American Idol Results Show 3/26

I watched last night's show into the wee hours due to it being on the air the same time as Survivor and LOST. So, I didn't comment. That said, I was actually impressed with Adam Lambert for a change. I thought that Megan, Scott, and Michael were the worst of the bunch with Lil Rounds on their tails. That's unusual for Lil and I usually enjoy Megan. Not so much last night.

Onto tonight --

Rueben Studdard sweated all over the place and sang. Blech. Smokey Robinson sang a duet with Joss Stone and they were good. But I always have a special place in my heart for the big guest of the night -- Stevie Wonder. I remember back when he was Little Stevie Wonder. I think he's only five or six years older than I am. Now, "Little" isn't a good description these days, but the man is great. I recall blasting "Superstition" in the college dorm and his music was such a part of my life in those days. He did a medley which included "Superstition."

The results --

The bottom three weren't quite what I expected. Megan was safe, but Michael Sarver and Scott MacIntyre were indeed two of the three. The third was a bit of a shock -- Matt Giraurd. Say what? I thought he did quite well last night.

It doesn't matter. The right one went home. Bye-bye, Michael Sarver. And, no. He wasn't saved by the judges.

Survivor Tocantins - It's Clips on a Special Night

Zoetawny made me this monkey Survivor logo a while ago, but I had some trouble getting onto the PhotoBucket site the first night I wanted to use it. I just remembered now. (A mind is a terrible thing to lose.)

Tonight's show is the seasonal clips with some added footage. So no one will go home. But if you ARE home and want to comment, you're welcome to hang out here!

Internet Outage, Tonight's TV and Spring?

I'll start this with "Spring?" -- Hopefully this crocus I photographed early Monday evening has survived. We've been having high winds with wind chill temperatures in the teens for the early part of the week. I want spring. I like spring. I'm tired of cold weather!

So, where have I been since Sunday night? On Mondays I have to go into work earlier than usual now. So, up before five AM, I was a bit tired and didn't post. Had I known that on Tuesday night my Internet would vanish, I probably would have posted something. I've never had any problems with my Verizon DSL since getting it a few years back. I don't think it's even blinked. That is, until last night.

There I was, just checking out a few websites with plans to post the crocus when ... no pages would open. I tried going online via AOL and got a message than I had no broadband connection. I looked at my DSL modem and its lights looked normal. I unconnected and reconnected all of my connections. I rebooted the computer and turned off/on the DSL modem, too.

Nothing, I couldn't even get to Google. I tried my own computer troubleshooting and it told me there was a connection problem with my DSL. Okay, so I went to get the Verizon phone number online. Um, oops! I had no online! It's amazing how much I do on the Internet. Most of my bills have gone paperless (including my Verizon bill). I look up TV listings and phone numbers online.

I finally found my phone book and managed to find the repair number for Verizon. But as I was going through their automated menu, they said, "A major DSL outage has affected the 908 area code. Does this address your question?" Why, yes. Yes, it did. But I'm back up and running now. I'm glad I didn't bother to get the dial-up modem connected to the computer. I didn't feel like moving stuff and more connecting cables and irksome things.

Then there's tonight's TV. Survivor is on at 8 PM ET tonight, not tomorrow, due to March Madness tomorrow. It's the clips show, but I still have to write it up for TV Squad and I'll throw a post up here. Then, at 9 PM, it's LOST, another new episode. I have to watch that. You know that.

But, meanwhile, from 8 - 10 PM ET, it's the American Idol show which wasn't scheduled for last night due to the Presidential speech. Sorry, AI -- I'll have to record you and watch you maybe tomorrow night after the results show!

I shouldn't even mention that Criminal Minds is on at 9 PM. At least I can catch that in reruns.

How are you juggling your TV tonight?

The Amazing Race - "Alright Guys, We're at War!"

Sigh. It was too good to be true. So long without a delay and we really have one on the East Coast this week. Due to basketball, 60 Minutes started at 7:52 PM ET instead of 7:00 PM. Once TAR starts, this post will be updated with the major events and I'll be writing a full review of the show for TV Squad.

As always, the comments section is THE place to be!

8:52 PM ET and it's ON.

It's off to India!

Pit Stop --
1. Tammy and Victor -- Each won an ocean kayak
2. Mel and Mike!
3. Jen and Kisha
4. Margie and Luke
5. Jaime and Cara
6. Mark and Michael
7. Christie and Jodi - Philiminated

Off Topic, a Meme, and a Dangling ... Um ...

Later on tonight we have a new episode of The Amazing Race. But of course, I'll get a blog post up for that one! But until then, I've got a bit of everything for you with only one TV mention.

OMG!!!! (As the kids would say.) I watched Cops after getting home from work last night and was surprised by a dangling um ... male anatomy piece (don't want to say the word and have people find this blog by searching for it). For a good twenty seconds, dangling in the wind and out of the pants and even in a bit of a close-up! Who edits these things? It was SO much more than the Marcus Survivor bits! How could they miss it? Yikes!

Clicking on any of the images below will open them up larger in a new window ...


Who watches the watchers? This is a shot I took of two gulls on a parking lot lamp. There's something about it that I like, perhaps that it's simplistic. I don't know.


Yep, the Big Apple Circus is still there. I still haven't been.


Breaking news from New Jersey: A giant, possibly radioactive, rat has been terrorizing Route 287 in Northern Central New Jersey just outside of Bridgewater. Do NOT drive on Route 287 until we can get the giant cats from Rockland County in New York to battle this hazard!

Now onto one of those memes I found out on the web. If you do this on your blog, please link to here in comments so we can see! I'm not tagging anyone, so no one is obligated. But it is kind of fun!

Rules: Basically highlight stuff that you've done. I also made some comments in italics.
1.Started your own blog -- Or two or three!
2. Slept under the stars -- Ah, the memories
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower -- Can't see them around here due to light pollution
6. Given more than you can afford to charity -- Perhaps time but not money. Have to keep the roof over my head.
7. Been to Disneyland --Been there, but never Disney World thanks to childhood years in southern California.
8. Climbed a mountain -- My first was Mount Marcy in NY. We had a snowball fight in late July at the top. I never became Himalayas material, though.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo -- Not in public!
11. Bungee jumping -- Always want to years back, but not allowed now with the knee replacement.
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables -- When I was a child. Now I can't even grow a houseplant and have it live a year!
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch-hiked -- I don't condone it but I did it when I was young and foolish with a boyfriend in college.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill -- Mental health day!
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb -- Does petting one count?
26. Gone skinny-dipping -- Went with others while they did it, but I chickened out. I giggled when the cops came!
27. Run a Marathon -- Oh, gee. I'm not allowed to run on doctor's orders. Too bad, eh?
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language -- I let others teach me French in high school and college.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing -- The Gunks in my more adventurous days!
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David -- A replica in NYC doesn't count, does it?
41. Sung karaoke -- EEK!
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted -- As a child (my mother was a commercial artist)
48. Gone deep sea fishing -- Used to go every year with my Dad, a few times in my adult life.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie -- Kind of, sort of. I was an extra in The Way We Were. Hey, they paid $25 a day for three days!
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business -- If my freelance writing counts, sort of kind of.
58.Taken a martial arts class -- I fulfilled my physical education requirement in college by taking judo and bowling. Not at the same time, of course!
59.Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies -- I have eaten a lot of them! Mmm ... Thin Mints!
62. Gone whale watching -- Not intentionally, but watched them more than a few times while deep sea fishing.
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma -- Tried in college, was turned down as I was anemic. Now I can't due to the DVT issue.
65. Gone sky-diving -- My father forbid this activity as he was a paratrooper in WWII -- said it would kill my knees. My knees died anyway, I should have tried it!
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check -- OOPS! Not in years and years, though!
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar -- And HATED it! Gag, gag!
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job -- I was hired as the couple running the business were friends of my parents. I was fired because the couple split up and the wife thought I was on her husband's side. (Which I was.) She apologized years later. It didn't matter; it was just a college summer job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone -- Broke my right collarbone at three (falling out of bed), my right big toe at ten (leaping on rocks in the "crick" at my grandparent's house), broke two vertebrate in my back falling from a kitchen counter while doing a yoga position at twelve, greenstick fracture of the left arm (being struck by a moving car trying to kill me decades ago when I worked as a store detective) and I shouldn't even mention that major bones in your leg are broken (sawed) in knee replacement surgery.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle -- Riding, not driving, mind you. Young and foolish days!
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book -- Written a few, never published. But I have some nifty rejection slips!
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car -- 1973 Ford Maverick in college, 1978 Ford Mustang when the Maverick died, leased a new 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage and then bought it when the lease was up.
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper -- Some school thing when I was a child.
85. Read the entire Qur’an
86. Visited the White House -- Never inside, but does outside the gates count?
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating -- I started fishing when I was about eight. My Mom would cook the fish if we cleaned it. I haven't been in years. I went deer hunting once (my father and grandfather did it), but couldn't shoot. I wanted to talk to the deer instead.
88. Had chickenpox -- And mumps, measles, German measles, whooping cough, scarlet fever ... all of them. No vaccines except polio and diphtheria when I was little.
89. Saved someone’s life -- In college I had a job with the university police. My partner and I discovered a rather drunken woman who had fallen off the back side of a residential quad, breaking her back. We were told that she would have died from exposure (it was upstate NY dead winter) had we not found her. Once at a traffic accident, I put a tourniquet (belt) on a man's leg as he was bleeding from a cut artery. I was told it was excellent work. But the ambulance arrived about two minutes after I did it. So he probably would have lived anyway.
90. Sat on a jury -- I was turned down! Sniffle!
91. Met someone famous -- Several
92. Joined a book club -- I joined that one with the great promotional offers back in the 70s -- something like a dozen books for 12 cents or something.
93. Lost a loved one -- Several
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit -- Worker's comp case on my right knee. It was judged a 40% permanent partial disability of the entire leg. Of course, now it's acting up again. I won the case, still work for the same company.
98. Owned a cell phone -- Nope, hate them with a passion!
99. Been stung by a bee -- Several times. I was attacked by a swarm of bees when I was a child, stung over 150 times at once, and had to be hospitalized. I'm allergic nowadays, but haven't tested (been stung) in over 30 years.
100. Read an entire book in one day

LOST: Thirty-Second Review - "Namaste"

Yep, yet another blog logo from our favorite Zoetawny! On last night's LOST, things moved forward a bit. At least we're in 1977! Here's the quick lowdown --

• Ben and Sun were with the plane and Lapidus when it went down on an island near our main nutty island. We already know the others landed separately (somehow).
• Sawyer and Juliet rigged it so that it looked like Jack, Kate, and Hurley were new Dharma recruits from the submarine which arrives every six months.
• We saw Ethan as a new baby.
• Ben's about 12, maybe a bit older, on the island. I personally wonder what happens when worlds collide -- adult Ben meets child Ben. Will the universe fall off its axis or something?
• Sayid was wandering through the woods handcuffed. Jin had to act like he was a hostile and capture him due to a Dharma dude witness. So, Sayid is being held in a cell.
• Sun said she trusted Ben would lead her where she wanted to go (to join Jin), but she didn't. She whacked him with a log and took off with Lapidus for the main island.
• Under spooky circumstances, Sun and Lapidus meet Jack's father, Christian. He shows them a picture of the 1977 recruits which includes Jack, Kate, and Hurley.
• Sun and Lapidus are not in 1977.

And that's that. Oh, there's a very suspicious Dharma guy. I think he knows something is hinky with the new arrivals.

American Idol Results Show 3/18

Oh my. I'm a bit surprised, aren't you? The bottom three were Allison, Alexis, and Michael Sarver. Now, I thought Michael didn't do well with his song even though he's a country genre kind of singer.

Allison was sent back to the chairs first leaving it between Michael and Alexis. Meanwhile, the judges said they might use the save if "one" of them was to be going home. I thought at the time they meant they'd save Alexis but Michael was surely the one to be sent packing.

Nuh-uh! Michael Sarver (somehow) is safe! After hearing Alexis sing "Jolene" again, the judges declined to save her. Yikes.

Off Topic: St. Patrick's Day, Circus, and Roofus

I hope the luck of the Irish was with everyone today ... and that you all won the lottery! Well, I guess we have to keep on working for a living. Zoetawny got Snoopy all Irish for this graphic! I was thinking of some years back -- skiing at Kelly's Irish Alps (Brodie Mountain) and Jiminy Peak, both in Massachusetts. Green snow, bagpipe players on the ski lifts, and some green beer, too. Ah, those were the days! For more than a decade and a half, I skied every St. Patrick's Day. I didn't ski today.


This is a shot I took of the same cat local city blogger Bernice snapped inside the office of the ex-rental car place. See, they can come and go. Sydney wondered why I was shy about peering in the window. Well, someone's going in there with the food (I think it's the same elderly guy). If it's him, he snapped at me a few years back when I was taking photos of the strays. I don't think he realizes I'm harmless.


And ... who's ruling the roost and the roofs? If you click on the image, the resulting larger image reveals a bird on the ledge right under Roofus the Cat.

Last in the photos today, the Big Apple Circus is back for its annual stint. I've never been. I have been to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, but not in years and years.

I'll be watching American Idol soon. I'm not as enamored with country night as some of the other genres. Hopefully they'll give me some fodder for another quick show-related post late tonight.

The Amazing Race: "She's a Little Scared of Stick, but I Think She'll Be Okay!"

The show is starting on time here on the East Coast -- it has to be a new record for 8 PM ET CBS shows! As it airs, I'll update this post with major events. My full review of the show will be on TV Squad later. For those who looked for my previously mentioned article on reality show hosts, that's been rescheduled for Tuesday.

As always, please feel free to hang out in the comments area during the show! I've put in a new bungee jump. I hope you like it!

Pit Stop Order
1. Margie and Luke - won a trip to St. Lucia
2. Tammy and Victor
3. Jaime and Cara
4. Mel and Mike
5. Mark and Michael
6. Jen and Kisha
7. Christie and Jodi -- NON- PHILIMINATION!

Speed bump for them next leg!

Mostly Off Topic

There was no waking up Roofus the Cat over by the Plainfield Train Station yesterday morning. Not even birds flying by could get his attention. Maybe he was out late the night before, eh?

Local town blogger Bernice, inspired by my Roofus photos, actually walked up to the ex-rental car place and snapped a photo of one of the (gorgeous) cats inside. I know I've posted a photo or two of another cat in there but she has more nerve than I do -- she went right up to the window. She notes in her blog entry that there's fresh food and water for the cats (that's inside and out) although the building has changed owners. I saw the older man who used to run the rental office not all that long ago going in. The whole area with the feral cats is slated for a construction project down the road.

Onto a bit of TV --
A post I made about reality show hosts should be up on TV Squad a bit later today. Tonight I'll be catching up with the last episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. That is ... after I get home from work. Saturdays tend to be a late workday for me.

I hope everyone has a good day! Spring can't get here soon enough!

Survivor Tocantins - "You're Going to Want That Tooth"

The show is starting! While my full review will be up later over on TV Squad, this post will be updated with major events. Everyone is welcome to join in on the fun in the comments area!

Jalapao won reward -- cafe, coffee, pastries, restrooms with product placement -- they chose Brendan for Exile Island. He chose Stephen to go from the winning tribe. Tyson is suspicious.

Surprise, surprise ... letters from home were at the cafe.

Timbira wins immunity. JT, who did the best for Jalapao, is really ticked off. He also broke his tooth.

Spencer was voted out.

American Idol Results Bulletin

I haven't seen the entire show as I recorded it. Yes, you heard me. I actually went out to dinner and beverages with a friend, getting home about 9:45. The new power of the judges is that they can make one save during the season. They chose not to use it tonight.

Eliminated are Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez.

American Idol - The Top 13 Sing

Well, tonight was the big night for the American Idol hopefuls. The Top 13 took the stage. I have to give them all credit -- I couldn't do it. Of course, I have the kind of singing voice which should be confined to the shower or in a car with all the windows rolled up. In other words, my singing is on par with many of those going through the auditions for American idol. I make up for my lack of singing talent with my mad dance moves.

Er ... um ... okay. I can't dance well either. Never mind.

As for the show, I think this season has the best talent with the fewest clunkers of any season so far. Actually, I don't think there are any real clunkers (thinking to past seasons with kids like Sanjaya, etc.). I was disappointed with Anoop's performance tonight although he's shown he can sing well in the past. Why he chose Beat It beats me! There's not much that can be done with that song and not have it sound like Karaoke Night.

Although his style isn't my cuppa, Adam Lambert snagged the winning comments of the night. I just remember the uproar about Fantasia being a single mother a few seasons back. Adam's past is a bit racier with gay male porn doings. I'm kind of surprised that he made it through all the screening with what's available about him on the web and the squeaky clean image of Idol.

I don't care that the judges didn't care all that much for Megan Joy Corkrey. There's something about her voice and performances which make me smile. I'm not saying I'd run out and buy a record, but I enjoy listening to her and watching her little Meganisms.

All in all, the talent was showing tonight. Two will be going home tomorrow. I fear Anoop will be one of them. With him ...? I just don't know. Maybe Kris Allen, but he has teen fans. Megan? Jasmine? Hmmm.

They'll be announcing a rules change which will definitely affect the show on tomorrow's result show. Vote for the Worst might have to go out of business. From the rumors I've seen, it looks like the judges are also going to have a say in who stays and who goes. They could be false rumors, but we'll see.

Oh. When I went to Vote for the Worst to get the link, they're pushing the vote for Megan. I don't care. She makes me smile.

Dancing With the Stars 2009 Blog Talk

Yes, it's a new season of Dancing With the Stars! This is YOUR place for discussion about the show with friends. Grab your comfy chair, bring snacks and beverages ... and, most of all ... have a good time. Oh -- there is a dance floor over there if you want to practice your moves, too.

The show's official website is here, but the real action is right here in comments!

The Amazing Race - "It Was Like a Caravan of Fools - Ep.4

So, does the new Zoetawny logo for us rock or what? Tonight we travel to Siberia and the promos are promising us a "blind" U-Turn. Uh-oh!

Make yourself comfy in the comments areas, but remember to share your snacks and beverages! This post will be updated with major events and my full review of the episode will be posted later over on TV Squad. Enjoy!

Don't forget ... if you watch Celebrity Apprentice, we have a blog discussion post for the show right here! I won't be catching it live tonight, not the first hour at least. But you're all invited to share your thoughts on the show!

On with tonight's TAR!

Whoa! Pit Stop
1. Christie and Jodi - each won a motorcycle
2. Kisha and Jen
3. Tammy and Victor
4. Margie and Luke
5. Jaime and Cara
6. Mel and Mike
7. Mark and Michael
8. Amanda and Kris -- Philiminated

TV Doings This Week

Yikes! What a TV week ahead of us, starting tonight! Before I get into some of my viewing plans, just a quick mention on the photo. I took this one a while back as the stereo sign lined up nicely with the double "stereo" lamp post. I liked the way it turned out messing around with a photo editor above. The original shot is at the bottom of the post and was taken in North Plainfield, NJ. And, no. That has nothing to do with television.

Sunday: Argh. I have to write up two shows tonight -- The Amazing Race for TV Squad and Cold Case for CliqueClack TV. Barring any sports delays, TAR begins at 8 PM ET and my other shows schedule is clear. Good. Then comes 9 PM ET -- Cold Case starts, but there's also a two-hour Celebrity Apprentice starting at 9 PM. Waah! I know CA will be available online tomorrow and rerun on Saturday night, but I'd really rather watch that than CC! Throw into the mix that A&E has a Sopranos episode I want to see on at 10 PM (repeated at 11) -- what a night I have!

So, my plan is: Get my Reality Clack column for CliqueClack TV out of the way this afternoon except for the TAR bit. Watch TAR with a post going here as is my standard. Take notes on TAR and Cold Case as they air. I'll write up both reviews at 10 PM, hopefully to be done by 11 PM so I can catch the second airing of The Sopranos episode. As I write, I'll have the second hour of Celebrity Apprentice on in the background. I guess I can catch up with the first hour online. Sunday nights didn't used to be this complicated!

Monday: In the 8 PM (ET) prime time hour, I'll watch The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother. I will have to write up a review of TBBT for CliqueClack TV. But I probably won't do that until after I've watched Heroes. My 10 PM hour has lots of possibilities for background as I write -- Saving Grace on TNT or maybe the new Animal Cops Phoenix on Animal Planet.

But then, later on, I have to absolutely positively see Letterman! He has two (not one, but TWO) of my all-time favorite guests on! First, Jack Hanna and animals. Those segments are priceless. Not only are the animals always fantastic, but I love the banter between Jack and Dave. Then, he also has Russell Brand on. That guy's a trip to a delightfully quirky place.

Tuesday: Ah, a relatively easy TV night. Two hours of American Idol, then I want to catch Trust Me (which I haven't seen) on TNT. Letterman has Stupid Pet Tricks, always a must see segment for me.

Wednesday: I plan to check out the new cooking reality show, The Chopping Block, on NBC in the 8 PM hour. Then it's American Idol and Criminal Minds on during the second hour. I'll record CM. LOST is a repeat. Even though I know it's going to be canceled, since they promise answers at the end of the season, I'm sticking with Life on Mars in the 10 PM hour. Letterman has on Tom Brokaw, another guest I enjoy. So I'm staying up.

Thursday: Gee, I think I'll watch Survivor for a change! Heh. Of course, I'll be writing that episode up for TV Squad. I see Bones is also a new episode running up against Survivor, but I'll catch it on the FOX website. In the second hour of the night, I'll probably catch Hell's Kitchen ... a show I've been keeping up with on the FOX website for the most part this season.

Friday: I sleep. Er, I watch shows I've recorded or shows on the Internet. Or, I catch up with my Bonnie Hunts recorded all week. Or I read. I sometimes catch Wife Swap. I'm not proud.

What are your TV plans for the week?

Today's musical non sequitur:
If there’s music we can use it
We need to dance.
We don’t have that time
For psychological romance
No romance
No romance
No romance for me mama
Come on baby tell me what’s the word.
Ah – word up.
-- "Word Up" by Cameo

Survivor: Why Taj Voted for Joe and Off Topic, too!

My, it was nothing all that nefarious at all. Taj wasn't trying to plant a seed of suspicion or create a rift in the tribe. Apparently, she just didn't want Sandy voted out unanimously yet didn't want to create issues by voting for Sydney. I guess she knew no one else would be voting for Joe and it was pretty much a throwaway vote.



I love it that CBS is making their video clips embeddable once again. They had stopped that capability last season. In watching this clip of the voting, it's obvious that although she could get on the nerves of others with her quirks, they liked Sandy. They really did.

Onto some off topic photos ...

We've had a weird weather week here. It started off with near blizzard conditions and arctic temperatures at the beginning of the week and we're going to be near 70 degrees now over the weekend. I hope it was winter's last hurrah! Due to snow on the roofs, I haven't seen Roofus the Cat yet this week. The ornamental kale is just sad right now.

Like in Mad About You when Paul Reiser tried to film the wind for Yoko Ono, I found it hard to just photograph COLD. What to do? What to do? Well, I had to create my own photo op -- it's called a stale croissant and a bunch of seagulls. Enjoy! You can click on the images to bring them up larger in a new window.


Gee, they always look so clean and white against the blue sky while flying.


Bulletin: The economy is so bad in New Jersey that bread lines have been forming all over the state.

"I've got my piece of the pie (croissant) and if you try to take it from me, I can be outright evil. Don't come near me! Where's that Coach dude? I can peck him if you give me more bread!"

American Idol Bulletin

For the first time ever, just as Anoop thought he was gone ... they're going for a top thirteen!

The top thirteen are:

Danny Gokey
Michael Sarver
Alexis Grace
Adam Lambert
Allison Iraheta
Kris Allen
Jorge Nunez
Lil Rounds
Scott McIntyre

Added in the Wild Card tonight:

Jasmine Murray
Megan Joy Corkrey
Matt Giraud
Anoop Desai

And ... poor Tatiana broke down when she didn't make it. A real shocker there, eh?

Survivor Tocantins: "The Strongest Man Alive" Blog Party

Welcome one! Welcome all! While my more extensive show review will be posted later at TV Squad, this post will be updated with events and my thoughts as the show airs here on the East Coast. Everyone is invited to party in the comments -- just remember, if you make a mess in there, you have to clean it up.

Jalapao won reward -- raid the other camp for two items. Because Brendan hadn't talked to Sierra yet, Taj selected Sierra for Exile and Sierra selected Taj instead of Stephen.

Timbira finally won something -- Immunity!

Sandy was voted out. Not a huge surprise.

LOST - "LaFleur" - A Thirty Second Review

We moved forward a bit as we jumped back and forth between a three-year span. Here's the scoop:

• Locke's turning the wheel in the Orchid Station did stop the time jumping for the island.
• That doesn't mean the viewers stopped time jumping.
• Faraday, Miles, Juliet, Sawyer, and Jin are stranded in 1974 on the island.
• That's not to be confused with being stuck in 1973 Manhattan.
• Sawyer (and Juliet) saved a damsel in distress.
  
• Said damsel and her (now late) husband are part of the Dharma Initiative.
• The husband was murdered and she was about to be murdered by "hostiles."
• Richard Albert is the leader of the hostiles and still looks exactly the same (no matter the year). Surprise, surprise.
• Sawyer and cohorts were kind of taken in by the Dharma folks.
• Sawyer is now a flower. Er, he's going by the name Jim LaFleur, which is Jim the Flower in French. (See, all those years of studying the language certainly have made a difference in my life.)
• In the beginning, Sawyer was told he's not Dharma material. Heh. He definitely isn't!
• They must have worked their way into the hearts and minds of Dharma as they're there three years later and in with the in crowd of the initiative.
• Sawyer now is with Juliet and deems Kate a distant memory.
• They're still waiting for Locke to return.
• But it's Jack, Kate, and Hurley who turn up.
• Now we know why Jin was wearing the Dharma uniform.
• And, Sawyer may just fall for Kate all over again, eh?

They've discontinued the LOST Entangled videos, but here's the video briefing of the episode from the ABC website.