Saturday, November 12, 2022

Live-Blogging Television Update

Okay, my latest television (or lack thereof) update. The power cable fix was not a fix. I will be returning that to Amazon. I looked at all kinds of websites -- Target, Walmart, Best Buy, etc. -- and ended up re-ordering the same television as the one that got lost in transit from Amazon. Only Walmart was selling the same television. 

While I could have it delivered much sooner from Walmart, they want $90 more for it. So, back to Amazon. I made sure to select that the option to put the TV box in a regular Amazon box for shipping. Hopefully, that will make disappearing in transit less likely. 

I saw others, cheaper even, but not quite what I wanted. I like the one I like because it's an Android television which comes with a voice remote, Google Assistant built-in, Chromecast built in. I can cast movies and shows on the TV from my Samsung phone or even my tablet if I get that up to snuff and I can load all my streaming kind of stuff, even my Xfinity cable site where I can stream live television and a plethora of back episodes on them, thus to the television. I would be able to hook up my computer to the television with HDMI, but cable placement would be awkward. Oh, and of course, it's Wi-Fi. Plus, it has the tuner in it that if I decide to cut the cable TV cord, I could get over the air channels on an antenna.

While they say you could control your home's smart technology over the television itself, that's not a selling point for me. I guess I live in a dumb apartment. My only "smart" tech I own is my smartphone. 

Since the delivery date is Friday, I once again won't have it on Wednesday for live blogging 'Survivor' and 'The Amazing Race.' I can't watch it from my larger TV in the other room because it's not in my sight view. I can't stream it on my desktop computer and blog at the same time -- I suppose I could figure out some sort of split screen or picture in a smaller window, but no. My phone is too small to really work out with blogging at the same time. My fix this week will be finding the charger for my tablet, then putting either Xfinity site or my Paramount + on it and setting that up nearby. It's not a huge tablet, but better than the phone.

On a sidenote: The tablet, like the now dead television, was a freebie work anniversary gift out of a catalogue. I think it was my 2016 gift. I didn't have Wi-Fi at the time, so it was basically unused. It was in a package with Bluetooth headphones, a charging pack and a few other things. I kind of miss getting cool free stuff every five years!

So, that's where I stand (or sit) with my television Tales of Tragedy.

Wednesday, November 09, 2022

Survivor 43: Episode 8 Blog Non-Party PLUS The Amazing Race 34 Non-Party - November 9

 


Folks, my apologies. I'm having technical difficulties with a dead television and a new one somehow delayed in transit (or stolen). I blog on my desktop computer with the now-dead TV nearby. I experimented with streaming on my phone and I just can't put it anywhere where I can see it clearly and it's not in the way of my keyboard.

So, I will be passing on blogging both shows tonight. All should be resolved by next week. Feel free to party in the comments, though.

SueGee has updated the blog pools -- here they are:

SURVIVOR
Cody       Cheryl in NC, ChicMc
Noelle     MikesGirl, Tammy
Jesse       AprilW, Donna in AL
Cassidy     Cherrypie, Kelsey NY
Karla       Glenn Allen, monty924
James     DonnaNY, Krysta Gibson
Ryan       John Cantrell, Jackie
Gabler     Donna in FL, Joanne Victoria
Owen    Mike Barer, SueGee
Sami      Brenda, Indiana Jane
Jeanine     Laura. Auntie Leigh

Snuffed Out
Morriah
Justine 
Nneka  
Lindsay 
Geo
Elie
Dwight
******************************


Aubrey & David -- Donna in FL, Dr Celine, Skyriverblue
Derek & Claire -- Beachbound Gmom, ChicMc, Donna NY
Emily & Molly -- Joanne Victoria, Judi Sweeney, Sharon N
Luis & Michelle -- Andi, Mikes Girl, RJMnSC
Marcus & Michael -- Brenda, Chrob61, Nickelpeed
Quinton & Mattie -- Donna in Alabama, monty924, Sharon C

PHILIMINATED
Aastha & Nina
Tim & Rex
Rich & Dom
Linton & Sharik
Abby & Will (Covid)
Glenda & Lumumba

Have fun!

Wednesday, November 02, 2022

The Amazing Race 34: 'It's Simply Medieval' Episode Blog Party - November 2

 


Yes! Yes! The Real Love Boat has been moved to only stream online on Paramount + and TAR has been moved up an hour earlier, directly following Survivor. While it will make me have to sit and blog two hours in a row, that's better than it starting as late as it has been.

I will be live blogging the major events as the show airs here on the East Coast. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area -- I hope to see you there!

The Wonderful Lifeguard SueGee updated the blog pool for us. Are you still in it to win it?

Aubrey & David -- Donna in FL, Dr Celine, Skyriverblue
Derek & Claire -- Beachbound Gmom, ChicMc, Donna NY
Emily & Molly -- Joanne Victoria, Judi Sweeney, Sharon N
Glenda & Lumumba -- Glenn Allen, Indiana Jane, Petals
Luis & Michelle -- Andi, Mikes Girl, RJMnSC
Marcus & Michael -- Brenda, Chrob61, Nickelpeed
Quinton & Mattie -- Donna in Alabama, monty924, Sharon C

PHILIMINATED
Aastha & Nina
Tim & Rex
Rich & Dom
Linton & Sharik
Abby & Will (Covid)

Race fans ready? Let's GO!

We get a recap. Then Phil tells us the teams are flying from Jordan to the south of France. The teams start off in groups separated by fifteen minutes to start. The first group is having trouble finding the chateau they need for their next clue.

Grr. Derek is telling teams to follow them. He tells Claire (who is not happy that he's telling them to follow) that if they get lost, all the teams following them will also be lost. Um. Okay.

Lumumba/Glenda, the last from the last leg, leave all alone last for this leg.

Luis/Michelle first to the Roadblock. Who wants to climb the family tree? Rappelling to see five names for five family crests. Memorizing the information with 100s of names at hand in the beginning.

Michelle makes it through then Roadblock first and she and Luis are driving to the next clue.

Eep! Glenda tried to turn around their vehicle because they were heading the wrong way. The vehicle fell into a ditch. They cannot afford to lose any time -- they are forty-five minutes behind the first group! A neighbor pulls them out with a tractor. 

Meanwhile, Mattie is the next one completing the Roadblock. Then Emily. Then Derek. Marcus/Michael through but Michael left his keys and they have to go back for them.

Marcus/Michael to clue for Detour first. Walnut Cracker - crush walnuts, walnut oil to fill container. Medieval Gamer -- playing with knives and win three games. More and more teams are arriving. Lumumba and Glenda made it through the Roadblock and are on their way.

Michael/Marcus make it first through the Detour and are heading to the Pit Stop. Derek/Claire finish the games and they are second to head towards the Pit Stop. Other teams are finishing the walnuts. 

David/Aubrey crumbling as they head towards the Roadblock. Lumumba/Glenda doing well at the games and don't fight no matter how far behind they are. All the teams heading to the Pit Stop are having issues getting there.

Pit Stop Order

1. Michael/Marcus - won $7,500
2. Emily/Molly
3. Derek/Claire
4. Luis/Michelle
5. Quinton/Mattie
6. Aubrey/David
7. Glenda/Lumumba -- Philiminated

I figured they wouldn't win, but they were a joy to watch.


Survivor 43: Episode 7 Blog Party - November 2

 


Good evening, Survivor fans!

The Amazing Race is on at 9PM EDT tonight -- The Real Love Boat has been moved to just streaming on Paramount Plus -- and a separate blog entry will be up for that. Yes! That later hour was killing it here on the blog. Although I'm not all that thrilled blogging two hours in a row, it's better than the later hour. A separate post for that show will magically appear a few minutes before the end of this show!

As for Survivor, I will be live blogging the major events as the show airs here on the East Coast. Refresh the page to get the latest news. As always, the real party is in the comments section. I hope to see you there!

They're messing with our heads. The merge isn't really the merge or it's an incomplete merge. Whichever castaway it was that put it as Merge-atory definitely had it right!

The Esteemed Lifeguard SueGee has updated the blog pool -- check it out to find your castaway!

Cody       Cheryl in NC, ChicMc
Noelle     MikesGirl, Tammy
Jesse       AprilW, Donna in AL
Dwight    Petals, Skyriverblue
Cassidy     Cherrypie, Kelsey NY
Karla       Glenn Allen, monty924
James     DonnaNY, Krysta Gibson
Ryan       John Cantrell, Jackie
Gabler     Donna in FL, Joanne Victoria
Owen    Mike Barer, SueGee
Sami      Brenda, Indiana Jane
Jeanine     Laura. Auntie Leigh

Snuffed Out
Morriah
Justine 
Nneka  
Lindsay 
Geo
Elie

Survivor fans ready?

We watch Elie's torch get snuffed again. Jeanine was completely blindsided. She's trying to convince others that it's the best for her game that Elie got voted out.

Hmm ... they all seem dressed as if for late fall, if not winter. It must be cold there. And then we see Owen with practically nothing on. Gabler is still on the outs with people but now his idol has expired. 

Tree mail time! It tells them they need to split into six pairs to compete in the Immunity Challenge. No one really wants to publicly pick partners which would expose alliances and such. So, they make their own version of selecting rocks to decide teams.

Already to the challenge time. Day 14. They tell Jeff they pulled rocks. Challenge run in three stages. Have to make the cut to move on. Last two pairs in first stage out. Stage two, first two pairs move on to the final stage. Final stage is an individual game, last person left standing wins immunity.

First stage - through a rope net tunnel in mud. They have to roll to unwind it. Then they dig for planks. Noelle and Jeanine (separate duos) are both stuck in the "tunnel." Noelle even took her leg off trying to get through. 

Second stage - Taking planks up net incline, use the planks to cross rope bridge, then slide down ramp.

Cody/Dwight and Gabler/Owen make it to the final stage. It's an endurance comp with them holding a bar with a quarter of their body weight to keep a bucket hanging. Dwight out first. Owen out.

Gabler is dedicating each minute to things/people such as Noelle, war heroes, Idaho, his dog, etc. They are now at 38 minutes when the longest previous record for the challenge is 25 minutes.

GABLER WINS THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL IMMUNITY!

Gabler tells us he is playing for veterans who are suffering from trauma and PTSD. 

Most of them have no idea who might be going up. Dwight, in front of Sami and James, finds an advantage. Word gets around. He gives it to James. The others think James got the advantage and now his name seems the most popular for the vote. Cody tells Jesse they should take out Dwight to weaken Noelle.

James's advantage is the Knowledge is Power one - the one where you ask someone if they have an idol, and they must tell the truth. Then you steal the idol. They all still think James has it. Noelle gives her Steal a Vote to Owen, so she won't lose it to James. Or Dwight.

They are heading off to Tribal. And we're heading off to a commercial. Make that commercials ... several of them.

Jeff tells them the challenge was built to make them each work for each stage. He asks them about previous tribe lines. Jeff asks many of them about how confident they are they will be staying tonight. All seem to be confident, yet we know someone will leave!

James, Dwight, Ryan, James, Dwight, Ryan, Ryan, Dwight, Dwight, Dwight, Dwight ... that's enough to vote him out.

Bye, Dwight! He apparently has Jeanine's idol which she gave to him to avoid the questioning.


Wednesday, October 26, 2022

The Amazing Race 34: 'Step by Step' Episode Blog Party - October 26

 

The teams remain Jordan and I'm once again out of my own blog pool early! Now, since the start I've had a soft spot for Derek and Claire, so I will cheer them on!

I will be live blogging the major events as the show airs here on the East Coast. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area -- I hope to see you there!

The Wonderful Lifeguard SueGee updated the blog pool for us. Are you still in it to win it?

Abby & Will -- Jasonuwp, Krysta Gibson, Marthalight
Aubrey & David -- Donna in FL, Dr Celine, Skyriverblue
Derek & Claire -- Beachbound Gmom, ChicMc, Donna NY
Emily & Molly -- Joanne Victoria, Judi Sweeney, Sharon N
Glenda & Lumumba -- Glenn Allen, Indiana Jane, Petals
Luis & Michelle -- Andi, Mikes Girl, RJMnSC
Marcus & Michael -- Brenda, Chrob61, Nickelpeed
Quinton & Mattie -- Donna in Alabama, monty924, Sharon C

PHILIMINATED
Aastha & Nina
Tim & Rex
Rich & Dom
Linton & Sharik

Race fans ready? Let's GO!

We get a Previously On segment. I see my blog pool pick team get Philiminated once again.

Teams are in the capitol of Jordan and will face a second leg there. Abby and Will are gone. GAH! A positive Covid test and they have been Philiminated. They both look fine (on video) but ...

All teams leave together. No elimination this leg because someone is already gone. However, the order they arrive at the Pit Stop dictates the order they leave for the next leg with four groups, one team leaving 45 minutes after the first group.

They get their clues inside the Citadel. It directs them to go to a bookstore. But they have to find the bookstore! With Molly/Emily, the leg injury one had last leg might be an issue. All the teams seem to be on the lost side looking for the bookstore.

Detour is their clue. Step by Step, learn a dance dressed up in native clothes. Letter by Letter has them memorizing the Arabic alphabet and reciting it.

Michael and Marcus get through the alphabet first.

Roadblock - Who's feeling broken-carted? One team member has to build a cart and deliver. Michael/Marcus are having a problem finding the park. All the other teams are still at one or the other detour. Emily/Molly make it through the alphabet first and are now on their way to the Roadblock.

Derek can't roll his Rs. Claire helps him. Aubrey and David make it through the dancing. Then Luis/Michelle make it through dancing. Derek/Claire make it through the alphabet. Lumumba and Glenda are still trying make it through dancing. Now all the other teams have hit the Roadblock. FINALLY, they pass the dancing!

Luis/Michelle finish the building of the cart first. They have to wheel their cart to Phil at a ruins site. They already lost a wheel and the cart is falling apart. They have to stop and fix it. David/Aubrey pass them by with their cart.

Pit Stop order:

1. Luis/Michelle - Won reward points for a five night trip to Barcelona
2. Aubrey/David
3. Quinton/Mattie
4. Derek/Claire 
5. Michael/Marcus
6. Molly/Emily
7. Lumumba/Glenda - will leave last for the next leg.