Tag Archives: viroqua

307/365. the new, local library and architectural relativism.

307/365. the new, local library and architectural relativism.

one the one hand taken on its own, the new, local library is an example of the conservative modernism movement with its focus on functionality ( lots of windows to let light in and out ) and rectilinear forms ( straight lines and angular corners ). on the other hand, sitting just off the historic downtown district it looks like a hypermodernist spaceship from the future.

289/365. tollefson repair – home of a great sign and Genuine Local Characters.

289/365. tollefson repair - home of a great sign and Genuine Local Characters.

taking a picture of the front of the building because it’s one of my favorites and i feel like the sign in particular isn’t going to last much longer. i especially like the iconography and description of products and services rendered.

inside tollefson repair you will find a cast of Genuine Local Characters who will happily custom fabricate more supportive treehouse supports and homemade smoke bomb holders ( how did i never write a post about that?! ).

at first, they came off as a little standoffish but i think they’re amused to see me now since i come to them with more interesting projects than their usual day-to-day fare.

271/365. maybe the beginning of a semi-occasional series on local murals. and more weird neuronal associations.

271/365. maybe the beginning of a semi-occasional series on local murals. and more weird neuronal associations.

this one is on the side of our local community radio station, wdrt. some people come him the space cowboy. well, i don’t know if anybody else does but my brain does which then, for better or worse, cues “the joker” by steve miller band and the opening lyric ( more weird neuronal associations. maybe because it’s on the side of a radio station which makes me thing of song lyrics? ):

“Some people call me the space cowboy, yeah
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me Maurice
Cause I speak of the pompatus of love”

and today i learned steve miller made up the word pompatus after mishearing a vernon green lyric.

266/365. ’tis the season for hockey rink setup.

266/365. ’tis the season for hockey rink setup.

a sign that fall will be soon upon us! getting the rink prepared for ice on october 26th. i’ve been helping for a few years and yet i always forget how much work it is.

laying down the cooling lines and setting up the boards while praying i’m not the guy who pinches a line and causes a leaker because i’m pretty sure the other guys who have been doing this since time began will mock me endlessly in a mostly good natured way.

day 4077 – 242/365. first day of (public) school!

day 4077 - 242/365. first day of (public) school!

big day for odin today. it was the first day of fifth grade and after years in the local waldorf school he had his first day at public school and loved it. we’re still very big supporters of the waldorf school and couldn’t say enough about how central the experience has been in developing the wonderful, caring boy that he is today. to use a hockey analogy, this is about skating to where the puck will be.

in the morning he was appropriately nervous and while a little bummed to not be able to wear his contacts ( NEW SCHOOL! NEW LOOK! ) since he washed one down the shower drain the night before and we don’t have backups yet ( *cough* someone might have told him not to take a shower with his contacts in *cough*. lesson learned the hard way. ) he was taking it in stride.

he traded his half block walk for a half mile bike ride or walk. i don’t him i’d be more than happy to walk him to school, all the way to his locker and give him a hug as he walked into his class.

with a little glimmer in eye he said, “no poppi, that’s o.k. i can get to class by myself.”