A Bit About Me

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Along with my daily duties as founder and head writer of HumorMeOnline.com, in 2003, I took the Grand Prize in the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest (also known as the "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night" competition). I've also been a contributor to "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" and the web's "The Late Show with David Letterman". I also occupy my time writing three blogs, "Blogged Down at the Moment", "Brit Word of the Day" and "Production Numbers"...and my off-time is spent contemplating in an "on again/off again" fashion...my feable attempts at writing any one of a dozen books. I would love to write professionally one day...and by that I mean "actually get a paycheck".

11 April 2012

Day 11: Wheels

Welcome to day 11 of Ziva's 30 Days of Photographs II non-contest. Please click on the link under her name to find out more information...and then check out these other participants: MikeWJ, Nicky and Mike, Mo, Meleah, John, aka nonamedufus, Bryan, aka Unfinished Person, Malisa, Nora, LaughingMom, Tanya, Elizabeth A., 00dozo, Cheryl, Kristen and Katherine.



Day 11: Wheels


I thought long and hard for what I could do for the "Wheels" theme...."Think think think, Mariann" I told myself -- "put those wheels into motion." So, I took photos of an old wagon wheel outside...and some other antique wheels just tossed on the side of the house to rot (apparently - because they are doing it pretty well)...but it was the tin of cars stuck in the back of my mind which kept calling my name -- but I never thought I'd be able to locate it (locating anything in this house is pretty much harder than advanced calculus). But, there it was on the shelf in the room no one dares go into as we might find Jimmy Hoffa...and honestly, if he was in there, he's going to remain unfound for years to come.

From a 1930s "Hubley" race car (in the very front) to a 1960s "Corgi Toys" Lotus Mark II LeMans (center of first actual row)...to the highly coveted (still boxed, unfortunately) "Hot Wheels" (most of the rest). These toy cars and trucks originally rolled into the lives of kids across the globe and later into the lives of collectors everywhere.

I proceeded to line them all up (a lot seem to be missing) on the dining room table (by year...because I'm anal like that...oldest toward the front) and took a few photos. A couple, which probably had been played with the most, only had three wheels left. The ones in the photo which seem to be leaning a lot are the guilty ones there...but most still roll like a dream. Not just any dream, mind you, but the most cherished of dreams: that of a pre-video game era child.

So, while I know everyone else out there is probably going to have some really phenomenal wheel photos...mine is probably the only one out there that will elicit a "vroom vroom" noise once you see it...unless, of course, some smart-ass posted a photo of a Big Wheel. ;)

16 comments:

  1. This is quite the series (and, unfortunately, it tells me exactly how many days it has been since my last visit here...)

    I love the persistence of Chupie. Personally, having been orange-haired myself at one point, I've always felt a bit of a kinship to orange cats.

    Sorry to hear about the 30 years wasted, of course, but you believe in Jesus, so you'll have an eternity of good times! Not too bad when taken in the balance!

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  2. Yes. But you've had some dealings with recen't tragedy where you are as well. I guess all things can't last forever - even if we'd like them to. :(

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  3. Love it! The little car in the front center immediately drew my eye. I appreciate classics, engine or no.

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  4. This is really cool. I love that they are arranged by age and that the oldest are slightly blurred.

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  5. Very cool, indeed! Although, the way they're all lined up, I kind of feel like they might attack me the moment I turn my back at them. ;)

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  6. I love this. I've taken many photos of toy/model/real cars outside of this series, often leaving them for the kids to find, as if the scene that awaits them is filled with meaning (other than bored daddy at 11:30pm...). But these cars, they're doing something. Something important.

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  7. Wow, that's quite a collection. I love that they're different shapes and sizes and some tilting, missing wheels. How long have you kept these for?

    I got in second try today. (I'm not a robot. I'm just old and grumpy.)

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  8. I thought about Hot Wheels too. Sadly they're all at my parents...or were. And Matchbox cars too. Thanks for the memories.

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  9. My son wants to know if he can come over and play! He actually did say vroom when he saw the picture :-)

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  10. I love the old cars. I have quite a collection myself, dating back to my childhood. My favorite is my Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang car with wings that pop out when you pull the brake lever. Truly scrumptious, Mariann.

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  11. I was thinking about those old toy/model cars myself and applaud you to go the distance to locate them for this photo. (Our house is probably in a similar state of disaster and finding anything that I remember seeing in my mind's eye is almost impossible, if not hazardous.)

    Good shot!

    ;-)

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  12. The photo is blurry because I just have a crappy camera. ROFL

    This was actually the first photo I thought really sucked that I did...and if there is an award for "Most Sucky Photo" I am sure I will be awarded it. In the house in the dark at midnite-3:00 a.m., it's kinda hard to take a good photo...but I tried.

    As far as having them all - I had them when I was a kid...except the very old ones...which my mother bought at antique shops many, many, many years ago.

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  13. I love this. I swear I used to have the red one on the left. I remember that curvy racer.

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  14. In case you were wondering:

    That's a "Superfast" Matchbox Series No. 68 Porsche 910, Made in England, 1970 Lesney Products.

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  15. Sweet little cars. I especially like the leaning ones. They appear to be well loved. That old bright green buggy in the 3rd row is my favorite. I should have been born in the 30s.

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