Trashball 093007: Kewpie Dolls Do It in the Dirt

Kewpie doll found in El Paso. Nice buns.

Trashball 093007: Chertoff's First Job

The Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff started out small but worked his way up to HLS director. Heckuva job, Chertoff!

Trashball 093007: Kokomo Kuties

"Since 1970 [ed. note: says "Since 1971" on bass drum] this VARIETY BAND has entertained over 400 audiences with OLD TIME SONGS and COMEDY NUMBERS."

Postcard recovered in Dayton, Ohio.

Trashball 093007: Fairland Lake Club

This is a detail of a 50s-era postcard from the Fairland Lake Club in Roanoke, VA. Looks like both the mayor (possibly) and the village idiot showed up for the photo shoot.

Robot Wisdom

Link to a well curated collection of Jorn Barger's fave vids of September.

Trashball 092607: Mix Tape

Over the years, I've gradually rid myself of all the obsolete cassette tapes I once owned in favor of CDs and my iPod. While unpacking (still) from my move from DC to Las Cruces, NM, a month ago, I came across a sole survivor I didn't know I still had. It's a mix tape my then-girlfriend Caroline made for me in 1989, with a lovely customized insert. I listened to it for the first time in over 15 years and—wow!—what a poignant time capsule! Thanks again, Caroline!

Trashball 091807: Needs a Little TLC

Yesterday, just outside of Ellicott, Colorado, I discovered an enormous junkyard that contained no cars, so far as I could tell, from after 1980. Had I more time I would've tried to get permission to explore it, but I did take some photos of the cars along the perimeter, including this rare (in the U.S., anyway) Simca.

Trashball 091407: Life's No Day at the Beach

I found this photo among a box of personal effects bound for the dump. The subject is either painfully shy or painfully depressed. Either way, it looks like an Antonioni film still.

Trashball 091307: Why the Long Face?

"Cause I'm lost, that's why!" she would reply if she could. This adorable Bassett Hound came into my life yesterday afternoon as I was taking the garbage out. Very sweet and friendly, she had no tags. After about 30 minutes with me, during which she drank about a half-gallon of water and ate two cans of cat food, I gave her up to the kind animal control officer, who doubted very much that they would have any trouble either finding her human or getting her adopted. I named her Lucy. Recovered on Davis Ave. in Las Cruces, NM.

Maploss

This painting was completed last night. "Maploss" is 20" x 16" and acrylic on canvas. Inquiries should be sent to chris[at]goodwinart.com. Purchase it for $400 by clicking here.

Gordon Won't Soon Forget

Another new painting. "Gordon Won't Soon Forget" is acrylic/mixed media on canvas, 20" square. Price on request. Email chris[at]goodwinart.com.

Trashball 091207: Bridge Out

This is a real-photo postcard from the 1913 flood that devastated Dayton, Ohio, not to mention this poor horse. Caption says, "Horse hanging in wrecked Fifth St. bridge."

Trashball 091207: The Safeway Is the Only Way

Now that's what I call marbled. Vintage Safeway matches recovered on 19th St., NW.

Trashball 091107: A Fork in the Load

One of my favorite finds, these tiny forks (3 inches long) were made circa 1850 by Baltimorean Andrew Ellicott Warner and is near sterling purity. One has a wonderful little engraving of an elk on it; the other three have a lion holding a star. Recovered in Washington, DC.

Belmersaid

First painting from the new crop. "Belmersaid" is acrylic on canvas, 20" x 16". Price on request. Email chris[at]goodwinart.com.

Goodwin Paintings 4 Sale

I recently undertook a serious campaign to start painting full-time again. Therefore I'm happy to offer these slightly older works for sale (I needed something on the walls in the meantime).

The top painting is called "Virgie" and is mixed media and 24" x 18". The second is "Binky's in Film", mixed media, and 28" x 22". Prices on request. (email chris[at]goodwinart.com) I hope to have more and newer stuff up soon.

Impromptu Music Post: Turin Brakes

Jeez criminy, this is a good album. It's Ether Song by Turin Brakes.

Trashball 090507: The Mexican Hula Dance

When I met the gentleman pictured here, he was old, suffering from terrible arthritis and walked with pain. In 1971, though, when this picture was snapped in Mexico, his body was a thing of beauty. Recovered in Laurel, MD.

Trashball 090407: Typical Feminist

Not according to me, but according to a student in a women's studies class my friend teaches in Maryland. On the first day she asks her students to draw a picture of what they think a feminist looks like. It's true, though—most feminists I know are bearded ladies.

Cowboys and Indians in the Motel Industry

I love motels. On my recent drive from DC to New Mexico, I stayed in many motels. In 2004, a girlfriend and I drove from DC to California and back and spent many nights in all manner of motels, from pristine enterprises to the sorts of rooms where the fear of catching clostridium difficile from the toilet is not entirely unwarranted. One thing that was common among almost all of the motels, though, was the faint (and often not so faint) smell of curry that hung in the air and clung to the bed clothes. For almost all of the motels were run by Indians.

After seeing the above motel sign in Las Cruces—and having seen many like it before—it finally occurred to me to look into this phenomenon. I came across this BBC article, which does raise the issue of the "American-owned" signage that's been popping up. My trouble has been figuring out whether such signs are no different from "Buy American" bumper stickers—and I have no objection to those—or if they betray and appeal to some racism. As with many things, it's almost certainly a mixture of both.