New York December NYC Meet-Up

[Calzone]

"Screw Fest" sounds like fun.

I think Snarky Joe has something sneaky going on. I can tell.

Sam has his collection to draw on.

Then there is Jim with his LTM cameras loaded garishly with all these accessories.

I kinda did a "Christian" over the past three days. I kinda took apart my studio and reassembled it. Being a CF I took advantage of Black Friday sales and loaded up the truck at the Container Store.

It all started with retiring my small printer and setting up my big printer. Then there is this GTI "Viewing Booth" that Landrew gifted me for viewing prints under D-5000 daylight.

So my studio is part bike shop, camera museum, print studio, guitar, bass and amplifier shop combined with a fashion blogger's closet. I forgot my JUKI commercial sewing machine.

So in the tradition of Madhattan where real estate is dear and precious I used lots of this modular "Elfa" to go mucho vertical. Pretty much I kinda built a high rise within my apartment if you can imagine that. I somehow now have everything non-Elfa on wheels.

I laid out all my cameras on the couch in the living room. "Maggie" had just cleaned and was not so happy to see my herd of cameras. I wheeled out a massive clothes rack fully loaded, The Ti IBIS, my Craftsman rollaway tool box, and my small printer (3880) to have some room in my studio to stage things.

So like Christian I took things apart. This was necessary because I was not only remodeling, but also expanding running structural support, and extending shelving over a doorway. I had to do several trips to the Container Store for supplies.

Pretty much it was like playing with Legos but on an adult level. This Elfa modular building supplies has been a huge investment, and over the decades I accumulate a lot.

This little LED light I found at Talas in their discount rack for $20.00 is mucho cool because it is remarkably tiny and produces daylight. I configured a tall standing desk that I can park my "Jersey Barrier" (Epson 7800) under.

One entire wall is Elfa'ed, I have a "freestanding" Elfa workstation that is might tall and vertical with the back side all storage with "roof" storage, and another wall that is all Elfa'ed for clothing and shoe storage. I dreaded unloading the freestanding workstation just so I could move it a few inches. This is why I required a staging area.

What is most impressive is all the prints, boxes of paper, and bottles of ink. Mucho-mucho. Kinda crazy good.

It does not get any crazier than this. I actually have space now for gigantic Soltander "Museum Boxes" that are basically like brief cases except for 20x24 and 24x36 inch sized prints.

I haven't loaded the 7800 printer yet, but I already have the paper and ink stockpiled. I forgot my studio is also a warehouse for printing supplies.

Anyways my studio looks rather impressive. Only a little insane. OCD I say. Oh-well.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Only 568K followers.

Today "Maggie" has a video shoot for a tech company that is now a household name.

This weekend she is flying to L.A. for another shoot for another tech company that also is a household name. This is a really big campaign and I suspect both video and stills will be shot.

So these two gigs are so big and important that today her agent's assistant will be going to the gig to manage things.

On the L.A. gig her agent will be flying with Maggie to manage things.

Lately things have geared up. Maggie now has two interns, a few videographers, a few photographers, and a hair and make-up artist. She pays her crew, even the interns if she gets paid: they get paid.

So this if she gets paid: I get paid gets extended to me. All this involves W-9's and paying taxes.

Meanwhile my studio is like a submarine being readied for a 6 month voyage. In a way my studio is a bunker where I can isolate myself from the world, where I have built a safe place where I can be alone.

This morning I rounded up another Bed Bath and Beyond 20% off coupon for a total of three thus far. I got my first one in my mail; the second one from the waste basket in my building's lobby after dinner.

One of my talents is pattern recognition, and these BBB get mailed monthly coupons happen in two stages with two different coupons. Because I'll a self proclaimed "lazy-slacker" all I have to do is check this small waste basket in my lobby near the mail boxes.

There are 40 units in my building and every month I collect these coupons, and generally I get between a dozen to 18 of these if I include the $10.00 off coupons for a purchase over $30.00.

Maggie once thought I was being OCD about these coupons, but with Black Friday she saw how I wrangled out a system when she saved $92.00 on a purchase that would of cost about $300.00.

In Toronto it is very striking how the public obeys laws. The general public in Toronto don't Jay-Walk, bikers follow the rules of traffic like motorized V-hick-cals, and cars respect the rules of right of way.

Here in NYC it is just the opposite and basically it is a "free-for-all." Also he who has the biggest balls wins, compound this is if you have no sense of guilt, but are not a sociopath, with perhaps corrupt morals and a healthy dose of social deviance, further compounded by a creative mind with extreamely bad boundries of a street photographer.

So here is the culture I developed and the smut: old expired coupons don't really expire and can be used at the 59th Street BBB on 1st Avenue (Don't know if this crack I opened will work at other stores); coupons once used cannot be utilized again; coupons can be used on sale items; coupons can be used on products like Dyson and Kerug that are clearly stated on the coupon to be not included; coupons haphazardly seem to be sometimes combined.

So when I go the the register to pay for my haul of goods I act like I'm a tourist at the end of my transaction and pull out my wad of coupons. I make two stacks: one is the 20% off any single item; the other pile is $10.00 off any sale of any purchase over $30.00

(Example: I buy eight boxes of Mary Gone Crackers that are on sale for $4.00 a box, elsewhere sold for about $5.50 for a small box automatically saving $12.00 without the coupon, then I get $10.00 off the $32.00 BBB discount price and pay $22.00 for eight boxes of crackers that elsewhere would have cost me $44.00.)

Pretty much the cashier just scans the coupons until no discounts get applied, meanwhile it is like some TV game show combine with perhaps a reality TV show of how low the price will go. The moral of the story is that nobody reads or follows the fine print clearly stated in writing on the coupon, and that the computer system does not have the developed AI to understand that basically I'm kinda stealing in plain sight.

In the above example I literally save 50%, but because "it pays to be greedy" (my expression therefore quoted) I initially did this as a marketing experiment, and exploited it a few times. Logistics work in my favor because the hospital where I work is within walking distance, and I often do this errand of stealing my fare share during lunch.

I even hose the MTA for the $2.75 Metrocard fare, and I walk home with my proceeds.

So on Black Friday I saw the Dyson V8 stick vacuum on sale for $379.99 that is normally $499.99. This is a good price and saves $120.00. So I go into NYC mode where no one really follows the rules and chaos and lack of structure reigns supreme. Like I say, "The man or woman with the biggest balls wins."

So with the 20% off coupon combined I end up buying a $499.99 Dyson for $304.00 because I'm corrupt, lack a sense of guilt, don't follow the rules, perhaps am immoral, am a social deviant, could be a criminal, and most of all am an artist with a creative mind.

"Greed is good" was a line from the film "Wall Street." So I do that and bought "Maggie" a new Kureg coffee maker that also can make Lattes and Cap-itch-chino's. This item according to the coupon in writing should have been excluded, but I save $40.00 off the $199.99 price.

So we are in a deflationary spiral. You need to know that in this race to the bottom, where currencies are devalued, and inflation is low, that it is excess capacity that causes prices to drop. Pretty much all one really needs to understand is its about a supply and demand imbalance.

In my twisted logic it is "spend now save later" which seems to be the prevailing trend, but I put a spin on "spend now save later" that produces immediate financial gains that amplify the value of my money.

I miss the days of trading oil stocks against the hedge funds pre 2007-2008, but as you can see I clearly have Bankster Blood in me. I'm pretty much doing financial engineering on a very small scale but yielding great profits.

Now Maggie does not think I'm so crazy. Also know that the reason we need the Dyson stick vacuum is that Maggie cheaped out and bought this "Dirt Devil" vacuum that had a cord. Of course she seldom uses it, and since I do the vacuuming almost all the time I would of bought the Dyson just because it is HEPA and the Dirt Devil is not.

Know that the Dyson is a better unit, more durable, better design, and being cordless easier to use.

Hope this is an entertaining post. Today I have "Bonus Vacation" because my boss is not here. LOL.

Cal

 

[MrFujicaman]

ROFL.....

Cal, you and I have a lot in common! Every Saturday after the flea market, my cousin and I raid the trash at the post office in his town for coupons for fast food places and Harbor Freight Tools coupons. I literally walk into Harbor Freight with a 2 gallon baggie full of coupons every time I go there. My cousin is forever sending people over to me to get a 20% off coupon or to see if I have a coupon for something they won't let you use the 20% off coupon on. If they have kids, I always try and find a coupon for a free flashlight for the kids. Ever see a kid that didn't like flashlights?

One time, I was standing in line in front of a guy and he was saying, "man I really need that air compressor, but my disability check doesn't come in until the the end of the month, and it goes off sale before then". I said, "step out of line a sec with me". We went thru the bag of coupons and found a coupon for the same compressor that didn't expire for 6 weeks and it was less than the "on sale" price. Cal, that guy was just so grateful for that little coupon I couldn't believe it!

Sometimes it's fun to help people....

 

[Calzone]

Sometimes it's fun to help people....

MFM,

Certainly this is true, but I particularly have the most fun helping myself in these rather childish manners. LOL.

Not sure though my "Stealing in plain sight" adds to the deflationary spiral we are in?

My sense of play makes it difficult to distinguish right and wrong. I'm sure BBB would not be happy that I'm hosing them and taking advantage of them every month systematically and gaining handsome profits in return.

My thieving of their profits surely is not good for them. Am I a bully by taking advantage of them?

All I can say is I'm a mighty clever guy. LOL. Also know this behavior is in character because I have this habit of annoying people. Know that my art professors saw tremendous talent in me.

As a kid I got away with mucho stuff also. I was kinda evil. LOL.

Seems like women like the bad boys...

Cal

 

[ptpdprinter]

Not sure though my "Stealing in plain sight" adds to the deflationary spiral we are in?

Not sure about a deflationary spiral. Inflation has be running around 2% for the past three years.

 

[MrFujicaman]

Cal...everybody likes gaming the system. You're just better at it than most.

 

[ptpdprinter]

Cal...everybody likes gaming the system. You're just better at it than most.

Assuming he actually needed the coffee maker and vacuum cleaner. Otherwise, the system gamed him. Coupons, after all, are a marketing gimmick to get you into the store to spend money in the first place.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

The term sociopath no longer exists in the clinical medical setting. It was removed from the DSM and it's category has been replaced with other personality disorders like borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. That said, greed, no sense of guilt or shame, and the thought that one is corrupt for personal gain could be pathologized as part of a very diagnosable disorder. These conditions, along with most mental illnesses are very stigmatized in spite of recent public awareness that illness is everywhere. Just be careful what you publish online these days, especially now that you are becoming a public figure, more or less.

Phil Forrest

 

[jsrockit]

Assuming he actually needed the coffee maker and vacuum cleaner. Otherwise, the system gamed him. Coupons, after all, are a marketing gimmick to get you into the store to spend money in the first place.

Cal likes to spend money, but he is not the type to buy anything frivolously on a whim. BUT, when he buys, he never goes cheap.

 

[Calzone]

Not sure about a deflationary spiral. Inflation has be running around 2% for the past three years.

PTP,

2% inflation is actually pretty low. I remember double digit inflation here in the U.S. in the seventies. Also know double digit unemployment. Historically inflation your 2% is low by historical standards. This alone points to deflation.

I think the distribution of wealth, the shrinking of the middle class, and the struggle of the masses has some people confused about the rude lower standard of living for most being confused for inflation. If you are poor, in today's world you are poorer, and if you are/were middle class the squeeze is evident.

The thing one really-really has to understand is deflation is another word for OVERCAPACITY. In the world I live in and see every day I see overcapacity. One area in particular is in real estate and housing. Look out below I say.

While interest rates have risen the proportional amount of inflation is kinda behind the curve and should be higher.

Perhaps I myself am a bit ahead of the curve. I see the housing market topping out. I see equities have have topped. The smart money I see is selling into rallies. I see a slow down in the European economy, the Chinese economy, and in developing world which produces the raw materials (commodities) that feed the developed economies all slowing down. All this supports what I'm saying, "Overcapacity."

Have you seen the collapse in oil prices? Do you buy gasoline?

Again, "Look out below," I say.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The term sociopath no longer exists in the clinical medical setting. It was removed from the DSM and it's category has been replaced with other personality disorders like borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. That said, greed, no sense of guilt or shame, and the thought that one is corrupt for personal gain could be pathologized as part of a very diagnosable disorder. These conditions, along with most mental illnesses are very stigmatized in spite of recent public awareness that illness is everywhere. Just be careful what you publish online these days, especially now that you are becoming a public figure, more or less.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

Many thanks.

I take liberties here because I am aware that this thread will eventually be deleted as all have been in the past.

I don't consider myself a public figure, and I take that heading as a compliment.

I try to blur here the absurd. I think some people could take what I post seriously though.

Perhaps I should write a disclaimer that I'm not a financial planner or economist or have any training in finance.

Obviously I'm concous and aware of my actions, also it is amusing how some of my exaggerations get taken literally. Well noted is that this is the Internet.

While I agree with you that mental illness is stigmatized, and that it is everywhere, perhaps riffing off it for entertainment value was poor taste.

I should know better. The Internet is a funny place.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Cal likes to spend money, but he is not the type to buy anything frivolously on a whim. BUT, when he buys, he never goes cheap.

John,

Maggie wanted the newer Kerug. Our older one was doing just fine by me. It ended up being her Christmas present. I like just plain coffee, but she like Lattes and Cap-A-Chino's. Oh-well.

You also know we don't really celebrate the holidays in a marketing manner. I have yet to buy her flowers. We don't celebrate Valentines Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day... This pretty much was just exploiting opportunities.

Maggie I regret had cheapened out when she bought that Dirt Devil. In this case I had the vacuum spackled together with removable zip ties that I had to remove to empty it when full.

Kinda funny though making all this a childish like game. Pretty much broke some rules that were clearly stated like coupon not valid for Dyson and Kerug, yet the scanner or the cashier didn't care, at least at the 59th Street BBB that I repeatedly hose to my benefit.

Pretty much I challenged a system an by virtue of computer error profited. In this manner I truely gamed the system. How many read the fine print and honor it?

If it were not for my curousity, I would not have learned that expired coupons are still valid. I would not have saved some much money and received these crazy discounts.

I gleaned from a woman on line in front of me with coupons that online the coupons don't work the same. It ends up being worth the trip to the store she says.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Did you know that Leica is one of "Maggie's" followers?

Yesterday's shoot for the tech company with the household name was all afternoon. Maggie came home tired. Not sure how the stills and video will be utilized as this was not in the "brief." It ended up being a rather big production where the entire crew flew in from London. Could be broadcast on TV.

Hint: It is for a Christmas promotion.

This morning I rounded up two more 20% off BBB coupons. Not sure if my Boneco humidifier is going south. I'm on my fourth season and the warrantee is only good for 3-years. Basically a fourth year is a bonus. More or less this device is designed to give 3 good years and then die.

This morning I get an emailed coupon from BBB. This is kinda funny because I never got them before. Perhaps they read yesterday's post. LOL.

One setback on my bikes. My old 8-speed White Industries hubs are early versions that are not updateable to 9-10-11 speed, and pretty much to update my drivetrain beyond 8-speed I have to get wheels built on two bikes. Ouch.

I guess this is okay because my steel IBIS and my Ti IBIS are both set up as simple single speed bikes that require new wheels to be built as geared bikes anyways.

Interesting to note that both of my IBIS's are the same model, but one is the higher strength and lighter titanium version. The steel version weighs about 21 3/4 pounds with mountain bike tires, a heavy steel bottom bracket and a seat that has chrome molly rails and bombproof straight 16 guage wheels that are extra heavy. Pretty much I could put this bike on a diet, and with new wheels could loose a pound with changing out some parts.

The Ti IBIS is kinda maxed out as a single speed as far as weight trimming and is just under 17 1/2 pounds with urban road slicks that are a bit chubby, meaning fat and wider than on a full blown roadbike.

I expect that the Ti IBIS set up as a geared bike rigged with heavier mountain bike tires will remain under 20 pounds. Pretty much my Ti IBIS will be a skinny bitch like me.

Cal

 

[Prest_400]

One setback on my bikes. My old 8-speed White Industries hubs are early versions that are not updateable to 9-10-11 speed, and pretty much to update my drivetrain beyond 8-speed I have to get wheels built on two bikes. Ouch.



I guess this is okay because my steel IBIS and my Ti IBIS are both set up as simple single speed bikes that require new wheels to be built as geared bikes anyways.





The Ti IBIS is kinda maxed out as a single speed as far as weight trimming and is just under 17 1/2 pounds with urban road slicks that are a bit chubby, meaning fat and wider than on a full blown roadbike.



I expect that the Ti IBIS set up as a geared bike rigged with heavier mountain bike tires will remain under 20 pounds. Pretty much my Ti IBIS will be a skinny bitch like me.



Cal

That's the bad part of changing standards. Think I told how I found surprisingly challenging was to find 58/94 chainrings.

Maybe you can scramble for used wheels, I found out that the front Mavic 217 has quite worn rims and one my riding they went out of true a mm or so 😂
For the few bucks it cost, it's great. Can't have too fancy when it's parked out in the street...

I like that Bikes tend to be a rather solid and not so prone to obsolescence product. Though the industry does its thing (26" being obsolete now huh).
I saw some brand pitched a new magnesium alloy for frames, almost or even better than Ti in their words. Shall see it if it catches up.

Bike is now stored and with a head cold I just closed off season till next year. Hope that you don't have to move your studio when on retirement, as you planned. Have to switch places and it's a hassle!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Calzone]

That's the bad part of changing standards. Think I told how I found surprisingly challenging was to find 58/94 chainrings.

Maybe you can scramble for used wheels, I found out that the front Mavic 217 has quite worn rims and one my riding they went out of true a mm or so ��
For the few bucks it cost, it's great. Can't have too fancy when it's parked out in the street...

I like that Bikes tend to be a rather solid and not so prone to obsolescence product. Though the industry does its thing (26" being obsolete now huh).
I saw some brand pitched a new magnesium alloy for frames, almost or even better than Ti in their words. Shall see it if it catches up.

Bike is now stored and with a head cold I just closed off season till next year. Hope that you don't have to move your studio when on retirement, as you planned. Have to switch places and it's a hassle!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jorde,

My newest bike is the Ti IBIS and that dates to 1994. My other three bikes date back into the 80's. Three of the four are titanium. I know the Ti IBIS is 1994 or earlier because it has a "Hand-Job" that is an investment cast fist that is used for the rear brake cable retainer for cantilever brakes. This bike and all my bikes preceed the development of V-brakes.

Interesting to note that today, despite all the advances, they still remain great bikes.

My old steel IBIS Mountain Trials came with Shimano 6 speed and had the new at the time "indexed shifting." Historically this bike dates back to when mountain biking first evolved in California and all the best mountain bikes were built in California.

Two of my bikes use 94/58 BCD Compact-Drive but I found this shop that specializes in high-end tandems that is a supply of "Middleburn" cranks and chainrings. Middleburn is an British company; their RS 7 cranks that I use are kinda designed for trials and tandems. This is a source of 94/58 BCD chainrings for me. UBER high quality and the longest lasting chain rings I have evr owned. Kinda aerospace quality.

Recently I loaded up the truck with $500.00 worth of Middleburn chainrings. Part of my order also covered 104 BCD which is used for both Mountain Bikes and BMX.

The great thing about Middleburn cranks is the ability to change spyders. I also got some 42/32T DUO sets that utilize the 32T as a combination of spyder and chainring for a lightweight "double."

Middleburn was one of the first companies to manufacture a direct connected chainring that is spyder-less. The call this an "UNO."

As for wheels, the best for me is really custom wheels. OEM wheels are built too heavy for me. Low rotating mass is a great advantage. Because I am only 150 pounds most wheels are way overbuilt for me. I did purchase a modern used Mavic UST Crossrok front wheel that has only 20 radial spokes on EBAY for $75.00 BIN, but this wheel is still heavier than my old 32 spoke double butted Mavic 231 by a couple of ounces.

The other thing is that all my bikes use rim brakes. Finding high performance kelvar bead (for light weight) 24 inch tires are a pain. The Schwable Kojak 24 inch slicks I use are now discontinued. Glad I bought a spare and that these tires are long wearing.

When I had my Jeep I used 32 inch BF Goodrich All Terrains that cost about $120.00 a tire over 15-20 years ago. Dropping $500.00 on new tires back then was a lot of money. Today the 26 inch Schwable Rocket Ron's I bought cost $92.00. Kinda crazy considering it is a mountain bike tire, but it is built for racing and perhaps is not really one of the most durable tires out there.

One thing you should know is that the Ti IBIS despite weighing only 17 1/2 pounds has a lot of parts that specifically were originally built for a tandem, meant designed for heavy duty. My fork, my front brakes, and my cranks are basically parts for a tandem. My rear wheel utilizes a 36 spoke BMX rim is savagely overbuilt even though it has double butted spokes and alloy nipples. The strength is compounded by the smaller 24 inch diameter.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I remember when I was about 18 or 19 I asked my parents for a set of Continental Leader Pro MTB tires and they looked at the price then basically said they couldnt afford them. I drove a 1967 VW bug at the time which also had Continental bias ply tires that cost about $26 each. Three of the bug tires cost under what that set of Conti MTB tires cost...

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

Phil,

What is your opinion on elyptical chain rings? I bought a 34T Wolf Tooth chain ring from their scratch and dent sale. Already installed it on the Steel IBIS with a 16 tooth freewheel for a 51 inch gear (24 inch rear wheel) for off road single speed. For a chain tensioner I used a Paul's component Melvin.

The lower rpm torque seems to be great, but I'm wondering in real life how this works out. In particular I think this could be really great using XTR because the rear deraileur has a clutch.

Another thought is what about using a rear deraileur without a clutch?

I observe that I have not noticed the Melvin bobbing around to account for the elyptical ring. My thinking is that the elyptical ring on a 1x11 could be magic for me. I'm a bit of a hammer, I like pushing big gears, and I tend to use a mountain bike like a stairmaster because I'm out of the saddle so much.

My friends who ride say that watching me ride offroad is entertaining because of my unconventional style. They say I'm kinda "squirrelly." LOL.

This is likely because of how I twitch side to side so much while leaning my bike.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I remember when I was about 18 or 19 I asked my parents for a set of Continental Leader Pro MTB tires and they looked at the price then basically said they couldnt afford them. I drove a 1967 VW bug at the time which also had Continental bias ply tires that cost about $26 each. Three of the bug tires cost under what that set of Conti MTB tires cost...

Phil Forrest

Phil,

I had a Volvo 122S that used Volkswagon sized tires. A set of tires back then cost me $100.00 for a set of radials. One time I wore a set a tires out in one year, and it was not due to high milage, but was due to high speeds.

A set of tires lasted me about 12K miles. It was an expensive lesson. I liked drifting the rear on the Volvo. Pretty much I steered with my rear and was good at it.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

So far no one has chosen a Sunday for December.

When "Maggie" was in L.A. I went to hang out at the guitar shop on Lawn-Guy-Land. Pretty much it is a version of like hanging out in a barber shop with its host of characters but the strays that come in are musicians.

I had heard that this lawyer I met at the shop who is a great jazz player has a father is said to be a famous artist. Bill drove me home one night because he lived on the Upper Westside. I had him drop me off in Long Island City when I lived there, but it was around midnight in the industrial part right before the Midtown Tunnel.

"You sure you will be alright," Bill asked because it looked like the road to hell and pretty much was desolate.

So Saturday I heard Bill's father's first name, and he is the big time. Kinda was friends with Warhol and a contemporary of his.

Bill BTW collects vintage Gibson L5's and Super 400's.

Seems like maybe the big 18 inch Trap-Door guitar might/maybe be together for this big guitar show in Lacoma Washingtom May of next year. We'll see... Next year will be 15 years. It has been a long-term work in progress. One of the problems was getting special wood that was wide enough.

Meanwhile this 2004 Mirabella Jazz electric I own had a truss rod issue and needed a repair, but things kinda added together where the neck is getting reshaped at the same time since the fingerboard is getting replaced. So then Chris adds might as well refinish the whole guitar anyways, and might as well change the binding to make it fancier.

Then Cris tells me I want to update the bridge, the tailpiece, the pickguard and the headstock because this is such an early guitar...

So somehow my guitar know as "Red" has been kidnapped. I pretty much am paying about $300.00 to have these cool inlays installed (old fngerboard had no inlays/position markers) that resemble folded paper airplanes. Cris also says that he has some "Red Abalone" that he will use. I never knew there was such a thing as "Red Abalone." Pretty much all these upgrades are being done for free, and pretty much I'll have a new guitar.

As you can tell my friend/brother Cris is a real artist. Now I feel bad for beating on him when he was an annoying little kid. Cris is about a generation younger than me.

My friend Dave always picks me up from the train station told me about this forum called "Guitarwhores." LOL. When you start typing "guitar" into Google "Guitarwhores" is the first citation that comes up. LOL.

Typically a bunch of us celebrate my visit by invading a Japanese restaurant for a rather big dinner. By the time I got home it was about 1:00 PM Sunday.

Pretty much an entire day of guitar and music smut.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

One of "Maggie's" campaigns is a Christmas promotion so this whatever it is is timely and should be published, aired or broadcast soon since we are in December. Again this is a tech company that is a household name.

The really big deal is the tech company that flew Maggie to L.A. for the shoot. Elaborate sets were made and the production value is so high and costly one has to wonder, "Is this a Superbowl commercial?" How huge is that? BTW this tech company does do Superbowl commercials, and I wonder about the timing. Just a possibility...

So NBC World News Tonight will feature "Maggie" again. I was told last night that my photos will be used and this time I should get photo credits. Evidently Lauren her agent's assistant will see to that. We shall see, but having my name broadcast on national TV and being seen by millions of people would be really cool. No pay though.

Maggie is off to Denver for a conference. I still have a few projects to complete. This GDI viewing booth that Landrew gifted me needs more space so I can exploit it for my large prints (20x30 on 24x36 sheet); I need to clean the capping station on the 3880 and pack it into storage; and I ordered some bike parts from Jenson to make my Ti Basso mountain bike into a complete functional bike again.

I installed a vintage chrome Koski fork, but I discovered that it needs to be "cold-set" because the legs are offset to the side such that the front wheel is not centered. Likely forensics is that a big guy trapped the front wheel and basically had a crash that resembled pole vaulting on a bike.

The chrome fork looks awesome on the Basso because it too is also shiny polished Titanium. The bike looks like a chromed BMX bike, except with 26 inch wheels. It will remain an 8-speed, and this bike features all retro parts like Grafton Speed Sticks for cranks, Grafton Speed Controllers for brakes, and even the front brake is a super rare magnesium version that is all pited displaying a patina of sorts.

Back in the day there was an overindulgence of purple anodized used on aftermarket parts. I replaced the chainrings and wait for a Dura-Ace pin to install a new chain.

Schwable has this new Hans Damph enduro tire that is a macho 2.35 wide. I'm hoping to be able to fit this tire to kinda have my version of a fat tire bike.

On top of this I'm building another Telecastor. I need to order a neck. The body I already have rigged out and it is awesome.

Cal