Wednesday, January 2, 2008

ABC Wednesday - X is for X, the shape

Ah, the letter X. What a quandary it posed for me because I just don't know anyone with a xylophone or a pet named Xerxes. Once I started to mull it over, I realized that I see Xs every single day.

These Xs make up the guard rails of the Hawthorne Bridge. I took this photo while I waited on the bridge in the Buick during a bridge lift. Yes, I was finally on the bridge during a lift, even if it was at night and I couldn't see a doggone thing! It was eerie to be sitting still practically over the middle of the Willamette River, let me tell you.
x_hawthorne_enhanced

These Xs in the photo below make up the expanding and contracting gate of our apartment's elevator. It's either our best friend or the bane of our existence, depending upon its ability to slide shut smoothly upon a person's having exited the elevator.
x_elevator
Well, to tell the truth, I shouldn't say the gate is a gift except for when it shuts easily by itself, therefore allowing the connection to be made and the elevator to come when called. The bane-of-our-existence part comes in when it will not slide shut by itself (for whatever reason), and the humans who live in the building fail to pull it shut upon exiting the elevator. Then the elevator has absolutely no idea that you have called, and you have to go looking for it which is quite precarious and/or dangerous for Mama. Aggravated is way too tame a word to describe how that makes us feel.

Remember when movies and television shows modeled such a thing as common courtesy, in addition to its being taught at home? Oh, I know it is alive and well, but when something like this happens over and over again (as it did here recently when the elevator doors were being replaced on all four floors), it shakes one's faith in the existence and health of common courtesy.

18 comments:

WendyB said...

Genius!

Chris said...

How old is your building?

dot said...

Wow Lynette! You got some great X's. I never would have thought of either one. Now I'm wondering just how many X's I see everyday without really seeing them.
I think that would be irritating with the elevator especially for Mama. Maybe ya'll can picket or something. lol. Just kidding of course!

Ann (MobayDP) said...

I suspect that Common Courtesy went on a very loooooong vacation and has decided not to come back. We have a similar lack of common courtesy here in Jamaica as well.

Mind boggling.

Olivier said...

Bravo, voila un choix très original pour la lettre X ;o)

Bravo, here is a very original for the letter X ;o)

Gerald (SK14) said...

not seen elevators [lifts we call 'em] with gates like that in a long time.

Rune Eide said...

To tell the truth, I have been thinking X's for almost a week now. But I have obviously not bee seeing them.

Goddt catxh!

Marie said...

That's very clever of you, Lynette.

Happy New Year to you and to your family.

Annie said...

Greetings, you x-worthy photographer, you. You present both an appropriate photo and an excellent commentary.

Gwen said...

Happy New Year to you, Lynette. I especially like the Xs of the drawbridge, it is truly a very eerie feeling to be suspended above rivers while the bridge is up.

bonnie said...

Wow, that's a lot of Xs. They seem to be out out, you just have to see them. Good eye!

Neva said...

I am with Runee...not seeing them but thinking them....very good!!! Hope you have a great 2008...I am looking forward to many more visits with you!!

Andrea said...

You had your eyes open for these x's. Great X capture.

kml said...

Great X's and very observant!

mrsnesbitt said...

Wonderfully artistic obs

• Eliane • said...

Nice!!! And congrats on finishing the alphabet.

Anonymous said...

I never thought of X the shape... I was spending the whole month of December taking pics of X'mas trees of all shapes and sizes! :)

Max-e said...

The X's seem to be coming from many sources. Great one Lynette