TV Squad, CliqueClack TV, and Signs of the Times

Roaming the neighborhood near my orthopedic surgeon's office yesterday, I found these two signs about a block apart. The first one is so welcoming, so um ... bilingually friendly. The second is forbidding. Sure enough, as I was shooting the second sign, a very vicious watchdog started barking furiously at me. But they're both typically New Jersey -- a rising Latino immigrant population meets The Sopranos.

My latest Survivor review is up over on TV Squad for your perusal. Later today (not sure when), my latest TV Shows Off the Beaten Path column will go live over on CliqueClack TV.

As for me, I'll be heading out to the vascular surgeon appointment before long. I'll let you know when I know.

Survivor Gabon: 10/23 Show

The show has started here on the East Coast. While I won't be live-blogging it per se, I will update this entry with the big news. My full review will be going up on TV Squad later tonight. As always, have fun in the comments. But if you make a mess, you have to clean it up yourself! I've had enough to do with cleaning up Mandarin spam for days now. Sorry about missing a few. I reported the spam blog owner, but still getting it. You guys only saw a few -- it's been about two dozen a day all week.

Argh ... Sugar gave Ace the idol for "safekeeping."

Kota won reward -- baked goods, coffee, tea. They once again sent Sugar to Exile Island.

Kota won Immunity again, thanks to Ace thinking he's Boy Wonder on Fang.

Kelly was voted out.

Some TV Stuff, Some Other Stuff

This is a cool tree fungus I found in my travels. I really should have kicked the litter on the left out of the way.

Let's see ... what sort of TV have I been watching? Well, you know about Survivor and Amazing Race -- both shows I review over at TV Squad. Letterman is in reruns this week. I'm hooked on Bonnie Hunt and will be recording that one next week after I return to work. I've managed to watch (and make sense of) the entire run of The Sopranos on A&E, but have yet to see the finale.

As for new shows this season, the only one really hooking me in is Life on Mars. I think a big part of the hook are my own memories of 1973. I was in college back then and recall some of my visits to NYC which was a few hours away from my school. So I think the familiarity has a lot to do with being hooked.

I know I'm looking forward to the new season of Law and Order: Criminal Intent. It's going to be on Friday nights at 9 PM on USA. I really want to see how Jeff Goldblum is going to do in his new role on the show.



The new season of Frank TV kicked off and I'll watch that now and again. TBS has sent me lots of promotional stuff for the show and I feel guilty because it's not always my cuppa tea. But I do like the travel mug!

Okay, onto the other stuff. Last week I went for the Doppler exam on my legs to check out the condition of the existing clot and look for new ones. They told me that the doctor was away and he'll call me with my results on Wednesday (now today). I didn't like the look on the one giving the exam's face, nor her increased attention to my left leg (the surgery one with the clot). But she can't say anything.

The next day when I got the call about my weekly blood draw results, I was told my level remained the same (has for four weeks). But, in a rather unusual move, they want to raise my INR levels, so they increased the Coumadin dosage. Now, from what I understand, the only reason for them to do that is if there is a higher risk of new clots. I'm hoping I'm wrong.

On Tuesday (yesterday), the doctor's office (the vascular surgeon) called me. Instead of him calling me today to go over the results of the Doppler, he wants me to go to the office on Friday to discuss it. This just doesn't sound good, but I can't let myself get all worked up over it. I did find out during the Doppler that the pain and swelling I've had in my left ankle is probably due to the clot. With the major knee surgery it's hard to tell what symptoms are from the surgery and what are from the clot. Nonetheless, I'm actually walking quite well and without the pain I endured the three years between the first surgery and the knee replacement. And I don't have the huge swelling or constant pain which is symptomatic of a large clot -- never really had that.

Tomorrow I go for my weekly blood draw, then to my pre-work release visit at the orthopedic surgeon. On Friday, I'll find up what's up with the clotting status. On Monday, I'll be at work at 8 AM. Life goes on.

The Amazing Race - 10/19 Show

Sigh. Once again, the show is delayed in this area due to football. 60 Minutes started at about 7:45 PM ET here. I'm going to go ahead and open this post for comments in case the show started on time elsewhere. While I won't be live-blogging tonight's show per se, I will update this post with important events ... once I see them anyway. Remember, it's going to be Phil's father at the Pit Stop tonight!

Finally, it's starting ... recaps.

Uh-oh. My team in the pool -- Aja and Ty -- have a flat tire. I can't believe neither know how to change a tire. That should be required knowledge to drive a car as far as I'm concerned!

Maori warriors are cool.

Pit Stop Order

1. Ken and Tina - used FF. Won a trip to Rio.
2. Terence and Sarah
3. Kelly and Christy
4. Toni and Dallas
5. Nick and Starr
6. Andrew and Dan
7. Aja and Ty
8. Marisa and Brooke -- Philiminated

TV Squad, CliqueClack TV, and Off Topic Photos

My review of last night's Survivor episode is alive and well over on TV Squad. And, I have a new TV Shows Off the Beaten Path column up over on CliqueClack TV. I want to thank everyone for the well-wishes. I'm feeling okay now, mainly just really tired. But that didn't keep me from going to the vampires for my weekly blood draw or my Doppler test yesterday. I won't know the results of the latter until next week, but I didn't like the look on her face as she did the test. The sounds would make a cool Halloween wav noise, though.

Here are some of the photos (click on them to enlarge) I took on my rounds yesterday:


Now, what are the chances of me noticing this bench graffiti on the way to my blood draw? I think it's the same vampire slayer as in this older post of mine. Along with the vampire reference, it had that "lovescool, warkills" tag line.

Detour on the way to the Doppler test.

The hawks were circling above me. No, I am not a small bunny, nor am I a mouse!


I think this ornamental kale was perhaps planted a bit early as we have been having a warm streak lately. But it's a neat plant nonetheless.


Perhaps if we all go to the market and invest, do you think we might actually have peace on Earth?