Blue, Blue (Man Group) Christmas and Bloggy Bits, Too

Hey, all! I've still been working unbelievable hours at the day job -- up before five every morning, blech. However, it's dwindling down a bit, just one more real early rising day and then a few days off. (Yes!)

I haven't seen Roofus the cat because it's dark when I go to work and dark when I come home.

Television has been slim pickings for me as of late, but that's okay with the increased workload for year end. I don't feel bad about missing Letterman as it's still repeats due to the WGA strike. It sounds like the deal he was trying to work out with the union for the writers to return to his Worldwide Pants production company have fallen through. Leno will return without writers on January 2nd. I don't care much for him when he has them, so I probably won't watch unless I like a particular guest.

I watched the remake movie of Godzilla the other night on FX. I had been stuck in Manhattan traffic as they filmed it, but had never seen it before. Corny, but I was entertained.

This morning I followed my routine of CBS Sunday Morning with coffee. Huh. Charles Osgood wore an actual tie instead of a bowtie. There was a nice segment on James Taylor and it brought back memories of seeing him on the ski slopes of Mohawk Mountain back in the 80s.

Today I've had the VH1 100 Best Songs of the 90s on in the background as I did chores around the house. I'll have to turn it off for The Amazing Race, but it's reminding me I liked more 90s music than I thought I did. Yeah, I can get jiggy wit' it.

Speaking of The Amazing Race, I'll get the east coast update post up when it starts here on the east coast. It should be starting on time, I believe.

Until then, I made a nifty Blue Man Group holiday greeting for you. I get their newsletter and it provided the link to create it. Fun, fun, fun. I also noticed they're looking for writers. Now, that would be a dream job for me, but since I don't have any background in comedy and physical sketch kind of writing, it will just remain a dream. Plus, what would I do with my 401K and retirement pension where I am, huh? But, I can dream.

Create Your Own Video

'Survivor 15: China' - East Coast Updates - Season Finale

The show is starting on time here for a change. As it airs, I'll update this post with the more important events. My full review will be posted late tonight on TV Squad. Please feel free to jump in with your thoughts in comments!

Amanda won reward -- a personal feast. She can choose to share with one or two others (it's a feast for one). She invites Todd to share it.

They've gone for the memory walk and, after the commercial, immunity will be up for grabs.

Todd is the first out for immunity. Courtney is out of it. Denise is out. Amanda wins immunity!

Denise was voted out -- the spoilers were right on final four and final three.

"I would have won if I stayed in the game," said Denise. Well, duh. That "if" ruins it all, huh?

It will be a final three facing the jury once again.

Todd won Survivor China! Four votes for Todd, 2 for Courtney, 1 for Amanda. We know that Erik was the Amanda vote. Denise voted for Courtney. Since JR said well-played and you stole a million dollars, I'd guess he was a Todd vote.

I know many of the readers here didn't want Todd to win, but of the three remaining he was my choice for the win.

On the reunion show, James won the 100,000 from show fans. Mark Burnett stepped up to the plate and gave Denise 50,000 because she lost her lunch lady job and is working (unhappily) as a janitor.

New season-- select few superfans of the show versus favorites from previous seasons. Jeff says at least one is from Survivor China (James, I bet).

A Bit Off Topic - Some Sunday Randomness

I once again apologize for not being as blog-conscious as I should be. The holidays are a bit of a rough time of year for me on both a working and personal level. This year the personal level was dealt yet another blow. But I am alive and reviewing the shows I must do for TV Squad -- reminder -- the Survivor 15: China season finale and reunion show are on tonight. I'll have an east coast updates post here for during the show and post a full review on TV Squad late tonight. (And then get up at 5:30 AM to head to work ... sigh.) I haven't even been able to keep up with my email lately, but I'm trying!

Hopefully, once next week is done, I'll be more like my old self. In the meantime I saw Roofus sans his little friend sunning yesterday morning on his balcony window roof.


I took a picture of ice lining a tree on Friday morning.


I took a photo of the James Ward Mansion Building in Westfield (NJ) all decked out for the holidays which includes loud piped Christmas carols as well as a group of live carolers roaming the streets.

Then it was off to a rowhouse in Plainfield (NJ) for a photo of the traditional Christmas lighted Jack O'Lantern display. Diversity is a wonderful thing, isn't it?


A few observations and/or thoughts:

• Whenever I listen to the song "Smooth" I think of Trashy pledging himself to Randall Flagg in The Stand when I hear this line: "I would give my world to lift you up, I could change my life to better suit your mood."
• I work on Saturdays, coming home in the evening. There is always a group of Orthodox Jewish men getting on the train in Plainfield. Where are they coming from? Plainfield tends to be the home of P-Funk with a largely black and rising Latino population. It's supposedly also a gay mecca with folks like ex-Governor James McGreevey buying up the huge old Victorians and Colonial homes. I know there are a few synagogues in town, but I don't see the men on the streets. Yet there they are, about ten of them, getting on the train in Plainfield looking more like they're getting on the train in Crown Heights.

See you all later for the finale updates post!

'Survivor 15: China' East Coast Updates 12/13

As the show airs here on the east coast, this entry will be updated. A full review will be posted late tonight on TV Squad.

Happy belated birthday to commenter Nana! You share Frank Sinatra and my younger brother's day!

Thanks to Courtney, Denise won reward. She chose Courtney and Todd to accompany her on an overnight trip to the Great Wall of China.

Amanda won immunity.

Peih-Gee was voted out.

'The Amazing Race 12' East Coast Updates 12/09

Tonight's show here on the east coast is delayed a bit due to football. (What else is new?)

Once it starts, I'll update this entry with any big news, the arrival order at the Pit Stop and Philimination. My full review of the episode will be posted late tonight on TV Squad. As always, feel free to jump in with your thoughts in the comments section!

It's 8:25 PM ET and the show is finally starting here. Sigh.

Pit Stop --
1. Ronald and Christina
2. Jennifer and Nathan, but NO -- sent back because they took a private car not a taxi. Yay!
2. Kynt and Vyxsin
3. Nathan and Jennifer
4. TK and Rachel
5. Nicolas and Donald
6. Azaria and Hendekea -- Philiminated