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Lens-Artists Challenge #349 – The first thing I thought of…

Maybe I’d have better luck if I got out of this museum.

This week, Tina hosts the challenge, which has already brought me many smiles as I’ve followed all of the responses. She writes, “This week, I thought perhaps some humor might also be in order. I’ve included captions with my images (including the opening image above) that will hopefully bring you a smile, and I challenge you to do the same.” You can read her entire challenge post here.

Another possible caption for the opening photo: “I’m feeling a bit pale. Maybe I should get some sun.” The picture was taken at the Erie Canal Museum on a canal boat exhibit.

The Prodigal Luggage Returns
The prodigal luggage returns.

Our luggage went missing on a flight to meet a cruise ship in 2023. After following us all over Brazil, but never arriving at port stops in time, I told the airline staff to send the luggage back to Fargo. It awaited us when we returned, but I think it made more transit stops than we did on our cruise.

If one more tourist asks me to jump...
If one more tourist asks me to jump, I’m gonna say, “How high?” and leave it with that!

At Puerto Vallarta on the Malecon, these musicians were dressed in ancient central Mexican attire and performed for tips from passers-by.

Fortune Cookies are inscrutable.
Sometimes, fortune cookie messages are inscrutable.

If you know what this means, let me know in the comments. I’m not sure what I should be doing.

Ole helps the umpires decide the call.
If you want my advice about that play call…

For over two decades, a colleague and friend played Ole, a character who entertained the crowd with his antics during inning breaks. I always enjoyed a short chat with him as he walked through the stands during the game.

End Road work
Construction protest sign.

These signs always made me giggle whenever we finished going through the road construction areas. Apparently, someone doesn’t like road work and wants to protest.

Are you happy to see me?
Are you happy to see me?

Another possibility, “Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.” Mother Nature is laughing at us with some off-color humor on a trail in Arches National Park. Don’t blame me, I didn’t make the rock. On the other hand, maybe I’m the one with my mind in the gutter.

Thanks to Tina for this creative challenge. As this is being written, I’ve already had quite a few laughs from the responses I’ve seen. Great fun! Last week, Egidio’s Serenity challenge calmed us with the many serene reactions from everyone. Next week, it’s Anne’s turn to challenge us. Be sure to follow her here so you don’t miss her challenge post on Saturday at noon Eastern time.

Finally, we welcome Beth of https://wanderingdawgs.com/ to the Lens-Artists team. Check out her site and follow her to ensure you don’t miss one of her challenges. Also, Patti is still on the mend from breaking her wrists and needs a little more time for recovery. She continues her break from regular participation, and we look forward to her coming back online with the team. If you’d like to participate in responding to the challenges but aren’t sure how to get started, check here.

John Steiner

56 comments

  1. hahah – a fun post with your smooth humor…. like catch fish “out” of the museum – and why so pale… hahah
    and I can see how that “end road work” seems like a protest – and it reminded me of how my former colleague would always laugh at the sign that said “Speed limit enforced by aircraft”

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  8. Jonn, these are all funny but the construction protest sign wins the prize. It doesn’t matter where we go on a road trip there is always construction somewhere. Thanks for welcoming me to the team! I’m looking forward to hosting.

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  10. I remember the saga of that lost luggage – I doubt it was quite so funny at the time? I see what you mean about that road works sign as I’ve had a similar thought myself in the past 😄 Your Arches National Park shot is certainly one to make anyone smile too!

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    • You’re right, the lost luggage wasn’t funny at the time, but it was an adventure, and we made it work. NCL was very helpful, even though it wasn’t their fault.

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  15. Thanks John, I needed that laugh right now! Great timing!! Here in Citrus Heights we have road signage warning us of road construction that’s 6 months in the future. And when it happens, oh well!

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  22. These captions had me chuckling all the way from lost luggage to philosophical rocks!
    A perfect blend of travel tales, wit, and hilarity—proof that the first thought is often the funniest one!
    Love the road sign protest.
    Well done, John!

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  24. I literally laughed out loud at the “End Road Work” protest sign. I own a dumpster rental company and work with tons of road crews. I’ve seen plenty of those signs and they never make sense to me. I get it’s wordy, but doesn’t “Thanks for your patience with our road work. Our current project ends here. Please enjoy the rest of your drive,” feel like a much better sign? haha Thanks for sharing the photos.

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    • Sorry for the late response to your comment, my friend. I forgot to check my SPAM folder this week, and for some reason, your comment was there. Lately, WordPress has been marking perfectly good comments as SPAM.

      At some point, I saw the sign as a “protest”, thought it was funny and had to snap that photo. >grin<

      Reply

  26. Good ones, John 🙂. About the fortune cookie message, I think it means, “if common wisdom is telling you to do something, would you do that, versus doing the right thing which might be a tad uncomfortable?”.

    Reply

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