Archive for August 2021
gaseous consciousness
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
What with the crazy heat wave and other obligations experienced last week, including having to quarantine for 3 days until I could get tested for Covid – because an Anti-Vaccine idiot friend of mine decided that his freedom to avoid vaccination trumped mine to not be needlessly exposed to a plague – a humble narrator is a bit behind on his schedule. Hey Anti-Vaxxer, I know that god is going to protect you from Covid and all that, but using that logic – why do you need to own a gun?
Shot 1, above, is a modern shot from 2021. For yesterday and today’s posts I’m reaching into the archives.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Back in 2009, the Queensborough Bridge Centennial celebration happened on June 9th. I was one of the parade Marshalls, which allowed me otherwise unthinkable access to the span. Zero traffic, and about an hour for me to “do my thing” while completely alone up there except for a couple of cops.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Also in 2009, a friend’s birthday celebration found me in Manhattan just as a thunderstorm was blowing through. A spectacular atmospheric display occurred at sunset. Luckily, I was a few blocks from the Chrysler Building.
Back tomorrow with something different at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
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doubtfully shaped
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
What with the crazy heat wave and other obligations last week, which included having to quarantine myself for 3 days until I could get tested for Covid – because an Anti-Vaccine idiot friend of mine decided that his freedom to avoid vaccination trumped mine to not be needlessly exposed to a plague – a humble narrator is a bit behind on his schedule. Accordingly, for today and tomorrow’s posts I’m reaching into the archives. Shot 1, above, is a modern shot from 2021.
Before you ask – yes, I’m vaccinated. The protocol offered by medical professionals indicates that despite the vaccination, you can still “Typhoid Mary” the virus to those who aren’t. Given that I don’t want to be the reason you get sick…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Shot 2 is from 2009, when on a trip to southwestern Vermont and some of its fine cemeteries, I encountered the graves of the Three Thralls. It’s my firmly held theory that a Mad Scientist, or perhaps a Supervillain, used to be a resident in this small New England town. His henchmen, or thralls, met an untimely end due to some heroic intervention, and ended up occupying the loam. Perhaps the Thralls died from a virus somebody selfishly exposed them to.
Thrall, it seems, was one of the three social classes one could expect to be born into during the Age of the Vikings. There were are also Kralls, and Earls, I’m told.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Closer to home, here in Astoria, one encountered a deceased Chicken lying on the side of the road one day. This is also from 2009. Given that I’m talking about a chicken who died 12 years ago, it’s time to end this archive post. I do wonder if the Chicken regretted crossing this particular road?
Back tomorrow.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
local perspectives
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A few last shots from a spectacular sunset at the Maspeth Avenue Plank Road, along the turning basin of the lugubrious Newtown Creek. This is about two and a half miles back from the East River.
Some of you seem upset by my recent philosophical turn, the embracing of sociopathy as my governing morality. Well, in accordance with sociopathy, who cares what you think? I don’t. I don’t care about anything anymore.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Seriously, whatever it is, I don’t want to know nor am I going to oblige you with an argument.
One has arrived exactly back where he once was, offering his middle finger to the programmed and robotic ideologues. Did you know that during the early days of the Nazi military advance into Russia, the Wehrmacht encountered Russian made roads of ice? These Russian ice roads used German prisoners of war as structural railroad ties. The captured German soldiers were bound, forced to lie in a trench while still breathing, and then drowned in briny water which the Soviet armies pumped in which instantly froze and killed them. The Russian winter solidified the whole affair into something that trucks and armor could move quickly on during their retreat. The Wehrmacht officers described heading east on these roads, and the disconcerting experience of having thousands of panicked blue eyes lifelessly staring up at them as they passed.
This is lateral thinking at its finest. It’s also a parable for all of the shopping mall warriors in this country who think a Civil War might be fun.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Maspeth Avenue Plank Road has been extant at what was once called Furman’s Island since the Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. Grant, and Sherman, taught the ideological forebears of the modern day “know nothings” about consequence.
I used to care about that, but now it’s just another fact. Happy Friday the 13th.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
godlike solemnity
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is what I went to industrial Maspeth for, that’s what I’d like to say. Instead, I was actually there to pick up a package at UPS that I’d missed delivery for and wasn’t able to access it prior to 9 p.m.
Killing two birds with one stone, however, is the Mitch Waxman way. Why not spend the waiting time shooting the celestial light show as the burning thermonuclear eye of God itself slipped behind New Jersey.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Experience indicated that this particular evening, with low hanging clouds, would offer quite a show.
My embrace of sociopathy, however, indicated that I couldn’t enjoy the sights. This is the double edged sword of being emotionless. Everything, mood wise, is in the middle. A baby is born, and another one dies, and you force yourself to feel nothing at all. It’s a bit like stoicism, but gray. How did Orwell describe the future? Something about a boot and a face?
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As the shadows got inky, and the Kosciuszcko Bridge lit up, things got interesting. There’s such a narrow window for this sort of thing in the summer months.
Normally, I try to capture the Kosciuszcko lighting when it’s facing through the hot colors of the spectrum, but given the crimson and orange light – I went for the blues and greens.
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Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
without beginning
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While I was waiting for what seemed like a promising sunset at the Maspeth Avenue Plank Road at Newtown Creek, the Helen Laramy tugboat appeared out of nowhere.
Well… not “nowhere,” more like East Williamsburg. Regardless, one snatched the camera up off of the tripod and followed its journey west.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
“Nothing matters” and “why bother” were echoing in my mind throughout the early summer, and one became a bit depressed. What followed was a thunderbolt realization that has helped shape my thoughts since.
One has fully embraced sociopathy. I literally don’t care about anything anymore and have decided to be both brutally honest and uncaring about your feelings at the same time. I don’t plan on following this sociopath lifestyle all the way to serial killer, but conversely I don’t give a flying flip what anyone else perceives anymore. It’s actually been quite liberating.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Thereby, I do look forward to not attending hundreds of funerals for the unvaccinated. Additionally, I look forward to saying “I told you so” to as many of their heirs as I can. Whatever death cult you’re a member of, good for you.
I’ll be at the Newtown Creek, safe as houses, while y’all fight over national borders and all the other idiotic obfuscations your masters can conjure up.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
The Newtown Pentacle 