Photo of the Month, July 2012

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Last month I had the opportunity to photograph a new set of bleachers they put in Flushing, Queens, NY, on the site of the US Open.  The US Open is held on the same site as one of my most treasured, exciting childhood memories: the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. 


I remember going there with my parents and looking at the things of the future.  Like, in the year 2000, we will be living on the moon, living underwater in the ocean... I don’t remember flying cars, but I do remember jet packs.  I’m so glad we don’t have access to jet packs.  Can you imagine how many people we would have to scrape off the ceiling of Starbucks who sat down and pressed the wrong button?


After doing the job last month, I walked around the area, now a park, and just reminisced about all the fun things I did as a child there.  I was young enough that I hadn’t yet become taller than my mother (she’s 5’4”). 


There are only three structures left standing there from the World’s Fair: the Unisphere here in the center of my photo, and the New York State Pavillion and the observation towers on the right, which were both also seen in the first Men in Black movie. 


My point is, it was just great to go back and remember all the fun things I’d done there with my parents.  People say you should never look back.  But sometimes, as an adult, you have to look back, just to put a big smile on your face when the trials and tribulations of being an adult get too hard for you.


Right now, I happen to be a collector of 1964-1965 World’s Fair memorabilia.  I’m always on E-Bay looking for pins and buttons and things that I could have bought when I was there. 


Every time I see a picture of this globe, it just brings a big smile to my face.  Being able to sit underneath this massive globe that was donated by US Steel made me very, very nostalgic for old times. 


I’ve been to Disney World, and I’ve been to the World’s Fair.  The World’s Fair was so much more fun.  It had so many great new products there from companies from all over the world, all showing off their latest technology.  My impression of Disney World is that you just go there to see the latest movies they’ve made into rides.  And I use Epcot to walk from one place in the world to the next just to eat.  I do wish they still had World’s Fairs, but they won’t because we have Disney World now. 


For all you people who ever had the opportunity to go to a World’s Fair, I’m sure you cherish the memories as much as I do. 


In closing, enjoy the summer!  Hang in there, there’s only another month to go and the kids will be back in school, and life will be a little closer to normal. 


-Kevin S. Nash


Photo Details: Taken from Center Court, top of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

July, 2012

 

Look back and smile.