Slackers

Americanature has been heavy on the nature and light on the Americana lately. It's the season of lawn chairs, parades, BBQs, and county fairs. Let's get back to a little Americana.

 I took this picture of a bar window in Shawano, Wisconsin, with a digital point and shoot camera. I was on a sales trip with my friend Craig. I believe we had just, or were about to, eat lunch across the street at the Chinese restaurant with the red awning. We were going to have lunch with our associate Ted.

I stumbled upon this photo on my hard drive earlier this week. I am not sure why I took it. But if I was anything then like I am now, I had a cynical sense of humor. I believe it was the "For Sale by Owner" sign on a place named Slackers that got me. The effort that they put into selling this bar was 1. Go to Hardware Store. 2. Post sign on window. 3. Wait.

Slackers Bar, Shawano, WI, January 2004.

Has the strategy paid off? Well, that was 2004, and Google Streeview captured it in all its glory in 2009, looking exactly the same (except no sign). I'm not saying it's certain that the ownership didn't change, but what's your guess?

This led me to an impromptu internet research project: Google Streetview captures. I thought it would have been cool if, by chance, the googlemobile had driven by and photo'd me taking this picture. It didn't, but here's a collection of interesting links. 

http://imgur.com/gallery/1h0sc

http://mashable.com/2012/03/02/google-street-view-peeing-suit/#5002120-Hello-Me

(check out the bonus slideshow below this article -- #17 is my fave...

awesome job to be this cameraman:

http://mashable.com/2012/06/12/google-street-view-hiking-trails/