I'm Jackie and I watch TV. I'm not proud. Bookmark the blog now as your source for live feed reports from inside the 'Big Brother' house! Come, join in on the fun ...
Oh my gosh ... I hate to use the expression "jumped the shark," but it comes to mind with this season's American Idol. I don't think I can blame my doldrums with the show entirely on the contestants this year. I think the increased judges comments have made the should-be an hour show into two hours as of late. You know, while I always enjoyed the judge commentary previous seasons, now they've expanded it to way too much. I can certainly draw my own conclusions without listening to them bicker for five minutes after each contestant sings.
But there was some good in last night's show. Although I definitely respect what Usher does, I've never been an avid fan of his. That said, I think he just might have been the best "mentor" I've ever seen on the show. The advice he gave each contestant was spot on and supportive. You go, Usher!
Then there's the talent (or lack thereof). We always have someone who shouldn't be in the Top Ten. At least, in his own way, Sanjaya Malakar was entertaining enough -- the different hairdos, the personality. Tim Urban, dimples and cute grin, has the personality of a washboard and the talent of fabric softener. I'm sure Vote for the Worst and teenage kiddies will keep him on, but he needs to go far away.
I'm still really liking both Crystal Bowersox and Lee Dewyze -- both have great distinctive voices and I could see both becoming commercially successful down the road. Lee took strides last night in his efforts to gain his confidence. That's his biggest downfall. Even Usher recognized that Lee has a remarkable and unique singing voice. Casey would be good in a country-rock kind of venue or as the front man in a rock group with an emphasis on country rock.
I'm not on the Sioban (sp?) train, nor am I enamored with any of the others. I think the youngest male, Aaron, has a beautiful voice. Yet, he doesn't have the David Archuletta cuteness about him, nor the charisma. I guess I'd like to just fast-forward this season to a Lee/Crystal showdown and hope they both do well in the future.
The show is starting here. As it airs, I'll be jotting some quick notes in this entry. Anyone watching (or who has watched) is welcome to join in down in the comments section.
On the island, Sayid tells FLocke he doesn't feel anything anymore. Jin wants out from the FLocke. Whoa! Uprising with the Tina Fey gang and darts of some type. They want Jin.
FLocke wants Sun, tells her he has Jin (little does he know). Instead of going with him, she flees. Um. Okay, she trusts no one, I guess. Ben finds her and rescues her while FLocke finds his camp people attacked and Jin gone. Now she can only speak Korean again.
Tina Fey is holding Jin in the old Dharma Initiative's Room 23. "Take me to your leader." He gets a meet and greet with Charles Widmore. He tells Jin that if Locke ever gets off the island, there will be chance to reunite with Sun.
FLocke says he has to take all of the people whose names were on the wall to get off the island. Claire's name wasn't on the wall, but he needs her anyway. He wants Jin back.
FLocke met up with Widmore who knows he's not Locke.
Sideways Sayid rescued sideways Jin while he killed the men who killed his brother. Oh no, sideways Sun was accidentally shot by Jin. I'm so lost.
The show is once again delayed here on the East Coast due to March Madness. 60 Minutes started at 7:30 PM ET, so The Amazing Race should begin at around 8:30 PM. Once it starts, as it airs, I'll update this entry with major events including the Pit Stop order and Philimination. My actual show review will be posted late tonight over on TV Squad. But the real fun (and most information) will be right here in the comments area. Everyone is invited to join in with your thoughts!
It's 8:30 now and we're starting ...
Pit Stop 1. Steve and Allie - won a dinner, massage, 7 grand each, and all the 7-Up they can drink 2. Jordan and Dan 3. Brent and Caite 4. Louie and Michael 5. Jet and Cord -- didn't follow clue, left bottle on boat! 5. Argh - Carol and Brandy 6. Jet and Cord ... NON-PHILIMINATION - YAY!
It's Sunday, time to take my weekly off TV topic jaunt through the past week in photographs I've taken and words. The weather hasn't been the best this past week. We started out rainy, then cleared up some but with colder temperatures. Now I hear we can expect yet another five inches of rain between tonight and Tuesday. We don't need it, for sure. With the local floods, I hate to see what April showers will bring!
The big event of the week was the demolition of one of the historic buildings on North Avenue in Plainfield (NJ). I've been taking photos of that row of buildings since I've been taking the train ... we're talking more than five years. I honestly don't see what the rush was to immediately take down the building after the city ignored its dilapidated state for so long. Yes, it needed to come down, I guess. But, long ago they could have done something other than letting it rot. Now my blockscape view from the train station has a gaping hole in it.
Roofus the cat, who used to use said building to access the roofs on the block, is still sequestered in the old ex-rental car building. I saw footprints in the snow leading to the door over the winter and local blogger Bernice reported that she recently saw him. He's okay, someone's feeding him. However, I really don't know how long that building will last (although it's small and looks structurally secure).
I ran into Bernice as we were both photographing the demolition on Thursday. I played some with my video on my camera (see previous post) and in the YouTube video I'm including here. I was even mentioned in the local newspaper. No, not in the police blotter! Sheesh! Here's the Courier News mention -- way down in the article.
A point of interest in the North Plainfield home falling into the Green Brook -- I've photographed it before and my infamous squirrel in a pumpkin shot was in the home across the street which mirrored the ruined one. But the one across the street is occupied and well-kept.
Yes, I saved a hard copy of the paper. I can put it in with old dean's list announcements and my old police blotter articles. Ahem.
I want March Madness to be OVER.
Thank you.
Let's see ... what else happened this week? I seem usurped by the demolition, editing videos and such. Well, there was a full week of work, too. I filled up my not-an-iPod this week and had to take some songs off. Yikes! As I was going through that, I was thinking I should do a random Sunday Seven Songs on my not-an-iPod each week. You can feel free to reciprocate!
This week's Sunday Seven Songs: "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer "If I Were a Rich Man" by the original cast of Fiddler on the Roof "Smooth" by Carlos Santana/Rob Thomas "Honky Cat" by Elton John "When I Ruled the World" by Coldplay "Word Up" by Cameo "Für Elise" - Beethoven
Oh my. I think I'm just weird. Onto this week's photos (clicking on them will open them larger in a new window) --
Tuesday Morning
I took this photo of the doomed building on Tuesday morning about 7:30 on my way to work. I noted that the left parapet and part of the corner had fallen. On Wednesday, the Courier News published an article saying bricks came down between 7:00 and 8:00 on Tuesday evening thus throwing the situation into dire mode. Huh? The way the back of the building was described was the condition it's been in for over a year -- chimney leaning, wall crumbled away, BIG corner missing.
Thursday Morning
I had to go in to work pre-dawn on Thursday (was off on Wednesday). So this is after all the hoopla panicking. The parapet and corner don't look much different than they did on Tuesday morning.
Brightly Lighted and Blocked Off
Thursday morning still.
Demolition In Progress
By the time I came home from work at about 5:30 PM on Thursday, most of the building was down. If you go to Bernice's blog linked pre-photos here, she caught a lot that I didn't. Of course, once we saw each other, we hung out together taking shots.
Where is his hardhat?
All of the other guys were wearing hardhats (as they should be). This one man was in and out all around the destruction with a baseball cap on. What? He seemed to be directing a lot of the action. But I thought on a scene like this, everyone had to wear them.
Sigh
Claw of Death
I edited this one -- didn't do that much this week, did I? It's "posterized."
Saturday Morning Gap
From the train window Saturday morning
Arriving home Saturday
Something is just wrong.
Train Station in the hole
I took this shot from the back of the scene looking towards the Plainfield Train Station. Talk about jury-rigging wires! Look at those!
Let's have some non-North Avenue destruction photos ....
Sheesh! Is it contagious?
This was on Church Street (Plainfield) as I walked to the train Saturday morning. Sure, I didn't get hurt at the major demolition, but this guy managed to flick a brick right in front of my shoulder. And, I even went into the edge of the street to be away from him. He had no police barriers.
Love, Light, Life
The Plainfield YWCA building on East Front Street in Plainfield. I hope they take care of this gem.
My first dandelion sighting of the season
Resting and nesting
The Bridgewater field of geese near the train station. I know they'll nest, but they really shouldn't. The ball park sets up their fireworks on the field.
Crocuses! Or, is it Croci? I just don't know.
Tulips!
In a planter in front of Hugo's Bar on Church Street in Plainfield.
Yo, bud
This was taken near City Hall on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield.
Then there's the daffodils
Berckman Street, Plainfield
Then there's Vincent
What's up, Vincent? Do you hear a mouse?
In closing, I'll leave you with my spliced together clips of the demolition on North Avenue. It's long, but if you stick with it, you'll hear me offer to Bernice to go over to ask the demolition guys pose the two claw machines juxtaposed. Then again, you might want to miss that. I'll see you later for The Amazing Race!
Tonight is a boring television night for me. So, I'm giving you a sneak peek at something which will be more fully covered in Sunday's "That Was the Week It Was" post. The condemned building which used to provide Roofus the Cat access to the roofs on North Street in Plainfield (until the back portion of the building and roof collapsed) had a partial collapse on Tuesday. Today they tore it down. I was there with my camera for the tail end of the demolition. I included some photos taken before today's demise.
