Off Topic: That Was the Week it Was - August 4, 2013

Good Sunday morning to all y'all out there! If you're looking for Big Brother live feeds reports, you can find the most recent one right here at this link. This post has no television content as it's my weekly off television topic post reflecting on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. While Big Brother is seasonal here on the blog, this is all year 'round!

It's been yet another quiet summer week for me on the whole this past week. We had quite a bit of rain here, with a few nice days. The heat hasn't been horrible (yay!). I haven't had my air conditioner on since that long heat wave a few weeks ago. Fans have been plenty to keep it cool in here.

Let's see ... this week ... this week ...
I worked, I slept, I reported on the BB live feeds, I ate, I petted Vincent and catered to him as per his demand. I didn't really go anywhere other than work, then home. I lead such an exciting life!

On the home front, the upstairs neighbor is still the best and quietest ever above me here. (Yay!) One of the downstairs neighbors told me the new landlords increased his rent by $15. I didn't tell him I only got a $5 increase. I actually know why -- he's in a studio apartment and the increase brings him to what new tenants pay for those. One of the past landlords had him under market to fill the building. Mine is already above market.

Huh. I don't really have much more to say. I guess I'll just get to the photos I took this week --

Dragonfly

I believe, after Googling, that it's likely to be a female common whitetail. (The males are actually whitetailed.) It was kind enough to pause on an old curb at the Bridgewater Train Station.

Sunflowers!

It's good that I took this shot of these on East Front Street (Plainfield) early in the week as someone chopped them down by Thursday! Argh. There are more closer to the house, but I don't want people to think I'm a total weirdo going on their lawn.

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

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds Saturday Night into Sunday - August 3-4

Work it!

For a lot of the night, it was more fun than usual albeit you could still cut the tension in the house with a knife at times. Here's what's happened since I last posted the happenings inside that Big Brother House of Funky Foes:

• Aaryn claims that GinaMarie has kissed the photo of Nick so much that she's wearing it out.
• I don't doubt that.
• GinaMarie loves her HoH robe. She said she's never owned a robe.
• Oh my, a deprived adulthood!
• Candice actually rocks the Clown-itard! She said they're preparing another one for her because this one is too big.
• She's wearing a skirt with it instead of the clown collar. She had a choice.
• She can't wear her nose constantly as it's hard to breathe with it on. 
• She can take it off to sleep or shower, but must put it back on before going away from bed or shower.
• She's being a good sport about it. Send in the clowns!
• They took turns trying to throw balls into GinaMarie's cone.
• At one point, as the others waited for the clown reveal, the BB voice announced, "Amanda, you are not allowed." Then it stopped. So we all now know that Amanda is not allowed! She can go away!
• Amanda's orange tanning punishment is all set up in the backyard. When she gets the signal, she needs to go in for her spray tan.
• Amanda fussed the second time called to the booth. She has to be on spray tan call for 48 hours.
• Amanda told Andy that they are eventually going to have to focus on Helen. Helen "scares her."
• Andy, true mole he be, told Amanda that Helen tells him everything.
• That's Helen's downfall. She's a fantastic puppetmaster and manipulator, but she talks too much and tells too much!
• McCrae and Amanda think GinaMarie is totally loyal.
• Meanwhile, GinaMarie has had discussions with Aaryn and others about how Amanda does need to go, just not the right time now.
• This was the night that GinaMarie had promised Amanda and McCrae they could spend in the HoH room.
• But that ain't happenin'.
• Tanning is happening.
• They had a bachelor party for McCrae, enhanced by a booze delivery.
• McCrae and Andy got totally drunk and silly.
• Elissa told Jessie that she wants Spencer out instead of Candice.
• No surprise there.
• But it's extremely unlikely.
• Of course, Spencer isn't on the block yet even!
• But he should be by tomorrow when Jessie saves herself with the veto.
• The only person in the house who hasn't worn the bear shirt is Spencer. It's too small for him.
• However, I think Spencer is losing weight. 
• Not that the shirt will fit him before the season ends, mind you. But some weight loss looks like it's going on.
• Andy got so drunk that he smoked two cigarettes. He's not a smoker.
• Overall, Candice mingled pretty well throughout the evening.
• Although Amanda apologized to Candice for an earlier argument, she wasn't as good a sport with her orange tan as Candice was with the Clown-itard.
• They're all sleeping as I post this.

Proudly wearing her cone of shame

Tickling drunk Andy

There's a new clown in town

Candice rocks the Clown-itard

Lining up to see Amanda's tan reveal

Orange you glad I didn't say banana, Amanda?

Drunken Andy smoking

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds Saturday - MVP Nom./PoV - August 3

J-U-Double D

Yep, yep, yep. It's been a busy day in the habitrail. Here's what's happened so far today inside that Big Brother House of Wayward Boys and Girls:

• I might as well start at the beginning of the day, huh?
• Amanda and McCrae noticed Judd wasn't called to the Diary Room yesterday.
• Just a week ago everyone was suspecting Howard of being MVP because he was called to and stayed in the Diary Room.
• Now Judd is an MVP suspect because he wasn't called.
• Go figure.
• After the feeds were blocked, the MVP reveal and PoV players had been done.
• Surprise, surprise. We voted Amanda as our nominee once again.
• Unfortunately, that puts the suspect cap on Judd. A few think America might be the MVP, but they're all paranoid that it's each other.
• Spencer and Judd were the two picked to play in the veto comp in addition to the nominees and GinaMarie.
• Amanda is still suspecting Judd while others are suspecting Candice.
• Paranoia runs rampant.
• Paranoia, The Destoyer. "Hidden cameras everywhere!"
• Judd told Jessie that if he wins the veto and saves her, Jessie will owe him big time.
• Helen told Andy that they'll have to vote out Candice to keep Aaryn and GinaMarie from freaking out.
• Jessie wants Judd to do what he can to make sure Candice doesn't win it.
• But, in the end ... it didn't matter.
• Jessie won the Power of Veto.
• She has said she most enjoys the comps and she's pretty darn good at them. If only she was a better social player!
• The paranoia and twice nommed by a mysterious MVP is taking its toll on Amanda.
• She's already admitted in the past that she's in a bad state when she's not in control.
• And, this is the epitome of not being in control.
• She lashes out left and right. She tries to figure out who in the world can be putting her up. She's upset that McCrae seems more worried about the game or Aaryn's feelings than about her. On and on.
• She told McCrae he has to stop being the dictator in the relationship.
• She said it in front of others.
• McCrae's actually trying to be the level head, but Amanda can't see that.
• He's right. Her reactions are hurting her game, as well as the way she treats people.
• Amanda told Judd and Spencer that, if it gets down to the three of them, let her win.
• But, it was all for naught.
• As I mentioned, Jessie won it.
• :-)
• GinaMarie said that she will probably put up Spencer in her place, something they've already discussed.
• The target is Candice anyway and there really doesn't seem to be any way she'll stay this week.
• McCrae and Amanda had all but a smackdown as she went a bit berserk. He told her that she's ruining her own game, his game, the alliance, and just about their whole world.
• Scream, yell, scream again.
• The PoV was a reward/punishment one.
• Judd won $5,000.
• GinaMarie has to wear an Elizabethan collar (the cone pets wear after surgery so they don't lick, bite at, their wounds) until Monday PoV meeting.
• Candice has to wear a clown suit and will likely be evicted in it.
• Amanda cried some more.
• Andy tried to tell Amanda she needs to calm down, that it's affecting her game.
• She cried some more.
• Apparently Amanda called Candice "Shaniqua" today, but it must have been while the feeds were blocked. Spencer mentioned it.
• Candice had the $5,000 at one point, traded for the veto, lost the veto and got the clown suit.
• Judd said he was glad he didn't win the veto and Aaryn told him the five grand is much better in the long run.
• It sounds like Amanda has to get spray tanned? Hmm. Not all that sure what's going on with that.
• While Aaryn is pressuring GinaMarie to put Elissa on the block as that would be a vote for Candice to stay gone, it seems like she'll probably go with her first choice -- Spencer.
• We won't know that until Monday.

Cone of Uncertainty, storm a'brewing

Pre-cone, post PoV

Amanda cries as minions look on

Candice smiles. Not much else she can do now.

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds Friday Night into Saturday - August 2-3

Tuning in

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of This Is Why People Hate Us:

• Apparently, although the feeds returned to hugs all around, there were fireworks during the nominations ceremony.
• No fisticuffs, mind you.
• Now, that could have been interesting.
• Judd said the ceremony was the kind of thing he loved to watch on the show -- exciting.
• Aaryn said it was the stuff of broken dreams.
• I guess we'll see tomorrow night!
• Among the words that flew (allegedly as the feeds were blocked) during the ceremony were: GinaMarie calling Candice a tattletale rat and Jessie a "flip-flopper snake."
• Hmm. They're ALL tattletale rats ... that's kind of the nature of the game. Look at Andy, to me he's the biggest tattletale "rat" in the house. He's even to the point of noticeably eavesdropping, then running back to report.
• But, since GinaMarie has such vitriol when it comes to Candice, to her Candice is the epitome of a tattletale rat.
• She also called Candice a drama queen. 
• I think that would fit Jessie more, don't you?
• GinaMarie is actually partially correct in her description of Jessie. Jessie is a flip-flopper. I don't think she fits the snake part -- that usually speaks for malice and Jessie's more of a lost soul than malicious.
• I personally look at Jessie as a little lost puppy going from door to door trying to be cute and adorable looking for a forever home. Those tales don't always end up happy.
• They (the main group) think the MVP nominee really won't matter because they control the numbers.
• Alas, they're probably right.
• However, at least if Amanda gets MVP nommed again, perhaps it might make her realize she's not "all that and a bag of chips."
• Helen tried to teach the others some Korean. It's really not an easy language to learn when you just know American English. The romance languages are definitely easier!
• GinaMarie apologized to Jessie and told her she's sure she won't be going home, to stay cool.
• Candice was only notable in her seclusion for most of the evening.
• The rest all got together for the "Impersonate GinaMarie" contest to win a ticket to Helen's BBQ.
• Remember, Helen won a BBQ and could invite three guests during the HoH comp. She invited GinaMarie (thus crushing Jessie's dreams) as one of the people. GM said that she's not all that into BBQ and someone else would probably enjoy it more. So they came up with a contest to take her place.
• Candice was noticeably absent. Elissa was one guest, Aaryn the other. So, I would guess Candice had no desire to go with Aaryn there.
• GM gave everyone involved honorary titles and the contest came down to a rock/paper/scissors contest between McCrae and Jessie.
• It should have been rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock. But that's another show.
• McCrae won, but chose the HoH room for a night instead of the BBQ. So Jessie is going to her precious BBQ after all.
• Later on, Amanda got a bit ticked because she thinks McCrae doesn't back her up as she does him.
• But, geez. It's hard to back up Amanda. McCrae found that out. She goes off on people and is too controlling. 
• McCrae himself doesn't seem to be a bully type, so it's not in his character to back up a bully.
• I'd so love to see what his game would be like without Amanda.
• Unfortunately, I don't think we'll find that out this week even if Amanda is the MVP nomination. Sigh.
• Much time was spent trashing the now-gone Howard, the still-here Candice.
• Unless it comes down to divine intervention (or Candice wins the veto), it will probably be Candice out the door this week.

Impersonating GinaMarie

Impersonating GinaMarie

Impersonating GinaMarie

Impersonating GinaMarie

Impersonating GinaMarie - Winner!

Big Brother 15: Nominations are in - August 2

Jessie and Candice are on the block. Candice is the target.

GinaMarie told Jessie that she had promises or deals with everyone except Candice, Spencer and her (Jessie). She wants Candice out and thinks that Spencer would be too weak.

Um. Okay.