Items of Interest

Tonight, on the eve of my 23rd birthday, I started a project.

I'm calling it 'Items of Interest' and it is as the name implies: about interesting things.
I have tasked myself with photographing items that strike me as interesting (people, objects, places) from here and there.The goal of this project is to discover these items along the routes that I take everyday or that reside within a close proximity to my apartment. Through this I hope to gain thoughts and ideas that originate from reflecting on these pieces.

There are rules of course.
For instance, I can only take one shot of each item. (So make it count.) Also I am not allowed to overlook an item of interest. If the notion registers for even the slightest second, due must be paid. This is not a race. That would overlook something key in this whole exercise: the matter of slowing down.

I hope to document my findings both here and within a Picasa album that I'll soon be creating and adding to this post. You didn't think I was going to leave you out of this?

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As soon as the earth is a blurry photograph, it'll only be shootable from space. We move too fast around here. Everything changed yesterday. And as for today, it already feels like tomorrow.
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Cheers,
Brennan

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*Edit (August 20, 2008)*
Web Album:

Items of Interest

The Butterscotch Family sticks together.

That is all.

Puppy Chow

Directions:

1 stick margarine (microwave1 minute on 50%)

1 cup chocolate chips (add, microwave 1 minute on high, stir, micro 15 sec on high)

1/5 cup peanut butter (add, microwave 40 sec. on high)

After melted, pour over 7 cups Chex

Add 2 cups powdered sugar

Put in a bag and shake it all about.

The game that we played

(9:06:15 PM) Brennan: would you rather eat a cocksickle or a poopsickle?
(9:06:25 PM) Brennan: (like an ice cube with a nougatey center)
(9:06:33 PM) Markus: oh god
(9:06:57 PM) Markus: I'd rather not have a popsicle ever again than have either of those
(9:07:17 PM) Brennan: not a choice, you can only pick from the selection given
(9:07:39 PM) Markus: I'm stating preference, and declining to answer
(9:07:43 PM) Brennan: No loopholes. Air enclosed box.
(9:07:59 PM) Markus: which means I suffocate one way or the other
(9:08:09 PM) Markus: if I'm dead, no choice must be made
(9:08:30 PM) Brennan: well one choice must've to result in the daisy-pushing
(9:08:35 PM) Markus: no
(9:08:41 PM) Markus: "air inclosed box"
(9:08:52 PM) Markus: I asphyxiated while considering my answer
(9:08:57 PM) Brennan: well, there are a few plants in there to help you out
(9:09:03 PM) Brennan: you never asked
(9:09:03 PM) Markus: HA!
(9:09:08 PM) Markus: HAHAHAHAHA
(9:09:09 PM) Brennan: I never said
(9:09:10 PM) Markus: LOL
(9:09:23 PM) Brennan: so choose you must
(9:10:14 PM) Markus: a few plants wou;dn
(9:10:18 PM) Markus: *wouldn't do it
(9:10:31 PM) Markus: there must be an ocean with algea in this box
(9:10:35 PM) Markus: or at least
(9:10:43 PM) Markus: a moderately sized pool
(9:10:47 PM) Markus: is there a pool?
(9:10:52 PM) Brennan: yes
(9:11:02 PM) Brennan: but out of reach of the participant
(9:11:13 PM) Markus: DAMN
(9:11:20 PM) Markus: You knew I was gonna drown
(9:11:38 PM) Brennan: until I press this button this invisible curtain will guard you from jumping in
(9:11:54 PM) Markus: ok, I've got it, I used my belt to hang myself
(9:12:06 PM) Brennan: there's no clothes in this box
(9:12:06 PM) Markus: And I definitely have a belt
(9:12:10 PM) Brennan: they disappear upon entering
(9:12:12 PM) Markus: I always have a belt
(9:12:19 PM) Markus: no, I would never walk in that box
(9:12:22 PM) Brennan: which begs the question of who is this perverted box-keeper
(9:12:47 PM) Brennan: which needn't be answered at this juncture
(9:12:50 PM) Markus: no clothes, no go in box, no choice must be made
(9:13:07 PM) Markus: clothes->in box->death->no answer
(9:13:08 PM) Brennan: this box was a trap that you walked into accidentally, without your knowing
(9:13:14 PM) Markus: oh
(9:13:33 PM) Markus: hrm
(9:13:33 PM) Markus: well then, I'm naked in a box?
(9:13:45 PM) Brennan: apparently
(9:13:49 PM) Markus: stab myself with one of the plants you said were nearby
(9:13:54 PM) Markus: death again
(9:14:03 PM) Brennan: again, invisible curtain.
(9:14:04 PM) Markus: also
(9:14:41 PM) Markus: the invisible curtain is unbreakable, or impenetrable, or otherwise solid and will not allow me to break through?
(9:14:59 PM) Brennan: did I mention the box was really tall so the curtain also goes up high and then there's ventilation slits between your portion of the room and the plant's (up high)
(9:15:11 PM) Brennan: and this curtain is unbreakable. but I can move it with this button.
(9:15:18 PM) Markus: nice curtain
(9:15:20 PM) Markus: as a sidenote
(9:15:23 PM) Markus: ok then
(9:15:32 PM) Markus: then I bludgeon myself against it until it kills me
(9:15:50 PM) Markus: you said it was definitely solid while it existed
(9:16:02 PM) Markus: *was in place
(9:16:12 PM) Markus: *I'm assuming it always "exists"
(9:16:28 PM) Brennan: surprisingly cushy to human touch
(9:16:42 PM) Markus: completely solid, you said so
(9:16:56 PM) Markus: completely solid implies hard
(9:16:59 PM) Brennan: solid doesn't imply non-cushiness
(9:17:09 PM) Brennan: structurally sound
(9:17:11 PM) Brennan: how's that
(9:17:50 PM) Markus: ok
(9:17:56 PM) Markus: I'll grant you that
(9:17:58 PM) Markus: for now
(9:18:01 PM) Markus: so then
(9:18:10 PM) Markus: how do I eat in this box?
(9:18:14 PM) Markus: I mean
(9:18:25 PM) Markus: it may take me a while to come to this decision
(9:19:09 PM) Markus: also, aside: you started all of this with your "airtight box" thing, you realize this yes?
(9:20:07 PM) Brennan: I told my housemates that I was having the most interesting conversation.
(9:20:20 PM) Markus: indeed?
(9:20:22 PM) Markus: very nice
(9:20:28 PM) Markus: so
(9:20:35 PM) Markus: how do I eat in the box?
(9:21:13 PM) Markus: press the button and push food through the gap in the wall perhaps?
(9:21:25 PM) Brennan: matter can be served by traveling from the opposite side of the wall and onto your side.
(9:21:50 PM) Brennan: but yes, again the button is pressed.
(9:21:50 PM) Markus: but the wall must be opened somehow
(9:21:52 PM) Markus: ok
(9:22:00 PM) Markus: plate of food?
(9:22:01 PM) Markus: bowl?
(9:22:06 PM) Markus: platter?
(9:22:33 PM) Brennan: fruits and such. things that you can eat raw and survive.
(9:22:42 PM) Markus: served on?
(9:22:49 PM) Brennan: by themselves
(9:22:49 PM) Markus: come on now
(9:22:51 PM) Markus: be civil
(9:22:57 PM) Brennan: they're washed
(9:23:08 PM) Markus: the floor could be dirty
(9:23:17 PM) Markus: my ass has been touching it
(9:23:22 PM) Markus: because I'm naked
(9:23:38 PM) Markus: I'm not going to kill myself with the plate
(9:23:40 PM) Markus: I promise
(9:23:40 PM) Brennan: utmost sanitary codes does this box stand by
(9:23:54 PM) Brennan: and no plate.
(9:24:06 PM) Markus: ok
(9:24:14 PM) Markus: I don't need a plate anyway
(9:24:16 PM) Markus: savage
(9:24:24 PM) Markus: what kind of fruits?
(9:24:41 PM) Brennan: stuff it knows not to serve you in case you're allergic
(9:24:45 PM) Markus: apples, oranges, avacados?
(9:25:07 PM) Markus: strawberries, melon?
(9:25:15 PM) Markus: not allergic to any fruit
(9:25:53 PM) Brennan: only when you are too weak to move from refusal to eat will food be served so that you could never be too strong to use it in a hurtful manner
(9:26:11 PM) Brennan: against yourself
(9:26:32 PM) Markus: ok, but what fruit do I get to eat, it may influence my decision based on aftertaste and flavor mixture
(9:26:50 PM) Brennan: neutral fruits
(9:26:58 PM) Markus: so avacado.......
(9:27:02 PM) Markus: *avocado
(9:27:11 PM) Markus: ................lame
(9:27:17 PM) Brennan: you love avocado
(9:27:22 PM) Markus: I do
(9:27:27 PM) Markus: but it is neutral
(9:27:30 PM) Markus: as you said
(9:27:37 PM) Markus: no way to mask flavors
(9:27:51 PM) Markus: are you sure I'm stuck with avocado?
(9:29:35 PM) Brennan: that may be one of the selection
(9:29:40 PM) Brennan: no way to say for sure
(9:29:49 PM) Brennan: until it happens
(9:29:54 PM) Markus: I hope not.
(9:30:02 PM) Markus: strawberries
(9:30:09 PM) Markus: now that would be great
(9:30:14 PM) Markus: but not neutral
(9:30:15 PM) Markus: lame
(9:31:13 PM) Brennan: Avocado's, also known as "the fertility fruit" by the Aztecs, may influence your decision.
(9:31:27 PM) Brennan: *Make you decide faster.
(9:31:36 PM) Markus: I'm okay with that
(9:31:43 PM) Markus: get it over with I say
(9:31:45 PM) Markus: speaking of
(9:31:54 PM) Brennan: have you come to a conclusion?
(9:31:57 PM) Markus: can this situation be prolonged indefinitely?
(9:32:01 PM) Markus: like
(9:32:14 PM) Brennan: till the end of time itself. this box will stand.
(9:32:15 PM) Markus: as long as I need time to think, I will have it?
(9:32:19 PM) Markus: wonderful
(9:32:43 PM) Markus: then I choke myself with my own long grown hair
(9:33:19 PM) Brennan: you are trimmed when you sleep and sleep you eventually must
(9:33:29 PM) Markus: not so sir
(9:33:31 PM) Markus: one moment
(9:34:41 PM) Brennan: A tiny, non-lethal neurotoxin that inhibits hair growth is released into the air on a steady enough basis to keep your locks at bay.
(9:35:05 PM) Markus: awesome
(9:35:07 PM) Brennan: smart box
(9:35:11 PM) Markus: I'm happy with that
(9:36:58 PM) Markus: neurotoxin will eventually build up in my system enough to paralyze me and make answering the question impossible.
(9:37:06 PM) Markus: even if I live
(9:37:20 PM) Brennan: did you not read the "non-lethal" bit of what I just said.
(9:37:27 PM) Markus: I did
(9:37:32 PM) Brennan: it implies something
(9:37:39 PM) Markus: non-lethal does not mean non-paralyzing
(9:37:50 PM) Brennan: touche
(9:38:57 PM) Markus: and paralyzing, or killing nerves, is something neurotoxin does by definition
(9:38:57 PM) Markus: so
(9:38:57 PM) Markus: there we have it
(9:38:57 PM) Markus: I went to a Rose Parade party tonight
(9:39:23 PM) Brennan: the fruit also contain vitamins or sorts to counter the paralyzing effects of the neurotoxin, i.e. it combats the build up, and to keep you healthy.
(9:39:32 PM) Markus: good
(9:39:48 PM) Brennan: so make a decision, Rose parade partyer
**Markus disconnects from the internet
(9:42:09 PM) Brennan: cheater

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Author's Notes:

• Don't ask.
• This conversation outweighed its former contender for the spot.
• Markus later admitted to wanting both as each sounded scrumptious.
• (That last point was a lie.)