Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 15, 2015

Good morning! It's Sunday morning. You know what that means. It's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. Today is the Ides of March. Beware. You've been warned.

After a big blast of winter last week, we finally got a touch of spring this week! I wasn't necessarily pleased with all the rain we got, but it's better than snow. It was nice to be able to crack the windows open on the warmer days and to not have to wear my big coat ... not even once!

I also got to play more with the new camera as my fingers weren't freezing and I wasn't shivering. I still long for time spent in the park or in the city (NYC) photostomping, yet this past week's weather was certainly more conducive for taking photos.

I'm still having some headaches and dizziness and I fear that might never stop. But I have been going to work. I'm counting the years to retirement. I wish it could be counting the days, but that would be unrealistic. Sigh. I'd love to have the time to pursue pursuits I enjoy rather than come home exhausted every day just to have it all happen again the next day. But, for the meantime, I need to keep the roof over my head and the company health insurance.

Without further ado, it's on to the photographs from the week. If you click on an image, you can see a larger version.

I see the silhouetto of a bird ...

Gotta fly, gotta fly.
I'm just a poor bird, nobody loves me.
He's just a poor bird from a poor family.
Spare him his life from this monstrosity!
-- My apologies to Queen

Zoo York

I bet some of the kids who use downtown Plainfield as a skateboarding mecca would love the meet this guy. He skateboards for Zoo City, a company based in Manhattan which makes fancy skateboards, hip-hop skateboard clothes and accessories as well as putting on shows and exhibitions which you can find on YouTube. He was on the train last night on my way home from work and I had to ask him about the skateboards. He was kind enough to balance a few for a photo for me.

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

The Amazing Race 26: March 13 Blog Party

 

It's Friday night! I hope you haven't forgotten that it's time for The Amazing Race! It looks like there will be a kerfuffle or two tonight  Plus, Jonathan and Harley will face a speed bump as they came in last with the non-Philimination leg.

Here's the blog pool standings presented by the Magnificent Margo:

Mike and Rochelle - Cheryl in NC, Laurie

Aly and Steve - Jackie, SueGee

Harley and Jonathan - Becky, Willie J

Matt and Ashley - Delee, Merrilee

Bergen and Kurt - Nana in NW, Rbennie

Blair and Hayley - Terry in TX, Margo, Chris

Jeffrey and Jackie - Brian, Donna in AL, ORKMommy

Jelani and Jenny - Marlo, Lynn 1, dla

Tyler and Laura - Ed in OH, David, Nickelpeed

PHILIMINATED:

Jeff and Lyda - Jennasmom, Paula Bell, meb

Lebya and CJ - Donna in FL, PDXGranny

As the show airs here, I'll update this entry with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party will be in the comments area. Come join us there!

Teams will be flying to Bangkok! The blind daters are starting to quibble.

Detour -- Water or Wheel -- The water taxi seems to be chosen by all so far. But there are only five boats, so they will have to go for wheel. Hayley's voice is reminding me of Bernadette on The Big Bang Theory. Scratch off the thought of her and Blair as a couple.The "wheel" is a moped-ish pedi-cab kind of thing called a tuck-tuck.

Once they arrive at their destination, Water must eat a 1,000 year-old egg.

Ew.

Once they arrive at their destination, Wheel has to play Snooker and hit a red ball into a pocket.

Now teams must take part in a traditional high prayer. 

The Speed Bump has Harley and Jonathan making a grasshopper "sculpture" from river reeds.

The teams who picked up a milk clue at the temple must feed cats at the Caturday Cafe.

Roadblock -- Who is feeling Clutch? They have to remove a transmission and find a misplaced screwdriver. Inside the screwdriver is a clue to the Pit Stop -- "Metal Castle."

Pit Stop:

1. Kurt and Bergen - won a trip to Puerto Vallarta (sp?)

2. Haley and Blair

3. Aly and Steve

4. Laura and Tyler  

5. Jackie and Jeffrey

6. Michael and Rochelle

7. Jelani and Jenny 

8. Matt and Ashley

9. Harley and Jonathan -- Philiminated 

Due to March Madness, the next episode isn't until April 3rd.

Survivor: Worlds Apart - March 11 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready?

As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll be posting the major happenings in live time here on this entry. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As you all know, the real party is in the comments -- I hope to see you there!

The Lovely Lifeguard Laurie is once again running the blog pool (thank you!) Here's the latest --

Blue Collar
Dan - Brian, CherylinNC 
Kelly - Petals, Ed in Ohio 
Lindsey - Donna in FL, David 
Mike - meb, Nickelpeed
Rodney - Margo 
Sierra - Jennasmom

No Collar
Hali - Zoetawny, monty924 
Jenn - Merrilee, Becky 
Joe - SueGee, Chris 
Nina - Lynn1 
Will - Rbennie

White Collar
Carolyn - Jackie TerryinTX 
Joaquin - Laurie, Rochelle 
Max - PDX Granny, Marlo 
Shirin - NanaintheNW 
Tyler - Donna in Alabama, ORKMommy

Out! 
So
Vince - Delee 

Okay, it's on with the show we will go!

Nina knows she's a target and makes things worse for herself. Joe is now leery of Will because Will didn't go with the plan at the last Tribal. Over on WC, Shirin got a bit too excited about seeing howler monkey sex. The boys on BC seem to be going for testosterone issues. NC girls are surfing on driftwood and Joe's giving Nina pep talks.

Gee, looks like they're pulling at straws for filler this week.

WC is all about searching for the idol -- which Carolyn already found long ago. On BC, Mike with the forever hoarse voice is thinking he's the only one who ever does anything. Rodney is clashing with Mike. Whoa! One of the gals really called him out. Good.

Huh. The show is over half-over and the Immunity Challenge is beginning. Each tribe carries large bucket to water tower, fill it, race to their barrel while trying to keep the water from leaking out holes. Massive comfort reward -- chairs, blankets, pillows, etc. Second prize, tarp.

It's weird; Nina isn't really participating although she's participating. NC is trailing, too.

Blue Collar wins! White Collar comes in second and No Collar will go to Tribal Council.

Things are not looking good for Nina. She wants to push Will out instead. Jenn and Hali seem to be really leaning towards a Will ouster. At TC, Nina backstabs Will from the front! Heh.

The tally:
Nina, Will, Will, Nina, Nina.

Nina is gone. She'll never be able to prove she can fit in with the No Collars. That just might not be such a bad thing.

Next week is a two hour show!

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 8, 2015

Good, albeit late, Sunday morning to all y'all! My apologies for this being so late. This, of course, being my weekly off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photographs taken along the way. Sure, we had the "spring forward" jump to Daylight Savings Time and I lost an hour. But, truth to tell, I was exhausted last night yet I couldn't fall asleep for the life of me. Then, once sleep came, I didn't wake up when I had planned to do so.

Maybe it's the weather. Maybe it's my health. I don't know. But I do know that if I were to return to bed now, I could probably sleep for several hours. Like many around here, I'm winter-weary. I'm tired of having to don my big coat and snow boots. I'm tired of climbing over snowbanks or carefully treading the ice on sidewalks. I don't long for the heat of summer. I long for spring with its light jacket early mornings, birds singing and photo opportunities all about me.

I really don't have much more for you right now outside photos I've taken. It's a bit warmer although we had a snowy week with three different snowstorms since the start of the month (a week ago). At least without bitter cold, I don't shiver when taking photos. I'm still waiting to REALLY test out the camera, though. Here's what I've got for you -- clicking an image will open a larger view of it:

Gnarly tree covered in snow

Sure, it makes a good picture. But I'd rather it stop. Please. No more snow.

Fallen sweet gum tree fruit

I tend to think more of it as a seed pod than fruit. But fruit it is. This was the day it rained atop the snow before it snowed on top of the rain which fell on the snow.

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

The Amazing Race 26 - March 6 Blog Party

 

It's Friday night! I hope you haven't forgotten that it's time for The Amazing Race! So far, I'm generally liking most of the couples -- both the "real" couples and the blind date couples. I'm not too keen on Kurt of Kurt and Bergen fame. He seems to be working against his partner and I'm thinking they won't last long due to him. I'm really enjoying how both Jelani/Jenny and Tyler/Laura have been working together for folks just thrown in with each other.

Here's the updated blog pool presented by the Magnificent Margo:

Mike and Rochelle - Cheryl in NC, Laurie

Aly and Steve - Jackie, SueGee

Harley and Jonathan - Becky, Willie J

Matt and Ashley - Delee, Merrilee

Bergen and Kurt - Nana in NW, Rbennie

Blair and Hayley - Terry in TX, Margo, Chris

Jeffrey and Jackie - Brian, Donna in AL, ORKMommy

Jelani and Jenny - Marlo, Lynn 1, dla

Tyler and Laura - Ed in OH, David, Nickelpeed

PHILIMINATED:

Jeff and Lyda - Jennasmom, Paula Bell, meb

Lebya ang CJ - Donna in FL, PDXGranny

As the show airs here, I'll update this entry with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party will be in the comments area. Come join us there!

Teams are flying to Thailand. Uh-oh. Harley/Jonathan get a really later flight.

Oh, geez. They're doing something with "selfie sticks." I'm not too pleased with the selfie craze hitting the show. They have to find a clue in an upside-down house.

Detour - Ski or Tree. Ski has them doing an obstacle course on a waveboard ski. Tree has them delivering a meal via zipline. Dang, Hayley is annoying as she goes off on Blair because they did the task wrong.

Oh, my! Rochelle and Mike take over the lead! Who woulda thunk it? They now have to dress as go-go dancers and learn a choreographed routine. They made it through the dance routine and are heading to the Pit Stop!

1. Mike and Rochelle - Won a trip to Prague. 

Matt left his fanny pack behind at the dance hall. They have to go back.

2. Haley and Blair

3.Tyler and Laurie

4. Aly and Steve

5. Jelani and Jenny

6. Jackie and Jeffrey

7. Matt and Ashley

8. Kurt and Bergen

(I think ... they all came stampeding in.)

Matt proposes to Ashley! How exciting!

9. Harley and Jonathan -- A non-Philimination! They're still in it!