The Current Never-To-Be-Realized Idea

So, I had a thought.

There's this local weekly paper, covering news and politics in Central and Upper Bucks County. They do a pretty nice job. Especially when it comes to local politics. Meetings of township boards of supervisors and the like. And back around Christmas, they had a great story (ongoing coverage) or a giant plastic snowman that was stolen from a local real estate office. The office later received a ransom note that included a picture of the snowman with a bright scarf tied around his eyes and a hair dryer being held up to its head and a note saying, "Pay up or your frigid friend gets it."

So maybe I'll approach them and ask to write a column. A column on architectural and design criticism. In the column, I could point out the blight and ugliness of so many of the McMansions that spring up, but also laud what we have here in Bucks County: trim little ranches with field stone facades, simple and austere eightteenth century federal houses with two front doors (one used only for funerals), beautiful barns, the extravaganza that is the Mercer Museum.

I could call the column 'The Whipping Post,' and when I find some bit of design objectionable, I would so indicate by writing, 'To the whipping post with the architects of Riche and Suave, who brought us that eyesore at the corner of Bradshaw Road and Point Pleasant Pike.' I could invite readers to send in pictures for publication of the eyesore of the week and the gem of the week.

Going against me is the fact that I'm a total layman. I don't even know the language to use to criticize architecture. (I mean, I don't know many of the names of architectural details.) Thus, my column could be easily dismissed.

On the other hand, even the most casual reader of SingleTails will observe that I do have some strong feelings about this stuff. And surely they sell books (glossaries and such) that would help. It might require me taking time I don't have to drive thither and yon on the highways and by-ways of Bucks County in search of stuff to write about. And wouldn't there be the potential for litigation? I mean, couldn't someone argue that I brought down their property values by panning their property just as it went on the market?

But gosh. What if I have an impact? What if it becomes a Must Read among local architects?

Hmmm.

Anyway.

Nice to think about.

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