Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 4, 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.

It hasn't been a good week for me (or for my photography desires, either). I fell and sprained my right ankle, missing three days of work when I'm out of paid time off as my 25 years back with the company anniversary was yesterday and my PTO won't be able to be accessed until the end of this upcoming week. Added to the nine years working for the same company before a break in service, I have 34 years in there. Gah. The doctor examining my ankle wrapped it up and put an Aircast on it, telling me to keep weight off of it for a week. Now, I went to have it checked on Wednesday and he gave me a note to return to work this Tuesday. Um. That's no good financially. It's not long enough for me to claim the missed time with my short term disability (seven days). And, it would blow my holiday pay for Labor Day. So, I went back to work yesterday. It's not like this BB season on the blog can pay the bills. I need the money despite the pain. Sigh.

Since I only worked two days last week, I didn't take many photographs. Clicking on an image will open a larger version ...

Colorful carnations grow ...

... in the planters on East Front Street in Plainfield.

Latino Corner ... really?

Nothing like jumping on the bandwagon. This was The Corner Store, owned and managed by an older Indian couple named "Dave" and Shah. It was a dark cave with phone calls going on in Hindi, incense burning and Indian music. They retired and sold it to younger Indian men. The new owners completely rehabbed the place. It's now clean, brightly lit, has longer operating hours and so much more merchandise. The language among the staff remains Hindi. Maybe Punjabi, but I doubt that. It most certainly isn't Spanish! They took down the old The Corner Store sign and renamed the business ... Latino Corner. Say what? The next thing you know, there will be a taco truck on every corner!

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

BB18: Live Feeds into Sunday - September 4

What? I'll be on the block next week!

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Want a Waffle With That?:

• Okay, we all know Victor is HoH and he wants James out with a passion. After all, it's James who last evicted him.
• But, if Victor is HoH, we all know that Paul is HoH.
• It should go without saying.
• Corey won veto.
• We didn't see the veto comp itself on the live feeds. It was obviously a dirty veto comp and physical.
• They all talked about how Michelle would have done poorly in it.
• But they got rid of her.
• I guess Natalie gave 'em a run for the money in the veto.
• Now Nicole is pushing for Natalie to go instead of Victor's prime target James.
• Oh my.
• Paul took up her cause.
• His reasoning is that Natalie has come close to winning against Victor in more than a few comps. James has not done as well. Plus, if they pull a total blindside and evict Natalie on Thursday, James will be alone and bereft going into the HoH comp and lose.
• Corey is agreeable to it all.
• Victor is reluctant. But we all know he'll do what Paul wants until Paul puts that knife in his back for the win.
• In other news, Corey won a trip to Atlanta in the veto comp. How special is that?
• And, it yet other news, remember that Victor took Natalie aside and told her that she would be going on the block but wasn't the target this week? Well, James keeps telling her that once Victor sets his sights on a target, that's it.
• Guess what?
• Victor doesn't have a vote this week -- Corey, Paul and Nicole do.
• Victor is sure that, if James stays and wins HoH, it will be him and Corey on the block.
• Nicole thinks that, if Natalie stays and wins HoH (a better chance than James winning), she will be on the block and go home.
• Victor doesn't think Natalie is any threat to him while James is.
• But it's not his vote, not his decision.
• Meanwhile, James still feels the need to protect and mollycoddle Natalie.
• SHE HAS RUINED YOUR GAME, JAMES!
• Sheesh.
• Natalie turned on James, saying that she knew she would be going home and suggesting that James and Nicole had an alliance.
• She roughly threw James under the bus to the others.
• Keep in mind that no one has confirmed the "blindside" to her. She just suspects it.
• All along, James is sure he's the target.
• It's a lot of days between now and Thursday.
• We'll see.

The new target? Shh ...

Well, her hair always looks like that.

Will he stay? Too soon to tell, I say.

BB18: Live Feeds Power of Veto Winner - September 3

Nicole didn't win

Another day of doldrums. Another day of James being stupid, telling Natalie that if won veto, he'd take her off the block.

It doesn't matter.

Corey won the Power of Veto.

Goodbye, James

At least Paul didn't win

Yes, Corey won PoV

BB18: Live Feeds into Saturday Morning - September 3

Cap'n Crunch from the box

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

• Yes, pain.
• Pain because all involved in the HoH comp have sore hands and little cuts on their fingers.
• Pain because I'm watching them do nothing but cook, eat, and play dominoes.
• Pain because Natalie keeps fussing that she will miss James, can't win comps and no one talks to her (other than James).
• Pain because James keeps showing compassion to Natalie, the person he let lose him the game all summer.
• Other than James coaching Natalie what to do after he goes, there's no strategy talk.
• This is what boredom on video is, BB18 when there's no hope for excitement to come.
• If James or Natalie win veto and one gets taken off the block, there's no expectation that there will be a blindside and someone other than the remaining one will go home.
• Gah.

Paul never cooked before this summer

But they don't even talk to me!

The dudes

BB18: Live Feeds into Friday Evening, Nominations - September 2

You two did too much of this all summer

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Domino Daze:

• Oh, gee. James and Natalie slept most of the day away.
• Even when they were awake, they stayed away from the others.
• Of course, it's a lost cause at this point anyway.
• Natalie asked James if he threw last night's HoH comp.
• He told her he didn't.
• But, what of all of the ones he DID throw all summer long?
• Nicole, being the paranoid woman she is, worried if they made the right decision keeping Paul and Victor for the final four with her and Corey.
• It's also a little too late for that.
• Victor and Paul made it clear in the late night hours that James would be the target, Natalie would be the pawn this week.
• And, so it came to be.
• Natalie and James are on the block.
• One will go home even if the other is saved by the veto.
• In other news, the Chosen Final Four played dominoes peppered with loud profanity from the boys.
• I had to keep turning down the volume because I don't think my neighbors would appreciate such outbursts. 
• Ain't really got nuthin' else to say.

Comeback kid will need protection next week

Dominoes and profanity