Category Archives: carry a camera

September 10, 2009 · 11:34 pm

Got Mooovers?

marrins-moooving

First, yes that is the front of my car in the bottom of the screen and yes I shot this while I was driving. With all the talk of texting and driving hazards I am embarrassed to admit that but you know this being a blog of full disclosure and all…

Please don’t judge me. Thanks.

So there I was driving down the LIE the other morning after a meeting and this moving truck pulled up next to me. Or shall I say this M-O-O-VING truck. I was first struck by the cow motif as I have an affinity for all things bovine. Jana’s nursery had a cow border and ever since I have loved them. Then I noticed the name and scrambled through my bag for that damn camera. I first took a shot of the back but then came up alongslide and caught the phone number and had to get this angle. 1-877-270-COWS?

Brilliant.

This is surely not as cool, but does rival Mambo Movers. (They have a logo with a rhino being stuffed in a truck).

So, Marrin’s Movers, here is my little plug for your biz. I have no idea how good you are at moving crap, but your truck gave me a smile.  And a little strategic advice, carry your cow motif over to your website, it could use a little refresh.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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September 1, 2009 · 9:19 pm

Recombobulation

recombobulation-area

Have any of you seen this yet?

After walking through airport security; juggling my laptop, shoes, belt, carry-on, ipod, keys and a partridge in a pear tree, I came across this sign. I promptly dropped all that crap and grabbed my camera.

Admit it, who doesn’t feel discombobulated at that moment. BTW, recombobulation comes up as a misspelled word in my blog software, I think they made this word up! Seems the only place I can find it is in my old favorite spot, Urban Dictionary.

So, picture the committee that had to name this area. The meeting probably went something like this:

“How do you feel when you walk through security?”

“Well, discombobulated, of course!”

“Exactly, so we will call this the Recombobulation Area and everyone will relate and we will appear to be sensitive to our target market and everyone will forgive us for making them walk barefoot and half naked through the airport.”

I am thinking that this might catch on. Maybe in the corporate setting. Every office should have a Recombobulation Area. You get chewed out by your boss, you lose a big account, just having a bad day. Simply step into the “RA” and get your self good and combobulated.

Wait, does recombobulation infer that you were once combobulated in the first place, became ‘dis’ and then needed to ‘re’.

Yeh, you’re right, I need to get some sleep.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visitLeaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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August 11, 2009 · 9:06 pm

No wife?

plaid-on-plaid

What’s the shot that this guy has a woman living in his house?

Wife: Hon, why don’t you put on your plaid shirt and completely different plaid shorts today, they look so good together.

Husband: Oh, great, and then I can put on a pair of white gym socks with my sandals and round out the outfit.

I took this shot on the same boardwalk as the kid on a leash, dog in a stroller and recession rosaries. AND the 3 hens 3 girls and Hot… Dogs on leaving the zip code. I almost had photographic whiplash by the end of that day! Forgive the posterization, I had to screw around with the levels to get the plaids to read as I was shooting into the sun. Don’t you just hate it when absurdities don’t position themselves in the correct direction?

I am surely no fashionista. Let’s face it, I wear predominantly black clothes. I consider khaki a color. But I am always amazed when I see this kind of blatant fashion violation.

No, this is not even a fashion issue, this is a complete lack of recognition of complimentary design elements and the principles of clashing. This guy is different from the inappropriate T-shirt guys. Those guys made a conscious choice to be what they considered funny or clever, even if they weren’t. This guy? Did he get dressed in the dark? Did no one ever tell him that plaid needs a nice solid to balance it out. Has he never noticed that others don’t dress like this?

Then of course, I got a little sad. What if he lost his wife and she always told him how to dress?

Or maybe, just maybe, the conversation above really did take place.

It takes all kinds.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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August 8, 2009 · 9:52 pm

Crotch Grabbing Elf

Paranoid-elf

So many images, so little time.

I took this shot earlier this month at the Brooklyn Flea. This place was a treasure trove of the bizarre. Looking through the shots of the summer this one was begging to be featured. After the Krazy Glued penis caper I could not help but think this little guy was awfully symbolic. Oh, and I saw this right after Michael Jackson died in the height of MJ fever. Any connection? Can’t you picture him in this get up?

This artifact begs a few questions:

1. Who designed this item, for mass market, no less? And for what purpose? I am thinking this could easily be one half of a nesting salt and pepper shaker from the 50’s. Like the dancing bears my mom had. Hey, Ma, do you still have those?

2. What is the significance of the crotch grabbing? Protection? Masturbation? Or simply the need to pee?

3. Why do I think that this little guy could star in a nightmare I will have real soon. One where all the weird stuff I have taken pictures of will come alive and start chasing me.

Oops, sorry, I probably should not let the inner workings of my warped mind out of the bag so candidly.

Oh, right, isn’t that what I have been doing here from the beginning?

The biggest question of all: Why did I not purchase this little guy?

Stay tuned for more oddities from the flea market on days I have nothing to write about.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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August 5, 2009 · 8:03 pm

Rethinking a Wardrobe Choice

I-just-farted

Yes, I know, I am the ultimate MFTA (magnet for the absurd). It is no longer a coincidence that things like this present themselves to me like little bloggy gifts. I still hold to the idea that many people see things like this. They just don’t process or don’t carry a camera.

So, ok, let’s take a look at this ‘I Just Farted (You should run now) T-shirt on this rather portly gent. I will only comment by saying,’What the hell was he thinking?’ This was taken at a kids summer camp alumni weekend. Perhaps the thought was ‘Hey, farting always gets a good laugh, why not?’

This next one is from visiting day a few years back at the same camp:

I-only-date-MILFS

This one kills me on oh so many levels. First, the shirt is flaming orange, no way we can miss it. Second, this guy is the father of 3 boys – to quote my daughter ‘what the hell?’ Third – let’s just say MILFs ain’t dating him back, K? All joking aside, this man actually planned to wear this. He packed it in his suitcase and thought to himself, ‘Hey wouldn’t it be cool to totally humiliate my kids on visiting day?’ Or maybe he just thought it was funny. Scarier.

Ok, one more:

as-a-kite

This one does not fall in the offensive category, in fact I find it rather graphically clever (even though I hate that typeface but that is my own personal graphic design neurosis). Thankfully this was not at camp with kids around, that would just be wrong. But it was at a concert where you would think if this guy was high, perhaps he would want to be a little more discreet about it.

Or not.

Guys, when you get dressed for these events, might I suggest you consult a woman before leaving the house?

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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August 4, 2009 · 11:06 pm

Supa Dupa Dread Kit

supa-dupa-dread-kit

Finally! A product that produces clean healthy dreads. How did I possibly live without knowing about his product? Take a little visit over at dreadheadhq.com and you will laugh out loud, “We are not just the owners of Dread Head HQ… we’re also clients”. Hmm, was that not the Hair Club for Men tagline?

I found this in Lake George of all places. I posted this picture on Facebook and immediately had two comments from people who had to own this product. Go figure, who knew it would make such a nice gift?

Back to the sales pitch. You have to love this one:

At DreadHead HQ we eat, sleep and sport dreadlocks….we love’em and we want to spread the dreads, letting people know just how much butt dreadlocks kick; as a hairstyle, as well as a lifestyle. We want people to know how enjoyable and rewarding it is to rock their own well maintained dreadlocks.

Um, how much butt dreadlocks kick? Yeh, that would be a nice suburban white kid’s take on a symbol of the Rastafari movement. Perhaps a little too heavy a diet of Bob Marley whilst in the crib? Come to think of it my daughter loved him as a kid. She used to go to sleep listening to Roots Rock Reggae on more than one occasion. And now that I mention it my son has a painting of Bob over his bed. And they did have a Jamaican nanny for many years.

Wait a minute, maybe I should have picked up a few cases of this stuff. You never know when a set of dreads might sprout in this very house.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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August 2, 2009 · 9:22 pm

Prozac Country

prozac-don't-worry-be-happy

Sometimes you are driving down the road, you are weary from a long trip and the conversation has long since died down. Then out of nowhere a visual gift is placed before you. Sometimes your husband points it out and then actually thinks that he is not obligated to turn that damn car around and pull over so you can take the shot. (guess who won that argument).

I kid you not, my friends, no retouching here. This is not one of those funny church sign generator images. This is the real deal.

Stuck in the worst kind of traffic on the way home from the Adirondacks, we took a side route and ambled upon someone’s front lawn with this sitting on it. Talk about the mother of all lawn ornaments. This blows away the frogs and bunnies. If you don’t believe this is for real, take a drive down route 199 in Milan, NY and you will find this yourself. It is between the Rhinebeck Bridge and the Taconic State Parkway.

After a 5 hour drive one could surely use a million milligrams of Prozac.

(please note the Keep Out sign in the bottom left corner, guess that means they don’t share)

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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July 31, 2009 · 8:31 am

If you think I’m a bitch…

if-you-think-i'm-a-bitch

… you should meet my mom?! Too funny, especially if you ever met my mom, the sweetest human being on earth.

Ah, nothing like a day in Lake George, the capital of the charmingly cheesy. Miniature golf, wax museums, salt water taffy, fudge, soft ice cream and of course, the tackiest T-shirts on earth.

I always wonder who the hell buys these things. Ok, maybe this one is funny enough to buy as a gag gift, but who actually WEARS them.

Then you sit on a bench and people-watch for awhile and you see all those shirts go walking by. Yes, Middle America is alive and well and dropping the green on tacky Ts.

Crap, I hope my daughter doesn’t own this shirt…

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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July 28, 2009 · 10:51 pm

The Vixen Manual

vixe-manual

Oh yeh, this is what I am talking about, Vixen how-to on the subway. I could not resist this shot. I love the guy in the window. He is looking like someone who might just be in need of a vixen. Hey, let’s be honest, what guy isn’t. This is some scary stuff.

Since the image is small, let me give you the selling points (with commentary of course):

A vixen:

1) Knows how to flirt (lame, most women know how to flirt)

2) Never lets him see her sweat (I believe this was stolen from the Dry Idea deodorant commercial, not all that sexy if you ask me)

3) Can stroke his… ego (subtle… oh, puh-leez!)

4) All of the above (falls kind of flat here, I was looking around for a #2 pencil on this one)

How about these credentials:

From music video eye candy to domestic diva, there isn’t a relationship Karren Steffans hasn’t had. (ew! perhaps I went to far with my imagination on this one)

Oh, best part… available in hardcover and as an eBook (would that make it SOFTware ?)

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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July 23, 2009 · 10:04 pm

Cheap Eats

cheap-eats

Walking into a restaurant the other night I spotted this character. In respect for anonymity I cropped him. He struck such a resemblance to Frank Zappa that I had to do a double take.

I love the cover of the magazine with ‘Cheap Eats’, which by the way the restaurant is not. I never realized but our friend pointed out that $17.95 was kind of pricey for eggplant parmigiana. I suppose I can’t argue with that.

I wonder what article he was reading. The way he has his hand over his mouth it appears that he is astonished. Maybe he just ordered the eggplant parmigiana and is reading an article about where he can buy it for half the price.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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