Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Felicitations of All Kinds!

Above is the plan for Vincent and his Santa suit. Clicking on it will open it larger in a new window. Below is Zoetawny's way cool holiday tag for the blog which also includes Vincent. Zoetawny and all y'all rock! (I always wanted use that expression and here in NJ, it just doesn't work right.)

I'll probably write up another post sometime tomorrow, but I wanted to catch you while I could. For some reason, my Internet connection was down when I got home from work. So now I don't trust it. I hope everyone has a great holiday! And, for those who don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a great paid day off from work.

Vincent is such a ham.

Survivor Samoa Season Finale Blog Party Post

Argh, football doesn't care that we have a season finale and reunion show to watch. Football doesn't care that we're already booked for TV watching until 11 PM. That's right -- tonight's show is delayed here in the NYC viewing area. I believe 60 Minutes started at about 7:22 PM ET instead of 7:00 PM. While football doesn't care about our lack of sleep tonight, graphic artist Zoetawny cared enough to make us a new logo for the show. (She rocks, as we all know.)

Once the show starts, this entry will be updated with major events. But the real details and fun will be in the comments area. Everyone is welcome and you can even bring food and beverages. I do ask that no one swings from the chandelier, please. I'm going to open up the post now and I'll let you know when the show starts here.

8:22 PM ET and we're finally starting here. (Grr.)

Apparently it started on time in some places and Brett has won immunity again. Jaison was voted out according to those who have the show airing on time.

Russell has won immunity! (Finally!)

Brett voted out.

Natalie wins. That is SO wrong. At least Russell won the 100 thousand from the fan vote.

Off Topic - That Was The Week It Was 12/20/09

It's Sunday and time to take a look back at the past week in words and photographs I've taken. The biggest news of the week actually happened yesterday and into the overnight hours. Yeah, it's a freakin' winter wonderland here. But I don't anyplace to go, so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Then clean it up so I can get to work tomorrow!

To be honest, we didn't get hit that bad. It's hard to tell how much snow is out there because the wind has been blowing it all around. There are drifts, then almost to the ground. I'd say maybe six to eight inches? I could be way off, though. I'm not going out there to find out. My own street is plowed as it's a county road. I don't know about the side streets. I can predict right now some jerks won't shovel their sidewalks. (Grr.)

The snow has stopped as I get this written up. Last night, coming home from work, it was a different story. But I had on my not-fashion yet very functional winter boots. I did not slip, nor did I slide. I did cheat and took a cab home from the train station instead of walking. He slipped, he slid. Ho ho ho.

Other than that, my week has been rather unremarkable. Work is very busy and thus, so am I. I haven't had the chance on weather-cooperating days to go into the city to photo-stomp the lights this year. Perhaps after Christmas, but before New Year's I'll get there.

Anyway ... onto the week ...

Snow? Cold? Not MY problem!

Vincent is as snug as a bug in a rug. My gosh, that's a horrible saying! I, to clarify, have no bugs in my rugs. And, if I did have a bug in my rug, he wouldn't be snug! He would be in fear of doom from either me or Vincent, Paws of Death!

Lesson learned - turn off the flash on snowflakes

It looks like we're getting hit with tiny bubbles. This is last night as I arrived home from work. They had already shoveled the platform. But the snow just wouldn't stay away. Plainfield Train Station, NJ.

Without the flash

Much better. My train line doesn't have too many problems in bad weather. We're diesel (which is why I have to transfer to another train to go into Manhattan) and even our electric lines on NJ Transit have overhead wires, not the electrified third rail which causes the issues in bad weather in the city and on Long Island (or Lawn Guyland for any locals).

Long Island and southern NJ got the brunt of this storm with over 20 inches of snow. I heard a report that an LIRR train was stuck in Ronkonkoma for over four hours with 150 passengers. I just like to say Ronkonkoma. It's not as much fun to type.

Watchung and East Second intersection

Looking over at Pete's Fish Market as the snow came down last night. The snow picked up steam in the overnight hours. Well, not steam, per se. That would be like how they melt the snow in Times Square. It picked up inches. Much better.

Get my drift?

The stairs coming out of the tunnel at the Plainfield (NJ) Train Station last night. This so violates my habit of going up on the right side of the right side! Yes, I'll admit I'm a bit OCD about some things. I felt out of place going up the right side of the left side.

The NJ Transit tunnel under the Plainfield Station again

Someone else goes up the right side of the left side.

A Tale of Two Trees

Both inner-city, both third floor. One is festive, the other is silent. I wonder what psychological ramifications are involved here?

Okay, that darn train is late!

Two pigeons wait for the train in Plainfield, NJ. When we see them start driving the train, we know it's the end of mankind as we know it.

The calm before the storm

Yesterday morning at the Plainfield Train Station.

Who you gonna call?

Nope, Ghostbusters won't stop the impending snowstorm! It's a shame he wasn't wearing more colorful clothes as I made the background of this photo black and white, leaving him in color.

Yes, I was bored waiting for the train

I used GIMP's "old photo" filter to make this photo sepia with faded edges. I didn't use its defocus function. If people want to see it defocused, alcohol will do the trick. But don't drive!

Downtown Westfield (before the snow)

This is the view up Elm Street Friday evening as I did a Trader Joe's grocery run. The big tree in the background is one of two on either side of the train station there. I came from the train after work. But I take the bus home as the bus stops right in front of my apartment building and, since they come from the city during evening rush hour, one passes every twenty minutes or so. I never have to wait long.

A Sea of Festivity

A close-up of the lights on one of the Westfield (NJ) trees.

There's been a crime!

Oh my! The whole top half of the Westfield Train Station tree on the eastbound side is missing! Call the authorities! Call the FBI! Who could have done such a dastardly deed the week before Christmas?

Wait, is that the missing tree top?

Nope. It's the tree on the other side of the station. I took this from the tunnel under the tracks. Oh. And I seem to have created a stir over nothing. Apparently just the lights were out on the top part of the other tree. Never mind. Cancel the FBI.

Fair weather clouds over the Plainfield Train Station

Obviously, I took this earlier in the week before yesterday's weather brouhaha.

Those clouds

I've looked at clouds from both sides now.

Reefs 4 Sale

When two languages collide, you get some interesting spellings. I was tempted to go in and ask how much they charge for a coral reef. I always wanted my own! I get the feeling they really mean "wreaths" as there's a wreath right above the sign. North Street in Plainfield, NJ.

Ho Ho Ho

This home at the corner of East Front and Richmond in Plainfield is a joy every season. They're heavy into all kinds of holiday decorations at this time of the year. In other seasons, it's a wonderful world of flowers.

Plainfield Train Station as dawn breaks

The skies looked a bit threatening, but this wasn't our storm coming in. I took this shot earlier in the week and it was just very, very cold.

That was my week. How was yours? Don't forget to return tonight for the big Survivor finale blog party! Bring snacks and beverages ... no cover charge!

Survivor Samoa: 12/17 Episode Blog Post Party

The show is about to begin here on the East Coast. As it airs, I'll update this post with any major happenings. However, the real action is in the comments section! Please feel free to join in with your thoughts while having fun with friends. Late tonight my show review will be posted on TV Squad.

Russell, Shambo, and Jaison won reward -- they go for a village feast/overnight visit.

Brett won immunity again. Can you say dark horse?

Shambo was voted out.

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was 12/13/09

Another Sunday is here, another trip through a bit of what I've seen in both photographs I've taken and words. The weather this past week didn't cooperate for a lot of photo-taking. It was either gusty winds, rain, or bitter cold. Or, at times, a mix of the three. Nothing incredibly exciting happened to me this week. It was work as usual and life as usual.

I'd like to wish everyone out there a happy Chanukah. I realize it started Friday evening and I'm a bit late. But it's still on and will be for most of the week. Plenty of time to bring out the dreidel! It's hard to believe as I type this up that winter is only eight days away.

On the home front, they put in new fire extinguishers (the old ones had service tags dating back to 2005), the front door to the building now latches (thus locking), and yesterday in the bitter cold early Saturday morning wind, there were some men painting the fire escapes black. That would be as in -- "I see a rusty fire escape, I want to paint it black." Believe it or not, painting the fire escapes is some kind of code issue. I recall they painted them around the time the building was sold some years back. Thankfully the trash is still being picked up and the water remains on. They never did the leaves in the parking lot, so now the leaves are molded into huge dense lumps due to cars driving over them.

At least my own apartment is warm and cozy. It comes with a cat, too! It's supposed to get a bit warmer here today but the rain will start. Since I'm still working on that AOL bios project (which now has an extended deadline to the end of the month), I will be inside most of the day. No Amazing Race tonight, which seems very weird. I haven't looked at the TV schedule. But if there's nothing which interests me, I have new screeners of The Closer, Leverage, and Men of a Certain Age which I haven't had time to watch.

Anyway, onto my week --

NJ Transit sexist advertising

Now, this is just silly on all levels. Three people cannot fit out a train door. If you're taking a step down to the platform and it's not a low platform (which is more the height of a tractor trailer cab), your platform has sunk. Raised platforms are flush with the train. Third, it's rare you see women with stiletto heels on trains and subways. Well, there could be some hookers, I guess. But most commuting women tend to wear sneakers or flat walking shoes, perhaps carrying heels in their bags. Commuting by train often includes some walking time, too.

All of the trains coming through here now are the double-deckers. In the handicapped/bike and don't want to climb stairs seating the other day, there was a mother and her toddler. She did a fist bump with the kid and, as I passed, he held out his fist to me. Okay, fist bump. But what I started was priceless -- every single passenger after me took a moment to give the kid a fist bump as they went by. You don't know how thrilled that toddler was!

Well, Well, Well ...

While I haven't seen Roofus up on his roofs, he is still frequenting the old ex-Budget Car Rental place. Although it was sold to developers, someone (the elderly man who used to run it, most likely) is still coming by leaving fresh food and water. That's a combination of frost and dirty windows you see. I took this yesterday morning when it was way cold.

Uh-oh

I tell you ... the birds are conspiring to overthrow the human race. I took this shot of a sea gull recruiting some crows for the cause.

When will people learn?

They should know they shouldn't sleep on the train near me! This guy gets on at my station in Plainfield and is out like a light within two minutes every day. In his favor, he has a hat and something between his head and the window. It irks me to no end to see hair product all over the windows. If I want to take a shot of something out of the train, it's often worse than the ex-Budget Rental Car!

Plainfield (NJ) Christmas Windows

I haven't had a chance to go into the city for the windows yet this year. But, one day after work, I decided to walk a few blocks to see the town's Christmas tree and get some shots. I know they had a tree-lighting gala, but the tree was dark when I got there. So, I shot the windows of an antique store on Watching Avenue. It's an odd conglomeration of things, but what do you expect from an antique store?

He hasn't a leg to stand on!

Another window in the antique shop. Maybe he should ask Santa for the rest of his body.

Ohhh ... new NJ Transit ticket machines!

How exciting! These machines were installed after I bought my monthly train pass. They're bright with bigger screens. At the end of the month, I'll see how easy they are to use. Right now I see no big advantage except to the conductors. There's a scrolling marquee on each machine which says if the machine is in service (taking all payment types) or credit/debit only. It can be seen from the platform. The old machines just had a tiny green or red light and green didn't necessarily mean it's working. You see, if the conductor sees working machines, they'll charge a five-dollar surcharge even for a $1.75 fare if you buy the ticket on the train. It doesn't affect me as I always get a monthly pass and the conductors all know me anyway.

Santa Claws is coming to town!

Oh, this is so wrong. Vincent is probably thinking, "Hey, I didn't sign up for this!" I do have a plan, though. We need another photo session.

My commute

I see exciting scenery like this while riding the train to work. The changes can be interesting. In the more rural areas, I can now see the deer because the leaves are down. I've watched homeless go in and out the back of an old building in Bound Brook for years. This past week, they tore down the Bolmer Building. Oh, goody. Now I can see the Pillars of Fire building so much better! I've seen how messy and what odd things people put in their yards. And, on the cooler side, ever since I've ridden the train, every season, someone leaves a ton of huge bread crumbs near this little river which dumps into the Raritan River. Geese, ducks, and birds all gather daily for the feast. (They're probably planning the overthrow of humanity while chomping down.)

Blast from the past

Since I really don't have any artsy photos this week, I'm including this "self-portrait over New York City" I took a few years back. A friend of mine was visiting the city. I took this from her room on the 45th floor of the Millenium Hilton in lower Manhattan (nearby the WTC site). One bad thing about living close to the city is I don't really know the hotels unless a friend is visiting. If I'm stuck in the city overnight, it means I was out too late and missed the last train home. In that case, I wait out the two hours or so in Penn Station waiting for the first train of the morning. The trains stop running from about 2 AM until 5 AM although the station remains opens and even has a comfy place for ticketed passengers. I won't, can't, refuse to pay the over $550 a night fee for the room I took this picture from!

Years and years ago (back when I lived in CT), I got stuck at Grand Central Station overnight. Now, they close overnight. But the Metro North cops took pity on me and let me stay rather than roam the streets. So I was locked in with cleaning crews and cops throwing firecrackers at each other. One cop even brought me coffee.

Plainfield Train Station at sunset

These lamps always hook me.

Halal Meats, Gyros, and Falafel Sandwiches

This is on Somerset Street in North Plainfield, just outside of Plainfield. Yes, we're the Plainfields -- in three different counties. North Plainfield is Somerset, Plainfield is Union, and South Plainfield is Middlesex. I was all kinds of confused when I moved here.

Windows and lack thereof

These are the windows on an old factory building on North Street in Plainfield. Some are replaced with metal, some are broken. But you know me. I like to photograph the decrepit. If I were thirty years younger (and much more daring and foolish), I'd go for urban exploring -- taking illegal trespassing photo trips through abandoned buildings.

That's about it. How was your week?