Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 22, 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.

As we're in the March Madness phase (which I am SO not into), most CBS shows are preempted anyway. There will be a new Survivor episode this week, but no Amazing Race. Tonight's CBS schedule is still intact, but the only show I watch in that Sunday line-up is Battle Creek. Nope to CBS, I'll be watching Brooklyn Nine Nine on FOX, then The Walking Dead on AMC.

They held an open casting call yesterday for Big Brother in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Derrick and Cody from last season were there. I wasn't there.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Work goes on. (And on and on and on.) Vincent is doing well and living the life of King of the Apartment. Alas for him, but good for me, we haven't had any mice issues although he's gone on alert and stalked the kitchen wall a few times lately. We heralded the arrival of spring with a snowstorm. I have two stitches in my back due to the removal of a cyst. I'm getting very weary of health problems. I would like my body to be 25 years old once again, please.

But I did win two dollars on a two dollar purchase of the Cash4Life lottery. My plan had been to win $1,000 a day for life. Or, even the second place win -- $1,000 a week for life. At least I got my investment back.

Onto this week's photos -- clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version.

Walking in the spring wonderland

It was still a (freakin') winter wonderland Saturday morning at the Plainfield Train Station. Due to the fact that Friday's snow was a wet and sticky kind of snow, it etched all of the trees and was truly a pretty snow. It was the kind of snow that's good for snowball fights and snowmen. But, still ... enough already.

The Polar Express, NJ Transit style

This was my train home from work on Friday pulling into the Bridgewater Train Station. Yay, spring is here!

The Bull Durham building is coming down

I call it such due to a very cool large ghost sign on its side before a fire four years (or so) ago took out the back half of the building. Then it became the Bull Building, Durham gone from view and amongst the rubble. The building should have been torn down after the fire, yet it sat with its entire rear half gone missing all this time. Now it's an emergency to tear it down tying up North Avenue from Gavett Place to Park Avenue. Plainfield. Go figure.

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

Survivor: Worlds Apart - March 18 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready?

Tonight's show is a two-hour ordeal, most likely because March Madness basketball is going to bump it for a week or two. The promos show a bad accident during a challenge, plus the inevitable "drop your buffs" which heralsd the merge. 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 
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
Nina - Lynn1 

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

On NC, Will is rightfully concerned that if they go to Tribal again, he's gone. BC catches a snake for food.

Whoa ... it's right to an Reward Challenge! It's one of those with callers and blindfolded tribe members searching for stuff. First tribe gets three egg laying hens and a rooster. Second tribe gets ten eggs. From the promo, this has to be where the accident happens. They have to pull the items up to a platform. No Collar is ahead.

Kelly gets hit by the dropping platform from her tribe. Medical gets called and we're in commercial land. The medic tells her he can bandage it and she can continue the challenge. There is a lot of blood, but apparently not a major injury.

No Collar wins Reward! White Collar takes second place.

While the others eat chicken, Jenn searches around and found the idol.

Kelly ended up with six stitches.

Lindsay and Rodney are going after each other, mainly because Rodney's ideas of women are antiquated in view of Lindsay's.  Meanwhile, on WC, Shirin told the others that she slaughtered a rabbit in prep for the show. That turns Joaquin off. Max wants to sit Carolyn out of the next challenge because he doesn't want Shirin to be upset. Carolyn tries to convince the guys Max needs to go.

Immunity Challenge time! Each tribe attached to a rope, go through a course, retrieve bags, get three balls to the top of a maze to win. Shirin does indeed sit out.

No Collar wins! White Collar takes second place. Blue Collar goes to TC for the first time this season. For all his brawn and mouthiness, it was Rodney who screwed up for them during the challenge.

Lindsay tries to get Dan to agree that voting out Rodney is the move. Meanwhile, the guys and Kelly seem to have an alliance. But neither Mike nor Kelly (close) trust Rodney. It sounds like either Lindsay or Rodney will go.

Tribal Council time.

The tally --
Rodney, Lindsay, Rodney, Lindsay, Sierra, Sierra.

Three way tie. Re-vote with Mike, Dan and Kelly only.

Re-vote tally -- Lindsay, Lindsay

She's voted out, smug sexist Rodney stays. All three voted for her, though. Now, Sierra is all bummed.

Right into another challenge. Drop your buffs.

No more collars, Blue and Red tribe only.

Red - Max, Will, Hali, Jenn, Kelly, Shirin, Carolyn
Blue - Joe, Dan, Sierra, Mike, Tyler, Joaquin, Rodney

The challenge looks a bit lacrosse-ish. They launch a ball to be caught in a net.

Blue wins its first Reward Challenge!

Shirin tries to win over Kelly to join the WC members of the new tribe. On the other tribe, Tyler likens Sierra to a broken puppy. Both her old tribemates and the new ones need her. Shirin is already alienating new people. Max got stung twice by a stingray. Carolyn would love for either Max or Shirin to be blindsided.

Dan totally screws up his "apology" to Sierra, just as Mike had advised him not to do so.

Immunity Challenge time! Placing pots on a sled through obstacle course, put them on stands, one member uses a wrecking ball to kill the pots. The tribe with all the guys is not surprisingly doing much better hauling the heavy sled through the mud in the obstacle course.

Blue wins. Not a shock seeing all the muscles. Max says he's happy to go to Tribal and change the dynamic around his camp. He might have to eat his words if he's the dynamic that goes ... or his main ally Shirin gets the boot.

Max wants to blindside Will. Shirin thinks she's orchestrated everything. Meanwhile, Carolyn is thinking a totally different blindside. The others agree with her but can't decide who's more annoying -- Max or Shirin.

The tally --
Will, Will, Max, Max, Max, Max.

Bye-bye, Mr. Survivor Professor. I wanted to like him, but I just couldn't.

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!