The Amazing Race Season Premiere Blog Party and Pool

Well, this season surely sneaked up on us! On ME, anyway. As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll post the major happenings live. Refresh the page to get the latest! However, as it always is ... the real party is in the comments area. Please join in on the fun! (And bring tasty beverages and snacks!)

The Magnificent Margo (and Mom) have made the random picks for the blog pool and here they are ...
Tyler & Korey-P- Paula Bell, Bruce & Ray, SueGee
Burnie & Ashley- Buzzmaam, Delee
Erin & Joslyn- Brian, Margo, Rbennie
Sheri & Cole- Donna in FL, Merrilee, Becky
Zach & Rachel- Sharon N, Nana in NW
Dana & Matt- Grandi, Nicklepeed
Jessica & Brittany- Donna in AL, Monty924
Marty & Hagan- Jackie, Willie J
Scott & Blair- Meb, Jennasmom
Kurt & Brodie- David, Ed in OH
Cameron & Darius- chrob61, PDXGranny

Amazing Race fans ready? Let's GO!

Teams get texts telling them to meet in Mexico City. I still have no clue who these social media influential people are! They're all leaving from their homes across the country to the nearest airports. That's different. It was a spur of the moment text. Obviously, they knew they were to be on the show, but had no idea how it will start.

Since they're all in the same fields such as YouTube and Vine, they're all recognizing each other.

I'm still dazed and confused.

They immediately run into a Detour -- Mariachi Madness, they have to find a musician faking it. Great Balls of Fire has them making a fireworks fake bull thingee. Heh. Most, if not all, teams are getting lost trying to get to the Detour sites. There are hundreds of mariachi players. It's one of those needles in a haystack challenges.

A few teams have made through the mariachis, so that might be easier than building the bull fireworks thingee.

The clue leads them to a place with staggered starting times ten minutes apart. It's a Roadblock - "Who's ready to pick up the pieces?" They have to search through an archaeologic dig site down in a cave, find 13 mask pieces and assemble a mask.

Dana and Matt are the first ones heading off to the Pit Stop. Tyler and Korey are on their tails. The doctor father guy is way lost. He came above ground and lost his pieces.

Pit Stop:
1. Dana and Matt
2. Tyler and Korey
3. Zach and Rachel
4. Cameron and Darius
5. Brodie and Kurt
6. Burnie and Ashley
7. Brittany and Jessica
8. Marty and Hagan
9. Sheri and Cole
10. Erin and Joslyn
11. Scott and Blair -- NON-PHILIMINATION LEG!

All teams are still in it!

The Amazing Race: Meet the Cast

Due to my silly misconception of the season premiere's date (it's actually THIS FRIDAY and I thought it was NEXT Friday), I don't really have time to go in depth on the teams. I have looked through their videos on the CBS website. For such big social media influencers, the only one whose YouTube channel is vaguely familiar to me is the dancing tutorial one. And, it's vaguely, real vaguely familiar -- I looked up how to shuffle some time back. Don't ask me to shuffle.

While several of these teams look strong, they all look young. Only one person on the race looks over 40 and he doesn't seem to be involved in social media; his daughter is the "star." I'm not saying I won't like the teams. I often like young teams. I'm not saying I won't like the season. I probably will enjoy it. I just prefer to watch a bit more diversity in age and backgrounds.

Here's the cast introduction from Phil:

Don't forget the cut-off for the blog pool is tomorrow (Thursday)! Please don't sign up on this here post. Use the blog pool opening post linked here to join in on the fun!

Also, the Survivor blog pool is open and you can go to that sign up post to join there. The deadline for that one is Monday.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong Blog Pool OPENS!

Come one, come all! Survivor is coming! That Lovable Lifeguard Laurie has once again volunteered to watch the pool for us. If I've never mentioned it before, she rocks. Right?

If you want in on the blog pool for this season, please leave your name in the comments on this post only! If you comment elsewhere, it could very well be missed.

The season premiere is Wednesday, February 17 at 8pm ET/PT. The deadline for signing up for the pool will be Monday (February 15) at 6pm ET.

How it all works:

• Lifeguard Laurie makes random picks for us.
• We cheer on our random pick until their torch gets snuffed or they go on to be the sole Survivor.
• There is no wagering nor passing of monies in this blog pool! 
• The winner(s) reserve the bragging rights for eternity ... or, at least until the next season starts.
• If you're posting anonymously, you do need to come up with a sign-off name for your comments. 

So ... who wants to jump in the pool? The water's fine -- no rats or snakes yet!

The Amazing Race Pool OPENS!

Oh my goodness -- for some bizarre reason deep within my own whacko mind, I was under the impression that The Amazing Race was making its season premiere next Friday, after Survivor's Wednesday premiere. Oh noes! It's THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12 sat 8pm ET/PT! My apologies for not getting the cast posts and pool posted before. Over the next few days I'll post on the cast. But, let's get this pool in motion!

For those interested, the Survivor: Kaoh Rong pool opening post will go up Wednesday, February 10 -- please come back to sign up for that pool on its own post.

The Magnificent Margo is once again in charge of the blog pool! We all know how much she rocks!

Here's how the blog pool works --

• Blog readers are randomly matched with a team
• They can cheer on that team until the team gets Philiminated or win the million!
• There is no wagering! We're playing for the bigger stuff of life here -- bragging rights!
• If you wish to be in on the pool, please sign up in comments in THIS POST ONLY. If you ask on another post, it could be inadvertently missed.
• The cut-off for getting in on the pool will be Thursday, February 11 by 6pm ET.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - Meet the Cast Part Four

I've already taken a look at the Brains and Beauty tribes we'll be seeing on the new season of Survivor -- premiering February 17 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS. On Wednesday I'll be posting the sign-up entry for the blog pool. Please stop back to sign up for the pool. Please sign up ONLY on that post because if you sign up elsewhere, your request might be missed!

Onto the Brawn ...

Scot Pollard is 40 years old and resides in Carmel, IN. He's an ex-NBA champion. I don't really follow basketball, so I'm not familiar with him. He does have some sort of championship ring. I guess he was good. But, what will he bring to Survivor? Let's see ... hmm ... in his bio, he's reminding me of Bruce Springsteen's 'Glory Days' -- he's very hung up on his NBA career, but doesn't speak of what he's all about lately other than his family. He claims he's in it for the money more than anything else. Oh my. I hope he invested well during his big money years. I predict we'll see tears from him if he's still in the game by the time it's the loved ones visit. He claims to be loud. I might not like that.

Cydney Gillon is 23, a bodybuilder hailing from Douglasville, GA. Although bodybuilding is her passion, it does seem like she has higher goals in mind. She mentions that she would like to win the money to pay off college and medical school loans. So, she's not just all about the brawn. She talks of wishing she could bring tweezers because her eyebrows go all crazy. We'll have to watch for that! She thinks she's most like previous winner Tony in that she will build some solid relationships and concentrate on playing the game all during the game. I kind of like her chances. I'm worried about the fact that she claims to be very opinionated yet tact will be a huge part of her win. Huh. It's hard to be tactfully opinionated. Does she realize that?

Kyle Jason is a 31 year-old bounty hunter currently residing in Detroit, MI. He's ex-Army. I wonder if we'll see some sort of Patriotic Pact if both he and Caleb Reynolds make it past the merge? Oooh ... he doesn't like "one-uppers"! I already posted that I didn't care for one new castaway claiming a hobby is "one upmanship." Fight! Fight! Ahem. Uh-oh. He thinks he'll be most like Russell Hantz in his gameplay. I hope his social game is better or he'll be securing a loss. He's right about Russell actually playing the game, though. He's in this for the money for his family which includes an autistic child and lots of medical bills. Since he "lies for a living," he thinks he'll do well. He's also watched the show since the first season. I'll have to see what he's like in action. I do kind of like him. I don't know why -- maybe because he just seems to be an Average Joe Working Dude.

Jennifer Lanzetti is 38, a contractor currently living in Salt Lake City, UT. She's gone through endometriosis, cancer and drug addiction. She also has an engineering degree and her own construction technology company. She might have more brains than some of the Brains! Heh. She enjoys riding motorcycles and eating good food. I doubt she'll see much of that on the show! She thinks she's "blunt, not fragile and a bad-ass chick." Hmm. It's good that she's not fragile, but the other two traits might cause her some issues in the game. She'd like the money so (at least in part) she can adopt children and start a family. Her chances for surviving might be good as long as she can harness her bluntness and "tough girl" attitude so that she doesn't alienate her fellow castaways.

Darnell Hamilton is 27, a postal worker from Chicago, IL. Coming from a rather impoverished background, he worked his way through college graduating with a respectable 3.47 grade average. Since he lists wishing he could bring a pack of cigarettes, we might see some withdrawal pangs. Uh-oh. He seems to feel he has a lot to prove and that winning the game and being the ultimate Survivor might be more important to him than the money. He's determined to overcome his past. I don't know. Does he not realize that his past has made him the man he is today and that winning Survivor, while very cool, won't change the man he is? I think he's going to try very hard for the win. But I'm not so sure of his overall chances. My personal thoughts on him from reading his bio is that he should be proud of who he is and that he doesn't need a steenkin' reality show to prove it.

Alecia Holden is 24, a real estate agent currently residing in Dallas, TX. Well, that's surely a brawny-related career, huh? I guess her brawn rating comes from her adventurous streak -- bungee jumping, swimming with sharks, hang-gliding, sky diving, hanging out with uncaged tigers and such. I'm not too sure risk-taking and adventurism spell out BRAWN. But I don't make these casting decisions. She's a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie. Now, that could be good on the show for the most part. Unfortunately, she likens herself to previous castaway Kass. Yikes. I certainly hope her social game is better! She seems to live by the motto "No Guts, No Glory" and definitely has the ambition to win it all. With her, I think all will hinge on her social game rather than her abilities to play the physical game. The latter should be no problem.

Survivor fans ready?

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - February 7, 2016

Good morning! It's Sunday. You know what that means -- it's time for my weekly reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. This past week I was on a staycation and I really did that. I stayed inside my apartment most of the time, just taking some walks to the local bodega and around my neighborhood. I really needed the rest and cocoon time. Between the weather issues (winter) and a rather slim budget, I didn't really want to go anywhere anyhow. So, it was all for the best. I'm relaxed, rested and ready to face the work week tomorrow. Um, well. I'm relaxed and rested, anyway.

A few random notes:

• I got my downstairs neighbor to oil his horrific screeching, squealing and moaning door hinges. I don't know. If my door was making noises like his was (for months), I would have fixed it long before someone complained to me about it. He doesn't work, yet comes and goes all day long into the night. Every time he opened and closed his door, I'd get the horrible sound and my floor near my door would actually vibrate. Heck, when my own deadbolt made noise due to humidity at one time, I took care of it figuring it would bother others. A little consideration is a good thing.
• My across the hall neighbor Joe, taken away by ambulance in the middle of the blizzard, is back at home. I'm glad he's well enough to be at home once again. I'm sure he is, too. A hospital is no place for sick people! 
• The weatherman says there is a chance of snow for four out of the five workdays ahead. Gah. I'm over it.
• They demolished my favorite store, Trader Joe's in Westfield, due to its roof collapse in the blizzard a few weeks ago. They say they will rebuild in the same location. That can't come soon enough.
• I didn't get all the things I hoped to get done this week. Hopefully, I'll live long enough to retire and really have time. I basically goofed off all week.
• One thing I did do was start on posting for the upcoming season of Survivor. You can find those posts at this link. I'll be posting the sign up link for the blog pool later this week and should finish the casting posts tonight. That is, unless I goof off more. 
• I'll also be posting the cast posts for the new season of The Amazing Race this week.

Onto the photos I took this week. There aren't a ton as I really goofed off! Clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

After Friday's snow

The sun came out and made everything look like a Currier and Ives winter scene. I took this shot on East Front Street, looking through the side lot of a church to the homes over on East Second Street. That fenced area used to hold a playground for a school based in the church. That was very annoying when they let all the kids out to scream play in the playground daily. All of the playground equipment was removed and now it's much more peaceful in the 'hood. However, the church across the street has some sort of pre-school and playground. I don't hear them from here, though.

Snow fog in the rain?

On Wednesday we had rain and temperatures near sixty degrees. The combination of those and all the snow brought about a phenomenon called sublimation. I didn't know the term, but local blogger Bernice took photos of the same thing and researched it in her blog entry. She likened it to sea smoke, albeit snow smoke. I think I prefer the latter term myself. For a while I thought there was something awry with my vision as the haze covered the ground. This shot was taken on East Front Street in Plainfield.

Trees in the snow

I took this shot looking out the window more towards the back of the yard next door as snow fell. It's a freakin' winter wonderland woodsy scene.

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

Michael Skupin - What is Wrong With People?

I feel let down. If I feel let down, the producers and those whose livelihoods depend on Survivor must feel horrified. The news that Michael Skupin, a two-time castaway on the show, has been arrested on ELEVEN felony charges. It's bad and crooked enough that it all started with him running a Ponzi pyramid scheme. Anyone in his right mind would know that those things come crashing down no matter how much money is made at the start.

But, allegedly I might add, when the police investigated his computers during the pyramid scam, they found child pornography. I don't know what to say. We've seen numerous reality television people arrested for drugs, DWI and other things over the years. But, to me, this is horrific.

Skupin claimed that he earns a living motivational speaking and even has a self-help book out on the market. He has seven children. I can't imagine what his family is going through. I don't know what's wrong with some people. Apparently, there's a lot going wrong with Skupin.

I'm incredibly disappointed.

A few links to news articles about the arrest:
From people.com
From WDIV Detroit
From TMZ.com

If you do a search, there are several articles online about his arrest. Horrible press as the new season is set to start. However, I certainly don't blame the show or its staff. I blame Skupin. What a jerk.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - Meeting the Cast Part Three

LET'S MEET THE BEAUTY!

In my last post, I explored the Brains tribe. In this one, I check out all those shiny happy beautiful people.

Ahem.

We have a 19 year-old? Huh? Julia Sokolowski is a college student currently residing in Boston, MA. Interesting. I wonder how she got on as most of the castaways are 21 or older. Hmm. For her age, she seems to have had more adventures than many older folks have had in a lifetime. She has hiking skills, worked for Habitat for Humanity (which will come in handy a bit with making a shelter), has had worldwide travel experiences and believes she has excellent social skills. I liked her bio. I can see possibilities here. But, then again, I could be dead wrong.

Nick Maiorano is 30. a personal trainer and lives in Redondo Beach, CA. It seems to me that a lot of personal trainers end up on reality television. Apparently, like bartenders (er, mixologists), they can take time off from their work. Of course, folks claiming to be personal trainers are usually in good shape and Nick seems to fit that bill. His bio indicates he's tried out for the show before as he said, "I didn't have a hero the last time I applied and still don't." He likens himself to Courtney Yates or Jonathan Penner, though claiming to be more "socially intelligent" than either of them. I'm not sure how much I'll like this guy. It could very well go the other way with me. We'll see.

Michele Fitzgerald is 24, a bartender from Freehold, NJ. (What did I just say about bartenders?) So, she's a Jersey Girl living in a place famous for horse racing and Bruce Springsteen. Yep, that's Freehold for you. Her inspiration in life is um ... well, er ... Harry Potter. Okaaaay. Whatever floats her boat, I guess. Did she understand the question? On the plus side, she thinks she's most like Parvati Shallow and has watched every season of the show. She also enjoys rock-climbing which can be physically challenging. Has she a chance of being the sole Survivor? Nah, I don't think so.

Tai Trang is 51 years old, a gardener living in San Francisco, CA. Well, he's a bit different. He's so thin that I wonder if he stays the 39 days, will he be a walking skeleton? He has an interesting backstory -- hailing from Vietnam when the war was on, becoming a refugee, one of eleven children and it sounds like all the trials and tribulations have enriched his life rather than take away from it. In general, he seems to want to be a "nice guy" finishing last in the game. Now, the show isn't always geared to the nice guys. It's very rare that they win. But, if his stamina is as good as he thinks it is, it seems like he has lots of good traits which might secure, if not a win, a place after the merge ... especially if he comes across as no physical threat yet does okay on challenges.

Anna Khait is a 26 year-old professional poker player from Brooklyn, NY. Now, I can't think of any poker casinos in Brooklyn, NY. Hmm. (She better not be another Vanessa BB16 type.) She also plays handball. She claims that Princess Diana is her inspiration. Admirable, but how many years has it been since Diana has been gone? Nearly twenty years? I find her an odd inspiration for someone who was a small child when she died. Of course, it's more laudable than saying Harry Potter is her inspiration! She too thinks she's like Parvati. They can only wish, I say! She does seem to have some gumption and says she's "studied" the show. My jury is out with her.

Last, but certainly not least, we have dear Caleb Reynolds. All Big Brother fans know him, perhaps a bit too well. Let's just hope he doesn't fall in unrequited love during the season. I don't think I could take the stalking and pining again. Caleb is 28 and lives in Hopkinsville, KY. His bio lists his occupation as "Army veteran." Before he went on BB, he was working at Lowe's and, although he did serve in the Army for one hitch, there was a lot of controversy regarding his service, where and what he actually did. Of course, he's playing his service card full tilt. I know he originally applied for Survivor and ended up on Big Brother. It's possible he might do okay. It's also possible he'll go Beast Mode Cowboy and alienate the others. If nothing else, I'm sure he'll give us something to talk about!

Next up will be the Brawn. Stay tuned!