civilized ku # 472 ~ eye see nothing
Monday, April 26, 2010 at 12:52PM 
Interstate chain store oasis • click to embiggenI'm back in the Adirondack PARK after my trek to Tennessee. The one thing that I learned that I can state without reservation is simply this - never, ever, accept an invitation to spend 27 hours driving the interstates in an extended-cab pickup truck.
That said, and I am completely serious, the trip was a revelation, one might even say an epiphany, for me, re: the human condition, good ole US of A style. It was a revelation that is pretty well encapsulated by the picture which accompanies this entry.
That picture was made at a all-too-typical interstate exit chain store "oasis" somewhere along I71 in mid Ohio. I can't say exactly where because, even if my life depended on it, I couldn't tell one of these interstate exit chain store hell holes from any other interstate exit chain store hell hole. But that's not really the nexus / crux of my revelation. A part of it for certain but more in the way of a symptom as opposed to the actual disease.
Over the next few entries, I'll expand and expound upon my revelation and how, IMO, it relates in a very big way to the art of seeing, picture making wise. That said, here's a hint - most people have eyes that simply do not see.
Reader Comments (4)
OK… I know that I'm probably wrong, as I was with the fruit loops… BUT… I gotta ask. Is the "Marathon" in the picture a metaphor for the drive in an extended cab for an extended period of time? Or, maybe, a subliminal choice of picture for this particular posting. Or am I seeing MORE than what needs to seen?
Or is it just that the horrendous visual cacophony isn't seen by most. It it was they wouldn't stand for it.
I see it is a purdy picture you done took.
I'm interested in how I enjoy pictures like this. I can even enjoy looking at the real thing if I'm thinking about taking pictures. But the real life experience, I don't like it.