The Amazing Race 19 Blog Party - 12/04/2011

Oh my goodness, I don't know what to do with myself. Why do I say that? Well, The Amazing Race is actually starting on time here in the NYC viewing area! I might just have to faint.

As the action happens, I'll be updating this post with the major happenings. But the real fun is in the comments; please pipe in with your thoughts! See you there!

Coming out of the Pit Stop, they have to dress up in costume as two "famous comic strip characters." Then they have to find out WHO they are! That's different! They're detectives Johnson and Johnson from TinTin. 

Then it's off to Panama City! After receiving tattoos which lead them to San Francisco Bay Tower, a Roadblock has them walking a tightrope over the city.

Next up is a Detour with a choice of Filet or Sole. The first is delivering fish, the second is making sandals.

No team is having luck with finding the clue to the Pit Stop on the dancers. However, Tommy and Andy took off thinking it's something to do with Balboa. That just might cost them the race. The other three teams are still at the dancers trying to find the clue. Uh-oh. Amani and Marcus seem to be going to the same place as Andy and Tommy. Ack!

Tommy and Andy went back and found the Panama Viejo clue.

Pit Stop --

1. Jeremy and Sandy - won a trip
2. Ernie and Cindy
3. Marcus and Amani!!! (My blog pool team!)

Andy and Tommy won six legs and now they're gone. 

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - December 4, 2011

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic jaunt through the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. We've really been lucky temperature-wise here. For early December, we're definitely warmer than average. In the beginning of the week it was almost warm. Now we're back to temperatures in the low 50s going down into the high 20s in the overnight hours. I could certainly deal with that all winter! Unfortunately, it's not likely to happen.

This is the fifth nice weekend in a row here, too. But it has rained just about every Tuesday night into Wednesday. Guess when my day off is? Wednesday! Well, Wednesday and Sunday.

Unless the forecast changes, it's to be that way this week, too. It's a shame because (until I saw the forecast) I was thinking I'd just ride the train all the way into the city (Manhattan) after work on Tuesday to go photo stomping. As I'm off on Wednesday, I could lurk late without worrying about getting up at five in the morning. But they're saying rain for Tuesday night and Wednesday, so that's probably not going to happen. Maybe a week from Tuesday! I could go today, but weekends are more crowded than weeknights and I'd have to be home for The Amazing Race because you never know when it's going to start.

I feel the need to post a correction about stating last week that bikes are allowed on the NJ Transit trains during off peak hours. Well, they kind of are. But, while I was on my medical leave, they changed the rules. No more bikes boarding or getting off at low platforms. My hesitancy about getting my own bike going was due to the low platform at my workplace station. If I took a bike aboard, I'd have to go all the way to Somerville, then bike it three or four miles back to work. 

The new rule is putting a cramp on my new shift train buddies -- a group of tree workers. One has taken to leaving his bike locked at Bridgewater and carrying his seat back and forth on the train. Another is riding his bike from Fanwood to the Plainfield Station, passing two stations with low platforms, then getting out at Somerville and biking five miles to work. 

I feel obligated (personally) to add that the latter dude doing that huge bike hike (and is a tree worker climbing trees, etc.) has an NJ Transit disability card and rides for half-fare. I've looked over the paperwork that you need to bring to a doctor to fill out and submit and I'm not seeing how he gets away with it! I probably would have qualified before my knee replacement(s) or definitely during recovery when I wasn't riding the train. He claims to have a metal plate in his foot. Um, I have metal and plastic knees! Yet I don't think I'd qualify. But then, I did have the operations so I wouldn't be disabled!

Enough grousing, I guess. He's a nice enough guy and also a photo-taker albeit with his smart phone. I just don't like it when people take advantage of the system. Onto the photos for the week ...

The sky is a hazy shade of winter

My apologies to Paul Simon, but it's fitting for the early morning skies this week. This is looking to the west as the sun rises in the east. Bridgewater, NJ.

Sunset with train

The skies were gorgeous when I got home from work early Friday evening. Plainfield Train Station.

Sunset without train

After the train pulled away. I have no clue why only one side of the station has its lamps on. It happens in the morning when they go off, too. It's always the westbound side which is dark first in the morning, last lighted in the evening. 

It's my own theory that they cater to NYC bound passengers just like the full stations are always on that side, ticket machines on that side, etc. Even the buses favor NYC-bound with shelters and benches on that side while folks going westbound stand in the rain. Perhaps they're working under the misconception that most folks just get off trains and buses going westbound and don't have to wait to board them. Huh!

MORE PHOTOS -- HIT THE "READ MORE" LINK IF YOU'RE ON THE MAIN BLOG PAGE!

Survivor South Pacific 11/30 Episode Blog Party

Survivors ready? It's almost time for the show to start here on the East Coast. As it airs, I'll be updating this post with major events. But the real fun and active discussion can be found in the blog party comments. Stop on in and share your thoughts on the show!

Time for the Ozzy, Dawn and Whitney duel! It's a balancing plates challenge. Dawn is out. Whitney is out. Both go to the jury. Ozzy remains in the game and on Redemption Island

Immunity challenge has one round bag tossing -- Sophie, Rick and Albert move on. Now the three are trying to break targets. Albert wins immunity and a massage! He decides to take Coach, and then wants to give up his reward to someone else as he can't take a third. He gives it to Cochran! Cochran's birthday is coming.

Ha! Cochran is lying about his birthday! It was six months previous! He has Coach wrapped around his finger.

Tribal. Oh, geez. Brandon is crying again. HE is the one who needs to go! If the Albert, Edna, Cochran and Coach vote doesn't get Rick out, they should switch to Brandon.

The tally:
Cochran
Rick
Rick
Cochran
Cochran
Cochran

Sigh. He's off to Redemption Island to duel Ozzy.

The Amazing Race 19 Blog Party - 11/27/2011

Due to football, 60 Minutes didn't start until 7:55 PM ET here in the NYC viewing area. So I'm assuming that The Amazing Race should start about 55 minutes late. Once it starts, I'll update this post with the major happenings. But the real fun is in the comments; please pipe in with your thoughts! See you there!

Finally we're starting ..

Last week we only knew Amani and Marcus had arrived first at the Pit Stop and were immediately onto the next leg. They're off to the Ford Proving Ground also in Belgium.

Ernie and Cindy were team two. Jeremy and Sandy third. Four, Andy and Tommy. Bill and Cathi are last, but still in the race!

Roadblock - Who wants to play with the ponies? It's a Mustang testing course.

Off to Gent, Belgium next.

Detour - Water or Waffle.

Next they're off to race homing pigeons! They have to go to the destination of their birds where they're getting a clue to the location of the next Pit Stop.

Pit Stop
1. Andy and Tommy - Each wins a customized Ford Mustang
2. Jeremy and Sandy
3. Ernie and Cindy
4. Amani and Marcus
5. Bill and Cathi -- Philiminated.

Sigh. I really really liked them!

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - November 27, 2011

It's Sunday, time for my weekly off television topic jaunt through the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. This past week was a shortened work week for me due to the Thanksgiving holiday. However, unlike many office workers, government and factory workers -- I worked Black Friday and Saturday, too. My days off were Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday. Thankfully, unlike some unlucky folks in retail, my workplace is closed on Thanksgiving. (Yay!)

I continued my pledge to not shop on either Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday. On Thanksgiving, I think it's horrible for the stores to open and the employees don't get to spend the holiday at home when they're already in a busy busy season. Sure, I realize that police, fire, health care workers, etc. have to work the holidays. However, they're not under the major business crush of retail workers. 

I don't shop on Black Friday because I don't like large crowds of crazy people. I don't care how good the bargains are. I know folks who buy so many things they don't need just because "they're on sale!" -- my budget really doesn't allow for that kind of craziness. 

That said, I do have intentions of going into the city for some of the holiday sights photo stomping this year. My knees are feeling well enough and I haven't done it in a long time due to knee pain. I'll probably go in on a Wednesday as it isn't AS crazy there mid-week. But not this coming Wednesday as Justin Bieber and President Obama are both in town and the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting is going on. That's crazy.

After a rainy start this week, the weather turned glorious for the holiday and through today. It's even been in the 60s! I'm loving it! My windows have been open and a light jacket or sweater is all that's needed to make my work commute.

Vincent and I had a nice quiet holiday at home. He got his Fancy Feast Turkey with Gravy, licked the gravy off and begged for more. I made a mini-feast for myself and have lived on leftovers ever since. I hope you all had a fine Thanksgiving holiday!

Enough rambling ... time for some photos! Clicking on an image will open it larger in a gallery doohickey thingee.

Patch of dawn

I realize I posted this one on my Facebook wall this week, but I was pleased with how it turned out. I edited it to leave only the patch of dawn in color. Plainfield train Station.

Like early autumn deja vu

With the warmer temperatures and sunshine the latter part of this week, the mums have returned. Alas, I fear they won't last too long now. I guess we can't stave off winter forever. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Boots on a porch

No, they're not MY boots! I don't have a porch either. Edited to leave only the boots in color. Berckman Street, Plainfield.

USE THE READ MORE LINK TO SEE THE REMAINDER OF THE PHOTOS!