Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 19, 2012

Good Sunday morning to you! It's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. If you're looking for Big Brother content, you can pull up all of those posts with this label link and might want to skip over this particular post. Don't worry, my feelings won't be hurt. But, for those who remain ...

This coming week will break the pattern of hot, humid and stormy. It will keep the stormy part now and again, but the temperatures will be slightly below normal. I'm more than ready for the temperatures to ease. I was probably ready before it ever got hot!

Vincent has fared fine through the hot weather as, in the worst of it, I've left the air conditioner on low for him. However, I'd rather just have the windows open with a gentle breeze wafting in and a lower electric bill. Unfortunately, I have to go out back and forth to work as I am not a spoiled cat. 

Let's see ... I seem a bit discombobulated this morning. So, maybe I should just send out random thoughts on the week in my BB live feeds reporting style. Yeah, that's easier than paragraphs! Here we go!

• I hurt a finger at my workplace. It's making typing a bit hard. I think it might be sprained.
• I saw a whole bunch of bats in the skies downtown last night as I returned home from work. Cool.
• The days are getting shorter. Last week it was too rainy, but would have been too light for the bats on my Saturday later return home.
• I did not win the big Powerball lottery drawing. I bought one ticket. Never gamble more than you wish to throw away.
• I have been contacted with an intriguing offer to work for a start-up on the Internet which (hopefully) might become another social networking way of life. I'll know more next week after I talk to them on the phone.
• But, of course, I'll keep my day job. Internet income is so up and down.
• Right now it's way down.
• No one stole the cameras at my apartment building. For some reason, the landlord took them down, every one but the front door.
• I don't use the front door.
• Even the one in the laundry room is gone.
• I don't know what's up with that.
• And now, the front door which had been red, has been painted black.
• Enough of this, onto the photos! 

Clicking on an image will open it in a new window. Clicking again will make it larger. Closing the window will bring you right back here.  

A weed flower

Yes, even a weed can be pretty.

A paler shade of bee

I messed with the saturation in this photo. I don't know why, but I like it in paler pastels. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Red sky in the morning

Sailors take warning. And sure enough, it rained later that day. This is the Plainfield Train Station as I waited for my train about 6:30 AM one day.

**HIT THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

Big Brother 14: Live Feeds Power of Veto Comp Bulletin - Aug. 18

Boogie has a new do

Finally, after a six hour plus feeds block, they came back. Then after a good twenty minutes of no mention, Ian spoke to Danielle and Dan.

"So, Ashley will go up and Boogie will go home?"

Aha! Frank must have won the power of veto! 

They said they didn't want to talk out there (Boogie and Frank weren't far away). Danielle did tell Ian he's not on the short list.

Big Brother: Live Feeds Into the Dawn, Saturday - Aug. 18

Playing dumb ... or just plain dumb?

Now, this is classic Big Brother game play -- hurt feelings, throwing friends under the proverbial reality show bus, getting defensive, a few tears ... that's what we're talking about! If you haven't read my previous post, go read it now. Then get back here.

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Hamster Havoc:

• Just to recap a bit: As per the decision of the entire Quack Pack (not just one or two, mind you), Shane put Frank and Boogie on the block.
• Boogie already had it in his mind that if they went up, it would be due to Britney in Shane's ear.
• Frank already had it in his mind that if they went up, it would be due to Dan in Shane's ear.
• Nobody is even thinking of Ian in all these tales going about in dizzying circles.
• Good. 
• So far, in every confrontation, Ian has been protected. 
• First, Boogie and Frank confronted Shane. Newbie that he is, Frank is already good at the BB mind games.
• Boogie is proving to be a pro at the game.
• I hate to admit that.
• But he's no one without a bro at his side, methinks.
• In that first confrontation, Shane threw Britney under the bus.
• Mainly because the fish have stronger spines than Mr. Comp Winning Hunk Dude.
• Shane then told Britney he threw her under the bus. Oh, not in so many words. But she indeed knows he did.
• So she went to confront Boogie and Frank. 
• While not throwing anyone (other than Shane and how he made the choice) by name, she said she indeed heard they were going to target her and Shane. She admitted to telling Shane that.
• When she wouldn't give any names, Boogie and Frank turned to blaming Dan.
• She didn't say no. She didn't say yes.
• Of course, we know that our boy Ian had a hand in this.
• His name never came up.
• So many fake hugs in this game ... Frank and Boogie hugged Britney and said there are options.
• "This can be fixed." -- Boogie's line of the night.
• Then Britney confronted Shane and rehashed how he threw her under the bus and how badly he hurt her feelings.
• Shane is, um ... I want to say a platypus. He's certainly not the sharpest tool in the shed.
• But he is indeed a tool. That's for sure.
• That's what we get for BB recruiting folks who've never seen the show.
• Then Boogie, Frank, Shane, Britney and Dan had a big pow-wow in the HoH room. 
• I'd call that the light into Teflon Dan to see if he will crack meeting.
• Dan doesn't crack.
• He doesn't name names. He actually doesn't even sweat or get excited.
• Later, Boogie and Frank went to Danielle. Oh my. They told her all about Dan and his Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (at the hands of others). Boogie even told Dan's final two deal with him.
• Boogie and Frank tag teamed Danielle with accusations that her alliance is dissing her, leaving her out to dry.
• Danielle and Britney bonded more over bubbles. They planned a name for their two girl alliance.
• Where were Joe, Jenn and Ashley during all of this?
• Who cares!
• Dan told Britney he doesn't know how much longer he can protect Ian.
• Oh noes!
• In watching Boogie and Dan, their game play, I have to give them both credit. As a watcher, I can see what they're doing in their games and they're so much better even than Britney or Janelle have been in the season.
• In the end, despite all hurt feelings, the Quack Pack wants the noms to remain the same.
• Either Frank or Boogie can go.
• And Danielle is back in Shane's bed tonight.
• While Frank and Dan share a bed.
• What a wonderful world it is.
• Heh. Not in the Hamster House!
• The Power of Veto will be a big telling factor in all of this. It will be played out later today.
• And yet another fish is dying. They're probably just dying to get out of there!

Telling Coach Dan stories

The Blame Game

On the hot seat

When all fails, a bubble bath helps

Big Brother 14: Live Feeds Nominations Bulletin and ? - Aug. 17

?, no Mysterians

Prior to the feeds block for nominations, the hamsters were on an outdoor lockdown. When they returned inside, a trail of the game balls led to the arcade room. A mysterious ball with a question mark has appeared. Whatever can it mean? The guesses range from a clue that Pandora's Box is coming to a PoV comp with numbers or counting. Some tried to count the balls.

NOMINATIONS ARE IN!

Surprise ... Boogie and Frank are on the block. Shane is being tag-teamed by both and throwing Britney under the bus. Shane is backing down, but the nominations are in. Too late!

Well, Shaney Boy, you shock me. He's telling Britney blow by blow what they and he said. Britney is NOT happy that Shane made the target on her even larger. However, we all know that Boogie made up his mind early this morning that if Shane put them up, it would be Britney's fault.

UPDATE: Now Britney is talking with Boogie and Frank, defending herself. They're playing the same mind games with her. Now the blame is shifting on Dan. Britney is not throwing Dan under the bus, though.  She's basically nodding her head a lot. Frank, after all, really wants Dan out. It was Dan he was tempted to blindside last week.

Boogie told Frank (after Britney left) that he was right all along ... it's Dan. Britney really did no more than agree what a good player Dan is.

Big Brother 14: Live Feeds Friday Daytime - Aug. 17

Will Frank be on the block?

Y'know ... this could be a very interesting week. When I last left you, the Quack Pack had united in um ... quacks with the decision that the Silent Six would be reduced to Quacks and One this week. Yep, Frank and Boogie on the block, the blood on Shane's hands for the good of the masses. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Fowl Deeds:

• As per his usual, Boogie was the first up and talked to the feedsters this morning.
• A sidenote: I do like when someone, anyone talks to us! Even Boogie.
• He recapped the endurance comp. Yawn.
• Then he said on a scale of ten, he was a nine in his confidence he'd be safe this week.
• He's sure Shane would never nominate him or Frank. But, as he said, if that sneaky Britney gets in there.
• But he's sure they're okay.
• Heh.
• Boogie thinks Shane has the biggest target on him in the house.
• He would like one of the peripheral people to do the dirty work to take him (Shane) down.
• He went on give his opinion of everyone in the house. He thinks Danielle is a tough competitor, but easily manipulated.
• He has a love/hate relationship with Britney.
• On and on.
• He actually does think a lot of Dan. Apparently his talks about going to the end with him might have a ring of truth.
• But, last night Dan was definitely for putting Frank and Boogie up with the Quack Pack.
• Jenn is in a lot of pain from the comp.
• As is Ian, many others. Some wild falls went down.
• Jenn and Ashley are sure they will be nominated. They've decided to work together.
• Which, of course, isn't the best thing if they're both on the block.
• But I doubt they will be.
• Jenn thinks it's a waste that Britney went for safety when Shane won HoH.
• Joe told Shane that Ashley will vote whatever he (Shane) wants her to.
• Loose Lips Shane said if he makes a big move, he wants one to go.
• Why don't you just tell Joe that you're going to put Boogie and Frank on the block? Sheesh.
• Shane told Joe he wants no coaches at the end of the game.
• Ian asked Boogie if he knows who's getting nominated.
• Boogie told him he thinks it will be Joe and Ashley.
• Heh.
• Boogie also told Ian he thinks this will be an easy week.
• Double heh.
• Ian requested that his key come up last to cover for his double agent work.
• Shane thinks he'll put Ashley and Joe just before Ian.
• Frank told Ian he thinks that he, Boogie and Ian could make it to at least the final four.
• Ian asked him what would happen if he (Frank) and Boogie went on the block.
• Frank said he'd be upset because Boogie went after the money instead of HoH last night.
• Heh.
• Nominations will be later tonight. 

Shocker! Danielle is on Shane's bed!

Boogie feels safe this week

Yes, Jenn is still there!

Dan occupies himself with Godzilla in the pool