The Amazing Race Blog Party - April 15, 2016

The show is starting! As it airs here on the East Coast, I'll post the major happenings live. Refresh the page to get the latest! However, as it always is ... the real party is in the comments area. Please join in on the fun! (And bring tasty beverages and snacks!)

The Magnificent Margo (and Mom) have made the random picks for the blog pool and here they are ...
Tyler & Korey-P- Paula Bell, Bruce & Ray, SueGee
Burnie & Ashley- Buzzmaam, Delee
Sheri & Cole- Donna in FL, Merrilee, Becky
Zach & Rachel- Sharon N, Nana in NW
Dana & Matt- Grandi, Nicklepeed
Kurt & Brodie- David, Ed in OH

Philiminated:
Marty & Hagan- Jackie, Willie J
Cameron & Darius- chrob61, PDXGranny
Jessica & Brittany- Donna in AL, Monty924
Erin & Joslyn- Brian, Margo, Rbennie
Scott & Blair- Meb, Jennasmom

Ready to race?

Teams are off to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The traveling Travelocity gnome is promised ahead. All the teams are on the same flight. So, we're starting out even once again.

In the desert, they pick up their gnome and face the Detour. Race It or Oasis. Racing bikes against camels or leading camels to a camp. Sheri and Cole are lost as all the other teams are hitting the Detour.

The Alpha Boys made it through the all but impossible task of racing camels. But now they can barely walk.

They're the first ones to the Roadblock -- at Aqua Adventure -- getting into a shark tank and solving a puzzle for their next clue.

The Alpha Boys give up on solving the puzzle and use their Express Pass. It's off to Poseidon's Revenge. Oh my.

Cole and Sheri actually beat the camels on bikes. But they're lost again now.

1. Brodie and Kurt -- won a trip to Finland
2. Burnie and Ashley
3. Korey and Tyler

Dana and Matt are having a meltdown. If they don't get their act together, Sheri and Cole might pass them. That is, if Sheri and Cole don't get lost again.

4. Zach and Rachel
5. Matt and Dana
6. Sheri and Cole -- NONPHILIMINATION!!!

They're still in it! They will have a Speed Bump in the next leg!

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - April 13 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb (when the infection is gone) - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML

Let's get this show going!

Tai is worried about his vote for Jason. He, Scott and Jason talk about using the Super Idol to save themselves. They're also hiding the machete and stuff to make camp life miserable. Tai thinks it's all a bit too extreme. He doesn't want to be a part of it, but says he can't control what they do. 

Scot and Jason get Plan Sabotage into motion, hiding the tools.

Debbie tells us they're not gentlemen. Ha. The girls are working on their own methods not using the hidden tools. Scot, in his own little hissy fit, dumps water on the fire.

Tai tells the boys that he can't do this. And Scot reminds him that he threw them under the bus last night at Tribal.

Reward Challenge -- Two teams of four, attached to one long rope, unravel, retrieve sandbags and hit targets. The reward is Chinese take-out. One person will be left out and gets to pick the team they think will win, celebrate with them or lose out with them.

Scot, Jason and Tai look for a female volunteer. Julia decides to join them. Joe sits out and picks the girls to win.

Jason, Scot, Tai and Julia win Reward.

Debbie thinks that Julia's still with them while Cydney thinks that she's going to play both sides. Aubry thinks the same. Julia told us that it would be good to sit in the final four with Jason and Scot because the jury would never vote for them to win. But, will they vote for her if she stabs her original alliance in the back? Hmm.

Oh, geez. Not Tai is putting out the fire. What have they done to him?!?!

Debbie wants Scot out. Aubry thinks it would be smarter to vote out Julia and flush out any idols the guys might have.

Immunity Challenge time! Stack blocks on a beam while avoiding trip obstacles. Once stacked, the blocks should fall like dominoes hitting a gong.

Julia wins Immunity! There goes Aubry's plan.

Debbie tells the girls (including Julia) they need to vote three for Scot and three for Tai. Julia runs to the boys and Scot tells her that she needs to vote Cydney. Aubry and Cydney think they need to cut Debbie loose. They think Debbie will bring them all down before Scot and Jason can. Joe doesn't want to vote for Debbie, though.

Cydney and Michelle go to Julia and tell her they want to send Debbie home. She's certainly not against that idea.

Tribal -- Jason and Scot decide to talk. They say Tai has an idol. Jason also shows his idol. Jason claims they'll let fate decide which of them (Scot or Jason) will stay or go.

Jason gives his idol to Tai. Tai sits down with both.

The tally:
Scot, Cydney, Scot, Cydney, Cydney, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie.

So, the Super Idol wasn't needed and Debbie is out.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 10, 2016

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, 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. If you're a fan of either Survivor or The Amazing Race (or both), please stop by on show nights as they air East Coast time for live blogging and blog parties in the comments area. It makes the show even more fun to watch when you watch it with friends!

Our weather here this past week has been more like winter than spring. I'm so tired of putting away my winter jacket thinking it's all over only to get it out once again ... or shiver in my fleece. Although we've had the threat of snow more than a few times this week, I only saw some flurries once. Nonetheless, I'm tired of it. We need spring!

My downstairs neighbor passed away in either a hospital or a hospice (not here in the building) a few weeks ago. I didn't realize it until some men were emptying out his apartment and bringing most of his stuff to the dumpsters and stacking furniture around the dumpsters. Most of his stuff was either fiberboard type furniture or incredibly worn stuff that might have been nice 30 years ago. The men cleaning out the apartment took the nicer pieces and I noticed some things seemed to disappear to scavengers overnight. It's very sad that that represented a man's life. He was my downstairs neighbor for about twelve years, my source for building gossip and he'd often offer me a ride home if he saw me downtown on foot. He didn't make a lot of noise and, if he did, I always felt free to go down and say something to him. But, I never had to do so. Rest in peace, Lee.

Meanwhile, my upstairs neighbor of about a year and a half is growing more annoying. He's extremely quiet on weekdays. But, on weekends he turns into some sort of party animal with a horribly loud thumping bass stereo. I've lived in this apartment for 16 years. There's been about six different tenants upstairs from me during that time. With all of them, I could only hear conversation if they were shouting at each other. I rarely heard more that a hint of music from upstairs.

None of them had carpet -- he does. I hear him shouting in "normal conversation" over the "music." I can't really call it music as all I hear is the bass thumping. I know some other people, perhaps his neighbors on either side, have called the police on him. I've been tempted to do so. The noise hasn't started up yet as I get this posted. But the landlord will get a call tomorrow if it does. I have to work on Saturdays and don't get home until around 8pm. I don't want to hear, nor should I hear, a constant thump of bass which sounds like a mallet pounding on my ceiling. Nor should my one day off on Sunday be noise from early in the morning until midnight. Grr.

I finally figured out how to use the now free Google NIK photo editor I downloaded a few weeks ago. I couldn't see where it went in my computer! All I could read online had it used as plug-ins for Photoshop or other expensive photo editing software programs I don't own. I discovered I can open photos with the various six programs of NIK. But then I couldn't tell the system where to save them and found they were being saved under documents. Now I have it all under control. I think.

Work has been totally exhausting. But, what else is new?

Onto this week's photos! Clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

My ride home from work

It's too bad it doesn't take me right to my door! But I do prefer to hear train whistles from blocks away rather than right outside my window. I edited this shot of my train arriving at the Bridgewater Train Station. It's nice to leave when there's some daylight. Now it it could just warm up a bit!

Welcome, Love, Justice, Peace

Banners were flying yesterday at the Friends (Quakers) Meeting House on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield. By the time I noticed them to take photographs, I was up on the westbound platform of the Plainfield Train Station. So, Justice is a bit obscured ... as it sometimes can be in real life.

It's a cold, cold rain

No, we didn't get the snow they predicted. But, man, that rain was COLD. This is a shot of my arrival home from work last night at the Plainfield Train Station.

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

The Amazing Race Blog Party - April 8, 2016

The show is starting! As it airs here on the East Coast, I'll post the major happenings live. Refresh the page to get the latest! However, as it always is ... the real party is in the comments area. Please join in on the fun! (And bring tasty beverages and snacks!)

The Magnificent Margo (and Mom) have made the random picks for the blog pool and here they are ...
Tyler & Korey-P- Paula Bell, Bruce & Ray, SueGee
Burnie & Ashley- Buzzmaam, Delee
Sheri & Cole- Donna in FL, Merrilee, Becky
Zach & Rachel- Sharon N, Nana in NW
Dana & Matt- Grandi, Nicklepeed
Scott & Blair- Meb, Jennasmom
Kurt & Brodie- David, Ed in OH

Philiminated:
Marty & Hagan- Jackie, Willie J
Cameron & Darius- chrob61, PDXGranny
Jessica & Brittany- Donna in AL, Monty924
Erin & Joslyn- Brian, Margo, Rbennie

Since last week was a non-Philimination, Sheri and Cole should be facing a Speed Bump this leg. Amazing Race fans ready? Let's GO!

All the teams are on a midnight train to Georgia (not the United States Georgia), so it's all an even playing field again. That is with the exception of the Express Pass (Kurt and Brodie) and the Speed Bump ahead.

So far they're being directed from Freedom Square to another location where they have to ride a gondola to an extremely old church/fortress.

Detour - Either Georgia winemaking or making a string. They have to clean pots or make a candied wine string thing.

From the Detour, it's onto the National Opera for the next clue. Zach and Rachel are in the lead, first ones off the Detour. Uh-oh ... Korey and Tyler are switching to the cleaning the wine pots. That's not easy, either.

Roadblock -- Who's light on your feet? Ballet. Yikes. It's not ballet as we think it. Think of an Irish jog mixed with a Russian wedding dance, but certain moves which must be done.

The Pit Stop is coming up!

1. Zach and Rachel - won a trip for two
2. Burnie and Ashley
3. Brodie and Kurt
4. Sheri and Cole (Apparently no Speed Bump. I just assumed, I guess.)
5. Korey and Tyler
6. Scott and Blair -- Philiminated.

Aw, I liked them. All the teams are likeable this season. 

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - April 6 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

Oh ... in Big Brother news, Jeff and Jordan got married and they're expecting a baby! Check it out on my BB Facebook page.

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb (when the infection is gone) - Merrilee, JoyzJenn

It should be interesting watching these folks scramble for numbers. It will be the first out by Tribal Council since the merge as last week Neal left for medical reasons.

Joe's worrying about the ex-Brains players being the odd men/women out. Well, most certainly I'd say Debbie is odd! However, it's more Aubry who is being targeted. She knows it. She's hoping to find a crack or start some trouble to keep in the game.

Kyle Jason tells the others of his daughter's problems with autism. Cydney points out to us that it will make him harder to beat at the end and that's something they need to think about.

Rewards Challenge has them split into two teams of five. They're playing for ice cream. It's a schoolyard pick. Julia, Scot, Nick, Debbie and Tai vs. Aubry, Cydney, Jason, Michelle and Joe. They have to support teammates on posts through the water. Then all five have to balance on a small platform. It's not easy!

Scot, Nick, Debbie, Tai and Julia win the ice cream! Bond-forming time for a few!

Meanwhile, Cydney is suspicious about Nick working his way in with Jason and Scot. Hmm.

Immunity Challenge time. They have to balance on a very narrow perch holding a handle behind their heads. Jeff is trying his best to annoy, antagonize and destroy them. He offers a temptation in the form of food for ones who feel they're safe tonight.

Julia steps down before the food. It's pizzas, hot dogs, brownies, chicken. Jason, Scot, Joe and Michele take the food.

Tai lets it slip he doesn't want a Brain to win.

Debbie is out. When Nick said Brains were targets, Cydney smirked. Nick and Aubry are out.

Tai and Cydney are the only ones left in.

TAI wins Immunity after Cydney looked like a rock through it all!

He tells us the Brawn and Beauty remainders will split the vote between Debbie and Aubry. I think Cydney might have other plans. We'll see.

Nick advises Aubry to vote Debbie and tells her there will be a split vote. He acts like the vote will be Joe or Debbie. Cydney wants to target Nick. She approaches Debbie and Aubry with the idea. She approaches Michele and Julia. Michele, of course, is in an alliance with Nick. So, she's iffy.

Tribal Council time. Nick is his arrogant self claiming a Brain is going home on a split vote. Tai mentions the super-idol abilities, surprising some who know nothing about it.

Jason votes Aubry, Nick votes Debbie. Debbie votes Nick.

The tally:
Aubry, Debbie, Nick, Aubry, Jason, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick.

HA! Nick is out!