Just yesterday I was blogsurfing, and I read about PurlyWhite’s Eye Candy Friday. I love this idea, because lately I’ve been stopping to take shots of the absurd things I see around the city. No longer do I pass something and think “I wish I had a picture of that”—now I actually stop and pull out the camera. It’s how I got those shots of the strange knitted boots.
A few weeks ago, on my way to work, I came across this horrifying sight:
A woman walking her dog went past me, and I even tried to strike up a conversation about it. “Isn’t this so funny looking!? I just had to take a picture.” She mildly nodded and kept on going. Perhaps my enthusiasm for a mannequin in a trash bag was a little too much for her at 7:30 in the morning. But it looks like a chopped up body out there for all to see! On South Street! In a Force-Flex trash bag! That’s funny! Right? right? . . . uh, maybe just to me?
Yesterday, I saw this, which gave me a chuckle (posted larger than usual so you can read the sign):
Just in case you can’t make it out, the sign says “These Doors are [sic] Open to You.” And it’s behind a closed and locked gate! “Doors!” “Open!” But it’s locked! Laugh!
(And while I’m talking about this sign, I must rant about it for just a moment. The capitalization style they’ve chosen is Title Style, which is when you capitalize everything but the prepositions and articles. Let me repeat: everything BUT prepositions and articles. What do you capitalize? Verbs! Verbs—you capitalize verbs. What is the ONLY verb in that sentence? Ding ding ding! Yes, it is “are.” People do this all the damn time. Just because the word is short does not mean it is not a verb. It makes me sad to see this important part of the sentence be demoted to preposition level. Is, are, was, were, etc., shouldn’t be mingling with the lowly prepositions. They’re important! And so are pronouns! Like it. It is a real word, too! Capitalize these words with all the rest, please.)
I promise to post some knitting pictures and content real soon. The baby sweater for EH’s baby is blocking right now, and I’m completely thrilled with the results of my experiment. It was a complicated little project, including cables, lace, and raglan shaping, so the pattern is going to take some time and concerted effort to write up. The plan is to submit it somewhere, or if I decide not to do that, to offer it for sale. Of course, I employed all sorts of finicky technique and details, so explaining it all for others to create could be tricky. I’ll be starting in on that soon. (First I have to get this thing in the mail; my friend is due on the 24th!)
I’m also hard at work on some new sock patterns. The most recent one, about which I am very excited, is requiring research in several different stitch pattern books as well as a whole lot of charting. I hope I can make it work, because I really, really like this idea. More soon!
7 comments
Hmmmm…don’t know whether I find the mannequin *funny* or oddly disturbing in a *YIKES* kind of way. But, on South St.? Well, I think you could find almost anything there.
As for the church gate? Is that over by Second St.? In spite of the gate being closed and locked …the iron work is really pretty.
That’s what I miss about Phila. Your pictures make me homesick!
;-)
HA! That mannequin is awesomely creepy. And I am so with you on the capitalizing. (Of course I am, because I know the RIGHT WAY to do things. Sigh.)
Oh my god, Minty, that first photo nearly gave me heart failure! It’s not just you — that’s a sight worthy of notice. Your other picture also cracks me up.
Not only do I object to the way that title case was executed on that sign, but I object to its use at all. There’s just no reason for it. Next thing you know they’ll be arbitrarily putting quotes around it — another pet peeve.
The first picture would have given me pause as well.
Amy
I like the idea for Eye Candy Friday, but I gotta tell you that first photo is really disturbing! I can see why the dog walker didn’t want to stop. Keep ‘em coming though!
What’s worse than not seeing “Is” capitalized? Having someone “correct” you to make it lowercase!
I am right there with you on the hilarity of the ‘body’ in the bag, as well as the appreciation of the irony of the sign behind locked gates, not to mention the title case issue. I don’t understand what logic could have possibly resulted in not capitalising Are in that sign!