Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 30, 2013

Good Sunday morning to all those reading this! If you're here for the Big Brother live feeds posts, the last one is located right at this link. The next one will be posted a bit later today. One of the things I do year 'round here is an off television topic post reflecting on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. You've been warned!

Once again this week, at least in the early week, I got caught in storms heading home. Grr. I thought I put in a request with Mother Nature for the storms to occur during the overnight hours!

On one of the stormy, hot and humid days, I got into a bit of a kerfuffle with some rowdy kids on the train home. They weren't familiar to me and I really didn't expect them to get off at my stop ... screaming and yelling at me. Eep. Thankfully, there were two Plainfield police officers working at the station. When one went to move the obnoxious teens along, the other (after asking where I live), gave me a ride home. Yes, in the front seat! That sergeant ROCKS! That was so nice of him! And, no, he's not one of the officers I actually know on the Plainfield PD.

Those who follow the show know, but others who tune in specifically for this weekly post might not realize -- Big Brother and its live feeds started up for the summer. Working a full-time "real" job and covering the house happenings make for a lack of sleep for about three months. Oy. But, on the other hand, I never have to be worried about having nothing to do!

On the home front, I shared the elevator once again with the now not-so-new upstairs neighbor. No tennis clothes this time, but shorts nonetheless. He's very pleasant and polite. And, that South African/quasi-British accent is a nice change of pace for my ears. He's still quite quiet up there. He can stay.

That's about all I have for you right now ... onto the photos!

Bunny in the grass

Much better than a snake in the grass, don't you think? Corner of East Front and Berckman in Plainfield.

By any other name

East Front Street, Plainfield

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

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds Into Saturday Evening - PoV Meeting - 6/29

Some things are best ignored

Since I last posted, the PoV meeting went down. As always, it was blocked to the live feeds. But, also as always, the hamsters talk. McCrae did use the veto to take Candice down (as decided long ago). It seems like Elissa was put up in her place (also as planned). Although the original plan was to backdoor Elissa if all went in motion, the latest target is David (the MVP - Elissa's nomination). The MC (McCrae? Mature Crew?) alliance want to work with Elissa as they think she will keep getting MVP and they can use her nomination to backdoor people.

Here's what's gone down in that Big Brother House of Heck, They're ALL Bieber Fever to ME ...

• Despite Spencer's long talk with Nick this morning, he's still not quite trusted by the group.
• Amanda keeps molesting McCrae in bed.
• McCrae keeps telling her they have to cool it. He tells others she won't stop following him around.
• Jeremy and Kaitlin are kissing and snuggling whenever and wherever they can. Ew.
• Howard really is religious, as he said he was. He regularly prays, but thankfully isn't pulling an Amber.
• Helen continues to talk to others and help them. If she manages to stay in until the end, she'll have no real enemies.
• Elissa isn't thrilled about the plan to use her MVP vote as they wish each time she wins it.
• Amanda got a bit pushy about it. "Don't you understand we're keeping you because of it?"
• Well, that's not so nicely put, is it?
• Amanda also went on about Jessie still flirting with Jeremy even though he's practically attached at the lips to Aaryn.
• Children.
• Sigh.
• There are probably screen caps out there with David dropping his pants forgetting about the cameras.
• I don't post those kind of screen caps.
• But you can bet someone did!

I haven't had any direct confirmation on Elissa being the replacement nom. But some of the things she's mentioned about worrying about being voted out along with the plan to put her up ... she's probably it. If I'm in error, I'll correct it.

Elissa and Helen in the Have Not room

McCrae and his headgear

Oh noes! They killed Howard!

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds Friday Night Into Wee Hours 6/28 -6/29

Andy

As it is every season, it's a house divided. This season, it's Bieber Fever and well, the Others don't seem to have a name. Bieber Fever includes: Aaryn, David, Kaitlin, Jeremy and sometimes Nick, GinaMarie and Jessie. The core group of the Others are McCrae, Amanda, Spencer, Judd, Andy and Howard on the edge. They have Elissa in mind as an addition. They also plan on adding in Helen and perhaps Candice down the line. By the way, THEY named Bieber Fever, not me.

Who would have thought that in this BB15 of young'uns, the deciding factor in the house split would fall along the line of older (plus McCrae) and younger. Heck, they're ALL kids!

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Wanton Waffling:

• Now the core group (which I'll call the Others) are tossing around evicting David and keeping Elissa.
• They think that Elissa might win MVP most weeks and they could use that as a backdoor plan, working with her to get out Bieber Fever.
• The early coupling of Aaryn/David and Kaitlin/Jeremy has given the others mocking material and reasons to target them.
• Jessie still pines for Jeremy.
• Jeremy and David think they're being used as a shield by the girls.
• Jeremy isn't as into Kaitlin (or Jessie) as they think he is. He told David he thinks the only girl who can be trusted is GinaMarie.
• Nick is a very peripheral player. He's not really getting involved or close to anyone. A few have speculated that he might be gay.
• Actually, I think he's playing it smarter than Bieber Fever by remaining a bit of a nonentity.
• The Kaitlin/Jeremy showmance is cooling a bit. Kaitlin thinks Jeremy doesn't trust her and GinaMarie is encouraging her to be stronger as an individual hamster.
• Well, GinaMarie didn't say hamster. I did.
• Amanda talked to Elissa, told her to work on her relationship with the younger bunch. She hinted she will stay.
• Of course, McCrae, although the original plan and house wish was to evict her, has been telling Elissa all along she will stay.
• Elissa can definitely work this to her advantage.
• I'm still tired of CBS bringing in old players and relatives of players. I'm tired of Rachel. I really am. I was tired of the Hantz family, too. Yet they keep it going. Sigh.
• Elissa, on the other hand, might have a better back-up alliance than Rachel ever did if she stays this week.
• The Others plan to evict David this week, go after Jeremy the next week.
• We'll see how that goes.
• The Others are leery of Howard possibly blabbing to Candice even though they have eyes on her to bring her into the alliance.

I'm still not sure when the PoV meeting will be held. The plan still seems to be to take Candice down and put Elissa up. Yet, now they will have the votes to save Elissa and evict David.
 

Elissa and Amanda

Kaitlin, GinaMarie and Jeremy

Judd

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds Into Friday Afternoon 6/28

Yard time today

If you're reading this, entry for the blog pool is closed. This season has the biggest pool ever! Woohoo! ORKMommy will be making the random picks and I'll announce the match-ups before the Sunday episode.

What's been happening inside that Big Brother House of Many Mean Girls and Their Mimbos since I last posted? Read on ...

• Andy told Judd that he's worried if they get rid of Elissa this week, Jeremy might target them (Andy, Judd) next.
• Of course, technically, Elissa isn't on the block.
• McCrae nominated Candice and Jessie. Elissa (although denying it to most of the house) was voted MVP and nominated David. McCrae won Veto. He told Elissa he was going to put her up, but said she's not the target.
• The original plan was to backdoor Elissa all along.
• Who knows? These are silly hamster games!
• Helen doesn't really drink, but claims she will drink in the house.
• I probably would, too.
• Andy is getting emotional. Didn't he say he wouldn't?
• Jeremy thinks if David stays, he'd target Amanda or Candice.
• Amanda has latched onto Pizza Boy McCrae.
• Would that happen in real life? Ha.
• Aaryn and Elissa kissed (not literally) and made up after their fight from last night. It was all over Elissa rumored (true!) to be the MVP who nominated Aaryn's shiny showmance boy David.
• Jeremy went around talking how he'd "go off" if he got nominated.
• I want him to be nominated now! Don't you?
• Helen is quite the social player. She seems to know what to say to each hamster to make them feel better. Hmm.
• David is worried that he might get evicted and tried to get McCrae to tell him.
• McCrae honestly told him he didn't really know. He doesn't plan on taking him off the block, but doesn't think he's a real target right now.
• McCrae wants Elissa to go. He thinks that she's likely to be too popular with "America" and would keep winning MVP.
• McCrae plans on taking Candice down, putting up Elissa. We'll see.
• They finally got outside today after being on indoor lockdown for more than two days.
• There's a photo booth now! You know the kind ... a strip of four pictures. An announcer's countdown voice and all.
• At least it's something for them to do!
• I'm not sure when the PoV meeting will be held, but when I find out, you'll find out!

Spencer

Pretty, I'm so pretty ...

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds Report Thursday Into the Night 6/28 -PoV

She does look too much like her sister!

If she didn't look SO much like Rachel, Elissa might have a chance in the house. She doesn't come across as abrasive and, obviously, there isn't the tension of a Brendon in the house for her. She did light into Jeremy for calling her out about the MVP thing, then accused him of being a woman abuser. I don't know. They BOTH came off as jerks in that one.

Anyway ... here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Happy Shiny Hamsters:

• McCrae, David, Candice, Jessie, Elissa and Howard were the veto players. GinaMarie was the host.
• The comp, blocked to the live feeds, seemed to be some sort of spelling bee with honey. McCrae, true to his life's work, spelled out "delivery."
• Elissa came up with "pot roast" but quickly found out that it's two words, not one.
• D'oh!
• McCrae came up the winner of this one.
• So, we still have David (MVP nominee) and Candice/Jessie on the block ... for now.
• Kaitlin was all over Jeremy.
• Jeremy is definitely a player. Amanda warned Jessie (another of Jeremy's playtoys) about it.
• Jessie says she knows.
• I feel like I'm back in high school with this bunch.
• Maybe junior high!
• Some of the girls took a bubble bath in the HoH tub to coincide with the BBAD show.
• Although they mention the feeds, it doesn't seem to have sunk in that it's not all about BBAD!
• Elissa told Helen that McCrae plans to use the veto and she (Elissa) will be put up in the place of a nominee. He didn't say who would come down.
• McCrae has Elissa believing she's not the target.
• He's of the mind that it's what the house wants -- if they all vote out Elissa as they wanted, fine. If they want out someone else (David?), also fine. 
• He thinks whatever the outcome, he comes out clean.
• We'll see.

With the new season on, I'm not sure when the PoV meeting will be held. But it does seem McCrae will stick to the initial plan of at least setting up for the backdoor exit of Elissa.

I personally wouldn't mind David going home, either. The Aaryn/David coupling is way too much too soon. She actually irks me more than he does. I think she's a pretty girl, but she's a know-it-all who really doesn't know as much as she thinks. One thing she's right about, though -- her coupling with David has put a target on both of them!

For those folks wanting to get into the pool, you need to add your name in comments at the SIGN-UP POST. The cut-off for joining is 6pm ET TODAY (Friday).

Already others don't really trust him

Cowgirl at heart

The pretty people

Even dressed alike!