American Eagle II

Thunderbird, Sebastopol, CA, 2011.

This icon, this logo of APL freight lines, grabs my eye. I have always been drawn to the simple lines, the representation of the iconic Thunderbird, the American Eagle. There are many versions of this, but this one has always been my favorite. Trucks on the highway; shipping containers charging into the San Francisco Bay on huge ships from China; they always stand out to me when they carry this logo.

The Thunderbird, in Native American culture, shoots lightning bolts out of its eyes.  The legends are varied and deeply infused in the culture of many North American indigenous peoples. I am a bit disappointed in myself for liking this particular one, a westernized version of a legend turned into a corporate logo. Yet I do.

I love storms. I get a thrill from thunder that claps simultaneously with a nearby flash. I also dig birds a lot. I once had the nickname "American Eagle" because my friend Andy thought I resembled the Muppet Show character. If I ever dye my skin with a tattoo, it will be this, across my upper back. Maybe his head will poke up above my collar.

This shipping container sits behind a large pet food supply store in Sebastopol. This was another case of stopping for one photograph (forthcoming) and finding something more awesome. [Insert philosophical comment here.]

To have your eyes opened to the ongoing Native American struggle, check out my college ultimate teammate's TED Talk.  15 minutes and powerful.

Taking it Too Seriously

This parking meter farm in Milwaukee's Third Ward struck me immediately as humorous -- people who park in this lot really follow instructions. Notice this isn't the only pole that has been hit by too many well-meaning drivers -- they all share the similar damage. Maybe the instructions should read "Please Pull Car Up Close to Pole."

I found this one morning before work when I had gotten off the Amtrak from Chicago to Milwaukee, circa January 2003. I had gone there to take a picture of a Sen Sen ad painted on the side of a brick building. I still have that pic somewhere, but this is the one I've held on to. This is a scan of a photo: notice the thumbtack hole in the top. This has been making me chuckle for years.

This one goes out to all my Milwaukee friends and family. I love what the city has done with the Third Ward. And, looking at Google Street View, both these meters and the Sen Sen ad still exist today!

Woven Aluminum Chair

Woven Aluminum Chair, c. 1992

Svein "Slim Sirnes (1930-2006)

Nevada, USA

Part of the Exhibition "Second Chances" currently on display at SFO, from the International Museum of Folk Art in Santa Fe.

From the placard accompanying the piece: 

Journalist, inventor, and environmentalist Svein "Slim" Sirnes wove mats and created sculptures from discarded beer and soft drink cans. He developed a special tool to cut cans into strips. Sirnes's work includes sculptures, animals, vests, purses, furniture and lamps. The resulting pieces, including this lawn chair, are examples of one-of-a-kind re-fabricated objects that make use of disposable materials. Sirnes once declared, "As long as they make cans, I'll keep on working. 

Rock on, Slim.

Click on the photo and see if you can recognize any familiar brands... former DU ultimate players, look closely!

Quilt Barn(s) and the American Barn Quilt Trail

Quilt barn near Piqua, OH, 2011.

While in Ohio last weekend, I learned from my teammate Erin about the rural American known as the Quilt Barn project. I'm just learning about this, but it seems like the ultimate retiree hobby and a good way for rural communities to draw enthusiasts of American settler history off the beaten Interstate path. I'm drawn to it because of my love for barns as advertising media. This is even better than that, since it's community-based, not corporate-based.

I'm just learning about this project -- I don't have much info to date, but will supply a link (updated July 2014).

 
(The previously linked site, no longer active, featured a poll. I took it and learned that only one lucky visitor has seen over 150 quilt barns.) 

It seems they lack a page for Miami County, Ohio, so I'll submit this and see if they can use it. We stopped on the highway on our way to Versailles, Ohio. The Denver Omelettes returned to compete in the 30th annual Poultry Days ultimate frisbee tournament; it was about my 12th time back.