OFF TOPIC: That Was the Week It Was 8/16/09

It's that time of the week again ... a look at the week behind me in words and photographs. If you're looking for the latest Big Brother news, hit the Big Brother blog tag and you'll be there.

"By the time we got to Woodstock, we were half a million strong ..." - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. "The New York State Thruway is CLOSED, man!" Ah, the memories! No, I didn't go. My mother forbid me to do so even though I bought a ticket with my babysitting money. We lived about 90 minutes north of Bethel, NY at the time. My mother told me there would be too many drugs and things going on. Gee, y'think? On reflection, I wouldn't let an almost 14-year-old girl go to Woodstock either.

It's hard to believe that was forty years ago ... as were the Manson killings. I did manage to go to Watkins Glen a few years later and, while cool, it was no Woodstock. But I was in college by then. Life was different with free rein.

To this week -- bleh. It's been humid all week here, my cat adoption fell through (although some angles are still being worked on), the bank has foreclosed on my apartment building, and my landlord has declared bankruptcy. Life as usual, huh? Actually, while I prefer the landlord being bankrupt rather than me being bankrupt, I'm not sure what's going to happen.

I've never owed anyone over 40 million dollars. That, of course, is a good thing. As David Letterman would say, "I wouldn't give anyone his problems for a monkey on a rock." As long as a roof is over my head, I'll be fine. We're talking thousands of tenants in the major bankruptcy, plus his bankruptcy actions elsewhere. They can't kick us all out and a new landlord could only be an improvement. My water, trash pick-up, and heat (come winter) just better all stay on. Those are included in the rent.

As for my photography this week, I had nothing really great on an artsy perspective. So, these are more or less, a slice of life here in New Jersey ... clicking on any of the images will open them larger in a new window.

Yeah, it's the (probably) carpenter bees again.

Well ... they're there. I can't resist trying to shoot them. I just wish they'd pose!

While pretty, this can't be healthy for the building structure.

Can it? Doesn't that ivy eat into the brick? I don't know. Plainfield, NJ

Parking Wars Plainfield Style

Unlike the Philadephia Parking Authority folks featured on A&E's Parking Wars, the Plainfield Parking Bureau is just a tad more laidback. At least, in appearance, they are. I always see 'em out there issuing the tickets, though.

NJ Transit, the Way to Go

That's their logo, anyway. I caught the double-decker (also known as fancy-shmancy) commuter train and the bus working their way through the rush hour in downtown Plainfield, NJ.

Jesus Ladies on a Mission

They're really Jehovah's Witnesses spreading the word. I call 'em The Jesus Ladies. They're out pounding the sidewalks everyday in their sensible shoes. There are two contingents in force here -- the Black Jesus Ladies and the Latina Jesus Ladies. I do my best to avoid both groups. If I haven't made my own mind up about religion by this time in life, I don't need to be brainwashed. I don't mean to demean anyone's religion -- I just think that everyone should be free to follow their own faith without people bugging them on the streets or at home. Plainfield, NJ.

The Morning Commute

A cup of coffee and either the free Metro or AMNewYork on the train to work. Both papers are free, but I have no clue when or how they infiltrate the trains. I'd rather they infiltrate my life than the Jesus Ladies. In reference to this particular issue: I'll be able to watch Mad Men once again now that I once again have AMC on my cable due to going digital and I did not win that big Lotto. I'll spend two bucks again this week. You never know. But I will never be one of those fools who invest money in Lotto day after day.

You have to have a lot of gall to live on poison ivy.

Yep, they're called poison ivy gall mites. They're microscopic and what's visible is the plant's reaction to them. Have I mentioned how much I love the Internet? I wish all of this knowledge had been available to me so easily during my school days. I don't know something and I want to learn about it? I have not only the world, but the universe right here in my home! I remember when I was about 20 I wanted to be a professional student for life. Well, I am. But it's just not a paying profession.

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's product placement!

Usually these blimps are for MetLife or Saturn cars. I've never been in a blimp. Have you? (Disclaimer: I'm NOT endorsing DirectTV. I don't have DirectTV. Gee, if they want to give me free DirectTV, I'd glady endorse them. I'd even speak kindly of Comcast if they weren't charging me an arm and a leg for basic *now digital* cable.)

Where is the Plainfield Parking Bureau now?

This is just laziness. It's late enough that there are tons of spaces in the parking lot at the Plainfield Train Station. Behind the NJ Transit Police vehicle are street bums drinking their beers. Where's the cop? Oh, he's up on the Newark/NYC platform yawning and looking bored. And he's parked crooked taking up two handicapped spots. True, no one is using the others. But he should be setting the example, shouldn't he?

Mr. Toady

I found a toad near the Bridgewater (NJ) Train Station. I suppose it could be a frog, but I don't think so. There's no body of water in easy hopping distance. Hmm ... maybe one of those tree frogs? I'm just not sure. All I know is that he was tiny (perhaps 3/4 inch) and didn't like to stay still.

Big Brother 11 Live Feeds Into the Dawn Sunday 8/16

The reigning head of house, Jordan, got White Castle sliders (amongst other things) in her HOH room.


Notice the contrast in expression between Kevin and Michele as they do their HOH room reveal visit. I can't decide whether Kevin is looking like a deer in the headlights or a dead man walking. Meanwhile, Michele is more certain of her place in the house even though her HOH reign was abbreviated.

Here are the late night happenings from inside that Big Brother House of the Real Trouble with Tribbles:

• Kevin continues to look absolutely miserable most of the time. Is he missing Jessie? Is he missing Chima? Nope. He's missing the game he could have played, methinks.
  
• He's very carefully trying to follow Jeff's advice to not push the drama yet scheme to save his own butt in the house.
• Natalie is all about the scheming. She got over her Chima love on rapid order, but is still enamored with her main man The Man, The Myth, the Legend ... Mr. Pec-tacular.
• Lydia, albeit a new superhero on the scene (Captain Unitard), has decided bad behavior, anti-social actions, and the crazy card will be her latest approach to the game. She's now playing to get the boot.
  
• Jordan is leaning towards a Natalie/Lydia nomination.
• Natalie, Lydia, and Kevin realize this.
• What they don't realize is that Jordan, Jeff, Michele, and Russell may lean more to keeping the crazy card in the house while getting rid of the pit bull.
• Jordan volunteered to go on the Hawaii trip with Jeff if he needs someone. Y'know, he just might take her. They're a cute couple. Of all of the romances and showmances I've seen on the show, Jordan and Jeff just seem to click so well together.
• Natalie and Kevin have moved the chessboard and are using candy and dates to study for comps.
• Lydia withdrew from the world.
• I guess Lydia is closed.
  
• I must admit -- I loved her "Lydia is closed" expression. Although she definitely has issues, I've stolen that and have been waiting to say "Jackie is closed" when I have ten employees calling my name at the same time in my workplace.
• Jeff is as happy as Jordan with Jordan being HOH. Aw, too sweet.
• Jordan thinks it's great that everyone who was nice (and played well with others) got a nice prize in yesterday's comp while the "mean person" got the unitard.
• Lydia was in bad behavior mode during the comp. In addition to the prizes I mentioned before Kevin got $5,000 while Russell got a spa visit.
• At different times Jordan and Jeff talked game with Russell and Michele separately. Both Russell and Michele want to cast a bit of suspicion about each other with the reigning couple.
• I think Jordan and Jeff realize that both Russell and Michele can be a bit sketchy in their own ways. I think Jeff and Jordan really only trust each other.
• They both want to give the impression that Lydia's a done deal this week.
• But she's not. Natalie is unless she wins POV.
• Lydia remained under the covers and refused to go to the HOH reveal.
• I think that might be against the rules. I know they've been told in the past that everyone must go (even if they're miserable).
• Natalie is trying to fit in with Jeff and Jordan, but thinking of 1001 ways to scheme on the side.
• In Jordan's letter from home, she got scolded by her mother for cursing.
• Jordan told everyone they're welcome to come up to the HOH room, use the shower, nap, whatever. Yep, even Natalie is welcome.
• Unlike Lydia and Chima, Natalie and Kevin are each trying to play the game. I'll give them credit for that.
• Kevin thinks that if it gets down to it, Jeff won't take Jordan to the end because he'd lose to her -- she's so sweet and everyone likes her.
• Kevin also said that if he wins POV, he'll take Lydia off the block. Natalie is planning to win it herself.
• Has Natalie won anything?
  
• Natalie is sure that Jeff convinced Michele to put Chima on the block.
• Russell told Jeff that he's sincere about the fact he'd be thrilled with a Jeff win this season. He said he owes still being in the house to Jeff.
• Well, yeah Russell.
• Both Jeff and Russell agreed they'd get a bit ill if Natalie, Lydia, or Kevin were to win the season.
• Jordan had a good cry about missing her family with Jeff there to listen to her. He said he found it refreshing.
• I wish they'd stop portraying Jordan as a total dummy on the show. While she isn't all that book-smart at times, she really has to be one of the NICEST hamsters ever in the house.
• Jordan thanked Jeff for letting her win HOH. He said she earned the win.
• Kevin proposed to Natalie (oh, not marriage ... sheesh!) that they try to come up with a final four deal with Jordan and Jeff.
• They can't approach either Russell or Michele, so they can only deal with Jordan and Jeff.
• I don't think it will work.
• I don't think they seriously think it will work either.
• Natalie told Kevin not to ever admit to a lie. I suppose that's why she believes her own lie about what happened in the green room.
• Natalie needs to stop shoving food in her mouth and leaving her mouth open when she chews.
• Monday will be nominations and the Have Nots start. Lydia, Kevin, and Russell will be the Have Nots for the abbreviated week.
• The latest lie scheme is that Kevin is going to tell Jeff he's betraying the girls (Natalie and Lydia) and teaming up with them. He's going to convince Jeff and Jordan that he's not after them -- he wants Russell out while Natalie is targeting Michele.
• Um, okay. Is that the best you got?
• BB told Kevin and Natalie the chess board must go back upstairs and the dates must be removed. I guess they'll have to depend on their minds.
• Oh, that's a scary thought.
  

Big Brother 11 Live Feeds Saturday Daytime 8/15

These two photos below are an update (10:30 PM ET) -- Lydia has put on her red unitard. Hers comes with night vision goggles and a cape, plus the words "Captain Unitard" across the front.

Kevin tries to make nicey-nice with Michele.

Natalie and Jeff mend those burnt bridges ... or something like that.

Lots of happenings, lots and lots. Here's the latest news from inside that Big Brother House of Hamsters Doing Their Own Fast Forwards:

• Almost immediately on wake-up call this morning, they were summoned to the Diary Room one by one.
• Hmm.
• Lydia denied messing with the belongings of others and said it must have been Chima.
• Lydia claimed that if she is evicted, she won't scream. She'll just say goodbye to the people she likes and walk out the door.
• But I bet she'll put a lot of effort into her look for the night!
• We began the beginning of several feeds blockages for the day.
• Even the hamsters are confused.
• "Aren't we supposed to pick the veto players today?"
• No! It's a new HOH comp in the making!
• Michele loses all of her stuff early and cannot compete for HOH.
• Chima's photo on the Memory Wall didn't go black and white until afternoon.
• Lots of tension going into the comp.
• Jordan won HOH! How's that for karma working overtime?
• Um ... one of you is paying that Karma Dude, right? He earned his money this week.
• Lydia got the unitard, but thus far is refusing to wear it.
• Natalie won a call from home (which she's fussing about wanting it in private and soon as she says she'll be going home Thursday).
• Lydia claims that she'll give everyone enough grief so they vote her out and she will wear the unitard then.
• Michele hurt her arm in the comp.
• I'm sure she'll live.
• The miniature golf practice for POV ended up being the theme of the HOH comp.
• The final two in the comp were Jeff and Jordan. It sounds like he threw it to her.
• He claimed he wanted the Hawaii trip instead of the HOH key.
• Nah, I think he's smitten and Jordan in HOH is pretty much the same as Jeff there.
• Michele got into a brouhaha (I use the word so much this season!) with Lydia about wearing the unitard. Actually, Michele was out of line with her vulgar language. I would have just tattletaled to the DR and fussed about it.
• Lydia dumped all of Michele's HOH beers.
• Jeff tried to calm Lydia down.
• But she's a woman possessed. Perhaps with the spirit of the man, the myth, the legend.
  
• Michele hit with the most vulgar word for female anatomy (one in no way do I want on this blog).
• Well, now I'm getting a bit ticked at Michele.
• True, Lydia dumped her champagne, but geez ... get her for breaking rules, don't sink to her level.
• Then as the fires built up, we had feed blockage after feed blockage.
• On for 20 seconds ... then blocked.
• Now they've been back a while.
• Kevin is trying distance himself from Lydia without really distancing himself.
• Jeff told him they have no hard feelings against him but advised him to try to keep Lydia calm.
• It was almost the same talk with Jeff and Natalie.
• Michele and Kevin talked, too.
• It's all one big happy yet totally dysfunctional family!
• Well, except for the pink sheep of the family.
• Lydia is still refusing to wear her unitard and has dyed her hair bright pink.
• Kevin looks outright miserable.
• I don't know when the nominations will be. But I did notice CBS is already touting a huge happening which shook up the house.
• Jordan told Jeff and Michele that she wants to put Natalie and Lydia on the block.
• However, Natalie and Lydia have both pretty much figured out they're going up.
• From watching, I think Natalie will let Lydia play the crazy card and try to float on through.
  
  
  

Big Brother 11 Live Feeds - Friday Into Saturday 8/15 or Ding Dong, the Wicked Witch

Russell, the plain old non-terrorist yet perhaps imperfect dude, is pining over the loss of Chima from the Big Brother house. (Sure he is!)


Before it all went down, the mood of the house was obviously bothering Jordan.


All of Jeff's clothes were removed from the drawers and tossed around. He put them back and was more ticked each minute.

But the big news of the house from the overnight hours is ...

CHIMA HAS LEFT THE HOUSE

You heard me. She's gone, outta there, never to darken my live feeds again. She couldn't take the heat, so she's out of that kitchen!

Here's how the night went down in that Big Brother House of Parting Princesses:

• Oh, it was so boring for so long. Natalie was reading the BB rules book, others were talking small talk.
• Chima was in hiding under her blankets.
• I really don't understand why the ex-Jessie crew was in such turmoil. They had their days at the top of the heap, didn't they know that tables can turn? I guess it's time they all learned a life lesson, eh?
• Jeff finally got to eat. It's a wonder he hasn't lost his appetite with all of the hate going around in the house.
• Natalie and Lydia, obviously over past differences and united in their blind worship of Jessie the Magnificent, bonded.
• Chima hid from life.
• When Jeff got called to the Diary Room, Natalie made a comment to the effect of "yeah, go find out how to #@$# with Chima, Natalie, and Lydia some more."
• It's a GAME, gals! Sheesh! When they were on the top, the others didn't make snide comments all the time! What is up with these people?
• Natalie said she's going to dump water all over their beds.
• When their indoor lockdown was done, they went to the back yard to find a miniature golf type set-up.
• Jeff wanted to keep on eating. He's one hungry guy after a week on slop!
• Kevin went to Jeff and said he had nothing to do with messing with his belongings. He said he saw the girls move his own stuff into Jeff's drawers, so he took it out as he didn't want to get involved.
• I think Kevin, who's remained alone most of the evening, is regretting his allegiance to Chima and the gals. He could have declared the other side long ago.
• Chima finally emerged at Kevin's request.
• Production told Chima to put on her microphone.
• She flipped them off and ignored them.
• Chima decided that she wouldn't let the others practice -- the golf game is obviously some sort of practice for the POV.
• Chima threw her microphone into the hot tub.
• Russell talked about his family coming here from Lebanon.
• I don't think that makes him a terrorist.
  
• Jeff got irked by the Goony Gals because they were deliberately hogging the washer/dryer when he wanted to do his clothes.
• As Michele tried waiting her turn to practice golf, Natalie said they could hog it all night.
• Didn't Cappy and Crew do something like that before one of the big brouhahas in that season? Try to intimidate the others during a comp practice scenario?
• Of the two nominated, Jordan told Michele she'd like Natalie to go because Natalie wants to go after Jeff.
• Little did she know ...
• Chima gathered laundry, then went to go sit on the washing machine so she could put hers in before Jeff (who was already not so patiently waiting for the machine).
• Chima and Natalie talked -- Natalie admitted she was the one who messed with Jeff's clothes. No surprises there for me as Chima was in hiding under covers and feeling sorry for herself.
  
• Jordan told her men (Russell and Jeff) that she heard the others were going to pour hot sauce on all of their clothes. She thinks everyone should put their stuff up in the HOH room to keep it safe.
• Chima kept making nasty comments to the camera. She's either being nasty to us (America's fault she's in the predicament she is) or to production (it's their fault, too!).
• Lydia brought up that Russell hit her with a ball (a few weeks ago) and BB "let it go and didn't do anything."
• BB once again told Chima to put her microphone on.
• Jeff told Jordan he didn't want to have to hide his clothes and act like he's scared.
• Jeff said, "This is the most miserable cast ever with the biggest bitch on reality TV ever."
  
• He said it, not me. But I must agree. Not the whole cast, but ...!
• Chima told Natalie that even though she hates Russell, she would vote for him to win over Michele, Jordan, or Jeff.
• I guess she just can't understand why people aren't in love with the princess?
• Every time they talked about production (unfair, picking on them, taking Jeff's side, etc.), we got blocked feeds.
• The Battle of the Laundry continued.
• Chima took Russell's hat and hid it.
• Lydia said that Jordan is "dumb as a box of hair."
• Chima said that she shouldn't be called the 5th HOH, just call her the 6th nominee to be evicted thanks to production. Then she gave the finger to said production. Or to me.
  
• @@
• Kevin told Michele that the three girls (Lydia, Natalie, Chima) are acting like they're a cult and their beloved leader (Jessie) died.
• I think it's too little too late for ya, Kevin. You chose your gal Chima. It's going to be hard to switch sides now, don't you think?
• Then came a loooong feeds blockage.
• What? The feeds are back and Chima is nowhere to be seen? Could she be hiding under the covers again?
• What? They're talking about possibly no eviction this week? They're talking about replacing a houseguest?
• Oh my. Whatever in the world can be going on? Where's Waldo Chima?
• Russell said her first meeting will be with the legal department.
• Ohhhh!
• Jeff said, "And then there were seven. They're going to black that out!"
• Ohhhh!
• Then they worried that Chima may have taken some of their belongings.
• Russell told Michele that Chima was trying to bait him in the morning, almost like she wanted him to go after her with the knife he was using in the kitchen.
• It wouldn't surprise me. She wanted to get him mad enough to hit her before so he could get the boot.
• Meanwhile, there seems to be a loose cannon (okay, maybe a firecracker in perspective) in the Jeff, Michele, Jordan, and Russell faction.
• Russell seems to be trying to work Michele against Jeff a bit.
• It's not working. Michele said that she never had any intention to vote Jeff out.
• Jordan, Jeff, Russell, and Michele talked about Chima's anger issues. Jordan hadn't heard the rape story.
• They all agree she needs professional help.
• Natalie is now not only in worship of Jessie, she's agog with Chima, too.
• "That was HUGE! She threw her microphone in the hot tub!"
• False idols, I say.
• Apparently Allison Grodner herself came out during whatever the final straw was.
• We don't know for sure if Chima got the boot or if she DOR'd (voluntary exit).
• But we know that ...

DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD
WHICH OLD WITCH?
THE WICKED WITCH!

BUH-BYE, CHIMA
DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT!

Big Brother 11 Live Feeds Bulletin - Nominations 8/14

The feeds have been blocked for a long time. They came on briefly ... Jeff was saying "they" better not ruin his things. Then it flashed to Natalie saying she read the rule book and Michele can't do that -- "tell her she's going to put her on the block."

It's sure that Natalie is on the block. I think, from what Jeff said, Chima's up there with her.

Feeds back on ... Natalie is reading the rules book, Jeff and Russell are talking about food. Natalie just read out loud that you can't cover up cameras, feeds blocked again.

Natalie says that "she" is going to get karma or some kind of disease for what she did to Chima. Natalie expected it for herself because she never got along with Michele. Hmmm ... it's Natalie and Chima on the block. Chima is hiding under the Jessie covers.

You go with your bad BB-playing self, Michele!