Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: folded arms

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of at work . A real photo postcard showing three fellows standing around the type cases in the composing room of a print shop. The upper cases typically contained capital letters, and the lower cases contained small letters, leading to the terminology we still use today to refer to letter case .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of crossed arms . A real photo postcard postmarked in Groton, South Dakota, on August 23, 1909, and addressed to "Mrs. Lottie Larson, [Westley?], [Wis.?]." Handwritten message: "This Is what we did last Sunday. What do you think of it? Frank." For another photo with crossed arms, see Girls and Women on a Rustic Bridge .

A triple-exposure photo for the theme of photographic tricks and amusements during the free-for-all week of Wild Card Month in the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Printed on the other side: "If it's a photo we make it. Empire Photo. Co. 815 Westchester Ave., Bronx." A triple-exposure trick photo of "Fred W. Hopping" (or possibly "Happing"), whose name is written on the back of a second photo that I purchased along with this one. While this photo shows three Freds--as he checks his wallet, faces the camera, and crosses his arms--the other is a mirror photo (or multigraph) showing five Freds seated around a table . Both of the images are real photo postcards with identical AZO stamp boxes that suggest a date as early as 1904-1918. For more fivesomes, see my album of Mirror Photos . For another triple exposure, see Man Playing Checkers with Himselves .

Wikipedia's text messaging article provides a detailed history of texting. Although there were antecedents-- telex in 1933, ALOHAnet in 1971, and even wireless telegraphy in the nineteenth century--it wasn't until 1995 that Sprint Spectrum introduced the first modern text messaging service (SMS, or Short Messaging Service) in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland. I think that this chronology will have to be revised, however, since I'm pretty sure that this old photo shows a kid texting away on his phone while his brother and mother wait for him to finish. Unfortunately, the picture isn't dated, but since the boys are wearing knickerbockers . I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it was taken as early as the 1910s or 1920s. I wonder if any other texting photos from the early twentieth century have survived.

"The Procrastinator's Hereafter. Take a friend's advice: Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today--Answer that letter." Sign: "Bottomless Pit Drop In." Pity the poor procrastinator who doesn't answer his letters! This pathetic fellow obviously failed to keep up with his correspondence while he was alive, and now in the "hereafter" the devil is looking over his shoulder to make sure he responds on time--and for all time! In order to avoid falling into the fiery "Bottomless Pit" below, the procrastinator is precariously perched on an endless roll of paper as he scribbles out his message. The last few lines he's written on the paper suggest that he's trying to explain away his current predicament: "...in my new home. Although everything is up to sample, I'm not stuck on the place but circumstances over which I have no control impel me to stick...." -------- Reverse of postcard: Postmarked: "Hartford, Conn., Aug. 25, 1912." Addressed to: "Mr. W. J. Ross, 131 River St., N. Adams, Mass." Handwritten message: "Dear Will: What do you think of this for a card? I don't hear from Flora very often. I'm working and not having much fun either--just existing. Not as tired as when I came here. Hastily, Cora."