Sunday, June 25, 2006

What We're Obsessed With


Most of you know by now that I'm obsessed with clocks on the outside of buildings, especially old ones from Europe. I can't help myself. The camera just points and shoots! (The same is true of spires and steeples, but that's another story.)


(The first person who can tell me what city this clock is from gets a Gold Star :)

Interestingly, I read an article yesterday from the Associated Press that lists the top 25 nouns used most often in the English language. Guess what heads the list? TIME. We are most "obsessed" with Time.

Here's the list of the top 25 nouns: time, person, year, way, day, thing, man, world, life, hand, part, child, eye, woman, place, work, week, case, point, government, company, number, group, problem, fact [emphasis mine].

Notice that 4 words related to time are in that top-25 list.

Hmm. So now the question I ask myself: is it TIME I'm obsessed with when I take these pics or is it the "structure" of time?

14 comments:

  1. The clock probably represents Zodiac signs. But I'm no expert...

    Oh - I think I need to repost my clock of Bern just for you!

    By the way - we are going on vacation for 5 days!!! Yeah... starts in july - 2wks from now.

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  2. Yes, ET. Those are the Zodiac signs. It's beautiful, Ginnie! No wonder THIS particular one caught your eye ;-)

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  3. Looks like a combi-clock - timepiece and zodiac calendar. There are two cycles there of twelve. Well, three actually. So... twelve hour time, twenty-four hour time, and calendar time (months of the year) with zodiac.

    Am I close?

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  4. Ooh, that's a tough one. There seem to be astrological clocks all over the place. No idea what city but I'm guessing either Scandinavia or Eastern Europe?

    Maybe it is the structure you're obsessed with, the different ways humans use to measure time?

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  5. ET: Yay for vacations! I know you need this one so I'm happy for you. And yes, do let me see your Bern clock. This one definitely has the signs of the Zodiac.

    CS: You know me! :)

    Elle: You saw things I didn't even see until you mentioned them! Wow! Do you know where the clock is?

    Christina: You're the first one to guess thus far and you're very hot, of course :) Big hint: it was in one of my last 2 photo albums :)

    Yes, you're right--I absolutely love time pieces, from sun dials to astrological clocks to grandfather clocks, etc. The older the better!

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  6. Ok - so I got the gold star after the hint - Oslo Norway. It's found near one of the other clocks on the third page of your album...

    ok - I think I might be off to find that clock for you. :)

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  7. A wonderful clear and detailed shot. I like it a lot!

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  8. Hi Ginnie, from the land of clocks and watches, greetings :) Not sure if i have time to answer your questions though (excuse the pun)

    I too would like to see your Bern clock? and did you know here in Zurich we have a very big one. I'm told the largest clock face in Europe!

    Best wishes Neil

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  9. ET: So YES, you get the Gold Star. Oslo, Norway. It's on their City Hall which sits just off the harbor from where our ship docked. The clock itself is on the back side of the building, not facing the water.

    I just checked out the Bern clock at your site and love it. It reminds me of the
    astronomical clock in Prague
    we saw last year, with the same kind of "show" for the tourists. How neat!

    KPK: Thanks. That always means a lot coming from you!

    Neil: It's Expat's clock from Bern, actually, and you can see it if you click on her link in the comments above. She just posted it last evening. Do you have a pic of the Zurich clock? We'd all love to see it, I'm sure!

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  10. I think I have a pic of that clock Neil is speaking of also. Thanks for checking itout Ginnie. :)

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  11. This clock is completely gorgeous. I think it's possible to love clocks and not be obsessed with time, or at least have a perspective to live in the moment.

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  12. ET: Ok, so now it's a race to see if you can get the Zurich clock to us before Neil does :)

    Ruth: I like that! Thanks for that perspective :)

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  13. Whichever it is, that clock is neat!

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