Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - January 2, 2011

It's a new day, it's a new dawn ... it's a new year! Yes, it's Sunday morning, time for my weekly jaunt through the week gone by in words and photos I've taken. I apologize in advance for the amount of photos in this entry. The blizzard early in the week gave me a ton of photo fodder. With all the repeats on television and being in between seasons, I haven't posted much about television -- I think my favorite programming has been the New Year's marathon of The Twilight Zone on SyFy. But, boy do I have photos for you!

So, it's 2011, eh? When I was a child I focused on 2000 and thought I'd be "so old" by then. I have to admit I'm not in my fighting shape (whatever) of three decades back, but I don't feel that old. I think the biggest secret of life our parents never told us is that you never really grow up. Sure, you take on adult responsibilities, work, pay taxes, do what society expects of its adults, but you still have the child within you ... in awe of a huge snowstorm, delighted with the lights of the holiday season and more.

As I bid adieu to 2010, I think of it as one of my better years in many ways. My financial position is better than it's been in years despite the failing economy. My new cat Vincent has really settled in and we've bonded -- since I live alone, he's my faithful companion. I had a wonderful vacation in Texas with good friends I made on this very blog. On Facebook I've reconnected with friends from my teen years and found out they feared the "mean girls" too! My landlord lost the building and it's in better hands with the bank running the show. My loud and rowdy neighbors have moved away.

The down side of the past year hasn't been horribly down. My health only gets a C this past year, mainly due to the right knee needing its surgery. My favorite boss ever at my workplace moved on and was replaced by someone I like okay, but is really challenged in the job. TV Squad, after increasing my work with a huge assignment on celebrity bios in the beginning of the year, cut me off of Survivor reviews -- something I've always done. It was nice to watch the show without taking notes, but I did miss the income and the readers there.

On a sad note, I want to pass condolences onto blog reader Petals whose mother passed on earlier this week. Her mom, Loneseven, was a part of our community here and her contributions have been missed as her health failed. Hang in there, Petals.

In happier news, local blogger Bernice got a great shot of Roofus the cat as she ventured out after the snowstorm. She gave me permission to post it here as she knows the readers enjoy seeing him.

He's gotten so FAT!

Life indoors inside the Budget car rental building must be more posh than it looks!

Last Sunday afternoon

Not long after the snow started, I decided to make a run to the bodega around the corner. The sidewalk in front of my building (no longer run by my landlord) was the only one already salted. Um, not that it would do much good in the hours to come, but ...!

I wouldn't advise sweats for protection

But she was busy talking on her cellphone, oblivious to the world around her. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Da Bodega

The snow is really starting to come down.

Monday afternoon

I didn't go/couldn't get to work on Monday. But I decided to go out in the afternoon with my camera. Alas, the only sidewalk on my side of my long block which was cleared was my own building's. This guy was actually about a half-block away from me and seemed to be getting frustrated. I like my zoom capabilities. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Across the street

A neighbor digs out his car on East Front Street.

Dude! Where's my car?

Monday afternoon on East Front Street in da 'hood.

Oops ... out of sequence!

Thursday night on Watchung Avenue, Plainfield. I messed with the editing, yes. Want a seat?

Tuesday train

The NJ Transit schedule was way messed up for the first few workdays. The trains were running on a weekend schedule (fewer trains) and the buses didn't run at all for two days. Unlike Metro North and Long Island Railroad, both of whom shut down, NJ Transit doesn't work with an electrified third rail which stops travel when covered by snow.

My line, the Raritan Valley Line, is diesel. We can't do a one-seat ride to Manhattan and have to change trains at Newark to an electric train as that's all they allow in the city. The electric trains on NJ Transit are run with overhead wires instead of the third rail system. So, out of the three major commuter lines in the area, NJ Transit trains did the best. They even did better than the subways as subway trains on elevated outdoor areas got stuck and stranded people.

Speaking of stranded ...

Rear wheel drive taxi cabs have a rough time in the snow. This one is stuck on North Avenue in Plainfield on Tuesday morning.

It's a freaking winter wonderland!

Men, likely day laborers, wait on the corner of Watchung and North in Plainfield on Tuesday morning. That's the Post Office across the street. Street? What street? Do you see a street? Yes, it's even a main drag.

Not great biking weather

I can't imagine even trying a bike in this weather. This was Tuesday morning. Most sidewalks and streets were treacherous.

Ahem, NJ Transit

This is the disabled walkway leading to the ramp for the westbound platform at the Plainfield Train Station. Tuesday morning.

I said AHEM!

Yeah, it's great that trains are running. But shame on NJ Transit! The ONLY actual shoveled areas were the parking lots and from the parking lots to the stairs, etc. Other areas are trampled by use and dangerous. The station is NOT CLEARED properly. Unacceptable!

US Post Office ... unacceptable!

This was Tuesday morning more than 24 hours after the storm ended. One small path was shoved from the steps to the street. Neither the sidewalk in front of or the one alongside the main Post Office on Watchung Avenue were shoveled.

At least there's a claustrophobia-inducing path!

Pete's Fish Market and the Corner Store on Watchung and East Second (across the street from the Post Office above) have a scary path cleared. That snow is higher than I am. Eek.

Same path from the other direction

Tuesday evening. Can't get there from here even though I took this from the crosswalk. There are paths cut in the snow elsewhere to get through.

Back to Tuesday morning

Another tight path through the snow on East Front Street. This one was only shoulder-high.

Looking down Richmond Street from East Front

Tuesday morning. Snowpack on the roads, slippery, snowbanks blocking pedestrians at intersections, some sidewalks not done.

It's shoveled ... really!

Tuesday morning heading to the train station. It is shoveled, but far from clear. Wind gusts kept sending more snow over it. But, due to parked cars, the street is too narrow to dare walk in unless I have to.

Plainfield Police Station

New Year's eve at about 6 PM as I headed home from work.

Dawn

Looking down Watchung Avenue as the sun rises.

Church Street

Thursday morning, still in bad shape.

Dawn on East Front

Thursday morning and the lights were on.

Dawn in da 'hood

Friday morning. East Front Street

AHEM ... sidewalk?

East Second Street on Saturday afternoon. This is a sidewalk, Plainfield! SHEESH!

A partridge in a pear tree?

Well, I know it's not a partridge, nor is that a pear tree. But I have no clue what the bird is -- he has touches of orange and sings a pretty song. I couldn't get close due to snow obstruction. Bridgewater, NJ.

Unacceptable

Plainfield thinks that NJ Transit should shovel this and NJ Transit thinks Plainfield should. As a result, no one does. Look, Plainfield ... there are parking meters on it. You charge people to park there. You shovel the walks on North Avenue except this stretch ... every year, every snowstorm. Buck up and take responsibility!

Stranded in the snow

It's a good thing the storm hit after Christmas. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Solitary man

A man waits alone for a New Jersey Transit bus on Watchung Avenue on Thursday evening.

Not much better on Friday morning

Path to handicapped ramp at the train station.

Snow Removal

Taking it away in front of the Post Office on Thursday morning ... FOUR days after the storm. Watchung Avenue.

East Front Street Business District sidewalk

Friday morning.

So much for that shortcut!

I usually cut through the U-Haul lot on my way to the train station. East Front Street, Plainfield.

"No Parking When Street is Covered With Snow"

Ahem. Why don't they tow the snowbirds? Some of these cars have been sitting on this main drag (East Front Street) for almost a year without moving. Due to the cars parked on the street, the plowed area is narrow and two trucks/buses coming at each other from opposite directions have to creep through. BTW -- that is the bus I'd take into Manhattan if I were heading to Manhattan. Dis is my 'hood. And I want the street really cleared!

Shame on 612 East Front!

They were the ONLY people on the entire side of the long block where I live who didn't shovel their walk! It still wasn't shoveled as of yesterday although some brave people trampled a path through it. This is the same house whose summer landscapers start up horrible noise early summer mornings and throughout the fall with their leaf blowers. Hello? Snow ... people need to walk through here! Shame on you!

Happy New Year!

An abandoned noisemaker on the sidewalk outside of a bar on Church Street. Saturday morning.

Vincent's not impressed with the snow

He's comfy watching television.

Happy New Year, everybody!

Happy New Year!

My best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year for everyone who's been a part of the community we've built here on the blog. If not for the readers and commenters turned friends, this blog wouldn't be a home.

I'll be posting my Sunday photo post with a bit of reflection on the year gone by and lots of snow photos. That's because one person kept wanting snow pictures, you see.

Oh. And Vincent the cat always hopes everyone has a purrfect New Year.

Southland - 'Let It Snow' - Season 3 Premiere Preview

I just finished watching my screener copy of the season premiere of Southland thanks to the kind folks at TNT. The show is set to air on Tuesdays at 10 PM ET/PT starting on January 4. With the weather here on the East Coast, it can only be a bit amusing that the episode title is "Let It Snow," eh?

I like this show. The creative staff on Southland are the same folks behind the NYPD-based police drama Third Watch. It's a bit grittier and more graphic perhaps than that show, but many series are these days. However, while many police dramas are either "just the facts" or boast characters who have odd quirks which make them a bit implausible (yes, L&O: Criminal Intent and Detroit 1-8-7 -- shows I enjoy, but ...), Southland has police characters I myself have known over the years.

The Superman on the job isn't always the real Superman. Sometimes he's just a hot-dogger. Police might have that thin blue line, might at times seem to be a separate society, but in the final determination ... they're human. They have warts, personal demons, personality clashes with their co-workers just like anyone else. Often coming into the job with rose-colored glasses, cynicism might change them over the years. But they don't necessarily have to develop odd quirks. They just need to be human. That's what this show does very right.

So, we have believable characters, what else do we need?

Action.

And we get plenty of it in the Southland setting. The city has a million cop stories to be told. The storytellers on this show could easily go years. I only hope the ratings keep things going. Since NBC canceled the show after its first season and TNT picked it up, I've enjoyed it more. They seem to have a bit more leeway with content.

I realize I haven't talked much about the episode itself. But I don't really want to spoil it. If you like police dramas; if you like good characters combined with riveting action ... tune in next Tuesday. Oh. And there's snow, too. No, that's not unrealistic. I recall when I was a child in Southern California it actually snowed once. It didn't last long, but there it was.

Are you watching Southland?

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - December 26, 2010

It's Sunday morning, the day after Christmas, and time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken. No, that's not a run-on sentence. Is it?

The weather and time restraints worked against me once again this past week. Again we had bitter cold temperatures coupled with gusty winds. I'm talking just about every day! I didn't make it into the city -- my knee is bad in the cold and it would be too much walking around. As a consolation, I pulled up a few old holiday shots I took in Manhattan for you.

While we didn't have a white Christmas here, we're in a blizzard warning right now lasting until 6 PM tomorrow according to the the National Weather Service. Oy! I don't really have to go out today. But I am supposed to head to work tomorrow morning! Today I will hang inside and watch the Southland screeners sent to me by TNT. I should be posting a bit on them later on.

I had a fairly quiet, uneventful, yet exceedingly pleasant holiday. I hope everyone enjoyed their day! Vincent got some cat treats, some cat toys and plenty of attention. He's so different than he was last year at this time. Instead of being lanky, he's very solid -- not really overweight, but he better stop gaining weight!

In local news, the city administrator fired last week by the Mayor had her baby early. However, she's not unemployed as she was when I last posted. The City Council voted unanimously to override the Mayor's decision. Now there's scuttlebutt about tossing the Mayor. Don't you just love politics?

Onto the photos for the week ... not a heck of a lot of 'em. Clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window.

O Christmas Tree

The Plainfield tree lights the night on Watchung Avenue in front of City Hall. It's cold, so no one is out there. Well, except for the crowd of drunks hanging outside the liquor store on the corner.

A white Christmas?

I noticed this little snowbank in front of Heard One on Church Street in Plainfield. Huh? What's up with that? Are we talking a tiny two-foot wide snowstorm or what? You can see the train station in the background. That's where I was headed. No snow there!

Chicken vs. Chicken

Kind of like the old Spy vs. Spy in MAD Magazine, we have dueling chicken -- Pollo Campero vs. Royal Chicken. Although this is only about a five-minute walk from my apartment, I have yet to try Pollo Campero. I've tried Royal. Eh. I like their snowcones on hot summer days, but the chicken is only so-so. Pollo Campero seems to be doing a good amount of business. I will eventually check them out. East Front and Roosevelt, Plainfield, NJ.

Oh, those colors!

For the first time ever, I was inside of a totally empty (well, except for the driver) New Jersey Transit bus. I had to shoot it. Notice the camera dome in the rear filming me as I shoot up the bus. This was coming home from work (after the train) on Christmas Eve.

Not only was it empty, it was a weird trip. The driver was one I had never seen before. As he drove along, his cell phone rang. So, although it's way illegal, he answered it and started talking away. That's when I decided to take the photo. Well, I looked up and noticed darkened factories out the window. What? He missed a turn and was heading out East Fifth Street when he needed to cut over to East Second!

"Excuse me, I think you missed the turn at Richmond."
"Oh. I don't really know this route," he hangs up his phone.
"You can take a left at the next intersection -- that should be Berckman."

Instead, he decided to do a K-turn in the middle of the street. Now, this is a full-sized NJ Transit bus, mind you. It took him almost five minutes going back and forth in a two-lane street which wasn't as wide as the bus. Traffic backed up in both directions. Yikes! I made it home alive. That's a good thing.

Old photo warning ahead ...

Macy's holiday window in Manhattan

Yes, it moved. No, I didn't take video.

EEK! A Grinch!


Skaters at Rockefeller Center

Plainfield Train Station lamps

Taken with the "illustrator" filter on my Pentax digital camera.

A sliver of sunset

Plainfield Train Station.

For some odd reason, I saw a lot of abandoned items this week. As I tend to be intrigued by oddities, I had to shoot them --

Aww

Somewhere a sneaker is pining for his solemate

Not only abandoned, but murdered.

Bridgewater Train Station.

Holiday stars

At the YWCA on East Front Street

A perfectly good grocery cart

In front of Richmond Towers on East Front Street

Four HUGE bags of salad vegetables

Frozen on a bench in Bridgewater, NJ. I don't know know why. Perhaps they were left for Santa Claus?

A poinsettia

No, it's not growing out the brick wall. It's a plastic one stuck in a crevice. I shot this one with my cell phone, so the quality is a bit lacking. Bridgewater, NJ.

Was abandoned, but never will be again ...


Vincent has a home for life. I think he knows it.

How was your holiday? And what's the weather doing where you live?

Merry Christmas!

Survivor: Nicaragua - Season Finale Blog Party Post

Survivors Ready?

Welcome one, welcome all! The blog party is ready to start! The Sunday night East Coast football curse strikes the timing of the show just as it did for most of The Amazing Race. I expect things to start about 20 minutes late. I'm SO happy I don't have to stay up to write up the three hours for TV Squad although I miss the income from that.

Everyone is welcome to join in with comments as the show airs here on the East Coast or even later in West Coast time. As the show airs, I'll post major events here, but the real fun and most of the reactions are in the comments section. See you there! I'll bring Trader Joe's Veggie Sticks and the Guinness.

8:18 PM ET. It's finally starting.

YES! Fabio wins immunity!

Dan was voted out.

2nd Immunity -- Holly out, Chase out. Whoa, Fabio got it again!

Sash, Chase and Fabio voted out Holly. (She voted Sash.) A good move for Fabio, methinks. I don't think Sash has jury votes. Chase is iffy.

Dan and Marty voted Fabio, Alina and Brenda voted Chase.

The vote:
Fabio, Chase, Fabio, Chase, Chase, Chase, Fabio, Fabio, FABIO!

Fabio wins!

New rule for the show -- No longer will any quitters necessarily go on the jury. The show will reserve the right to "do what they want with them." Good.

Most votes ever, biggest percentage ever, no one close ... Jane won the $100 grand for the favorite player.

NEW SEASON: When voted out, live on Redemption Island, one person will reenter the game after surviving the others coming in.

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - December 19, 2010

It's Sunday morning once again. Huh. Funny how that goes, eh? It's like we have a Sunday once a week or so. But ... since it is Sunday morning, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by both in words and photos I've taken.

Once again, the weather here wasn't all that conducive to taking photos. I can't really use my gloves when shooting and need to keep the camera bundled up a bit in the cold so that the batteries don't die too quickly. For the majority of the week, the temperatures were below what they should be and we had fairly heavy winds as well. Grr.

Although we've had all of this super-cold weather, with the exception of a light dusting of snow one night, we're probably looking at a not white Christmas this year here. But I'm sure the temperatures will be seasonably cold!

I've been way swamped at work and I'm looking forward to actually having a weekend off next weekend as much for rest as for the holiday itself. Well, maybe not as much, but ...! I'm also working a shortened 4-day work week, so that will be nice. I'm tossing around the idea of heading into the city either Wednesday or next Sunday. However, it will all depend on fatigue levels and how cold it is. If it's like it's been with gusty winds and extreme cold, I may just stay in.

Things are still quiet here with the rowdy neighbors (Greta Garbo's Home for Wayward Boys and Girls) gone. I've noticed that the hallway smells like real home cooking once again instead of Chinese food. I hadn't connected that odor with them, but it must have been. With the heat on, all windows closed, I now come home to the smells of good dinners cooking, cookies baking and such. It's almost enough for me to want to knock on the door. "Remember, you invited me over sometime. I smell cookies, so now is the time!"

Onto the photos I've taken this week. I have nothing all that artsy for you, but I do have one special shot. I'll put that one up first. Clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window.

Here's the money shot of the week (for regular blog readers, at least) --

Look who I found ...

ROOFUS!

It's been months since I've seen him and I was sure he was gone for good. Of course, he can't get up on the roofs anymore as they tore down the building he used to access them. Although I've peeked in the old Budget Car Rental office building where he was holed up on and off, I haven't seen him in ages. Well, there he was on Saturday morning, looking healthy, clean and almost a bit chubby!

This was taken through a dirty and frosty window and he zoomed away shortly after I got the one shot. Also, the reflection of the rocky gravel-ish parking lot shows. I didn't see the grey cat that I previously saw with him, but I'd bet he's there too. So he's still around and obviously being fed. Yay! Gavett Place, Plainfield.

When the cat's away ...

The birds have taken over the Chotola apartment building! Actually, they're not always there. With the temperatures so cold, the morning sun heats up the front of the building a bit. You know Roofus wouldn't have put up with this! North Avenue, Plainfield.

Just a light dusting

Not long after sunrise on Tuesday morning, the snow hangs in there on the eastbound track of the Plainfield Train Station.

Free parking, free commentary

Folks from The 'field will get this one. The seasonal free parking bags are covering the meters and one city administrator got her termination notice effective on Christmas day, a week before she was scheduled to go on maternity leave. I'm basically an observer of politics in town, but this one's gonna be a brouhaha for sure.

PS: I should note that I edited the photo to add the words in black print.

Squirrel Claus, please bring me nuts.
I've been good.

And this pizza from the Dumpster is frozen and icky! East Front Street, Plainfield.

Two in the bush ... again.

I don't really want one in my hand. He'd probably peck me! East Front Street, Plainfield.

A killing frost?

Without a doubt, the light dusting of snow murdered these bicycles at the Bridgewater Train Station.

The 'hood shot

Even though all was coated with snow when I peeked out at about 11:30 Monday night, the wind blew most of it away before I headed out to the train station in the morning.

But the street is half-closed!

No, not due to the dusting of snow. Further down, back past my apartment building, it looks like there was a water main break or something. I didn't notice it the morning of my shot (because I didn't walk that way!). But walking home that way after dark I noticed several huge, perhaps 3-feet, 2-feet high, piles of chopped up ice and ice all along the one side of the street.

Oh. And there's a cute bunch of little PSEG flags marking something. They're gathered in a group, so maybe it's just a meeting. The shot above was taken at Richmond and East Front Streets.

Ice, Ice Baby

Okay, can you tell the real icicles from the radioactive NJ corrosion icicles? I know, they're not really radioactive. They're stalactites, I know. But I prefer to think of them as radioactive as they're around all summer. I know I don't like them dripping on me! Under the Bridgewater Train Station overpass. Yes, they did some woodwork under the bridge. But that doesn't stop the radioactive icicles!

Furious wind-driven snow flurries

Westfield in the Trader Joe's parking lot Monday evening.

I love my Westfield Trader Joe's!

Of course, if there was a Plainfield one, I'd love it more. I've heard rumors and innuendo, but nothing concrete. It's a different shopper-base, but I think they could do decent business in town. Unlike Wegman's (which I adore, too), the prices are more reasonable and they don't need a ton of space.

Oh my

One of the Westfield Train Station Christmas trees was so battered by the wind that its lights started slipping down. It's a wonder they weren't blown off. This was Monday night when all of a sudden the temperature must have dropped twenty degrees and we had wind gusts over 40 MPH.

Pink is the new Westfield

I have no clue why the street has a pinkish hue. I blame that store. East Broad Street, Westfield.

This is just sad

To be fair, the bottom half of the window lights up sporadically, but rarely top and bottom at the same time. North Avenue, Plainfield.

Much better

Finally I got a shot of the home kitty-corner from the other elaborately decorated house on the corner of East Front and Richmond Streets. This is the one that was always either off or it was daylight with the kids waiting for their school bus.

The "rude" light is at it again

Not quite the holiday color scheme -- Watchung Avenue, Plainfield.

Skritch-scratch time

Vincent likes to have his chin scratched, behind his ears scratched, being petted, etc., etc. He has really turned out to be a great companion. I'm glad he chose me.

Stop back later for the big Survivor season finale blog party! At least, with TV Squad not assigning me the reviews of the show, I don't have to worry about being up for half the night writing up a three-hour show.

Survivor: Nicaragua - December 15th Episode Blog Party Post

Survivors Ready?

Welcome one, welcome all! The blog party is ready to start! Everyone is welcome to join in with comments as the show airs here on the East Coast or even later in West Coast time. As the show airs, I'll post major events here, but the real fun and most of the reactions are in the comments section. See you there!

Look out, it's the product placement family episode! Chase won reward and chose Sash and Holly after telling Fabio he would choose him. @@

Yay! Fabio won immunity!

Chase and Sash both played their idols. Jane voted out.

The Amazing Race - Season Finale Blog Party Post

Sigh, football again even for the season finale! I'm not a football fan at all to begin with and it really bugs me that CBS constantly schedules full episodic television on nights they KNOW the games run over. They ought to juggle the schedule and, if need be, schedule the football until 8 PM with commentary or whatever and lose a show on Sunday nights.

TAR is delayed by about a half-hour here in the NYC viewing area. Once it starts, as it airs here, I'll update this post with major happenings. Later tonight (or at least by morning) my show review should be posted over on TV Squad. But the real fun will be during showtime right here in the comments area. Everyone is welcome to join in! I'd like to see either Brook/Claire or Nat/Kat win, but all three teams going into this finale are strong!

NAT AND KAT HAVE WON THE AMAZING RACE!

Jill and Thomas haven't even gotten to the final task yet. Brook and Claire almost to the final pit stop.

Brook and Claire, number 2.

Jill and Thomas in, didn't show them doing the final task.

Wow! Next season's "Unfinished Business" looks like a bunch of great teams including some from this season!