Abstract by Sillydog
Slideshow by Sillydog Media
abstraction is that fertile intermediary zone where forms change according to scale.
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barge
There are a lot of memorials in town to pioneers, and not all them were crackers. This one commemorates difficult ocean journeys from Asia and presumably the people of Asian descent who were stolen for work (and quite possibly death) on boats. Honestly, this really happened and not that long ago.
Photo by sillydog
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clown-can2
The midway was covered w/ clowns. They came in many colours and designs.
Photo by sillydog
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darn
"Though Geraldine played hard to get, uh-huh-huh / Geraldo knew he'd woo her ye-het / He showed his affection / Despite her objections / And Geraldine hollered some interjections...
Well! You've got some nerve! / Oh! I've never been so insulted in all my life! / Hey! You're kinda cute!
So when you're happy (Hurray!) or sad (Aw!)
Or frightened (Eeeeeek!) or mad (Rats!)
Or excited (Wow!) or glad (Hey!)
An interjection starts a sentence right. "
--Schoolhouse Rock
Photo by sillydog
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electric_citicar_side-close
I am such a sucker for a little, fuel-efficient car. I'm in love.
Photo by sillydog
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spinning_sun
even mean tools, capable of taking limbs off, can look cheerful w/ the right kind of eyes.
As long as they're clean.
Photo by sillydog
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empire
The Klingon Empire. What empire?
I find it hard to believe that the Federation of TNG would maintain an alliance w/ a government that had taken over planets and enslaved their populations as we saw in TOS. You don't often hear of them discussing Klingon planets w/ other sorts of people on them in the later years.
Or perhaps, that's the point. Like the US maintaining most favoured nation status w/ Saudi Arabia - a state that publicly beheads dissenters every Friday.
What empire?
Photo by sillydog
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that_style_upwards2
not only did he have a sitting room, but also a stereo room.
Photo by sillydog
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propeller_grind
they had long since taken the propeller off the sub. It is now on display along the river-walk.
Photo by sillydog
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38degrees
Only someone who has done metal working can easily identify the tools used.
Photo by sillydog
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mirror_dude
Assuming carved "noble savage" objects are pretty much not made anymore in the same way blackface pottery is not, I have to wonder if men's faces are carved on much of anything anymore.
Photo by sillydog
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forgotten_letter
Whenever I find a lost letter that isn't a bill or advert, I like to imagine it's a love letter or some important news. Now that fewer people send letters on paper - most of them older - I wonder if a larger percentage of them are from Florida and discuss heath problems.
Battle Ground, Wash. is hardly a tropical paradise, so it's just as likely this one discusses wood or water in some way.
Photo by sillydog
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umbrella1
There's something absurd to me about having an umberlla in Portland that doesn't keep the rain off, even if we do have several bone-dry months every year.
Photo by sillydog
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half_wall
Who the hell tears out half a wall? There's a story behind this wall and I haven't a clue.
Photo by sillydog
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housemate_droppings
I live in the "Exit House." It is thus named for the movie theatre lamps (and rows of seats) gracing the front and back porches. It was once the bachellor party house where several Dark Horse Comics artists and hangers-on lived, worked and partied. On the rare occasion when one of Matt's former/old friends (that's HSBH to you) come around, they have difficulty imagining the place as it currently is, their memories soaked in keg after keg of bubbly Oregon beer.
This is why I have tiny plastic dragons all over my house. This is why the clothes chute is blocked by an iguana cage. This is why there's a sign in my anteroom telling people to register at the office. This is why the carcases of several old Volkswagons prevent me from parking in the garage. This is why my kitchen window is full of old housemate droppings.
Photo by sillydog
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secret pinball 3
Last time I spoke to Aaron, he'd been in the "Emerald City" for three weeks. "You know what? I haven't been angry once."
"Not once? Not even in traffic, or because of some rude ass trying to fuck you over?" I was shocked.
"Not once." Like myself before, he expressed a fondness for the climate and wondered why anyone would bother w/ a Minnesota winter. Not so bad, but why bother? I assured him the human and climitological balance sheet would reveal itself in the course of the next year.
I've not spoken to him since, as he's changed his number to a new area code. I took too long to call him back upon returning to Oregon. I'm miffed, cuz we were going to get together in PDX and play viddy games at Ground Kontrol and whatnot.
I have reflected on this change of scene since and remember how in love with Portland I was in 1997. Unemployment was low and there was free food growing wild in the alleys where I walked the dog. It felt like paradise.
I get that same kind of rush when I think about the south coast. Is it the illusion of personal change, tinted green by sunlight through manzanita?
*!*Aaron Barnett, if you're reading this, consider this a cordial invite to call south about getting an official tour of the city from a couple who've fallen in love w/ Cascadia too.
Photo by sillydog
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that_particular_style
Tony has such a well-appointed house. We were his first visitors.
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sweating
Bronson and I started on two successive days. When we started the pile of crap out the back door was frightening, aged and out of control. It was his task one day to clean it up and dang if he didn't do a great job. He said there was a layer of rat crap under the dumpter about an inch thick.
Ew. You could even smell it over all the essential oils out back.
Photo by sillydog
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solar_powered
Much to our plesant surprise, we found the blinking road sings in Portland are now powered by the sun.
Photo by sillydog
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pivot-point
A well-traveled friend once told me that the United States has, by far, the best maintained playground equipment in the world. I don't know if that's true, but I suspect it's true enough.
Do you suppose our carnival rides are similarly superior? This one is looking pretty shabby. I will have to make a point not to do the rides at Guatamala-Disney.
Photo by sillydog
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natural_palate
The valley used to be an Oak savanah, you know.
These days, Oregon's palate during the wet months varies from orange to green. Given that Doug Fir is an intermediate stage in a forest's development, I wonder if there'd be more brown in the winter if the red of all the conifer needle acid were replaced w/ the brown tannins of Oaks. I also wonder if we'd have more lichen and less moss, but I wonder alot of things.
Photo by sillydog
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magnaplane_infrared_intel-colours
My pal Tony just got the stereo of his dreams. It cost more than the combined worth of every car I've owned, but man is it sweet.
We had an excellent curry last week and then all sat on the couch, lights lowered, and just...Listened.
Photo by sillydog
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camo_switch
For some reason we kept having difficulty finding the light switches. After spending the whole night w/ the lights on, I found the switch in the morning.
Photo by sillydog
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clown_can
You see, you toss your trash through it's mouth. Your only penalty for hiting it in the eye w/ your Big Mac wrapper is to try again.
Photo by sillydog
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grillin_out_back
Being a vegetarian, I make a mean kabob. Marinade, marinade, marinade.
Photo by sillydog
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freedom2
The little market on the intersection between my house and Caroline's was Greg's Gas and Grocery back in the 70s. It has been a freedom station ever since. However, everyone I've met who's grown up around there, still calls it Greg's Gas.
Why? When oil is $60/gal, Freedom is a stupid name for a gas station.
Photo by sillydog
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claws_up
The Southern Oregon Coast, where food is just crawlin' around and diggin' holes in the sand.
Photo by sillydog
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no-trespassing1
As well armed as people are out there, I wouldn't dream of it.
Photo by sillydog
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collapsingINtime2
Collapsing in Time
Permaculture Notes, #00612
O.k. Captain Sassypants, how are you going to call for help when you take your arm off with a scythe?
Technology is a wonderful thing. It allows us to use fewer resources and get more for it. I?m certain there are inventions coming that will solve some of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.
In the meanwhile, one nice thing about knowing how things worked before technology is that you know what to do when it breaks. Embracing both is key.
Photo by sillydog
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best_one_inda_house
All the rest of the floor lamps are made of far cheeper materials. This one is strudy and metal.
Photo by sillydog
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tension
My uncle Dick is a very handy guy. He used to own a business doing remodelling, then hit the road to demonstrate and fix sewing machines. He became especially known among Mennonites in the area for devising a system to use pedal power for the fancy new machines.
He sent me this one in the mail last year and it's rad. Circa 1961, I think it may have been among the first Singer models to incorporate a zig-zag function (instead of having a cumbersome attachment).
Thanks to his attention to detail, it has the original manual and works great. Like a Hammond B3 organ, a few drops of oil per year and she'll outlast the cockroaches.
Photo by sillydog
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Blue Shoe Out
Wacky Willie's is the Ax-Man west. It turns out this is more literally
true than even I had thought.
After my 3rd tequila drink of the night, we decided to stop in, as the
"open" sign was foolishly lit at 11pm on a Friday night. Careening
inside, we found the proprieter sitting @ the register. I said, "Hey
man...ever hear of a place called Ax-Man Surplus?""Have I? And how! You know it?""Sure, I'm from St. Paul (for that is easier to say and be understood
than White Bear Lake, go Bears!) -- been out here 8 years (!), you?""Wow man, I'm from there, too! I know *** (name obscured by ethanol)
from way back. We started out together."
He went on to detail the life and times of the Ax-men.
They are truly wonderful places, full of wonderous things, especially if
you have a camera and a couple degrees in electronics. Sadly, WW is
closing down on Vaughn. The good news is they're re-opening just a
block away on Wilson. Hooray!
Photo by sillydog