Snoozles From August, 1965
Sometimes I wonder if I should continue to share Snoozles™ here on GDB. But I guess it's a way to post some "content", even if it is not great - on a day when viewership is low. Lower than usual, I mean (it's always low)!
Neither of today's pictures is terrible, they are just a bit "soft", focus-wise. I'm never sorry to have a look at an Omnibus. My eyes always immediately go to the mini-posters on the side, I kind of wish they would bring those back (with a mix of new and old artwork of course). Having finally taken several rides on the Omnibus, I can confidently say that the top level is the best! Shocking, I know.
This one is in focus, but it's rather dark. The Streetcar is in Town Square, and is being pulled by what I believe is a Percheron horse rather than the Belgian Draft Horses that we seem to see so often. I want to feed him an apple. There's a couple to the right of the horse's head, and above them you can see a lamppost sign for DISNEYLAND '65, the joyful Tencennial celebration.
6 comments:
Major, your reason for posting Snoozles in the first place, still stands. Why 'waste' your really good photos on Sunday when viewership is lower? Plus, if a photo is truly deserving of the Snoozle title, We get to mercilessly make fun of it! Always a fun thing to do. :-)
I'm with you; the top deck of the Omnibus is the only place to be! If the top was already full, I'd wait for the next Bus to come along.
The photographer must be more of a horse lover than a Streetcar lover; making the horse the center of attention. I sometimes wonder if the horses' blinders actually serve a purpose here in the Park? The horses seem very well trained and habituated to this environment. Seems doubtful that they would get startled by something off to the side, and bolt. Maybe the blinders are just for show; part of the horse's 1905 'costume'.
If you could come up with another category to post imperfect pictures then maybe you could retire the Snoozle title. A rose, by any other name... still has thorns. Or something like that. Thanks, Major.
Major, I vote for continuing Snoozle Sunday.....especially if you still have a lot of slides that you would classify as "not great." But maybe you'd rather have the day off (however, I know you actually write multiple posts at once, in advance). I know that I appreciate everything you share with us, even if I don't comment on some days. I do always read and enjoy your posts, no matter what the subject is, or the quality of the photos. You could post completely blurry or messed up photos and call them "Boo-zles," and I would still read the post to see what you had to say about them.
As always, a big thank you for all the effort you put into your blog posts, for our benefit!
I also vote to continue seeing snoozles. However, as it’s your site to do with as you please, I will support your decision. I just appreciate that you post stuff for our enjoyment.
JB is right that is fun to razzle the bad pictures. Why did they take that picture? but it’s easy to forget that at the time most of these were taken, the equipment was not very good, was expensive, and you had to wait (normally) at least a week to see the results. No instant review then. That’s one of the reasons the pictures from Lou (of Lou and Sue fame) are So impressive to me. He really seems to have known what he was doing, and Sue is great to share them with us. I’ve still not made it to Disneyland, and might not ever, but your post let me see and cherish the best of it. And maybe even the not-so-great pictures help to remind us the way life really is.
TokyoMagic! Is right. Even if I don’t post, I do come to see what you have to share and read your comments. And the junior gorilla comments. It’s a regular part of my day.
Thank you thank you thank you!
(Everything’s better in threes), right?
I’m agreeing with everyone here. I would miss the Snoozles if you stopped posting them. They are a part of life, just as we would not appreciate daylight without the darkness, we would not appreciate the great pictures as much without the less-great.
I usually sit on the top deck of the Omnibus, but I just noticed that guests can ride “shotgun”, which seems pretty cool too.
Another detail that has escaped me till now is the hole in the grille for the engine crank. I’m sure the Gurr models all have electric starters, but what a nice little detail to include, and just as easily left out. Unlike today’s phone-it-in designers where the bric-a-brac in attractions comes from Temu.
That is a handsome horse, I don’t recall seeing him before. I think his blinders are costume, as I have read how well trained the horses are, he probably wouldn’t need them.
Thanks for these pictures, Major. Like many others I start my day here at GDB.
JG
Major-
It's your blog to do with as you wish. On the other hand... there could always be 'Flashback Sundays' with a "classic" set of images...
Thanks, Major.
JB, there is always value in making fun of bad photos! And oh man, I just scanned a bunch of slides, and so many of them are Snoozles. It’s kind of a bummer, and yet, I now have plenty of content for several months of Sundays. The first time I rode the Omnibus it was raining, and even though the upper level has a roof, they do not let guest up there because the spiral staircase is slippery, so I had to ride it on the lower level. I cried the entire time. LOUDLY. I don’t know much about horse blinders, but they might help in preventing the animals from being startled? As you said, they seem so well behaved. I like the Snoozle category, and spent millions of dollars in taxpayer money to come up with it!
TokyoMagic!, yes unfortunately “not great” slides are a reality, it’s rare to have an entire batch without at least some that are not quite in focus, or too dark. And yes, I write posts long in advance at this point, it’s the only way I can have something every day. On slow weekends I will “stockpile” as many upcoming posts as I can, for a rainy day (so to speak). Thanks for all your kind words!
Budblade, for now I’m going to stick with the Snoozles, but there may come a day when I dispense with them. I sometimes think about the future of GDB, and what I will do when I am truly out of slides. I will probably have more “Stuff From the Box” to share, but that’s not really what people tune in for. I might stop posting on weekends, or something like that. No idea. You are right, Lou was a real photographer, he knew what he was doing, and you can tell. Even with the slides I acquire (usually on eBay), there are some that are well-composed, well-lit, and are clearly the product of a photographer who was not a mere shutterbug. Thanks, Budblade!
JG, I don’t know if I would miss the Snoozles, I really could just delete the scans that are no good. Sometimes the Snoozles are fun, sometimes they are just plain bad, which is frustrating, even if I do try to make them fun or at least presentable. Sitting “shotgun” would be weird, unless I had lots to say to the driver, but then he wouldn’t be able to do his spiel. Of course a normal person would not feel any such awkwardness! I’ve wondered if the Main Street vehicles could be started with a crank, should that be necessary - or is it merely a cosmetic detail to add veracity? We’ll need to hear from somebody more familiar with horses regarding the blinders, those might just help keep the horses more stress-free, especially in these days when the streets can get so crowded.
Nanook, I’ve considered a “Flashback” format when I run out of slides, though I would definitely skip the Snoozles at that point. I just did a giant “Flashback” blog post, but you won’t see it until September!
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