Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 11, 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.

That said, this week's off topic post is a bit abbreviated for a few different reasons. First off, today is the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. That struck this area, the NYC Greater Metropolitan Area, quite hard. Many folks here work in Manhattan. Several people in the local area died in the attacks. My company lost seven people on one of the planes. It's a somber day and we'll never forget.

Also, my sprained ankle and the heat factor this week limited my desire to take photos although I did work this past week. I'll include a few of those in next week's off topic photo post.  

911 Memorial, Scotch Plains, NJ

September 12 is Vincent's "birthday"

On September 12, 2009, I went into the city to New York City Animal Care and Control (NYCACC), the shelter system which handles all the strays, abandoned, etc., animals in all five boroughs of the city. I went to the East Harlem (AKA Spanish Harlem) location and met a cat they called "Sal." Unfortunately, due to volume, the shelter system is a fairly high kill one. People want kittens. I wanted a cat. Sal, whom I decided wasn't a pizza delivery guy, I renamed Vincent. He was due to be euthanized the next week because he was a cat, not a kitten. When I opened his cage door, he leaped on my shoulder and purred so loud I could hear him over the cacophony of dogs barking and busy street traffic. He was the one and he's been my best friend ever since. This is a shot of him on the train home on adoption day.

Good food, good company

I went to a big backyard cookout with friends yesterday. The food was amazing! The company was great and a good time was had by all.

BB18: Live Feeds into Sunday - September 11

I have a few days left

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Dwindling Days and Deflated Egos:

• With Nicole winning the Power of Veto, Victor sees the writing on the wall.
• He's expecting to be evicted for the third and last time this week.
• Paul is a bit resigned that he'll be following Victor out of the house. 
• Oh, he's asking a lot of questions and plans to study for a mental HoH, but much of his bravado about how he and Victor are ruling the game has ended.
• He knows that, without Victor, he's not horrible in most comps (except the slip and slide!). But he's not the competition beast kind of guy. He's more the guy who stands behind the competition beast kind of guy.
• Victor and Paul, in a talk with each other, spoke of the good run they've had in the house.
• Victor, in particular, is proud of his integrity and loyalty.
• I would guess that would make his parents proud. His potty mouth might be another matter.
• But we ... the constant audience for the hamsters ... know that integrity and honestly don't get you far in the game of Big Brother.
• Loyalty, on the other hand, is indeed a good thing in the game. But it's the loyalty between a few people from the start that seems to work best. Think of Danielle and Jason. Think of Derrick and Cody. When hamsters allow the flip-flopping alliances with the weekly power that be, it's not a good thing. Victor and Paul were loyal to each other, but they flip-flopped with the powers. Would they have made it to the end as a lone wolf duo? I don't know.
• I'm kind of surprised that neither Paul nor Victor are trying to convince Nicole to save one of them. But that would be futile. Whichever one saved if James went up ... the other one would go home.
• I think we're in for doldrums this coming week because Victor and Paul are accepting their fates so peacefully and everybody is in the "we're all friends and it's a game" mode.
• About the only excitement would be if Paul manages to win the upcoming HoH or veto.
• Otherwise, we're going to be on auto-pilot.
• You can unbuckle your seatbelts and return your seats to recline. 

Nine days and one wake-up left!

I'm an a__hole. I know it.

That bun always looks like a rat's nest!

BB18: Live Feeds into Saturday Night, Power of Veto - September 10

Has Corey given up Nicole for Victor?

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

• I was out tonight. Uh-oh!
• So, this will be rather short and sweet.
• The Power of Veto comp was the comic book one.
• And, Nicole won the Power of Veto!
• It sounds like James did the worst of the bunch.
• Victor is sure that he's going to be the one sent packing.
• And, that's probably true.
• Paul wants to study hard for HoH because he knows he's on the real short list.
• Everybody is getting along and friendly.

I love the HoH pillowcases with his dog pics!

Coreeeee!

Now Victor has gone to Nicole!

BB18: Live Feeds into Saturday - September 10

Why do guys do that with their hair?!?

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

• Okay, they're hamsters, not voles. But hamster doesn't begin with a "v." Voles are rodents, so it's all the same family!
• Although, for all of Paul's pacing about after the nominations went down ... after all of Victor's "you betrayed me, we can't be friends in the house" proclaiming ... the boys took a nap and woke up friendly with all once again.
• Sigh.
• Boredom.
• It seems that the deck of cards went the way of the dominoes -- a BB ghost must have stolen them.
• They're locked inside while the PoV comp set-up is being built in the yard.
• All they have to do with themselves is talk, eat and sleep.
• I think, between the two nominees, Victor is pretty certain he'll probably win PoV later today and save himself while Paul is resigned that he will probably be evicted if that's the case.
• But he never cared. His life is tight, y'know. He has his wealthy parents, his world travels, his extensive life experiences and education. 
• I have to wonder what that would have been like back when I was a child of 22. Maybe I'd be smug and arrogant, as well.
• All of the hamsters, on the block or not, are wearing down as we get to the countdown to the end. So am I. I've gotten to the point where I'm irked at such things as Victor's annoying laugh or Corey's silly way of making his hair into a boy's faux-hawk.
• Don't even get me going on Nicole's voice! 
• Remember the days when the Have Nots had PB&J instead of slop? That's a popular late night snack in the house these days when they don't HAVE to have it.
• All of the hamsters settled into an amicable pattern without any full-blown tantrums, screaming, fisticuffs, kerfuffles or brouhahas.
• I'm disappointed.
• James and Nicole retired to their separate rooms early while Corey, Paul and Victor small-talked.
• Gah. Nothing to see here.
• It will be interesting to see who wins the PoV. 
• If Nicole, Corey or James win it, chances are that it won't be used.
• If Victor and Paul remain on the block, will they campaign against each other?
• Hmm. 

Reluctant acceptance of their fates

They like PB&J - never eat slop as a snack!

Jamesy lives on!

I used to suck my finger when I was five

Yes, you are making me yawn.

BB18: Live Feeds into Friday Evening, Nominations - September 9

Nominations today

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

• First, my apologies for not posting sooner than now. I had feeds problems which worked into browser problems which worked into total frustration on my part. I guess I should be happy I didn't have these issues last night while posting about the show and endurance comp.
• Grr.
• Anyway ...
• When I last left you, I told you that it would surely be Paul and Victor on the block, James working with Nicole and Corey.
• Whether this is the result of the rumored Nicole/James pre-season final two pact, I just don't know.
• Corey is going about it logically -- putting the two biggest obstacles against him (or Nicole) winning on the block.
• His target is actually Victor, as he knows that getting Victor out -- and keeping him out -- is going to be the hardest.
• But, if Victor wins Veto and takes himself off, Paul will go.
• As the morning started out, Paul and Victor were a bit suspicious about James spending so much time with Corey and Nicole.
• What's he saying?
• Should we go up there?
• However, in the end, they were sure that Nicole and Victor would not betray their final four deal. Yeah, one of them had to go up with James. Paul even volunteered to be the pawn.
• Their dreams were shattered when it was finally time for nominations.
• Corey kept with what I reported overnight -- Paul and Victor are nominated for eviction.
• For the longest time, Paul just paced around.
• Victor is hurt. After all, he never would have done that! He plays with integrity!
• These recruits who don't KNOW the show don't realize that integrity has no real place in Big Brother.
• As I type this up, I have the feeds on. Victor is upset, going at Corey.
• Corey is telling him he didn't want to be in the place of having to put Nicole on the block if someone wins veto.
• Corey is telling him it's strategic -- two strongest players, etc.
• Corey earlier told Paul that Victor put him on the block, another reason.
• Corey (and Nicole) have both said it hurts.
• Corey is reminding Victor that he (Vic) said before that anyone sitting next to him (Vic) in the final two would lose.
• Victor says they might be friends outside the house, but they're no longer friends inside the house.
• He vows to come after them.

The final three? In their minds, at least

What's with Victor doing this?

Boys on the block