what's up?

hammered

sorry i’ve been away from home for a while, and away from my computer. finally had a chance to go home for a night on wednesday. got dishes washed (better half has been sick and some had piled up), and had my dinner. packed my bag for the next day or two away.

finally, i was able to get to my computer. the power button is failing, but it started. had to do some tweaks to some artwork for my boy, who has quit his job and has decided to partner up with a fellow grad to start their own law firm. lemme know if you need an attorney or two—they specialize in personal injury and taxes, but can also do the usual contracts, wills, etc. that need legal attention.

that took some time out of the evening, but finally i could get back to my pictures.

i’d been to chicano park a couple of weeks ago, and took a couple thousand pics in the five hours that i was there. still sifting through those, and have only posted a couple.

last weekend, while most people were at the la puente kiwanis show, i was out at the front sight car show in diamond bar. apart from enjoying smaller shows because they aren’t as crowded, i was mostly there because the owner of this here car asked me to stop by. it was for a good cause…in honor of a veteran who had committed suicide, and to offer help to other veterans to prevent more joining him in the afterlife.

actually, most of the people i did talk to said they were there because tudy had asked them, or otherwise twisted their arms to be there. he’s a good guy, they were happy to stop by, but generally all were on their way to other shows shortly thereafter—la puente or one of several high school fundraisers.

back to the picture…let me explain. i’d spent almost a couple of hours fiddling with this car, getting the color as i liked it, spit shining the chrome, and adding my copyright to it. i saved the file, and had started an export so i could post it…

we live in an older place in whittier. his mother gets cold, so there’s a space heater near her bed. then the tvs are on in her room and the front room. i’m working at my computer with a fan running next to me, cuz i just overheat all the time. better half probably had his computer on, even though i think he had been napping.

his mom gave up coffee, and is now a big tea drinker. she sips at the same cup of tea for several hours, requiring multiple reheats through the day. not my cup of tea but whatever.

in the back of my mind i register the buttons on the microwave beeping as he punches in the time. he hits start and wanders off into the laundry room. thought nothing of it, as i’m overheating as usual. did not realize his mom had gotten chilled again, and had cranked up the heater.

yet again, the perfect storm of me saving out a picture and him overloading the circuits, and boom blows a fuse, and the lights go out.

he ain’t no dummy, that man o’mine. my computer has a battery backup. but either i’ve got the plugs on the wrong sockets, or it isn’t working, and my computer crashes. it used to happen so often, and the profuse profanity that would come out of me at high volume would make any sailor proud. now i just shrug, wait for him to reset the breaker, and turn the thing back on.

yup the file wasn’t done exporting, and both the export and the file i’d just spent precious time polishing were corrupted. the export wouldn’t open at all, and my source file was now flattened and only three-fourths there. just black at the bottom. so here it is, with a little embellishment, of what would have been a lovely picture of tudy’s chevy. not sure if i’ll rework it from scratch. i have so many other cars to look forward to sharing. oh well.

gotta kick that battery backup this weekend. one good thing i noticed though, was that the power switch seemed to be working properly again. maybe it got hammered the last time the system crashed, and this one cleared the problem up.

dammit anyway.

jaded

veteran’s show last spring over at rose hills. the “mayor’s” car, again. he always wonders why i take pictures of his car every time i see it. if i didn’t shoot cars that i’ve seen before, repeatedly, there would be far fewer cars for me to shoot around here. same guys go to the same shows, driving the same cars. but there’s always some variable that has changed, most obviously, the light and/or the location.

i’d never been to a car show in a cemetery before, so come on, that’s way different. no idea what those buildings/sculptures in the background are, but it was kind of cool, no?

my dad got out of the hospital yesterday. after three months of bland, diabetic diet food, he had my mom take him out for everything he had been craving: pho soup of some sort, ice cream shake, and diet pepsi, for starters.

this morning he was whining that the food in the fridge tasted funny and/or was out of date. reminded him that mom had spent most of the last few months driving back and forth to sit with him every day, so she really hadn’t done much shopping. pointed out the egg nog he was complaining about, was in fact, still good until the end of the month. it just tastes nasty, because…egg nog. ick.

this evening, i asked my mother-in-law if she would like me to get her something uptown. usually mentioning where i was going, leads her to remember something she used to order. tonight, instead of just california grill spaghetti, she wanted spaghetti with marinara, so i was going to have to drive out to a different restaurant.

went out to lascari’s. figured i’d just get lasagna. got mine for there; hers to go. most restaurants will hold off on the to go order, but no, the waiter brought it out with my dish.

the food there was always pretty good. is pretty good. it’s just that, after going to italy, it’s not the same. told my better half that the lasagna at the sit-down restaurant here, is on par with a fast food lasagna over there. just not very flavorful. my homemade stuff is better.

mother-in-law is happy as a clam. her spaghetti is exactly how she remembered and was craving. meanwhile, as my co-worker said the other day, i’ll continue to dream of gelatto…

one of those weeks

ever feel like you've just gotten through a week, and get shook up and dumped out onto the weekend? but you made it?

ya, that's the one.

getting spread a bit thin, pulled here and there. getting worn, but no where as tired as my better half.

dad was in the hospital again, to start the week off. busy at work. kid had a perfectly timed meltdown when i had the least inclination to deal that hot ball of fun.

my other kid has plans to go to europe, with the wifey, his dad, and her mom. sounds like his dad is going to drop out. he's asking if i want to take a free trip. i dunno. a vacation would be nice, but can i be gone that long? i just don't know. offered up my brother, but they kinda aren't into taking him.

so i'll keep thinking about it, until his dad makes a decision.

at least i've got a wall back up in the kitchen. just no cabinets. or sink.

labor day weekend. maybe i can sneak off to a show or two, get my ya yas out.

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talked to the owner of this car for a bit. nice convo. he was heading south to la vuelta in san diego the next day. sounded like fun, i'd have gone if i was able.

liked the airbrushing of the gas can, which he was particularly proud of, as it had just been done.

family first

so many car shows yesterday, and i did not go to a one. sucks. as my better half says, "responsibility is a heavy responsibility." meaning, work and family before fun.

family is in town with a new baby - one that was kept secret from us until i noticed a facebook post on another family member's post. better half's mom just had her ninety-first birthday, so i guess the baby was somewhat of a surprise visit.

at least having other people in the house, allowed my better half and myself a chance to go out to dinner for the first time in months.

better half's mother still a priority. so i made another batch of enchiladas.

better half bought a new carpet cleaner. it really sucks. i mean it really cleans. literally did half of the carpets to see comparison of before and after and wow, even on this old crap carpet it's like night and day. wish the landlord would just tear it out and let the wood floors be.

meant to go to pomona this morning, but we were up so late last night, it didn't happen, and now it's already too hot for me. i am considering maybe a show in lakewood, where i know there is some shade, and better half can go shop at costco. i suppose next month the fair is in town, so no swap meet, right? maybe by the next one, it will be cooler? ha!

cool bike from the bomb club show. out in the parking lot, waiting for the go ahead to head to the infield. interesting airbrushing, and leather seat - is it ostrich? slap a few skulls on it and call it done.

fourth of july

away from my computer, and not finding any pics on my ipad with flags waving, so i’ll just put up this old one.

early morning out in south gate, waiting to go onto the golf course at the azaelia festival. pretty sure this was a majestics car. very nice, with the sunrise orange sky behind it.

standard airbrushed, large-breasted women painted down the side. at least they are fairly well done—kudos to the artist—i’d be afraid i’d fuck up a paint job on a car. same goes for all the pinstripers out there. cuz omg, there is definitely really bad work being done, and what are you supposed to say to the owner? blow sunshine up in there and say, “yes that’s great, definitely looks like your kids and/or wife/side chick.” nah, i just don’t take pictures of them...too tempting to me...if you can’t say anything nice...

i think this was the year they wouldn’t let me in early, so i had to fend for myself in the parking lot until almost the time for spectators to be let in. that really sucked. if you see me sitting out there, let me ride in with you in your car; otherwise, i may just go find another show to shoot.

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holiday, and here i am, sitting in a pollo loco, josé feliciano singing soulfully, “light my fire,” while i enjoy the air conditioning. no one here, except the employees, and i guess a kid that belongs to one of them, quietly staring at a cell phone.

woke up this morning in my half emptied house. kid still has a lot of stuff to get out of here. he’s leaving the beds, a kitchen table, and a desk behind...won’t fit in his new apartment, or has otherwise upgraded with new. ok, i can use the beds, since mine were tossed during the six years he was in here, but i have a table and desk elsewhere, so need to decide what to do with them.

can always put them in the alley in whittier—lots easier and quicker than trying to sell stuff. i have no patience for it. or i can continue to have them in storage until my other kid moves out and give them to her.

very quiet and cold at my house, which my deeply introverted self is enjoying, almost like a vacation, from the house in whittier.

a large number of porsches, ferraris, and lambos roared by early morning. never saw so many pns cars on the road before. must be an old douche white guy car club, out being weekend warriors, taking advantage of a holiday mid-week. all going over the speed limit, engines roaring, but no cops around, of course. if i drove eighty in a forty zone, no doubt one would happen to be around and give me a ticket.

there is a lot of fixing to do here after this kid is out, but the other is impatient to get in, so we’ll see what i bother to get done. her big beast dog will hinder remodelling; probably will have to send him to stay at my mom’s while anything is done.

pretty sure i’ll rip up the flooring and replace the cabinets, especially since a pipe burst last month, and there seems to be some issues with the wall behind the dishwasher. you know the drill, replace one thing, and soon you’ll be replacing so many other things, so it all looks good. don’t know the first thing about doing these things, but my ex has offered to help or at least find people to do it.

i need to walk back to my place, but the sun is full up, so will be flitting from shady spot to shady spot the whole way. if i start feeling too ill, i’ll get an uber.

now that the eagles are singing, “peaceful, easy feeling,” i will be on my way. have a great holiday!

different

i’m in a mood today. so many things going on at work and home, and can only be in one place, dealing with one thing at a time. and there’s not enough time.

several deadlines today, yet i’m sitting here, waiting at the doctor’s office. for me.

my mom fell yesterday; probably should have made her go to get an xray on her butt, arm and noggin—everything she landed on, hitting the driveway. she seemed ok and of course said she was fine.

——-

don’t usually shoot or show these types of cars, but like i said, i’m in a mood. maybe something different can correct my attitude.

interesting paint job, no?

twiddling my thumbs

i’ve been waiting fifteen minutes for this windows update to finish, here at work. i actually have stuff to do, so this is slightly inconvenient....

ah, there it goes. only had to start a post on my phone to make it complete...blog blocker.

well, here’s a nice merc from last weekend at the park. interesting ghost flames in the paint.

make a choice

asked my boss about going to a conference, if there was any budget for training. yes, he said to pick one and get him an estimate for travel, etc.

so, i need to decide on new orleans, orlando, boston or los angeles. here's the thing: the useful one is in new orleans, and i really have no interest in going there, so i'll wait until next year and hope they move it somewhere else. the other one i want to go to ends on the same day as the uptown whittier car show. sort of rather go to that.

i could skip the last day, and fly home the night before. i'll have to think about it.

this car was the last one i shot at the chino show. owner said i'd need to see it in the sun to really appreciate the paint job. the roof has some faint airbrushing going on.

i can see it. true, it would be more vibrant in the sun, but it may also be more glare-filled, because of the glitterizing in the paint.

still, pretty cool car. lots of engraved chrome.

club guys were friendly too.

sunday sunday sunday

spent the day at home, watching my mother-in-law, whilst the better half ran to the market(s), and playing with pictures. ordered some more business cards for my non-business...one hundred new ones...collect the set.

here's a motorcycle for a change. it was highly detailed, with etched chrome all over, airbrushed and pinstriped, custom leather-worked seat. well worth a look.

at your service

have you ever thought about the best taco you ever had, while sitting in taco bell, thinking about the best taco you ever had? ya, that happened. but, my fault for wanting something quick.

sometimes i shoot cars that aren't my favorite, because something catches my eye. this day, the paint was it. fresh, shiny, detailed work here.