I like to take photos of empty and/or abandoned places. I wonder who was there before me or why someone isn’t there now. What life did the place have prior to my arrival and why does it not have the same life now?
When I stumbled across the relics I’m focusing on for Thursday Doors this week, which caught my eye because they, too, have been abandoned, I knew what life these doors had before me, and I know why they don’t have a life now. It made me a bit sad, even though I’m a fan of progress as well, that these blasts from the past have been tossed aside in favor of 21st century “improvements” (not necessarily a good thing).
I still have a zillion magazine subscriptions that come to the house, pile up, then I spend a few Sundays flipping through the pages and reduce the pile. But I haven’t had a newspaper subscription in years. I used to subscribe to the local paper. Then I subscribed to the local and the Sunday New York Times. Then I canceled them all and just read what I could online. Then, the paywalls went up and I read the limited amount I could online (pro tip: browsing incognito (in Chrome, at least) lets you read four articles each day, but endless amounts per month at NYT online, whereas if you’re not incognito, you get four article per month — shhh, don’t tell anybody).
I shouldn’t be surprised then, and I actually wasn’t, that these doors are to empty boxes. So few people actually subscribe (let’s face facts — so few people actually read anymore). I think it was a perfect storm, though — news outlets forgot their main purpose of delivering what we need to know and instead tried to tailor their products to particular consumers (and were wrong, hence their hastened demise). But also, people aren’t reading. They’re scrolling, posting photos of their highly curated existence, and, even if they do read, they read only what already confirms what they believe.
Le sigh.
Anyway, before I get too ranty, let’s just tip a hat to the abandoned newspaper boxes (am I the only one who likes abandoned/empty places to photograph?), remnants of a (better) time gone by.
This post is one of many through Thursday Doors by Norm Frampton. See other doors — from around the world — on his weekly linkup and/or on the Twitter at #ThursdayDoors. See more of my doors here.
I like abandoned places too because I always wonder about the stories that they hold. Especially buildings, I find them fascinating. Thanks for the browsing incognito tip!
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Twinsies! 🙂
You’re welcome! Don’t tell them I told you!
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🤐
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We still get the newspaper delivered every day and my husband reads almost the whole thing. Every time I tell him how much the paper costs to have delivered he threatens to cancel it but then changes his mind.
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Yay for your husband! It’s really not that much in the grand scheme of things, but I wonder how much in it is actually worth reading anymore….
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They hardly send snail mail letters either. I’m holding on to one penpal at least til one of us croaks lol
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Ha! I had pen pals back in the day, and I used to send cards and all, but so few people do it anymore…. …. … I do Postcrossing, though — sending postcards around the world (postcrossing.com). It’s something!
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Abandoned places are fun to explore. So many possibilities.
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True. And your photos in NY… you could post several doors each week and never be done!
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When I was growing up, newspapers were an important part of our day – so I find a sadness in their current state – but I also understand it! Magazines are in a similar boat. … and those doors are standing relics.
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Up until about 10 years ago, there was a town in Pennsylvania that had 2 papers, in the same town! A morning and an evening paper. Now they’re both gone. It’s truly sad.
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It’s astounding how much has change on this front, and in this case not for the better. You’re right though, the for-profit model doesn’t work for something as important as journalism any more than it does for healthcare. We need to find a better way. Hopefully it’s not too late.
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I agree. I don’t know if it’s too late… I guess we’ll see. We’re getting to the age where we’re like, “Well, kids, it’s up to you!” 🙂
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Wonderful post. I really enjoyed it and the photos, too.
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Thanks so much, Jean!
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I just read digital news…
have a great day
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You’re not alone!
You, too.
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There is a walking on the moon fascination to these abandoned places, in that sifting through them is akin to stepping foot on another planet. Very cool.
And I remember when the news boxes . . and pay phones . . and water fountains were everywhere!
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We still have lots of water fountains here. AND I have a photo of a pay phone… it’s randomly sitting in a park not too far from a lake. Weird.
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I wrote a post on pay phones and scrounged up a couple locations that have become pay phone cemeteries.
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Poor unloved (dirty disgusting) pay phones!
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I know right? I remember when they were the preferred method (only) of getting in touch with someone when you were out and about. And when the operator would come on the line and ask for more coinage . . the conversation was officially over.
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There never really were newspaper boxes around the Montreal area. Weirdly. Anytime I would see them elsewhere, they fascinated me. There is still a payphone across the street a bit away from the convenience store – now those are disappearing fast!
But, like you, I love these abandoned “relics…
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Hmmm. And I know y’all have newspapers! Eeeeenteresting. Of course, I saw a photo once of a bus stop in Montreal that had swings that played music as people were swinging. (I think I’m going to like Montreal.)
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Yes, we do. But somehow, the newspaper box is a thing I’ve not seen in these parts. Maybe there were some but…
And yes. Montreal rocks. Better let me know when you do come!
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Oh, I will! 🙂
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I’m counting on it…
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I love wandering around and photographing abandoned places. There is a lot of that on the Eastern Shore. Clever approach to doors. I can’t remember the last time I saw a newspaper box (maybe I just don’t notice them?). We still get the daily paper delivered. My husband is a luddite and does very little online that he doesn’t have to. Smart man. 🙂
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Thanks so much, Robin! I’m glad you like abandoned places, too.
I’m understanding of the Luddites. I get it. I would be one, too, but I like shopping online better than in stores (except bookstores and places like Staples). 🙂
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