Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 9, 2012

Good morning, world! Or, at the least, a little bit of the world. I don't think I'd want the whole world here anyway. I'd have to get out of my fuzzy slippers. This is 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 might want to skip this post and head here instead.

Thinking back on the week, it wasn't really all that remarkable in the greater scheme of my life. Yes, it was a four day work week at my day job and I did have an extra day off. But, with the BB live feeds coverage going on, a day off doesn't necessarily mean a day off. However, the end is in sight -- the finale is September 19. The live feeds cut down drastically before then.

The weather here hasn't been cooperative in light of my photo taking, either. It's been immensely humid and/or raining half the time as I made my commute back and forth. Since I didn't really go elsewhere with my camera(s), my photos this week are a bit limited.

A few random thoughts from the week:

• It's bad enough that some high school age kids called me "ma'am." But when an Emminem thug lookin' wannabe in his mid-20s wearing a "wife-beater" shirt called me "Ma'am" ... GAH! I feel suddenly OLD.
• I got hit on by a drunk Mexican man downtown. Why? Very annoying. I pretty much had to turn him around and give him a push to make him go away. He didn't respond to "Shoo!" with my hand motions.
• Vincent hasn't done not a thing around the house. I would expect he'd at least do the dishes now and then or Swiffer up his own cat fur. 
• One morning on the train, I saw two deer and a snowy egret. Alas, the train was going too fast for clear photos. But I like to think it's a lucky day when I spot wildlife on my way to work.
• I should clarify -- the deer and egret were not ON the train. I saw them out the window.
• Once the leaves start falling, I'll be able to see more. In a way, summer makes my train ride more boring as it hides things with all the leaves.
• The days seem to rapidly be getting shorter even though we aren't anywhere near losing Daylight Savings Time yet.
• I like the new angles from the sun, especially in the mornings.
• Starting today, the oppressive humidity we suffered through for most of the week should lessen. Good.
• We were under tornado watches for several hours yesterday. I had my camera ready, but no tornadoes here -- the closest one struck in Brooklyn.

That's just about it. Onto the photos -- clicking on an image will open it in a new window, clicking again will result in a larger image. Closing out that window will return you right here.  

Lonesome dove

I believe he (she?) was indeed lonesome. I believe mourning doves pair up and are  monogamous for life. This sole dove perched atop the flag pole in front of the Plainfield Police Station, observing traffic and probably thinking, "Look at those silly humans."

Man vs. Nature

The skies were spectacular one morning. You'll see that I took advantage of that for several of my photos this week. This one was taken looking through the parking lot fence at Union County Community College on Church Street in Plainfield.

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

Big Brother 14: Live Feeds Power of Veto Update - Sept. 8

Danielle's picked-at pimple crater won the PoV!

 

Who woulda thunk it?

Er, no. It appears Shane won the Power of Veto. No one has come out and said it although there were some "it's a good feeling" references by Shane. The veto necklace was hanging on the side of the Memory Wall near no one's photo per se when the feeds returned.

Danielle was upset. Jenn seemed down and climbed in bed. Ian, Shane and Dan acting normal.

Although no one has come out and said it, I'll call Shane the winner. If he isn't, I'll correct this.

Now, if he takes himself off, Ian is likely to put up Danielle as per earlier discussions. Jenn would remain the target.

Big Brother 14: Live Feeds Friday Evening into Saturday - Sept. 7-8

Dan knows his noses!

Oh, yeah. There were nominations Friday night. What a shocker! Jenn is on the block. Can you believe that? Yes, I'm being sarcastic. It's also so not a surprise that Ian put Shane up there with her. Had he put Danielle or Dan up, we'd be talking real shocker. But that didn't happen. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Ducky Dupes:

• Danielle complained to Shane that Jenn snapped at her when she told her she was sorry she's on the block.
• After all, she (Danielle) never did that when she's been on the block!
• Um. Well. Jenn knows she's on the block to go home and only has surface friends around her.
• With surface friends, they talk nice to your face, but have no interest in you at all.
• Shane, also on the block this time, told Danielle it's because she (Jenn) has been on the block so often lately.
• Jenn had no dishes to wash, so she cooked. Rather violently. As she did, she muttered something about special powers.
• Sorry, too late in the game for special powers.
• Dan told her she could hit him or something to get her frustration out.
• He also told her the way she was acting might affect whether she will stay or not.
• Oh, I don't think so. If the noms remain the same, Danielle will vote for Shane to stay. Even if Dan votes to evict Shane, Ian is the tiebreaker -- Quack Pack to the end. All the ducks in a row.
• They're on indoor lockdown.
• Dan thinks it might be the morph comp and he's been studying all the face parts on the Memory Wall.
• Jenn eventually calmed down for girl talk with Danielle.
• She told Danielle that a big part of the problem is she has no outlet for her frustration. If she were home, she could play music or write in her journal to get the steam out. Instead, with so little privacy, it all boils up until she reacts poorly.
• I actually understand that.
• Danielle told Jenn she thinks Shane might just be playing her and might not have any interest in her at all.
• Y'think?
• Ian said that with no "madlovecooking," they can actually prepare their own food.
• I recall he talked early in the summer about not liking someone else decide what he'd eat every night.
• I totally understand that one.
• Jenn thinks Dan "got in Ian's ear" and that's why he wasn't nominated.
• Nope, more like he got in Ian's AIR and spread the mist.
• Danielle assured her that Dan and Danielle will vote Shane out.
• @@
• If Jenn believes that, she's a fool. She needs to win veto to stay in now.
• Jenn told Dan she doesn't trust Ian.
• Jenn really shouldn't trust anyone in that house. She's been odd woman out since Day 1 without a true alliance.
• And now they sleep ... 

BB proves CD Walkmans are still on the market

Body language

Obviously she hasn't learned her lesson

Jenncity from the block ... again

Big Brother 14: Live Feeds Into Friday Afternoon - Sept. 7

The pimple that ate Cleveland unhidden

Welp, the big excitement is over for a day or so now. The double eviction on the live show last night, the HoH comp in the wee hours and, then today, it was the return of the Pandora's Box. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Bamboozled Besties:

• Danielle told Shane that when she was on the block last night and the vote was about to go down, Dan threatened Ian telling him "I'll cut your face off if you vote her out."
• Oh my.
• I don't recall that happening. Do you?
• Methinks she embellishes just a bit.
• Once again she was all over Shane petting him like he's some kind of puppy last night.
• Watching them, I can't help but thinking he'd rather be sharing his bed with his beloved dog Dozer.
• Ian slept with his stuffed snake and teddy bear. He looked a lot more comfortable than Shane.
• Danielle not only has that monster pimple on her forehead, but another the size of Tampa on her nose.
• You'd think an LPN would know better than to pop and pick at them until they get into this state.
• BB announced an outdoor lockdown.
• When they returned, the table had shrunk. I'd say it's way too small. It looks like a table for two to me! Move those three spare chairs!
• Danielle got ticked at Shane because he was "following" her around and she couldn't talk to Dan alone.
• Well, whose fault is that, Ms. Stalker? YOU wanted him, you got him.
• But not like you'd want him, eh. Picky, picky, picky.
• But then ... excitement! Well, trivia for us, excitement for them.
• Why, it's another Pandora's Box.
• And Ian went for it.
• This one turned out baddish for Ian, good for the other hamsters.
• Ian got a videotaped visit from Rachel.
• Gak.
• The others got videotaped visits from loved ones. 
• Jenn tried to campaign a bit with Ian.
• But we all know what will happen.
• Jenn and one Quack Packer will go on the block.
• As long as Jenn doesn't win veto, she will join her buddy Frank in the jury house.
• Ian is telling everyone the nominations are arbitrary -- it's the veto which packs the power this week.
• He mentioned to Danielle that the only nomination against Jenn which might be iffy would be Dan.
• Huh.
• Maybe that's what he should do, eh?
• It would be nice if Danielle, Ian and Jenn all talked -- they all have deals going with Dan. Shane, not so much.
• Ian said that last night, when he handed the HoH key to Dan, Dan told him he was the pawn.
• Yet Ian went to town on that power of veto, didn't he?
• He knows pawns sometime go home.
• But I think Jenn will be the next one out.
• Nominations are later tonight.
• But they're arbitrary, remember.
• It might as well be Jenn and Jenn because Jenn will go.

And the little bear said. "The table's just right!"

Annoying and Expendable, together again

Listening to Danielle put him in an odd trance

Listening to Danielle put him to sleep

Big Brother 14: Live Feeds and New HoH Thursday Into Friday - Sept. 6-7

Who wants to see my HoH room?

"Oh my goodness, what a night," - Ian Terry

The kid is right. After last night's double eviction show, there was another HoH comp held in the wee hours. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Revolving HoH Winners:

• When the live feeds returned, Dan had to use his mist to the utmost as he tried to assure Danielle he knew she had the votes to stay.
• She wanted to know why he didn't put up Jenn.
• He told her he panicked.
• Yeah, right. 
• She was not a happy camper.
• Even both Shane and Ian telling her she looked beautiful didn't help.
• Of course, she re-covered the crater on her forehead (which she wouldn't have if she had left it alone!).
• Dan also had to remist Ian, but that went down a lot easier.
• After all, Ian is a renegade, not a woman scorned.
• But ... the unhappiest camper of all?
• Oh, not Shane. Be real. He's like the Scarecrow, without a brain in the game.
• I'm talking Jenncity.
• She brooded. She was so down, I swear I saw a personal storm cloud floating above her head.
• Really.
• She eventually got called to the Diary Room.
• After she washed just about every dish in the house, when Danielle tried to help her, she walked away.
• Jenn told Ian that she was close to him in the comp.
• I just remember that Joe and Shane were just about tied for last.
• They did hear the crowd cheer as Ian got his fin out of the maze.
• Ian, with his extra energy already, paced wildly with adrenalin for more than a few hours. I didn't think he'd ever settle down.
• Ian told the others that Jenn feels all alone.
• Well, she is. She knows it.
• Jenn told Danielle the fact that Shane wasn't touched by Dan at all means that he has a deal with him.
• Huh. We know Dan has separate deals with Danielle and Ian. He nominated both of them.
• We know that Dan is only really faithful to himself. And his wife, but she isn't in the house.
• Dan got his HoH basket and a letter from his wife.
• Upon seeing her photo, Jenn claimed she's been "out-chicked." Um. Wil probably out-chicked Jenn.
• The feeds were then blocked for the HoH comp.
• And ... oh my goodness, IAN WON HOH!
• Jenn once again said she almost won.
• Shane thinks it will be Jenn out this week.
• But which of the Quack Pack will go on the block with her?
• Jenn is talking again. She says Frank did himself in with his ego.
• Alone in a room, Ian said to himself (and us) - "A socially inept loser made it to the final four."
• His HoH room was full of all kinds of junk food and a letter from his grandparents.
• Aw.
• Dan seems to really have him in his mist.
• Ian may have made a mistake when he told Dan he'd like to see Danielle go home.
• Dan told him he should nominate Shane and Jenn, then replace Shane with Danielle if he wins veto.
• I personally think getting Dan out should be a must for ANYONE left in the house at this point.
• But I haven't been misted, they have.
• Nominations should be later today. Until they happen, I'm not really sure who's going up.
• It will all come down to who wins the veto this time.
• Oh my goodness. 

Why did Dan nominate ME?

Ian's real only trusted ally

Jenncity feels like Godzilla is stomping and snarling

Dan re-mists Danielle

I should have been HoH, not Ian!