They Can Cancel the Show But They Can't Hide the Rigs

Fortunately I checked the fairgrounds' website for the gate time of the RV show and found out it had been cancelled. It was scheduled for 10 days, but there was no information other than the big CANCELLED label across the announcement. Bummer.

So when you're all warmed up to tour motorhomes do you change plans and do something else? Of course not. Not when you're in SoCal and there are a few large dealers within an hour's drive!

Bill remembered one on the freeway and our GPS confirmed it's location near where he used to work. After detouring through the area that looks nothing like its former self thanks to the never-ending construction, we stopped for lunch at Fuddrukers. Delicious burgers and onion rings made the delay worthwhile and calmed down my hungry-cranky-pants. From there Ms GPS took us to the address which was a new Camping World under - you guessed it - construction. Figured the dealer had closed up shop and was purchased by CW. Bummer again.

Started feeling like we just weren't supposed to look at rigs. Not like we could write a check even if we lost our minds and tried to buy one! So we drove to Bill's old work site and let Tessa out to run around for a bit while we located the other dealer. I thought it was fairly close. Yep, 11 miles south. What the heck, beautiful day, no where else to be, let's keep going.

This time we found it. Even though there was a gatehouse with a guy directing people to the parking lot, and a RV Show sign on the fence, there were very few rigs to check out.  We did manage to get out of the Jeep with Tessa and make it across the front of the lot, but the ever-vigilante salesman cornered us around the back of the first rig. Nope, not going to just meander at our leisure at this place.

One of the main reasons we have focused on diesel pushers with the entry door in front is for the passenger seat legroom and the lack of doghouse to climb over at the dash. For that reason we didn't look at Thor Palazzos in the past, even though there are many of them on the market. The new Winnebago Forza was the same story. Liked the floorplan but with the mid-coach entry I figured the legroom was compromised.

This dealer had no Thor Tuscanys and no Tiffins but there were Palazzos and Forzas on the lot so figured we might as well check them out. Afterall, we had done some driving to get there! The Palazzo was first and we both liked it a lot. Being a diesel pusher there is no doghouse, and we were pleasantly surprised that it has plenty of legroom. With the addition of a pullout shelf and the larger side window, the passenger seat is actually better than the Tiffin. The other thing I like better is the television over the dinette and across from the couch, rather than at a right angle. Has the residential refrigerator, washer and dryer, and outdoor television all standard. Unfortunately it doesn't have a king bed option so we would have to do an after-market modification as the bigger bed is a must-have.

The Forza was similar with good legroom and the better television placement. I liked the fireplace option but the white leather was already filthy and the cabinetry was not real wood (and looked like it). I can't completely cross it off the list yet, but I'd have to see a clean one without the white upholstery.

I meant to take pictures of everything we looked at but the distraction of the salesman made me forget to take any.

Tessa was hesitant about the steps at first but quickly got the hang of the in and out. She checked out the bedrooms and bathrooms and then laid down on the floor while we discussed some of the details.

Got on the freeway for home but turned around and went south another 15 miles to the other large dealership. They have several locations including the one we didn't find earlier. They were also the same dealer whose rigs we looked at (Itasca and Tiffin) at the big October show. Much larger selection, but still no Tuscanys. Lots of Tiffins but no 33aa's. Another fleet-footed salesman caught up with us at the first coach. 

He showed us the new 34' Legacy by Forest River. Nice diesel coach with side entry and a much lower MSRP than the others on our list. Neither one of us felt good in it. It has some nice amenities but wasn't very comfortable. 

We asked about solar installation at the dealership and learned that they install the new "roll-out" flat panels that can be cut to any size, lay flat on the roof, weigh a tenth of the hard panels, and have nearly zero maintenance needs. This was great information, and something to follow up on later as well.

At this point the salesman went to see if the recently sold 33aa was still on the lot somewhere we could go see it, leaving us to wander and look on our own. Yay. Still didn't remember to take pictures so I'll have to come up with another excuse.....

Bounder, Windsport, Itasca, all the ones we looked at were either too big, too small, had a doghouse to crawl over, or were just lacking the "it" factor that we know when we feel it. Met up with the salesman at the gate where he confirmed the 33aa was unavailable. A short discussion on our plans, the dealer's virtues, and changes in standard features on the Tiffin that he hadn't heard about yet (from BFF's Tiffin guy), and we were back in the Jeep.

It was a very fun day that gave us a couple other rigs to consider. There is little doubt that if everything comes together perfectly as planned we will purchase the 33aa. However, given the realities of life, it is good to have options that are less expensive but still desirable. We have to have the king bed and I'm not sure about the Palazzo's 300hp engine instead of the 340hp of the Tiffin. We'll keep doing the research.

Lots of things still need to happen before we can go buying instead of looking, but we didn't let a little thing like a cancelled rv show keep us from checking out some motorhomes!

Nightmare to Dream: Tiffin Customer Service Puts Them Back on Top

There are a lot of things to consider when looking for the rig that will be your home.

What we most want is a coach that runs/works well, built by a company that stands behind it's product and supports their owners. Included in that is buying from a dealer that shares those qualities and has a good working relationship with the manufacturers.

I have owned a couple motorhomes that I inherited, but we have never purchased an RV. My best friend and her husband have had a travel trailer and a couple motorhomes over the years so my indirect experience is through them. Until a couple years ago that experience was pretty positive. They bought quality used units, traveled regularly, repaired the minor issues that arose, enjoyed themselves. 

Then they bought the used LaPalma. Many issues arose with that coach and the dealer's handling of some of them was suspicious. It became a money-pit with no manufacturer warranty. They worried about their safety and the cost of the next inevitable repair. Fed up with sinking thousands of dollars into a rig they could no longer enjoy they decided to buy a new coach.  We were already looking at new but this sealed it for us - we'd suffer the depreciation for the warranty.

Their first deal for a new Thor fell through when the dealer refused to honor their agreement on the trade-in value, got very nasty, and then pulled the contract! The experience was so terrible they decided to keep the LaPoopa. But after one trip north and still more problems, they again went new rig shopping. 

About this time Bill and I were narrowing down our choices and the Tiffin Allegro 33aa was at the top. Everything we read about quality and customer service was impressive and we liked what we saw at the RV show where we did a quick walk-through. Bob Tiffin was there and seemed like a pretty stand-up guy who believes in what they build.

So I am very excited when the BFF sends me pics of their new Phaeton! Beautiful coach, everything they wanted, good deal, good buying experience. They plan their shakedown run and head north again. Lovely trip, they note some things that need to be addressed, they schedule an appointment with the dealer upon their return. The only real concern they have is the leaking windows. All the windows. Leaking, not condensation.

The first "alarm" went off when they were told by the service guy that the windows are "supposed to do that". Whaaat? But the service department will be working with the Tiffin area-representative on all the items and certainly that person will not agree that leaking windows is normal or acceptable in their coach. This is around November 11, 2013. The estimate on the repairs is two weeks. 

The first week in December the new Tiffin owners contact the dealer for a pick-up date. There isn't one. Challenges with communicating with the Tiffin rep, holidays, etc., etc. Okay, no problem, they have no plans until after Christmas so no rush. Note to self: NEVER tell a dealer there's no rush.

A couple more calls in December, still working on a couple of the items, they'll have it right after New Years. Middle of January they drive to the dealer and see their rig sitting in the same spot it was in November, covered in dirt, with no sign it has been touched. The service rep now tells them that the Tiffin rep has been working with them on the leaking windows (apparently they aren't supposed to do that). They are now going to try stuffing fabric in the frames to see if that fixes them as the other things they tried were not successful. 

The first thought you had when you read that? Yeah well multiple that by ten and you might imagine the owners' reaction at the dealership. After a passionate explanation as to why that was NOT going to happen, the owner received the direct phone number of the Tiffin rep. The equally passionate phone call resulted in the rep's agreement that fabric-stuffing was out and all new windows were in. There is no "window warehouse" so they have to be made and shipped from Alabama. How long? You guessed it - two weeks. 

The rep suggests they take the rig home to wait for the windows to arrive. The dealer had washed and waxed it so they agreed it would be best to get it off the dirty lot and get it home for the couple weeks. Back in their driveway they are able to check things out more thoroughly. Moisture under the throw rug in the bedroom that looks like it came from the seam of the back slide, more signs of leaking at each window, puddled water in the fusebox.   Mold. 

He has COPD. Mold is something to be avoided at a distance, let alone in the walls and under the bed. They are heartsick. This coach is a sieve, it seems to be tweaked so that nothing lines up right. New windows are not going to fix this. She does her homework and sends Bob Tiffin an email.

At this point it's February and I'm ready to walk away from our dream rig - the 33aa. They have been 90 days without their rig and there are still no new windows at the dealership. Then comes the call from Alabama.

The national rep is flying out to California to talk with them and see the coach. It doesn't take two weeks. He comes to their home. He looks and reads and listens. He makes no excuses. He makes an offer that they turn down. He listens some more. He agrees to recommend they get what they ask for.

Within days they are picking out the color of their new Phaeton. All their belongings in the coach are removed by professionals, cleaned of all the mold, and returned to them neatly boxed a week later. The local Tiffin rep has a job change. The coach is picked up and driven back to Alabama. The new one will be delivered in May.

That Tiffin customer service you've heard about? It's real. That Tiffin Allegro 33aa? It's back on the top of our list.

 

Finding Peace in Reality

"Gas prices will be $10/gallon by Summer." "The housing market will never recover." "We will be rationing water for years. " "They will take all our guns." "There will be no Social Security." "The plane will never be found."

These sentiments and many more like them were all expressed in the last few weeks. Some by media, others by individuals. Clearly we are facing a gloomy future just around the corner. No point making any plans other than finding a sturdy refrigerator box to live in down by the riverbed - not by a river as there won't be water left in any of them. One would have to be nuts to plan a life that includes extensive travel, selling a house, having enough income without employment, staying in remote areas with wild critters, or in general enjoying a peaceful life.

I don't watch the news - ever. I don't read a newspaper or subscribe to a news feed. Still, I get the message: we're doomed. I do go to the grocery store and other public places. I'm on Facebook. I read blogs. Opinions are everywhere. Most of these opinions have a common theme: we're doomed.

Those who know me have heard me quote my mother on numerous occasions: "The key to success in everything is 'pay attention'". This mantra has served me well in all areas of my life and I plan to keep doing it. So when bombarded with these sour predictions for our future I can't just put my head in the dirt (the worms have opinions about the future of the soil - you're not getting away from it down there). I also don't spend hours researching economics or climate change or global politics. Maybe someday, not today. So what do I "pay attention" to when it comes to our future plans?

Reality. Today. Right now. We are currently living what was yesterday's future.  I know, profound.  You can quote me.  But really, it is the answer that works for me. Every one of the quotes above was expressed recently. Every one of them was also expressed several years ago. Every one of them. About the future. Which is now today. And none of them are true today. (There have been other planes.)

Could our future be doomed? Sure. Some dire predictions have come to fruition. They did so without me putting my life on hold. It's not like these things could never happen and some of them certainly seem plausible. Looking at the reservoirs in California makes rationing seem imminent, although a summer of record rainfall is just as likely.

A big part of paying attention is seeing where you can impact outcome and where it is out of your control. If I can impact outcome then I believe it is my responsibility to do so. I turn off the water when I brush my teeth and I vote. There are a few other things in between. If it is out of my control then I put it aside, move on, let it go. Some things require repeating that process to be successful :-).

Making a major change in our lives is exciting and challenging. The fulltime RV life is a complete unknown to us. We plan, we dream, we research, we make lists. We have no clue.

When will this be the best choice for us?  Today. What is that based on?  Reality.

She Can Be Taught

and so can Tessa.

Yes, we have concluded that Tessa will go potty away from the privacy and comfort of her own backyard.  We're so proud.  And relieved (pun sort of intended).  There was even a single incident of said act being performed while on a leash!  This is particularly good news given the likelihood that during our travels there will be multiple locations requiring "potty-while-on-leash" skills.  We will continue to work on this until expert status is achieved. It is still not a quick activity. The real challenge has turned out to be distraction more than privacy.  Dogs barking blocks away, birds singing, children laughing - this dog takes "Squirrel!!" to a whole new level.  I need to learn the command for "FOcus" or get her some earmuffs. Then there's the sniffing.  Same piece of turf she just covered a couple hours ago, but must check for signs of vermin.  As a Wheaten Terrier I understand it is in her DNA, but Tessa got extra where her "squat-and-go" strands should have been! Damn good thing she's so cute.



Stop typing and pet me

 

However, Tessa is not the big story here.        Humor me.

 

I also can "be taught."  After 40 years of unlimited vehicular-independence I am truly comfortable with our having only one car.  Planning which days I have the car to run errands or go play is very do-able.  The transition has been an easy one so far, and having that extra money each month makes it even easier.  Nice to get a "raise" for doing less!  Admittedly there have been no urgent needs for transportation, no maintenance issues with the Jeep, no last minute opportunities missed - so easy is relevant. I did worry about feeling a loss of independence.  No longer working, no longer having my "own" car.....those are some big life-changes in less than two years. I think timing is key. When you're ready, and it's on your own terms, these changes are pretty smooth.  Knowing I could go back to work or get another car, that I made the choice to give up both, maintains my feeling of independence and enables me to really enjoy the change. 

 

It is these somewhat simple "accomplishments" that keep me sane during the last months before we launch.  Looking back I guess they will seem silly and unimportant, but today they keep me moving forward.

The Lure of Windows 8.1

The ease of Windows 8.1 makes me skeptical. If it's this easy for me to navigate then there must be some inherent flaw in the system. I have never enjoyed learning new technology, and was really dreading 8.1 on the new laptop. Before picking it up I read a couple articles on the significant differences between 7 and 8.1.

The really big difference was the look. Designed for touchscreen computers/tablets, 8.1 opens to a bright page of multi-colored tiles. As a very visual person this immediately appealed to me.  On my 17" Toshiba it's pretty sweet.

From Google Images

I wanted another laptop, not a tablet, so I definitely didn't want a touchscreen. Still, the articles indicated the system was pretty intuitive for a keyboard and mouse. Since I wasn't learning it for a job and could take my time, I figured I'd actually follow the tutorial and learn how everything works. I was prepared to take a couple days.

Within an hour it was already easier to use than Windows 7, and I never opened the tutorial. After a week its like I've always used this system. I've tried new Apps and customized a few things and am thoroughly enjoying it.

Enjoying a new operating system? Agreeing with my techie-geek sons that it's easy to navigate? I suspect the earthquake this week is related to this shift.....

No I haven't figured out everything and really should do the tutorial to learn the stuff I don't even know is there. That would also be a first. I didn't use all the features on my clock radio in the '70's and haven't made my way through half of what my IPhone is capable of today. Still this 8.1 has me intrigued with its simplicity and I am lured in to find out more. Perhaps that's the answer to this phenomenon? The technical equivalent of catnip in the program!

I probably should be appalled at such a thought - the intrusive mind-altering gall of such a plot! Instead I'm thinking "Wow, good job. Wish you'd done this earlier so I could have enjoyed your other systems!"

Note to family and friends: If I start using technical terms and recommending cool apps please have me tested.

　

　

　

Last SoCal Summer

Mild in the winter, beautiful in the spring and fall, low humidity - with very few extremes - the weather in Southern California is something natives of other states dream about with envy.



Who could tolerate such a place?



 

Mountains, deserts, beaches, cultural events, trails - we've got it all in a 45-mile radius. Yes the taxes are high to support an infastruture that in turn supports the largest population in the
country, but really we're okay with that.  Gas prices suck, but we got rid of one car.  Although still lacking in many areas, diversity and tolerance are the norm and we like that in a
community.  Most of our history, combined and individual, is here.  Our fully-paid medical plans are here.  Five of our six sons are here. There are favorites and familiars here.

Why would we ever want to leave?

Freedom, inspiration, variety, challenge, wanderlust, daring, peace, surprise, community, fun, exploration, education, stimulation, immersion, stretching, local breweries.  All of this calls to
us.  Loudly.  SoCal is not going away (unless it slides into the Pacific as predicted for years, but then just another reason not to be here), and we will still return whenever we want or need
to. There are places here we still haven't seen and we look forward to returning with a traveler's eye to see them. 

Yes, Fall and Winter and Spring are pretty wonderful here, but neither of us are fans of the summers.  High temps and smog are just gross.  Like those in other areas who are housebound staying warm and dry in Winter, we are stuck inside in Summer to stay cool and dry.  We know we will encounter weather on the road, it's why we will have a heater and A/C, but because we don't have to work or have a set schedule, we can move to better temps when we need to.  Actually, I figure wind will be the greatest challenge over hot or cold, but time and experience will tell.  Bill loves the cool while I love the warm, but we both hate the hot and will attempt to avoid it in our travels.  The cold?  I'll be hunkered down with four blankets, Bill will walk the dog.

With the first day of Spring approaching on the calendar (still a week away), and the first days of Summer approaching on the weather forecast (89 on Sunday), I think about this being our last full Summer in SoCal.  Next year at this time things will be hopping for sure (unintentional easter bunny plug).  Bill will be winding up his 30+ year career with only a couple weeks of work left.  Hopefully the "stuff" will be shrunk down to only what we're taking and what fits in the small storage container.  If current plans hold firm, the paperwork on the house sale will start with the buyer we already have (fingers and toes and eyes crossed). The deposit on the motorhome will be paid, and we will be scheduling a pick up date.  Reservations at the local RV park will be made to cover the weeks until high school graduation.  Of course all of this will be a jumbled mess of chaos that looks little like the picture painted here......but indeed next year will look very different from this year.

Many current full-timers caution us wannabes to avoid concentrating on "last" anything in preparation for this huge life change, and I certainly see the wisdom in that.  In most cases.  The "last summer" thoughts for me however are positive and exciting.  I'm actually looking forward to Summer for the first time in a long time.  Not just to get through it and be even closer to launch time, but to spend the summer in SoCal.  Like a last cigarette or a last goodbye, this last summer has meaning in our lives and is something we will always remember.  So I choose to make a good memory of this moment in time and embrace the summer.
 
How will I do that? 

No clue.  There are new things to see and do certainly, but my first thought is that memories are as much about our attitude at the time.  The "how" we saw and did something as much as the "what".  So initially I will approach the onset of summer with a change in attitude.  Today I look at that Sunday forecast and think "I could really use a little color on these white legs before the reunion next month" so yay to 89 degrees!  They're really white so I bet I can use that one for a couple weeks just to get started :-).

Summer in SoCal - it's going to be great!

Quick! Get a New One Before It Dies!

I’m not sure when it happened.  There must have been a turning point, but I don’t know when it was.  Certainly in the last year, since I retired, since many of the projects around here were completed, but there wasn’t a specific date or event that stands out. 

I have become one-with-my-laptop.  Or one-with-the-Internet.  No matter what you call it, I now spend a significant amount of time with my face in a computer screen, mostly reading and sometimes writing.  Oh, and sometimes shopping.  And of course “socializing”……..

Now I still hang out with Bill every evening and nearly all day on weekends, and a lot of that time we are both on our laptops.  Facebook for both of us, but while I’m usually reading blogs or window-shopping for motorhomes, he is working on his music library.  So he actually has something to show for his hours at the keyboard – me, not so much.  The family and the house and the yard are well taken care of.  The dog does get walked every day.  No one goes hungry.  I don’t know what I used to do with the time I now spend on the Internet and it’s interesting that I don’t know.  But alas, there it is.

This is only relevant at this time because my laptop has been dying for a couple months with increased signs that its time is very near.  When the realization came last night that it wouldn’t be long before I would be facing a blank, black screen I panicked!  Whatever will I do?? 

I still have an e-reader with access to thousands of books; I have book-books on the shelf; and I love to read.  Netflix always has a movie or old tv series to get caught up on.  Although nearly all the projects around here are complete, there are certainly a fair amount of things to be done.  The weather is improving daily and there are numerous walking and biking trails to enjoy in the area.  I can still have a car every day if I want to drive somewhere.  We have that very large tax debt to payoff. But…..OMG! I can’t possibly be without a computer – not for a week, or a day, or likely a couple hours! 

So sad.  Really.  I don’t know when this happened.  I do know when the new laptop was purchased though.  That would be tonight.

Stormy Memories - and Potty Watch 2014 Continues

From parched and dusty to soaked and flooded – we do NOT mess around here in California!  SoCal is keeping up its practice of extremes with downed trees, mudslides, neighborhood evacuations, and multitudes of car accidents.  And although we are experiencing the worst drought in centuries you can bet the vast majority of all this wonderful precipitation is rushing down the concrete Los Angeles River and into the ocean…..leaving behind very little relief.   I’ll never understand our pathetic water management in this state, and yet I remain hopeful that some brilliant earth-minded college student is figuring it out as we “speak.”  They better be quick because the reservoirs are at 15% and the Colorado River tribes are going to cut us off. 

Drought or not, we seldom get enough rain to ever get sick of it.  It sounds nice here in town, but when it’s raining I want to be either on the coast or in the desert – actually I want to be in those places when it isn’t raining too – but I love watching a storm cross the plains, valleys, ocean. Seeing that dark wall of clouds and moisture and wind moving toward you, smelling it before feeling it, then feeling its power overtake everything around you……incredible! 

Living in the desert most of my growing-up years I remember storms being such a big deal.  We would pile into the truck and head out to a small rise where we could see 50+ miles in three directions, and watch the power move across the valley.  A one-time funnel cloud sent us hightailing back to the house and not long afterwards two of the Cessnas at the little private airport were destroyed.  One storm brought snow and ice and turned our brown home-world into a completely different planet of white.  For some reason I don’t remember (if I ever knew) the big sprinklers in the park were on and their 12 foot high spray froze in the air.  One of the creative moms sprayed food color on them and 50 years later I can still see the wonder of those ice sculptures in our little desert park before they melted the next day.  Winds were crazy and there were many that brought very dangerous dust storms with zero visibility.  Coming home in the dark from a monthly 90-mile grocery run with my best pal and her parents we got caught in one on the two lane highway.  It was terrifying when her mom had to walk along the side of the road with one hand on the passenger door window while feeling along the edge of the blacktop with her foot to tell where the road was and direct her husband’s steering.  The sand on the side of the road was soft and deep and if we had pulled off we would have been stuck in seconds.  It was the sound of the metal sign banging in the wind that led us to our turn off for home.  There were other bad dust storms but fortunately none I spent on the road – and I don’t ever need to experience another one! 

I only had to see one storm move in from the Pacific Ocean to know that they were as powerful and magical as those in the desert.  Partying with other twenty-something year olds at a beach house and when the storm started building on the horizon we grabbed our chairs and all just sat quietly and watched it come to us.  We were all soaked and happy when we returned to the house.  Rain and wind and lightning over miles of open water…….breathtaking. 

We are so looking forward to being “out there” in the weather.  Right now the sky is a weird yellow and must look amazing where it isn’t just a peek above the neighborhood.  We aren’t so naive as to think there won’t be times we’ll be trying to outrun it, or hating the cabin fever it causes, or dreading the jacks stuck in the mud…….but I believe we will embrace the storm more often than not!

On the home front the storm is adding to the doggy drama that is “Potty Watch 2014”.  If I’m not standing out in the rain in the front yard, Tessa just stands on the porch with me – because it’s cold and wet out there and she’s just as smart as I am……  So I walk out on to the grass, and she goes inside – because it’s cold and wet out there and she’s smarter than I am……..

 

This is not the first rain we’ve had since she came to live with us.  She will go outside and do her business in the rain.  In the backyard.  In her backyard.  In private.  The rain may also prolong the return to said backyard as some of the seeds are swimming in small ponds.  Oh well, I’m sure we’ll be mowing it this summer no matter what.

In the meantime..........

 

Time for a Doggie Intervention?

I have suspected for a while that our dear fluffy dog Tessa is a member of the “Nopoopinpublic” tribe.  On road trips she will rarely go potty while on the leash, and then she has to be far away from other people. Last weekend we re-seeded the backyard which means no doggy paws on the lawn for several weeks.  We have a front lawn with trees and Tessa can be out there without a leash, but she will rarely do her business.  She still lets us know when she needs to go outside, but once out there she is more likely to just lie down. Especially when it is light outside!  Or if there are people or other dogs around……Are you kidding me?? 



Nice, but not nearly private enough!



It seems that the majority of fulltimers are animal-lovers like us.  Dogs are most common, from tiny pocket pups to big labs and shepherds. These dogs have wonderful lives, spending lots of time with their humans and having the same marvelous adventures.  Many of their names are as recognizable as their owners’, and their antics make for great story-telling in multiple blogs.  Some of the most touching posts I’ve read have been about the loss of beloved doggie family members.  We are very much looking forward to Tessa being a part of our new life.

Unless it is a well-kept secret, I think all of those traveling doggies go potty outside of a fenced yard, in the daylight, even when there are others around.  I’ve tried explaining this to Tessa.  She seems skeptical.  Or maybe it’s stubborn.  Maybe there was a tribal oath at birth.

 

You're making that up!!

 

Regardless of her motivation there will have to be a change in this area over the next year.  I suppose it’s a good thing we learned this now and not after we were in our first camp site.  Not taking her with us is NOT an option so we will have to figure it out.   

Maybe an intervention before we hit the road.  I think Polly or Bridget or Sasha could probably set her straight – maybe we can set up a conference call on Skype and they can all explain it to her! 

Are There Unknown Consequences for Capturing Humans?

People-watching is a wonderful pastime that many of us enjoy.  Having spent many, many hours waiting in California airports (and a few others), stuck in traffic on multi-lane highways, and just the general hanging-around in customer lounges and retail lines I have certainly done my share.  In fact once I learned to just observe others around me I found real pleasure in these otherwise irritating pauses to my “schedule.”  Many of these observations are of humorous situations and some are heart-warming interactions between strangers.  Yes there are the annoying “I can’t believe they just did that in public” moments, but I’ve become pretty jaded over the years and little surprises me in that area anymore.  There is a reason that shopping carts have signs telling parents not to let their kids stand up in the cart seat………

So we’re all out there together being human with our actions and interactions on display.  There are a lot of us and even those who stood out in a single day quickly fade from our memories.  We may remember and repeat to friends the incident or the outfit or the words, but these disappear eventually.  Unless we capture them in a photograph. 

Humans are interesting and make for great photos.  Some of those photos win awards for major photographers.  Most of us have taken our share of candid shots for a number of reasons.  Recently I came across some pictures taken at the old Riverside Raceway (now the Moreno Valley Mall) of strangers in the stands and in the pits.  Nothing particularly moving about any of them, they captured a fun t-shirt logo or a cool silhouette or a cute child.  The usual.  They were in a box in the attic.  No one but a handful of family and friends ever saw them, maybe nobody but the photographer.  They were taken before (long before) the Internet.

When I photographed the person in that t-shirt, the photo went from my camera to the developer to the box.  In essence the person was only seen by those at the raceway that day.  They chose to go to the event, to be seen by all the other people who would be there; in Riverside, California; on a Sunday.  Here’s the question:

What if it wasn’t safe for them to be seen somewhere else?  What if they were in California because it was far away from a threatening ex-spouse, a stalker, a malicious person who they got far, far away from?  No problem when the candid photo goes in a box in the attic.

A whole different story when a candid photo is posted on the Internet?  Are there unknown consequences for that person because I captured them and sent their location out to the whole world?

There are tens of millions of photographs on the Internet.  Google Images is more crowded with humans than all the entertainment venues and sports arenas in the world combined.  If I were looking for someone I wouldn’t know where to begin to search on the Internet for their picture.  It may be impossible without facial recognition software (but don’t those scary malicious people always have that stuff?)

Of course the flip-side is the happy ending of a separated family being reunited…….of a good and loving person finding them.

It is surely a ridiculous thing to worry about, sparked by too many Lifetime movies in my past.  For some reason though, in the last few weeks when I see candid shots of people captured for a blog post, I wonder…….were there unforeseen consequences?