Carnival !!!
Decatur Celebration is this weekend.
there were a couple small rides.
a large wheeled generator.
and several RV's.
my, the change overnight! not sure where this group was traveling from to get to Decatur, but i think the full convoy got here overnight. the parking lot is closed to traffic (my trusty steed is in a street spot today) and has been overtaken by all sorts of bright, colorful (and hopefully safe) amusement rides.
they were just beginning to get them set-up as i arrived for work this morning.
carny's everywhere!
do they find that word offensive? wonder if that's a word they like to hear?
according to this blog post, "carny" appears to be perfectly acceptable:
according to wikipedia (i know.... i know.... not the best source of info), "carny" came to be popular here in the U.S. around 1930. even today, it's still considered a slang term -- which makes me think they might find it derigatory.
"carnival worker" better, maybe?
or "ride operator"?
"traveling purveyor of amusement fun"?
hmmmm.
i know back in my hometown when the rides would show up for the (now definct) Kansas Homecoming, "carny" was not a nice term. i remember folks making fun of the "carny lifestyle". and actually, i remember 1 gal who fell in love with one of the carnies.
without question, it's gotta be a challenging lifestyle, requiring massive levels of hard work to set-up, run, and tear-down all the rides, games and booths.... only to do it again the next weekend at another fair... in another city.... in another state.
(i am still wondering about the whole "carny" thing.... maybe I will have to take a survey of the workers on my way to my car tonight ???)
out for now....
Matt
