Just Passed Go 
I was in an antiques store in Closter, NJ over the weekend, when I saw this beauty: a large ceramic head of a woman wearing curlers, vintage cats eye glasses, and bright red lipstick. The tag accompanying the piece said “Art? Or Awful? You Decide! It’s a wild piece, whimsical woman.” It only took a … Read more
If you’ve been following my real estate adventures (follies?), you may recall that I had an extended dalliance with the idea of buying a farmhouse with a barn in Upstate New York last summer. I fell in love with the idea, but researched it and estimated costs of repairs and was overwhelmed with the idea … Read more
I was driving around and exploring various towns in Ulster County (New York), when I noticed this billboard on the side of the road near Greenfield Park, which is a hamlet in the town of Wawarsing. As you can see here, it says “Wanted: Girls,” with the stenciled word “boys” crossed out. It’s a bit … Read more
I stopped in at the Scranberry Coop Vintage Store in Andover, NJ, and saw this unexpected pair of aliens. Seeing as this alien couple includes one assumed to be female who wears a leather outfit with a hat that says “Biker Babe,” it begs the question: do aliens ride motorcycles? One would assume that if … Read more
Maybe I’m naive, or was conveniently overlooking the obvious, but when ChatGPT starting showing ads to me yesterday, it ruined the experience. I’ve found myself using ChatGPT quite a bit over the past year, and would be pleasantly surprised and encouraged when I would ask questions of a personal nature that found me receiving what … Read more
Here’s the list of ingredients for my current mindset: I’m a Gen X man, my tech consulting work has slowed to a crawl, I might be on the cusp of retirement anyway, I’ve always loved New Mexico from time spent there in the past, and I’ve spent my whole life living either in cities or … Read more
I was on a weekend day trip up into Connecticut, checking out some things in Danbury, when I saw this tall Uncle Sam sculpture, seemingly in the middle of several roads. I was driving and in the midst of traffic, so I didn’t get a good luck (although I took one of these pictures at … Read more
As I mentioned in my last post, I tend to look for visual items of interest as I’m walking the streets of New York City. The building above left, with the round windows, is called the “Dream Downtown Hotel,” which was designed by Handel Architects. I always admire this building when I’m walking around Chelsea, … Read more
Whenever I’m in New York City, I tend to be on high alert for things of visual interest. Whether it’s street art, sticker art, architecture, things on the sidewalk … I seem to be keenly aware of my surroundings. So when I was walking through Chelsea on my way to some art galleries, I noticed … Read more
I was in the IKEA store when I noticed this pair, and was curious why these little characters were frowning at me. It seems they are considered “mood vases” with the product name “Fröväxt,” which means “seed plant” in Swedish. They’re meant to be mini plant holders, with the idea that whatever greenery that comes … Read more
