Rob Walker's Blog, page 40

$931.54 and counting + other updates

Wow

Yesterday morning we closed the 25th auction of Significant Objects v2 — the halfway point — and so far our generous customers have parted with $931.54. So we remain on track to give a respectable chunk of change to 826 National when it's all over.

Those savvy enough to buy an object not only support good cause — they get something in return that's one of a kind, and a lot cooler than yet another mass-produced tote bag.

Above is a v1 Significant Object — Kneeling Man Figurine + Glen David...

Pepper Shaker

Object No. 30 of 50 — Significant Objects v2

[Bid on this Significant Object, with story by Philip Graham, here. Significant Objects will donate the proceeds of this auction to 826 National.]

Lily hesitates before the open door of the empty pantry. Alone on one of the shelves sits a silvery white saltshaker, seemingly the only thing left behind by whoever once lived in this small house. Lily's finger follows the puncture marks of the S that stretches across the top, and she imagines the tiny...

Glass Hen

Object No. 29 of 50 — Significant Objects v2

[Bid on this Significant Object, with story by Alissa Nutting, here. Significant Objects will donate the proceeds of this auction to 826 National.]

I agreed to stay with Grandma through her final days only because she was hallucinating. I've always wanted to hallucinate but am unable. It is not for lack of trying. I once dated a man named Thundering Elk simply because he promised to make me see things. I ended up in a white robe at the church he'd...

$894.54 and counting; Significant Tweets

Hey, so as of this morning's auction close, we're up to $894.54 for 826 National! Pretty good!

In other news:

In Twitter land the other day we got a nice shout out from @ugly_sauce, which is nice because that's bARTer Sauce, another interesting online project all about objects and creativity and value. Read more about it here.

Our own Twitter account, @SignificObs, was created primarily to distribute our stories — but increasingly the tweets there do include other links related to this project, ...

Dragon Figurine

Object No. 28 of 50 -- Significant Objects v2

[Bid on this Significant Object, with story by Erin Ellia, here. Significant Objects will donate the proceeds of this auction to 826 National.]

Congratulations, gentlemen. And, er, ladies. Welcome to – what'd that guy call it? "The most important club you'll ever join." Like he said, this here's a symbol of our brotherhood, and – what? Okay, "siblinghood," whatever. And it means an especially lot to me on account of I'm the Dragon Slayer! Heh. Heh h...

Green Bird Glass

Object No. 27 of 50 — Significant Objects v2

[Bid on this Significant Object, with story by Ed Skoog, here. Significant Objects will donate the proceeds of this auction to 826 National.]

Back then, I taught introductory drawing at East Memphis Community College to save enough money for an engagement ring. Iris and I set our wedding for July. But two weeks before our wedding, Gomez and Olive reappeared, saying they'd eloped to Eureka Springs, and were back from honeymooning and ready to party...

Houseware or Novelty? Cast your vote!

Behind the scenes at Significant Objects, heated debates shaped the table recently presented here, sorting each object into a specific primary category, by function. Among the most controversial objects: nutcrackers.

In the table, the two nutcrackers that were part of S.O. V1 (Santa Nutcracker with Story By Kurt Andersen, and Nutcracker With Troll Hair (or Something) with Story by Adam Davies) were each tagged "houseware." The other possibility: Novelty Item. After all: Who actually uses a...

Pie charts

What's a scientific experiment without pie charts? It's incomplete, that's what. So: You've already been presented with this data in tabular form. But these, you see, are pie charts.

First: Story categories. (Previous category analysis, with table, here.)

Second, object-function breakdown. (From yesterday.) With 15 slices, the legend is a bit hard to read. Pie graphs made with Create A Graph.

What's Your Function?

Is the Sanka Ashtray primarily an example of a promotional item, or tobaccania? Is the Elvis Chocolate Tin primarily a container, or a novelty item? Why did we name the Spotted Dogs Figurine and Mule Figurine the way we did if they're primarily novelty items, not figurines?

Is the Crumb Sweeper an example of tableware, kitchenware, or houseware? Is the Tin Ark a religious item, a handicraft, or a decoration? Why is the Smiling Mug a novelty item, the Halston Mug a promotional item, and the...

Meat Tenderizer

Object No. 26 of 50 — Significant Objects v2

[Bid on this Significant Object, with story by Patrick Cates, here. Significant Objects will donate the proceeds of this auction to 826 National.]

"Gastro-wot, Tone?"

The regular punters were not happy when Tony told them that he couldn't afford to run the Haunch of Venison any more and that, after 20 years as landlord, he had no choice but to sell up to some toff who'd made a fortune in the City and now wanted his own gastropub. The Haunch of...