Today, like yesterday, was foggy and soaked, so that I was not particularly inspired to take pictures as I went to work.
But as I made my way east on 35th Street, I couldn't resist snapping a shot of the 'Clear's Looking At You, Inc.' van. It reminded me of being on tour with Saturnine and how our drummer Jim was always obsessed with 'punny' hair salons, which more than just about any other business seem inclined toward this kind of name, e.g., 'A Cut Above' or 'The Tortoise and the Hair' or 'Hair We Are' or (probably somewhere) 'Hair's Looking at You.' As much as I enjoy puns, I'm not sure that -- were I given the opportunity -- I would want to rely on one for a business name; I can see myself answering the phone after ___ years and being really annoyed by a joke that had seem so hilarious when first created. Still, it made me laugh on the way the work, and for that I'm grateful.
At lunch I took some pictures of Park Avenue from the gym. I continued to think about my trip to Costco, and concluded that one of the reasons it's such a strange place is that in many respects it's as big as a city, but one that has been pared down to its essential function of buying and selling, and nothing else; no art, no culture, no 'community.' Perhaps this is what all cities will be like in the future, and Costco is just a harbinger of what's to come. At least people will have lots of berries and organic produce!
The light turned green for the ____th time in ____ years.
As I walked back on 34th Street toward my office, the sidewalks seemed beyond soaked; they seemed permantently wet.
But in the distance, I could see low foggy clouds rolling along the western horizon, which led me to believe that the rain was coming to an end. Unfortunately the iPhone did not really capture this effect.
But sure enough, within a few hours I could see blue sky from my office.
'Clear's looking at you,' I said to the groaning rooftops of midtown as they turned bronze in the afternoon light.
re: Costco and cities,
if you haven't seen it, try "Idiocracy." hard to watch in many ways but also on point. sometimes visconti is not enough.
Posted by: nil blur | 01/26/2010 at 11:22 AM
Thanks Nil Blur, will do!
Posted by: Matthew Gallaway | 01/26/2010 at 11:30 AM