The Daily Bongo
August 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012 -- Evening
Bye-Bye Britney
I am too tired to watch the whole show, but I did find out that all except Ian voted to evict Britney. Shane and Joe are really stupid, and I hope that both wind up paying for it. I can see Dan and Frank at the end. Endurance HOH tonight. Let's go Ian!Thursday, August 30, 2012 -- Afternoon
Quick BB Update
I have been busy, and still haven't seen Wednesday's show, but I have seen some of the feeds. Dan got himself off the block by calling a house meeting after his solitary confinement. He acted really crazy after coming out of solitary (all an act), and then said something about everyone, and claimed to cut Danielle dead. That was an act too, but she didn't know it. She started crying; Dan went to talk to Frank, outed everyone, and made a deal with Frank if Jenn pulled him off the block. That happened, and Britney went up in his place. Now if Joe and Shane could count, they would realize that they should keep Britney and vote out Danielle, but they are dumb. Expect Britney to leave, and then expect an endurance competition. Ian better win, or his butt will be in the jury house next week.Sunday, August 26, 2012 -- Evening
Double Eviction Aftermath
Time for the show with the action from this past weekend. Of course, being Big Brother, the show started with a lengthy recap of the Thursday. Frank thinks that Ian should have voted for Boogie, and that it broke Frank's hear that he didn't. Frank kept on Ian about how Boogie gave Ian $3000, and Ian didn't give Boogie the respect of a vote. Ian said that he tried to throw the competition because the Quack Pack would want Ian to put up Frank. Poor Ian couldn't get out of the arcade room with all the folks trying to talk to Ian. Ian thought he should backdoor Frank, but everyone was telling him to put up Frank and Ashley. Ian was getting really testy with the folks who were coming to talk to him. Ian tells Britney that her telling him to put up Frank screwed Ian because Ian kept on trying to tell them that he should backdoor Frank. Ian was afraid that Frank would play for the veto and win it. Ian makes sense. Frank starts yelling at Ian about what a scum he is. Britney tells Frank to stop yelling at Ian because Ian isn't emotionally able to handle this. Frank blames them all for turning Ian. Britney tells Frank to yell at her instead of Ian.Frank goes to talk to Shane and Danielle, and Danielle starts to cry because it's always about Danielle. Britney horned into the meeting, but she left Frank and Danielle alone. Shane talks to Britney about making a deal with Dan so Shane doesn't go up on the block against Dan. Britney hugs and makes a deal with Frank. Britney wants Frank out of the house, but she has to keep herself in the game by pretending to be in an alliance with Frank.
The HOH competition was to use a rollbar to get a ball up a maze with holes. Dan went last and his ball fell off the board. They had to do a ranking round first to try to get the highest number for a better ranking. Dan was the lowest ranked and Frank was the next lowest. So it was Frank against Dan. The winner in each round getts the ball to the top hole first. Then it was Frank against Jenn. Again, Frank wins. Now, Frank is getting practice so he will get better. It's Britney against Frank. Frank wins. Then it's Danielle against Frank. Frank wins. Then it's Joe and Frank. Frank wins. Finally, it's Shane and Frank, and Frank wins HOH. Britney is sick of Frank winning everything. That's because none of them really try. Frank had to pick the one Have Not of the week, and Frank picks Dan.
Ian realizes that two people have to go on the block. Britney made a deal with Frank before the HOH, and she goes up after the HOH competition to make sure that things are tight with Frank. Frank says that he is going to put up Dan and Danielle. Britney says that she can't beat Dan, so she will vote out Dan. Britney claims to be down with working with Frank.
Time for Pandora's Box. Frank's decision was seeing a room with money in it. Frank opens Pandora's Box to win up to $10,000. He gets to pick three cubes, and he'll get the money from those cubes. Then he will be locked in the room for an hour. His first pick is $1.05 then $7.11. Finally, it's $3333.33 So Frank gets the total of all three. The house guests get to go outside, and they find out there is a second veto in the house. They need $0.50 to win the veto. The house guests start looking all over to find money. Finally balls start falling. Dan gets the first quarters, and he tried the claw machine to get the veto. Dan leads them to believe that he got the veto, but Joe goes in and sees that the veto is still there. Ian gets 2 quarters, but he doesn't get the veto. Britney heard quarters clicking near Joe's foot. She gets the veto, but she drops it. Dan is acting really selfish and rude as Britney says, and Britney things that Dan doesn't see the big picture, or he sees it and doesn't care. Ian didn't try because he thought that if someone else went before him, they could get it closer. Dan yells at Ian about not trying to get it and having someone else burn their coins. Ian goes and tries and ... gets the golden veto.
Frank talks to Ian and Britney, and Frank can't get an answer from Ian on evicting Dan. Ian tells Frank to do what he needs to do. Frank was talking about putting Ian up. Frank tells Ian that if Ian takes Dan off the block that Frank will put Britney up. Ian says that he's working with Frank, but that he gets scared whenever he has to make decisions. Frank thinks of putting up Ian so Ian will take himself off the block with the golden veto. Time for the keys: first is Jenn, then Ian, Joe, Britney, and then Shane. Dan and Danielle are on the block. Frank tells Dan that he wanted to get rid of Dan for two weeks in a row. Then we see Danielle crying about how bad it is for her if Dan goes home.
Sunday, August 26, 2012 -- Afternoon
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
I've been reading Poirot in the Orient, which is a three novel collection that features Hercule Poirot on trips in the Middle East. The first was Murder in Mesopotamia. I just finished the second in the collection, Death on the Nile. I've read this one a few times, and, of course, I watched the movie with Peter Ustinov as Poirot. The movie is somewhat faithful to the book, with some minor changes in the amount of characters. In Death on the NIle, we have some buildup before the story moves to Egypt. Linnet Ridgeway is a young, wealthy girl. She always gets what she wants, and what she wants is her friend's fiance. Jacqueline de Bellefort winds up losing Simon Doyle to Linnet, and that's when the problems start. Jackie starts to follow Linnet and Simon their honeymoon, trying to make them feel miserable. The honeymoon winds up in Egypt, where the Doyles, Jackie, Poirot, and a cast of others start to sail down the Nile. The others include an American lawyer who is embezzling Linnet's fortune, a jewel thief, a kleptomaniac, and a person with drinking problems. These people add a wealth of potential murderers, and it's only because of Poirot that the murder is solved. Colonel Race also makes an appearance in the book, and he aids Poirot in the investigation.Because I was so familiar with the story, I read it with an eye to see if the clues add up. One of the raps against Christie is that she makes up things at the end to tie all the clues together. However, on the close reading of Death on the Nile, all the clues were there, and in fact, they seemed quite obvious. Christie did a great job with the mystery in this book. It ranks, in my mind, in the top ten of her books. The book was originally published in 1937, which is right before the golden era of Christie. Most seem to think that the books published from the late 1930s to 1940s are the best of the bunch. If you have only seen the movie, you should definitely read the book. I believe that you will enjoy the book and appreciate the movie even more.
The last in the collection is Appointment with Death. I just started reading that one today.
Thursday, August 23, 2012 -- Evening
Double Eviction
It's double eviction night on Big Brother. Boogie and Frank are really mad at Dan. Then Ian goes into the room where Boogie and Frank are, and Ian says that it's going to be hard to have to vote between two team mates. Ian realizes that he can't let Boogie know that he was the mole because it will be safer for him to keep his head low. Boogie asks Shane in the kitchen why Shane was jerking him around. Boogie tells Shane that he is just looking like Dan's bitch. Meanwhile Dan just sits in the living room, reading his Bible, and ignoring Boogie and Frank. Boogie goes and sits by Dan and keeps on harassing Dan. Dan says he's not ignoring Boogie. Meanwhile, Dan says that he has no trouble taking the heat from Boogie. Dan says that he doesn't crack under pressure. The only thing that Dan wants is for Ian to realize how much pressure Dan is taking for Ian. Jenn, who has not been playing the game so far this season, says that she is going ballistic. Even Ian says in DR that Jenn just needs to chill out. Now the house guests learn that it is a double eviction night. The second person evicted is the first person in the jury.Jenn says that she is grateful for being there. Boogie does his usual PR bit, and with a tear in his voice, Boogie hopes that he won't be going home. Eviction time:
Ashley evicts Jenn
Britney evicts Boogie
Joe evicts Boogie
Frank evicts Jenn
Dan evicts Boogie (Dan says it's for Janelle)
Ian evicts Boogie
Danielle evicts Boogie
Boogie is evicted by a vote of 5-2. Ian whispers to Boogie that he respects him, and gives him sunglasses. Boogie tells Frank that Ian is not to be trusted, and then Boogie says to Ian, "not cool." Boogie is shocked that Ian was against him. Boogie says that if Ian did him wrong, it reflects on Ian. Britney then does a mock phone call, pretending it was Janelle. Britney said that she would take a message. Ian admits to Boogie that he masterminded Boogie's demise, and that Ian learned from the best. Boogie laughed, clapped, and took off his hat to Ian. Boogie says that he still loves Ian.
Time for the HOH competition. It's a before or after competition. Did the first event happen before or after the second event? Ashley was the first out. Then Joe, Jenn, and Dan were out. Frank is out. It's down to Britney, Danielle, and Ian. No one out in the next question. Britney is out. Down to Danielle and Ian with a tie breaker. How many seconds did it take the lime team to win the squeezing competition. Danielle guessed 1200, and Ian guessed 1000. Ian is HOH.
Ian is doing some strategizing with Joe. Ian nominates Frank and Ashley, and Ian keeps on telling both that he is really sorry. Shane, Danielle, and Joe are also competing in the POV. In a repeat of the clown shoe competition, the house guests have to hunt for two clovers in a pile of balls, return them one at a time, and then get the POV. Ian found the first clover. Then Frank found one. Joe found one. Danielle and Shane found clovers. Frank found his second clover, Shane found one shortly after him, but Frank won the POV.
Of course Frank removed himself from the block, and Ian puts up Joe in Frank's place. Ashley and Joe give their final speeches. Ashley sounds and acts really dopey. Ashley is just a real stoner. Julie just cut her off. Joe didn't say anything, but he did some sign language saying he would be with them. Time for the vote:
Jenn evicts Ashley
Shane evicts Ashley
Britney evicts Ashley
Frank evicts the terrible chef, Joe
Danielle evicts Ashley
Dan evicts Ashley because she didn't ask for his vote
Ashley is out with a vote of 5-1. Ashley goes out, but she is probably clueless about what is going on. Ashley says, "I can't believe I'm here! I love your side pony." Julie had a side ponytail. Frank goes on berating everyone in the house for voting out Ashley. Ashley thinks she made the house very mad because she was a floater. Ashley said that she picked the wrong side. Ashley is the first member of the jury. As the show ended, Frank was continuing to terrorize the house.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 -- Evening
BB POV Episode
I decided to watch the episode tonight because I thought that it might have some interesting drama in it. Boogie admits that he and Frank were blindsided. Boogie wanted to know who put Shane up to it. When Frank and Boogie go up to talk to Shane, Shane throws Britney under the bus because Shane doesn't want to out Ian. Shane goes and gets Britney to tell her that he threw her under the bus by saying that Britney was the one who influenced the whole thing. In DR, Britney says that Shane has no common sense and screwed his game. Shane goes to talk to Britney, and he looks at her with an open mouthed stupid look. Shane tries to tell Britney that he didn't throw her under the bus by saying that the whole plan came from her. Shane is incredibly stupid; it's amazing how stupid he is. Shane's claim is that he didn't want to throw Ian under the bus so he mentioned Britney. I mean, really! Shane should have just said it was his idea. Ian goes in to talk to Frank and Boogie who tell Ian that Dan is the wolf in sheep's clothing. Ian says in DR that they don't realize that Ian is the wolf in sheep's clothing!Boogie tells Dan that he fought Frank tooth and nail to keep Dan off the block. Dan sits and takes it because he can't expose the mole, Ian. Boogie and Frank go up to the HOH to talk to Dan and Britney. Britney and Dan don't want to say anything, and Britney says that Boogie is stupid for not remembering that he told Ian to put up Britney and Shane. Boogie thinks that because Dan doesn't say anything, Dan is guilty. Dan asks Britney if he should continue to cover for Ian. Dan says that he will take heat for the group if Ian takes the heat for them.
Time to pick for the POV. Shane picks Jenn. Boogie picks house guest choice, and he picks Ian. Then we see Frank pick house guest choice, but we know from the live feeds that he picked Ian, and had to repick. Frank chooses Ashley. The POV competition is the counting game with a small demonstration of what the amount is, and then they have to guess the larger amount. The one closest to the number wins that round. The farthest away is out. If you fold, you get to stay in without geting a point. First is marshmallow chicks. Boogie is the first out. Frank gets a point. Frank got another point in the second round, and Jenn was out. Shane won the next round, and Ian was out. Then Shane lost and was out, and it came down to Frank and Ashley. Frank won the last round because Ashley folded and Frank automatically won the POV.
Boogie tells his "troops," aka Ian, Joe, and Jenn that they have to get Dan on the block and out. Frank and Boogie tell them that they have to talk Shane into putting up Dan. Boogie tells them that it's in their best interests to get rid of Dan. We haven't heard or seen Jenn all season, but she says that Boogie is right to put Dan up and vote him out. Boogie goes to talk to Britney and tries to cry some fake tears. Britney didn't buy it though. Wow, we see more of Jenn, just because she goes up next on the block. Jenn talks to Shane, and Jenn tries to talk Shane into putting up Dan. Boogie then talks to Shane about scary Dan is as a player. Boogie says that in his season, Dan let everyone in his alliance do the dirty work, and Dan won. Britney talks with Danielle about how long Boogie has been up talking with Shane. Boogie tries to say that he is a blue-collar guy like Shane. Boogie thinks that Shane is an idiot, and that Boogie thinks that since he was the last person talking to Shane that Shane will nominate Dan. HA!
Time for the POV ceremony. Frank comes off the block, and as Boogie gapes at Shane, Shane picks Jenn as the replacement. Jenn mouths anger at being up. Honey, you don't get people to vote for you by threatening them. Ian said that he doesn't want to be around Boogie when Boogie finds out who got rid of him. As Ian said, like father like son. Tomorrow's eviction is a double eviction episode.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012 -- Evening
BB House Drama
In the BB house, Frank won the POV and removed himself from the block. It was hilarious to see Boogie campaigning to get Dan up beside him. Well, Shane didn't plan on that, and he put Jenn up. Now Jenn really hasn't been playing the game, so she didn't realize that she was in the BB house. She started telling people that she was mad at them, and they were going to be sorry for nominating her. Geeze, Louise! That's the sort of thing that gets you voted out! Fortunately, the Quack Pack (Shane, Dan, Danielle, Britney, and Ian) are out to get rid of Boogie. So Boogie should be out of the door on Thursday. In the meantime, for the first time in a long time, the BB live feeds are interesting.Friday, August 17, 2012 -- Late Evening
Shane Grows a Pair
Shane won the HOH competition last night, and today, he actually had the balls to put up both Boogie and Frank. The two have been running around the house like they were Chill Town, but Dr. Will was the brains behind Chill Town, and Boogie just rode Dr. Will's coattails. The pair were shocked that anyone would have the audacity to put them up. I think the comeuppance is great, and I hope that one of them goes home on Thursday. They are going to have to do a couple of fast forwards soon, since we are almost into September. Finally, there is something of interest going on in the house!Friday, August 17, 2012 -- Evening
Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie
Murder in Mesopotamia is one of the early Agatha Christie mysteries. It stars Hercule Poirot, and it's part of the Poirot in the Orient set that I'm reading. The novel was published in the summer of 1936, and it's perfect for summertime reading. The narrator of the story is Ann Leatheran, a nurse called in to help with a woman, Louisa Leidner, who seems to be having issues with fear. As Nurse Leatheran finds out, Mrs. Leidner is receiving threatening letters from her first husband, who was supposed to have died in a train wreck while trying to escape from execution for treason. When Mrs. Leidner found out about her husband's treason, she turned him in to her father, who was in the US defense office. Every time Mrs. Leidner was close to a man, she would receive a threatening letter that would cause her to drop the man. She did not receive a threatening letter when she married Dr. Erich Leidner, an archaeologist. However, after the marriage the letters started up again. When Nurse Leatheran appears on the scene, the Leidners are in Iraq on an archaeological dig. Shortly after Nurse Leatheran starts on the job, Mrs. Leidner is murdered. Hercule Poirot happens to be passing through on his way from Baghdad, and the local police call him in to assist with the mystery.I really loved the book. Although I read the book several times, I would have to admit that it's not obvious who the murderer is and how the murder was committed, Even the second murder of Dr. Leidner's assistant, Miss Anne Johnson, wasn't an obvious one. Christie did a great job in telling the story through Nurse Leatheran's eyes. She gives her opinion of Poirot, not impressed at first, but then seeing him as the skilled surgeon that she was assisting. Of course, at the end, Poirot gathers everyone together, and after explaining how everyone could have done the deed, he finally explains how it really happened. This is a great Christie story, and I would highly recommend it.
Thursday, August 16, 2012 -- Evening
Update on Big Brother
As I mentioned, the people in Big Brother this year are in incredibly annoying and boring. I haven't been watching or following as closely as I used to follow, and I don't feel as if I am missing much. The folks in the house really aren't campaigning or doing anything that's good for their game. It seems that people are just buying into keeping Boogie and Dan around for final two. That tends to lead to very boring reality TV. Tonight, Wil is going home, and everyone knew it last Friday. It was obvious in the house and obvious to Wil.
The BB folks leaked a photo of the backyard that shows the slip and slide competition where you have to fill a tank to get a ball out of the tank. It will be interesting to see who wins this one, and we can only hope that it will be someone who doesn't have his or her head up Boogie or Dan's butt.I broke down and watch the show this evening to see Wil get evicted. Jeff from BB 11 and 13 was on the show to give his impressions of the game. Obviously, it's a ploy on CBS' part to boost ratings. Britney thinks the Silent Six is crumbling. Dan admits to Britney and Danielle that it's not in the foreseeable future that the will win, not that he is throwing competitions. Ashely acts like like a stoned person all the time and that gets really old. Dan admits that he can't trust Frank because Frank would have put him up, so Dan says that he's getting rid of Frank as soon as he can. Ashley asks Frank out on on a date because she is going for information and just basically wants to shag Frank. Frank just looks like a slob. Ashley claims that she was trying to campaign for Wil, but she basically throws Wil under the bus because she is just a stoned skank. Frank asks Ashley if she wants to make out on the couch, and because she is a skank, she jumped on the offer and Frank.
We saw Joe's family, and his wife said that he needed to stop yelling in DR. It's really annoying. Then we had some film clips of Jeff in the BB house. Then Jeff joined Julie on the couch. Julie joked about Jeff going into the house. Jeff and Jordan are living together in Santa Monica, and Jordan gave Jeff an ultimatum about putting out the wedding offer. Jeff said that what he learned from Janelle leaving is not to go into the house for a third time. Jeff is rooting for Ian. Julie says that if she went in, she would go in and be in beast mood. As she said, why go into the house if you don't want to play? Julie should send that memo to the people in the house. Julie asked the house guests so multiple choice questions about current events. In the good-bye speeches, Wil pretty much admitted to leaving the house. Joe was annoying in general. Gosh, I just wanted to smack Joe. This is why I have hated the show this season. Time for the vote.
Ashley evicted Joe
Boogie evicted Wil
Danielle evicted Wil
Jenn evicted Joe
Dan evicted Wil
Britney evicted Wil
Shane evicted Wil
Ian evicted Wil
As I said, we already knew this vote on Friday. Wil wore his sailor cap, and said that he was a bigger threat than Joe. Wil thought that everyone thought he was more likely to win competitions than Joe. Wil just showed how stupid he was. I wish Julie had asked him about getting rid of Janelle who would have worked ot keep him in the house. Wil was a loser and played like a loser.
For the HOH competition, the first person to fill the smallest container at the end of the row is safe from eviction and being put up. The second largest container is a $10,000 prize. The third largest is for HOH. Ashley is barely moving. She has been having back problems, and will probably be out of the competition before the show ends. Boogie is the only one going for the $10,000 prize. Four are going to safety, and four are going for HOH. We'll have to wait for the life feeds to see what happens.
Monday, August 13, 2012 -- Evening
Wait for What Will Come by Barbara Michaels
Yep, I read another Barbara Michaels. I'm starting to narrow down the list with only a few left unread. This time I read Wait for What Would Come. The premise behind this book is that Carla Tregallas is the only known heir to a Cornish estate. Her many times great uncle Walter Tregallas died without children, and in his will, he left everything to any heir that carries the name of Tregallas. Carla is the only one left, and instead of selling the estate unseen, she decides to go to England. When she gets there, she finds a run-down estate and a mysterious threat. It seems that every two hundred years on Midsummer's Eve, a young female Tregallas falls victim to a merman, who comes out of the sea to claim his bride. Carla is the intended victim, and she has the added burden of looking just like the last victim, Lady Caroline Tregallas. Carla falls in love with the house and wants to stay, even though everyone seems bound and determined to get rid of her. Mrs. Pendennis, the elderly housekeeper, seems the most bothered by the legend. Her grandson, Michael, doesn't buy the legend, but he is worried about his grandmother. Others involved in the mystery are the doctor, Simon Tremuan, the lawyer, Alan Fairman, the lawyer's sister, Elizabeth, and the parson, John. Will Carla be the next victim of the merman, or will she continue to live happily in Cornwall?I enjoyed the story. There was just the right amount of suspense. I wondered if Carla would figure out who was behind the mysterious happenings that made it look like a merman was after her. There was a real build up of the tension, and the end was spooky. All the men appear to be after Carla, but are they really, or are they just trying to get something from Carla, like the estate? Wait for What Will Come had me on the edge of my seat.
Charles Geer illustrated the cover of the book, and it gives a great representation of the story. Geer does a great illustration, and it conveys the mood of the story.
Sunday, August 12, 2012 -- Evening
Closing Ceremony
The Olympics were fun this time around. Team GB did a good job of brining the gold home, winning 29 gold medals, 17 silver, and 19 bronze. Mo Farah won gold for Britain in the 5000 and 10000 meter races. The US basketball ball team won gold this morning in the match agains Spain. That was a much closer match than soem expected. It was time for the closing ceremony, and all of the athletes walked into the stadium together, in a sign of unity brought about by the events at the Olympics. The ceremony had lots of British music. Madness sang Our House, and One Direction sang one of their hit songs. After the athletes entered the stadium, we had John Lennon singing Imagine. Then George Michael sang Freedom. Some of the band mates from Pink Floyd were there. Annie Lennox, my doppelganger, performed. Russell Brand lip synced to the Beatles I am the Walrus. Then Fat Boy Slim had an appearance. I really like Fat Boy Slim. Check it out now, Funk Soul Brother! When the Spice Girls reunited for a brief performance, Boris Johnson, the London mayor, unsuccessfully tried his hand at dancing. I loved Liam Gallagher singing Wonderwall. Eric Idle was fun with Always Look on the Bright Side of LIfe. One of my favorite moments was Queen's We Will Rock You. I would rather have had Freddie Mercury's hologram singing with the group instead of female singer, Jessie J. When the show moved to the handover of the flag to Rio, the show became very boring. The Brits had David Beckham at the hand over from Beijing, and Brazil sent Pele to take things from London. The cauldron came apart, and the Olympic flame went out, ending the 2012 London Summer Olympics.Friday, August 10, 2012 -- Evening
Bye Janelle
I didn't want the eviction show last night, but I think I only missed a good deal of boredom. Janelle was evicted with a vote of 8-1 with Joe being the only person to vote for her. Then Frank won the HOH. There have not been nominations yet in the BB house, but Wil should be shaking in his boots. He was the person who wanted to get rid of Janelle, and didn't realize that she had done a good deal to save him and stoner Ashley. Frank, Boogie, and Dan have been talking about backdooring Wil. The plan for now appears to be to put up Joe and Ian (who is a member of the Silent Six alliance: Boogie, Dan, Frank, Ian, Shane, and Britney). The plan would be to take Ian off and put Wil up. Or if Wil should happen to play and win the veto to send Joe home. The people in the house are extremely boring, and it's really difficult to get any interest in watching their antics.Wednesday, August 8, 2012 -- Evening
Misty and Kerri Three-peat!
I haven't been commenting much on the Olympics, but I have been watching it. The sports have been fun to watch, but nothing really struck me as stand-out. However, that changed today when Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh won the beach volleyball gold medal for the third time. That pair is just unbeatable, and today, they beat fellow Americans April Ross and Jennifer Kessy to get the gold. The pair won in straight sets: 21-16, 21-16. Of course, Misty and Kerri hugged on the sand. They are my favorite athletes because they always give their all. They only lost one set this Olympics. My heroes!Big Brother Boredom
I have really been bored with Big Brother. The POV show is tonight, and I won't be able to watch it. You would think that I would be annoyed, but I am really bored with the characters on the show this year. I already know that Danielle won the POV in one of those competitions where you can exchange prizes with those who get eliminated before you, like in a Chinese or white elephant gift exchange. Boogie managed to get Dan to buy into the notion of putting up Janelle and voting her out, and it seems that's what the house is going to do. Janelle was blindsided by the nomination, and she seems to be really, stupidly buying everyone's reassurance that she is just up on the block as a pawn. I can't believe her stupidity, and she's basically the only person that I like on the show. The others just annoy me in various ways. Danielle is one psycho puppy, who fawns over Shane, tells lies about everything, and backstabs all except for Shane, Dan, and Britney. Meanwhile, Shane seems to be unwilling to admit that he can't stand Danielle, and goes around either keeping her at arm's length or encouraging her psycho infatuation. I may watch the show later tonight or tomorrow, and if there's anything interesting, I'll post it. Tomorrow, it will be a Janie eviction night. Sigh! It's sad that Big Brother is starting to lose my fandom the same way that Survivor did.Sunday, August 5, 2012 -- Evening
The Dark on the Other Side
Barbara Michaels' The Dark on the Other Side is an interesting book. The story is told by two narrators. At times, we hear from Linda Randolph, wife of the charismatic Gordon Randolph, and at others, we hear for Michael Collins, who is to write a book about Gordon. Linda Randolph is troubled, alcoholic, and a potential danger to herself and her husband. Why? It seems that Linda is troubled by visions of a black dog, and that the visions are making her want to murder her husband. As Michael starts to research Gordon's past, he finds that Gordon is a bit of an enigma. Gordon has had great success in writing (only one critically acclaimed book) and politics. Even though Michael's father taught Gordon at college, Michael can't remember his father showing great interest in Gordon. After traveling to the college where Gordon taught, and married Linda, Michael starts to notice that there seems to be a trail of people in Gordon's wake who either committed suicide or fell into serious issues with drug abuse. Could Gordon have somehow influenced the people in a negative way? What is the meaning of the black dog that Linda sees? Is there some supernatural element at hand, or is it just the psychotic delusions of an alcoholic?I have to admit that the switch in voices threw me at the beginning of the book. I was trying to figure out what was going on, and who was the main protagonist of the book. Well, there isn't one protagonist; there are two. Michaels turns from ghosts to a different type of woo-woo: demonic powers. As I was reading, I started to agree with the protagonists that Gordon is a demonic force, but then the voice of reason, in Galen Rosenberg, made me wonder if it was just a collective hallucination brought on my psychosis. The end of the book is satisfying. Good triumphs over evil. The end was especially satisfying because I read it while a strong thunderstorm was providing suitable background music. The book isn't the strongest of the Michaels' books, but I enjoyed it.
HOH Endurance
I have to admit that I'm getting really tired of the group in the Big Brother house this season. It's difficult for me to get any interest in what they are doing. On the live feeds, Danielle won HOH. She nominated Frank and Wil, and somehow managed to win POV. Now there's talk of backdooring Janelle. I have to admit that I really don't care! But the show was on tonight, and I watched it anyway.The show started with the Endurance competition. Boogie says that he's really unsure about what he wants to have happen. Ian thinks its the biggest twist because he went from a 1-7 shot to a 1-12 shot. It's like they were there for four weeks for nothing. Joe is upset about working so hard for the last week. Ashley said that she just had it figured out when they threw a bomb at her. I think the girl is too danged stupid to figure anything out. Britney wanted to reset because she only had one player left. Dan also wanted to play, and so did Janelle because she wanted to win Big Brother. Boogie felt that he was running the game, and that he had a good chance to win $100K. Boogie is deluded. Frank is obnoxious. Dan mentions to Boogie that there a plan to vote Frank out. Dan told Boogie this to get Boogie's trust and getting him to vote. Janelle and Britney lied about pushing the button. Shane admits that he had blood on his hands from last week. Jenn finally shows up to say she has to watch herself. Jenn hasn't been playing the game yet, so maybe she'll start now, but I doubt it. Ashley is so stupid that I want to hit the screen every time she is on the screen. I loved when they got hit with the fake seabird guano. Boogie is not a happy camper because he has to compete. Boogie is the first to drop to send the message that he's not a threat. Jenn was shaking and cold, and just in general a loser, and dropped next. Then after one hour, Joe went too. Joe also tells Boogie that they were all lying to Boogie and telling him that the plan was to put out Frank. Ashley fell at 1 hour and 51 minutes. Then Dan goes out, and says that his plan is to portray a weak persona. Wil gets it right away. Shane was Frank off because Frank will find out that Shane wanted him off. Frank falls off like a baby. Boogie tells Frank that they were going to blind side Frank. Frank thinks he can only trust Boogie now. Wil see Shane ready to go, and Danielle looks like she can stay up forever. Wil and Shane go together at 2 hours and 43 minutes. Janelle sees Britney looking solid, so Janelle goes out. It's down to Danielle, Britney, and Ian (the smallest people).
Ian tells Danielle that he won't put her up, and then Dan starts coaching and encouraging Danielle to hang on. Meanwhile Jenn notes that Boogie and Frank are the only ones not out there. Ian feels physically ill, and almost falls off, but he manages to hang on. Boogie meanwhile is telling Frank that he will not do him wrong. Meanwhile, inside the house, Boogie is talking about how they need to get Ian to hang on, but they aren't outside. Britney and Danielle say that Ian is safe. Then Britney gets her guarantee from Danielle who gets a hug from Dan at winning HOH. Shane also jumps Danielle to give her a kiss; I guess to keep himself safe.
Danielle, being delusional, thinks that Janelle is threatened by her. Dan realizes that Boogie told Frank and that Dan didn't get to put the spin on things. Britney gets confronted by Boogie, who says that she didn't know that Frank was going on. Frank tells Boogie that he can't trust Britney. Britney tells Shane about Frank knowing. Britney said that she has to go and talk to Danielle and Dan and make sure that they are on the same page. Britney goes to tell Boogie that Shane didn't know what was going on. Dan tells Britney that he was the one who told Boogie. He tells Britney and Danielle that he just got so excited and spilled the beans. Time for Danielle's HOH room. Boogie really can't stand Danielle and doesn't want to see her dole out candy bars. We learn that Danielle didn't tell her parents she was going into the BB house. Psycho. In the HOH room, Danielle, Dan, Britney, and Shane talk about who to nominate. They mention Frank, Janelle, Boogie, and Wil. Britney says that Danielle promised her safety. Then Wil reminds Danielle that she promised him safety to drop.
Ian goes and sits by Ashley, while Ashley stares at Shane with drool coming out of her mouth. Ian says that he doesn't show off his body, he goes with personality and brains. Then he makes a joke about how he was doing the same weights as Shane, but not struggling. Boogie and Frank talk, and Boogie says that he isn't going to campaign, but Frank can campaign. Boogie is more pissed after sleeping on it. Britney gives Danielle coaching advice, and says that Danielle should put up Frank and Wil. Danielle is terrified of Boogie, and wants to put both him and Frank up. Dan doesn't want any coach to go because as long as the coaches are in the game, they will shield Dan from attack. Danielle clais she wants Frank out, and Dan tells her that if she puts Boogie and Frank up, Boogie is going home. Danielle is such a loser! And since the HOH competition, we don't see Shane in the HOH room with Danielle.
I think it's funny how Wil mocks Danielle for forgetting that she promised to keep him safe. Time for the nominations. First key is Britney. Then Ian, Dan, Janelle, Jenn, Shane, Ashley, Joe, and Boogie. Up are Frank and Wil. Danielle says that she nominated them for reasons that weren't personal and she loved them both. Umm, okay? Boogie is insulted that he would get his key. Boogie says that his key shouldn't be in there. Danielle still trusts Dan, and he has to do everything to keep the coaches off the block.
Sunday, August 5, 2012 -- Late Afternoon
Murray Wins Gold
I am a huge Andy Murray fan. I don't think I started out to be a fan of his, but there's something about the way he just keeps on plugging away that I admire. Also, hie current coach, Ivan Lendl was my favorite back in the day when I first started to really get into professional tennis. I just know that a Grand Slam win is in Murray's future, and I was really disappointed at his recent Wimbledon loss. Well, you can imagine my joy today when Murray routed Roger Federer at Wimbledon in the Olympic Men's Singles gold medal match today. The scores were 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. Murray showed a calm demeanor throughout, and he mentioned after the match that Lendle told him after the Wimbledon loss that it would be the most pressure that Murray would ever face. Since Murray made it through, even with the loss, it helped him calm down. Murray called today's win the biggest win of his life. Let's hope that there are more huge wins in his future! Go, Murray, Go!Thursday, August 2, 2012 -- Evening
HOH and Coaches
The BB house and house guests are incredibly boring this year. So everyone has been eagerly awaiting the entrance of the coaches into the game. Also, it seems that there may be an endurance competition tonight to bring the coaches in.The show started with Julie Chen looking nice in a yellow dress. The action started with a breakdown of the post veto ceremony. Boogie thought he had a concrete deal with Britney and Shane. He's perturbed that he has to go back to work. Ashley cheers that she did it in DR. She did nothing, per usual. Hippy girl probably doesn't even know which show she is one. Shane tells Frank not to worry because he's safe. You aren't safe if you go on the block. Danielle says it was a huge move. Frank goes to Boogie and says that Shane doesn't want him out. Boogie says that Frank should have told him that he was going on the block. Boogie hates the lack of trust in the game, and in DR, said that Frank should have told Boogie about it. Britney blames Ian for Frank being nominated because Ian said that he didn't see a reason to put up Shane. Britney tells Boogie that she loves Ian, and really doesn't want to get Ian in trouble. Britney said it was a big movie. Ashley rambles on like the drugged out hippy chick. Britney says that Frank will win $500,000 if he doesn't go out. That's funny because Frank hasn't won anything. Boogie and Frank try to comfort Ian. Ian said that he didn't want to write a check he couldn't cash. Boogie tells him that it's the Big Brother house. You can bounce checks. That was a great line. Boogie, Ian, and Frank say they will have to trust Dan and Danielle. Janelle and Britney talk about menstrual cramps and labor. Janelle said that she doesn't cry. Britney said that Janelle could get the worst news ever and has no emotions. Janelle said that she doesn't get sad or happy. That's why she is a competing machine. Janelle, Joe, and Wil talk about Frank and waiting for Thursday to come up. Janelle said that Frank is pure evil, but Wil doesn't seem to agree. Janelle tells Wil that it's best for Wil if Frank goes home. Wil talks in DR about Janelle talking about how she worked so hard to save Wil. Janelle starts to correct Wil, and tell him how things work. Wil admits that Janelle is getting on his nerves and that he is getting tired of her. The next morning, Joe and Wil talked. Wil says that what he got is that the only reason he is in this game is because Janelle kissed out. As Wil said to Joe, they didn't go into the house to win Janelle money. Joe gets worried, and then he tells the hippy chick that Wil joined the other side. Ashley goes to get Janelle so Joe can tell her that Wil is mad at Janelle and is going to vote out Joe. Wil never said that he was voting out Janelle. Joe says he's scared. Ashley said that she doesn't get it. Joe tells Janelle that if she loses him, and Will flips that she is stuck with the stupid, drugged out hippy chick.
Janelle talks to Wil and sheds fake tears. Wil realizes the waterworks are fake. Wil says that he will pretend that it's all cool, but he doesn't trust Janelle. Frank and Boogie talk to Dan about Danielle's vote. Dan doesn't seem to know what to tell Boogie and Frank. Dan said that Boogie pitched a good sale to Dan about getting rid of Janelle's players. Dan tells Danielle that he would rather play with Frank and Boogie. Danielle has her wide scary eyes. Danielle thinks she has all the power. Dan tries to talk Danielle down from her high school crush because she is so obsessed with Shane and losing sight of the game. Danielle looks like she wants to cry.
Julie asks Ian about the $3000 which he is going to use for rent and necessities. Boogie says that his uncle always said to take the biggest share. Julie asks Danielle to rate her kiss with Shane. Psycho Danielle says 10. Shane is on the spot and has to say he would rate the kiss a 10.5. Then Janelle is shown the film from the coaches competition.
Julie talks to Shane in the HOH. Shane said that he has his own game plan, but he listened to his coach. Shane said that he doesn't trust Frank, but he really doesn't trust Boogie. Shane said that Julie put him on the spot with the question about the kiss, and then says there is no showmance because it would negatively affect his game. Really Shane has no interest in the psycho girl.
Frank admits that his dad is Sid Vicious, the professional wrestler. Sid Vicious said that Frank gets his competitive nature from his dad. Frank admits to Boogie that he didn't tell folks who his dad was. He also admits that he has issues with his father, because Frank didn't want to play sports. Frank's mom said that Frank would be surprised to know that his dad has been watching the show. Sid Vicious said that he's proud of Frank.Julie reveals the vote on the coaches, and that the coaches can enter the game. Surprise! Not! If the coaches give up coaching, they would all compete as individuals, and there would be no eviction tonight. If the coaches choose to remain as coaches, then someone gets evicted tonight, and then next week some players will return. The coaches have to go to vote. Will Britney press the Reset button. She does choose to enter the game. Boogie chooses not to enter the game. Dan chooses to reset. Janelle also chooses to enter. The game has been reset. Neither Joe or Frank is evicted, and all the coaches are now in the game. It doesn't matter that Boogie didn't want to reset. One reset is all it took to enter all the coaches.
Everyone is on their own. Even though Shane was HOH last week, he is able to compete tonight because the game reset. It's an endurance competition where the house guests have are hanging on a small foot rest and hanging onto a hand bar. The ship wall moves, and it's very similar to other leaning/hanging off a wall HOH competitions. it will be interesting to see how long this one lasts and who wins. Right before the show went off the air, we saw the house guests get drenched in water.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 -- Late Evening
Murder, She Wrote: The Queen's Jewels
I was looking for something light to read on my Kindle while I wait for Harry Potter and Lincoln Child books to be available on my library's Overdrive site. Murder, She Wrote seemed like a good choice, and the library had only one book available for Kindle. I've never read a Murder, She Wrote book, but I did like the series, so I thought I would give it a try. The book was Murder, She Wrote: the Queen's Jewels, which is rather misleading. The story isn't about the Queen's jewels, but about diamond thefts that happen in London. One is a huge blue diamond called the Heart of India. The owner of the diamond was murdered during the robbery. Jessica Fletcher went to London and was planning to return to the US by crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2. The authorities thought that the Heart of Indian and the diamond from various jewelry thefts in London are onboard the ship. Joining Jessica onboard are Michael Haggerty (retired MI6 spy from the TV show) and Dennis Stanton (retired thief, working insurance fraud investigator from the TV show). Both used aliases to hide their identity. Of course, with the help of Jessica Fletcher, the theft and murder were solved.The book was a quick read. it was very much like the show, although I found the mystery to be a bit of a disappointment. The murderer/thief was obvious from the beginning. In fact, I was disappointed with the solution of the mystery because it just seemed anticlimactic. I did have some tears at the end because of the death of one of the characters. I'm going to give some of the other books a try because it was like watching the TV series, but don't expect anything more than a light, uncomplicated mystery.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 -- Evening
BB Veto Show
We saw the nomination ceremony, with Joe saying that he's targeted because of Janelle. Then Ashley begins crying. Boogie and Frank celebrate. Boogie was happy that he got the last word into Shane's ears. Janelle goes up to talk to Britney. Britney tells Janelle that she only has so much control, and that she knew Joe was going up, but wasn't sure if it was Frank or Ashley. Britney says that Janelle continues to surprise Britney. Britney admits that Janelle is really good at this game because Janelle just says that she gets it, she's not mad, she understands, etc. Britney doesn't buy it, even though Janelle reminds her how you can't trust Boogie. Britney tells Shane that he has to do what is best for Shane. Britney tells Shane that Janelle is willing to work with them, even though Shane just put her two people up. Janelle talks to her people and tell them that they need to talk to Shane. Wil says he doesn't want to ass kiss. Janelle explains to them that they need to convince Shane that he will be safe until one of them comes off the block. Joe yells that he doesn't know if he could swallow his pride. Janelle advises that Joe not fight with Shane. Janelle made it to the final three twice so she does know what she is talking about. Shane goes up to talk to Shane and Britney. Joe admits that his back is against the wall. He tells Shane that Shane made a smart move and that Joe would do the same. Shane tells Joe that he wishes Joe realized it a few weeks ago. In the DR, Joe yells about Shane needing to learn manners. Joe admits that he's mad and that it sucks. Shane, rocking a vibrant pink wife-beater shirt, says in DR that he doesn't know if Joe is trying to get voted out. In DR, Joe admits that he is coming after Shane.Time to pick players for veto. Joe yells in DR about not wanting Frank to play. Shane picks Danielle who stand really close to Shane because she is obsessed with him. Ashley picks Will. Joe picks Frank. The competition is setup like a circus. Frank said that he can kick himself in the face because he would be great in a circus. Jenn is the hostess with the leastest. The players have to keep balls on ramps more than a body length apart. The balls have to be kept in motion and can't hit the ground. Britney gives Shane advice by telling him not to thrust it, but to be graceful. Ashley is giving a gentle push. Wil is the first one out. Then Joe is out. Frank is out after he knocks his off the ramp. Then Danielle, the bunny boiler (Fatal Attraction obsession with Shane) is out. It's down to Ashely and Shane. Then Ashley is out. Shane wins. I don't know that Shane is so good. I think the others just really suck at any game. Joe is red-faced and yelling in DR about being frustrated with himself. Frank believes he is safe since Shane won the POV. Janelle says her team is devastated, but this is just the point where she has to go to work.
Britney parties in the HOH with Shane. Shane says he is on top of the world with HOH and POV. Shane says that there are so many options that they can use. Britney could not be any happier. Britney wants Janelle to lose a player to know how it feels. Britney tells Shane that Janelle has been crying a river. Britney says that all Janelle's team does is sing, braid hair, and cook. Britney does an impression of Joe yelling in his gruff voice. Shane said that he can't trust Janelle. Britney tells Shane that they have to get Joe's recipes out of him before he leaves. Janelle shows up to talk to Shane and Britney, and Britney complains in DR about Janelle always talking strategy. Janelle says that none of her players can win, so Shane shouldn't waste his time by taking out a weak player. Then Wil shows up and Ashley. Joe was downstairs crying. Janelle said that they should talk about more than a week of safety, but to play together. Janelle says that Boogie will take Jenn or Ashley to the end. Janelle says that she is willing to give her wedding ring for three weeks to show that she is not lying. Britney doesn't want to keep the wedding ring for three weeks, and Janelle says that it's supposed to be a sign that she can be trusted. Janelle said that she has to work because Boogie is probably scheming. But Boogie is just sitting out in back and talking weight training with Frank, so Ian just sits there. Dr. Will was the mastermind in Chill Town, and took Boogie for the ride. Janelle tells Joe that he has to go and kiss ass, grovel, and try to get Shane to put Frank up on the block. Janelle tries to explain how important it is. Joe yells in DR that it's do or die time. Janelle is a good coach. She just has stupid players. Joe goes to talk to Shane. Joe says that if Shane saves him, he will be the most loyal person to Shane. Joe asks for the veto to be used on him. Joe tries to sell the point that staying in this house is his dream. What a sorry life Joe must lead! Joe admits that he's willing to go outside of his team to support Shane. Joe believes that Janelle will take Wil to the end. Shane says that Joe was emotional, but Shane wasn't buying the loyalty. Joe says in DR that he will have Shane's back.
It's time for the sushi party. The coaches, Shane, and Danielle go outside in the yard for the sushi party. Boogie owns a Japanese restaurant and knows all about sushi. Boogie mocked them for using forks. Danielle never ate sushi. Wil is wearing a bikini bottle, jacket, and sailor hat. He's dancing because it's his birthday. The sushi guys take dessert in. Then they all play spin the bottle. Ian got to kiss Ashley. Shane spun the bottle, and Danielle flung herself in front of the bottle. Danielle couldn't believe it, and she just obsessed. Shane claimed it wasn't log enough. CBS is still pushing the romance. Britney talks to Ian about putting Shane up on the block. Ian says that he doesn't see a foreseeable circumstance where he would put up Shane. Britney is freaking out, and she goes to talk to Shane. She asks Shane if he's freaking out. Britney made a huge deal out of how wishy washy Ian was. Shane doesn't trust Boogie because he doesn't know what Boogie says to Ian or Frank. So Shane thinks that this might be a good time to put Frank up. It's not really a backdoor because Frank played for veto. Britney wants to come up with a plan to keep Boogie from freaking out. Britney and Shane come up with a story blaming Ian for them putting Frank up. Frank talks to Shane because Frank wants to make sure everything is hunky dory. Shane says that Britney talked to Ian, and because Ian didn't say Shane is safe, Shane is worried. Frank said that he and Boogie didn't tell Ian what the plan was. As Frank said, Ian is just a kid and really isn't up on what is going on. Britney goes in with Frank and Shane, and blames Ian for giving shady answers. Frank said that Ian didn't know about any deal with Frank and Boogie. Frank says that Ian is socially awkward and doesn't like to talk game.
Time for the veto ceremony. Frank is worried about being put up after his talk with Shane and Britney. Janelle worked hard to save one of her players. Boogie is sure that Shane is a man of his word and that Boogie and Frank will be chilling poolside until the eviction. The meeting starts. Ashley talks and looks like a drugged out hippy child. Joe says something really stupid about the president using the power of veto. Barf! Shane uses the veto and takes Ashley off. Shane says that he is playing by himself and in a tough situation. Shane names Frank as the replacement after saying yet again that he's playing on his own and has to do what is best for him. Boogie storms out as Janelle smiles. Frank was a little surprised. He knows not to panic. Shane says that he wants to convince Frank that he's not the target when he really is. Janelle says there's a new puppet master in this house, and it's Janelle. Boogie is pissed. Boogie says it doesn't end well for the other side when they take a shot at Boogie.