Fright on film...

~

This is what happens when a policeman sneaks up and asks "what are you doing?"   just as you press the shutter button:

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Once I'd explained that I was just looking for my photo of the day and not actually casing the trash & treasure store for a future robbery I took another shot.  I think I want these lights!!  (those discs are mirrors)  

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Now I'm going to start that cleaning I promised myself I would do.  I also want to pick all the ripe peppers today and preserve them in some form or other...

Comments

[An Ex-Expat]

My question is what business is it of a police officer of you taking that picture?

[crankypants]

[this is good] haha!  that is too funny.  You look like SUCH a suspicious character, too.  Those lights really are cool, I might like one of those in my living room!
I have to get moving on some housework too.  Now that my headache is finally starting to subside....

[ChristiChristi]

Really interesting lights.  I really like them.

[Amanda]

Ha!  That's funny.  Although I'm sure not so funny at the time.  Looks like that shop has some interesting things.

[Emjay]

I probably did look a bit suspicious this morning as I just jumped out of bed threw on old gardening clothes, cleaned my teeth and went off for my walk.   With my bed-hair and grungy clothes perhaps he thought I'd stolen the camera!  LOL - I was so engrossed that I did not hear him coming up at all and I usually do try to be aware of who's around me in my neighbourhood.  It gave me such a fright that I visibly jumped off the ground  -  he apologised for scaring me but still wanted to know what I was doing. 

I'm thinking of going back to see how much the lights are now that the shop will be open......   I don't really have anywhere to put them -  I just "want" them.

Hope your headache is gone -  a few people were out of the office the last couple of days with stomach issues and headaches..... 

[Emjay]

I wondered about that later too - once my heart had stopped hurting!    I've been asked before what I'm doing with my camera but it's usually been when my camera is pointed as some "sensitive"  building (Government).....

[Emjay]

The lights are so wonderfully retro -  I feel like I have to go back and check them out.....  

[Emjay]

I think I was making nervous squawks as he apologized for scaring me.   It is funny now.   The shop is wonderful  -  it's a trash & treasure place in the real sense.   On the side window they display old record sleeves  - not sure if anyone buys them but they have a different one every week.  This morning it was Louis Armstrong.   As I walked home "It's a Wonderful World"  was running through my head. 

[Emmi]

Everyone gets so excited when someone has a camera or a video....even cops, I suppose he probably was just curious. Maybe he wished someone would take his picture.

[Katiebell]

Well, it is the cops job to look out for suspicious stuff, and you know, most people in DC are taking photos of monuments and stuff...

But those lamps are super cool.  I think you need to find a place for them..

[GOF]

Those lights are a real work of art.
In the days before political garbage correctness, there was a recycle shop at the Cairns dump...one day we went there and they had 20 complete sets of traffic lights for $40 each......I wanted to buy a set but Mrs GOF said they wouldn't match the decor of our house :-(

[petermcc]

Just as well you didn't try to tie your shoe laces with a cigarette lighter in your hand.

I'm about to start on the Schools IT Audit program state wide in Victoria. The problem area is having to take photos without any kids in them.

[Grouchy Old Man]

"And where are your papers?"

[Sharnsgarden]

Wow I love those lights, wonder if I could put them somewhere.

[Emjay]

Things got sort of silly after 9/11 with security people over-reacting about tourists taking photos of things like the metro stations and bridges.  Even though things have calmed down, whenever I take a photo inside a metro station I'm half expecting to have the transit police tell me off.  

[Emjay]

I think you need to find a place for them..    LOL - all this peer pressure is going to have me back there checking them out more closely....  :-)

[Kzinti]

At least he didn't goose you... LOL

[Emjay]

Oh, I'm sorry Mrs GOF vetoed the traffic lights - I think one set might've been acceptable.  The manservant wanted to build some sort of solar "thing" in our tiny little courtyard using recycled materials (like glass bottles and other things you find at the dump) ..........  wasn't going to happen said Emjay! 

[Emjay]

The problem area is having to take photos without any kids in them.   Yes, I try to be careful about getting people in my shots especially as I'm posting so many of my photos online.  The school year just started and this year DC schools have a policy that any photos taken on school grounds by the students are not to appear anywhere online - I'm not sure how they are going to enforce that ..... 

[Emjay]

"And where are your papers?"    When I walk on the weekends I go out with only my camera and my key in my pocket.  This morning I was thinking that maybe I should take my phone with me incase I have to call police ....  and then one just turned up anyway.  I think by law I'm supposed to carry my green card with me ....   as long as I keep my mouth shut I should be ok. :-)

[Emjay]

LOL...  mentally he did!  

[Emjay]

All this positive reinforcement I'm getting on the lights makes me think I should go back tomorrow .....  

[Kzinti]

I was talking with a guy the other night about bubble wrap. I bought a couple huge rolls for my other business and he told me this story about how he was up late (early AM) wrapping some stuff with bubble wrap and the roll had unrolled across the floor. His wife had just woken up, walked into the room and right across it. He said they both jumped about four feet in the air. LOL

[petermcc]

I understand where they are coming from but I miss the days of innocence.

We had a female teacher in Victoria read the riot act under the inappropiate contact rule. She had returned to teaching after a couple of years off to have a baby. On the lunch break she was eating lunch outside and two former students came up and congratulated her including an "air kiss". The teacher was given an official warning and was mightily unhappy about it.

I think that's simply a result of "zero tolerance" which effectively means no thinking required. The real mongrels must be laughing at how the stigma is being watered down.

[IronyOnHighHeels]

Love the lamps.

Had a great laugh about the police officer incident. American police/security is so alert about people with cameras. I am usually only shy using it when it comes to taking pictures of strangers. But now in the US I have become way more wary. Because when I was in downtown LA a security woman yelled over the street at me that I am not allowed to take pictures of the buildings.
And I was like "Whaaaat???!" A guy that crossed the street and saw the whole incident laughed and said to me "yeah - you look like a terrorist to me too".
That took the edge off. I think otherwise I might have been a bit more jumpy about it.