what's up?

take me back

i got new glasses. always love getting a new pair of glasses. each year, you realize your eyes are going a little bit at a time. anyway, shiny, shiny new glasses, and the world is a little clearer today. spent the last year hating my frames; i don't hate these new frames yet...maybe i won't.

i've seen this one a few times over the years. posted it a couple times too...here and here.

it's a beautiful car, and you don't see them very often, unless, of course, you go to a lot of car shows.

there were a lot of photographers gathered around it, probably all day. while i was there, there was at least one guy that follows me, and i follow on instagram. wasn't quite sure it was him at the time...wasn't until later the next day, that he wrote that i didn't say much to him. sorry about that, i never met you in person before, and i'm a social moron.

enchilada

i have a craving. chocolate chip cookie dough. and i'm going to go mix some up right after i post this. probably should eat dinner first, but i don't know what to have for that. but i'm sure i want cookie dough.

i've put a few other pics up on instagram today. i'll post them here eventually. when i have something to say. tired of writing about a cold that's almost gone.

i like the curves of fleetlines. this nice, round booty, makes me happy. the paint job is a bit over the top, but it's masterfully done. better half called this one an enchilada car. he just clarified it is only because of the colors, the colors of the ingredients of an enchilada. not the first thing that jumped into my mind, but yes, it does remind me of cheese enchiladas.

way to start the year

back home, but to compromise, i am mostly wearing a face mask. feeling like a strange tourist in this place, in time. so, fun times. better half follows me making darth vader breathing noises. i'm tired, cough mostly at night.

feck it, says i. i walked uptown to get lunch. without the mask. quietly sat and watched an episode of breaking bad on my phone, while munching a slice of pizza. wasn't hungry, but just enjoying the time out. sun was out, sky was overcast, it was cool enough to wear the big, baggy pepperdine sweatshirt my new daughter-in-law bought me for xmas.

and after a cold to start the new year, better half's uncle died yesterday. not unexpected. it was a mercy. i only met him once. nice man. the family is mourning.

saw this car sitting by my friends from the old times car club at the new year's show. waved at them, but didn't go over to chat. probably saved them from catching this cold.

i'm pretty sure i've shot this one before. i like the rough edges, the unfinished feel. that visor is kind of killing it though. probably the bright primer.

the backstory

my parents have been getting phone calls over the past few years from people trying to trick them into sending money. you know, bottom scum trying to rip off the elderly.

first time it happened they almost fell for it. a guy called pretending to be a relative traveling in mexico, needed money to pay the federales to let him go. they stressed out about it for a bit, but then checked with the relative's family on his whereabouts. he happened to be home, happy as can be.

well someone called again yesterday; my mom answered. claimed to be my nephew, though didn't really mention a name.

actually, she was expecting a call from one of my nephews, who will be coming to visit next week. besides that, neither parent hears that well, so any guy sounds like they could be any of the nephews on the phone.

the guy chit chatted a bit, speaking of things in general. then got to the point: he and his girlfriend were in some trouble in mexico (why is it always there?). they had wrecked a rental car in an accident, but they were ok. they were at the counselate and just needed nine hundred dollars to take care of the car and get home.

since it had already taken a familiar turn, my mom had been playing along, throwing out random untrue info, giving a random name for the girlfriend, just to have the guy take them and run with them.

i guess the guy finally figured out she knew he was full of crap, and hung up.

my better half would have had a field day with this guy, just as he does with any telemarketer. depending on his mood, he might just tell him to hold on while he got his checkbook and just putting the phone down for a long time, to blowing an airhorn into the phone.

not sure which way i would have run with it. maybe an excited omg, stay where you are, what's the address, i'm on my way...nah, not gonna get excited about a jerk like that.

wonder if they hacked the aarp database, and just start calling random geezers, knowing they'll find a few suckers to send cash.

love the curve of a good back end. dressed in black, with just a touch of decoupage.

hello?

being sick is an easy way to drop five pounds. it's like a natural appetite suppressant. all i want to do is sleep and blow my nose...wait, is that five pounds of snot? ewwwwww.

shot this car at chicano park a couple of years ago. i don't see these too often, and i just really like the old cars that have the googly-eyed headlights like this. they usually are attached to cars with sensuous, elegant curves, those that still had style.

i heard this past year, since the show sold out so quickly, there was an overflow show at a nearby park. i'd be tempted to go to that, but the main show is just too much of a good thing to skip. maybe i can do both this year...

thing

home sick today, or i should say, at my mom's, being sick. wish i was at my own house, but my kid is living in it...but that'll change soon enough.

pooring rain outside, and i have a craving for tacos and/or carnitas...i don't know why, or how to solve this dilemma.

i've shot this car before. always think it's a ford because of the shape of the headlights. then i post it, and people thankfully drop me a message like, "you idiot, it's a merc."

seriously, that's fine. i don't know what all the cars are, or the years, but cut me some slack, i just like to shoot them. if i get it wrong, let me know. makes it easier to find them if it's identified correctly.

cameo

it is supposed to rain all week, so in anticipation, i'll be staying at my mom's or over with the newleyweds. both, with no access to my pictures, so i'll just work through some that i have saved up for rainy days here.

we were parked a few cars back from this truck, at five-thirty in the morning. was so dark, and the light so yellow, that i couldn't tell if it was silver/grey or green. i took a picture of it under the street light, while my better half chatted up the owner. i told him i'd have to get a shot of it later, after the sun came up.

if i got the story right, they only made 2,400 of these trucks, and this guy owns four. said the engineer who designed them, also helped engineer the development of the corvette. the significance of that, was the back end of the truck is made of fiberglass, just like a corvette, which i guess makes it lighter. just isn't pretty if you get in an accident and snap the stuff.

i think he also said his son had helped finish this one recently, as well as the rare four-door fifty-nine impala, parked in front of it. it was maybe the first time he'd brought this one out to a show.

as usual, i try to hunt down cars that pass by, and i finally found the truck and impala, out in the far dirt lot of the show. turned out to be this very nice green, which matched the green and white colored impala the son drove.

i had this shot ready to post, but i actually think i like a different shot of it, i'll have to add when i get back to my computer.

the few, the proud...

continuing on with the majestics pics...i've been to this show for the last three years, at least.

the first year, i was overwhelmed by the sheer number of cars, as well as the heat, leaving before i could get through all the parking lots. there were so many, an excellent assortment to choose from, i hated to leave so soon.

the next year, pretty much the same, though i think i managed to stay a bit longer. better half ran out of steam before i did. i think maybe he got bored, but followed me around anyway.

this year, the weather was perfect: freeze your ass cold in the early morning, and cooling to a nice, comfortable level by mid-morning. i ditched my coat fairly early, after wandering through the first lot. most people had their jackets on, but between any hot flashes i was having and carrying the tripod around, as long as i was moving and not in the shade, i was quite happy with just a t-shirt and jeans.

we found not so many of the old cars i prefer this time. considering it is hosted by the majestics, it does not surprise that the majority of cars were from the sixties and seventies. while they are interesting to look at, and i sometimes do shoot the few that catch my eye, they are not what i'm looking for.

still, there were some few older cars sprinkled about; just had to slog on through the lots to find them. pointedly criss-crossed the main road all day.

found this one on the other side, the owner watching the parade of cars cruising past. he did stop long enough to ask about who i was shooting for...myself. told him i'd post it if i got a decent one, so i hope this will suffice.

was told there was also a viejitos show going on the same time, same day. perhaps, next year, i'll go there, just for a change.

light it up

went out to the dam today. probably a bit earlier then needed to — probably there about five-thirty am. parked further away then we've had to before. someone said they wouldn't even open the gate until six-thirty. so, as usual, we got out and took advantage of the cars and bikes just sitting there in the dark.

better half had me shoot using different settings than i usually use, just because it was so dark. i don't think it would have mattered, since there weren't many people around cars i did shoot. not so sure i like them as much. a lot of detail is lost in the dark, but i guess in past years, when i went to evening shows, the results were negligably better.

posting this one, because the owner came over to chat, and because he casually walked over and flicked the lights on for me. pretty cool lighting, contrasting the yellowing street light.

i know i saw the bike cruise by later in the day, but it was far less interesting, and way more a typical harley that i wouldn't have shot otherwise.

i've got more pictures to post for a few people, and more to say, but i'm dead tired now, so i think i'll call it a night.

compensating

playing with old pictures. thought this one was funny. this truck was way too big and high up.

that's not the owner, just some goober looking under it's skirts. love that doofus "golly gee" expression he has.

i saw this truck and it's owner around the corner from here later in the day, after i'd already put my camera away. truck was parked, and the owner was getting into the car. he was waaaaay shorter than the average guy, and looked like he should have had a ladder to getup into this beast. kind of like a toddler trying to get into daddy's truck.

says it was for sale; this pic was from 2014, so i suppose someone else is now doing the compensating.

better half had to work today. says pasadena is no place to be on new year's eve, unless you have to be there. security everywhere. he got pulled into a checkpoint and cops ran a drug dog through his vehicle before they let him go. just being vigilant, what you'd hope for the cops to be doing.

i, had the day off. didn't realize it was a company holiday until tuesday, when a coworker was asking what i'd be doing for the four day weekend. what what. car shows, dude, car shows.

took a four mile walk today, out to lunch on washington blvd, and a random route back. saw a thunderbird, and an old cadillac.

on the way back, at hadley and whittier blvd, waiting for a walk light, watched some of the goodfellas club drive on by, the swirly script placas in the back windows...too quick to whip out my phone for a picture. i've seen them before. wondered where they were going...cruising up whittier blvd, or heading to a party. wherever, be safe.

to the dam tomorrow, possibly also to southgate...party on garth.