just thinking

the other day i tried on an old pair of glasses, and had a curious thought, in light of the holiday spirit; i wondered if i looked through them, would i, could i see things the same way i used to? as things used to be? no, i don't drink; was just spending a quiet new year's at home, and had too much time to think.

well, of course the old glasses didn't make me see stuff any other way but blurry, but it was an interesting thought, and besides, they were only a couple of years old. i'd need my really old ones to see some interesting things, but unfortunately, i suppose someone in india or africa is enjoying my old specs.

so it's a new year. but i'm still digging through last year's pics. i tried to hit a car show today, but apparently, they still considered it a holiday, and no one showed up, but me. hope that doesn't indicate how the rest of my year will go. maybe i should finally cut my hair...

i did see several old cars driving around in various cities i passed through, a few i recognized from shows i'd been to the past couple of years. strange how you get to recognize some of them out the corner of your eye, as you speed by.

here's an old ford from last fall's cruzin for roses show in pasadena. it's been teasing me since september, just itching to be played with, but i haven't bothered with it until now. it just looks cute from this angle. shame it was up at the end of the block under a tree, and caught too much shade in its shiny paint. the reflected tree is still interesting, but i know those big, round fenders could have been really wonderful on a cloudy day, away from the trees.

fresh and fruity

the owner of this t bucket was one of a couple of people that came over to talk to me at this show in pasadena this past summer. the usual question: are you a professional photographer? my usual response: just a hobby. really am not in the mood to sell sell sell. she did ask if i sell my pictures; of course, if you're interested.

i suppose she's given up hope of seeing it by now. i think at the time, i'd already posted another t bucket or two, and hesitated posting yet another so soon. orange you glad it's here now?

she also pointed out her husband's car, which was parked on the other side of the other car there on the right. turned out to be some kind of muscle car i can't recall right now. hood was up, so i passed it by, so don't hold your breath on that one. :)

don't know why my price scares people away, i don't think it's that outrageous, unless you compare it to others, who must be selling cheap or just giving them away. i actually have had people ask me to give them a print for nothing. do they consider the cost of good paper or how expensive ink is? and i don't print on my desktop, typically; i send mine out for a more professional output.

everyone's a photographer nowadays. look around. people with incredibly expensive cameras, with no clue how to really use them. figuring paying more money will automatically generate a better picture. just a status symbol. might as well be flashing rolexes or pimp daddy jewelry around—either way, i am unimpressed. whatever.

i do what i do. if you can get the same shot from someone else, by all means, go ahead, and be happy with it. kinda thinking about closing this here digital garage. costs me more to keep it going than i've ever made back on prints.

but not quite yet. i'm still getting my yayas out of posting them, whether anyone looks or not. more of a visual journal for me than anything. and, heck, gives my better half a glimpse into inner thoughts i mostly don't verbalize out loud. keeps me sane as much as anything. i think i'm just going through a period of dark and twistiness...the holidays are coming...and he knows how much i'd rather go hide in my closet until they're over.

el camino real

quick post then off to bedski...another long day; another long week...

another from yesterday's show in pasadena. was going to walk by this one because the hood was up, and they're just kind of ho-hum up front, then remembered it's the back end that makes this car nice. took a few shots down low just to catch the curves. got a lens flare on this shot, but it doesn't bother me.

noticed after i was done that it belongs to my friend reine's so cal tribe car club...had one of their logos in the window. seems a long way from home, but nice to see this one represent.

ready for take off

one of my better half's coworkers told him about this show in south pasadena, cruz'n for roses. guess it was a fundraiser-type thing to help make money for the rose parade float, which is just a hunk of metal right now, as it was sitting there looking all pathetic and hoping for some help to make it all purrty. eff that, i don't watch the silly parade anyway.

so there were maybe two city blocks closed off for this show, maybe 150–200 cars. got there about an hour after it officially started, which sucks, because most of the hoods were already up. hubbie asked a few to close the hood for a picture, and actually got turned down by many. even just for a few minutes. their damn stupid engines might get passed by in the judging if they did that, and so, so many guys just have to see the engines. well, the usual rule applies: hood open, no picture. so there.

found this and the other cadillac in an overflow lot toward the end of the street. some of you know how much i love the fins on older cars. i did get quite a few stares as i shot low to the ground, up at the tail lights, on a lot of cars. did that with this one as well, but i really liked the reflections of this angle for the time being.

would have shot the front end, but by this time, it was very hot, and hubbie had already called and said he was waiting up the street for me. i could have took my time, but i was really getting hungry and thirsty after only having a donut for bfast.

wished we had arrived early, when the sky was still overcast, but he had errands to run for his mom, and cars can always wait until later.