Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 10, 2014

Happy Sunday morning to y'all! Just a word of warning -- this post is my weekly off television topic photo post reflecting on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're looking for my Big Brother live feeds content, those posts can be found at this link right here. You've been warned. Feel free to skip this post if you wish!

We continue to have a not horrible but a bit rainy summer here. While I hear some people whine that it's not hot enough, you won't hear any complaints from me! I don't like heat and humidity. I love night time temperatures in the 50s. The last thing I ever would want to do is lay in the hot sun sweating while I burn to a crisp. While we've had some warmer days in the 90s, it pales compared to many summer in the past. Good.

This week's random musings:

• If you have a July monthly NJ Transit train pass, don't expect the conductor to take it in August just because you haven't had a payday yet. (No, not me. I always have mine by the 1st.)
• If you're a substitute driver on the NJ Transit bus from Dunellen to Newark, please know your route and don't depend on passengers (me) to tell you that you missed a major turn.
• I wish the sunflowers that I pass by were growing closer to where I have access without going up on lawns.
• I have yet another new neighbor(s?) upstairs. My good upstairs neighbor of the last year plus a few months got the boot after his girlfriend left and he either didn't want to pay the rent or couldn't do it on his own. Other than moving in at nearly midnight one night this past week, he/she/they walk quietly on the hardwood floors and I just hear some not unexpected movement around the apartment noises. So far, so good.
• I'm expecting a Peapod grocery delivery today and the elevator door stuck when I went down to get my newspaper. Eek! I fixed it myself with some WD-40. Yay, me! I don't want the delivery guy/gal to have to lug all my heavy stuff up the stairs.

Onto this week's photos! With the slideshows (groundhog here, flowers after the jump), clicking on the diagonal arrows on the bottom right of the window will make them full-screen. With the photos, clicking on them will bring you to my Photobucket where you can make them larger twice by clicking on the magnifying glass on the bottom right. Just X out to return to the blog. Have a great Sunday!

I had a bit of a treat yesterday morning, as did a certain Plainfield Train Station groundhog. Now, I've seen this groundhog at the station before. But he usually scurries away and hides. It turns out that some of the Latino guys who hang out at the station have been feeding him bread and hard rolls daily. I happened upon one throwing down chunks of hard roll for him and we sat back to watch him come out. Very cool.

Let freedom ring

One of the streetlamps in the business district on East Front Street, Plainfield.

Flowers grow on Westervelt Ave.

One of the business on the corner of East Front Street and Westervelt Avenue in Plainfield has a gorgeous display of flowers growing this year. The sunflower caught my attention. One of these mornings on my walk to the train, I'll have to cross the street for some close-ups! Kudos to them for beautifying a rather otherwise boring corner!

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

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds Saturday with POV update - August 9

BULLETIN - The Power of Veto comp ended. It was the Otev comp. ZACH won the Power of Veto.

Mouth shut. Good.

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Insecurities and Paranoia:

• Derrick told Frankie now he realizes how he (Frankie) got chosen for Team America. He thinks Don must have a sob story which resonated with viewers.
• Nope. No sob story about Donny. He's a good guy who seems quite content with his lot in life. If only we could all be that content and have such great family support.
• Derrick and Frankie have each other's back as Team America members. Frankie is sure that Donny would never target them and, thus, he doesn't think they should vote out Donny.
• Unfortunately (because I like both Derrick and Donny), Derrick thinks because Donny told them that one time that he was there for Donny Thompson first, then Team America, that Donny would have no problem either targeting them or voting them out.
• Oh, come on! Derrick is there for Derrick first. Frankie is there for Frankie first. Anyone not in the house with the intent to win it for themselves doesn't belong there!
• <.rant over>
• The veto players besides Christine, Donny and Zach are: Caleb, Derrick and Nicole. Victoria will host.
• Derrick already asked Caleb to throw the comp.
• Yeah, that worked out so well with the BOB and Frankie, huh?
• Frankie thinks America must hate Nicole and Zach for trying to get him out.
• Um. No. I can't speak for ALL of America, just my part in America. I want you out, too. So there, Mr. Grande.
• Derrick thinks that Zach is acting like a three-year old about the Frankie revelation.
• He is. But has Zach ever acted mature? No? I didn't think so.
• Later Derrick told Frankie he thinks Zach is so upset because he had a plan for the whole time in the house and Frankie destroyed it all, now Zach is lost.
• Frankie didn't miss any opportunity he could to mention his fan base. To me, that makes him all that more obnoxious.
• Derrick isn't helping the Frankie/Zach rift by telling Frankie that Zach volunteered to go on the block to make sure Frankie went home.
• Derrick was surprised that popular YouTubers have agents and such.
• On a side note: I saw a recent segment on one of the news shows about REAL successful YouTubers (not small time like Frankie) -- earning a half-million and more per year. To be honest, I haven't heard of any of them, either.
• On a bit of a more serious (yet still Frankie-serving) note, Frankie told Derrick he was here to win the game and make a name for himself. He said he loves his sister, but she's always been "the sun and I've been Pluto." Since Pluto was demoted, heck ... Frankie isn't even a planet!
• Christine picked the Have Nots -- Donny and Zach. (What a shock and a surprise!)
• The food I voted for -- peanut butter and jelly fish -- are the additional items. They're happy about the peanut butter, the jelly fish not so much.
• Zach told Donny he feels like everyone is against him.
• Oh, like Donny doesn't know that feeling ... SINCE DAY ONE!
• Zach and Nicole are getting as bad as the show's fans with the conspiracy theories. They think it was "like staged that that comp could be completed by one person." Probably a lot of the "team" comps could be done by one, but no one has ever just sat down and not participated (Caleb) before.
• Nicole cried. She really misses Hayden. She doesn't like anyone in the house (well, maybe Donny, but she can't always seem to relate to him) and she's sure she's going home soon.
• Well, to jury.
• Donny and Zach, now both on the outside looking in, had some very sad conversations. At one point, Donny told Zach he's been alone the whole time, watching the others playing pool, never being invited in on conversations and it will all be over soon. He seemed to be on the verge of crying as he said it.
• :(
• It went from Donny trying to cheer Zach up to Zach trying to cheer Donny. I kind of like that Zach. I'm not too keen on the Zach we've seen for most of the season except for entertainment value.
• Victoria told Nicole that anyone who trusts Frankie now has to be an idiot.
• You go, girl!
• Victoria also told Nicole that Derrick is trustworthy and she thinks she'll (Victoria) fall apart emotionally if he goes.
• I really can't call him all that trustworthy, but I do think Derrick does care for people and hates to see anyone (especially the women) upset.
• Victoria also thinks Derrick doesn't manipulate people.
• BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
• Donny and Zach continued to bond.
• I think that's good for the young grasshopper.
• Donny told Zach money doesn't make you happy, family does.
• Zach claimed he wants to live at home with his parents for as long as possible.
• Oh my. His parents might object to that one. I mean, love is more bearable with an adult child if they live nearby, not necessarily IN the home ... I think! Especially a Zachish child!
• Derrick thinks everything Nicole/Hayden told him last week were lies. Cody tried to convince him otherwise.
• Cody is right.
• Heh. The BB voice has a new message for when they break things in the house: "This is the reason we can't have nice things."
• Here I thought it's because they got a deal at the the dollar store on stuff!
• I've been trying to wait out the in progress veto comp, but I've run out of stuff to say.
• As long as the comp ends at a human hour, I'll put up a quick announcement of the winner. If it's real late, I'll post early in the morning (East Coast time).
• I have my fingers crossed for a Donny win although now I feel sad that he's actually sad in the house.

Who could this be?

Is it BB or a beauty pageant?

Frankie back in his favorite bed

Roomies preparing their Have Not beds

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds Friday night into Saturday - August 9

All dressed up and nowhere to go

No, Derrick didn't go anywhere. He apparently hosted the BOB comp and got a free suit out of the deal. For a moment I was thinking this would be the future wardrobe for the well-dressed hamster.

If you missed my previous report, we had the first real full-blown brouhaha (sans fisticuffs) of the season. Caleb didn't "throw" the BOB; he literally sat out and refused to play. So, Frankie won it all by himself with Zach and Donny playing on the other side. But ... pre-BOB Frankie realized his goose was cooked in the house. I don't care if he's vegan. His goose was definitely cooked.

What to do? What to do? Time to pull out the "I'm a YouTube star. My sister is a pop star. I'm playing the game to build schools in Africa!" Card! Yep! He claims that the pressure of keeping those secrets in addition to his grandfather's death caused him to suffer some sort of breakdown and lie to everyone about everyone in the house.

Thankfully, some in the house were like me. "Who the hell is Ariana Grande? I never heard of her." Nor had they seen him on YouTube with his over a million followers. But others were smitten right away. Zach freaked. Lots of yelling and the kerfuffle turned into a small brouhaha.

Here's the skinny on what's been going down in that Big Brother House of A Pseudo-Celeb:

• At first Caleb became smitten. Why, he might meet Justin Bieber! Woot! Forget Amber, let me stalk Frankie!
• Victoria is in LOVE with Ariana Grande! She's her FAVORITE!
• Nicole is agog with the idea of being close to a REAL celebrity!
• Donny was congratulatory about it. (But also has no idea who Ariana Grande is.)
• Derrick has heard of her, but claims you never know who the people inside the house are outside the house. And, it shouldn't matter.
• Yep, Sarge ... you got that right!
• Cody has no clue who Ariana Grande is.
• Christine is all giggly over it. I hate her laughs. They make my skin crawl.
• Caleb is crushed that he's not the big celebrity of the season.
• @@
• All feel it's unfair as the America's Player favorite prize is certain to go to Frankie with his followers.
• Zach is super-crushed and subdued. He won't even talk to Frankie, not to even think of a hug. (Everyone else hugged him due to his soul searching confession.)
• Zach sat for nearly an hour with Derrick (and sometimes others passing through) saying, "I have no chance. I'm playing against someone building schools in Africa. None of us have a chance."
• Oh. I forgot to mention -- apparently Christine, Frankie and Caleb won some sort of outing to a pre-season football game thingee. They're excited. I'm not.
• Derrick continued to use his skillz throughout the house, pep-talking some, being Mr. Super Understanding, reminding each person that their own reasons for being in the house are important.
• They're really in a quandary now.
• They think if the veto is used, it will most likely be Victoria or Nicole on the block with either Zach or Donny.
• From the grumblings I'm hearing, it's quite possible if Zach remains on the block, he just might be the next jury member.
• Thankfully, as the night went on, most seemed to refocus on getting Frankie out. They obviously can't do it this week.
• But there's always next week.

Can I meet Justin Bieber? Can I? Can I?

I need an alliance, please.

OMG! OMG! Ariana Grande!?!?!

So, America's Player dreams are shot

I'm competing against schools in Africa?

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds BOB Results - Friday, August 8

Frankie literally won the BOB single-handed as Caleb threw it. Donny and Zach remain on the block. Lots of screaming going on.

Frankie tells the others who he is (world famous YouTuber, famous sister, et al). Um, he's using this as a reason he became paranoid and turned.

@@

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds Friday/Nominations - August 8

Team America doesn't think they can do it

What a day! How quickly the worm can turn in that Big Brother House of Snakes:

• The fallout from last night's double eviction continued to spin.
• Thank you, Caleb.
• I never thought I'd say that.
• But it was Caleb who brought it to (just about) everybody's attention that Nicole was telling the truth about Frankie and Christine, as was Hayden.
• Derrick thinks it's best to get Frankie out and no more alliances because Zach tells all.
• And, yes ... Zach did tell ALL to Nicole.
• She, in turn, told just about all to Zach, leaving out quite a bit of intel on Derrick and Cody.
• She told every bit about the Frankie and Christine lying.
• Of course, Christine is the other HoH. So targeting her would be a bit hard. She'd have to be dethroned and severe backdoored.
• Derrick and Cody have put a "need to know" criteria on anything they share with Caleb.
• Caleb is willing to go on the block with Frankie and throw the comp, thus Frankie gets voted out.
• Unfortunately, although he's volunteering, right now they don't want to vote out Caleb -- they want the head of Alfredo Garcia. Er, wait. That's an old movie. They want Frankie out.
• I'd rather Frankie out than Caleb right now, too. I have to give him credit for starting the "There's truth in what Nicole's saying" movement.
• Caleb also mended fences with Donny over the Get Rid of Frankie Plan. They decided they're even and will no longer target each other.
• Caleb also says he owes Hayden a huge apology.
• Oh my ... Christine told Nicole SHE doesn't trust Frankie! Covering her butt and trying to earn favor or for real?
• I'm not sure.
• But it will work for this week anyway.
• Nicole doublechecked with Caleb to make sure he will throw the BOB. He said yes.
• When the nominations came down -- Nicole put up Frankie and Caleb, Christine put up Zach and Donny.
• Zach and Donny know that they're safe and Caleb will throw the comp.
• Frankie doesn't know this.
• Heehee. Donny told Zach that he and Caleb make the show -- Zach's antics and Caleb's stupidity.
• Spot on.
• That said, Derrick is really still angry with Zach for the way he treated Nicole after the live show last night. 
• Derrick continues to amaze me with his talks with everyone. He makes each person feel special. Plus, he does seem like a genuinely NICE guy who's playing a wickedly cool game of Big Brother.
• Nicole continued to throw Frankie under that good ol' bus.
• Others joined in.
• Zach really seems to want to work with Nicole. Perhaps it's a ruse; perhaps it's because she opened his eyes to Frankie using him for the fool.
• Frankie told Victoria that he's worried because he's on the block. He's also a bit worried about Caleb because he's been eating slop, but is sure he will go into Cowboy Beast Mode for the BOB.
• Heh.
• He ought to be worrying that Caleb with throw the comp completely!
• As it stands right now, they're expecting the BOB, but don't know quite when.
• Neither do I.
• But I bet Donny and Zach just might win this one!

Zicole, not Zankie

I thought people were my friends

Totally under the radar

Derrick throws the cameras hand signs

United for a cause