a negative times a negative is a positive

so i didn't get back to my post yesterday...got busy...(mind in the gutter)...working on a few more pictures before bed.

negative: neither of us slept well the night before huffarama, so when the alarm went off at four a.m., my better half decided he was too tired to go. also, he had started taking his camera equipment apart late in the evening, so he could experiment with his setup; it got too late, and just left everything spread out all over his desk.

since he wasn't going, i was going to sleep in, and go later. of course, i couldn't get back to sleep, so around five, i was up, and by five-thirty, on the road. ontario is out in east jesus nowhere, right next door to fontucky. just kidding. i like roadtrips, especially when there's no traffic.

we had originally planned to stay out in a hotel near the mall, and make a weekend of it. better half's sister didn't come down for the holiday weekend, so we didn't want to leave his mom alone for a couple of days either.

negative: was shooting away at the show, zipping from car to car, was just about done, focusing on a mercury, when the camera made a weird noise and gave the dreaded "camera error." fuck. did a few things to it, off, on. off. on. fiddle with settings. switch out the lens. nope, it was giving me the finger, wouldn't focus, and just saying, in other words, "bite me."

had to find a curb to do a bit of camera surgery, to change it out with the spare. the spare has a big vertcal grip attachment, that is too heavy and unnecessay for the tripod. to remove it also required detaching the camera strap, which is a bitch, as it's meant to stay on there.

would have just used the newer, smaller, better camera, but i couldn't find the cable release in my bag, and it was probably sitting at home in a drawer.

not too surprised, as it has been acting up the last few times out. better half says i've probably maxed out shutter activations. all i know, is that when i got home, several hours later, the body of the camera was hot to the touch, in spite of being in the trunk, in a camera bag, then sitting in the house for a bit.

nuff blather...

positive:

-- i got there early, in spite of leaving later than originally planned.

-- the guys let me in the gate, so i was able to get a lot of shots while the sun was still rising and there weren't too many people in the way.

-- i had expected more hot rods and mercs to go with the rockabilly theme, but was pleasantly surprised with the variety of cars and clubs, that showed up to show their support

-- took a quick tour of the vendors, and food booths, but didn't see anything i just had to have, but stuff was there, especially if anyone was looking for xmas gifts

overall, it was a good show. the music was good. i left by eleven, but i assume the live band was good too. i'd go again.

i grabbed lunch, before heading home. i was toast by the time i got there, and was finally able to catch up on the sleep that eluded me the night before.

the end.

huffarama

quick post. better half needed me to rip my computer apart to make room for xmas decorations and rearranging furniture. had this pic ready to go when he asked. probably be down for a couple of hours.

i'll write more when i get the puter running again...made it out to the bo huff show yesterday...it was a good show...dead sled guys--thanks for letting me in early!

armando’s bel air

armando is one of a very few car owners that will stop and chat with me, even if i look busy, or pissed, or whatever you want to say my face looks like. i'm not pissed. usually just have sun blazing into my eyes. hate wearing sunglasses taking pictures.

he usually drives a thirty-nine pontiac.

this show, i see him, but i dont' see the pontiac. he walks over to say hi, shakes hands with my better half and myself, and points out this bel air. oh, and that they've made their plaque fancier.

never did mention whether this is his other car, or if he got rid of the pontiac.

this is nice, but i see them all the time. pontiacs are harder to come by.

feel the power

really liked the color on this chevy. so polished, the sky reflected and it seemed to really glow. that tower of power behind it almost seems to be frankensteining it, amping up the color from a dingy brown, to a more vibrant sienna with copper undertones. maybe it's just my eyes.

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turkey day. family. no kids. they've grown up and have other plans. better half at home with his mom, i'm here with mine. his sister was supposed to come down from northern cali, but weather and other drama changed those plans.

my sister and her daughter coming for dinner here later. her daughter just got a new job and will be moving to japan soon, to teach engrish or some such thing. languages are easy for her--she can read, write, and speak japanese and spanish--so yay for her.

my son missed passing the bar by about forty points. he was really bummed for a few days, then got the written results. he knows what he needs to really study now, and feels positive he can pass next time. at least he scored better than his friends. he'll be having dinner with his fiance at his dad's, along with a zillion relatives. not really missing that part anymore...long ago, and lost in memory.

took a long walk at lunchtime. stopped at the atm, pulled some cash. was intending to not exactly feast at taco bell, but nope, closed. so, walked even farther, thinking maybe weinerschnitzel, since usually there's crap food open for half a day on thanksgiving somewhere, but nope, closed. carwash on the corner was open for business, with the guys waving their towels when finished. the mickey d's next door was open, and starting to get faint, settled for that.

have not been in one in a very long time. this one has been remodeled a few times since i was a kid, and since my kids were little. drive thru was hopping, but no line inside. big mac sucked, same as always, but at least you know that going in. filled that grumbly rumbly space in my belly anyway...take that stop growling.

thought about taking a really long way back, but the clouds overhead are really awesome, and when they blocked the sun, totally looked like rain coming.

so here i sit, all downhearted...

no computer, already read all the magazines, guess i'll watch youtube stuff or netflix on my ipad, and wait for turkey.

going home tonight, drive safe everyone!

false alarm

i've been staying at my parents' house the last couple of days, because it's closer to where i work, and i just didn't want to sit in holiday traffic, and enjoy everyone's holiday "cheer" on the freeway.

plus it rained in the middle of the night, last night. and it got slightly weird.

i get up for work before sunrise on weekdays. i had my alarm set for four-forty a.m.

so the alarm goes off. i do my usual inner argument about how nice and comfy the bed is, versus how cold and dark it is outside, so i would probably be better off staying under the covers, and hiding from state taxes. that took five minutes to convince myself to get up, i checked the time again.

into the shower, scrub, scrub, wash everwhere, and rinse off. thought i heard someone outside the door. my dad is a bit of an insomniac, so i am not too worried.

wrapping the towel around me, i peek down the hall. the light is on in my parents' room, which is unusual, since my mom is not an insomniac, goes to bed around midnight, and doesn't wake up until eight or nine most days.

i hear my dad downstairs. he had been installing a new kitchen faucet when i went to bed last night. i hear drilling and the sound of metal wrenches being rifled through in the toolbox.

i go into my parents' room, to find my mom, in curlers, fiddling with her hair. i asked her why she was up so early.

she looks at me strangely, and asks me why i'm awake so early. she'd been helping my dad with the sink, and putting everything away, and was just getting ready for bed. she says it's only almost two a.m.

what the actual fuck. i go back to my room and check my phone. yup two in the morning, and i've just taken my morning shower.

was i dreaming that i'd heard the alarm, had my inner argument, and checked the time again?

fuck.

so, i dry my hair, and go back to bed. change the alarm to five-forty...already took care of shower time. then, i can't go back to sleep. rolled around for an hour or so, and just drifted off to sleep, when the real alarm did go off.

at least it was a short day at work. at least i hadn't gotten fully dressed, had bfast, and driven to the office way too early.

still, what the hell? so, so weird.

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i liked this car. a little difficult with it half in shade and half in sun. not really sure why the shoes are sitting there. i'm going to say they're more stylish and subtle than your typical chock block.

ah, space.

wandering through a car show presents some challenges, at least as far as seeing a good picture. cars packed in closely, people wandering between the cars, overhead wires, open hoods—all things that bother me, and sometimes distract from the focal point of a picture.

so, when i see a car off by itself, i take advantage of the opportunity. open space. room to look around, see the car from all angles.

spotted this truck from the entry alley. shot those first, and hoped it would still be sitting by it's lonesome by the time i got to it. it was.

behind me, a parking lot with a few cars, and the raffle desk. from here, overhead wires, and a pop up. decided this was better.

only took this one shot. felt like i got the one angle worth getting of it.

as i was walking out, a guy stopped me to ask who i shoot for. i asked which car was his...none. he had driven in as a passenger in this truck. lucky you.

big toys for big boys

went to la habra today, to get lunch. well, first to stop by the classic oldies toy drive, then to lunch.

found them hiding back behind the businesses, with the entrance lined with the members' cars...fleetmaster, master deluxes, deluxes...all chevys. knew i made the right decision to drive out.

and it didn't seem to be like some other toy drives i've been to, where cars were just passing through, dropping off a toy; it really was a show, with raffles. it is a bit early in the season, so maybe there wasn't another show they needed to make an appearance at either.

overall, i liked it a lot. mostly cars i love, lots of representation from many car clubs. my only issue was that it turned out to be a hot day, not windy, like they (the weather dudes) promised. good for a show, not great for me.

after a couple of hours in the sun, hauling the bag around, i had to leave. remember, i said i was going to lunch...ya, so i was getting a little wobbly, and my side was bothering me, so i had to leave, even as more cars were showing up. :(

probably should have brought the water my better half told me to, as i walked out the door, but, i just don't have anywhere to put it in this bag. maybe i'll go back to the old roller bag. liked it better anyway.

feeling dizzy

still have more from this show to work on. only stayed three or four hours, but still took over thirty gigs of pictures; pretty typical. stayed until my side started hurting more than i could ignore it. doctors don't know what it is; i'm thinking i've pulled some muscles walking my kid's dog, or is it him walking me? i can think of no other reason. took some follow up xrays, and the cracked rib seems to be healed.

anyway, was out and about today, side still hurting. stopped by the classic oldies toy drive show, so i'll stop with this one for a few days, and post some of those up.

walked up to the post office and took a longer way, several blocks out of the way home, and just started feeling dizzy. no reason. made it home, and still feeling wobbly and overheated. maybe too much sun today?

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i do like the rainbow building in the background, so i may be over posting it too much lately. lots of color and texture of the building playing off the silkiness of the cars is just enticing to me.

parking a fleetline in front of it, just makes it better. love me a fleetline...

pop’s car

i'm getting a little lazy recording which car belongs to which club. i jumped around from one side of the street to another, from car to car, so even if they are parked in groups, i don't necessarily remember which. and then some cars don't have a plaque anyway.

i'm not seeing who this car might belong to, but i do remember a guy asking where he could see the pictures, because it is his "pop’s" car.

i shot the back end too, but i'm not too jazzed about it.

still need to decide if i like any of the pictures i shot of armando's bel air...

under the rainbow

another from this past weekend. i've had a request for more, so i'll put them up as i can. took me more than an hour and half to get home today, and i had to get some other stuff taken care of before sitting at my computer.

got a few shots of cars lined up parallel to the sidewalk early, before they started moving them into the final locations, crammed in together. just another reason to be there early. and usually, the guys are out and about chatting with others they haven't seen for a while, so the cars are all mine. they watch, but mostly are out of the shot.

this impala is beautiful. i'd drive it. love the back of these.

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the sideview above was selected to show at the twenty sixteen orange county fair.