The traffic may be calmed, but I get the feeling that the person who corrected this sign was agitated. Very agitated.
It takes a certain level of irritation to pull out a magic marker and correct a misspelling. Most of us would idly note the error and move on. Or more likely, not notice it at all.
Was this person traumatized at an early age by overly competitive spelling bees? Or is this simply a patriotic Canadian who insists on defending our spellings, no matter what the occasion?
Have you ever noticed the dates embossed in squares of the sidewalk? They’re time stamps indicating when various sections were made. I like the fact that while striding into the future you’re also stepping on slabs of the past.
You’ll find this particular date on the first step leading to someone’s house. Anonymous workers crafted this stairway five decades ago. It must be satisfying to stomp on a chunk of history every time you’re coming home.
Sometimes not understanding is more pleasurable than understanding.
This string of letters and numbers is meaningless to a person walking by on the street; it’s the sort of visual noise we’re used to filtering out. But its lack of significance is exactly what makes it interesting to look at. It doesn’t offer any information we can act on, it just passively waits to be appreciated. Or not.
It’s the big red “1” in this sign that commands attention, so prominent that it splits the name of the business in two. Even though it literally refers to one hour service. it has a “we’re number one” grandeur that feels victorious.
The number’s on my mind right now because exactly one year ago today I posted the first photo on Toronto Type. Thank you fellow sign lovers and type fanatics for coming along on this visual adventure! Thank you for adding your comments and for joining the movement to look at our city in a more attentive way.
This is just the beginning, so please keep returning to see what’s new. And don’t be shy: I welcome your responses to what I’m posting and I’d also love to hear about any interesting signs you’ve discovered around the city. It’s easy to get in touch.
Happy Birthday Toronto Type!
TORONTO TYPE 