Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 28, 2015

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection on the past week in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're amongst the folks here for my Big Brother television show and live feeds coverage, you can find those posts at this link. That show only lasts three months; this blog is here all year and this off topic post will appear every Sunday morning. Please feel free to skip it if you wish!

Now that that's out of the way, some random happenings from my week and an observation or two:

• I'm tired. So tired. I'm coming off having a bug that ran rampant through my workplace and the BB17 blogging hit full blast this past week. Those darn hamsters need to sleep more!
• Maybe I need to sleep more. Huh. No "maybe" about it -- I am lacking sleep.
• My work week at my "real job" was chaotic once again. I hate chaos. I prefer to have a plan and not be torn in a gazillion directions at once. You get a gazillion things half-done and not a one thing done well. It's so inefficient and stressful. Something has to change.
• Last night (during pouring rain storms) there was a woman on my train home who had fallen asleep and woke up to being alone in an empty train in the rail yard. She found her way to the last station on the line by walking on the tracks and caught the train. That will teach her to fall asleep on the train! And, here I thought my taking "I see dead people" photos of sleeping people on NJ Transit trains was a punishment for sleeping on trains!
• My landlord sent me my new apartment lease "we're increasing your rent" letter. Another $5. That's so much better than the previous crook landlord who's currently serving time for federal ponzi scheme kind of charges. He used to up it $50 a month yearly.
• That's about all I have for you. This past week has been full of stormy weather, stormy workplace, BB17 starting off at a gallop rather than a trot and a certain cat who thinks I need to have him on me for comfort. My apologies for posting so late this week.

Onto the photos -- clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version.

Another workday done

At least I arrived home to grey skies but no rain on this day. Yet I had to carry my umbrella as I have had to do for most of June. I don't want to hear there's any "water deficit" around here! Plainfield Train Station.

Pretty planters

Hugo's Bar on Church Street in Plainfield always has pretty hanging flower planters. I've never been in the bar, though. 

Hibiscus bloom head on

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

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Into Sunday Dawn - June 28

Clay candy

Conspiracy around every corner! Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Audrey's Way or the Highway:

• Just as I was wrapping up the last live feeds update, Jace streaked through the house and backyard. I included a PG-rated screen cap below. I can't get too risque, y'know.
• Jace is so impressed with himself because he streaked. @@
• Yeah, I'm rolling my eyes.
• Audrey is on the "throw Vanessa under the bus" agenda since completing her "throw Da'Vonne under the bus."
• Jason, in whispers to Jeff, already likened her to Amanda. He told Jeff that Audrey started talking strong strategy to him an hour into the house.
• She certainly does like to have her minions.
• But I'm thinking a minion uprising sooner rather than later.
• Jason also told Jeff he had originally planned on working with the girls. He no longer wants to do that now that he knows the girls.
• Steve has been trying to get into a workout regimen. He laughingly said he wants "a six-pack to impress the girls."
• Have I mentioned I really like that kid?
• Plus, exercising with the guys works him more into the fold.
• Vanessa told Clay she wants to work with him and Shelli. She said she can't play her game lying even though it's BB. Clay told her that not the way he wants to play, either.
• They got alcohol and had a birthday party for John while we got fish.
• Not that I think that marijuana is such a bad thing (except the illegality part -- I personally think it's less harmful than alcohol), but Jace said he has a medical marijuana card.
• No wonder Judge Judy has such disdain for people in California with medical marijuana cards! 
• Maybe Jace should just move to 'rado where it's legal.
• Heehee.
• Oh my gosh ... Becky had the nerve to shush Jace about the marijuana talk!
• "No one shushes me except my mother!"
• Jace is sure BB put Becky in the house to be his nemesis.
• Heh. You go, Becky girl!
• Meg doesn't think she can trust Audrey because Audrey's out there planting too many seeds.
• Y'think?
• Jace and Becky eventually made up. I don't see any future showmance, though.
• Jeff and Jason really trust James. Most people think James is trustworthy.
• Many are speculating about Audrey and her puppetmaster ways.
• The target is still Jace this week.
• If Audrey has her way, it might be Steve soon. She thinks Steve's bumbling socially awkward game is an act.
• Hmm ...
• They're still up (the High Rollers HoH bunch) -- Audrey, James, Jason, Jeff, Meg, Shelli.
• But I'm out.
• Go to bed, hamsters!

Likes to be in charge, second to Audrey

Not the strongest bond

Meg gets animated

There goes a very white butt

Now being targeted by Audrey

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds into Saturday Evening - June 27

Too cool to fool?

For the most part, this is yet another "stay up all night, sleep until BB forces them to get up" crew.  Most went to bed last night past 5am their time and didn't get up until past 11am. With no comps for the day and nothing really going on ... little went on. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Lonesome Losers:

• The Audrey conversation repeating ended up with Audrey blaming Da'Vonne. Everyone is now thinking she can't be trusted.
• So much for the Girls Alliance.
• Austin is (rightfully) scared that his Bro Boi Jace is going to go up on the block if (when) Steve saves himself with the veto.
• They tend to think Steve is some kind of creeper eavesdropping on them all. It started when he was walking back and forth during their extended lock-in for the PoV comp. Audrey warned him that people thought he was either spying on them or too nervous to knock on the HoH door. He said it was for exercise.
• Austin said he caught Steve listening at a door.
• Don't they all do that at some time or another?
• There was also talk that, before the feeds went live, Steve hid in (or behind) a trash can to eavesdrop.
• I don't care. I like Steve.
• For being such a loud dude, John is fairly quiet in the house and seems just about as much on his own as Steve.
• Vanessa can't figure out if John would be a swing vote or a floater.
• I'm not sure myself.
• Vanessa and Da'Vonne think they're both outcasts and have vowed not to ever nominate each other.
• Shelli spent too much time crying at Clay because Jace might be going home.
• "I'll miss him so much! He's such a nice guy! I'm heartbroken!" Wah. Honk.
• Clay told Shelli that he fits in the house because in his own life he finds it hard to trust people.
• He should be distrustful. After he went into sequester, his home was burglarized. Wanna bet it was someone he knew who knew he wasn't around?
• Clay doesn't know his house was burglarized. Shh. Don't tell him.
• Clay told Shelli he doesn't trust James. I don't think I'd trust James, either. But I do find him more entertaining than I thought I would.
• Clay was kicked out of the High Rollers.
• He blames Da'Vonne and/or Audrey.
• Meg was all over Clay in the hammock, not in a sex kind of way, just cuddly and agog.
• Jace seems to be working on bad-mouthing Da'Vonne so that perhaps she goes up on the block instead of him.
• When Jeff likened Austin, Liz and Jace to the Three Musketeers, Jason said they were more like the Three Stooges because at least the Three Musketeers showed some intelligence.
• Ha.
• Jace thinks they can get modeling gigs after the show.
• Sorry, kiddo. Maybe Clay could. Cody did well last year. But, you're not quite in that league.
• Steve and Vanessa talked about the Marcellas Move -- using his veto to save Amy in BB3, then getting the boot. We know Steve is smarter than that!
• Audrey is a bit like a more active Amanda. She really pushes her mind control games. Now she's sucking up to Meg, telling her she's (Meg) got a great strategy because she's got all the guys underestimating her.
• Meg buys the bull.
• Both Meg and Audrey think Liz (Lizia?) would target them and she needs to be gone as soon as possible. Then Steve.
• Say what? Stop picking on my Steve!
• Ahem.
• Steve, meanwhile, told James that he trusts him as everything he (James) said he would do, he did.
• Steve is also worried about how being on BB might affect his grad school applications.
• Unless he undergoes a radical personality change in the next three months, I'd say being on the show shouldn't hurt anything. He isn't saying or doing anything which would come back to haunt him in real life.
• After James left, Steve turned to the camera and whispered to us that he doesn't trust James and is planning on throwing the HoH comp.
• See why I like Steve?
• They're trying to get more alcohol tonight, but I don't know if it's going to happen.
• There. That's the day. How's them bananas?
• Wait. Wait. Jace is now streaking around the house!
• That ain't gonna save him.

Her future's so bright she needed shades

And then there were three

Almost Ian-like in hammock use

Oh, Clay! I'll miss Jace if he goes!

The nail polish on Clay's hand are from the nail party the other day. He keeps trying to peel it off.

Jace in all of his coolness. (Gah.)

He's lifting those weights with his stomach

I'm sure I'd break my back that way.

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Friday night into Saturday, 6/26-27

Jeff shouldn't get too comfortable

Oh, geez. We already have the start of a Nerd Herd house divided thing goin' on in the house. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Misfit Toys:

• We have the first named alliance in the house -- The High Rollers -- made up of James, Jason, Audrey, Da'Vonne, Jeff, Jackie, Meg.
• We'll see how long that lasts.
• My first impression of Audrey from the Jeff interview is coming true -- she is way too cocky (then into too paranoid) and she's pushy. At least she doesn't chew gum all the time in the house.
• On the other side Liz, Austin and Jace are drawing in Shelli and Clay. They want more. They think they're the "Cool Kids."
• @@
• Becky, John, Vanessa and Steve are just floating around the fringes.
• Steve thinks (and told us) that if he had to declare a winner now, he'd say Audrey.
• Apparently the camera people think so, too. Either that or they were told to focus on her. They're getting a lot of Audrey shots -- often so many that I can't tell who she's with in a room of people because they rarely take the camera off of her.
• Stop that, BB.
• Austin knows Da'Vonne is not a teacher, but is a poker dealer/player. Not sure how he found out.
• People shouldn't lie about their jobs unless named Derrick and lying is your job.
• BB gave them alcohol. Not a whole lot of it.
• They were also allowed back in the yard.
• Woot woot
• Da'Vonne and John might be working up a bond/relationship/dare I say alliance on the side. They spent a lot of time talking over strategies and studying the Memory Wall.
• Audrey's paranoid meltdown has calmed.
• The target SEEMS to be a backdoor Jace move when Steve (surely) saves himself with the veto.
• But I don't think it's the sure thing they think. Jackie just might end up going.
• Steve discussed the difference between weight, mass and volume. Um. That's different. 
• Another person besides Austin was saved in the Have Not comp -- Vanessa had saved Austin from nomination/eviction. Well, now it turns out that Liz had been saved by Da'Vonne. Both Da'Vonne and Vanessa are Have Nots. I'm not sure how that all worked.
• Sigh. My pool pick (Becky) admits to never watching the show. 
• Meanwhile, it turns out that Jeff likes BB and never watched TAR.
• And the beat goes on ...
• Yawnsers.

Hammock summit

If you come to BB, wear flowers in your hair

Austin, you're letting me down!

Storage room strategies

Liz ... or is it?

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Daytime 6/26, Power of Veto Winner

Someone's throwing me under the bus

Good evening! Since I last reported, a lot has happened in the house. The Power of Veto comp went down. The house is already becoming divided. And, I still at times have trouble telling the blonde gals apart unless I see them full face. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Rabid Rodents:

• I found out that Austin is safe from nomination/eviction. I still don't know how Vanessa saved him.
• Jace, Austin and Liz remain a team, if not a real alliance. They have no name.
• "I rode through Big Brother on an alliance with no name, felt good to be out of the rain."
• Ahem. My apologies.
• They don't trust Audrey and think she's playing everyone.
• Jace mentioned the distrust to James who promptly told Da'Vonne and Jason.
• Jace is definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed.
• But he is indeed a tool.
• Jace thinks the plan is to backdoor Jason.
• No, the plan is to backdoor you, Jace!
• Steve is supposedly just a pawn. But we know he knows that pawns sometimes go home!
• Audrey is suspicious of Jackie and Vanessa as they seem so close.
• I say, "Trust no one!"
• Clay thinks he knows the game and he can just get rid of others easily.
• Remember, he never heard of the show until four months ago.
• Even Audrey told Steve that he was safe -- she told him that anyone who won the PoV would take him off.
• Obviously, she doesn't know that the James contingent would take Jackie off.
• Doesn't matter. He's safe.
• He (Steve) won the Power of Veto!
• Meanwhile, Audrey knows someone is telling others what she says. She thinks it has to be either Liz or Da'Vonne.
• She starts to question everybody, including James. When she asked if she was going to be backdoored, James told her that nobody's safe.
• Well, except for Austin, James and (most likely) Steve.
• I'm feeling let down by Austin. He's already decided that his group is the "cool" people. @@
• I expected more from him. 
• James thinks that Jace backdoored is 100%. I'm definitely not seeing this house voting as a whole this season.
• Good.
• I like drama.
• Jason thinks he should make a fake final two deal with Steve.
• Poor Steve.
• Jace and Austin made it sound like Jeff was behind the rumors of a backdoor Jason plan.
• The HoH bunch told Jeff about that.
• Sheesh ... if this is all going on now, I can't imagine what the summer will be like. I can only hope the numbers on each side stay a bit similar so it's not boring.
• The PoV comp was a spelling one. They're shocked that the "genius Steve" could spell "trombonist."
• I'm not surprised. He's into music and he has a brain.
• I think the PoV ceremony will be on Sunday. I'm sure Steve knows to save himself.

This season's whisperer

The kid must be a genius!

A thrill a minute

Too many blondes

Boy genius?

How did he spell that?