One of My Submarines

Write/Paint

Back in 1984 when Apple revolutionized the world of personal computing with the Macintosh computer I was graduating from Tonawanda High School. I took several art and design classes from my favorite teacher William DeGlopper including photography, graphic design, illustration, plus a printing course (in shop class, no lie) but no computers. I continued my path as a designer enrolling into Buffalo State College the same year and ran through their design program-- with some journalism tossed in. The closest I came to a computer was word processing at the The Record, the school paper. When I first came into touch with a computer that could be used as a design tool, the decade was coming to a close as the 90s began.

The first Mac I actually used to design was a bit more advanced version that the one here (SE-30)... barely... It was this same size. And though I didn't carry it around in a little sack riding in my bike's basket, I did carry it around from my job to my house. It seems funny to lug this big box around, but this little machine was actually pretty compact for it's day and age. It is interesting how computers went from this, to bigger desktops and back to a small size in its life cycle of 25 years so far.

I have a couple of these little Mac SE-30s boxes and I love the information, instructions and photos in the manual. Last year I posted a piece about the the fonts that came pre-loaded (er, I mean you had to load them yourself from a small floppy disk) on this machine and another one about using the state-of-the-art MacPaint.... this time I chose to show you the 'lifestyle' photography from the original Mac manual.

The images are pretty humorous in their authentic '80s office style and preppy, white guy-ness. The shot with the guy in his office late at night with his sweater around his neck is priceless. It's marketing like this-- with its uber-80s geek-ness-- that kept the rock poster designers from using computers... and probably it's list price of $4,400 ($4,900 with hard drive). Think about what sort of computer you can get today for four grand!

Quick note on the carrying case: "... Your Macintosh will fit under the seat in most commercial airplanes. and in the overhead compartment of others.." Try carrying this thing onto a plane today, let alone getting in UNDER the seat!


A little tickle to get it started, adjust the brightness and you are computing!


Why is this man's collar down? You can tell by the look on this guys face he is crunching numbers. Internet porn had yet to be invented but the calculator watch had.


The ease-of-use. Big desk, littel computer: a couple dudes working in their law office or someplace businessy like that.


The sexy. After hours '80s dude chillin', catching some UV rays California-stylee.


The traveling computer: Packing it up to go... city awaits in the distance.


Bicycle Race. ... and then going, with the little mac riding up front in the basket. Jealous guys looks on from shadows.


Hello, aren't I beige. Love me.

The Only One I Know

T-Shirt Of The Week #6:
Spiderman White Art on Black Tee

This is my weekly feature on a favorite t-shirt that I own, number six.... This tee was given to me by this girl that was selling vintage apparel during the Allentown West Art Festival.

Back 3 years ago or so, we set up the Where To Roam shop out in front of the now-gone Comic City during the Allentown West Art Festival and this girl shared the spot with us. When we were all said and done, she said I could have a tee and I picked this one. It is a cool reverse Spiderman graphic on a well-worn black tee. It is the pose Spiderman makes when he is dropping out of the sky or making a landing from a web swing. He right hand is poised and ready to web and the graphic behind looks like a spider dagger.

It is an official Marvel product (has a logo on it), but it always looked like a bootleg. I guess because it is so worn already. I bought it worn, it's vintage, ya know. This tee reminds me of my friend Natetrax who owned Comic City, he used to give me all kinds of cool comic books, tees and other superhero paraphernalia. We had a good time selling tees that Summer weekend and I have this shirt as a memory.

Shadowplay

From Violet to Hazel: Postcards From Our Past (part 4)
this space for writing messages

This may be it, I think I lost the postcard scanning buzz I had going last week. This last batch has some cool images including another Kleinhann's, which looks like it is Florida for some reason. There aren't a lot of trees and very little structures beyond the building- which is odd to see after living in this neighborhood off and on over the the last 20 years or so. The Main Street Shopping District is amazing in it's New York City-ness as it is has people galore on the streets among theaters, street cars and the famous AM & As Department Store. The back is great too- it is postmarked Nov 20, 1933 and begins "Hello Mother" and includes the calming "We did not have to use the car chains coming here as the road was in pretty good shape."

The crowds of people in the Zoo card and the Boat House at Delaware Lake are impressive, as well is the street scene which includes several folks on bicycles (including a woman), horse drawn buggies, Louis Sullivan's Guaranty Building, the St. Louis Church and that big building, which is no longer there but I think was the old City Hall. The back of this card has "Besser's and Sons, Buffalo. No. 104. Printed in Germany." But no tell-tale postmarked date, unfortunately. Oh and the interior shot of the Historical Building which is postmarked August 22, 1912, looks pretty close to how it looks now.

All these vintage postcards have a beautiful haunting quality to the coloring and especially the people frozen in Buffalo's past. In fact these four with the people in it have become some of my favorites. If you look close you can pick out certain people and I wonder about their day captured at Hoyt Lake or the Buffalo Zoo.... were they having a good time?


Sunny afternoon in Buffalo with smiling lady in a big hat.


Feeding the seal at the Buffalo Zoo. Only one seal.


Eerily similar to today, the History Museum.


Another awesome Kleinhann's painted postcard.


Biking in downtown Buffalo, NY. This shot was the cover image used on the original Buffalo vintage postcard book, Buffalo Views by Rich Kegler.


Busy downtown shopping district, in 'beautiful river"....


This is the end, my friend...

Shout Me Out

Postcards From Our Past (part 3)- place one cent stamp here

I think I am hooked, I may have to put up a flkr page of these.

I have another 6 great oldie views of the good lady, the Queen City. Back story: a friend had lent me these postcards and I was taking by the history, the colors and the weird ghostly aspect of them. As well, I was inspired by some feedback- info provided by Rick Barrett's grandfather who used to own the Morgan Building. I posted a query on the last postcard post and he responded! Now there's the power of the internet for ya, eh? very cool.

Last night I was reading a cool piece on Eero Saarinen in Metropolis mag (Reconsidering Eero)-- the designer of the super slick "new $1,300,000" Kleinhans Music Hall, who did the St. Louis Arch among other architectural marvels. There is great postcard of that building below. I also like the dirt road leading past the back of the Albright Knox and the Zoo postcard with the baby elephant threatening scared purple-coat Pete.


Early Buffalo, NY gun fight.


Kleinhans Music Hall: the back lists Director Mrs. Fred D. Corey.


I have a bunch of Ellicott Square Building images on loan from P22 Rich and this one has a nice crowded street scene in front. The back says "published by the Buffalo News Company." J. used to work in this building- it is still massive!


Concrete ladies on the Buffalo Harbour.


Any of you West Siders know anything about this one:
Old Stone Castle, Fort Porter, Buffalo, NY... Do ya?


This is no longer a car road around this side of the
Albright Knox Art Gallery, let alone a dirt road...

Here are the my other 2 sets of scanned, brightly-coloured history: part 1 & part 2...

Since I've Been Loving You

Postcards From Our Past (part 2)- this space for message

Here are some more really great old Buffalo postcards (1st batch posted here) which are very graphically pleasing. This collection of six images represent some of Buffalo's lost treasures including the Chippewa Market (dated 1910) and the D.S. Morgan Building which has two businesses located in its lower level, one being a turkish bath, baby!

The aerial view of downtown features a great view of the waterfront with the Aud in the center and the Statler Hotel postcard includes the hotel and it's garage and notes it has "1100 rooms with bath and radio reception." Handy.

Last note, the Ruins of the Seneca Building is dated 1909 and seems like a strange image for a postcard, a building being destroyed? Very Buffalo though, if you think about it.


Seneca Building ruins- please explain...?


Rand Building shooting death rays to fight nazis, apparently.


Hotel Statler with a really nice parking facility.


Chippewa (meat) Market without 3rd Room


Cool Downtown (must be 30s with Aud).


DS Morgan Building- anyone know where this was (is)?