I worked for an agency amusingly titled 'The Population' many years ago (2008). This was the first and most awesome social media agency to bravely launch in Sydney before the plonkas at the top decided to merge it with another agency hugely culturally removed, without any integration, that every member of staff jumped ship.
(If you don't believe me when I say how cool we were, check out this naff little farewell video I threw together.)
While working there I did indulge myself with a little article on "The Stoop" which was the entrance way to our offices tucked away in Surry Hill's namely famous for Tony Thomas' encounter with a homeless lady taking a dump on the doorstep in broad day light early one morning.
(If you don't believe me when I say how cool we were, check out this naff little farewell video I threw together.)
While working there I did indulge myself with a little article on "The Stoop" which was the entrance way to our offices tucked away in Surry Hill's namely famous for Tony Thomas' encounter with a homeless lady taking a dump on the doorstep in broad day light early one morning.
I thought I'd give that little article a home on Jectaspecta because its so lovely to remember a fun time in my career and a place that I felt quite inspired at. Especially because having been living a 'homeless/everywhere's my home' life since October 2011; I can relate a bit more to the hobo's of Surry Hills. I did manage my madness in nature though as she doesn't seem to mind if I poop in her jungle in broad daylight.
The Stoop really is a place for the diverse.
Commonly we have the socially neglected surry hills hobo’s hang out on our doorstep. So far I have noted a few categories of the characters who like to chill in our neighbourhood.
1. The guitar hero Nikki on her way to work one morning was met with a rather interesting display. A homeless dude enthusiastically playing on his air guitar in the middle of Foster Street, with his full head of knotted hair rocking to his imaginary sound. As a big rock fan, for her that was amusing if not a very bizarre out of context dejavu.
2. The Dozer This is the guy often found curled up in the fetal position nicely tucked on our front door step. One day my heart raced as I opened our rather large and heavy front door to leave work for the day when I found myself nearly stomping on the Dozer’s head with my booted foot! Little did he know as he continued to dream. What do you think hobo’s dream about? I suppose their points of reference would be very alien to many.
3. The Loud Mentalist I know, its not PC to go round calling people hobo’s or mentalists but you have to believe me when I tell you this one is relatively just! Unfortunately the Loud Mentalist frequents these parts very often, if not daily. He is the man shouting obscenities in his weathered voice relentlessly. This is usually well timed with a client meeting. I don’t know why. Perhaps we have just become accustomed to his constant bellowing that we don’t take note until we become aware of the circumstances through awkward sound effects to our social media strategies.
There are a few more characters who brighten our day and add an element of surprise at The Population. Of course it is sad seeing people looking desperate, struggling and not sound of mind but its also reassuring to see that the Salvation Army work really hard to make their lives easier and there is even a little commune who hang out with their brown paper bags on the Hub Store doorstep (this one’s much bigger than ours) who crack jokes and support each other.
Thought it would be quite topical to post the winner from Tropfest NY 2008, "Mankind Is No Island" by Jason van Genderen.
Peace and love to Tony, Ms Scaman, Nikki Johns-Stammers-Johns, Hayley Richardson, Benhamin, Julian Cole and Cate Mathers for bringing their dash of inspired madness to The Population mix and I am happy to say that I am still in touch with most of them who became really good friends despite my worldly and sometimes illusive hobo antics...
Commonly we have the socially neglected surry hills hobo’s hang out on our doorstep. So far I have noted a few categories of the characters who like to chill in our neighbourhood.
1. The guitar hero Nikki on her way to work one morning was met with a rather interesting display. A homeless dude enthusiastically playing on his air guitar in the middle of Foster Street, with his full head of knotted hair rocking to his imaginary sound. As a big rock fan, for her that was amusing if not a very bizarre out of context dejavu.
2. The Dozer This is the guy often found curled up in the fetal position nicely tucked on our front door step. One day my heart raced as I opened our rather large and heavy front door to leave work for the day when I found myself nearly stomping on the Dozer’s head with my booted foot! Little did he know as he continued to dream. What do you think hobo’s dream about? I suppose their points of reference would be very alien to many.
3. The Loud Mentalist I know, its not PC to go round calling people hobo’s or mentalists but you have to believe me when I tell you this one is relatively just! Unfortunately the Loud Mentalist frequents these parts very often, if not daily. He is the man shouting obscenities in his weathered voice relentlessly. This is usually well timed with a client meeting. I don’t know why. Perhaps we have just become accustomed to his constant bellowing that we don’t take note until we become aware of the circumstances through awkward sound effects to our social media strategies.
There are a few more characters who brighten our day and add an element of surprise at The Population. Of course it is sad seeing people looking desperate, struggling and not sound of mind but its also reassuring to see that the Salvation Army work really hard to make their lives easier and there is even a little commune who hang out with their brown paper bags on the Hub Store doorstep (this one’s much bigger than ours) who crack jokes and support each other.
Thought it would be quite topical to post the winner from Tropfest NY 2008, "Mankind Is No Island" by Jason van Genderen.
Peace and love to Tony, Ms Scaman, Nikki Johns-Stammers-Johns, Hayley Richardson, Benhamin, Julian Cole and Cate Mathers for bringing their dash of inspired madness to The Population mix and I am happy to say that I am still in touch with most of them who became really good friends despite my worldly and sometimes illusive hobo antics...
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