Signs of the times.

Years ago nameplates at agencies used to convey a certain permanence. If you watch movies from the 40s, you might come upon a scene in which some old pro is hand-lettering someone's name on the frosted glass of an office door. (The painter was always put upon. Comings and goings were his bane and his having to start over was always good for a gag.) At my first job, I had raised letters glued onto my door. At my second, I had my name embossed in a piece of plastic. Somewhere along the way such symbols of permanence were replaced by your name printed on paper and slid into a lucite sleeve.

The agency at which I'm freelancing now is burgeoning. As such much is temporary. Even the Men's room signs are Xeroxes of older Men's room signs.

They've even Xeroxed the Braille that says "men" underneath the word "men."


BTW, the sign above says "do not touch."