TV Hash - American Idol, Lost, and TV Blogging Stuff ...

I meant to post last night, but I fell asleep. I hate it when I do that! The local news on WCBS is having a series on sleep all this week. It's too bad I'm getting so sleepy I can't concentrate enough to watch it. Had I not thought ahead to record Letterman on Monday night, I would have missed Jim Parsons (Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory). He always makes me smile.

I have several things I want to talk about -- the first being last night's Sinatra spotlight on American Idol. Oh my. Casey didn't do well, neither did the projected winner Crystal Bowersox. While Aaron did okay, I'm tired of seeing him in that one pose -- one foot forward, some odd attempts at quasi-pelvic thrusting (or whatever it is that he's doing). He has no stage presence. I can't imagine going to a concert and enduring an hour of him standing there doing that no matter how well he might sing. Big Mike looked the part and did well. But, the winner of the night for me was Lee DeWyze.



The more I see him and hear him, the more I like him. He's gaining confidence in his performance skills and I've always liked the slightly raspy tone. I think working with Harry Connick, Jr. last night improved his outlook greatly. I'd like to see a Bowersox/DeWyze finale. Of course, I'm typing this up before the results show. For all I know, one might be going home!

Then there's Lost. Eek! I missed the show the week I was in Texas and, for some reason, the web site episode hangs at the very end. But I should be relatively caught up. Yet, I'm still a bit lost. We lost four people in the episode! Lapidus, Sayid, Sun, and Jin, all dead. Hmm ... maybe the finale is that no one gets out of it alive.

FLocke has to be a bad guy. But Widmore seems to be one, too. I realize it's some sort of epic good/evil battle going on, but neither of these two seem really "good." And Hurley cried. Aw, man.

Then there's TV Blogging stuff

I forgot to mention my The Big Bang Theory post up on CliqueClack TV the other night. I really have to get back in the habit of posting the links here, on Twitter and Facebook.

My TV Squad blogging gig is undergoing major changes, kind of sort of. AOL, the owner of TV Squad, has merged their Inside TV blog with TV Squad under the name of TV Squad. The blog's look has changed. The pay rate is a bit better for me, so the changes aren't anything I fear. There are technical differences for images and new contract doohickeys, but I'll get used to it all. I'm hoping that, with the changes, I might be able to do the Big Brother live feeds there this summer. Right now it's too early to tell. Of course, I'll have feeds stuff here. (But it's nice to get paid for it there!)

As for readers of TV Squad, one of the major complaints seem to be that folks can't find their shows. If you input the show name in the search box, you can find all posts about the subject. Or, it's easy to just do the site - http://www.tvsquad.com/ with "category" and the show name at the end - http://www.tvsquad.com/category/survivor -- I think that should work. If not, I'll have to edit this post!

Now a little late news --

We all know that Adam, winner of Big Brother 9, got busted for drugs. More recently, Matt was also charged! It's right here in this article. Plus, Matt, the apple of Natalie's eyes, has been arrested for beating up his girlfriend. Yikes.

There you go. That's what I had to say. I'll be watching American Idol while recording the new episode of Criminal Minds. Hopefully, I'll stay awake for Letterman. I was off today and even napped a bit. But I had to get up for a conference call for the blogging. By the way, Vincent jumped on me and wouldn't get off during the conference call. It's almost easier to take them at work!

The Amazing Race - Blog Party Post - 5/02/10 Episode

Tonight's show is actually starting on time again on the East Coast. They're going to spoil us! Once it starts, 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!

Sigh. Brent and Caite came in first, won a trip to Spain.
2. Jet and Cord
3. Dan and Jordan

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - May 2, 2010

Welcome to yet another Sunday of photos I've taken and reflection on a week gone by. I've had one of those hectic weeks at work -- you know the kind, when you're running around putting out fires rather than just getting stuff done. I'd rather be proactive than reactive, but sometimes things seem to work against me. Oh, well.

Television should be picking up with May Sweeps in effect. That's a good thing. I've only been watching a few selected shows religiously -- Castle, American Idol, The Amazing Race, Survivor, Letterman and the local news. I was in Texas and missed the AI in which smiley boy Tim Urban got the boot, but caught Siobahn's (sp?) swan song. No great loss (for me) on either of them. I also missed the local auditions for the next season of Big Brother while in Texas. Not that I would apply, mind you. People have been asking when BB is coming. It's always in the beginning of July.

On the home front, it finally happened. My landlord went under, at least on my building and the others in this particular LLC he set up. The bank has taken over the building but I see no difference so far -- the elevator is still broken and some fool still vacuums the hallways at odd hours. I usually mail my rent the day before the first of the month so they get it on the first. When Friday morning came, I stalled as the most recent article in the local paper made me think twice before sending payment to the landlord.

When I came home from work on Friday, there was an envelope full o' legal mumbo-jumbo taped to my apartment door. Now, I know what's going on and I know my reading comprehension level is perhaps even a bit above the norm. Yet, reading through the legalese is a bit off-putting for even me. I can just imagine the folks in the buildings who aren't fluent in English or have limited reading skills trying to get through the paper.

I don't pay the rent (now due yesterday) to my landlord, "referred to hereinafter as 'the defendant'." They named a receiver for the rents, yet gave us only a name -- no address or any way to contact him. Um. Okay. I guess I'll send my rent when they tell me where to send it. I don't suppose we get a month off for the trauma, eh?

I had a bad fall at the Baltimore Airport (BWI) on my journey and had written Southwest Airlines about it as it was mostly due to their flight crew blocking a walkway. I received an email back from them with a $100 flight voucher albeit admitting no liability on their part. I guess I'll have to fly somewhere before the voucher expires in a year.

I've put together some slideshows of the zillions of photos I took while in San Antonio. Grab some coffee and settle in ... but, first I'll show this week's shots --- clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window.

Vincent

She left me with strangers while she went gallivanting across the country. Then, yesterday she closed the windows and turned on the air conditioner for a while. How dare she!

Isn't this illegal?

Both Papa John's pizza and In and Out Bail Bonds have tacked up advertisements on power poles and trees throughout the East Front Street area in Plainfield. I don't frequent either establishment. I don't eat pizza (yes, I'm weird) and, unless my lifestyle drastically changes, I doubt I'll ever need a bail bondsman.

I need to celebrate the squirrels of Plainfield, NJ. When I was in San Antonio, I saw absolutely NO squirrels. I know they must have them, but ...!

Near the Plainfield Train Station

East Front Street in Plainfield

If I flatten myself on the tree, no one can see me

Near the Plainfield Train Station

Jus' hangin' in there

Be gone, or I'll drop a house on you, too!

We had wicked winds earlier this week, but nowhere near tornado levels. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Trust me, it IS poison ivy

Look, there are vines. It isn't poison sumac -- that's an entirely different leaf structure. Where I've been taking my poison ivy shots at the Bridgewater Train Station, it's grown crazy. Like many plants, it grows towards the sun. Perhaps it appears in the photos that it's on bushes, etc., but it's on vines.

See? Vines.

Some of the vines are thicker than my arm as they've grown unchecked for so many years. Other new vines are spreading all the time.

Flowery

Azaleas

That's what they are -- I found the little gardening placard.

Gone to seed

In the rain, the day after

Who watches the watchers?

I'm not the only one on NJ Transit camera in hand. He has a lot better equipment than I do. But he's a railfan headed to Bound Brook to film freight trains. I'm just a commuter on my way to work.

One day ...

... the next day, in the rain

How quickly nature moves. The day after, they were just blackened bits in the grass. Bridgewater Train Station.

Here are a few shots I liked (and played with) from my vacation ...

When Pigs Fly

Watchers

The San Antonio police perch above the Fiesta at the Marketplace.

One Way

Riverwalk in San Antonio

Not San Antonio

I was bored waiting for my shuttle bus from Manhattan to LaGuardia, so I shot stuff.

Still not San Antonio

An architectural contrast in Midtown Manhattan

Outside Port Authority in Manhattan

This isn't all that far from the big bomb scare in Times Square last night. Gosh, we live in a world of jerks. Yay for the t-shirt vendor who reported the car!

Thank you for your patience with this entry and here are some Texas Adventure slideshows --

Survivor: heroes vs. Villains Blog Party Post 04/29 Episode

The show is starting in a few minutes. This post will be updated with the major events as they air here on the East Coast. Late tonight, my full review will be posted on TV Squad. But, until then, the real fun is in the comments area right here -- feel free to jump in with your thoughts on the show, everyone is welcome! Survivors ready? Will Sandra take down Russell?

Colby, Danielle, and Amanda (randomly teamed) won reward - a trip to the Robert Lewis Stevenson estate and screening of the movie Treasure Island.

Russell has the hidden immunity idol and tries to bring Candice to the dark side. Jerri won immunity for the first time ever.

Russell played the idol thinking he was saving himself. No need to, Amanda voted out 5 to 4 against Pavarti.

The Amazing Race Blog Party Post - 4/25/10 Episode

Tonight's show is actually starting on time on the East Coast in just a couple of minutes. Once it starts, 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!

In Shanghai ... pit stop order --
1. Jet and Cord - won a trip to Alaska
2. Brent and Caite
3. Dan and Jordan
4. Louie and Michael last, but non-Philimination leg