Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Drawing a Blank

Sometimes the day is long. You come home, sit down at the computer to create your little ditty and discover you've spent what meager brain pennies you had. There's nothing left to create with.

I spent my sense in Sherman Oaks yesterday, which is appropriate because that's where, two years ago, I took this photo. I knew it would come in handy sooner or later. (That's called saving for a rainy day.)

24 comments:

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Love how the lights on the billboard mimic the whispy clouds in the sky.. gorgeous blue!

Anonymous said...

A blank canvas against a blank canvas... genius!

Petrea Burchard said...

Thank you, Kalei.

Ha! Llandudno! Apparently my blank brain had some remaining capital I didn't know about!

tom@morethanpepper.com said...

sometimes the best billboard is an empty one.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

Nice work. I like that you didn't crop it; leaving so much sky in the frame - makes me wish I had taken it

Bellis said...

See, your blank mind drew on something after all. I guess they have to light a blank sign in case a plane crashes into it?

Don't know how you've managed to charm and amuse us for...how many consecutive days is it now?

Anonymous said...

Very cool.

Petrea Burchard said...

Tom, I heartily agree.

High praise, PA, thank you.

Bellis, if a plane is flying that low it's going to have worse than billboards to contend with. As for how many consecutive days I've been charming and amusing, I can never keep it up for more than a day or two.

Merci, Karin.

Desiree said...

Ha! I love that drawing a blank for you is an unusual occurrence.
Wish that were true for me.

Zyzzyz said...

What a blue blue sky.

Petrea Burchard said...

I don't ordinarily get writers' block Desiree. I can usually think of something to say. Whether or not it's something interesting is another matter entirely.

Lochinver, it does happen here! Really, it does.

BaysideLife said...

Normally not a fan of billboards, but this vignette is great. Very moody. At least they got the message right.

Ms M said...

Great photo! It'd make a good book cover for a novel or collection of poems.

Margaret said...

When your mind needs to lay fallow, you need to let it lay fallow.

Petrea Burchard said...

Ha! Love that, Bayside.

I'm no poet, Ms. M, but a novel, now there's an idea.

Margaret, you are sooooo right.

Katie said...

Love the mysterious mood this amazing photo sets. And I like that the sign just says computer. Like there's just one big one inside the store. You definitely deserve a break if you're not feeling very Chatty Cathy; if your photo has something to say, no harm letting it do all the talking.

K Brennan said...

The littlest things make all the difference sometimes. Makes me think just how rare that sight is.

K Brennan said...

(on a side note: I love how the sky prepares for rain like this. You rarely see colors like that... well, I don't. Unless its' right before/after.

Petrea Burchard said...

Around here that's so true, Kevin. I love LA, but if you come here for the dramatic sky you're definitely in the wrong place!

TheChieftess said...

Well for my two cents worth...I think this is worth at least 25 cents!!! Love the shot!!!

K Brennan said...

All right, I'll bite. This street looks familiar but I can't place it. Where *in* Sherman Oaks is it? My first guess would be right on Ventura, but that's not only too easy - this doesn't look busy enough to be it!

As for dramatic sky, that's a part of why I'm going to college in San Diego. Every day we get what I've been calling "last night of vacation" sunsets, due to each one feeling so unique and special. Even if the western horizon over the bay is cloudy, the color in the sky where it's clear is just has a vibrancy that even right on Palisades Park in Santa Monica it seems to lack in la. Rarely does a point-and-shoot camera like my own do it justice. Then again, I must admit I am a bit spoiled by my location - I'm right on a hill overlooking Mission Bay! Your evaluation may vary.

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Chieftess!

Kevin, it's Ventura, about two blocks east of Sepulveda, facing south and slightly west.
Your school situation sounds wonderful. I'm glad you chose to try a different city--new horizons, literally.

Susan Campisi said...

Fabulous photo. It looks staged for a Hollywood film production.

K Brennan said...

Aha! I knew it was Ventura Blvd. And I am quite happy to try somewhere that's not Los Angeles, I will admit. Close enough to home that if I miss it it's just a drive away.