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2/28/12

Street Signs = Wall Art (In the Ghetto)

I grew up in the ghetto a low-income neighborhood, and didn't have a lot of money to decorate my bedroom.

Until I was 16, my window was covered by a Winnie-the-Pooh bedsheet, nailed to the wall.  Finally I complained, and my parents "splurged" to buy me mini-blinds.  I felt so rich...

I was so poor, I couldn't even buy posters to hang in my room.  My friends had Kathy Ireland in skimpy swimsuits, and I had Street Signs on my wall.

Did anyone else do this, or am I the only one?

I had No Trespassing Signs on my bedroom door (yeah, like THAT ever worked) and a Stop Sign above my bed.  You know, just in case aliens tried to abduct me in the middle of the night.  The big red STOP would make them listen...

And yes, I 'found' them in the middle of the night.  I when through a phase in my teens where I 'found' a lot of things.

It actually started a game in my High School.  My friends saw this, and wanted Road Signs of their own.  Eventually the local law enforcement caught on, and people started getting in trouble.  Fearing a raid on my house, I disposed of the signs in a nearby field...

...which is a shame, because now and then my girlfriend wishes I kept that old stop sign...

...no 'Hammertime' tonight, dear...

...you know, when she has a headache... and stuff....
Please Share it! :)

29 witty retorts:

Anonymous said...

There's just something special about "finding" street signs and decorating with them.

Zombie said...

You can always tell how ghetto a neighborhood is by looking at the stop signs. lol.

Anonymous said...

When I was 13 a friend of mine had "found" a stop sign and had it in her room. I was deeply impressed by her and it. Therefore I'm even more deeply impressed by you - because it sounds like you had more than just a stop sign. You're shining so brightly right now I need to put on my sunglasses. Wow...

Unknown said...

Hehe, in my neighborhood you picked up certain ninja-like skills. I was like Aladdin without the monkey. And with nipples...

Ellen said...

LOL! I recently read about another blogger who had collected street signs as a teen, but I'm afraid I don't remember who it was!

Haven said...

Hah! I "found" a lot of stuff as a teenager as well. Never street signs though. That was my brother.

Pickleope said...

Ha! This made me nostalgic for when I and all my friends had Neighborhood Watch signs like wannabe pranksters and street signs with our name on them. Unfortunately my name is Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, making it really dangerous for me to get a sign.

Julie Ferguson said...

I like the old rusty signs. They look great on the wall.

Andrea L. Cole said...

Ahh.. memories. My first apartment was decorated in the 'Stolen-traffic-sign-wall-adornment-and-Canadian-Flag-for-Curtains' tradition. This brings back memories, indeed.

Just Keepin It Real, Folks! said...

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH YES, I used to LOVE finding street signs. My strict Pennsylvania Dutch father however failed to find the humor in that prank, and after feeling his size 10 shoe kicking my ass a few too many times my sign days were over.

Martina said...

I used to keep a handy little wrench in my oversized purse for "finding" street signs.. in fact, the purse was specifically for "finding" large things on late night insomnia driven walks.

The only one I still have reads: No Parking Any Time|Vehicles Will Be Towed At Owner's Expense

I've considered putting it up near our driveway, but it looks not so great (rusty) and that would likely result in getting my own vehicle towed, rather than keeping people from blocking us in.

Sub Radar (Mike) said...

I had friends back in the day that loved finding street signs and hanging them all over everything. I used to love them but now it makes me feel like I'm in Applebees or something.

Hey Monkey Butt said...

shoes hanging from the power line poor? ;) My sis had a few signs that dad had "found" while working. FUn how that works. We never got in trouble, lolz

ResCogitans said...

i found a few too...
"danger of death, keep out"
"do not enter when red light is on, firing is in progress"
and a street sign for Abby Road were some of the highlights.
a friend of mine knocked off a military base a sign saying "do not touch anything in this area, it may explode and kill you".

Brea said...

I know of a certain person who has a certain outstanding offer for the Larch St sign in Sandpoint that hangs at the intersection of Larch Street and 95. He will pay money, but not bail you out of jail if you get caught. That said, his shop has numerous signs that he swears he "Found" I know for sure that two of them really were found. Washed up on the bank of the river after flood season, I cannot speak for the rest of them.

Workingdan said...

I always wanted to "find" some street signs but never got the nerve.

Alli said...

I was way too wimpy to attempt to steal a street sign during my teen years. Besides, there wasn't room for them on my walls with all of those Bon Jovi posters.

Youngman Brown said...

My sister made a table out of a giant stop sign. It was the coolest thing ever.

Zyu said...

Hahaha, no "Hammertime".

LogAllot.com said...

LMAO! No you weren't the only one, but this brought back memories of rooms I saw with the same stuff. I have posters of Motley Crue and David Lee Roth on my wall. Street signs, not so much, but this post was super funny.

the Tsaritsa said...

My cousins had street sign in their bedroom, and I think Clrissa Explains It All did, too.

Ben "finds" street signs and paints on them. We have a number of them hanging in our apartment :)

Lady Estrogen said...

I "found" a lot of things when I was a teenage too. lol

The Reckmonster said...

I was so straight-laced as a kid, I never "found" anything for fear of finding my dad's foot up my ass. Thus, my walls were covered with Wham! posters. Yes, yes, I know...but this was "before" anyone knew George was a perv. I would be much more likely to "find" street signs now...

Josie said...

I 'found' a 35mph street sign once at 3 in the morning with one of my guy friends. He kept it though and took it with him when he moved away :(

not displayed said...

came home from my first honeymoon to find a complete traffic light inc pole in the back yard.
Friends "found it" and thought we might like it.
Ummm no

Anonymous said...

I want to hear more about your nipples.

AccordingtoJewels said...

I had a ton of these as a kid and purged them all not too long ago. I had a "No diving" sign from a pool, a "One Way Street" sign that I hope "finding" didn't create an accident, a street name sign that I liked (forget what it was now), a couple no parking, tow away, and loitering signs too. I "found" a lot in my youth. lol.

Q said...

I never had a desire for a street sign in my room. I saved my pennies for posters of Lisa Lisa, Sheila E., Vanity and Sheena Easton. I wonder where those posters are?

Catherine Alexandra said...

Hahaha

Yeah, I "found" quite a number of things along this thread, including some street signage.

And not to brag, but I can still bust a move like Hammer, yo. ;)

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