus home Monday night, I ended up walking through them just about as briskly as the one guy in the clip did. I wasn't going to miss my bus and they were really loud. The second clip, he's lip-synching and strumming the guitar off-key, the third is just a train coming in. The latter two clips I took in September, hence the lack of jackets.




Here are some more photos I took on Monday. Below I whiled the time in front of the Port Authority Bus Terminal waiting for time to go inside and board my bus home. The bus home stops directly across the street from my apartment, so I often take that rather than the train.


Yes, they have a statue of Jackie Gleason from The Honeymooners in front of the Port Authority Bus Terminal.


Above is the NY Times building that guy dressed as Spider-Man climbed a while back. It's across the street from the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Here are some more Times Square shots I took Monday. Thankfully I chose Monday to go. Today has been snowy, windy, and tonight the wind chill is going down below zero.





Whoops! I'm back at Port Authority below messing with a teensy keyring digital camera I picked up for $10 at CVS.


Below is some street guy in front of the Port Authority Building who wanted me to take a picture of him with my teensy keyring camera. He advised me that since it doesn't have a memory card, I'd have to download the pictures to my computer. My ... street people have changed over the years!


I had to run some errands in Scotch Plains and just had to take some photos of the park where I'd sit across from my physical therapy place this past summer. Nifty!



Above is the fountain. It's a rather neat decoration with the insides a'spinning.


Above is the little park. Below is ...


OOPS! Y'see ... it's kind of what happened to me except I did mine on pavement!


Above is the kale early this morning with some snowflakes falling on it.

Well. duh. Who's going to keep walking through the fence?

At midnight, I'll be posting the latest Zoetawny New Year's graphic. I'm in for the night here ... just me, my cat, and my extremely already loud new neighbors in the apartment which was the broken into party spot earlier this year. These new tenants aren't much better than the illegal party animals. Oh, well. I'll let them get away with it for tonight.

Off TV Topic: Jackie Does the Tourist Thang

Well, I had today off and my knee is doing well. Plus, it was a gorgeous day! Since the first surgery on the knee, I've done very little photo-stomping. Manhattan (NYC) is one of my favorite places to to go said photo-stomping. And, the holiday doings are still going strong. So I did it. I took a gazillion photos, but here's a sampling of my day. I still have to go through the photos more thoroughly.

I started by taking the train from Westfield as I had a few errands to run before going in. I feared the toy soldier would attack me! But, no. I should have just watched where I was walking. My nightmare happened -- I tripped on a curb, falling on both knees and both palms. Ow. But the knee replacement knee did well. I even got up well. But the "good" knee is all black and blue tonight.

Clicking on any of the images will make them larger.


I took one of the fancy-schmancy double-decker NJ Transit trains in. One of my regular conductors was on it. He just placed a seat check on my seat without thinking that this wasn't my work commute time or direction.


So I got a free ride to Penn Station Newark. My line has to transfer at Penn Station Newark to go to Penn Station New York as its diesel and NYC only allows electric trains in the city. The ticket I bought is good for a year, so I'll use it another time.



Hey! Amtrak gets a food service car? SOOO not fair! I remember the Metro North trains from CT often had a bar car. NJ Transit is bring your own food, bring your own booze.


I didn't take the PATH train from Newark Penn into Manhattan as it wouldn't take me really where I wanted to go. I bought a ticket for the leg on NJT to Penn NY.


Ah, Penn Station! Look -- some people are in shirtsleeves! It wasn't THAT warm, I don't think. The high was in the high forties today. Since the Empire State Building got whited-out in my bad exposure shot above, here it is below.


The top of the Empire State Building is lighted in red and green at night for the holiday.


A kid catches some air outside of the Borders connected to Madison Square Garden.


I decided to hit Grand Central Station to catch the holiday laser light show. And, sheesh ... you'd think it was Grand Central Station with the crowds!


Above is the laser light show on the ceiling of Grand Central -- it was moving all around and changing, thus a bit of a blur. And, below ... I'm two days early for...


... Times Square.


Now I remember why I avoid Times Square even when it's not New Year's Eve. The crowds! Ack. I always love that NYPD station with its pink and blue neon, though.


Look WAY up (above) ... it says 2009. I will NOT be there to greet it!


The humanity! The humanity! What have I stumbled onto? I can't breathe! I can't move! Did that man pinch my butt?


Oh. Never mind. It's just Rockefeller Center. You don't want to know how much it costs to skate there. No, I didn't skate.



Above is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Below are ...


HORSIES! I don't often see the mounted cops in Manhattan, but there were six of them sitting there. When I told one he was going on my blog, he schnuffled me and got horse drool on my jacket.


I can't help it. I'm a sucker for horses.


Yeah, more horses. Got a problem with it? :-)


"This is our holiday. This is our New York." No, I didn't go to the Top of the Rock. I thought it was enough to be at the bottom of the Rock.


And now I'm home and so tired (see above). Mind you, not tired enough to panhandle in a subway tunnel under Times Square. They have these weird Burma Shave type signs on the ceiling. This woman set up under "So Tired." I decided to follow the direction of the one which read "Go Home."

Rerun City and Off Topic Photos, RoofusToo!

Oh my gosh, isn't television horrid with reruns this week? I guess they think that everyone is out of town visiting relatives or something. But some of us had to work. Last night my police scanner was much more interesting than my television. There were two shootings and two cars were torched in my city (Plainfield, NJ), yet nothing in the local news. Thankfully, none of the incidents were in my particular neighborhood, but it's quite peaceful where I live. Well, except for new tenants downstairs who think the hallways are a place to have their children exercise everyday -- thump, thump, thump as they run the halls for at least an hour every night! Ack. THAT is going to stop!

Due to the dearth of anything to watch on TV this past week, I'll give you some photos I took. In the beginning of the week we had snow and ice. Yesterday it was foggy all day and pea soup at night. Today it's supposed to get up to the mid-sixties. Clicking on any of these images will bring up a larger image.


Last night it was foggy as I caught the NJ Transit train home from work.



The fog didn't stop Roofus the cat from making his usual Saturday appearance as I headed to work. He seems to be taking quite the cat nap!


Is that a skunk or is it our buddy Roofus the cat up there in the morning fog?


Yesterday the ornamental kale was covered with dew from the fog and condensation from our last snow.


Here's what the kale looked like on Friday as I went to work (above).


This is what it looked like on Tuesday as I headed to work.


Again, the bunch o' ornamental kale in the snow on Tuesday morning.


This was my Plainfield 'hood on Tuesday morning, similar to the shot I posted last week.


"Go home --> your in the wrong hood." Um, I found the misspelled graffiti in Bridgewater, NJ. Bridgewater is generally upper middle-class to wealthy. Huh. Let them come to my town and see if they're in the right 'hood or not! @@

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

I know I'm a bit late for the start of Hanukkah, but here I am. I hope everyone has a great holiday no matter what you might celebrate. We have a new holiday graphic from Zoetawny and, well ... you'll see.

And now you'll see why my cat Scherzo isn't earning the big bucks by being a television cat. She's only good on camera when she can lick your hand ...

Bereft Without Survivor!

I was so bereft with no Survivor on TV last night that I didn't post anything! Er, well, actually ... I wrote an entry and my Firefox browser decided to change to a new version, thus freezing up my computer and making it lose my entry. So I hit the sack instead. Below is the weather pic I was going to post from last night. I live right directly to the right of his thumb -- the pointy part of Union County. The island directly along the line of his thumb is Staten Island (a borough of NYC), the island above that is Manhattan. The long island on the right is Long Island (duh) ... or, as they say out there, Lawn Guyland.

So far we have about four inches slushed down from sleet, rain, and freezing rain. It's turned back to snow. I don't think we'll get the eight inches, but we might get six.


Here's a bit more Jersey culture for you. I like Taylor Ham (but call it pork roll), but I'm more of a Scrapple person at heart.

Ledger Live - 12-18-08

Television itself is kind of repeats, holiday specials, and such. I may go to bed early again tonight. What are you up to?

Today's musical non sequitur:
If you want to find all the cops
They're hanging out in the donut shop
They sing and dance (oh whey oh)
Spin the clubs, cruise down the block
-- "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles

Wednesday TV ... and Off Topic Day

Hmm ... I used to get all excited about Wednesday night television. Now, I'm not too thrilled about the 8 PM hour (no new Bones). I've watched The Secret Millionaire a few times. It's okay, but it bugs me to no end about the huge dilemma they make about "lying." Sheesh. The folks are going to be thrilled about the money. Knock off the guilt trip about lying. @@ I may or may not watch it tonight.

I've grown tired of Christine and haven't gotting into Gary Unmarried. Maybe I'll watch The Muppets! At 9 PM ET/PT, I'll be watching Criminal Minds on CBS. That's a given. At 10 PM ET/PT, I'm undecided. A new CSI: NY or a new Top Chef. Cable has a few interesting offerings. But there isn't anything I MUST see.

How about you?

In Off Topic ramblings, here's my commuting day:


We had about three inches of snow, but it turned to rain and this is what my NJ neighborhood looked like as I started off to the train station.


Here's our ornamental kale we've been watching on the blog. It likes the snow. Really, it does!


The Plainfield, NJ Train Station is a slushy ... er, winter wonderland.


Snow on the tracks and I always like to take pictures of the lighted lamps at the station.


On the way home, we're talking "police activity." This time the police apparently caused it. My apologies for the quality of the photo -- it was dark and cops were all over the place. I didn't want them yelling at me. What a witness told me was the cop blew the light with lights and siren turning right. He (she?) hit the other car head-on and pushed it ten feet onto the sidewalk by a bank. I walked around them and saw it from the front angle, but didn't dare take a shot. The whole front end of the police car is missing.

And, now I'm home! We're under a winter storm watch for Friday. Sigh.

Today's musical non sequitur:
Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime.
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.
Why don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?
-- "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" as sung by Bing Crosby, Rudy Vallee and a gazillion others.

Winter Freakin' Wonderland ... and TV Stuff

Sure, yesterday we were near 70 degrees and look at tonight! I didn't bring either my hat or gloves because they weren't calling for snow. Above is the Plainfield Train Station and below is a nearby street. As I type this, we now have about an inch on the ground.


Since both Survivor and Amazing Race have wrapped up, I want to thank both ORKMommy and RBennie for running the pools in the comments area. You both added a fun dimension to the seasons here and it's very appreciated!

Tonight is a fairly quiet TV night for me. Leverage (good show) is on TNT at 10 PM ET/PT. However, it's one of the ones I've already seen in the press kit screeners. I might check out Momma's Boys, a new reality show on NBC at 10 PM ET/PT. It has the mothers of men living with romance contestants for said men. It sounds like fuel for brouhahas for me! The Biggest Loser has its finale tonight, but I've never watched it. At 9 PM ET/PT, there's a new Mentalist on. I might try to fit in my two recorded Bonnie Hunt Shows and David Letterman from last night as I went to bed early and recorded it.

Gack. Even on a quiet TV night, too much TV, too little time! What will you be watching?

Tonight's musical non sequitur:
Jackie is just speeding away
Thought she was James Dean for a day
Then I guess she had to crash
Valium would have helped that dash
She said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side
I said, hey honey, take a walk on the wild side
-- 'Walk On the Wild Side" by Lou Reed

Survivor Gabon Bob Gets His Check and Stuff

Bob Crowley, the big winner of last night's Survivor finale, appeared on The Early Show this morning and picked up his check. Aw, he's such a nice guy!


Watch CBS Videos Online

In other news, my Survivor finale review is up over on TV Squad. And, over on CliqueClack TV, my latest Reality Clack column is up and running. Late tonight, my review of tonight's The Big Bang Theory will go up there.

Today's musical non sequitur:
Say what do you think of gentlemen wearing mink?
Gentle and soft
But who'd just as soon off you
For looking the wrong way as not
Jojo, Jojo
-- "Jojo" by Boz Scaggs

Survivor Gabon Finale Post

This is it! It's the big three-hour finale and reunion show! Zoetawny has made us a new season finale graphic to lend to the party atmosphere. Alas, football has delayed the show here, but I will update this post with the major updates. My full review will be up on TV Squad later tonight or early tomorrow morning. Please join in down in the comments area -- that's where the real party is!

I'm expecting the show to start about 8:30 ET here. Sigh.

And ... it's ON! 8:30 PM ET start time here in the NYC area.

BOB WINS IMMUNITY AGAIN!

Kenny was blindsided. What comes around goes around, eh? Bye-bye Kenny.

Memory walk time. Corinne likes not being nice and Randy found out he can make friends.

Yikes ... Susie won the final immunity challenge. There goes my night!

It's a tie between Bob and Matty being voted out, onto a firemaking challenge. Bob has been practicing.

Bob wins the tiebreaker! Matty is out of it and the final three are Bob, Sugar, and Susie.

BOB WINS SURVIVOR GABON! Sugar got no votes, Bob 4, Susie 3.

BOB also won the 100 grand from the viewers. Sugar was #2, Matty #3.

Off Topic Kale and Roofus, On Topic TV Doings

Here's an update on the local ornamental kale. As you see, its edges are turning white. As the winter progresses, it will all turn an off-white and look a lot more like a cabbage sitting in the snow.


Yesterday was Saturday and, almost as if on schedule, I had a date with Roofus the Cat as I headed into work. You can click on any of these images to get a larger picture. Here he is at about halfway zoom on my camera from the station platform. My full zoom ones from yesterday turned out too fuzzy. He's grooming away.


This is what the scene looks like totally unzoomed. Ignore the icky green "Yellow" cabs! The building on the right is the condemned one. Its entire roof and back wall are caving in. The two in the center have businesses on the first floors, apartments on the upper floors. Right now, I think only one apartment facing the street has anyone living in it. Very transient area and many of the immigrants who take those places go away for the winter due to lack of work. The Chotola apartment building tends to get a bit more stable tenants and is usually fully occupied.


This is where I first spotted Roofus the Cat from the street level yesterday. Can you see him?

Onto television doings!
Tonight is the big three-hour Survivor finale and reunion show! Can you believe it's gone by this fast? At 8 PM ET, I'll open up a post in which I'll give the big updates East Coast time and the comments will be your Survivor finale party place! Graphic arteest Zoetawny has made us all a new finale graphic and everyone is invited. Bring your own bottle and snacks, please!

In yesterday's mail I received a cool screener of TCM's (Turner Classic Movies) The Age of Believing: The Disney Live-Action Classics. I haven't watched it yet and the show itself is on tonight at 7 PM ET/PT on TCM. It's interviews with folks like Kurt Russell, Dick Van Dyke, Dean Jones, Tim Conway, Michelle Lee ... and many more. It delves into the move to live-action from strictly animated Disney films. Unfortunately it's 90 minutes, so it would buck up against the first half-hour of Survivor tonight. But it is being re-aired next Sunday at 11:45 PM if you wish to watch or record it. Angela Lansbury is the narrator. This one is dear to my heart as the Disney movies, both live-action and animated, played such a role in my younger days. I figured, due to the ages of many of the readers here, you might feel the same.

Actually, TCM has a great movie roster for today, too (all times ET/PT):
Noon: The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1970) - Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero
1:45 PM: The Strongest Man in the World (1975) - Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero, Phil Silvers, Dick Van Patten
3:30 PM: The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) - Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, Tommy Kirk
5:15 PM: Son of Flubber (1963) - Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, Tommy Kirk, Ed Wynn
7:00 PM: The Age of Believing: The Disney Live-Action Classics
8:30 PM: The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) - Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Bill Bixby, Susan Clark
10:15 PM: The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) - Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Tim Matheson, Kenneth Mars, Jack Elam

I know I'll be watching The Absent-Minded Professor -- I haven't seen that one since I was a child!

Today's musical non sequitur:
Caviar and cigarettes
Well-versed in etiquette
Extraordinarily nice
She's a Killer ... Queen
-- "Killer Queen" by Queen