How not to advertise an apartment

Beebo and I (mostly I) are casually looking for a newer, larger apartment, so I'm trawling through Craigslist every day. I've gotten to be an astute critic of these ads, and am constantly surprised by the minimal descriptions and/or dreary pictures that I find.

A running theme that I've noticed is 'a picture of the kitchen with a mop propped up in the corner'. I can just see how the mise-en-scene comes about: the landlord/manager works on cleaning out the kitchen to make it look decent, but then can't bear to go that extra inch to remove the mop before they snap the kitchen's portrait. The photographer of the picture on the right couldn't even be bothered to go that far--apparently this is before (or instead of) the kitchen cleaning.

Now here's an example of extreme penury in photographic representation. Description of the apartment:

* Bright and airy Floorplan * Modern Kitchen With Dishwasher * Lots of Closet space * Large Bedrooms * Built In Book Shelves* Full Bath * Cats Welcome * Huge Lanai with views of the space needle * Laundry On Site * Parking Available * Free Storage Space* Cats Are Welcome With One Time Fee * Close to All....

Hey, sounds nice! Here's the sole accompanying photo:

I guess we're just supposed to use our imagination for the rest...?

The don't do TV like this anymore!

The weird death of Dick Shawn

Best known as 'L.S.D' from The Producers, and the Heat and Snow Misers from The Year Without a Santa Claus, oddball comedian Dick Shawn also went out in a strange way.

From Wikipedia:

On April 17, 1987, while performing on stage at UC San Diego's Mandeville Hall, Shawn began a comedy bit about himself and the audience surviving nuclear war. At one point in the act, Shawn portrayed a politician reciting campaign clichés, including: "If elected, I will not lay down on the job"; later, when he collapsed face down on the stage, the audience thought it was part of the act, unaware that he had actually suffered a massive heart attack.

After some time had gone by, there were catcalls. Finally, someone appeared on stage, kneeled down to examine Shawn, stood up and asked: "Is there a doctor in the house?" Another person came on stage, turned him over and began administering CPR. The audience was told to go home, but almost no one left since it appeared to be part of Shawn's act. When paramedics arrived, bewildered audience members began leaving, still unsure of what they had witnessed. A notice in the following day's San Diego Union newspaper clarified that Shawn had indeed died during the performance. Dick Shawn was only 63.

It's Moko!

Who wants ice cream?

Stores of Ennui

What is it about Bed, Bath and Beyond that fills me with such ennui and dread? I know, I know--it's boring, that's what. But I like buying things to fix up the apartment. Beebo and I live in a smallish place, so I see it as a challenge to fix it up in such a way that it can be the most efficient "machine for living" possible.

I love going to Ikea, and trying to figure out if there's a place for some odd bit of furnitire and storage. I also enjoy a good hardware store, even though I don't have the kind of living situation where I can use 90% of its products. But BBB has such a horrible mediocrity. There's so much plastic, and so many bland, washed-out colors. It also abounds with EZ-2-Assemble furniture, like wobbly fold-out bookcases, over-the-door hangers, and a million suction-cup based bathroom items--the kind of stuff that says "I'm just here temporarily, and also I can't put anything together competently".

Foulard's family

Beebo and Deebo relaxing at home...

What's Foulard reading now?

It's true! That George Vavasor is a blackguard.

Casual Friday

Belatedly, here's another photo of the awful guy/fitting from the J. Crew catalog...this one may be even worse. Someone get him a sandwich and a more comfortable jacket!

It's too bad Stringbean is no longer alive to model for them!