Survivor: Blood vs. Water Season Premiere Blog Party

Okay .... Survivor fans ready? Tonight is the big season premiere! If you're like me, you've already checked out Jeff's cast assessment and the clip of the first seven minutes of tonight's show on cbs.com.

Hmm. I'm not really keen on returning players on reality competition shows. At least this time, there's a bit more of a twist than your basic fans vs. favorites scenario. The show starts out with the cast spending a night alone on the island (?) with their loved one, alone. But then the returning players are put on one tribe, the loved ones on the other. That's my understanding, anyway.

It's definitely a set-up for drama. Will people shy away from beating their loved ones in challenges? In the end, will a loved one vote against his or her real-life relationship partner? Once the merge goes down, will the blood work together or with original tribemates? There can only be one winner.

Jeff seems quite impressed with Aras and his brother, as well as Big Brother winner Hayden. I'm just personally surprised that Hayden is in a relationship with Crazy Kat! Jeff also says we'll see a different Colton. I reserve judgment on that one although his partner seems pleasant and likable.

As the show airs tonight on the East Coast, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- so refresh to get the latest news! Immediately after the show, the blog party of the season finale of Big Brother 15 will be up. So, at that time, move onto that post those of you following that show!

The esteemed and lovable LifeGuard Laurie has compiled the random drawings for the pool and here they are (if you didn't make the cut-off of 3pm ET yesterday, feel free to pick your own castaway to cheer on!):

ARAS -- Donna in FL, MikesGirl
BRAD --Brent McKee, Kelly D. Sharon N.
CALEB -- Glenn, ORKMommy
CANDICE -- Dusty, Monty924
CIERA -- Andrea J, Karen in CA, Rochelle
COLTON -- Gaylos, Nickelpeed
GERVASE -- Jackie, Pam in NJ
HAYDEN -- Joanie, Quixotic Elf
JOHN -- Ed in Ohio, Nana in the NW
KAT -- Jig, Petals
KATIE -- David, Margo, Zoetawny
LAURA B -- Buzzmaan, Laurie, SueGee
LAURA M -- AlbGlinka, JOKATS, rbennie
MARISSA -- Jennas Mom, PDX Granny
MONICA -- Becky, KayBeeRN, Russ
RACHEL -- Donna in AL, Merrilee
RUPERT -- Brian, Kelsey NY, Sharon S.
TINA -- Cheryl in NC, Lynn1, Terry in TX
TYSON -- Delee, meb
VYTAS -- Donna NY, ML

All that said, the party is really in the comments area. Come join us!

They all gather together with Jeff after their night with the loved one bit. Jeff tells them they won't be playing WITH the loved one, but AGAINST said loved one. Most are looking forward to it. Jeff splits them up by new players and returning players.

Yikes! Each tribe has to vote someone out now! Uh-oh ... Laura, Rupert's wife, gets the can. Candice got the can(dice) on the returning players tribe. Oh my. Jeff says they're not out of the game -- Redemption Island is in play this season.

Jeff offered the loved ones to switch with those voted out. Rupert does so and Laura goes to the returning players tribe in his place. He will have to duel for redemption to get back in. John says that he thinks Candace can beat Rupert in the duels. He stays with the new player tribe.

Immunity Challenge time. Racing through water, puzzle pieces, put together a ship's wheel, raise the flag. They're also playing for flint. The old-timers already have a fire thanks to Tyson, but the new players need it! Gervase is dragging his team down. Eep. But during the puzzle, returning players take on the lead.

Galang wins Immunity. That would be the returning players.

The newbies have already got a male alliance of five men together with only four women on the tribe.

Tribal Council time.

Votes:
Katie
Marissa
Marissa
Marissa
Marissa
Marissa

Grr. Marissa got the boot mainly because she's female and Gervase gloated over winning.

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds Into Tuesday - Sept. 16-17

Doesn't mean they won't sleep most of the day, too.

As predicted, still a whole lot o' nuthin' happening in the house. For the most part, unless one is in the Diary Room, they're sticking together like glue. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Put Us Out Of Our Misery SOON:

• When alone with GinaMarie, Spencer talks about how evenly matched they are and works his agenda for her to take him if she wins the final round.
• When alone with Andy, Spencer talks about how well GM will do with the jury and how Andy should take him to the final two.
• Andy has promised both of them.
• GM has promised Spencer and nodded her head a lot and was agreeable when Andy told her that they (Andy and GM) couldn't beat Spencer.
• Other than that, it's napping, playing cards, trash-talking, small talk, YAWN.

What I think is -- If Andy wins, he'll take Spencer. If GM wins, she'll take Spencer. Spencer is almost guaranteed the 50 grand second prize. As far as who will do better in the final round, I do think Andy might be better under pressure. It's usually a bit of a crap shoot with questions about what houseguest might say in a scenario which never happened in the house. So, it's hard to study for. GM has worked on her counting and times if it goes to a tiebreaker.

Remember folks, today at 3pm ET, it's the cut-off time to sign up for the blog pool for Survivor: Blood vs. Water!

Spencer works his mojo.

A thrill a minute!

Big Brother 15: Live Feeds into Monday - Sept. 15-16

Andy

Oh my, I take a birthday rest from reporting that nothing is going on in the house to peek in and find an anonymous comment saying I've given up on the show. Mind you, I did post a show party post despite the fact it was a clips review show and it was on my birthday.
@@

Other than the GM win of the first HoH round and the Andy win of the second round, there is NOTHING of any consequence going on in the house. I've never been one to report on every breath taken, nor do I go into hugely descriptive or graphic details on trash-talking done by the hamsters.

The three in there are getting along fine with each other and continue to trash-talk the departed, occasionally mixing in a pleasant recollection. Last night they walked around to "spots" for most of the departed and described what happened in that spot. Andy drank most of a bottle of wine (or was it champagne?) during that.

Nothing worth reporting is really happening. Usually when it gets down to the three, there's no scheming left to scheme and, unless they're warring, it's boring!

I read an article by one of the previous hamsters who got this far -- I can't recall, but I think it was either Ian or Will. He claimed that pretty much all they have to do is talk about the departed hamsters; they have no new worldly information and that's been their whole life for so long. So, it's just about all they do have to talk about. I can understand that. Of course, that doesn't mean they need to trash-talk about them, but that's always been a mainstay of not only this season, but others as well.

So, I am still peeking at the feeds. They're napping, GM's cooking and baking stuff, Andy and Spencer even did housekeeping, Spencer did more laundry than he's done in three months ... and they've reminisced and trash-talked the departed. If you seriously want blow by blow every breath they take reports, you can check out Jokers. But I never did those kind of reports anyway.

Oh ... and I forgot to mention it -- GM got four of her nine stitches in her knee taken out. Excitement abounds!

Spencer

GinaMarie

Big Brother 15: Unseen Footage Show Blog Party - September 15

Tonight's show isn't scheduled until 8:30pm ET. However, I'm putting this up on time. It will be clips tonight, so I'm not sure how often I'll update this post. Yet the party will still be on in comments! Come join us!

Since it's going for 8:40pm here, the show is obviously late for being late! 60 Minutes is still on. I wasn't paying attention, so I don't know how late things will be.

While we're waiting, I want to mention that Britney Haynes (BB) has received bad news -- her little baby has been diagnosed with cancer. A fund has been set up to help the couple. You can find out more on Britney's Twitter page or #PrayForTilly on Twitter. Sigh.

8:51pm ET finally starting ...

• McCrae being told of the Exterminators
• Champagne brunch reminiscing time
• Moving Company start
• Winegate 
• Oh noes! Elissa is Rachel's sister! 
• Talking hook-ups in the house
• Long focus on McCranda ... ew, I'm so over them!
• Onto Judd the Stud 
• The GinaMarie meltdown after Nick got voted out 
• Candice keeping it real and going after Spencer 
• Amanda torturing Elissa 
• Crying in the Diary Room 
• The Amanda/GM cat fight, then Amanda lighting into McCrae for not being a man and rescuing her
• Andy falls in the pool
• Exterminator glee 

Finally, Part 1 of the final HoH comp! Disco roller skating, suspended by a key rope. With the start of the comp, the show ends. Of course, if you read my live feeds reports, we know who won it, as well as Part 2. Part 3 is live on finale night.

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - September 15, 2013

Good Sunday morning, folks! It's time for my weekly off television topic post reflecting on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. While there isn't any television talk on this off topic post, I must stray to it for a minute ...

• If you're looking for the latest Big Brother live feeds or show news, you can find those posts right here.
• If you want to sign up for the Survivor: Blood vs. Water blog pool, that post can be found here. The deadline for that is Tuesday. Please sign up only on that post or by contacting Lifeguard Laurie at the email address listed in that post. No other posts or places will be checked.

Okay, back to off topic!

I had a four-day work week this past week as I took yesterday off as a vacation day to kick off my latest staycation. I usually work Saturdays, so that was an added bonus. The weather, after hitting 96 degrees early in the week, was down to a high around 70 both on Friday and Saturday. Yay! That's MY kind of weather -- cool overnights, sunny, dry and not hot! Yay!

Yesterday I walked downtown to the big Central Americano festival. It wasn't as crowded as the last time I went. But, then again it could have been the time I went or the fact that the last time I went there were actually two festivals adjacent to each other. Nonetheless, people were parked as far up my block to attend the festivities and East Front Street was a huge traffic jam.

While nothing much went on last week, today is my birthday. I'm older than I ever thought I would be had you asked me decades ago. I plan a day of relaxation for the most part. Big Brother live feeds have died down and I can actually rest. I could go to the festival which is still running downtown today, but I doubt I will. 

Will it go 'round in circles?

Will it fly high up in the sky? I took this shot at the Latino festival in Plainfield yesterday.

Smile for the camera

This young mockingbird was with its siblings, but was the only one to pose for me up on the fence rail. The mockingbird parents have been very territorial, chasing other birds and even warily watching me for weeks now. There are five of the young 'uns. While they can fend for themselves, they still bother their mother for food by fluffing their feathers, shaking and crying out. Like toddlers, they are. Bridgewater Train Station.

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