The Amazing Race 25: Blog Pool OPENS and Meet the Cast Video

Wow. This is the 25th season of The Amazing Race! Of course, since there are two seasons per year, we're not THAT OLD. We have a new night for the show this year -- one which should rid us of that pesky sports lead-up and delay problems. About time ...! The show starts this Friday night (September 26) at 8pm ET/PT.

The Magnificent Margo and Mom will be once again running the blog pool for TAR. If you wish in on the pool, please sign up on this post (and this post only) by noon ET on Friday. If you sign up on any other post, it might be missed. In the pool, you'll randomly be assigned a team to cheer on until they are Philiminated or win it all. Come join in on the fun! The prize? Why, bragging rights, of course.

I think it's time we meet the cast --

Ready? GO!

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds into Tuesday - September 23

Derrick packs for the first time on the show

What? There are still hamsters in the house? Here's what's been going down in that Big Brother House of Prolonged Misery:

• Lots of pool playing. I mean LOTS of it.
• At least that's a bit better than watching them play chess.
• Of course, the pool players are Derrick and Cody. Victoria has rarely played all summer.
• She's barely played the game of Big Brother, either.
• Cody is the only one exercising. He runs, lift weights, does sit-ups and crunches. He needs to regain his manly figure.
• Derrick has alternately been teasing Victoria about "knowing the real me" and "you don't know the real me."
• Derrick got his suitcase for the first time all summer. He found a pack of cigarettes he had bought to use to schmooze with if there had been smokers in the house.
• He scared Victoria by telling her he was a smoker.
• He's not.
• They're all excited about seeing their families.
• Victoria told the guys that she can't talk to them after Sundown on Tuesday because of Rosh Hashana. 
• They're probably relieved.
• Cody wants BB to give them the comic page art from that comp. I don't blame him. I'd want mine if I were in there!
• BB gave them a small amount of booze. Cody was thrilled.
• Cody wants to become friends with fellow Jersey BBer, Enzo.
• The Meow Meow and Model Boy. Hmm.
• Derrick and Cody were glad there were no racist incidents in the house this season like last year's debacle.
• I said debacle.
• They didn't.
• They'd probably think I'm a college professor at Harvard if they heard me using the word.
• Victoria has calmed down a lot.
• Derrick has told her plenty of times that, by getting her as far along as he could, it had been up to her to win comps to further herself.
• That's about it.

Prone to loud outbursts of joy

Is sure Derrick will win it all

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds into Monday - September 22

They gave us comp goggles!

Yep, the three hamsters are still in the house! Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of About Five Days Too Long:

• They haven't killed each other yet.
• Cody and Derrick have verified and reverified that they will take each other to the final two when one of them wins the final part of the final HoH.
• Victoria, having lost the first two parts, is totally out of it unless one takes her with him.
• That just ain't gonna happen.
• BB has told them they cannot tell her that they (Derrick) won't take her to the final two.
• She's calmed down a bit at bugging him about it.
• However, sometimes she bursts into begging.
• I still think her jury vote will go to Derrick for the win anyway.
• Nonetheless, she keeps hoping for a miracle.
• (Ain't gonna happen.)
• Yesterday, BB ordered lunch for them from Panera.
• Lots of pool playing.
• Some playing in the pool.
• Much sitting around wondering about the jury.
• At one point they discussed Survivor. Cody didn't like the winner Tony because he lied about being a cop.
• Heh.

Dreaming of getting out of the house

Baking for the boyz

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 21. 2014

Good Sunday morning to everyone! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way! If you're looking for my latest Big Brother television show lives feeds reports, you can find those right here at this link.

I don't really have much to report on this week. I was on a staycation. I rested. I enjoyed my new refrigerator. I went to the park one day. I rested some more. Onto the photos --

Stretching my wings

This is but a teaser for the slideshow below. The ducks of Mindowaskin Park will put on a show for any human who comes along.

Late season bees buzzed about

Enjoy the ducks at the park! If you click on the diagonal arrow on the bottom right, this slideshow will go fullscreen for you.

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds into Sunday - September 21

I don't want to talk about this for four days!

As with any final three in the dwindling days in the house, there isn't a lot going on in the Big Brother House of Antsy Hamsters:

• The final part of the HoH comp will be on the live finale show -- Derrick against Cody.
• Victoria knows she's out of the whole shebang unless one of them, either of them, take her to the final two.
• She doubts Cody will take her.
• She thought Derrick would take her, but didn't realize until last week that Derrick and Cody had a final two deal.
• When Cody and Derrick talked, Derrick told Cody that the Diary Room told him he cannot tell Victoria that he wouldn't/won't take her to the final two if he wins HoH.
• Meanwhile, Victoria is coming to the realization that Derrick probably won't take her to the final two.
• And on and on.
• Derrick had a big long talk with her pretty much telling her he doesn't want to talk about it.
• He claims that he doesn't know what he'll do.
• But he did tell her (and she knew) that if he's in the final two with her, others have promised in spite that they would vote for her to win.
• All the time they talked, Cody played pool by himself and amused himself.
• It looks like we'll have a Cody/Derrick final two.
• But I don't want to talk about that for the next four days!

But ... but ...

Still friends?

Just tell her, dude!