Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 26, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photographs I've taken along the way! This post is a year 'round "feature" on the blog. If you're looking for Big Brother posts, they can all be found at this link right here. If you're not interested in this particular post, please feel free to skip on by it. I'll be posting a Big Brother blog party post coinciding with the East Coast airing of the show and, late this evening, another live feeds post. Stay tuned.

Let's see ... what happened this past week? Hmm. Between work and blog work, my mind seems all muddled! I remember the weather has been nice for the entire midweek on. I was able to open the windows, turn off the air conditioner and not drip sweat upon exiting my home or workplace. Yay for that! I'm so not a fan of heat and humidity. I could deal with a high temperature of 75 all summer.

Gosh, I'm really pulling a blank on the week. I guess the first thing you lose is indeed your mind!

Um. Um. Well, Vincent has a new "trick" but I can't make him do it and haven't been able to get the camera going on time. He runs and jumps on his cardboard scratching doohickey, making it slide five or six feet across the hardwood floor. Then he does it from the other direction. The first time I heard the noise, I was out in my kitchen and ran to the living room thinking something fell. No, it was just Vincent taking rides.

Why is CBS Sunday Morning all about love this week? I don't watch the show for love stories!

Oh, well ... onto the photos. If you click on an image, you'll get a larger version.

Is this pose good?

This year's pigeon babies in Bridgewater have grown!

NYC green cab in Plainfield

Parked at the Plainfield Train Station one morning this week. The train into the city costs about $10, the cab (because they charge round trip flat rate in NJ) costs over $100. Silliness!

All occupants will be photographed

So, I did. This is the sleeping NYC green cab driver.

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

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Waffling into Sunday - July 26

Maybe we should pull a Zach

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Waffles and Chicken(s):

• My head is spinning.
• It's gone from a definite "everybody wants Austin out" to "maybe he shouldn't even go on the block."
• I so wish these hamsters would decide on a plan and stick to it!
• Austin keeps trying to minimize and rationalize his lies and betrayals, claiming they were little white lies and for the good of the group, he played emotional because he's fallen in love, he swears to total loyalty from this day forward, they can evict him next week if they save him this week and blah-blah-whine-blah.
• And, it seems to be working.
• What I think would be a hoot is if Clay didn't use the veto, sure they'd vote Becky out and he went home!
• Bwahahahaha!
• Sigh ... that's not going to happen.
• Vanessa brought the idea of Clay not using it and Shelli shot that right down.
• Steve suggested they do like they did with Zach -- put Austin on the block, say he's the target and then save him with the votes. But they don't know if they'd have the numbers.
• Although I think Becky is expendable (even though she's my blog pool pick person), she has plenty of people in her corner.
• Clay suggested Jackie should go home. 
• But Vanessa said she doesn't want to be responsible for sending both TAR people home.
• Why not?
• It's hard to tell who's lying to whom. I believe the sentiment is indeed switching to not putting Austin up or putting him up, but trying to vote Becky out.
• We have until tomorrow to get a grasp on this.
• Oy.
• I have a hankering to go to IHOP for an order of waffles.

True to Vanessa or not?

He lied to me, but I understand him.

He repulses me, but I trust him.

Keep me off the block, my life for you!

He'll be loyal now. He's a number.

Becky can hula hoop.

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Saturday, PoV - July 25

A table for two

I so love a good kerfuffle. Here's what went down today inside that Big Brother House of a Panicking Judas:

• For the Power of Veto, it's John, Shelli and Liz playing with Vanessa, Clay and Becky. Jason hosted.
• Of course, the live feeds are always blocked for both the drawing of names and the comp itself.
• Vanessa had to pick three people (not four this week) for Have Nots. She chose Shelli and Clay as they hadn't been on slop yet. Steve volunteered to be a Have Not.
• Power of Veto comp apparently had them dressed as squirrels (should have been hamsters). Jason, the host, pronounces "squirrel" oddly with his accent. Heh.
• Uh-oh. Clay won something.
• He won the Power of Veto.
• Becky cried.
• Shelli did not cry.
• Becky is worried not only because she will remain on the block, but because she was told not to tell John of the backdoor Austin plan. Meanwhile, she found out that Clay told him. She feels that she's left out of things and she's worried.
• As she should be.
• Like I said, she's expendable.
• Liz continues to get more irked by Austin.
• Yet, he claims to be "in love" with her.
• @@
• Now the HoH groupies are doubting Johnny Mac because he (supposedly) said that he would save Becky with the veto.
• Liz told Vanessa that she is close to Austin, but he likes her a lot more than she likes him.
• Really. You don't say.
• As their conversation continued, Liz mentioned that he repulses her.
• Heh.
• Liz is scared that Austin will go wild about being backdoored.
• So what, I say.
• Now, for the last forever, I've been listening to Austin apologize, defend his actions, beg and plead with Vanessa not to put him on the block.
• She needs to toughen up.
• She tells him that he'd have to get others on his side, the whole house is against him.
• It continues as I get this posted.

Who wants to be on the block with me?

Reluctant HoH

Watching "Netflix"

YOU are the target, Austin.

Don't send me home!!! Wah!

I won something. I won something.

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Overnight into Saturday - July 25

The most in he's been in the house

Well, well, well. The twins are now guaranteed to be together in the house as Liz won the BotB and she/they are safe this week. Of course, the plan was for her and James to LOSE it, but no one told her that! James knew, but Liz apparently carried the comp. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Harried Hamsters:

• The comp was another rather messy one with some kind of paint (or something) on the participants.
• Heh. Clay is not a happy camper. After all, he was supposed to win this!
• Vanessa thinks that James overacted too much and it was obvious he was trying to throw the comp.
• Vanessa and Shelli think they need to explain to Liz why the comp was planned to be thrown.
• Which, of course, is to blindslide Austin!
• What? Liz's true love?
• Ha!
• As they say, she isn't that into him.
• As a matter of fact, I think he's really starting to creep her out despite the fact they say she jumped into his arms after winning the comp.
• Liz complained to Vanessa that James didn't do anything in the comp and she had to drag him around.
• Well, maybe that's because he was trying to throw it following the plan in place that no one told Liz about.
• Vanessa and Shelli now think that Julia didn't clue Liz into the betrayal (willing to get rid of Julia) by Austin.
• They still want to go through with the original plan -- backdoor Austin.
• Austin, of course, thinks they want to backdoor Steve.
• Yeah, Steve is indeed the alternate plan.
• But he's not the main target this week.
• Austin, for some odd reason created in his own mind, thinks that several women in the house like or desire him.
• Um, no.
• The more Steve talks, the more I think Woody Allen without the sexually frustrated aspect. His voice, his mannerisms, his awkwardness, his analyzing his own behaviors to others.
• Heh. Johnny Mac told a worried Becky that she survived a train wreck; a veto comp should be easy.
• Heh. Austin kissed Liz and she threw him aside saying he was annoying and that it was a sneak attack.
• REMEMBER, HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND AT HOME.
• Others (Jason, Meg, etc.) are still complaining that Steve eavesdrops, spies on people and pops up (like Andy did).
• Steve told us that he's come to the realization that the game is not for him but that he will do the best he can.
• Yeah, a bit like Donny last year, he's having real issues fitting in with the others. Unlike Donny, he's really trying to fit it. Donny got to the point where he didn't even bother.
• They're all in bed, rather early for them, as I get this posted.
• The veto should be interesting.

Things aren't going quite right

How di I get rid of him?

Jus' a country boy watchin' it all

I'll vote however Vanessa asks

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Bulletin - BotB Kerflooey - July 24

Uh-oh. The best laid plans went awry.

James was supposed to throw the Battle of the Block. Liz, his fellow nominee didn't know that. They won it. Liz realized that James was throwing it. James is mad that he won and Austin is suspicious. Clay and Becky remain on the block, Vanessa remains HoH.

Damage control time. They have to convince Austin that Steve is the backdoor target. They don't want Austin to freak ahead of time or win PoV.