Now, what the heck is that, you ask? Is it a phone? Is it a Supertramp album? Neither. It's a bin which holds bags of salt at the Bound Brook NJ Transit Train Station. The Supertramp graffiti stencil caught my eye. Unless there's a new movement for the band, I'd imagine it's been there for well over a decade, perhaps two.
I've noticed that since I found out exactly how bad my knee is, it seems to hurt more. Ow. It's back to work tomorrow after a week off. Wah. But I have a lot to do to prepare before the surgery -- quad-strengthening exercises, save money towards insurance deductibles, stockpile canned goods and other necessities for a long confinement, etc. I already know the supermarkets in the area who deliver, plus the good folks at the local corner store have volunteered to bring over anything I might need. Then I'll have to get my apartment totally set up for the maximum use with minimum movement.
I'll take another vacation week (I have five) before going under the knife (or saw ...eek!) mainly to get the apartment set up. I don't want to spend time in a rehab facility but understand it's going to be very rough for at least the first few weeks. But it will all be worth it. If I take a vacation next year at this time, I'll be able to photo-stomp Chinatown for the Lunar New Year, something I had hoped to feel up to this year but couldn't.
In the Lost news department -- I screwed up recording the show and somehow recorded the wrong channel. Ack. I tried to watch it online at ABC, but something is screwy with their video versus my computer. I get the audio fine, but only a white box in lieu of the video. I'll have to rerecord it this week when it repeats on Thursday. Grr.
I'll be posting a feeds update a bit later over on TV Squad. I'm having some trouble not making it all sound like porn.
Enough of this ... it's onto today's TV newsy bits:
- We all know by now, the WGA strike is OVER! Yay, the writers got a decent package! TV Squad has about all the strike news you need to know right here. That includes articles on when shows we love (or hate) can be expected back.
- An extremely odd note -- I'm not finding an interviews with Mary, Survivor's boot from last week. The sites which usually have exclusive interviews with the castaways have nada with her. Very odd.
- American Idol will feature songs of the '60s next week, like that's never been done before. Now, I have to admit that I enjoy that era but I always wonder what the teens who are so hung up on the show think about it. Aren't there good songs from the new generation out there?
- Speaking of American Idol, there's a brouhaha brewing over Carly Smithson who had a professional record deal under a different last name a few years back. Should she be allowed to compete? Of course, I just like to use the phrase "brouhaha brewing" and don't have any real stake in things whether she's in it or not.
- According to The Hollywood Reporter, the recent episode of Lost had its worst ratings of the season. I feel it's my fault. I'm sorry. I swear I'll watch the repeat next week!
- So You Think You Can Dance (about the only dancing show I get into) will return on May 22. Fine, I'll be out of commission for a few weeks around that time, but I'll surely manage to watch the show ... even in the hospital room.
Today's musical non-sequitur:
Could we have kippers for breakfast
Mummy dear, Mummy dear
They got to have 'em in Texas
'Cuz everyone's a millionaire
--"Breakfast in America" by Supertramp
Yes, graphic artist Zoetawny nailed it with this one, didn't she?
Remember ... we wanted this season. It's all our own darn fault for getting so hyped up for an out of the ordinary winter season.
The couples just aren't working for me (nor for most whose comments I've read). I guess if you're a teenager yourself or into quasi-porn, maybe it's fine with you. But most adults are getting turned off, at least from the feeds. It's possible they'll show just enough to up the ratings for the aired shows, I guess.
Anyhow, here are the events from inside that Big Brother House of Low Morals Embarrass Yo' Mama Nincompoops since I last reported:
- I'm under the firm impression that the HG should be told that BBAD (ShoToo live feeds coverage) is canceled. They act like bigger jerks during that time because they think it makes for "good TV."
- Parker, Amanda, and Matt joked about Matt "doing" Allison, then she goes home and he'll "do" the next one, then eviction.
- Allison didn't fall for it. Good.
- Natalie is still all agog over Matt and he couldn't care less about her.
- Jen and Parker think that Matt will convince Natalie to use the veto to save them.
- Alex and Amanda aren't happy together, but we knew that. And, I'm sure it's not going to improve any.
- Parker is worried about Alex campaigning to get him and Jen gone.
- He really wants Matt to use the veto. Of course, Matt AND Natalie have to agree on that and it would mean that the couple (non-coupling on the show) Jen and Ryan would both remain. I think everyone in the house wants to split them up no matter whose side they're on. The actual couple is too strong of a basic alliance to keep together in the house.
- Amanda and Chelsia talked about Sheila growing on them and Allison causing issues.
- Matt is worried that if he uses the veto it'll put a target on his back.
- Sheila was up first again, must be an older generation thing, eh?
- Matt thinks the difference between him and Natalie vs. Alex and Amanda is that his partner likes him and he can "puppetmaster" her. Alas, he's probably right. Natalie's a bimbo. I can see why she's a bikini barista.
- Parker thinks that Big Brother is racist and complained that he hasn't received anything he's requested.
- Sheila, the ex-Penthouse Pet (whatever), told the others she would never have sex on television. My respect for her has increased although I don't particularly care for her.
- Amanda told Matt that Alex was touching her as he thought she was sleeping. True? I personally doubt it unless he's just some kind of sex fiend. He doesn't like her.
- She asked Matt to tell her if Alex says anything mean about her. Oh, my God ... it's gone from 5th grade down to 3rd.
- Joshuah and Sharon also know of her "touching" story and think if Alex knew she was saying it, he'd go crazy.
- Matt thinks the ratings for the show will be in the top ten. Yeah, right. I don't think so!
- Amanda and Alex are not talking to each other, very pointedly. @@
- Nataie's all upset that Allison told Matt that she (Nat) could see herself dating after the show. "She wasn't supposed to tell!" Oh, geez.
- It's finally dawned on them that eviction isn't Sunday, it's Wednesday.
- Natalie told James and Adam that she doesn't want to use the veto -- one of them (Jen or Ryan) has to go. (But will her personal puppetmaster try to change her mind? Or is he just telling Parker he may use it and doesn't plan to do so at all?)
- When Natalie went crying to Matt about Allison, he told her not to worry -- he doesn't believe anything anyone says about her unless it comes from her. She was relieved. He turned to the camera, winked, and smiled.
- Amanda now wants to go home because of Alex. She, of course, ran to Parker with her woes.
- Allison is sure she'll stay if the nominations remain the same. She and Sheila agree that Alex is running the show (of Amanda and Alex).
- Josh and Sharon think it will be fun to watch the reactions when Jen and Parker are sent packing. Then they talked about dropping a hints they might go so Amanda doesn't freak out about losing her Parker.
- They both think Amanda is a whacko.
- In an Alex/Amanda discussion, Amanda told him that she thinks they have the votes for Ryan and Allison to be evicted. She said although Parker is getting her mad (huh?), Allison hates her so she wants her gone.
- Amanda says that she and Alex are the only two in the house who have never done any drugs. (Obviously, drug use or not doesn't matter when you're WHACKO!)
And that's all she wrote.
;-)
My latest Big Brother 9 feeds update is up over on TV Squad.
I also have another post there with a sexy Survivor calendar! :-)
Yes, it is indeed another Zoetawny graphic! She's one busy little bee these days, isn't she?
I probably won't be getting to my Lost review until tomorrow as I haven't watched the episode yet. My apologies to those who are waiting.
But you're not here at this post just to get Lost, right? Nope!
You want the latest scuttlebutt from that Big Brother House of Maliciously Mingling Malcontents!
So let's get to the events of the day --
- Horrors. BB woke them up shortly before 9 AM their time and made them all go upstairs.
- Matt told Parker that even if he (Parker and Jen) win PoV, Ryan will probably stay. It seems like the intended PoV replacement remains Adam and Sheila. They would have fewer on their side than Ryan and Allison.
- Matt told Parker he wants Allison out of the house. He's previously said how much he supports Parker and doesn't like Ryan.
- After all the whining about the cold, they're delighted that it's warm there today.
- Matt and Natalie were the couple pulled from the hat to compete for PoV with the HoH couple (Alex and Amanda) and the two nominated couples -- Ryan/Allison and Jen/Parker.
- After extensive small talk sessions and a period of blocked feeds, the PoV was finished. I request they don't do trivia but give us the Guinea Pig Cam instead for extended blocks.
- As I mentioned earlier, Matt and Natalie won PoV.
- Amanda told Chelsia that they won't use it because Ryan and Jen must be split up.
- Joshuah hosted the comp and it had something to do with stamina.
- Sheila trusts no one.
- She also thinks they won't air a lot of her tantrum about Adam because she cussed too much. (That never stopped the show before!)
- Allison told Sharon that during the HOH comp (already televised with Eric and whats-her-name), Jen was giving her the answers as they apply to Ryan. But Jen was giving her the wrong answers!
- Chelsia said that Natalie told James, Josh, and Sharon that she and Matt would not use the veto.
- Matt told Parker about getting his Monica Lewinsky on last night. Stupid, stupid Natalie!
- More small talk and I'm outta here for now!
May Adam watch over us all in his gentle gaze ...
* Screen cap taken by me for use in this blog and is © CBS/RealNetworks
Matthew and Natalie have won the Power of Veto. Matt has already said Parker's the only one he trusts in the game. Will he and Natalie take Jen and Parker off the block?
A full update will be posted later!
