Saturday, January 23, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Water Towers
Everyone who knows me, understands (or pretends really well) that I hate HATE the Woodbury, MN logo on the side of their water tower. There aren't many pictures of it (what a shock) How do I hate it? Let me count thy ways:
The "W" looks like a few strips of masking tap and it's too big.
The spacing of the "O"s does make you want to say "woo."
The "db" thing then gets the letters closer but doesn't match the "woo."
The "U" is too big. And dumb. And made again with masking tape.
Then to finally insult you - the "R and Y" are touching. Why?
What is the deal - why is every letter it's own size and spacing? It was sweet to let a small child design and paint the water tower. I'm glad they didn't waste good money on a real logo designer. I guess Landor was too busy working on the old Fortis logo. (Don't get me started on that or even this)
It was this page I stumbled upon reminded me of my own evil water tower. At least I am not alone!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Collection of Stars 3.0
Another Mary Poppins story about stars is in the same book. In this story, Mary takes the children to a small and very dingy shop with old candy and faded decorations. They are there to buy gingerbread with a gilt paper star. The store's proprietress asks what the children do with the paper stars. The children give up their secret hiding places. They leave the store and see the store is no longer there (I won't bore you with how many times that has happened to me!) Later, much to the children's surprise, their stars are stolen and hung in the sky (see illustration). Jane asks, "Are the stars gold paper or is the gold paper stars?"
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Collection of Stars 2.0
Here's another story about stars. This illustration is from the book, "Mary Poppins". The story is called, "The Dancing Cow." It's a story about a red cow who lived a very respectable life and behaved like a perfect lady. She's spend her days teaching her calves how to moo and select the perfect dandelion. One night when "the stars looked like dandelions and the moon a great daisy," it happened. The cow couldn't stop dancing - all sorts of dances but could not sleep because she couldn't stop dancing. In the morning, her calf had to eat the dandelions alone because the red cow couldn't stop dancing. She decides to see the king and he notices a fallen star has caught on her horn. He tells her jumping over the moon is the only way to remove it. She does and returns to her normal life, but she can't stand it. She missed the dancing and the happy feeling it gave her. She figures if she keeps moving, she'll find another fallen star. The trick is to be able to have both lives, the quiet part and the wild dances and not sacrifice either.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Lincoln head plastic Mold-A-Rama
Lincoln head plastic Mold-A-Rama machine, Henry Ford Museum, Detroit
Originally uploaded by gruntzooki
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Superdawg, Chicago, IL
Today, James and I grabbed a bite at Superdawg. It was GOOD! He had the Superdawg, I had a Supercheesie. Then it went from quiet to crazy crowded. I'm going back for night neon. And so Maurie and Flaurie can wink at me some more.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thanksgiving, day 2
This is Debora's Thanksgiving. (thanks to Sex, Drugs and June Cleaver) Why didn't I bring more. Liquor, Prozac and Ativan???
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Collection of stars
Looking up at the glow in the dark stars I have in my bedroom - I realized that I have many starry things in my life. My Grandma gave me the book, "Goodnight Moon" it's by my bed. I didn't realize the illustrations showed the room slowly getting darker. I just knew the book would make me sleepy and I could fall asleep. I love that the stars in the book keep getting brighter as the room gets darker.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Heartthrob cafe, St Paul, MN
After spending two weeks of being in the sun, seeing new signs and new towns, it's hard to come home. I wrote about leaving and coming back. I forget how much I love to shoot up the neon - into my camera, my computer, my head. I am an addict. And I only want more. I love you neon and I have no idea why.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Crystal Cafe, Raton, NM
Tonight, James and I are here, Raton, NM. I wanted to see how all the neon in town was doing. In 2007, I arrived around 9 pm so I didn't see the restaurant neon signs lit. James and I drove up and down the business route shooting stuff (me shooting, him driving) We're looking at restaurants trying to decide where to eat dinner. Restaurant one, the neon is beautiful but the decor looked bland. The next restaurant - no neon, so no way. The third place, the Crystal Cafe, has great neon and looks like it has character. First off, there's old photos all around - cool. And we can get a beer. The waitress explains that her boss' mom owned the Golden Rule in town. There's old ads and photos and she tells us that it's all still intact. She was so fun to talk to. I believe if you see the words homemade pie on the menu - by law you must have it for dessert. It was peach cobbler and very very good.
Monday, November 09, 2009
New Mexico Route 66
Today, James and I are in Tucumcari, NM. We came in last night - and planned to stay one whole day. While I was shooting up a motel (ha ha), we bump into a guy who was forced to stay in Tucumcari because his car broke down and they can't get the parts for it.
We get up today and the sky is grey. Thick grey clouds. My one day of shooting is ruined. I love the blue New Mexico sky. James tells me to be patient - he'd keep saying, "I'm working on it." I'd look outside, grey but with some blue. By the time we get our shit together - the sky has is blue - not one cloud. It worked - he did it! We get in the car and the battery is dead. We get a jump from the lady at the hotel. But I worry what will happen when we stop the car. And what if the clouds come back. We drive up and down Route 66 to charge the battery. We stop at a gas station, turn off the car and the battery is dead again. Shit! No one has any jumper cables. I call the rental car company and ask them what to do. They ask can I drive to my end destination - that would be Denver when we fly out on Friday. And there's no Dollar Rental company in town. Then they give us the o.k. for us to buy a battery.
One really nice guy offers to drive us to the Car Quest for the battery. James has written down the car make and battery model number and the nice guy drives us back to our dead car. We thank him profusely. The battery, technically correct, did not fit. At all. Somehow, James manages to connect the battery at a hideous angle. We drive back to the Car Quest with the hood barely shut. It takes him three tries to find the right car battery that would fit. Luckily, I could get some shots in while James was being Mr Fixit. Finally two hours later, the battery fits, and works and the car starts. And life is good.
We resumed our tooling up and down Route 66 (and also on the main street in town.) We see the guy from last night, and I tell him all our car adventures. I hope he didn't put a curse on us. Actually, if we had this happen out in any of the past spots we've been it - it would've been a hellish nightmare. We made new friends, got to see all the signs and now the car is ready for the next part of our trip
We get up today and the sky is grey. Thick grey clouds. My one day of shooting is ruined. I love the blue New Mexico sky. James tells me to be patient - he'd keep saying, "I'm working on it." I'd look outside, grey but with some blue. By the time we get our shit together - the sky has is blue - not one cloud. It worked - he did it! We get in the car and the battery is dead. We get a jump from the lady at the hotel. But I worry what will happen when we stop the car. And what if the clouds come back. We drive up and down Route 66 to charge the battery. We stop at a gas station, turn off the car and the battery is dead again. Shit! No one has any jumper cables. I call the rental car company and ask them what to do. They ask can I drive to my end destination - that would be Denver when we fly out on Friday. And there's no Dollar Rental company in town. Then they give us the o.k. for us to buy a battery.
One really nice guy offers to drive us to the Car Quest for the battery. James has written down the car make and battery model number and the nice guy drives us back to our dead car. We thank him profusely. The battery, technically correct, did not fit. At all. Somehow, James manages to connect the battery at a hideous angle. We drive back to the Car Quest with the hood barely shut. It takes him three tries to find the right car battery that would fit. Luckily, I could get some shots in while James was being Mr Fixit. Finally two hours later, the battery fits, and works and the car starts. And life is good.
We resumed our tooling up and down Route 66 (and also on the main street in town.) We see the guy from last night, and I tell him all our car adventures. I hope he didn't put a curse on us. Actually, if we had this happen out in any of the past spots we've been it - it would've been a hellish nightmare. We made new friends, got to see all the signs and now the car is ready for the next part of our trip
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Dennis' Place for games - Belmont & Sheffield - Chicago
I had dinner with my cousins in Albuquerque and this sign came up. Kudos to whomever found this - and uploaded it. I didn't throw up laughing - but I could've. Only your family can make you laugh that hard.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Travel
I really don't like getting ready for a trip. It's the fear of what will I forget. And then I start on with the what will I miss. My bed, my pillows, making my own coffee in the morning. I am a mess when I have to get ready for a trip. There's scattered piles of clothes and whatnot in every room. Then I feel I have to totally clean the whole house and do every project I've been putting off - raking or polishing the floor. Stupid stuff
Miss Lady has a nice worried expression. She's about to abandon her luggage and try to make it through her flight in that tiny waisted dress. I'll be more comfortably attired but as equally worried about my luggage and what oceans are between Minnesota and Phoenix. Shut up - I'm bad at geography.
Then I'm on the trip and I'm used to the new routine and all is well.
Then comes the end. I have to pack up all my dirty clothes and I don't want to go home. I'm used to hotel or gas station coffee and getting food by hunting and gathering (or going to weird places). I come home and it's not where I want to be even though I didn't want to leave in the first place.
But I'll get the itch again, I'll start dreaming of my next road trip and I won't remember any of the angst. Until the day before, among the piles.
Miss Lady has a nice worried expression. She's about to abandon her luggage and try to make it through her flight in that tiny waisted dress. I'll be more comfortably attired but as equally worried about my luggage and what oceans are between Minnesota and Phoenix. Shut up - I'm bad at geography.
Then I'm on the trip and I'm used to the new routine and all is well.
Then comes the end. I have to pack up all my dirty clothes and I don't want to go home. I'm used to hotel or gas station coffee and getting food by hunting and gathering (or going to weird places). I come home and it's not where I want to be even though I didn't want to leave in the first place.
But I'll get the itch again, I'll start dreaming of my next road trip and I won't remember any of the angst. Until the day before, among the piles.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Technicolor Yawn
I woke up at 5 am and and I am so tired. My world looks like a Sid and Marty Krofft show. The overbright colors and weird creatures. And nothing making sense. I've tried watching H.R. Pufnstuf as an adult and I just don't get it. It was easier to watch it in the 1970s. Was it because I was young or because it was the 1970s? I am not understanding any thing today. Not a thing. If you received a coherent email from me today, it was an anomaly.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Gifts
I love giving gifts. I really do. The best is when you get someone something that really want or need. I would love to buy a friend a birthday cake like this I don't know if they'd freak. Maybe it will just be a small but great cupcake.
One of my favorite gifts was to Caroline. We were out road tripping and I had an alarm clock with a white noise generator. I'd wake up and be so freakin' scared that Caroline was dead. She was out. OUT. I was holding up mirrors to see if she was breathing - that kind of shit. She'd wake up so happy that she slept so soundly. I found a similar clock and sent it to her - unbeknownst to me, her neighbor had begun well drilling or jack hammering and it was making Caroline crazy. The white noise clock arrives the jack hammer - gone. How did I know? I knew she totally dug it a month before while we toured rural Texas. And she still uses it.That's the best, if it's something you totally wanted, or needed. And not a waste of space.
One of my favorite gifts was to Caroline. We were out road tripping and I had an alarm clock with a white noise generator. I'd wake up and be so freakin' scared that Caroline was dead. She was out. OUT. I was holding up mirrors to see if she was breathing - that kind of shit. She'd wake up so happy that she slept so soundly. I found a similar clock and sent it to her - unbeknownst to me, her neighbor had begun well drilling or jack hammering and it was making Caroline crazy. The white noise clock arrives the jack hammer - gone. How did I know? I knew she totally dug it a month before while we toured rural Texas. And she still uses it.That's the best, if it's something you totally wanted, or needed. And not a waste of space.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Mickey's Diner, St Paul, MN
Carrie, we need to go to Mickey's NOW. Get your quarters, and I'll bring mine because we need to get burgers, coffee and play Patsy Cline's "Crazy" until we break the juke box. I'll see you there.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Map with notes
You know those old movie slates. As a director, you yell, “Action” and clap the slate. It shows what scene is being filmed and was used to sync up the sound and picture. I like to pretend I’m a big time movie director when out shooting. I do yell, “Please clear the shot” but no one ever does. I have dreams of moving annoying power lines or lampposts but my crew never seems to pull the right permits.
The picture is my old way of note taking when I’d go out shooting . At first, I didn’t write any notes – I knew I’d just remember. Ha! Then, I used this old map to record notes of signs shot, not shot, the time. Now with a digital camera, the date and time (no GPS for me) are embedded in the shot. Since I can just empty the camera disk, I have endless shots. So I started shooting the name of the town before I’d grab the sign. And after. I have fun trying to find the name of the town on a great sign. I have a whole laptop filled with images that are in one great big iPhoto event that just says “trip to Albuquerque” And no town names. I’m going back and separating them into each town. Luckily with Google maps, you can make sure that both you and cool motel sign know where it is.
The picture is my old way of note taking when I’d go out shooting . At first, I didn’t write any notes – I knew I’d just remember. Ha! Then, I used this old map to record notes of signs shot, not shot, the time. Now with a digital camera, the date and time (no GPS for me) are embedded in the shot. Since I can just empty the camera disk, I have endless shots. So I started shooting the name of the town before I’d grab the sign. And after. I have fun trying to find the name of the town on a great sign. I have a whole laptop filled with images that are in one great big iPhoto event that just says “trip to Albuquerque” And no town names. I’m going back and separating them into each town. Luckily with Google maps, you can make sure that both you and cool motel sign know where it is.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)