Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 14, 2014

Good Sunday morning to y'all! Since it is Sunday, this is my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're looking for Big Brother live feeds content, you can find my latest (and the whole shebang!) right here at this link.

I know I'm late with this this morning, but I actually slept in. I'm on a staycation, having spent any vacation monies on my new refrigerator. It's the first time I've ever had a brand spanking new refrigerator in my lifetime of apartment renting. So, this thing better entertain me this week! I do plan a few small day things, maybe even the Feast of San Genaro in the city, but buying a refrigerator used up most of my discretionary cash.

September 12 marked what I call Vincent's birthday -- the day I adopted him. We met at New York City Animal Care & Control on September 12, 2009. So, this is his fifth birthday even though they thought he was around five when I adopted him. He's still my Spanish Harlem munoquito. Yes, the shelter is in Spanish Harlem ... so I can sing all kinds of songs at him. "There is a cat in Spanish Harlem ..."

A few refrigerator notes:

• They do have an equivalent of a new car smell!
• While I'll miss the side-by-side freezer space, this 18.2 is definitely big enough for me.
• I had to buy it as the old one started being sporadic. It always looked beat-up and nasty as I bought it for $200 on September 11, 2001. Yes, THAT day. I was in my car heading to my then used refrigerator connection when I heard the news on the car radio. I had never had to buy my own refrigerator for an apartment before and cash was short as I had just spent all my on hand money (or most of it) on security deposit and rent while not having my previous security deposit in my hands yet.
• I can't really complain. That was a lot of years for a cheap used refrigerator.
• Alas, the used refrigerator connection has since passed away and I was desperately searching. I needed not only the refrigerator delivered, but someone to haul away the old one.
• I checked out Craigslist, but no individual sellers want to deliver! Gah.
• So, I checked out the Sears online -- there's an outlet location roughly a half-mile down the street from me.
• For under $500 I got your basic refrigerator with both delivery and haul away of the old. Brand new, although they say it has a dent on it. 
• I can't find the dent.
• It has a humidity controlled crisper drawer and door bins large enough to hold gallon bottles. Despite some internet reviews, it's very quiet and the freezer door (top mounted freezer) does NOT open when closing the refrigerator doors. Nor are the shelves flimsy. What are they putting on them? Cases of beer?
• I was going by price and the delivery/haul away factors when I panicked about the old one dying and ordered it. Afterwards, I read reviews. Overwhelmingly, people seemed to like it. However, as always on the internet, there were some haters. 
• So far I really like it. Plus, it has a warranty anyway. I didn't buy their extended warranty. I have a couple of weeks to decide on that. I'm not rough on things -- I still have a working 8-track tape player and a microwave I bought in the late 80s. As long as it's built well, it should last me.
• From the refrigerator manual in the troubleshooting pages

Problem: My refrigerator doesn't seem to stay as cold as it should.
Cause: Opening and closing the doors too often.
Solution: Stop opening and closing the doors so often.

Heh.

Onto the photos of the week. I didn't really take a ton of photos as I only worked four days and only really walked/commuted on three days. On Thursday I had an all day meeting in Parsippany (NJ). Someone else drove. I had my camera, but you don't want to see photos of us stuck in traffic heading into NYC in the morning and traffic stuck coming out of NYC in the late afternoon. Oy!

Sunrise over Plainfield

I love seeing the sunrise as I head to the train station heading to work! This was one morning looking at it from Roosevelt Avenue in Plainfield.

Due to the night's darkness lasting longer, I got some decent shots of the Harvest Moon, the last "supermoon" of the year, as I headed to work earlier in the week. To make the images full screen, click on the diagonal arrow on the bottom right of the slideshow.

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds Saturday into Sunday - September 14

A chainsaw massacre could liven things up!

Oh my gosh. The live feeds couldn't get much more boring than they presently are. Now, I thought they were boring a few weeks ago. That was nuthin'! Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of I Gotta Get Outta This Place:

• Frankie is still the target.
• Both Cody and Derrick will be voting him out.
• They know not to blow the opportunity this time.
• Frankie doesn't actually KNOW he's going ... but deep down inside he knows he's going. It's just that they haven't told him yet.
• That was the biggest game discussion yesterday and last night -- when and if to tell him.
• They decided they don't want to totally blindside him. They want to give him warning.
• So, now it's a matter of when to tell him. After the PoV meeting? Before the eviction? The morning of the eviction?
• Unlike some of the others we've seen in the house this season, Frankie may be a lot of things, but he's not dumb. He knows his swan song in the game is coming up.
• He's a slight bit more subdued.
• That's a good thing.
• In other news, despite his culinary skills as the self-appointed chef for most of the summer (probably so they would eat foods HE likes), Frankie doesn't know how to make hamburgers.
• @@
• They got the grill back. Derrick and the others suggested hamburgers. Frankie wanted to make them like meatballs. 
• It didn't matter anyway. They ended up locked inside due to music being heard outside from some party in the area.
• I believe in the last 24 hours, each hamster probably spent 2.3 hours talking about how bored they are.
• Derrick is still sitting pretty -- both Cody and Victoria would definitely choose him for the final two if they were in that position. Caleb just might consider taking Cody, but Derrick keeps working on him.
• Caleb seems to be next on the Hit List. 
• But Victoria would always work, too.
• Anybody but Derrick, in my opinion.
• If anyone deserves to win this season, it's Derrick. He's been masterminding practically every eviction, adapting the few times things didn't go his way, playing a great social game taking interest in the lives of each hamster, winning a few comps yet never on the block.
• True, he's been surrounded by fools, but ...!
• That's all I have for you ...

Jus' washin' the dishes

Jogging yard laps

Jus' being Caleb-ish

Always alert

Dead man walking

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds Friday PoV into Saturday - September 13

Sad Frankie in the tub

Okay ... I know I didn't post last night. I have a few reasons. First off, the whole 50 grand bonus controversy was taking me to task. I didn't want to post on that until I had a personal grasp on whether it was an actuality or something made up by a hamster as gameplay. Oh? The second thing? I fell asleep before the veto comp? I really didn't mean to! I've been running on empty between BB and my real job (which pays the bills).

Let's first look at that big BB bonus controversy --

1. Supposedly, BB offered $50,000 as a bonus to the winner if both of the Team America mates are in the final two.
2. This all came up because Frankie came out of the Diary Room crying and told Derrick that he had to wake up and go in there.
3. When Derrick came out, he talked to Frankie about the "bonus."
4. Hmm. Something is fishy here. I don't think it's a real offer by BB.
5. First reason why -- BB is cheap. Had they made an offer, it would have been more along the lines of maybe 10 grand.
6. Second reason why -- This would be a Team America thing. We (America) vote on Team America things. BB KNOWS that Frankie is pretty hated by the Internet crowd, if not by the show crowd. They KNOW that had a decision like this been put up for the vote, it would have gotten a huge NO. They KNOW that if Frankie were to get to the final two and win the supposed bonus, the show fans would be steaming that he'd be getting extra money they didn't vote to give him. Heck, I think BB KNOWS that if Frankie wins, there will be a big fan hot mess going on. They know he's hated. While they cannot control who wins, they're not going to offer extra money to have a hated by the fans person win.
7. Third reason -- BB didn't cut in telling them not to talk about production. Had it really been a secret move by them, the feeds would have been blocked or they would have been hushed by a BB voice reprimand. However, if it's all fictional, they'd be allowed to talk on and air over the feeds. 
8. Therefore, the whole bonus offer makes no sense whatsoever.
9. I think it's probably yet another Derrick scheme covering his bases, making Frankie think he's on his side. Or, he's possibly setting things up for, in the case Frankie remains on the block, he might vote to keep Frankie and force Caleb to send Frankie home in a tiebreaker. That way, he'd have Frankie's jury vote -- "Well, I tried to save ya, buddy!"
10. There is nothing about it on the CBS website, nor have they given us any teasers for it during the show or commercials.
11. Everything considered, I doubt the offer was legit. Yet, it sure gives the grassy knoll folks something new and exciting to be up in arms about!

 Onto the other happenings of the day in that Big Brother Spool of Lies:

• Although boring on the whole, some of their study habits for the comp were funny -- looking through fingers, boxes, blocking noses apart, long discussions on noses, crows-feet, etc.
• When the veto comp came down, it was a CODY win with Derrick right behind him.
• Victoria did a lot better than before, but still was apparently way behind the others. But she beat Frankie! He apparently froze during the comp! Woot! Woot!
• Huh. Victoria also did better than Caleb. Good for her. Give her a cookie.
• Caleb and Cody solidified the final three plan with Derrick as their third.
• Caleb told Derrick and Victoria that he wants it to be a tie vote so he can send Frankie home.
• Cody's not on board with that plan at all.
• Nor is Derrick.
• Cody and Derrick told Caleb they would both be voting out Frankie.
• Victoria danced with the headphones on in the HoH room. It must be akin to a deaf person watching someone dance -- I couldn't hear the music, but I definitely had a good sense of the beat. Of course, that wouldn't work if I was the one dancing. At least Victoria CAN dance!
• Of course, there will be no suspense awaiting the veto meeting. We know Cody won't use it as it would force Caleb to put Derrick up. 
• That just ain't happening.
• Unless Victoria goes totally whacko and scares them all, Frankie will go home.
• Victoria will probably follow him next.
• Then Caleb.
• At least, that's Derrick's plan. Well, he might flip it and go for Victoria in the final two.

The big controversial talk

Keep smiling, girl!

Studying

My kneecaps are sweating

Yay for Cody, veto winner!

Dancing by myself ...

The writing is on the wall

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds Thursday night into Friday - September 12

She can smile more now

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Finally Frankie on the block:

• Frankie keeps being told that Victoria is going home and he's a pawn.
• I doubt he believes it. I think he knows his fate is sealed unless he can win veto.
• Caleb told him he put him on the block instead of Cody because Cody just went through suffering a week on the block before the rewind.
• But ... but ... Derrick's never been on the block! Why not him.
• Caleb told him that it wasn't fair to put Derrick on the block because Derrick couldn't play in either of the comps in the rewind. He had no chance to keep himself safe.
• (Besides, they all want Frankie OUT!)
• Lots of memorizing faces going on in groups, separately or, in Frankie's case, in the HoH tub going over each one.
• Derrick told Victoria she needs to keep up the hating him act.
• But she MISSES him!
• @@
• Caleb and Frankie are still bent out of shape about the jurors not only messing up the house, but getting five grand.
• They're happy that Hayden won the money, not most of the others, but still. Y'know, America must hate them to allow the jury to get luxuries when they're in the lap of luxury.
• It's only Derrick and Cody voting. As long as the nominations remain the same, they're both voting Frankie out.
• If Victoria wins the veto (BWAHAHAHAHA!) and takes herself off, Frankie goes home.
• If Frankie wins the veto and either Cody or Derrick go up, Victoria goes home.
• Frankie thinks someone convinced Caleb to nominate him.
• (cough ::: Derrick :::) 
• Actually, he suspects Cody, too.
• Caleb, being his Caleb self, isn't all that convincing that no one convinced him.
• Frankie knows.
• We know he knows.
• Hopefully anybody BUT Frankie wins the veto.
• Frankie has interrogated everyone except Victoria.
• Derrick continues to solidify his relationships with everyone in the house, including Frankie.
• A Frankie quote: "Public perception of me is extremely important to me."
• Heh. I think his family should start researching shrinks now.
• Derrick fixed Victoria's broken necklace but told the guys not to tell her he fixed it.
• That's because they hate each other, of course.
• Frankie said he was given a note that the TVGN (BBAD) audience doesn't like him to "perform" for them.
• Ha.
• Neither do the live feeders.
• Victoria thinks the jury is bitter.
• I think they are, too. But, listening to them talk the other day on the show, they definitely know who's playing a good game. Hopefully they'll vote on that.
• The upcoming veto will be the deciding factor whether we're rid of Frankie or not.
• I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Why did you put me on the block, Caleb?

Why not CODY?

I'll cover the noms photos with a towel

Chips chowing down

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds Bulletin - Nominations - September 11

Caleb actually did it -- he put Victoria and FRANKIE on the block. Of course, he told Frankie that he's the pawn, but ...!