A birthday brings thoughts about the unconventional

conceptual image of a pre-fab house in a field

I’m always glancing at Zillow and looking at different real estate options … one desire I have is to live near the ocean, but as I look, the prices and quality of housing options are always discouraging. There was recently a home with potential in Neptune City, NJ, which was within walking distance of both … Read more

Architecture in Minneapolis: The Armory Building

The Minneapolis Armory Building

I was in Minneapolis for the Christmas holiday, and took a venture downtown to look around. I didn’t have a particular destination, I was just walking around as it had been a long time since I had been downtown despite several recent visits to Minnesota to visit family. At any rate, I walked by this … Read more

Bicentennial Style, making a comeback?

Bicentennial Wallpaper as seen in 1976, featuring Revolutionary War soldiers

There was a story in the NY Times recently about Millennials who are embracing Bicentennial style, which I found kind of funny considering that the general birth date range for Millenials is usually considered between 1981 and 1996, so they didn’t even experience the Bicentennial firsthand. Coming from my perspective as a Gen X’er, this … Read more

Jesus on Black Velvet Painting, a missed opportunity

Jesus on black velvet painting

I was checking out an antiques store in New Paltz, New York last fall, when I saw this painting of Jesus on black velvet. It instantly grabbed my attention, as something so bad that it was good. I was completely enamored of this painting, both for the total cheese factor, and the mystifying question of … Read more

Nitemare

lights in the dark of night

From the DadaWrit series (1987-1995). Read into my woundsthe healing of the lovelinesstouching the egyptian soul within all of usknowing that the e-luv eyes cannot lieI feel her touch, and know the law is true Beyond the capricious silent nightCarols sing into the nightLeaving you and me aloneCan’t stop the feeling nowReach into my bag … Read more

What is going on with the United States Postal Service?

Pony Express poster

I’ve had some strange experiences related to the US Mail, or rather the United States Postal Service. But today’s mail brought me an example of the complete disarray and mysteriously unreliable service of the United States Postal Service. In my mailbox today was a letter addressed to my mother with a yellow sticker saying “undeliverable … Read more

Whimsical animal sculptures at the front door in Easton, PA

animal sculptures seen in Easton, PA

I was walking around Easton, PA, exploring the West Ward on foot, when I noticed some brightly colored shapes attached to a front door of a home on Washington Street. A closer look revealed them to be small animal sculptures, and there were a number of them surrounding the front door. As you can see … Read more