Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 7, 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 photographs I've taken along the way. If you're here for Big Brother news, everything I have for you can be found at this link. I'll be posting another live feeds report late tonight as well as live-blogging the aired show. But this ain't that. This post is a year-round regular "feature" while Big Brother is a summer obsession. Or, something like that.

We've had another week of on and off super heat, on and off super humidity, on and off super thunderstorms here in New Jersey. I'm over it. Autumn can come anytime now.

I've also been a bit under the weather this week. While I blame the heat for some of it, most of my feeling poorly is due to sciatica. While it's not as bad as it was a few years back when I had severe issues with it, it's bad enough. I'm tempted to get my walker from my knee surgeries back in gear. Ack. And, of course, I've had to go to work every day. I have no doubts that's making it last longer and bother me more. I am SO ready for retirement.

In other news, I briefly caught some National Night Out doings in both Bridgewater and Plainfield on Tuesday evening. But then I went home and spent the night in.

I really don't have much more for you other than the photos. I apologize for being so late with this, but it's here now. Clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version!

Love me an Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp!

These are fun to photograph as well as to watch. It would be nice some day to photograph the female carrying a paralyzed cicada back to the burrow. But, until then, I'll photograph the males and watch them vie for power. Since they can't sting, they're just plain entertainment for me. Bridgewater Train Station.

American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch is the State Bird for New Jersey, but I rarely see them. When I do, they're such a delight -- bright yellow, small birds with a lilting song. They like thistle. If I had some outdoor space other than a fire escape, I'd put up a thistle feeder to attract them. As it is, I doubt my landlord or the fire department would want me messing with my fire escape.

By the way, there is an Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp flying in the background, lower left on the photo, just above the thistle.

Police cadets working the crowd

It was so refreshing to see that so many young kids are interested in being a part of the Plainfield Police Cadet program/Mentoring Academy. The class of 40 cadets graduated the program in a ceremony on Friday. But, on National Night Out on Tuesday in Plainfield, they worked the crowds, mingling and setting a good example. Their parents should be proud of them and the kids should be proud of themselves, too. Kudos to the kids involved, their parents and the Plainfield Police Department!

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

BB18: Live Feeds Overnight into Sunday - August 7

I have a hard decision to make

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of a Big Mess:

• As you know from my last update, Paulie won the PoV.
• Now he's fussing about what to do, what to do.
• But apparently this dude can't ever just sit back and let someone else win for a change.
• Well, except for the HoH when he dropped right after Zakiyah came down.
• And, don't think she hasn't questioned him about that one!
• "Do you want me out? Did you just want to make sure I didn't win?"
• It was the hidden veto, tear apart the house comp. 
• I think BB gives this comp just so the house will actually get cleaned up at some point. 
• Victor, the clean freak, had the same thought about BB using it to get them to clean.
• Although, to give them credit, the rooms don't seem AS messy as with some previous seasons hamsters. I've seen it so bad that they practically had paths through the clutter to the beds.
• Paul's hosting outfit had him as a "lifeguard." He later wrapped the red lifeguard shirt on his head.
• I don't think I want him guarding my life, thankyouverymuch.
• There's a lot of James/Victor animosity going on. Paul and Paulie are soon going to have to pick a side.
• It sounds like Victor will probably put James on the block if Paulie takes Zakiyah down.
• You KNOW that if Paulie takes anyone down, it would be Zakiyah rather than Michelle!
• Michelle knows that, too.
• Zakiyah is thinking her man Paulie will save her.
• Paul says that if Zakiyah stays on the block, she will be voted out and Paulie won't have to worry about her at all.
• Thus, Paulie's quandary.
• Hey, he put himself in this boat. Apparently he didn't find any of the vetos the others hid, but he hid his so well that no one found it at all or it was the last one found.
• James made his pretty obvious, knowing he didn't want to win.
• Maybe he should have tried, then not used the veto. At least he'd be safe from a renom.
• Supposedly, according to Paul, the reason Victor is mad at James is because James made such a huge mess in the kitchen during the comp.
• Victor should be thankful Zach isn't in the house!
• During the comp, Victor was so mad at the mess James made and the fact that James's bag wasn't touched, that he ripped open James's bag and dumped all his stuff all over.
• Victor and James had a sit down. Victor told James he's happy that Paulie won the veto, so the noms will remain the same. James told him that Paulie is thinking of using the veto to save Zakiyah because he "can control" her, but can't "control" Michelle.
• As a woman, I can't help but wonder if Paulie will eventually look for a wife he can "control" and raise children he can "control."
• @@
• They didn't do a great job of cleaning up after the comp. Remind me to never hire them to clean my apartment.
• Paulie told both Paul and Nicole that he isn't planning on using the veto.
• But, in a long conversation with Bridgette, he was going back and forth over why he should or shouldn't use it. He ended up with the idea of not using it, but ...!
• They're all still in fear of a double eviction ... which we know for sure is coming this week. They just know one is due.
• Paul, Victor and Paulie have decided the use of the veto will be a "board" decision.
• Yeah, that's the little Executive Board alliance.
• Paulie himself wants Michelle to go, then Bridgette gone before Zakiyah. At least, that's what he told Nicole and Corey.
• But is it the truth?
• He also told Nicole she's the only girl he wants to keep around.
• Hmm. Maybe because she can't win a comp for the life of her and she might be a bigger target than he is as the numbers dwindle?
• If these hamsters were smart, they'd realize PAULIE should be the Number One target if they have any thoughts of winning this game.
• I think the only one who realizes that is James. And, he's playing the game so carefully this season, waiting for time to make his big moves, that he might be out before he can get the moves made.
• Zakiyah picked Paulie as Houseguest's Choice and fully expects him to save her.
• Michelle had her pity party. They crushed her dreams by putting her on the block. She's all alone in the game. She'll never meet ZingBot and on and on.
• Of course, if she meets ZingBot, you know she'd cry about her zings.
• Michelle once again is comparing Paulie's game to Derrick's. How big of a superfan is she? Their games are nothing alike. Derrick let others win and played a manipulation game. Paulie seems to want to win everything he can and try to bully.
• Oh, perhaps not physically bully, but you know what I mean. "I have all the power all the time. You'll do what I say or I'll want you out next."
• Michelle is hoping that Paulie uses the veto and Victor backdoors James.
• I hope he doesn't. James is the only one I find the least bit palatable this season.
• James told "us" that he made the big mess in the kitchen for us and to have fun. He forgot that Victor, the clean freak, is back.
• As it stands now, it looks like Paulie might not use the PoV and, if that's the case, Zakiyah should be voted out.
• But it ain't over until the fat lady sings.
• (No, Michelle is NOT fat despite all her self-esteem issues over her weight!)

On the block AND allergic to the dip

She just can't win for losing

I want that pool and hot tub combo!

Cleaning up the mess

Lifeguard? No way!

BB18: Live Feeds into Saturday Evening, Power of Veto - August 6

Enough Jeff, more than enough Jeff

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Blocked Live Feeds:

• The live feeds have been blocked most of the time since the hamsters woke up.
• They picked the veto players.
• The live feeds were blocked for that.
• But we found out anyway.
• In addition to Victor, Michelle and Zakiyah -- it's Paulie, James and Nicole. Paul is hosting.
• James will throw it. He doesn't want to be in that position.
• Natalie, sure that she will hit the jury house rather than the win, told James that no matter who he's against at the end (if he makes it there), he has her vote.
• Aw, ain't that sweet?
• That's pretty much all that happened before the feeds got blocked with Jeff Highlights for the PoV comp.
• Six and a half hours as I type this while waiting for the return.
• Grr.
• Seven hours.

At nearly eight hours after the feeds block, they're back on.
PAULIE is wearing the PoV necklace. What a shocker! It was the search through/mess up the house veto comp.

Gee, Paulie won a comp for a change

BB18: Live Feeds into Saturday - August 6

I like the jester hat better

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Tears and Testosterone:

• The nominees, Zakiyah and Michelle, have realized that, as long as the guys remain in charge of the house, they'll take all the women out one by one.
• Well ... yeah, they will. But, this season like so many in the past, had women wanting to ally, then blowing it. The men tend to ally and stick with it. 
• Meanwhile, Natalie tells James that Nicole is playing the game dirty.
• Girl against girl, again.
• Paul is still lying to Zakiyah, telling her that Bridgette had been the target last week, not Da'Vonne.
• We know he was instrumental in getting Da'Vonne out. If not for Paulie's persistence, Bridgette would have gone out the door.
• There's some sort of kerfuffle about beads during the blocked to live feeds nominations ceremony. Victor, from New Orleans, got beads in his HoH basket. It seems that he gave people them during the ceremony and Michelle either threw them down or at him or something.
• I guess we'll see what that's all about on the show Sunday night.
• Michelle told Nicole that she feels like a failure (over the HoH comp poor showing). 
• Like Michelle needed something else to feel bad about herself. She doesn't get that she's pretty, she is NOT fat, she's smart ... and, gosh-darn it, people like her. (My apologies to Stuart Smalley/Al Franken)
• But people get tired of a constant pity party.
• Paulie wants Zakiyah to stay, Michelle out this week.
• So, that's probably going to happen unless Michelle pulls a rabbit out of her hat and wins PoV.
• He's pushing his oust the females agenda to James.
• James nods a lot. But, as usual, doesn't really commit.
• I think James realizes he needs to stay on the good side of the power until the moment comes that they can be brought down.
• That is, if that moment ever comes.
• Paulie thinks the girls will say anything to get the guys to turn on each other.
• Well, yeah. Of course. Anything is worth a try!
• Michelle talked to Victor who told her that he had felt alone when he first came back into the game. But now he feels he's connected with everyone except Zakiyah (who only connects with Paulie and ex-connected with Da'Vonne).
• He acted like he wants Michelle to stay over Zakiyah.
• It doesn't matter. It's not Victor's HoH anyway. It belongs to Paulie. Paulie wants Michelle out, so be it!
• Paulie thinks Michelle uses crying as a game strategy.
• I just wonder if she uses it as a way of life.
• It's sad.
• Michelle is sure that she's the target.
• Zakiyah thinks that she's the target.
• I'm personally kind of doubtful the nominations will change unless either Zakiyah or Michelle win PoV. Anyone else, they'll probably remain the same.
• And, if they remain the same, I would predict Michelle out the door rather than Zakiyah.
• I could be wrong, but that's what I'm thinking!

Maybe he'll grow up someday

James gettin' the love

Pondering possibilities

Is it cruel that I hoped he fell over backwards?

BB18: Live Feeds into Friday Night, Nominations - August 5

Life in the BB house

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Whirling Dervishes:

• They slept way in this morning.
• I'm talking around 2pm their time until they were up and about.
• When I came home from work and looked in on the live feeds for the excitement, I found none.
• Then I followed their example.
• I took a nap.
• I only planned to take an hour. I woke up almost five hours later. Oy!
• As a result, I had to look back on flashback and catch the action and now my report is just about as timely as the BB hamsters getting up in the morning.
• My apologies.
• Ohh! Ohh! James got the care package! He can take out two votes in next week's (first, I assume) eviction.
• He also got socks and cookies.
• Zakiyah, not knowing she'd be later put on the block, "knew" James would get it.
• I personally wish the fans had held off and gave him the immunity package. 
• But that's just me.
• Nicole told Corey that she thinks Natalie and James are America's favorites.
• Well, in this mess of hamsters, I'm having trouble picking a favorite. I'd probably have to go with James. He generally means well and doesn't cuss every other word.
• King Paulie thinks that if they want to get Bridgette out, they would need Natalie or Nicole to do it so they wouldn't look bad.
• Paulie also thinks they should hand HoH to one of the girls to get Victor out.
• @@
• I think someone needs to win HoH and knock Paulie down a peg or two.
• So, you know that Bridgette won't be going on the block this week!
• Actually, as predicted ... Victor did Paulie's will -- Zakiyah and Michelle are on the block.
• Tears and more tears.
• Fine with me. Either can go.
• I just wish someone would be able to break up Paul/Paulie. With them ruling every HoH directly or indirectly, it's going to be a boring August.

She can smile ... for now

Nice that he won HoH again

Before the nominations

After the nominations

If memory serves, first red HoH robe