Archive for December 2012
fortunately verifiable
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
“Choose your battles” is what the old man used to say. Then he’d remind me of how I physically compared with other members of my peer group and advised “pick up something- a brick, pipe, garbage can lid- throw it at their head, and then run away as fast as I could”. Following this advice over the years, I’ve learned something. I am not a fast runner.
Walking, however, is something I can do for hours at a pop.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Choosing the battle, however, during the short and dark days of the winter is not always up to me. Complicating my life, the recent multiple day long spurts of rain has made getting out something of a luxury. One can withstand some amount of cold, or a limited quantity of wet, but not both. In recent years, your humble narrator has developed a nearly comic book level “vulnerability to cold”.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It’s a funny thing. The various groups I work with along the Newtown Creek and New York Harbor have a lot of meetings which I am compelled to attend, whether it be out of interest or obligation. More often than not, these meetings take place far from home, and I will take advantage of “getting there” via scenic routes in order to collect photos and tour certain locales. Unfortunately, during the winter months, darkness begins as early as half past four in the afternoon, and these meetings often start more than hour or two after sunset.
Unable to follow the old man’s advice and choose my battles, as I cannot throw a brick at natures head, an attempt is underway to improve my “hand held at low light” photgraphic skill set.
bleak ice pinnacles
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Happy Christmas, don’t eat too much and end up like the guy in the shot above.
day’s gropings
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
In the bizarre world which your humble narrator inhabits, a Christmas Eve post is as good a time as any to expand on a little enigma which has been bugging me. As you all well know by now, the long walks around the pentacle often offer bizarre or odd details which torment and tantalize ones imagination. On a recent perambulation, I noticed yet another one of the single shoes.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My curse is to notice things like this. For much of 2012, I have been observing shoes- always singular, never in pairs- discarded along my route. Once or twice, I’ve seen multiple examples of castoff footwear, but even then- orphaned individuals rather than matched sets.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The shots above were gathered at 43rd street, off Northern Blvd. in Queens. Satisfied that I had documented this oddity, I continued on my path to a destination down in Long Island City. In accordance with habit, I found a moment to photograph and add to my library a few shots of the Megalith. Walking along Skillman Avenue, I was scanning the ground for more shoes.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was around 36th street and Skillman that it occurred to me, suddenly, that I should look up. What did I spy, with my little eye?
Have a merry one lords and ladies.
radiant energy
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Once more doth the angels sing, and the devil weepeth, for the holiday season springs forth upon us. Since most of y’all are either traveling somewhere or busy with final preparations for the annual gorging, lets take it a bit easy this Maritime Sunday, and admire the estimable Captain D tug hauling a dredge down the Kill Van Kull.
Tonight is Festivus, by the way, and I’m accepting donations for the Human Fund. Make the checks out to me, I’ll see that your donations go where they will do the most good.
opiate gardens
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Imagine the surprise exhibited by Our Lady of the Pentacle and your humble narrator, when we raised the periscope from the bunker this morning, and found that the world above was intact and that the veracity and reliability of the Mayan Calendar had been overstated. Oh well, maybe next time.
Accordingly, back to the business at hand, and familiar places.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Witness, if you wouldst, this fascinating scene observed in noble Greenpoint’s northwestern quarter, specifically the warren of mostly industrial streets which span the area between Provost Street and Mcguinness Blvd. The van pictured in the shot appears to have suffered a bit of damage, perhaps running afoul of the Hulk.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This van’s repair job displays a purity of the Brooklyn, and particularly Greenpoint, mentality which would be difficult to explain to outsiders. Such displays of reckless engineering, utilitarian ingenuity, and disregard for the safety of passengers- are one of the reasons that your humble narrator is thankful for the distinct lack of apocalyptic conditions discovered this morning.
The Newtown Pentacle 