If you’re reading this blog, you probably share my love of anything old (or you’re my mom or dad). And if you share my love of anything old, you have probably found yourself digging through a trash can or two, or trolling an alley full of goodies, or screeching to a stop in your car and picking something up off of the curb.
Right? I’m not the only one, am I?
I caused quite the stir at my school when, during the week before classes started, I screeched with delight when I came across three or four giant trashcans full of goodies that had been cleaned out of our science labs. People could just not believe it when I started pulling stuff out left and right. The young teachers who were doing the cleaning were especially astounded — they had been working all afternoon to clear what they considered “junk” out of their rooms, and here I was, pulling it all out of the trash. I was just sick I hadn’t found it sooner, because a lot of stuff had been broken or destroyed when it was thrown in the trash can.
So I’m going to show you these pictures and you’re going to tell me if I’m crazy that I was so delighted with my finds, okay?
Lifespan of the crayfish.
Lifespan of the trout.
Creepy crawly snake skeleton.
Specimens in resin.
Two awesomely big lab bell cloches.
Big model of a cross section of a leaf (it’s about two feet tall).
Braaaaaaains. This model is actually three pieces — it opens up so you can see a cross section. Needs to be cleaned — it’s filthy.
Two giant starfish specimens.
Dragonflies and Butterflies.
I actually pulled two of these anatomy dummies out of the trash — they were getting rid of them because they’re missing most of their pieces, but I think they’re still cool, regardless. The other one is still in my office and is my favorite — the one pictured is old (probably from the 1960s), but the one still at work is REALLY old. It’s made out of chalk, or clay, or something like that, and hand painted. Lovely.
And last but not least…
A giant Rand McNally pull-down map of the US with an Alaska overlay.
Is it all weird? Creepy? I know that the whole industrial thing is big right now, and this seems to kind of fit into that category. I’m thinking of putting it on Craigslist and using the money to bulk up our counseling library…but I have no idea whether it will sell and if it does, I have no idea how much to ask for it. Opinions solicited and welcome.
Ooooh, you know what, some of this would be really cool in a Halloween haunted house…
by Lara Jo
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