Friday 8 November 2013

Offensive or Funny or Something in Between? You be the judges, dear readers!

We shall get to the business of the post title, I promise. But, like Freddie at the crosswalk, you have to wait.

A gentle little photo for a gentle start to the day. Had to figure out if my plague was better today or worse. Better, on the whole, I'd say ... but we still stayed close to home this morning.

These pink and green sprigs against the grey-green wall remind me of a Wedgwood china pattern.
God stopped by the dog park this morning. There were four or five representatives of the human race there, myself included.

"Remember to clean up the poop," God said. Then He left.

Good advice, we humans agreed.

Freddie, Basil, Rigby, and Bailey weren't all that interested. Now, if God had brought along His Dog ....
I've never had drop handlebars, but, like Paul, I dig them. I've also never told him this, but, when we met thirteen years ago, it was his blue and yellow (Team Sweden!) Bianchi road bike that won me over.
The guy in the green parka and the woman on the motorbike were having a friendly and animated conversation that lasted at least a couple of crosswalk cycles. They were still talking when I got close enough to see their faces. The guy was either homeless or not far off; the woman, obviously, wasn't. The exchange reminded me of the little bits of volunteer stuff I've done in the Downtown Eastside — and haven't done since Freddie arrived. Yet Freddie's a pretty soothing and cheering little fellow. Hmm ... maybe once he's fully certified ....?  



Almost impossible to imagine our world without electricity. Someone who came to look at our place was concerned about the location of the building's Hydro meters. A health issue, I'm guessing. His concerns were allayed (phew) ... but this morning I was seeing wires everywhere.

Gah — imagine if we could see all the wireless connections, too!
Paul recently learned that Freddie likes hedge sculpture, so this photo is for Freddie:


Ooh ... guess where we are here! Remember those ugly, not-for-walking welly boots? Stay tuned for the renovation!

Freddie: How many times are you going to change your mind about the colours?

Me: Good stay. What about orange and purple?
MOD PODGE!! (or, as I used to call it, "Modge podge") —it still exists! And I swear they haven't changed the label since 1974! The projects, the possibilities! Why, oh, why did I give away my National Geographic collection?!


After all that craft-store excitement, Freddie and I stopped off to see our friend Veronica, to make a grooming appointment — for me. Freddie loves the hair salon, and he loves Veronica. He can tell she and I share a long, long history!
OK, here it is: the item foreshadowed in the post title. I have no idea what to make of this. But I do quite like the photo — what with the "carne" (meat) sign in the background and the guy who looks like an archbishop either holding his crotch or praying. Tarts Bakery on Broadway: retro and funny or stupid and scuzzy?


Buen día a tod@s!
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6 comments:

  1. Leigh8 November 2013 at 14:56

    I think I'll say it's not offensive because it looks from another time. It likely is not, but it looks as though it is, so --- I'm going to say that its "Betty Boop-ness" makes it okay.

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    1. Heather B8 November 2013 at 16:10

      Yeah, it's definitely not from the time it's evoking. I thought this bakery was brand-spanking new, but Paul says it has been around for a couple of years. The website seems to confirm that ... oh, and I discovered on the site that the owners are a couple of women. I can imagine some people saying this makes the sign ok, and others arguing that that's worse! I think that this particular advertising gimmick doesn't especially bug me in isolation, but if I consider it in the bigger context of how women are, and have long been, used/portrayed in the media .... then I find myself rolling my eyes and thinking, "Oh, c'mon .... yes, sex sells, but can there at least be a bit of variety/imagination in the rendering?" (So much for keeping my opinions to myself! Though I really wasn't sure what I thought at first!)

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  2. Charlotte Issyvoo8 November 2013 at 16:16

    Ah, ye olde ironic vintage pin-up question! It's a difficult line to draw. A lot of feminist women are really into emulating this look and it often crosses over into the burlesque revival, also often touted as feminist. But it can indeed cross the line, as when a (male) friend photographed himself as Santa getting a blow job from a "naughty", pin-up style girl/woman. At a certain point, it stops being ironic and starts being straight up sleazy. I don't think I've answered your question though.

    I've done a couple of takes on it myself. This one's about the fashions themselves:

    http://www.sublimemercies.com/2013/09/retro-girl-40s-flair.html?utm_source=BP_recent

    This one's about body image:

    http://www.sublimemercies.com/2013/07/heat-wave-body-image-blues-and-canada.html?utm_source=BP_recent

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    1. Heather B8 November 2013 at 16:21

      Thanks, Charlotte! I was hoping you would weigh in on this one! And the either/or question was only meant to stir up discussion. The best answers are almost always full of "if"s, "unless"es, and "maybe"s.

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    2. Charlotte Issyvoo9 November 2013 at 14:28

      Gee, do you teach English for a living or something? We do hate our definitive statements, don't we?

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    3. Heather B9 November 2013 at 15:29

      Ha! Now I have to qualify my own statement and say that when it comes to arguing about literary texts, I penalize for wishy-washiness. "Figure out what the text is passionate about and express that passion in your theme statement!" she bawls passionately at the front of the room, while students slyly check their phones .... ;-)

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