NYC Journal

A surprise came today as we were released and announced by our agent.

Pretty much I look a bit feral in a hippy surfer kinda way in the shots that were taken in Peekskill by the Photographer from the Ukraine.

Long hair on old men is on trend it seems. Never went out of style on me.

I don’t know where this is going, if a dead end I’m cool with that, so officially today I am a model even if I get no gigs.


******************

I am wondering if I want to add a neck pickup to my Cabronita to make into a more diverse guitar. Once the body gets routed there is no going back.

I think I need/want a TV Jones “Supertron” with a big bar magnet in the neck. This pickup has a very sweet jazz tone.

The bridge pickup (Duotron) is really fine and has an output that would pair nicely with a Supertron…

I researched wiring used on the Fender Custom Shop “La Cabronita Especial.” Pretty much a filter network is a preset tone control. I have a 500K push-pull pot that could be used. There are two independent filters: one for each pickup. EZ-PZ.

*******************

I’m really surprised on how the Santa Cruz Model “F” known as “Hog” took to heavier strings tuned down a half step. Kinda hits a sweet spot. This turned out to be a very cool and great guitar. For a while I thought it got displaced by my OM and the new Model “F” made with old growth wood. This guitar now holds its own.

*****************

Looking forward to the New Year…

Cal
 
We got our old console piano for free. Then when we moved from that house, I tried to give it away. I eventually tipped the guys who took it $40, so it was a net loss. My point here is that junk is junk is junk. If you're not using it and there is a niche, or non-existent market for resale, it's a net loss. Sure, in 10 years one may be able to say "I got that widget set there for free, I just had to haul it; now a decade later I'm rolling in the paltry cash I made from it." If it's not a real commodity that is frequently traded, it needs to be chalked up to a net loss. The cost of proper storage of a set of widgets, or a piano, or a soundboard, or a printer, or a bunch of guitar wood is lost and one must look at the "investment" as only something for self-edification, a hobby, because otherwise, it's just hoarding. I have 11 professional grade 16mm motion picture cameras and what would have once been thousands of dollars worth in lenses. I've had most of it up for sale for 14 months and have sold one camera, for zero profit. I made about $20 off an Angenieux lens I got at Goodwill, but otherwise, it's just stuff taking up space. I use 1 of those cameras and 4 of about 30 lenses. I barely paid for any of this gear and just got it for the sake of tinkering and restoring them, not as an investment. Same goes for all the typewriters I have making the floor joists strain. I've fully restored 6 of these machines, 1 of which is a gift for my sister, 2 I love to type on, and the others are just albatrosses. If there were a larger number of hip millennials who want to actually pay for a professionally restored typewriter, I could pay off my car a year sooner. But the typewriter market is GONE as my former employer has seen. Hipsters want to try out writing on a manual, so they pay too much to purchase and ship a barely working, heavy typewriter, get a fresh ribbon and find out that they atually have to do some work, so they give up because the machine doesn't work right. The action is too heavy, it skips, doesn't advance, ribbon drive doesn't work, platen is flaky, typebars stick, whatever. The frustration drives them back to their ipad because they were never willing to actually pay a skilled, trained technician to fix their machine or sell them a guaranteed working one. These things are not investments and shouldn't be viewed as such. My currently not-working 1972 Mercedes 220D is not an investment, it's a sentimental car that costs me to store it. I know that. If I didn't have the car, I'd have a much nicer workspace to work on the bicycles THAT I ACTUALLY USE. I don't need a bunch of bikes, but I use most of them regularly. Several of them actually are investments, but not as objects to sell, but as means to get me to work reliably. The term "investment" is used far too loosely for niche hobby stuff, and a "good deal" can just be an avenue to what is really hoarding.
 
Phil_F_NM said:
We got our old console piano for free. Then when we moved from that house, I tried to give it away. I eventually tipped the guys who took it $40, so it was a net loss. My point here is that junk is junk is junk. If you're not using it and there is a niche, or non-existent market for resale, it's a net loss. Sure, in 10 years one may be able to say "I got that widget set there for free, I just had to haul it; now a decade later I'm rolling in the paltry cash I made from it." If it's not a real commodity that is frequently traded, it needs to be chalked up to a net loss. The cost of proper storage of a set of widgets, or a piano, or a soundboard, or a printer, or a bunch of guitar wood is lost and one must look at the "investment" as only something for self-edification, a hobby, because otherwise, it's just hoarding. I have 11 professional grade 16mm motion picture cameras and what would have once been thousands of dollars worth in lenses. I've had most of it up for sale for 14 months and have sold one camera, for zero profit. I made about $20 off an Angenieux lens I got at Goodwill, but otherwise, it's just stuff taking up space. I use 1 of those cameras and 4 of about 30 lenses. I barely paid for any of this gear and just got it for the sake of tinkering and restoring them, not as an investment. Same goes for all the typewriters I have making the floor joists strain. I've fully restored 6 of these machines, 1 of which is a gift for my sister, 2 I love to type on, and the others are just albatrosses. If there were a larger number of hip millennials who want to actually pay for a professionally restored typewriter, I could pay off my car a year sooner. But the typewriter market is GONE as my former employer has seen. Hipsters want to try out writing on a manual, so they pay too much to purchase and ship a barely working, heavy typewriter, get a fresh ribbon and find out that they atually have to do some work, so they give up because the machine doesn't work right. The action is too heavy, it skips, doesn't advance, ribbon drive doesn't work, platen is flaky, typebars stick, whatever. The frustration drives them back to their ipad because they were never willing to actually pay a skilled, trained technician to fix their machine or sell them a guaranteed working one. These things are not investments and shouldn't be viewed as such. My currently not-working 1972 Mercedes 220D is not an investment, it's a sentimental car that costs me to store it. I know that. If I didn't have the car, I'd have a much nicer workspace to work on the bicycles THAT I ACTUALLY USE. I don't need a bunch of bikes, but I use most of them regularly. Several of them actually are investments, but not as objects to sell, but as means to get me to work reliably. The term "investment" is used far too loosely for niche hobby stuff, and a "good deal" can just be an avenue to what is really hoarding.
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Phil,

Understood is the difference between hobby and investment. Also commodities are liquid assets that can sell easily.

Also I guess I hype many things I have as treasure because they likely would be hard to replace or costly to replace. Truth be told lots of my old stuff is of only value to me.

I also speculate a lot, and on some things I did very well like on vintage guitar amps, but on guitars, even expensive boutique ones I’d be lucky to get my money back.

On the 1966 Chevy C-10 I think I could get my money back or actually make a profit because it is so OEM and is a bit of a barn find that would be great for restoration.

My bikes, even though they are mucho cool, do not command a high dollar value if sold, but they sure already gave me my money’s worth through use. I’m glad they still serve me, and this to me has mucho value.

Perceived value is what fashion is about, and not real value.

I think what we are both saying is that we kinda have distorted values, and value is a kinda funny thing, and different in all people.

If someone was giving away a baby Steinway or a Model “D” Steinway upright, it might be worthwhile to acquire for the cost of moving or even rigging. A lot depends on what is important to you and your values. Everyone is different.

I still find it amusing how I got called out for being a Gas Guzzler. Really… My purchase of my 1966 C-10 really pissed someone off who knew little about me or my Values.

Lots of sentimental value in my case, I bond with objects over time, and they become extensions of my personality.

Cal
 
Agreed, Cal. Like a lot of folks say when asked about how much dollar value a camera has, the true answer is “it’s worth only what someone will pay, and not a penny more.”
I don’t actually want a piano, the last one was a decent console from the early 80s that had a good sound and held its tune well. Doesn’t change the fact that it was still an albatross.
If someone offered me a Ferrari F450 for $1000, as much as I want it, I can’t afford it; can’t afford to feed it, store it nor insure it, so a quarter million dollar dream sports car has no value to me even for pennies. For a few months I had a 35mm motion picture camera which i restored. I ran two rolls of 36exp 35mm film through it only to check timing and make sure the gate was aligned and no scratches appeared on the film. There’s no way I could afford feeding of that hungry monster. At 16fps, it came out to about $40 every minute and 40 seconds. As much as that camera was cool, I simply couldn’t use it, so it got sold for the price I paid plus an hour of my time. It could have been any 35mm MP camera out there, I simply couldn’t afford to use it no matter how nice the footage would look.
Phil Forrest
 
Phil_F_NM said:
Agreed, Cal. Like a lot of folks say when asked about how much dollar value a camera has, the true answer is “it’s worth only what someone will pay, and not a penny more.”
I don’t actually want a piano, the last one was a decent console from the early 80s that had a good sound and held its tune well. Doesn’t change the fact that it was still an albatross.
If someone offered me a Ferrari F450 for $1000, as much as I want it, I can’t afford it; can’t afford to feed it, store it nor insure it, so a quarter million dollar dream sports car has no value to me even for pennies. For a few months I had a 35mm motion picture camera which i restored. I ran two rolls of 36exp 35mm film through it only to check timing and make sure the gate was aligned and no scratches appeared on the film. There’s no way I could afford feeding of that hungry monster. At 16fps, it came out to about $40 every minute and 40 seconds. As much as that camera was cool, I simply couldn’t use it, so it got sold for the price I paid plus an hour of my time. It could have been any 35mm MP camera out there, I simply couldn’t afford to use it no matter how nice the footage would look.
Phil Forrest
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Phil,

I have a Masters in Communication Arts. I specialized in Screenwriting and News Reporting, so I have a little background in motion picture film and costs.

Back in 1995 it was said that it cost $10K a minute for a Hollywood sized film production. How crazy is that? Today that cost has to be much-much higher.

From the posts I have been reading on film costs, I’m not so sure I can afford to shoot film, at least how I did.

I’m so glad I shot 150 rolls a month when I could get rebranded Tri-X at $2.89 a roll of 36, and rebranded Fuji Acros for about $1.89 (short dated).

I remember how much heat I took because I shot with a total disregard to printing, but I was wise to shoot as much film as I did when film was mucho cheap and affordable.

Now I have an archive of NYC that kinda covers a decade. I also have a sense of home because I wanted to document the time I lived there knowing that I was likely be forced to leave.

I’m pretty much near the saturation point as far as all the gear I can manage. Not a bad place to be, and I have stuff that I knew was worth keeping when I bought it.

Devil Dan is doing some great work in keeping busy and maintaining costs. A clever guy…

I’m with you that there is a real hard limit to what is practical, and a hard line of what remains out of reach.

Cal
 
In the past It was requested that I make my Lasagna for the Christmas family gathering. Pretty much it is over the top with layers of meat and cheese that is so abundant that I have been accused of poisoning “Dave” because he could not stop eating it because it tasted so good, and he kinda overdosed and ate himself sick.

I pretty much use a deep turkey tray, and it takes about 4 hours to heat up in an oven because the tray could weigh 40-45 pounds. Pretty much I can poison an entire family or a crowd of people.

In the past few years I have been asked not to make my Lasagna, because “Maggie’s” sister has a friend that makes a Lasagna as a gift, but pretty much the unsolicited poll I get is the family wishes that they had mine instead.

So this year I wonder about the “Queen Bee” factor where My “show stopper” kinda crossed a boundary and invaded the Queen Bee’s turf who was hosting Christmas in her home.

So I was just minding my own business, and I now wonder about all the family dynamics and the Queen Bee effect. BTW any form of competition is kinda just plain one sided, I am just being me and expressing myself. It is Christmas after all, and I had the spirit of giving.

So this year I was asked to make sausage and peppers, which was a big hit last year. Pretty much I understand there is something else going on here and it is not necessarily just about recycling a gift (the lasagna).

Maggie already told me the gifted Lasagna is not so great, and she is also told by others that they miss mine. I’m cool with not making it because it is a lot of work and the amounts of cheese and meat that includes a layer of sausage is mucho expensive.

I’m cool with not “hogging” Christmas. Know that the other foods kinda became left overs.

Kinda funny is that some people started eating last Christmas’s sausage and peppers before it was fully heated up.

Just another example of how “accidentally” I annoy people. I’m sure this does not go unnoticed by the Queen Bee who has a need to be the center of a family.

Snarky Joe says the thing with me is that I can do good and become great in anything I do. Perhaps it is cultural or genetic, where it is not survival of the fittest, but survival of the clever creative.

So I’m backing away from routing the Cabronita body for a neck pickup. Last night I took notice of how I play the end of the neck where I get my own distinct tone and dynamics. I following the insight my friend Dan gave me about Bob Fossy and am developing upon a weakness and limitation of a simple guitar with only one pickup.

Most Jazz players play dominantly the neck pickup for the warmth and deeper tone, but I’m cool with doing Jazz on a bridge pickup. Kinda refreshing…

I also realize the past year has been a bit of a binge on spending, and now I must go into austerity mode which is usual. Living below my means is my lifestyle, and being happy with what I have. I have no remorse on the things I bought because I was thoughtful, saved money, and bought things that are durable, long lasting, and will be used the rest of my life.

It was fun though indulging myself and spoiling myself for a while. Now back to austerity, living below my means, and enjoying what I have.

Happy Holidays to all.

Cal
 
Happy Holidays Cal and Maggie! :angel:

Merry Christmas Fujicaman! :angel:

Devil Dan is hunkering down and having a restrained somewhat scaled back Christmas due to Bomb Cyclone. Plenty to keep me busy! :) When you start to think about repurposing all the STUFF you have, really interesting experiences come out of it. Everybody here have a clever wonderful XMAS. It doesn't cost anything to get busy. If you're not feeling it, pick up something else LOL :shootout:
 
Devil Dan,

Thanks for sharing all your wisdom. Retirement can be fraught and all these insights you share are the true spirit of Christmas all-year.

All the best for you, your family, and all the critters you nurture in your yard.

Cal
 
Cal, I wish you and Maggie a good Christmas time, full of positive emotions, joy and peace .
Buon Natale from crazy Italy !
 
Happy Christmas to the US - North East NY city area club and to Cal especially for entertaining us and putting it all out there for us.
 
All the best to Robert and Pete.

Looking forward to a new year. More house construction: a new bathroom upstairs; and breaking down a wall between the tower room and the front bedroom to create a master’s suite.

Will be building a cedar 8x12 she shed in the back backyard, and I myself will be doing a tear-off and new hip roof replacement.

Sometime in the first week in January a new door for our enclosed porch along with new sidelights.

Then there is a lot of work for me replacing missing ceilings in the hallway and dining room.

Am I really retired?

I’m advancing on the guitar and some style is emerging. I need to hit a Fake Book and learn some standards…

​​​​​​​Cal
 
Damn it Cal ! Did you have to mention sausage and peppers? I love a sausage and peppers & onions sandwich and I can't find anyplace around here that makes them ! Hope you and Maggie had a nice Christmas!
 
Nokton48 said:
Happy Holidays Cal and Maggie! :angel:

Merry Christmas Fujicaman! :angel:

Devil Dan is hunkering down and having a restrained somewhat scaled back Christmas due to Bomb Cyclone. Plenty to keep me busy! :) When you start to think about repurposing all the STUFF you have, really interesting experiences come out of it. Everybody here have a clever wonderful XMAS. It doesn't cost anything to get busy. If you're not feeling it, pick up something else LOL :shootout:
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Dan my feeling is this: The day you stop thinking, creating and building is the day you start to die inside.
 
MrFujicaman said:
Damn it Cal ! Did you have to mention sausage and peppers? I love a sausage and peppers & onions sandwich and I can't find anyplace around here that makes them ! Hope you and Maggie had a nice Christmas!
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MFM,

I’ll lay out what I do. Again they were a hit.

I will say that my Lasagna is a lot more work.

I’ll post what I do that is my slacker’s way that is EZ-PZ. “Brutal,” I say.

The great thing is that you can create a batch and freeze portions for future use.

Cal
 
MFM,

Because of my slacker ways I found that the easiest way to cook a vast quantity of sausages is on a grill outside, but I first boil the sausages covered in water for 5 minutes to ensure they are cooked in the inside. Because I am cooking so many I lower the cooking temperature a tad for more control.

This might be 7-8 pounds of sausage.

The purple onions I cut in half, then quarters, and then make smallish slivers for faster frying in a sauté pan.

This might be about 4 pounds of onions.

“Maggie” says she does not like green peppers, so I use, red, yellow and orange versions that are more costly. While I’m frying the opinions I’m cleaning and prepping the peppers, and I kinda cut them into long slivers, again for faster and even cooking.

A good amount of moisture will collect in the sauté pan, and to speed up cooking I add a lid to kinda steam the peppers until almost fully cooked.

All the above is then added and mixed together in a mucho large cast iron pot that has a lid.

Upon arrival at your guest’s home place the entire pot in an oven at 350 degrees and bake for an hour with the lid on.

The peppers and onions kinda blend with the baking and on a stove top the sausage, peppers, and onions will stay and remain hot for many hours.

Not a lot of work, and pretty much you can feed a herd of people.

Enjoy.

Cal
 
Christmas had it’s drama.

A grieving process continued as “Maggie’s” mom died last Christmas Eve.

Then there was this tension between a father and his two adult children that were managing their father’s mental illness.

Things got a bit delusional at one point, and there was an outbreak of anger, attacks were made that kinda killed and ruined as some projected anger was directed at Maggie.

I kinda stepped in and had to be provocative. I kinda called Maggie’s brother out by comparing him to Billy Crystal and started digging into him by singing, “Rolling-rolling-roll-N; my ass cheeks are swollen…” because delusion along with the show “Yellowstone” somehow got romanticized because Maggie’s brother projected his identity as a real “cowboy” because he worked as one for 4 months one summer.

So pretty much if you want to attack or hurt someone try that with me. Go ahead and get aggressive with me I kinda layed out in a calm and cool way. No anger in my voice, but let’s go was the message.

Of course I’m dealing with someone with a drinking problem… I also know that fighting a drunk means you really have to take them apart and disable them.

Someone backed down. I apologized that things were taken the wrong way, even though it was not me or other people that took things in a bad way, I pointed out it was Christmas, and that Dave had been roasted by everyone all day.

An apology was given but it was lame and without merit because some one sat on the couch by themselves and unwound themselves further by sulking.

So the Alpha-Male behavior came out, and I’m glad I did not over react. Things can get crazy fast, but I was not the person being crazy.

So Snarky Joe and Devil Christian say I have a way with the crazies, and it seems I bring them out, but I say, “I was just minding my own business.”

Although I never worked as a cowboy, I am very aware of how weather, and the solitude of living in the wilderness out west.

A summer is an entire different story. Read the Whiting Writing Award winning book by Judy Blunt called “Breaking Clean.” This book reveals the other 2/3rds of what it is like to be a cattle rancher, and the harsh storms that have to be confronted and endured. A very brutal life and not so romantic.

I do not romanticize Christmas. Generally it is stressful and it causes mucho crazy behaviors.

Cal
 
I do not romanticize Christmas. Generally it is stressful and it causes mucho crazy behaviors.

Cal


[/QUOTE]


Yup-and and add heavy drinking and things get dicey.

If I had my way, I'd leave for Las Vegas around November 12-13 or so and not come home until January 3 or 4th.

Mr. Fujicaman
 
MrFujicaman said:
I do not romanticize Christmas. Generally it is stressful and it causes mucho crazy behaviors.

Cal
Click to expand...


Yup-and and add heavy drinking and things get dicey.

If I had my way, I'd leave for Las Vegas around November 12-13 or so and not come home until January 3 or 4th.

Mr. Fujicaman[/QUOTE]

MFM,

I hate being around drunks. Lots of bad behaviors, incoherence, and not my idea of a good time.

At a certain point impairment takes over…

When I went to my 40th year High School Reunion I found it sad. My friend Richie I learned drank himself to death. All the good looking kids I grew up with aged very badly from continued partying and binge drinking. I felt they wasted their lives.

So many lived not far from where we grew up, and in a way they lived in a tiny suburban bubble.

I am in the 30% of Asians who don’t have the body chemistry to break down alcohol, so I don’t drink. I think cause I don’t drink is why I look so young.

The only nice thing about Christmas is spoiling the kids with gifts and making the day special for them.

Cal
 
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