Sign which reads 'The one rowing the boat is never the one who rocks it.', outside a church in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. November 15th 2004.
I'm not quite sure how clever this is, or what exactly the message is supposed to be either. But this church sign is known for some peculiar and dubious messages on the sign. WP - If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with
posted by Chloe | Saturday 20 November 2004 12:10 AM
I think it means if your stuck between a rock and a hard place, then you are really up shit creek without a paddle.
Posted by corbin | Sunday 21 November 2004 8:14PM
But let's say the one who rows the boat rocks it, and as a result they're upstream in shit creek without a paddle... Would the one who rows the boat then be shakin' like a dog shittin' peach seeds?
haha.
Sorry, I had to incorporate "shakin' like a dog shittin' peach seeds" into there. Christopher Walken (his character) says it in Poolhall Junkies (a new favourite film of mine). Though I think I first heard the expression from my brother-in-law Rod, who also says, "slicker than owl shit on a hickory limb".
I'd love to see either of those on a sign outside a church. I wouldn't be surprised about it though.
Posted by Chloe | Monday 22 November 2004 2:39AM
Hm, I really tried hard to figure this one out, heh, and my best guess is that it means if you are in a position of power, a leader, you want things to stay as they are, and it's the little guys who will be the ones who have to push for change aka rock the boat? I don't know, it is a rather ambiguous.
Posted by Alison | Sunday 28 November 2004 9:23AM
Yeah, that certainly does make sense. And I too thought of the "rocking the boat" - "rocking the vote" kind of thing. However, I don't think it's a very fair analogy because "rocking the boat", literally, wouldn't really be a good thing! And often, pushes for change from those in power, is rather a good thing.
So with that, and being that it was, in fact, outside a church... I started to think along the lines of maybe that God doesn't rock the boat, because he's rowing it? And it's the humans that rock their own boat and cause trouble?
The best meaning I've been able to reconcile yet, could be simpler than that... Perhaps it's just meant to say that if you're busy taking care of your end of things (rowing the boat), you won't be making trouble for others (rocking the boat).
Whatever, it is ambiguous. I really like analogies and metaphors, usually, but I'm not too keen on this one.
Posted by Chloe | Sunday 28 November 2004 11:48PM
That sounds slightly risqae (not sure if I spelt that right). I geuss the sexuall message it's sending is the one who is supplying ultimate happiness to another person isn't getting happy!! :)
Posted by POOP | Sunday 02 January 2005 2:43PM
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I think it means if your stuck between a rock and a hard place, then you are really up shit creek without a paddle.
But let's say the one who rows the boat rocks it, and as a result they're upstream in shit creek without a paddle... Would the one who rows the boat then be shakin' like a dog shittin' peach seeds?
Hm, I really tried hard to figure this one out, heh, and my best guess is that it means if you are in a position of power, a leader, you want things to stay as they are, and it's the little guys who will be the ones who have to push for change aka rock the boat? I don't know, it is a rather ambiguous.
That sounds slightly risqae (not sure if I spelt that right). I geuss the sexuall message it's sending is the one who is supplying ultimate happiness to another person isn't getting happy!! :)
