Off Topic: Plainfield NJ Fourth of July Parade

I've been absent from my off topic photography posts due to needing back surgery, having back surgery and now slow recovery from back surgery. I haven't been able to really get around much. However, the local parade goes right by my apartment building. Even so, I had to give up sitting in a hard folding chair after more than two hours and missed the end of the parade. (I certainly heard it, though!)

Here are some of the photos I took ...

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

Off Topic: That Was the Month It Was - February 4, 2018

Good morning. My apologies for not posting a weekly off television topic photo post for the past month or so. I really haven't been taking any photos. As some of you might know, I've been having some health issues which are keeping me from running around with my camera.

No, I'm not dying or anything like that. It's the sciatica I had which worked its way into severe nerve damage in my right leg and foot. Due to back pain, I'm finding it hard to walk or stand (or even sit at times) for any extended period of time. I've started walking like some stooped-over old person. I've fallen down due to either weakness in the affected leg or misstep because my foot is numb. I've had strangers walk up to me concerned with my welfare. Ack! I should be having an MRI this week and, hopefully, some sort of treatment. 

I have been covering The Amazing Race and will be covering Celebrity Big Brother on the blog. At this time, I'm not sure how intensive I will get with the live feeds coverage, but we'll see. I will be posting more on it before its season premiere on Wednesday.

One thing I did this week was that I finally used the Sabrent USB to SATA/IDE hard drive adapter that I bought a couple of years ago for about $12 on Amazon. I had kept telling myself that when I had time, I'd use it. Dang, it's been a long time since I took a computer apart! I was able to remove the hard drive from the computer before this one, hook it up to the adapter and my current computer and access all my old files from the old non-running computer. I recovered photos and music that I haven't been able to access for years. Some of those photos are the ones I'm sharing with you here today.

I also removed the hard drive from the computer before that, a 1998 Compaq desktop. I can hook it to the adapter and power unit, but the hard drive isn't starting up. I think the problem might be due to master/slave and jumper settings which aren't on more modern computers. I'm going to have to research a bit. I'm not a computer technician. I don't even play one on television. 

Oh, well. Onto the photos I'm posting this week. There is a new cell phone photo of Vincent at the end! 

Abandoned

I used to hike all around Plainfield and adjacent North Plainfield looking for photo fodder. If memory serves, I found this abandoned bike along the Green Brook in North Plainfield. Sepia tone seemed to serve it best.

Thomas Fine Furniture

Oh, it certainly doesn't look like this today! This Park Avenue (Plainfield) building has been through many changes just in the time I've been in town. This is what it looked like in the early 2000s. The furniture store wasn't really there. On the ground floor was a company named Atkol which I think was some sort of sex or porn film business. Yet in the windows, they had full-size cardboard cut-out figures of Alfred E. Neuman (MAD Magazine), Batman and other characters. It was all very odd indeed. The upper floors seemed vacant.

It was originally the home of the local newspaper, The Courier News. A few years back when they were rehabbing the building, the ghost sign across the top front touting the newspaper was brought to life. Also, the original marque unveiled the building's name -- the Frost Building. It's now a mixed use building with businesses on the first floor and pricey (but very nice) apartments on the upper levels.  

Roofus the Roofs Cat

For more than two years, perhaps three years, I photographed a feral cat who roamed the roofs on North Avenue across from the Plainfield Train Station. A few times I even saw him with a pure black little cat buddy. Once I spotted him in the back of the row of buildings. He was gaining access to the roofs via an abandoned derelict building. When that building was demolished, I never saw Roofus again. It's rare that a feral cat survives more than a few years on the streets. Roofus beat the odds and made himself a fine little cat life with a following of fans here on the blog. He may have survived the demolition and moved on to roofs not in my view. But, I'm sure that by now, several years down the road, he's been roaming the roofs past the Rainbow Bridge. 

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 17, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic post taking a look at the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. This weekly post is done year in, year out. Big Brother, the main draw for so many of you, only lasts about three months -- although sometimes it seems to be a lifetime. If you're here solely for the BB posts, please feel free to skip this post. You can find my latest BB19 posts by using this link.

Well, normally I have photographs. Not so much so this week. As a matter of fact, not at all this week. I did take a few, not many as I took the week off and really didn't go anywhere. But I had some great shots of a bee on a flower and Vincent in an Amazon box.

Then I accidentally deleted them from the memory card this morning before uploading them to my computer. Unlike the computer itself with its Recycle Bin, I can't find any method of recovery.

That seems to be how life is going lately for me.

I've decided not to enter the local photography contest this year. The photos I've taken within the last two years aren't all that conducive to the theme of History, Art and Culture. Plus, a change in the criteria for judging seems to more into people posing for photos and even more candid type photos than the photography I do. I think of photography as art and the contest seems to be going in another direction.

Tomorrow I get to go back to work. Sigh.

Here's a shot of Vincent I took a few years ago ... 

 

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 2, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a SUNDAY morning, this is my weekly off television topic post taking a look at the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. This weekly post is done year in, year out. Big Brother, the main draw for so many of you, only lasts about three months -- although sometimes it seems to be a lifetime. If you're here solely for the BB posts, please feel free to skip this post. You can find my latest BB19 posts by using this link.

Some of the big news of the past week is that BB19 indeed did start, so I'm bound to be more exhausted than I usually am. Maybe by this time next year, I'll be retired from my real job and able to do all I want to do in covering the show and live feeds!

I started my staycation Friday evening. So, for now, I'm doing fine. 

I finally bit the bullet and went for Amazon Prime. As they remind me when I sign on, I've been a customer since 2003. I tried Prime when they first came out with it and wasn't impressed. However, I do love Amazon.com. Over the years, I've had deliveries come to my workplace as I went for the longer no exact date free shipping -- there's always someone at my workplace to sign for packages even if I'm not there. But I have been limited to ordering only things I didn't mind lugging to the train station, on the train, etc. And, I found that if I ordered for at home during a staycation, USPS would sometimes just leave a package without ringing the intercom! There are about 40 apartments in my building. Packages get stolen!

But, now with Prime, there is free two-day shipping and it's UPS. They ring the intercom. They guarantee the delivery date. So, I can order big stuff and know I'll be home for the delivery. My past two orders, set to arrive on my day off (and they did) were a nice new spinner mop and bucket -- much needed -- and a tower fan -- love it!

Yesterday I went online and ordered me some bath salts, bubble bath, two different body sprays and some new towels as mine are really showing their age. I also ordered something I've needed for YEARS -- a new computer desk chair. The one I use is about 24 years old and lost its arms years back. I noticed that the computer chair free shipping has it arriving either the 5th or 6th ... that's fine. I can track it. I didn't notice the towels, bubble bath and bath salts were free shipping NEXT DAY delivery. The two very cheap body sprays are free shipping two-day delivery. I had thought the chair and the other things ordered would be two separate deliveries, but it's three. Oh, well. I don't mind.

So, now as I type this up, I've already had the delivery of the towels and the bath goodies on a SUNDAY morning! I love it! Vincent has a new nice-sized box and I'll have a leisurely either bath salts or bubble bath while trying out Not Your Father's Ginger Ale (hard ginger ale I bought last week or the week before but haven't tried yet), maybe listening to some jazz. Now, THAT is a staycation! 

I also have, from my Wednesday grocery delivery, a GIANT watermelon roommate I've named Mel. I thought I was ordering a personal size watermelon but must have clicked the wrong button. It was reasonably priced, but it's huge! I plan to cut into it on the 4th and hand out slices to neighbors watching the parade go by while keeping a more suitable amount for myself in my refrigerator. Right now it's sitting on a kitchen chair. I'm tempted to draw a face on it.

In more regional kind of news, there's a New Jersey government shutdown going on here. Just in time for the big vacation/holiday week, all the state parks and beaches are closed. State courts and motor vehicles are also shut down. While none of the things shut down affect any of my plans for this week, I feel so bad for families who have vacations planned, monies laid out and such. What a horrible time to to pull that ____!

Onto this week's photos ... I really didn't have a good photography week, but ...! 

It's MY private train car!

A lot of people must have had this past week off. I was all alone in the top level of my train car Monday on the way to work. I don't mind that, not at all.

The hour is up!

This is what the Flowers of An Hour look like when it's not that hour.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - December 18, 2016

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. This past week we saw the finale of Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X along with just shy of 400 comments on my live blog post. Near a record amount of comments on one of my single blog posts, but not quite. Now I'm a bit in between seasons of shows. I need a rest anyway -- going from coverage of BB right into BBOTT/Survivor made me even more exhausted than my usual exhausted state!

This past week, I went into Manhattan Monday evening after work to meet up with an online friend of over twenty years. Due to some health issues with my back, I didn't make the rounds of the holiday doings in town. I've seen them all before, many times. And, while Christmas in NYC is amazing, when you've seen it many years, it tends to look and photograph the same year to year. It's different if you're there with friends. But I just didn't have the desire or strength to deal with the mobs and do more walking than needed. Next Sunday, on Christmas Day, I'll be posting some of the photos of the city I've taken in previous years. I did take photos on Monday, but they're more along the lines of basic Manhattan kind of photos, not holiday.

I didn't get a heck of a lot of shots in Plainfield this week, either! The bitter cold a few days (1) killed the battery in my camera and/or (2) made my lens fog. Then, yesterday, I actually forgot my camera! I felt naked without it! Plus, I missed snow and ice-lined trees shots! Oh, well. I'm sure to have plenty of that ahead in the next few months.

We had a couple of inches of snow, then ice (maybe a quarter inch of ice) yesterday. Today we're getting rain and the temperature might go up near 60 degrees. Um. Okay. That will make this snowy slushy mess melt. But then tomorrow, we're back to seasonal temps. So, that means icy sidewalks. It's not even really winter yet but I want spring.

Anyway ... onto the photos from the week. Clicking on an image will open it in a larger version.

Little Miss Ripped Jeans and Red

At the subway entrance corner of 8th Avenue and West 33rd Street.

Winter freakin' wonderland

I took this shot out my kitchen window Saturday morning. At that point, a fine snow was coming down starting to mix with freezing rain and sleet. Then I accidentally left my camera in the kitchen and left for work without it.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 20, 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!

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving will be upon us in just a few days! Around here, we've had more warm days than cold so far. Of course, Thanksgiving is early this year, so there's that. I wouldn't mind temperatures in the 50s all through the winter season, though! But it's already changed. They don't expect temperatures to get out of the forties starting today and remaining for the rest of the week. They predicted snow not far north of here and flurries for here overnight leading into today. I saw no flurries.

With the exception of a Red-Tailed Hawk sitting atop the Chotola Apartment Building on North Avenue (across from the Plainfield Train Station) one morning as I headed to work, it wasn't a great photo week. But I certainly took advantage of the hawk sighting! One of the best things about digital photography is the ability to shoot and shoot ... and shoot. I think I took a total of about fifty shots of him before he flew away!

I found out that the Trader Joe's in Westfield will be reopening in about two weeks. I'm SO looking forward to that! I'm still going through Trader Joe's withdrawal pains since their roof collapsed in a blizzard last January. I have a Peapod grocery order set for Wednesday. But, since it's the day before Thanksgiving, I doubt all items will be in stock. I just know I'll be way busy at work from Friday on, have to work weird hours Monday and Tuesday ... Wednesday is my only day to get groceries other than today. I don't want to go out there today! After making the mistake of going into a food store the day before Thanksgiving in the past, I also refuse to madhouse once again. I figure if Peapod is out of the turkey breast I ordered, they will have the Porterhouse steak and I'll have a good meal on the holiday no matter what.  

Today I'm making up a big batch of beef stew in my crock pot. That will last me through Wednesday for my main meals. When you're me and live with a cat, you don't mind living off of leftovers for three days! I only cook things I like because I have no one to please with my cooking but myself. Often I'll make a big dish on a day off to have for a few days so I don't have to cook on workdays. When you only have one day off at a time and no "weekend" to speak of, it makes life easier. 

Anyway ... onto the photos. Clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.
  

Artsy Red-Tailed Hawk

I edited this shot to highlight the hawk. Deadly to some, yet a magnificent bit of nature.

Morning moon and the hawk

I was so happy to see the hawk sit in place for so long! It's hard to capture them in flight.

The original Hawkeye

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

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**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 24, 2016

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, that means it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. Please stop by on show nights for east coast live blogging (and blog parties) for both The Amazing Race and Survivor!

We've finally had a week of actual spring temperatures in the area -- perhaps a bit chilly overnights, but not below freezing. I've noticed many trees are a bit more sparse with their blossoms than they usually are. But, at least, what's blooming now has a chance of surviving the weather. Of course, with more trees blossoming and sprouting new leaves come the allergies.

Achoo!

Let's see ... what happened this week?

• I slowly recovered from that illness of the previous week. I was ready to call 911 (which I've never done other than a witness at traffic accidents and such -- never for myself) at one point. I probably would have called a taxi instead if it came down to going to the emergency room. My health insurance is cost prohibitive when it comes to ambulances if you're not admitted to the hospital. I don't know how all the people who regularly call ambulances for minor things do it. Oh. Wait. They probably don't pay the bills!
• After enduring blasting thump-thump extremely loud bass "music" from the apartment above me on Tuesday night until nearly midnight, I broke down and called the landlord's office. I hate to do that -- I don't want to be known as a "complainer." This is the second complaint I've made in the 16 years I've lived here. But, although usually quiet on weekdays, the tenant above me is ridiculous with his stereo Friday evenings through Sunday nights. I generally can't read, listen to my own music or watch television when he has his stereo cranked. You can hear it in the parking lot and in the hallway of the floor below him (my floor). I had enough. It vibrates my windows and my ceiling light fixtures. So, the Tuesday night was my breaking point. He has been quiet since I called. However, I'm not sure he's home yesterday and today. I haven't heard footsteps (which I would not complain about).
• There has been now two manhole cover explosions and fires -- same manhole both times -- around the corner from me. While it's tying up traffic, it's not affecting my power here. They need to fix that, though.
• If you haven't heard, Prince died. That was a shocker. He was much too young and we lost such a great talent. It makes you wonder about your own mortality when someone that energetic and seemingly healthy (vegetarian and all) passes at such a young age. I do hope it wasn't drug-related. Our generation has lost too many talented folks to that scourge.
• Today would have been my father's 90th birthday. He's been gone for decades. I'm much older than he ever lived to be. I've lived most of my life without my parents since they both died young five months apart. The only good things about that is that they're forever young in mind (as that's the only way I ever knew them to be) and, unlike so many of my friends, I'm not dealing with aging parents medical issues today. But I still miss my father. He was a dear, dear man who worked hard and thought I was special. I think he'd get a kick out of my photography work these days!

Oh, well ... onto the photos for this week -- clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

Dogwood trees are in bloom

Both the white and the pink dogwood trees are in their glory at the moment. This particular tree is on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

It's a magical time to behold

I really don't know what these trees are. There are several of them at the Plainfield Train Station.

Jersey Shore Soul Survivaz

... shop at Jesus Embroidery on North Avenue in Plainfield. And, no. I doubt he's a gynecologist despite what his jacket says. They ride to survive, y'know.

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

Off Topic: That's the Week It Was - October 25, 2015

Good morning! Since it's indeed Sunday morning, that can just mean one thing. Yep, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Please, if you're a fan of either show, join us for the live update/blog party posts for both Survivor and The Amazing Race on Wednesday and Friday evenings respectively.

Here are my random thoughts, happenings and observations on this past week:

• I have a new boss at my workplace. It should be better, but I don't know if my sucked-out soul can be redeemed.
• I received an email that I won something in the Plainfield Public Library Annual Photography Contest. The awards ceremony is on November 14. I will be attending. I doubt I won first place again this year -- it wasn't a great theme for me.
• Since I long ago, before the date for the awards was announced, requested the first two Saturdays of November off from work, I decided Saturday the 7th would be the perfect day to go see Misery on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theater in Manhattan. Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf are the stars of the show. I ended up getting a better (and more expensive) ticket than I planned as it seems to really be selling out. I have a first row center mezzanine seat -- no one's head will be in front of me and I'll have a complete view of the stage! I'm considering it my Christmas gift to myself.
• I finally made up my mind, ordered and received the birthday gift my brother Russ gave me last month (an Amazon gift card). It's heaven to have a new toaster! I've been fighting with my old one for the past few years and kept forgetting I need a new one, so I got one. I also got Stephen King's Finders Keepers hardback, a new wall calendar for next year, some Dr. Teal's Epsom Salt Vapor Bath (with menthol and eucalyptus!) and, last and definitely least, a four-pack of Magic Erasers. That last was just to use up the gift card and they had a dollar off online coupon at Amazon for them. 
• Did you realize that they have plain old TOASTERS that cost a few hundred dollars or more? Who uses them? The one I replaced cost $10 about 15 years ago. I splurged on the new one I bought -- $22. I expect it to last me the rest of my life!
• Of course, I'm someone who still has my first microwave oven. It's so old (how old is it?) that I bought it at Caldor a good ten or so years before Caldor went out of business! It's a Sharp Carousel microwave vintage about 1988. Hey, it still works. I use it mainly for heating up stuff and popcorn. I have an oven and a crockpot for outright cooking needs. 
• Thankfully, my killer cold lessened by Wednesday and I feel sort of human once again. Sniffles, sneezing and an occasional cough remain. But I feel so much better than I did!
• For the first time in three weeks, I have my Sunday newspaper. After looking for it every half-hour starting at 6am, it was there at 8:30am ... late. I'm so not happy with the Courier-News!
• It's kind of damp and gloomy outside. I'd say it's a perfect day for using that Epsom Salt Vapor Bath while playing some soft classical or jazz on my stereo. Hmm.
• If a cat would stop hogging my attention, this post would be more timely.

Here are the photos for the week -- clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version:

Getting near peak

This is a ridge of trees near my workplace. There's a lot more color there than I'm seeing just east here in Plainfield.

Monday night's moon

I really like how my point and shoot Canon and its great digital zoom capabilities work with moon shots. I've always considered moon shots a challenge and you don't want to know how many white blobs I've deleted off of memory cards over the years. But, with this camera and its zoom, I end up with more decent shots than blobs!

Plainfield Train Station at night

The Monday night late train to New York City isn't a busy one. I get off in Plainfield. I keep telling myself now that the Raritan Valley Line has the combination diesel/electric trains and there are one-seat rides into Manhattan, I'll use it. They used to be just diesel and you can't run diesel in the tunnels under the rivers to NYC. But then I end up taking the bus because that leaves from right by my apartment. After all, that's one-seat ride, too! My next planned trip to the city will be bus, too. The Port Authority Building is closer to Times Square and the theater district. So, on both ends the bus will win.

Turkey Vulture in flight

Up close, their faces are ugly as all get-out and, to be honest, they're rather disgustingly dirty birds. But ... in flight, they're majestic. This one was circling overhead at the Plainfield Train Station on Saturday morning as I headed to work.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 11, 2015

Good Sunday morning to y'all! I hope all is well with you. Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. Remember -- on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm ET, I post live updates on Survivor and The Amazing Race respectively. If you watch the show(s), this blog is the place to comment on them with fellow show fans! It's really a great bunch of folks and the internet trolls have learned their comments are deleted practically as they post them. If you're looking for a fun place to discuss either show, please feel free to stop by one of the blog parties ... and bring snacks!

Because I have a lot to say in the photo paragraphs, it's random notes in this beginning of the post:

• I'm ready to welcome back The Walking Dead tonight and Fargo tomorrow. Well, the latter I'll watch on Tuesday. 
• I obviously have problems staying totally television topic free in these posts, huh?
• Although this time of year is my favorite weather of all, I'm dismayed by the shortening of the daylight hours. It's staying dark so long in the mornings and the sun is setting way too early in the evening. Wah.
• Now I remember how the extended power outage in Sandy taught me to make the most of the hours during which there is daylight.
• Someone stole my Sunday newspaper today or it wasn't delivered. That hasn't happened in months now. I'm assuming stolen rather than not delivered. We have new tenants in the front of the building. I guess I have to start going out for my paper before 6am once again to keep it from being stolen. Sigh. Wah. I'm usually awake at that hour, but not really wanting to throw clothes on and go downstairs and to the front of the building.
• If I ever saw the actual newspaper delivery guy, I'd see if I could get him to toss it up on my fire escape. Then I wouldn't have to get dressed to go get it and no one could steal it! With my luck he'd throw it up on the neighbor's fire escape.
• I've noticed the Super Mario (not the game, the superintendent) has been working seven days a week lately rehabbing some apartments as people move out. My wing remains the same with long-term tenants, but the front apartments have a higher turnover. I saw a boxed new toilet in the elevator. I want one!
• I was fighting the virus that seems to be going around well into the week this past week. I think my immunity to such things seems to be decreasing as I get older.
• I don't know my own strength -- I broke my floor mop this past week. Truth to be told, it was a cheap one I've had for years, but it could have waited until I was on my last mop stroke, couldn't it? The mop stick just broke in two. Eep! I'm just so darn strong!
• Work remains work. Four more days and one worry will be out of my life. Mind you, I still have to work and the damage is already done. But things should improve some.
• But I'd still rather retire from there and do something I enjoy doing instead. It's just that the latter doesn't keep the roof over my head and give me health insurance for $25 a week!
• It's a beautiful day out there today. Maybe I'll walk downtown and buy me a new cheap floor mop!

Onto the photos -- more stories than artistic endeavors this week, but that's how it sometimes goes. Clicking on an image will open it in a larger version.

It's time for the mums!

As the flowers of summer fade into the past, planters with mums emerge on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

Been on the right track ...

... must have been the wrong train. I've been in the right place, must have been the wrong time. Ack! All the promos for the new season of Fargo have got Dr. John's 70s hit stuck in my head! I'm looking forward to the show's return tomorrow night. In this photo, I was on the right track and that is the wrong train. I'd rather take that train and skip work, though!

Assembling bridge faces

For months we've been rotating between shutdowns of the railroad bridges on either side of the Plainfield Train Station. If Park Avenue is open, then Watchung Avenue is closed. And, then vice versa. Now they have all of Gavett Place (all short block of it!) closed and they're assembling the bridge "faces" which will supposedly be set in place without huge shutdowns of the streets. We'll see how that goes. I swear more construction -- streets, gutters, underground stuff, curb cuts, sidewalk sections and buildings, too -- has gone down in the past six months than I've seen in the past three years.

Stop, drop and roll!

While it's easy for us to remember the saying, I'd be willing to bet most people on fire aren't quite thinking of it. Then it's up to us to knock 'em down and cover. I think most people on fire probably run in panic. Not that I've seen all that many people on fire, mind you. But I do know it's instinct. I watched them set up yesterday's annual Plainfield Fire Department's Fire Prevention and Safety Fair yesterday as I waited train. More shots of the set-up phase follow the jump.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 3, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. I'll be posting about television soon. I promise!

This week started out very nicely ... and then went downhill.

On Sunday, I went to neighboring Westfield for my first visit to their 26th Annual FestFall street(s) fair. Wow. They know how to put on a street fair! Most of their downtown business section, made up of several streets, was involved. There were foods of every kind imaginable, crafts booths, bakery booths, even a Polska Kielbasa booth! At least two streets were dedicated to children with rides, activities and booths with stuff kids enjoy. Local businesses had sales. There was an artist who does drawings and paintings of your home. His work was truly detailed. There were civic groups and a local ski club I knew nothing about. I haven't skied since moving to New Jersey after being a ski addict for years.

There was something for everyone there -- something I feel lacking in Plainfield street fairs. Almost everything street fair I've attended in the downtown area has seemed focused on either hip hop or Hispanic and definitely geared more towards the young crowd. Sure, I have missed some street fairs because I work on Saturdays. The FestiFall is on Sundays, a day off (usually) for me. But we don't have anything this huge with something for everyone to enjoy all in one fair, either.

On Monday I got good news at work. So, the start of the week went well.

Then came the downhill -- bad weather, constant rain and a virus going around my workplace caught me. Gah. I'm still under the weather, both figuratively and literally. Okay, my roof is under the weather more so than I am. However, it's still grey, cloudy, rainy and windy here. Due to the bad weather and the fact that I haven't felt well, my photos this week ended up being mostly the Westfield FestiFall. Oh, well.

Clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version.

Proving once again ...

... that flowers DO bend with the rainfall.

It made me want to be 10 again

They didn't have stuff like this when I was ten years old! One side has a rock-climbing wall, but it's the bungee/trampoline side that's so cool! The kids sit in harnesses and bounce off the trampolines high up in the air. They can do all kinds of acrobatic feats. I wanted to do it. I refrained.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 6, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photographs I've taken along the way; This post is a year 'round "feature" on the blog. If you're looking for Big Brother posts, they can all be found at this link right here. If you're not interested in this particular post, please feel free to skip on by it. I'll be posting a Big Brother blog party post coinciding with the East Coast airing of the show and, late this evening, another live feeds post. Stay tuned.

Yes! Another week closer to staycation week! I have a short week ahead. I'm only working three days, plus going in for a couple of hours (like two) tomorrow. I so need the rest even though I'll still be covering Big Brother. But I can do that in my pajamas and slippers! My workplace's dress code frowns on such attire there.

A few random observations on the week gone by:

• No means NO. If you're a bum asking me for money or cigarettes, go away. No means NO. I should only have to say it once. Go away. Shoo. If you're peddling religion and I say NO, I mean NO. Shoo. Leave me alone. Don't act shocked. Don't be surprised. Don't argue with me. Just go away. Yes, I'm starting to get surly with these people. I work for what I have in life and I already have my own thoughts on religion.
• I'm starting to see a bit of color (other than green) here and there in the trees and bushes. But the temperatures sure have been screaming summer.
• I met the man who lives upstairs from me this past week. He's lived there over a year now and I've never seen him ... heard him now and then, but never a face-to-face. We met looking out the building's front window at the crime scene (below) Tuesday night. Pleasant enough guy. He'd be a bit thumpy had they not put wall-to-wall carpet down up there, though. I didn't tell him that. Nor did I tell him that I heard him vacuuming at 3:30am this past Christmas morning.
• Keebler Grasshopper cookies taste a lot like Girl Scouts Thin Mints cookies, but are a heck of a lot cheaper.

Without further ado, onto this week's photos! Clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

The moon on Monday night

I always love the challenge of taking a good shot at the moon. Monday's moon wasn't quite full, but was like a golden globe large in the sky. And there I was, with a point and shoot camera (a decent one, but ...!) and no tripod. Yay, a challenge! I'm thrilled with the shots I got -- details of craters and all. Of course, I also got a lot of shots which called for the delete button. But that's the beauty of digital photography. It's not like I'm paying to process film which contains yellow-white globs in a sea of black!

Eek. A crime scene at my apartment!

Well, not really AT my apartment. At my apartment building, though. It was Tuesday night. There I was innocently watching the evening Judge Judy block on WLNY when I heard four gunshots which sounded like they were right outside my window. Eek! Vincent even jumped and he doesn't jump for fireworks! I thought someone was either shooting at cars in the parking lot or perhaps the guy downstairs's ex-girlfriend was shooting at him. (She's been coming around yelling at him a lot lately.) But I heard no glass breaking. Hmm.

I was going to call 911, but turned on my scanner instead. Aha, they were already chasing the guy, even broadcast his name. No sense calling 911. It turns out they had been looking for him for some sort of gun sale sting and he fled through backyards, ending up at my building. From behind the big tree in the front on my side of the building, he fired the four shots ambushing one of the police cars. So, not right outside my window ... but we're talking maybe 200 feet away. Much too close for comfort. No one was hit.

The news story is at this link. He ended up running across the street and into the brook, then getting caught about two blocks away. One interesting thing to note is the the police prefer to get paper cups, not Styrofoam ones, to mark bullet casings. The crime scene, all lighted up and lots of hubbub, lasted until the wee hours. It wasn't conducive to sleep.

Look, deer

As a friend and I hit the landing heading to the Bridgewater Train Station eastbound track, I saw these two fawns on the other side of the fence. I said, "Look, deer." three or four times until my friend gave me a puzzled look which seemed to say, "Why are you calling me 'dear'?"

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 2, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photographs I've taken along the way! This post is a year 'round "feature" on the blog. If you're looking for Big Brother posts, they can all be found at this link right here. If you're not interested in this particular post, please feel free to skip on by it. I'll be posting a Big Brother blog party post coinciding with the East Coast airing of the show and, late this evening, another live feeds post. Stay tuned.

Here in the NJ/Greater NYC Metro Area, we had another hot week with temps hovering around and often going over 90 degrees. While the city itself (NYC) didn't have enough 90 degree days in a row to qualify as a heat wave, we in the inland areas did. The heat never actually broke. But, storms coming through towards the end of the week broke the humidity a bit. By tomorrow, the humidity is expected to return. I am NOT a summer, high heat, high humidity person! I would like autumn weather, please.

I had another rather uneventful week here -- working, working on the blog, not enough sleep, rinse, repeat. I kind of wanted to take my folding chair and head across the street for a free outdoor showing of Selma the city was putting on Friday night (raindated from Thursday). It was right at the Aristacare center where I would have gone for rehab after knee surgery had I been forced to do time in rehab.

But I guess I'm getting too old and crochety or something. I thought of lugging my chair which is wood and heavier than a lawn chair, jaywalking across the street with it, bug bites, the heat and how tired I was after work. I ended up posting a BB live feeds update on the blog, then napping. After napping, I went to bed.  Such is my life these days.

Onto this week's photos! Due to the heat, I didn't take a ton of shots, nor really seek out photography fodder. I went for the easy stuff that was right in front of me. If you click on an image, it will open it up in a larger version.

Posing pigeon

The two young pigeons born this past spring at the Bridgewater Train Station seem to have a real curiosity about my camera. As a result, I often end up with many photos of them.

Help me! Help me!

Oops. I should have posted a human head on his face to be posting "Help me!" with this fly shot. I believe this is a flesh fly, not the kind of housefly you might have to battle with in your home. (Of course, I let Vincent the Cat battle flies that might sneak in here.) They feed off dead animals and such. Ew. But he was kind of cool to photograph.

Eek! A bus!

While it might appear that I'm risking my life for the shot, I'm not. Or, to be more accurate, I wasn't. I took this shot of the 59 bus headed to Newark from the westbound platform of the Plainfield Train Station. It was rounding the corner from Gavett Place to North Avenue. 

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

The Amazing Race 26 - Casting the Singles, Part One

I think this "blind date" bit for a twist this season might be rather interesting. Perhaps the five couples will be strangers at the start. However, by the end they'll have shared a special experience and should either love or hate each other.

Oh. That's kind of like the established already couples on the show. Never mind. Let's check these people out:

KURT

Hmm. He seems to place more emphasis on physical qualities in his "blind date" than the real stuff of a relationship. Now, I'm not talking physical qualities as in what's needed to endure and compete in the race. Nope. He's talking the shallow stuff.

Kurt Jordan Belcher is 24 years old and hails from Butler, Kentucky. His online bio kind of confirms the video with little else thrown in there for us to ponder. He's matched up with ...

BERGEN

Bergen Olson is 23 and currently living in Sunnyvale, California. He's originally from Minnesota. While Kurt tends to go for such deep things as good looks and muscles, it seems that Bergen tends towards more laudable traits in his online bio -- good personality, sense of humor and commitment. That conflicts a bit with what he says in the video (in which he's also going for looks a lot). Overall, I think I like him better than I do Kurt. Neither has ever been out of the country.

*************************************************

JELANI

Jelani Roy is a 32 year old lawyer from New York City, New York. I like him. He comes across as both smart and knowing that the concept of the date is to WIN THE AMAZING RACE. Unlike the first person in the last couple I looked at, Jelani seems a lot more laid-back regarding any sort of romance. It sounds like, to him, if that happens ... cool. If not ... he still wants to win the race. In his bio, he mentions the fact that he passed the NYS bar exam on the first try. He seems confident and I'd certainly partner up with the dude! He's matched up with ...

JENNY

Jenny Wu is a 32 year old lawyer/blogger from Los Angeles, California. A blogger! Woot! Woot! I think she's got a good match with Jelani. She doesn't seem to be searching for the love of her life -- she wants someone she can work with. Unlike Kurt (and to a lesser extent, Bergen), she wants strengths of the mind, humor and athleticism. In her bio, she mentions photography being a hobby. I already like her! A relationship deal-breaker for her is "an aversion to desserts." Boy, I like this gal. I'm not sure if she'll see any resemblance to Leonardo DiCaprio in Jelani, but she'll get over it. I think these two could be contenders!

******************************************************

HALEY

Haley Keel is looking for the win and the man of her dreams. Okay. Haley is 28 years old, a registered nurse currently residing in St. Petersburg, Florida. She original hails from Ohio. She's um ... perky, bubbly and upbeat it seems. I personally don't do those traits, but more power to her. She's intelligent and likes to do athletic kind of things. Having a need to control might not work in her favor seeing that she's on a blind date race around the world. We'll see. She's partnered with ...

BLAIR

Blair Townsend is a 31 year old physician from Amelia Island, Florida. He's originally from Virginia. Obviously, TAR is really trying to set up relationships here -- lawyer/lawyer, doctor/nurse. From his online bio, he mentions doing Ironman competitions and such. Haley should like that! I really like how he came across in his video. If Haley is strong, these two could make a formidable team on the show. I think I like him more than her. Bubbly tends to get on my nerves. Hopefully she won't be bubbly on the show. (No offense meant for those who enjoy bubbly.)

What do you think of these matches?

The new season premieres Wednesday, February 25.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 27, 2014

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic photo post! If you're looking for my Big Brother coverage, you can find those posts right here at this link. This particular post is one I do each Sunday morning throughout the year, BB or not! I reflect on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way.

Alas, I didn't have a great photography week. It seemed like I was always rushing or conditions just weren't right. Oh well, there will be many more photos to take in my life.

I'm going to go once again with some random thoughts from the week:

• Last night as I arrived home to my New Jersey 'hood, I had to hear two competing Mexican Polka Bands. Ack! One was at a house near the corner of my block -- they were having a huge child's birthday party with a bouncy-house and all set up in the front lawn. As I walked by, they sang Happy Birthday, then WHAM into Mexican Polka! The second band was at the usual suspect house in back of my apartment. Even with my windows closed, a fan and the AC on, I could hear the thump-thump of the music. It lasted until nearly midnight.
• Two very young misbehaving children on the NJ Transit train were yelling and carrying on without any effort on the part of the parents to control them. When the piped announcement said, "Watch out for the gap when exiting." -- the girl cried out, "Cat? Where's a cat?" (I'll admit that was cute.) Her mother told her, "Gap. Watch out for the gap." The girl asked, "What's a gap?" I almost said, "A gap is a monster that swallows children who don't behave." I bit my tongue.
• There's an abundance of lightning bugs around here this year. If I were several decades younger, I'd be all over that!
• My cable and power were out on separate days this week, each for about six hours, neither due to a storm. Of course, my cable could have also been out while my power was out. I have no way of knowing.
• I panicked a bit when I saw Vincent pursuing a long dark quick bug along the floor into the kitchen. Ah. A carpenter ant. Not that I want those in my apartment, but it must have somehow strayed in from outside. As I predicted, I have had no influx of bugs by refusing to have my apartment fogged with poisonous junk.
• Oh. And Vincent killed the carpenter ant and then wondered why it wouldn't play with him anymore.

Onto this week's photos --

Early morning sun

Although the days are getting shorter, it's not to the point that I'm seeing the sunrise on my walk to the train station. We have been lucky in that we haven't seen many actual heat waves so far this summer (temps over 90 for three days or more). But we've had a lot of humid days and it's been a summer for lots of thunderstorms. I took this shot on Church Street in Plainfield.

Cool old car!

I have no clue exactly what make and model this is, but it sure is cool. There was an older man driving it. While he'd be too young to be the original owner, he seemed appropriate for the car. Watchung Avenue, Plainfield.

Looking up!

This Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly flew over my head at the Bridgewater Train Station. I was delighted to see I actually captured a halfway decent photo of him.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK FOR THE WEEKLY FLOWER SLIDESHOW AND THE REST OF THE PHOTOS!**

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds into Thursday - July 24

Frankie is with friends

The news of Frankie's grandfather's death resulted in a bit more somber house Wednesday evening. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Sad Moments:

• Frankie and Cody can never figure out what's going on in Zach's head.
• I don't think Zach knows what's going on in Zach's head, so they shouldn't worry themselves about it.
• Alone in the HoH room, Frankie addressed the cameras and discussed his relationship with his grandfather and the letter from his mother announcing his passing.
• He talked a long time about his family.
• They want him to stay in the house.
• So, he will.
• Then he cried. Probably many watching cried as well.
• I did.
• Brittany went to bed early. All of her campaigning must have caught up with her.
• Caleb stared at Amber from his bed for a long time.
• Creepy.
• Jocasta is sick again. I'd hate to see her on slop if she gets sick on their regular food!
• Zach mimicked Caleb's desire for Amber.
• Whoops, Brittany isn't done for the night yet! She's up again and mingling.
• Derrick and Victoria talked about Victoria's photography business.
• Yawn.
• They discussed hamsters from previous seasons.
• Move along; nothing to see here ...

What am I doing here?

What am I doing here?

I'm here to win