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**

BB18: Live Feeds into Sunday - September 4

What? I'll be on the block next week!

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Want a Waffle With That?:

• Okay, we all know Victor is HoH and he wants James out with a passion. After all, it's James who last evicted him.
• But, if Victor is HoH, we all know that Paul is HoH.
• It should go without saying.
• Corey won veto.
• We didn't see the veto comp itself on the live feeds. It was obviously a dirty veto comp and physical.
• They all talked about how Michelle would have done poorly in it.
• But they got rid of her.
• I guess Natalie gave 'em a run for the money in the veto.
• Now Nicole is pushing for Natalie to go instead of Victor's prime target James.
• Oh my.
• Paul took up her cause.
• His reasoning is that Natalie has come close to winning against Victor in more than a few comps. James has not done as well. Plus, if they pull a total blindside and evict Natalie on Thursday, James will be alone and bereft going into the HoH comp and lose.
• Corey is agreeable to it all.
• Victor is reluctant. But we all know he'll do what Paul wants until Paul puts that knife in his back for the win.
• In other news, Corey won a trip to Atlanta in the veto comp. How special is that?
• And, it yet other news, remember that Victor took Natalie aside and told her that she would be going on the block but wasn't the target this week? Well, James keeps telling her that once Victor sets his sights on a target, that's it.
• Guess what?
• Victor doesn't have a vote this week -- Corey, Paul and Nicole do.
• Victor is sure that, if James stays and wins HoH, it will be him and Corey on the block.
• Nicole thinks that, if Natalie stays and wins HoH (a better chance than James winning), she will be on the block and go home.
• Victor doesn't think Natalie is any threat to him while James is.
• But it's not his vote, not his decision.
• Meanwhile, James still feels the need to protect and mollycoddle Natalie.
• SHE HAS RUINED YOUR GAME, JAMES!
• Sheesh.
• Natalie turned on James, saying that she knew she would be going home and suggesting that James and Nicole had an alliance.
• She roughly threw James under the bus to the others.
• Keep in mind that no one has confirmed the "blindside" to her. She just suspects it.
• All along, James is sure he's the target.
• It's a lot of days between now and Thursday.
• We'll see.

The new target? Shh ...

Well, her hair always looks like that.

Will he stay? Too soon to tell, I say.

BB18: Live Feeds Power of Veto Winner - September 3

Nicole didn't win

Another day of doldrums. Another day of James being stupid, telling Natalie that if won veto, he'd take her off the block.

It doesn't matter.

Corey won the Power of Veto.

Goodbye, James

At least Paul didn't win

Yes, Corey won PoV

BB18: Live Feeds into Saturday Morning - September 3

Cap'n Crunch from the box

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Pain:

• Yes, pain.
• Pain because all involved in the HoH comp have sore hands and little cuts on their fingers.
• Pain because I'm watching them do nothing but cook, eat, and play dominoes.
• Pain because Natalie keeps fussing that she will miss James, can't win comps and no one talks to her (other than James).
• Pain because James keeps showing compassion to Natalie, the person he let lose him the game all summer.
• Other than James coaching Natalie what to do after he goes, there's no strategy talk.
• This is what boredom on video is, BB18 when there's no hope for excitement to come.
• If James or Natalie win veto and one gets taken off the block, there's no expectation that there will be a blindside and someone other than the remaining one will go home.
• Gah.

Paul never cooked before this summer

But they don't even talk to me!

The dudes

BB18: Live Feeds into Friday Evening, Nominations - September 2

You two did too much of this all summer

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Domino Daze:

• Oh, gee. James and Natalie slept most of the day away.
• Even when they were awake, they stayed away from the others.
• Of course, it's a lost cause at this point anyway.
• Natalie asked James if he threw last night's HoH comp.
• He told her he didn't.
• But, what of all of the ones he DID throw all summer long?
• Nicole, being the paranoid woman she is, worried if they made the right decision keeping Paul and Victor for the final four with her and Corey.
• It's also a little too late for that.
• Victor and Paul made it clear in the late night hours that James would be the target, Natalie would be the pawn this week.
• And, so it came to be.
• Natalie and James are on the block.
• One will go home even if the other is saved by the veto.
• In other news, the Chosen Final Four played dominoes peppered with loud profanity from the boys.
• I had to keep turning down the volume because I don't think my neighbors would appreciate such outbursts. 
• Ain't really got nuthin' else to say.

Comeback kid will need protection next week

Dominoes and profanity

BB18: Live Feeds into Friday - September 2

Who wants to see my HoH room?

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Goodbye Sweet Baby James:

• But first ... a quick recap of last night ...
• No one is a Have Not. Corey, James and Paul are the three who got the eggs in the safety basket. Natalie has her Never Not pass from her care package. And, Victor, who won the HoH is exempt from Have Not because of his win.
• James absolutely sucked at the comp with Paul sucking not far behind him.
• For the longest time Natalie, Corey and Victor were tied.
• An egg broke on Natalie's ramp which might have cost her the win, maybe not. It's egg under the bridge at this point.
• James had a sit-down with both Victor and Paul, explaining why he's voted the way he has, why he's aligned with whom he's aligned, etc.
• It was all very amicable and straightforward.
• But, too late and the explanations didn't reveal much Victor/Paul didn't already know.
• A key point for Victor/Paul is that James/Natalie switched their alliance to Corey/Nicole AFTER Victor ousted Paulie for the cause.
• James made a plea for them not to oust Natalie.
• They don't intend on doing so anyway.
• Both Victor and Paul want James out and pretty much told him so.
• After their talk with James, Victor went to Natalie to give her a heads up that she will be on the block but James is the target.
• So, the writing is on the wall. James, in his showmance stupor, has blown his second try for the BB win. Had he been focused on the game at hand instead of the showmance, he could have been a contender.
• Of course, James will have the chance to save himself with the veto ... and Natalie wants him to do just that. She seems to realize the win would mean more for him than for her.
• James told Natalie that, if she wins veto, she needs to take herself down.
• Mind you, the nominations technically haven't been announced yet.
• James is sure that Victor will be the next target after they go.
• Nicole is worried that James is talking trash about them.
• She doesn't have to worry. She won't go home this week, neither will Corey.
• But, after James and Natalie, they'll be next unless Victor gets the boot next week when he can't play for HoH.
• As James said to Natalie tonight, it's to the point where you win comps or you go home.
• James also advised Natalie to put up Nicole and Paul if she wins HoH next.
• In lighter news, Victor got dominoes in his HoH basket. That's more entertaining to watch than them playing chess.
• Paul has already settled into the HoH room, listening to the music and bopping around to it before Victor had a chance.
• Well, all I can say is ...
• Rockabye, sweet baby James. 

What does the fox say?

The writing is on the wall, James.

Dominoes came in Victor's HoH basket

Clearing the air won't help now

Stop pulling your leg hairs. Ew!

Oh, Jamesy, I can't play without you!

BB18: Chicken Wire Egg Endurance Comp - September 1

Once the live feeds return, I'll post updates on the comp here in this post. Refresh the post to see the latest news!

10:05pm ET -- Feeds still blocked.
10:10pm ET -- Still blocked.
10:20pm ET -- Same as above.
10:30pm ET -- Grr, still no live feeds.

You realize that if I make my way to the bathroom with my sprained ankle, they'll return.

10:39pm ET -- Feeds are on!

10:51pm ET - Unless I'm just not seeing it, I don't see any target letters down. I see a lot of lost eggs. Victor should be complaining about them wasting food.

I'm wrong.

10:54pm ET - Corey's in the lead with two letters and isn't a Have Not.

10:59pm ET - Victor got his second letter.
11:00pm ET - Natalie got her second letter.

James is not going to be a Have Not.

Both Natalie and Corey had close shots trying on the last letter.

One of Natalie's eggs broke on the ramp. Corey and Victor have had close calls on the last letter.

11:15pm ET - We went to Jeff loops, now back.
Jeff loops keep cutting in and out.

James hasn't hit one letter even. I think Paul has one.

11:25pm ET - The standings are:
     Paul - One letter down, NOT a Have Not
     James - No letters down, NOT a Have Not
     Corey - Two letters down, NOT a Have Not
     Victor - Two letters down
     Natalie - Two letters down

11:31pm ET - Paul got his second letter down

11:34pm ET - James finally knocked down his first letter.

11:39pm ET - Victor knocks over his last letter.

VICTOR HAS WON THE HOH!

Nicole says nobody is a Have Not. Natalie has her pass. Paul, James and Corey used the safety egg basket and, now with Victor as HOH, he escapes slop.

Thank you for coming by!

BB18: Live Eviction and HoH Show Blog Party - September 1

Are we ready for this? I know I'm SO ready!

As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll be constantly updating this entry. Refresh the page to get the latest news. As always, the real party is in the comments area -- come join in on the fun!

Here are the blog pool picks going into tonight's show:

Natalie Negrotti - Sharon N, Jackie P, QuixoticElf, Orkmommy

Corey Brooks - Fred aka TwoBlackAces, Barbara B. W., Dierdre, Cheryl in NC

Paul Abrahamian - Jackie, Arf Barf, WolfpackRed, chrob61

Michelle Meyer - Rich, Chase, Glenn, Anonymouse, Delee
Nicole Franzel - Kelsey NY, Grove Wiley, Nickelpeed, Sharon C  
James Huling - Becky, Donna in Alabama, Sharon S, Willie J
Victor Arroyo - Helenann2K, RBennie, Janice, Monty924

EVICTED
Glenn Garcia
Jozea Flores - Sasha, Merrilee, Tammy, Petals, JonMD1267
Bronte D'Acquisto - Jean in Tampa, elee86, Russ, Cheryl, Donna in FL
Tiffany Rousso - meb, SueGee, David, Jessica UNderwood
Frank Eudy - Dr_Celine, Dennis Comfort, Stephanie in Baltimore, PDX Granny

JURY
Da'Vonne Rogers - Donna in Alabama, uncartie, MarthaLight, Donna NY
Zakiyah Everette - Tilde, Jo C, Jenng326, Ayana, jennifer
Bridgette Dunning - Brian, Indiana Jane, Caela, Chauncey, Paula Bell
Paulie Calafiore - Joel, Chacha, Sally, Ed In Ohio, Buzzmaam

Let's get this party started!

Julie tells us how powerful Nicole is. It's truly sad that she isn't really thinking about her end game! Recap.

More talk about Nicole's power in the game. Corey talks of his bribe. He wants to make sure Michelle goes home (like that wouldn't happen anyway). Victor trusts her because she didn't use the veto and put him on the block.

Paul leads on Natalie and Michelle that neither he nor Victor have a clue who will go this week.

Back to the bribe. James suggests using the bribe to get someone to drop out of the HoH comp. Of course, James also thinks he's safe with Nicole and Corey. Nicole is super paranoid. Naturally, this whole segment leads into Corey deciding to offer Victor the bribe to vote out Michelle (which he was going to do anyway).

James is very disappointing this season. He's so sure of his own final four deal with Natalie/Corey and Nicole that he's ignoring the obvious moving in of Victor and Paul up there.

To the living room. Julie addresses their concerns about a double eviction. She tells them there won't be one tonight, nor any for the rest of the season.  They get to see video clips from home.

A segment on Victor returning and some background.

Onto the eviction:
Paul -- Friendship, kisses Michelle.
Michelle -- Awesome summer. Will cry if you evict me. Will go after Victor if he stays. Paul and Victor will win if you evict me.

The votes to evict:
Victor -- Michelle
Natalie -- Paul
Corey -- Michelle
James -- Paul

It's a tie. To Nicole for the tiebreaker. She votes out Michelle. She had a bad leaving blowing up Victor and Nicole's games (supposedly) and she stole Pablo, Paul's floatie pelican. She cries while watching the goodbye messages.

The HoH comp starts.  The backyard is a farm theme. It's called Poached Eggs. It's the maneuvering eggs with through chicken wire. They have to knock over three targets HOH. If they want not to be a Have Not, they need to get an egg in a basket. The first three to do so won't be Have Nots.

I'll be setting up a separate post to cover the comp (if shown) on the live feeds and/or the results.  

BB18: Live Feeds into Thursday - September 1

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Paul and Victor:

• I seriously have nothing new to report except that Corey decided what to do with his bribe he got in the care package.
• He's going to give it to Victor in return for voting out Michelle tonight.
• Um.
• Um.
• I guess that it doesn't matter that Victor was going to vote out Michelle tonight on his own volition anyway.
• I don't begrudge Victor the gift. But I do see it more of a gift than a bribe.
• It will top his winnings this season nicely ... because so many hamsters have played like dolts this season!
• If the two couples don't come to their senses, it will be Paul and Victor in the final two.
• If those two are the final two, Victor will be Victorious.
• And that 5 grand will help him buy a car with air conditioning atop of paying off student loans and helping out his mom.

BB18: Live Feeds into Wednesday Evening - August 31

I don't know how he even fits in there!

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Whatever, Dude:

• Once again, I don't have much for you.
• And, the not having much has nothing to do with my current condition of a sprained ankle.
• It's not me.
• It's them.
• Again today, they pretty much divided into two camps - Corey, Nicole, Victor and Paul in one group; Natalie, James and Michelle in another.
• Sure, they met up all together around the table in the kitchen for a while.
• But, of course, that's not the time to talk game.
• Paul reported to Victor/Nicole/Corey on his long late night talk with James, Natalie and Michelle.
• He embellished it a little when he talked about James being resigned and wanting to leave.
• But he did tell them the truth that he had held to his lie that he doesn't know how the vote will go down this week.
• Now, Victor mingled with all. But James seriously needs to mingle with Nicole! 
• Corey is still clueless what to do with his won bribe money.
• Hopefully tomorrow night's eviction and HoH will liven these hamsters up some!

Communal mouthwash? Ew!

Victor's togetherness with Corey & Nicole

BB18: Power of Veto Show Blog Party - August 31

Hamster watchers ready? Let's get this show going! 

As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll be constantly updating this entry. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area -- please join in on the fun there as we watch the show together!

Sitting through the recap. (I'll be sitting through the whole show with a sprained ankle.) 

Michelle didn't cry for the nominations. She's so proud of herself. Nicole wants Michelle gone, but seems uncertain which side she'll flow with after this week. James thinks that Paul is Nicole's target. She does nothing to let him know otherwise.

Corey is suggesting that he could bribe the veto winner, but he has no clue what he's going to do with the bribe. 

Have Not announcement time! Slop. seaweed and squid. The first two who fell in the HoH comp -- Corey and Victor -- are the lucky ones.

Veto player picks:
Natalie draws Victor.
Paul draws Houseguest's Choice -- Corey
Michelle draws James  

Michelle is suspicious because Paul picked Corey to play. 

Paul and Victor hang out in the HoH room, sealing the deal with Nicole/Corey. 

HoH Comp has a Christmas theme with live reindeer and all! They're elves who have to count everything in Santa's storerooms. They can stay or fold with their answers. They have to earn three candy canes to win. If they fold, they don't get a candy cane. If they're the furthest off, they're out.

Paul and Corey both fold. Victor out. James and Nicole each get a candy cane.

Corey, Paul and Michelle fold. It's between James and Nicole. James out. Nicole gets her second candy cane.

Corey throws it so Nicole can win ... answers a billion to names on list. Michelle earns a candy cane and Michelle gets her first candy cane. 

Paul folks, Nicole wins her third candy cane and wins the power of veto in the last round! 

Nicole is worried about keeping the best two competitors (Paul and Victor) in the house. 

James is concerned that Corey and Nicole voted out Victor last week and now they're buddy-buddy.  

Michelle has a pity party while Natalie applies make-up. 

Paul tells Nicole that he's okay with being on the block and trusts her. But then he makes a proposal that Natalie goes up in his place. Nicole wonders if he really trusts her or not. 

Veto meeting. She gives them both a chance to talk.
Michelle - Congrats on first veto. Do what you want.
Paul - Putting me on the block, not friendship. Taking me off, friendship

Nicole does not use the veto -- Paul and Michelle remain the nominees.

BB18: Live Feeds into Wednesday - August 31

I'd rather be with the boys

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Manic Depression:

• Once again, not a heck of a lot going on.
• These feeds need to liven up!
• Corey and Victor are the Have Nots this week. They went to bed.
• Nicole went to bed in the HoH room.
• That left the bizarre quartet of Paul, Michelle, Natalie and James up most of the night talking.
• While I don't think Paul is personable at all, he's definitely playing a good game.
• He has the other three convinced that he has no clue whether he's staying or going.
• We know that, unless James goes to Nicole and convinces her to vote Paul out somehow, Paul is staying.
• Nicole's dislike of Michelle will make that scenario very unlikely.
• But it wouldn't hurt James to try!
• While I, as a viewer of the feeds, have no problem with Michelle going -- she adds very little entertainment and is no real "superfan" of the show -- ousting her instead of Paul should be the wrong choice for anyone remaining in the house except Victor.
• The combination of Victor and Paul is dangerous for all of the others.
• There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

Convinced all he has no clue he's staying

Snacking in bed

Smiling until her next meltdown

BB18: Live Feeds into Tuesday Night - August 30

Having fun mocking Paul

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Unrequited Love:

• Same old, same old once again today.
• Nicole is insecure with her relationship with Corey.
• She seems to be shallowly basing the whole "love" on his looks. Sure, he's responded with some affection. But he originally went to the veterans in the beginning as a bit of a parasite, thinking they knew the game and he didn't. He didn't go because he fell for Nicole. I don't think he ever fell for her.
• Then there's Natalie.
• She's insecure, period. 
• And, she snaps at James often taking her frustrations out on him.
• I do think she likes him a lot, but not quite in the way he had hoped.
• I have a feeling James has many girl friends. Not girlfriends, mind you.
• He's incredibly patient and caring when someone is upset.
• But he's supposed to be there to play Big Brother!
• Oy.
• Natalie is worried that CBS will portray her as a villain.
• James told her they wouldn't because she's tied in with him and CBS would never ... FISH CAM.
• She told him she feels like the whole house has picked on her. He told her that while no one in the house picks on him, he had been picked on all through school. I don't doubt that.
• The only slightly interesting live feeds today had Victor doing his Nature Watch, analyzing all of the fellow hamsters with a fake British accent.
• Game talk?
• Very little of that today. 
• Or, as Victor put it to Paul, "Literally, no game talk today."
• Well, there was teensy bit of game talk. Corey and Nicole lamented that James hasn't even tried to approach them because he's too tied up with Natalie.

How many hours can a man sleep?

BB life is definitely easier on the singles

How I feel right now

James consoling Natalie once again

BB Nature Watch with Victor Arroyo

BB18: Live Feeds into Tuesday - August 30

Up all night with ... Paul

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Lackadaisical Loons:

• Well, Nicole has come to the realization that she and Corey just might not be the true love match she's been seeking.
• So, she cried a lot.
• Corey told Victor that he doubts he'll pursue the relationship outside of the house.
• Are you surprised? I'm not.
• In the James/Natalie lovefest there were also a few bumps in the road.
• With them, it ended up pretty much as I've said all season -- he's looking to settle down, she not so much. But, the difference between them and Nicole/Corey is that I can see them remaining dear friends for years to come.
• Natalie told him there are times she needs to be alone and that really has nothing to do with him.
• I can identify with those feelings!
• He told her that, if she gets angry at him, just to let him know.
• They ended up just about where they were before the discussion -- friends and confidants.
• Oh, and Nicole fell into Corey's arms once again. @@
• She's just setting herself up for heartbreak. While it's sad, she should have known not to have another showmance and not to expose herself to this once again.
• When is she going to realize that she doesn't NEED a man that bad? Wait until the right one comes along who cares as much about her as she does about him.
• Yeah, like I'm one to give love advice. I'm not. But it bugs me to see women who could stand on their own two feet in life so desperately seeking husbands. When they stop looking, a guy will come along for them.
• And, it's most likely not going to happen on a reality television show!
• In other couples news, we have the Odd Couple of the overnight hours -- Paul and Michelle.
• No, no kissyface or anything like that.
• They just stayed up and talked (amicably) most of the night when the others were in bed.
• Most of it was boring small talk, with Paul's grandiose ideals thrown in for good measure.
• I wish guys wouldn't address women they're talking to as "dude."
• A dude is male.
• Do they not teach that in school these days?
• If Paul ever called ME "dude" to my face, I'd just stop and say, "Excuse me? What did you call me? Do I look like a dude?"
• Sheesh.
• Maybe I'm just a bit grouchy. I fell last night and I'm full of aches and pains today. 
• I'll just take it out on Paul! That's the ticket!
• Back to them -- Nicole thinks Corey is just grumpy because he's on slop.
• Yeah, probably so.
• But he's just not that into you! Open your eyes!
• Corey did try to console Nicole's just about out of control sobbing.
• She cried because she can't cuddle with him at night (he's a Have-Not) to relieve the stress.
• Give me a break! 
• She thinks Michelle will taint the jury against her.
• While Michelle, James and Natalie get that Victor is always in HoH kissing butt with Nicole and Corey, they continue to do nothing about it. They could approach Nicole and Corey themselves, y'know.
• James and Company still think Paul is the target.
• Michelle isn't as certain as the other two. She's ready to go.
• Paul continued to say he's worried about staying or not in his long late night talk with Michelle.
• And on it goes.

Up all night with ... Michelle

Relationship later? Maybe.

Relationship later? Nope.