Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 27, 2016

Good morning! Since it's Sunday, 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. This is a regular Sunday part of this blog in addition to the television posts. Right now I'm covering Big Brother: Over the Top daily -- you can find those posts at this link. I'm also live blogging Survivor episodes as they air on Wednesday evenings. Come join the blog parties!

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! As per my usual, I spent the day here with Vincent. I don't really have much family left and, of what few are left, no one is local. I often turn down invites to join families of friends for the day. I would feel like an intruder and, after all, it's not my family. After decades of such, I've grown to like the peaceful solitude of the day. I made a turkey breast feast for myself and relaxed. I always have to work the Friday and Saturday after the holiday, so I can't travel anywhere. I'm also in a very busy and stressful work environment, even worse at the holidays. So, I'm content with what I do for the holiday. Maybe, if I ever do get to retire before I pass, I'll travel to visit family. But for now and many decades gone by, as they say, it is what it is. Christmas is pretty much the same.

So, this isn't really my favorite time of the year. I do enjoy seeing the excitement of children, especially toddlers, seeing the hubbub and lights. I do have some very good memories of the season. But it's all photographs and memories at this time for myself. And, work, work, work, then more work.

I am thankful for the friends and family I have in my life, as well as you folks who faithfully follow this blog! I'm certainly thankful for Vincent, as well as my previous cat companions over the years. I'm thankful I've always held a job and kept a roof over my head even though I'm so ready, beyond ready, to retire and pursue things I want to do rather than things I have to do. I'm thankful for Peapod Grocery delivery so I don't have to deal with supermarket madness. I'm thankful I live in an area with so many different kinds of people with lives so different from my own, yet enriching my own life and enforcing the realization that the majority of people are good at heart.

Okay, onto this week's photos! I didn't really get great shots this week. I managed to arrive near the train station one day just in time to snag a few photos of another (the same?) Red-Tailed Hawk atop the Chotola Apartments Building on North Avenue just as he was preparing to fly away. 
 

Sitting in the railway station ...

... got a ticket for my destination. Whoowoo. ('Homeward Bound' - Paul Simon) I was actually homeward bound. This is last night when I arrived back home in Plainfield after yet another workday in life. Although the train itself stretches perhaps a long block, only about ten people got on or off at this time at the Plainfield Station. However, inside the train -- the two cars that were open -- it was quite full for a train this day and hour. Many people were heading home to NYC from the holiday or just heading into town (Manhattan) for holiday season happenings. I just wanted to get home and put my feet up.

Where'd they all go?

Y'know ... there was a party going on with pigeons and starlings here. I come and they all flew away! Do I have bad breath? Am I inappropriately dressed for the party? Every time I try to join in on the bird fun, everybody leaves me here alone! I feel shunned! It's enough to give me a complex! 

Getting ready to swoop away.

At least I got nice detail on that red tail of his!

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

BBOTT: It's Official - Two of the Final Three Confirmed - into November 27

Just a few more days ...

Nothing much has changed in the house.

• Jason is still HoH.
• Kryssie is still Kryssie and will always be Kryssie.
• Morgan has been repeatedly going through all the comps, things in the house and hamsters trying to prep for the Veto Comp tomorrow.
• Justin has been in Audrey mode, occasionally coming to life, but mostly in bed.
• The decision to take someone to the final two became official yesterday.
• But we knew since he won HoH, Jason was choosing to take Kryssie.
• That's what started Justin's poor behavior in motion.
• On the other hand, I've been very impressed with Morgan's behavior in the house since her best and last ally Shelby got the boot.
• She's mixed. She's mingled. She's been partaking in things. Plus, every moment she can, she's studying.
• I hope she wins the veto!
• As for Justin, I'd say I'm disappointed.
• But I'm not, really. I've said all along he was just coasting and being himself. He's entertaining when he wants to be, but he hasn't been playing the game of Big Brother. 
• In this last stretch, he has to play the game or get the boot.
• Instead, he's still working on America's vote -- talking to the camera about all is love and how he wants to start a fishing program for the kids in New Orleans.
• True, that's a worthy goal. But it's not something you need a half-million dollars to put in motion! If he really wanted to do that, he could get active in the community and work on getting people to sponsor the much less than a half-million needed to get it off the ground.
• I think he wants to convince America that he's all that, a bag of chips AND has these lofty goals to give back to the community.
• Personally, I don't care what reality show folks do with their winnings ... with the exception of the arrest/drug stupidity of a few. That's total stupidity.
• It's their money. They went before the public eye, endured mocking and ridicule to win it. They can spend it however they want -- college loans, bills, homes, cars or wasting it away. I don't expect anyone to suddenly become a philanthropist and give it all away to a good cause. Very few do that.
• All will tell tomorrow when either Justin or Morgan win a place in the final three.
• At this time, I'm really hoping it's Morgan. She's been very impressive lately. Well, with the exception of that 11 minute time in the Maize Maze, that is. 

It's AUDREY! Er, I mean Justin.

Repeatedly going over days and comps

Opening last nicotine patch

BBOTT: Dwindling Days - into Saturday, November 26

Memorizing the days, the comps

The Justin rift in the house continues.

• Justin said his poor behavior on Thanksgiving was due to being homesick.
• True, he is young. True, he's often said he's never been away from home for more than two weeks.
• But, as his fellow hamsters tried to tell him, they're all pretty much in the same boat.
• Had he told them that he was homesick and needed alone time, it may have been understood.
• Instead, he just slept the day away, showing up to eat only. He didn't partake in any of the special things BB had set for them for the day.
• Kryssie ended up preparing Justin's mother's turkey recipe.
• He didn't even help clean up.
• And, coupled with his bragging about how great his game has been and his obvious bitterness about not being Jason's one safe pick this week ...!
• He went around apologizing "if he offended people" instead of owning up to bad behavior on his part.
• Morgan tried to tell him there's a difference between confidence and arrogance ... and he's been coming off as arrogant.
• Yet he maintains how he's made so many moves and been a great player.
• Go figure.
• The others are right that he's been playing up to America.
• One thing I've noticed is that he tells his fellow hamsters that he's thrown comps. He's told us that he has sucked at them.
• Even now he's putting on a different face for us than he is for his fellow hamsters.
• Kryssie really lit into him.
• Jason grouses about him. However, this Justin imploding might be one of the best things ever for Jason's own game. I think he knows that.
• While Morgan has spent an inordinate amount of time studying and preparing for the Veto Comp, Justin has been working out, napping and spreading insincere apologies. 

Listening (or not) to Kryssie

Playing for second ... or third place

He thought he'd be gone first week

BBOTT: A BB Thanksgiving - into Friday, November 25

Drumsticks are better eaten than worn

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving with family, fun and food! I didn't write up a report yesterday because I was busy having a mellow day myself. But I'm here now and here's what's been going on!

• As I mentioned in my last post, Jason easily won the last HoH of the season. He will nominate two people for eviction and save one. Those two will have the opportunity to play for the Power of Veto.
• After the comp, secrets came bursting out of nowhere -- Morgan told them that Alex is her sister and their whole story (not getting along well over the years, Alex was the superfan, didn't know each other would be in the house, etc.)
• Jason told them that he didn't just reenter the house this season -- America voted him in over Jozea. 
• Of course, if they knew Jozea, they should figure nobody wanted to endure Jozea in there again!
• In between getting told by BB to stop talking about production, they all talked how they got on the show this season.
• Justin admitted he was a recruit and had tried for a cooking show.
• Jason indicated to Justin that he would be taking Kryssie with him to the final three, leaving Justin and Morgan to battle it out in Veto.
• Oh my.
• There is a side of Justin which certainly isn't entertaining! Not AT ALL!
• Justin started saying how he played the game this year the best of all. After all, he didn't know the game at all and has sailed right through to the end!
• He played better than Jason or any of the others! 
• Give me a break!
• Jason ranted (not in front of Justin) with Kryssie about Justin not doing much all season, yet thinking he was entitled to be chosen rather than Kryssie.
• Now, I totally understand the Kryssie choice, as does Kryssie herself. She knows she has no chance to win against Jason. But she has been WITH Jason since the get-go.
• On the other hand, Morgan is mixing and mingling with Jason and Kryssie quite nicely.
• Obviously, she wasn't expecting Jason to save her in this scenario.
• But things get worse with Justin.
• In the daytime, BB gave them letters from home, expecting them to read them together as a group.
• Justin just up and left the other three and his unopened letter.
• As they said, if he didn't want to read it aloud, fine. But stay with them and listen to theirs as BB did it for them.
• Instead, Justin stayed in bed almost all day.
• BB also gave them all the ingredients and recipes for a holiday feast. The recipes were ones from their families and some from previous houseguests.
• Morgan, Kryssie and Jason worked preparing and cooking.
• Justin slept.
• Remember, Justin is the one with the "chef" background.
• Justin woke up in time to eat, then went to read his letter and return to sleeping.
• Morgan, Kryssie and Jason cleaned up the kitchen.
• In this 24-hour period, Justin has managed to totally alienate the other three in the house.
• Both Jason and Kryssie want Morgan to be with them in the final three.
• They think Justin has been acting entitled to the win, disrespecting BB and the show itself.
• Y'know, I kind of agree with them.
• All along I've said he's not really playing the game; he's just being himself. And, while he can be entertaining, he's not playing BB.
• He wasn't even entertaining yesterday. 

In the spirit of the day

Look who decided to show up

BBOTT: Final HoH Competition - November 23

Morgan reads the rules

The final HoH comp of BBOTT has begun. It's called Uphill Battle. Morgan can play even though she's outgoing HoH -- since it's the last one of the season.

Each plays on own game board. Each board has same question. Maneuver ball into answer pocket using a bar and rope to lift one color-coded answer ball at a time up the board. If wrong, they use the stick to push the ball out from behind playing board. 

WHOA! It barely started and we have a winner!

Uphill Battle

Quad Cam view

Jason is the final HoH!