Unconnected

LOL - Left Atlanta IL yesterday with a little pamphlet of things to do.  One thing says "Take a once-in-a-lifetime photo of yourself with a 19-foot tall statue of a guy holding a hot dog".

I don't know, that just reads funny.   I'll have more on that in coming days.
----------------------------------------

Have I mentioned that I will never buy a car from Jon Lancaster again?  Oh - we love the car totally but talk about a shady company trying to screw you every chance they get.  I'll talk about that soon also. 

----------------------------------------

My buddy Elwood is a non-fiction snob.  He can not understand how people can waste their time reading fiction books.  What a waste of time.  He only reads non-fiction and can not understand how people can spend time not learning things.

My view is that when reading fiction you ARE learning things. It's the difference of learning facts and learning life experience.  When you read fiction you are always putting yourself in the protagonist shoes, what would YOU do in this situation (plus I tend to read historical fiction).

For instance, I've had people come up to me when I 'm taking photographs getting in my face asking me what I'm doing.  I'm sure that in my fiction books someone has had that same experience and I saw how they reacted and handled the situation.  Instead of standing there not having a clue how to react and what the best course of action was, somewhere in my readings something like that had happened to someone else. 

Reading non-fiction is like having a teacher tell you to memorize these facts for a test.  Reading fiction is when the teacher tells you a vague outline and you need to actually THINK.

Reading fiction you learn people skills.
------------------------------------------------

So DJ and I went to Springfield IL this weekend for a visit.  We knew Ralls and mom did not have WiFi but what astounded me was they didn't even have internet.  WHAT??   They should have a sign on the door, NOT CONNECTED!!  How was I going to find out exactly what the Fontina cheese was that I had purchased.  Inquiring minds wanted to know.  

The internet is like having the worlds largest encyclopedia at your finger tips and I'm always lookign things up!  

The odd thing was that there were no WiFi signals anywhere, even locked ones! (Did you know the FBI were in Columbus the other week?  I noticed that an FBI WiFi signal was in the area . . but it was locked).  

Otherwise it was an excellent weekend.  OH - we filled up our tank at $3.14 a gallon!  SWEET!!!

We turned my mom on to Downton Abby and she loved it. We watched three episodes but the odd thing was I think she was watching something different.   For those who have seen season 1 remember episode 3 where the Turkish Ambassador sort of forces himself on Mary who was not really trying to stop his advances too much.  Well, my mom hated that rape scene.  DJ and I explained that it was not a rape scene but I don't think she bought it.


Along with visiting mom and brother I needed to get some photographs in case I pass the jury for Springfield's much smaller version of Art Fair on the Square ( The Old Capitol Art Fair).  It's smaller but costs half the amount at $300.

ANYWAY -  we here in Wisconsin think our State Capitol is outstanding, and it is.  However it pales compared to the Flatlanders down south.  While our Cap is stunning and huge and very formal, the Illinois capitol is more homy and vibrant, more friendly.  Not the behemoth that Wisconsin's is but smaller and more colorful. 

I'll have more shots coming up but here are the two I have so far.    I did not get to the 2nd and 3rd floors yet as they were closed and of course there is always renovations going on which I believe ALL capitols must go through constantly.

Their Capitol is in a French Renaissance style and ground was broken in 1869 with the building completed 20 years later. 

sculpture of a woman with open arms represents "Illinois Welcoming the World". Singer and actress Lillian Russell was the model for this statue. However that is now being disputed.

Side note - I believe Illinois has had four governors go to prison.  

And this one is from the outside of their Capitol.

Speaking of the Hurricane (which Elwood knew nothing about, he was too busy reading non-fiction books LOL)   There have been some pretty cool shots from New York and a large number of fake shots.

a real photo

 

Odd- just like a movie I saw!!  too weird

OK - I have some programming to do.

Talk to ya later.

Rod