The Blacklight Studio

This is my LAST blog here as The Blacklight Studio

2009-08-30T22:13:00.000-05:00

www.jvlivs.blogspot.com is where you can connect with me. No more blacklight studio (other than flickr) www.flickr.com/photos/theblacklightstudio

Why I left myspace...

2009-08-01T19:41:00.002-05:00

View a larger picture.

NOTE: This will more than likely be my last blog here @ The Blacklight Studio on Blogger. Anything after this, check out my new blog.

Ever since I've incorporated Blacklight Studios/313ARTS (now JVLIVS Photography and design) online nearly five years ago, I've had my share of ups and downs. I have entertained such domains i.e. MSN, Yahoo, myspace, flickr, blogger, even blackplanet.

For a time myspace has been the dominant force until I came across flickr, and the rest is history. Before I've joined myspace, I have heard some bad things about it, about some individuals molesting teenagers, on event that still shocks me today was that an underaged girl was chatting with whom she thought was a potential boyfriend who was later revealed to be some wacko nutjob woman posing to be as such. The "boyfriend" dumped the girl and as distraught as she was, the young girl had taken her own life. Sad as it is, that's no reason for me to dump my page which I've operated from late 2006 until today-August 1, 2009. I had a Yahoo group prior to creating a myspace website-both of which under the same namesake-and it was a huge step-up from the Yahoo group that I've had for over a year at that time. While my new domain was taking off to new heights, my old one was too much to maintain, so I canceled it mid 2007. I do regret not keeping the links open, though. I had some real good sites there. And that would've been what was left of the blacklight studio on yahoo to this day had I kept that section open today.

I've learned something about having your own website where folks post comments on, you have to be on the lookout constantly for spammers, as well as pornographers. The stories I could tell about that. Now I'm down to just a few webbies that now obtain my new namesake-save one-and I'm trying to simplify as much as possible. Why am I leaving myspace after a good three years of online bliss? Well, I wasn't feeling it anymore with myspace. I felt that I was in a position of compromise as far as my morality is concerned. Don't get me wrong, I do see a lot of good in myspace, esp. seeing that you can make some money with it as well.

But the "friends" that I had led lifestyles that I'd rather not keep company with, to say the least. And personally, I let that page get out of control unlike my flickr page, which I run a very tight ship on. That's my lifeline there. And being a Christian, I'm trying to get back on the straight and narrow pathway after falling off. And there's no worse thing in the world than falling down and NOT getting up! So despite the urging from those who begged me not to cancel my myspace page, I have to do what is right for me! And I feel that this is it for right now.

I would do myspace again, but like flickr, I'd have to run a very tight ship on it. I want to choose my associates prudently on myspace (which I should've done, maybe it'll still be open) as I do on flickr. The way I see it, myspace is no different from flickr, facebook, twitter, or even youtube for that matter. It's just another website! And one thing that I liked about myspace even to this day, they do NOT allow you to post any porn on myspace. Doing so will result in immediate cancellation of your account.

I am glad that I didn't fall into that category.

Perhaps when I'm older, I'll give myspace another go. But being [almost] halfway in my 30s, I'll leave this one to the teenagers and twentysomethings (you know who you are).

I will say this as well. I've been privileged to have met some people (via myspace) in real life, as well as take pictures of them and communicate with them to this day on a continuous basis. For that I remain grateful!

Detroit Riverwalk, Part II (another old myspace blog)

2009-06-30T22:40:00.001-05:00

August 2, 2007 - Thursday

Detroit Riverwalk Pictures, Part II
Current mood: restless
Category: Art and Photography

Some more pix of the Detroit Riverwalk and a few other monuments (due to limited time I have I can only do a brief description of every other picture). Here goes!

I strolled through downtown and took some pictures of the area before walking on the new walkway.

The Renaissance Center, est. 1977. Originally owned by Ford Motor Co., now the Global HQ of General Motors. They definitely stepped it up!

Ford Field. Home of the Detroit Lions.

Courtyard of the Gem Theater.

The historic Elwood Bar & Grille.

Comerica Park. Home of the Detroit Tigers.

Compuware HQ. Located in Campus Martius.

Grand Circus Park.

Broadway St.

Hart Plaza. I have a camera phone pic of this same location that I snapped @ night. I've gotten alot of comments on that picture. Hope y'all like the day shot as well.

The Windsor Casino. Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Now we're at the juicy part(s)!

The Ambassador Bridge. Connects between Detroit (U.S.) and Windsor (Dominion of Canada).

I took a brief break 2 take several pix of this vette. I have some on flickr.

Back 2 the River walk. In the 2nd pic, you can see the Asian Village in the background.

More models from GM for the '08 model year, and the Asian Village banner as well.

St. Antoine St.. I shot this from the Asian Village entrance.

The bottom pic is the courtyard to the River Lofts. The majority of the pictures that you're gonna see next are of the riverwalk that is near completion and alot of the buildings there are bldgs. that consisted of Parke-Davis Pharmacuetical HQ. Like I mentioned in Part 1, if you were around in the early 80s, Parke-Davis was still around. they advertised Robitussin, Benadryl, and if I'm not mistaken, Alka-Seltzer. And at the beginning of these commercials, you'd always see a caption that read (c) Parke-Davis & Co.. Again, this was in the early 1980s.

GM's UAW HQ. I believe this was built in recent years. If so, it complements what's left of the Parke-Davis bldgs..

The Omni Hotel. Originally located downtown, now takes the place of an old Parke-Davis edifice.

When the river walkway is completed THOROUGHLY, I'll post more pix. I still have some leftover that I've yet to post.

Currently listening:
St. Elsewhere
By Gnarls Barkley
Release date: 09 May, 2006

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GODDESS DE PIEZ DESCALZOS

Millia Roque

Wow I wish you lived near meeeeeee!
I would love to have a photographer as good as you!!
Outstanding!!

Posted by GODDESS DE PIEZ DESCALZOS on August 2, 2007 - Thursday - 6:15 PM
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Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here

If U ever come 2 Detroit 1 day-esp. Southwest Detroit-I'll show U around 1 day!

Posted by Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here on August 2, 2007 - Thursday - 9:39 PM
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Tank

some great shots of some wonderful places. I'm definatly gonna have to head out your way when i decide to get my ass onto a plane!

Posted by Tank on August 6, 2007 - Monday - 10:39 PM
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Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here

the way things are economically, with the slow plane arrivals/departures, and stepped-up security since 9/11, heck, it's almost impossible to board the ports (what do you call 'em in the UK I don't know) with being searched. I'll risk it, either way. I'm a traveling person.

Posted by Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here on August 7, 2007 - Tuesday - 9:55 PM
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Dynamic Hot Object

Susan Leftwich

There is definitely a lot to take in; a day well spent I say! You should try rendering some of the architecture. After you set your camera down first, lol! :)

Posted by Dynamic Hot Object on August 7, 2007 - Tuesday - 11:12 PM
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74 Road Runner (another old MS blog)

2009-06-30T22:38:00.000-05:00

July 22, 2007 - Sunday

1974 Plymouth Road Runner
Current mood: rejuvenated
Category: Art and Photography

This blog is one as a tribute to one of my favourite hot rods, the Plymouth Road Runner. this vehicle has a very storied history and a tarnished rep that led to its demise. But I remain a fan of it today. Introduced in 1968 as the Satellite (Satellite Sebring in its later years), it was a descendent of the Fury/Belvedere model, it was a muscle car with a nameplate whose namesake was the ever-popular Looney Tunes character, the roadrunner. From 68-74 (obviously before my time) this sister car to the Charger was competition to the GTO, Malibu/Chevelle, Mustang, Cougar, and if I'm not mistaken the Firebird and Camaro.....

This is a sketch that I did of a 1974 Bird that I drew form off the web (which you'll see), and though I did the sketch last year, I coloured it just now. I compare picutres now and noticed that I was a bit off, but I plan to do a marker sketch ASAP and post it on my sketchbook.

Sadly, the Road Runner's last hurrah was in 1980 when it was the nameplate of the Plymouth Volar'e. A car (along with its sister car, the Dodge Aspen) that looked good, but nearly put the then-Chrysler Corp. out of business. This was when Lee Iacocca took the helm and restructured Chrysler saving them from bankruptcy. Say what you may about the Road Runner during its 12-year existence, but any TRUE Mopar fan has gotta admit, that this-the 1974 model-was THE LAST of the Road Runners!

Expect that marker drawing REAL SOON!

Currently watching:
The Junkman
Release date: 19 February, 2002

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Dynamic Hot Object

Susan Leftwich

Nice bit of history there? Have you ever worked with velum or tracing paper? Let's say you sketch something on the fly then make a draft quality pencil drawing. use the velum to ink on top of it and you have a cleeeeeeeean~ inked image.

Those would be easier to duplicate if you wanted to do the same car in different colors. Keep it up!

Posted by Dynamic Hot Object on July 23, 2007 - Monday - 12:20 AM
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Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here

I'm gonna try that. Thanks, Susan.

Posted by Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here on July 23, 2007 - Monday - 6:48 AM
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♥ Snuggles ♥

Ms. Laura

Good job! The Roadrunner is not one of my favorite cars but I think you did a great job.

Posted by ♥ Snuggles ♥ on July 23, 2007 - Monday - 8:59 AM
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Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here

thanks. expect more hot rods comin' up soon!

Posted by Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here on July 23, 2007 - Monday - 7:31 PM
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GODDESS DE PIEZ DESCALZOS

Millia Roque

You can really draw a car...

Posted by GODDESS DE PIEZ DESCALZOS on August 2, 2007 - Thursday - 6:17 PM
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Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here

Thanks. I try 2 do my best.

Posted by Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here on August 2, 2007 - Thursday - 9:41 PM
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An old blog from myspace.

2009-06-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

What a week (and some change) it's been 4 me!
Current mood: stressed
Category: Art and Photography

Wow. It's been a heckuva ride as of recently. My water pump went out, the shocking news of WWE wreslter Chris Benoit and his family (I STILL don't wanna believe that it was a murder-suicide which was eventually ruled out), and my mom's truck got 'boosted' right in front the house. After all that, the family still remains in high spirits. I want to share some photos I've taken of the riverwalk downtown. some of which I've posted here, others on flickr and yahoo. But It was a wild week 4 me because I recently purchased a digital camera and just went to work. But due to the photos I have I was just losing time left and right resizing them and adjusting the focus on them, so I'll give a brief description of them as you see them. they may be a bit lengthy, but bear with me cause I took some butt-kickin' pix.

this is 1 of the 1st pix I've taken. This is Cadillac Square. It used to be a bus depot now it's a nice park, U should C it @ night.

Cadillac Sq. up close

Compuware HQ Between Campus Martius and Cadillac Square.

Cadillac Sq. westbound

I took a pic of these 2 young men practicing 4 the And 1 championship coming up. I have a video of them on this website.

The Campus Martius fountain. you can see the restaurant Au Bon Pain (aw bahn pon) in the background. The food there is expensive, but is worth every penny of it.

I forgot the name of this monument, but it was in honor of those who fought in earlier American wars. Originally it was located in Cadillac Sq., but is now in the center of the bottom of Campus Martius.

After this I went to Hart Plaza and did some shooting there. The building to the far left is the Madden Bldg., in the middle is the Penobscot Bldg., and a few others that I cannot recall @ this moment. And last but not least, is the newly constructed 'ring' to the city-I forgot what it symbolized-but it's a nice touch.

two for the price of one, eh?

these 2 pix are @ the center of the riverwalk and it was a blast there. An inground fountain, live bands and some fine women. Aside all that, these pix here are very self-explanatory.

The Asian Village downtown. Inspired by Korean designer Dominic Pangborn, Detroit once again has Asian culture in its midst. We had a chinatown. It was originally located in Cass Corridor (in the 60s-before my time). It was destroyed before, during, or after the 1967 riot. Do you know that Detroit is (presumably) the ONLY city in the U.S. that hasn't fully recovered from the riots? It's been 40 years. But let's move on.

Angie Stone threw down @ the River Walk festival. I have more pix of her on flickr.com.

1 of the rest areas. There's more like this one.

I was able to shoot some happy people downtown as well.

I am looking 4ward 2 seeing Transformers. Here U C Bumble Bee and Ironhide. they, to me, were the backbone of the Autobots.

And here's Jazz. I believe that he was 2nd in command of the Autobots.

Now this was a treat as well. I came across a local filmmaking team named Walter V. Marshall and Joann Rose. Joann is engaged 2 Walter's best friend George. I wish Joann and George the best.

At this point I'm on my last quarter of gas, as it were. But I still kept on going. I didn't have my car, so I didn't have much choice (lol). These two pix are the central portion of the walkway and they're located by where Parke-Davis H.Q. used to be (if you were around before 1980-84, or '85, U remember them). But it was good to see that historic part of Detroit preserved for other things, Hotels, lofts, business, and whatnot. I have more pix on flickr and on my yahoo group.

Now here's where my journey comes to completion. These next few pix should speak for themselves. I'm tired, folks. And I STILL have to resize the rest of these pix (the ones I haven't done yet). Just to let U know, where I was at was at a marina connected to some lofts/condos on the outskirts of downtown where the walkway contours around.

That's it for now. I still didn't get what I wanted blogwise, but I'm content with this so far. Maybe if I get the rest of these pix done, I'll add more to another blog.

Holla back.

groups.yahoo.com/group/theblacklightstudio
myspace.com/theblacklightstudio
flickr.com/photos/theblacklightstudio

Currently watching:
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Release date: 12 April, 2005

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Dynamic Hot Object

Susan Leftwich

You got some really great shots! The clarity on the Chevy Autobot cars is awesome. Now that you have mastered the city scape, can we expect some nature shots?

Posted by Dynamic Hot Object on July 3, 2007 - Tuesday - 7:13 PM
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Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here

that's not a problem. Go 2 :

http:groups.yahoo.com/group/theblacklightstudio

and

www.flickr.com/photos/theblacklightstudio

I'll post some here, also.

Posted by Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here on July 3, 2007 - Tuesday - 7:20 PM
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HONEY KARMEL

i would love to do a photo shoot with the inground fountain that on a day its not so busy. like in the daytime. i found doing photoshoots on a sunday dwntwn is perfect.

Posted by HONEY KARMEL on July 10, 2007 - Tuesday - 2:02 PM
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Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here

I'll take u up on that. just say when.

Posted by Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here on July 10, 2007 - Tuesday - 2:24 PM
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exposure.detroit

good work on all the shots here! looks great!

Posted by exposure.detroit on July 23, 2007 - Monday - 10:36 AM
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Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here

Thanks. I still have some pix to resize and post online.

Posted by Shuttin' it down (I've had a good run here on July 23, 2007 - Monday - 7:33 PM
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Iroquois and Agnes

2009-03-09T18:48:00.001-05:00

Iroquois and Agnes
Originally uploaded by JVLIVS © ®™

I was going for a Sunday afternoon drive and I just happen to have my camera with me and I did some drive-by shootin' as always. On occasion I always drive through Detroit's historical districts. Sadly the forclosure boom has affected even the most affluent areas of Detroit as well as it suburban counterparts.

I will confess, though, as much as I LOVE the 'burbs, even the richest suburban subdivision cannot touch somethng as vintage and as old-school as this house in the Indian Village. I cruise through other districts such as Grandmont-Rosedale, Virginia Park, Boston-Edison, West Village, Woodbridge, East English Village, and let us NOT forget Sherwood Forest and the University District as well as Palmer Park and a few other areas that is overlooked whenever Detroit is mentioned by the media.

But back to what I was saying: Although I love the 'burbs-me being a former resident for a short time-NOTHING beats city living! Esp. if you're in a historical area such as the one(s) that I spoke of with the picture of the house you see here. These homes have a rich and vivid history behind them. The majority of the homes in this particular area were at one point in time owned by some of Detroit's earlier entrepenuers and politicians. Albert Buhl, to name one-haven't heard of him until recently (I'll have to google him one day).

AND I almost forgot to mention that some of Detroit's fiest athletes at one point in time resided here. I believe John Salley owned-and perhaps still does own-a house in the Indian Village. Local anchorwoman Carmen Harlan resides in the (Indian) Village last I heard. One of Detroit's crown jewels still endure a long lasting legacy for the ages.

New Month, New Changes!

2009-03-05T16:52:00.002-06:00

The weather's starting to change and things are looking up in some areas, but down in others. I'm looking at the UP position. After a long time of searching for some part-time work, I may have some by the end of this month and it may surpass what I currently make with the Board of Ed. .

I've taken some pictures fo the suburban area last night, and I'll be sure to post 'em ASAP. But I've been keeping my eye focused on the things I wanna do, and I intend to do them! At this very minute, I'm seizing every opportunity to take some form of control of my life here because things have gotten out of control. As a result of this, I have come to realize that when things get out of control, it'll take a really long time before you can regain control of whatever it was that caused you to lose control. Now while I'm on my lunch break, wrtiting this, I am about to read my email and pick up where I left off due to the responses I've gotten due to the job apps I've filled out these past few months. The year's looking good and bright so far. I guess it's how you perceive it.

I hope AND pray that 2009 will be my last year with DPS! I'll explain that later!

The last day of the month (don'tcha just February?)!

2009-02-28T21:23:00.005-06:00

Nothing like watching some old-school cartoons like Looney Tunes on YouTube. I'm just in elation that I may be having some supplementary income again. And this time, I might be making more there than I do with my current job. I also plan to do more with my sister blog, JVLIVS while I still run this site as well as my Flickr website.

Right now I'm just going through the motions waiting for my small paycheck to come. Man, if only I got paid weekly, that alone would speed things up a bit. What I may do after this is do what I said I would do as soon as I opened this site: Describe whatever piece of art that I post here online. Originally I had a yahoo group, and later a myspace page (which I'll be shutting down in April), later a flickr, and BlackPlanet page. All four domains under the same name. Somehow Blogger came in the middle of it all. And I keep forgetting that I have a DevaintArt page and more recently a YouTube account. Perhaps I'll start March off with some videos I've taken with my camera phone as well as recently purchased Nikon Coolpix L18. I can't wait to post more vids on flickr ! I'm lovin' it!

I'm done for the day here @ the blacklight. I'm off to my sister blog .

Trying new things out...

2009-02-26T11:40:00.002-06:00

For the past few months, I've been hearing, thinking, dreaming, even saying "Anywhere is a step-up form where I'm at now". Those words have been stuck with me for the last few months or so. Me and one of my close friends from childhood have been having this conversation for the better part of this past year, mostly talking me about my personal life. I stay at home, and work a dead-end job, and the direction I once had is no more. And in order to have any form of success in life, you gotta have direction.

And in the ten years and some change that I've been with DPS (Detroit Public Schools), I'm happy that I've hadthis job for as long as I've had it-I really didn't want this job, it was (figuratively) shoved down my throat, I'll explain some other time-but at one point in time, especially in my department, you could move up the ladder and eventually get a position downtown and make some MAD money. I wasn't intending on staying with the Board of Ed. this long, I was thinking either Chrysler, or the City of Detroit or something. Nowadays, things are so bad with DPS, if you try to advance yourself under the umbrella, you already run the risk of losing everything whereas years ago, you'd only lose your senority, and that wasn't a big issue during that time seeing that you were already an established employee as it was. So you were basically starting over but from a higher bracket. A gain and a loss (simultaneously) on both sides, you could say.

Now, seeing that I work an estimated 20 miles from home, I'm stuck in another rut. I live on the eastside of town, and work on the westside of town. Which wouldn't be so bad if my pay were a little better. I make $12.00 an hour cleaning a public building. Now before I bitch and rave about not having a raise in over five years, and enduring a two-year paycut, allow me to say that I was under the impression that your raises would come every other month like most occupations were doing at the time (before our current recession-DEPRESSION, more like it). I've found out that one of my (former) co-workers had revealed something to me that was (I don't the word[s] for this). She had revealed that despite your senority with the Board as a janitor (custodian), your pay rate remains the same. And if she's still working with DPS today, she's still making the same pay rate that she was making when I was working with her, and she's been with the Board about-if not more than-20 years. In other words, she and I make the exact same thing per hour, and she has DOUBLE the senority I have! And after all that time, I thought she was raking in at least $17, 18 an hour like our suburban counterparts were making. And the Suburban school districts may be cutting down as well, but they're dong way better than DPS. Detroit Public Schools is currently a sinking ship, and this is one reason why I've been submitting resumes online, and filling out job apps. Shockingly, I was getting responses. Still getting as well, but I am prayerfully considering my options. At this point, I have a whole load of 'em!

At this point, anywhere and anything is a step-up from where I am at currently!

Can't wait to leave the 'hood! I literally hate it there!

A Day In The Life Of...

2009-02-23T11:20:00.002-06:00

...Yours Truly!

Some of my most popular pix courtesy of flickr.

Much more to come after this!

The Blacklight Studio is now...

2009-02-16T18:28:00.003-06:00

JVLIVS © ®™ Photography and Design

A new year, and I'm WAY ahead of my resolutions!

2008-12-30T19:26:00.002-06:00

"All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power...." -Ecclesiastes 9:10

Truer words have never been spoken in this stream of time that we are in today. This year has had a bit of a rough start for me, as time went on, the road has smoothed itself out for me. It's still bumpy but not as much, thankfully. I won't delve into the bad that has happened, but I will delve into the good.

This year, I have joined Weight Watchers, started a 365 project on flickr.com, lost some weight, gained some in muscle, began some online ventures that is a very slow process, but I have reaped some rewards from them. I have also began to make my resolutions now instead of waiting until New Year's to make them. I'm making an effort to read my Bible again from cover to cover (haven't done that in years), and it feels good to hear God's thoughts on matters. And that's a good thing!

It feels good to have a new outlook/lease on life after seeing the things I've seen this past year, as well as learning the things I've learned as well. I'm just taking it one step at the time, one day at a time. I want to keep things [as well for as the people who are] around me as simple as possible just to keep stress, confusion, and all that other B.S. that comes with it at minimum. I've also learned that keeping the right company plays a monumental role in doing as such and that determines how your everyday life plays itself out.

I realize that I'm over 30, 34's right around the corner, and there are some things I'd like to do. I'm also considering dating (with marriage in view), I've also noticed that some of women have been eyeing me as of late-but doing so in observation of my progress. I love Weight Watchers, they're [part of] the contribution to the changes I've went through since this year started. I don't even drink like I used to, and me and the sauce was the BEST of friends, jack! Beers, lagers, liquors, liquers, mixed drinks, wines, I've had a lot over the years if not most of what you can think of! It hurts me to admit a thing like that, but at least I'm man enough to admit it so give me props on that!

There's a whole new world out there for me, and if [The True] God allows it, I'll be there. Life is the BEST gift he's ever given to humankind.

After all this, I'm still trying to figure out how I'm gonna make this last picture on my 365 pic for flickr.

I'll say this, though. I'm gonna fulfill the purpose that I've intended for this site: To post pics/artworks I've done and give a brief explanation of it! I also plan to promote this site like I did my former website (which used to be a Yahoo! group). That's why I canned it to begin with. But I'm moving forward.

Now I'm eagerly awaiting my new camera that I bought on ebay (can't wait 4 it 2 get here)!

Words of wisdom.....

2008-12-21T02:36:00.000-06:00

NOTE: This is from a poster that I found @ work, and have held onto it ever since.

Today is the fist day of the rest of your life.
Birds of a feather flock together.
A narrow mind has a broad tongue.
The reason why worry kills kills more people than work is that more people worry than work.
There is more to life than increasing its speed.
No one gets too old to learn a new way of being stupid.
He who is known as an early riser can stay in bed till noon.
When you see a situation that you cannot understand, look for the financial interest.
It is better to be a has-been than one who never has.
We didn’t all come in the same ship, but we all came in the same boat.
After learning the tricks of the trade, many of us think we know the trade.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
He that lives on hope has but a slender diet.
Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.
One of these days is none of these days.
There are two sides to every question and if you want to be popular you take both.
All looks yellow to a jaundiced eye.
The man who is too old to learn was probably too old to learn.
The rich need not beg a welcome.
Castles in the air are all right until we try to move into them.
To most of us it would be very convenient if God was a rascal.
It is difficult to see the picture when you are inside the frame.
When you probe unseen places use protection.
The dog that trots about finds a home.
The most welcome person is the one who knows when to go.
He who loses is head is usually the last one to miss it.
One meets his destiny often in the road he talks to avoid it.
He that had four, and spends five, has no need for a purse.
The vow that binds too strictly snaps itself.
Nothing needs reforming as other people’s habits.
If at first you don’t succeed, you’re running above average.
The fellow who is a good sport has to lose to prove it.
Easy street is a blind alley.
It would be a swell world if everyone was as pleasant as fellow who’s trying to skin you.
Say the right thing at the right time, keep still most of the time.
The growth of wisdom can be accurately gauged by the drop in ill temper.
There are visual errors in time as well as in space.
Occasionally you meet a person who thinks he is all seven wonders of the world.
Some people think they are generous because they give away free advice.
It is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one.
Some people know who to live everyone’s life but their own.
Don’t discourage the other man’s plans unless you have better plans to offer.
The things most people want to know are usually none of their business.
Who lives with litter possesses everything.
No one is unemployed minds his own business.
The man who waits for things to turn up has his eyes fixed on his toes.
Experience is one things you can’t get for nothing.
To suspect a friend is worse than to be deceived by him.
Mistrust first impulses, they are always good.
To approve is more difficult than to admire.
The virtue which we appreciate we to some extent appropriate.
Anticipation breeds frustration.
When the cup is full, carry it even.
Be obscure clearly.
Some people pay so much attention to their reputation that they lose their character.
Everyone complains of memory, no one of his judgment.
Nothing is impossible to the man who doesn’t have to do it himself.
It may be to those who do most, dream most.
A man in passion rides a mad horse.
You cannot be anything if you want to be everything.
Have a nice day.

A thousand words is worth a picture © 1978 Kenneth L. Grooms

Resolution Solution

2008-12-08T23:12:00.003-06:00

My resolution(s) for the year comin' up......

Well, let's just say that I'm NOT gonna wait until the 1st of the New Year to make 'em-if anything, that's when you begin to put 'em to use!

So WHY in the world would I (and should I even) begin this on January?!? Makes no friggin'
sense to me whatsoever, it's foolish if you ask me!

But all [nonsense] aside, I resolve to:

Pray more,
Read the Bible more (ain't done that in awhile),
Trust in (the TRUE) God more often,
Stick to my successful weight loss (teetering bet. 40-50 lbs. at this moment),
Keep my language in check (a habit I've had for a LONG time),
Be more selective with those I meet online as well as in real life,
Be more selective with my choice of entertainment (I need help desperately in that area BIG TIME!),
Keep the Golden Rule in practice,
Practice what I preach (or as Jesus stated, "...Let your yes mean yes, and your no, no....)
To be more mature, responsible, and be more wary of my surroundings-the way the world is in this day and age, you gotta watch every step you take in life-even in private (believe me, I can vouch for that one)!
To take (all the more) control of my life. After all, I am responsible for this body and what happens to it!

No need for a BIG list knowing full well I'm not even gonna remember all that let alone put it to use because most of it will be forgotten anyway.......

I've said my piece for this day!

The HEART is the seat if motivation!

2008-11-07T02:05:00.002-06:00

Where do I begin this time? Well, let's just say that after a few hours of watching some clips of various thespians who portrayed the Joker on YouTube and fantasizing about what it would be like to play such an articulate, intelligent but at the same time unstable in virtually every sense of the word character while at the same time fusing the mannerisms of the four actors-including a well-known voice actor-who've portrayed this madman. My mind is on many things as you well know. I think about some of the talents that I've been blessed with: drawing (gotta hit the books again seeing that I'm so bleedin' rusty-can't even draw a friggin' stick figure no more), photography, doing some artwork with some computer programs-HDR being a major favourite of mine, troubleshooting some computer problems, writing short stories, my "articulation" with the English lit as bastardized as it is seeing that in some (English speaking) cultures, many words mean either similar or different things, or even both simultaneously. Yeah, that complicated.

Here's my scenario. I work at Henry Ford High School on the west side of Detroit just three blocks south of Southfield, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit in Oakland county. This past month alone was hell, if anyone is ballsy enough to call it such. I've been out of high school for over 15 years and yes, my school years were very uneventful, but unlike kids today in most urban area, we lived to fight another day. My point is that despite a few modern conveniences that have lightened the burden, as it were, the times have changed since my school days and they're worse NOW than they were almost 20 years ago when I started high school. But I'll delve into that later on....

Back to my scenario: I go to work at a job that I used to love very much but not no more! Everyday I go to this hellhole that I work in and bitch about how bad it sucks and me and a few folks I work somewhat long for the old days where being a janitor/custodian/sanitation engineer (or any other BS title society uses to sound so politically correct) used to mean something, you climbed up a ladder, and you had your own building, and you ran it to the best of your ability. I could go on about that, but it's too much water under the bridge at this point in time. There isn't a day that goes by where I'm just waiting to say "@#$% THIS @$%!& JOB, I HATE IT!"

It's just a matter of time before somebody walks out on the job!

I think about the gifts that the true God has given me, and I keep remeinding myself of the same thing(s) that everyone else has been telling me, even the elders have told me, "....you and that job has gotta part ways..." I believe them, but at times I just don't know how to let go as bad as I want to let this go! Next to what I can do, the ONLY thing that's saving my (behind) is that I have over a decade with DPS, and despite being shorthanded, I'm happy to have a job WITH benefits! But we are being worn out and burnt out with doing two or three jobs at the same time and ONLY receiving our regular pay (did I mention previously-either here or on flickr that OT was cut recently?).

Sometimes I feel like B.B. King in his song "Into The Night".

"...I know, I don't have much of a choice,
I'll go out of my mind,
and into the night..."

It seems like when you're at your wits end, all hope is lost, but at the same time, I've actually saw a brighter side to all this-there's a way out of this mess.

But it's up to me find that way out. I've missed many callings these past few years, it's time to listen (and respond) to the next one(s).

As one friend of mine (who's a very devout minister) once told me when I was younger:

The heart is the seat of motivation!

So again, it's up to me to make that first move. Question is how and when...?

It's da 1st of da monf! (yep, I said it like that)

2008-10-31T23:38:00.002-05:00

November 1, 2008. Month 11 out of the year. The new year is just two months away and I reflect on how this year had a very profound effect on my livelyhood since this year began. I reflect on the idea that I am on the cusp of being with my job with Detroit Public Schools for 13 years. THIRTEEN! A decade and some change, as it were! I was rappin' with one of the ciriculum leaders at work and I asked him about his first few years with DPS whether or not he felt a sense of dignity and pride working for an educational facility? He confessed that he did, and I revealed the same likewise. I was hired in December 1995, but started January 1996. I've seen changes that occurred so fast over time, I couldn't even keep up let alone speak of them-they occurred that fast! I've seen alot come and go. I've seen administrators, teachers, couselors, and even department heads being given their pink slips-even HEAD custodians. And being under the now defunct head custodian category, I remember these fools saying that the janitors were gonna be the first to go. Five plus years later, (most of us are) STILL here! DPS isn't what it used to be, but as bad as I wanna ditch this dead-end job, I'm happy to have a job. I have benefits, sick time, and vacation time, and I make the most of everything I have along those lines! Now we're being encountered with more layoffs, and NO MORE overtime, meaning that we're working even harder with even less manpower and money and to make matters worse, I work in a high school. I insist on working there because you make the most of your money there. But here's where it gets worse. We're short two people, and we may be short three (I hope it doesn't go that far). One of our co-workers was pulled off from our school to help clean three other buildings. Were that to happen to me (and I stay on the other side of town), I'd demand to be reimbursed for gas. Even though it has gone down (how long will THAT last?), it still costs! I drive 20 miles ONE WAY to get to work and I drive a car that I'm trying to maintain until next spring and hopefully I'll have something else if the will of God allows it. So again, if I was pulled out of my building at short notice, I'd question it without hesitation or reservation due to the burning of gas-money's already tight as it is-even if I risk losing my job, I'd still risk it, because DPS KNEW that these problems were gonna arise before most of their mismanagement of fundings were to come to light-which they did. And to prove how ass-backwards these idiots are, I'm seeing BRAND NEW Dodge Charger squad cars in the courtyard of my school. I even posted it on flickr, and one former DPS employee was pissed at the sight of it and he had valid reason for it, and even though I remain with DPS, I'm pissed of myself, but that's neither here nor there at this point. Keeping my head above the water is my focal point right now. I figure being as skilled as I am with the internet, I am seriously considering a work at home job, but there are so many of them, but I've come across a few slots so I have a brand new Dell laptop (and I'm loving it) and I have plenty of opportunities to advance myself so I can do the things I need to do as well as want to do. I have a few business ventures I'd like to get off the ground as well, so I do have a plan. It's just a matter of time before I get off my butt and get moving. I've been so used to same routines over and over again I know that if I make even the slightest change in habits I'll be overwhelmed by it. But at the same time I am also beginning to realize that just that one step can make you or break you. I'm almost willing to make that first step. Despite a real (crappy) economy right now, I truly believe that I have come full circle with the Board of Ed. Virtually everybody I know is telling me now that this is not the job for me (there's that fire under butt that needs to be lit again), so that's telling me something!

I think it's time I started listening (esp. now this being the holiday season and all)!

After all this time stressing out, I'm FINALLY learning how take control of my life!

2008-10-30T12:31:00.002-05:00

Let me just start out by saying this. In recent months I have been watching videos on the internet and have been recording them on my cameraphone (don't worry, I won't repost 'em). I watch them at work whever things get slow, as it were. Anyway my reason for bringing this up was because I've been watching episodes of The Boondocks as of late. My favourite ones that I watch to this very day is "Attack of the Killer Kung Fu B____". It's my favourite because it had so many paralells to certain movies I've seen with the past quarter-century; A thin line between Love and Hate, Fatal Attraction just to name some. And there are also paralells to some women I've known who were victims of abuse and to this day a few do not know how to properly deal with it. This particular episode has set several patterns in a 22 minute time span. A lot of lessons learned from this episode which in a 2-part series on youtube.com. To those who've yet to see that episode, I'll break it down for you. Mr. Freeman, trying to relive his younger days as a ladies man has tried his hand at online dating. After a few failed attempts, he finally comes across someone who actually is the person in the picture, to say the least. So after getting to know Luna-that was her name-better, she later revealed some dark secrets about herself. I won't give the entire episode away, just the moral of the story. But when more of Luna's checkered past had come to light. Mr. Freeman made up some story to get rid of her which worked briefly for a time, but when Luna's friend found out about a 'birthday' of a Caribbean dictator which wsan't until later on in the year, Luna snapped and eventually kidnapped and tortured Mr. Freeman and his two grandsons and even Tom DuBois who was asked by Huey to check on the family periodically. But when things had gone too far, and Luna still being haunted by the abuse she's suffered in the past, broke down and explained how such a life pattern was developed in her life at a young age. Being a product of such an environment, it was second nature to her and it began to control her well-being as she got older. Luna had a confidant named Nicole, who, in my opinion, should've severed all ties with her when she was advised by Mr. Freeman who's an older wiser man who has been there and done that. He advised her to "Take control of your life, take responsibilty...and let go of the past..." That was the antitdote she needed to start her life over again. A new life, and a new beginning, so to speak. The mistake Luna made was when Nicole called again and Luna revealed that she'd told her life story to him and had decided to take control and let go. She should've ended the conversation there (you may know where I'm taking this). After Nicole expressed her opinions of that situation, you could see Luna's depression sink even deeper, and she committed suicide by blowing herself up. How sad that someone so beautiful and talented could end up like that. The patterns being set were being in bad surroundings the root back her childhood, abusive relationships, mistrust, very bad judgment, always confiding in a well-natured, but mostly ignorant girlfriend. And there are some of us who were/are in situations such as the ones mentioned here. And there are some who were fortunate enough to never be in that predicament (I thank God for you whoever you are). Now I wasn't in a situation that was as bad the one mentioned in that particular episode of The Boondocks, but I've been in very bad positions that could've scarred me for life. I think about that episode-depressing it was most of the time-it was educational and somewhat inspirational. As a learning example as to what your lot in life can and will become if you allow it to be as such. And those words from Robert Freeman echo to me even in real life as they should have echoed to Ms. Luna: "Take control of your life....take responsibility...and let go of the past..." Easier said than done, but it can be done! Question is: What will [we] do about it? And if we have yet to do something about it, as my father says to me on occasion: "If not now, when?"

Something to think about. I like it better when I'm in control of me anyway!
Wouldn't have it any other way, baby. Not now, NOT EVER!

Some more art I've done over the years.

2008-10-11T03:00:00.003-05:00

City of the Straits. Just in case I wanna get some bumper sticker designs going. I may post this on the 313ARTS page later on.

The Black Ninja. Drawn Summer 1995. another comic book villain that I hooked up some years back. Perhaps whenever I get my grove back on, I'll make some real good use of him in the future.

313 ARTS

2008-10-07T01:01:00.004-05:00

Something that I want SOLELY focus on in the Detroit Area. Originally from the Blacklight Studio and into its own domain even though it still remains part of Blacklight Studios to this day.
313 Arts basically covers the happenings in the Detroit area.

I may be gettin' some media coverage soon!

2008-10-04T14:38:00.004-05:00

I was so STOKED when I was asked from a band if they could use this picture. The band is called Apollo Heights . They are very Hendrixian to say the least. I'm DEFINITELY gonna give 'em the green light on this one!

BTW, this pic was an accidental flashed one from the another picture that didn't turn out as well as this one. But I was driving down Midtown when I came across this. Originally that sign read "Everything Will Be Alright" but it was recently changed-I don't know exactly when-to what you see now in the picutre.

Klownprince

2008-09-30T03:27:00.008-05:00

Some renditions of a comic book villain that I came up with. I based him on versions of The Undertaker, The Joker, and The Insane Clown Posse, even Galvatron. He's strong, vicious, fast, insane, and as evil as they come! An ultimate badass to say the least. Another brief description of him, he's almost 7 feet tall, multi-ethnic, has a rap sheet almost a mile long, and is a local terrorist, a loner, and romantically linked to another villain who is a talented, strategic hand-to-hand combatant who is highly skilled in various forms of Martial Arts (I'll explain at another convenient time). I plan to do more with this site as planned (besides blog): For every drawing, CG, or photograph that I post here on blogger, I wanna give a brief description of that piece like Gordon Parks did with Half Past Autumn 10 years ago. I've had the pleasure of seeing that display when it first came to Detroit. I've even seen the book Half Past Autumn at Borders around that same time. And that thing was heavy and was over $100. If I came across that book again, I'll be sure to get it (provided my money's just right for it).

BTW, these drawings I did were done between 1995 and 2000. The negatives were done sometime after that.

My weight loss so far...

2008-09-28T01:30:00.002-05:00

Despite some uneventful events that made this year begin with an awful start, I am happy that with the encouragement of family, friends, as well as the internet, I've recently joined Weight Watchers and although I was very skeptic about it at first due to a lot of stress that I was under as well as financial issues that still plague me (as they do everyone else), but this is one of the few things in my lifetime that I've accomplished in life and was able to be persistent with. Now if I could do the same with my music as well as my drawing, I'd be much more well-off than I've been over the years. But after a consecutive three-month period, and also after suffering more than my share of health issues dealing with prediabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis in my knees-one of them I injured, the other just gives out at any given moment, literally! It got so bad I couldn't even walk up a flight of steps. But after learning how to eat properly, and walking sometimes two to three times a day, I've gained more energy (but I burn more as well). WW has even given me a book out dining out and that has helped me out a great deal, and I thank them for that. So I try to apply the things I've learned.

Every week I've been keeping track of my weight at the center on the outskirts of downtown in the months that have passed-sometimes I'd gain, but most times, I'd keep on losing. I've lost so much even though it doesn't sound like much, my feet have shrunk and I'm already strapped for money as it is trying to get my bills caught up, but I had to break down and buy some shoes because I got tired of tripping over myself all the time (like Bozo). But as time went on, I made so much progress, I have received gold stars (that represented every 5 lbs. lost each), a 10 % bronze ring, and a 25 lb. silver medal. I felt like I was literally on top of the world. Even women are starting to stare me down-including the women at work-and not to sound destitute, as it were for attention, but I THRIVED on it and just couldn't help it! Even my confidence level has boosted up a little bit. And the more that I walk, the faster I do it, and darn near can't stop. I don't drink like I used to (I was a big boozer-esp. with liquors), I cheat every now and then with a glass of wine, or treat myself to a nice cold Coke or Mountain Dew or something. But due to working overtime, and trying to get my finances back on track, and enduring driving a car that I've had for 9 years (though it's almost 15 years old now), promoting an online business, selling things on eBay, and all other things that demand my attention, going back to the gym will be very tight for me. But as long as it's doable, I won't bitch about it-yet! I was hoping to express my opinions on weight-loss surgery, but I'll have to do that at another time (right now I'm watching old episodes of The Transformers on YouTube while I'm composing this diary). I do, however, want to share this with you. One of my sets on my flickr website (I just love that place, I just can't help it) that shows the progress that I've made so far. Please let me know what you think of it. The link is at the bottom of the page...

My progress so far .

2007 Cadillac Escalde EXT

2008-09-22T23:22:00.004-05:00

Back to what I said I'd do when I first opened this website. Which was to for every piece I've posted (and I posted so many of 'em), to explain the definition of that piece of art that I would post on line. Originally from my now former website which was a Yahoo group (which was a pain to promote-my business has seen way brighter days than this, I tell ya). I drew this from the Cadillac website. For each stage that I drew this until the it came out the way you see it here, I scanned each stage and posted it on slide . Next time I come across that slideshow, I'll be sure to post it then.

Me as a bad guy, and me as a good guy.

2008-09-15T00:01:00.001-05:00

Just something I stumbled across (the links are at the bottom of each category).

Your results:
You are Venom

Venom		92%
Apocalypse		82%
Dr. Doom		76%
Magneto		70%
Lex Luthor		69%
Dark Phoenix		67%
Two-Face		66%
Mr. Freeze		64%
Mystique		62%
Poison Ivy		60%
The Joker		59%
Kingpin		59%
Juggernaut		58%
Catwoman		47%
Riddler		47%
Green Goblin		42%

Strength, disguise and adrenaline are your greatest weapons.

Click here to take the Super Villain Personality Test

Your results:
You are Hulk

Hulk		95%
Spider-Man		90%
Green Lantern		90%
Iron Man		90%
Superman		85%
Catwoman		75%
Robin		70%
The Flash		70%
Batman		55%
Supergirl		55%
Wonder Woman		45%

You are a wanderer with
amazing strength.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero am I?" quiz...

Man, it's been crazy these past few days!

2008-09-07T23:31:00.000-05:00

Where do I even bother to take this one? Well, I'll say this. Those who know me personally as well as on cyberspace know that I'm no voting person (you're wasting your time trying to convince me on that note, so save your breath), but I am glad that after almost this entire year, Kwame M. Kilpatrick is NO LONGER MAYOR OF DETROIT! Effective later on in the month anyway. But you can surf The Detroit Free Press as well as The Detroit News . And I'm almost willing to bet that YouTube is blowing up over this issue. You can even check out WDIV , WXYZ Detroit , and Fox 2 News for as much coverage as you wish! When I heard the news about Kwame steppin' down, I stopped following it because in spite of the hype and uproars, he had to bend one way or another. I'm just glad it's over! Hate to say it, though, I did feel sorry for him that he went out the way he did because he made history as being one of the youngest mayors-African American mayors at that-but I knew that when he first ran for mayorship, because of his youth, this city was gonna eat him alive-and it did! So what can we expect from Ken Cockrel, Jr.? Time will only tell at this point. But I'm glad that Detroit, despite a worldwide laughingstock-which is enough to make Marion Barry's crack scandal look somewhat cartoonish-is coming back. But all this is TMI for me to get into right now so you can check the hyperlinks in this blog and read 'em at your convenience!

And after 13 years with DPS , and with some city jobs that my mother had informed me about, as well as the BS bitch and moan routine with the Board of Ed., I think I'm finally gonna part ways with them as well as promote my I-Retail business. I believe something's good is gonna come my way. I'm even looking forward to meeting with one of my models for a photo shoot after a successful WLS . And even though I've only seen pictures that she sent me of her via text message (doesn't that sound familiar?), I've even seen her pics on flickr . But I want us to get back together for some more shootin'. I wish this lady nothing but the best! But all things aside, I'm learning to do something that I need to do much more often-esp. @ my age-and that's move forward. As well as my weight loss courtesy of Weight Watchers , that definitely set the tone for me. I've lost over 30 pounds in under two months, I've recieved a 25 lb. silver medal as well as a 10% bronze ring. So am I stoked? You bet your life I'm STOKED about that! I just can't get over how much I've lost in such short a time! At one point in time, I couldn't even walk up a flight of steps! I was literally crawling like a crippled person, not to make jokes about that because I know how they feel about that, but THAT was my wake-up call! I still have joint pain from time to time, but by God's grace, it's way more minimal now than it was then! And my energy level has increased a lot since then as well. I don't wanna rest on my laurels too soon, though because all this hard work can easily be undone so I try to be as humble and modest as possible. Anything can change at ANY given moment so being proud (to the point of boasting or rubbing it in at someone else's expense) can only spell disaster! So in the words of those who are recovering substance abusers, "Easy Does It", and my personal favourite "One Day At A Time". THIS is how I'll live my life from here on out, or die trying!

BTW, here's a collage of the progress I've made so far and if the will of God allows it, continue to make. And with job juggling, job searching, getting some inside information on the City of Detroit from a a family member, attending WW meetings every week, constant schedule changes, promoting an online business, esp. during this time of year with the holidays approaching, working on my 365 project on flickr.com (I'll blog about that later on), trying to make some money with my computer, trying to get back into my sketchbooks, trying to get back into the books so I can eventually finish college and get my Bachelor's Degree, and other things that are too numerous to even mention at this time, my hands are quite literally, in some of everything!

And this doesn't even count the fact that I'm trying to clean up my room at the house. All the other rooms are up to par except the room I sleep in. It's amazing to me sometimes. I can clean up a public building like there's no tomorrow, but when it comes to the house-esp. my quarters upstairs-I'm almost at a loss!

But I'm taking it all with a grain of salt! L8r.

Currently watching :
Employee of the Month (Widescreen Edition)
Release date: 2007-01-16

Life sucks, but I continue to endure (how much longer will this bullsh__ continue?)

2008-09-03T00:58:00.001-05:00

Current mood: crappy
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Where do I start with this one? Money's tight, trying to promote my online business I-Retail , car's actin' up, credit is shanked up the wazoo, I still stay at home, I'm itchin' to move back out, bills are behind, I'm being offered lucrative job offers, that sound too good to be true-and ARE way too good to be true! I was offered a job with Universal Gas and Electric at the last minute and I knew something wasn't right, but I decided to check out the interview anyway in case my mind was playing tricks on me. To sum it all up, it was just like Lynn Whitfield said in Head Of State, "B.S. 101". Case in point, the guy conducting the interview made it sternly clear that he wasn't looking for salespeople, but after the interview and talking to some folks about it, I caught on to the contradiction right before I went on to sign some papers knowing I was gonna sign my life away, to say the least. Now how in the world are you gonna lie and say you don't want sales people but you offer no salary, no insurance, probably gotta do your own taxes. And to me, that makes no sense. Now I can understand if you were self-employed, which I'm on the verge of becoming if the will of God allows it, and you had to do your own taxes, insurance, and hustle from sunup to sundown, then that would be more sensible because it's you and perhaps a few others in tow, as it were. But when I heard this cat speak, and the contradictions that eventually followed, the doubts I had were confirmed. And to top it off, before you can earn a REAL salary with these people, you gotta-you might've guessed it-go to folks' homes and make a sales pitch, and you get about $50 for each referral-THAT'S WHY I'D RATHER DO MY THING ON THE INTERNET AND MAKE MY MONEY THERE! And since I've linked my business to my eBay account, I was able to make some money from eBay, if not the ispeedway account-at least I know that Internet Speedway is the real deal because of its connection to eBay. No hassles, no worrying about getting cussed out and all the other [nonsense] about trying to make a commission. No thanks, I've signed too many papers in my life just to be disappointed and to get in more debt. This ain't even worth it. Enough is enough already! Man if this keeps up, I'll be single and living with mom forever. I have no desire for this. But I was given some information about the City of Detroit-at least it's a SALARIED job, and there are jobs that actually simultaneously do salary AND commission-they're hard to find but they are there. But with the City of Detroit, at least you're backed up. So I'll try my hand there-I'm still focused after all this. Discouraged, but at the same time, ENCOURAGED. I believe in persistence and consistency! L8R!

Currently listening :
Legend - The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers (New Packaging)
By Bob Marley & The Wailers
Release date: By 2002-05-21

Just another day with more BS to deal with!

2008-08-23T10:13:00.003-05:00

Well, I'm pissed! School's about to start, I'm trying to promote my business, and I've found out that flickr.com has been banned from the school's computers at work. But the good part is that I'm passing out business cards to those who'd like to order some product off of my website (how many do I have now, five? six?). Now I'm trying to figure out how I can make some money on these sites so I can ditch this pain-in-the-(butt) job. All in all, despite one or two distractions, I'm moving right along. Kwame's caught by his balls again, but I ain't even thinkin' 'bout him. I'm not a political person anyway. Too much corruption, and you really don't have a say in the matter-esp. if you're a minority. But that's just my opinion-and I'm sticking to it!

Success on eBay (I'm looking forward to much more after this)!

2008-08-12T09:19:00.002-05:00

Well, I don't even know where to began on the recent success I've had with eBay last week. I have started an I-Speedway business about a year ago and I'm just NOW beginning to make some use of it. In spite of some negative talk about it, I remain optimistic because it's an eBay affiliate, and eBay, from my recent experiences, are reliable on both fronts-buying and selling- so I can vouch personally that this may work, it may not. But I've got the ball rolling by having business cards made, I gotta make flyers now, I'm passing out my cards to help promote the business, I've been telling folks about it via word of mouth, I've got a business email, post office box number, and I have best virtually restless in my attempts to get my business off the ground, but I believe that it will pay off in the long run once I get the clientele that I'm looking for. But obviously I cannot sit and wait for one out of two business ventures to take off, I'm on the verge of looking for some jobs that I can work at home. I'm doing all these things beacuse I am in need of a car, and my credit is not the best there is right now-probably won't be for another ten years at the latest, and there is no way that I can survive on this income! What I bring home in two weeks is a months rent! And there's no way in (the opposite of heaven) that I'm gonna make it. But at the same time, even though I have two businesses that are destined to get off the ground-esp. with the holidays coming up-I had no idea that even online running a business could be such hard work, and ebay was the easiset of 'em! But with I-Speedway, I have to spend aLOT of man-hours EVERYDAY trying to promote this website. Wow! And one of my co-workers had told me in advance that it wasn't gonna be an easy task. He would know, he's very business oriented to a "T". But in his case he has to sit down with his crew and go over every written detail and even proofread it just so they'll have their behinds covered! He insists on doing it this way instead of hiring a lawyer to go through all the paperwork for them which cost them a whopping 4 figures, if not more! But after seeing some I-Speedway stores here on blogger, that motivated me even more in spite of the negative talk I barely endured so far. Aside from all that, my faith has been restored to some point. Now all I gotta do is talk to some folks! I really don't wanna be rich, but if it happens, it happens. I wouldn't mind, inspite of constant inflation, i.e. gas, groceries, cost of living, were I a rich man, I could afford it. That would be nice and convenient for all of us. And I believe that there is more than enough for EVERYBODY in this world to have. But we have corruption everywhere! Be it in business, religion, politics, etc.. It's just that once someone gets somewhewre in life, you have, on the one side, the envious person who either wants what the other person worked forbut isn't willing to put forth the effort and make the sacrifices neccessary to get the job done, or the successful person is so insecure in him/herself that (they're) afraid that if they help out the less fourtunate one, that would pose a threat to steal they're thunder, as it were. So they suppress, if not oppress that less fortunate one who only wants to better himself. But on the other side-and this is where politics (and sad to say, even religion) come in-you have both the rich and the poor (be it together or separate) who make adjustments in their life pattern(s) that sometimes simultaneously improve the well-being of both individuals, and the political parties want a cut of their own, which politics, who are government officials are entitled to, but somtimes they want more than what's deserving to them. And people just don't like it-esp. if you're a minority-when you better yourself. What hurts me personally is even your OWN people can't stand it when you move up in the world. But I'll have to get into that at another time.

www.i-retail.ispeedway.com

The 2008 Voluptua Awards

2008-07-30T19:56:00.001-05:00

Note: This blog was originally posted on myspace on 2007 October 16 and got some MAD reviews as well!

October 16, 2007 - Tuesday

The 2007 (and ’08) Voluptua Awards Parts I & II
Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping

The Voluptua Award:

This was something I made up in celebration of the positiveness in BBW/voluptuous women. This award will be held up on an annual occasion once I finish my own personal nominations for the award. I have composed a list of categories, and in order for these categories to be fulfilled, I need to know of those who wish to be nominated. Be it their websites, businesses, accomplishments, etc.

I've recently posted a bulletin on myspace about the ordeal and already got a rapid response. And like I said, this award celebrates the positive things about plus size women. I already did a rough draft and posted that as a blog on myspace, but now I decided to step it up. I've already handed out awards to women on flickr, as well as myspace. This award will involve but will not be limited to those two websites that I mentioned. This award is anybody's ballgame. Should this be proven a success, this just might be a ceremony later on down the road where the winner will take home an actual trophy of some sort. There will be runner-ups (as far as third place) so that the nominees won't go away downhearted. And there's always another opportunity. And, the ladies must be 18 years old and up-no exceptions! No porn, please!

And now, the categories. You're gonna love 'em! Why? Pics and videos are required. Pics for the most part. May the best lady win!

Best hair and nails (individual or separate pics)

Best hair and nail salon (advertised online)

Best 18-29 year old

Best over 30

Best over 40

Best over 50

Best over 60

Best multi-ethnic woman

Best interracial couple

Best couple

Best bar & restaurant

Best nightclub

Best website that features models

Best artist/photographer (one or the other or even both)

Best BBW artist/photographer

Best BBW designs (either by name brands or your own design-your choice)

More 2 come…..

Award 1 (the current one for '07).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These are the ones I have in mind for '08 (let me know which ones you like).
Award 2

Award 3

Award 4

Award 5

Award 6

AND an autographed virtual trophy for my friend Staci (AKA Daddy's Bad Gurl) who gave me some ideas for an appropiate design-Thanks, Staci. She liked 5 the best (and I made 6 in her image).

LET ME KNOW WHICH ONE OF THESE WOULD BE THE ONE FOR 2008! THE ONE WITH THE MOST VOTES GETS IT. AND THE PEOPLE WHO CHOSE THAT ONE WILL GET AND HONORARY VOLUPTUA AWARD BY YOURS TRULY!

Currently watching :
Laws of Attraction
Release date: By 24 August, 2004

10:44 AM - 17 Comments - 24 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove -

DyMoNdS

WOW....I LOVE THE IDEA....OUTSTANDING.....I LOVE THE CATEGORIES YOU CHOSE TOO.....THIS JUST GIVES US BBWS A GREAT UPLIFT BABY....VOLUPTUA IS BEAUTIFUL......I MUST SAY I LIKE 5 BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA DETAIL AND I LIKE 6 BECAUSE I LIKE HER FIGURE.....VERY SHAPELY......KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK BABY.....LOVE IT.....MMMUUUAAAHHH

Posted by DyMoNdS on October 16, 2007 - Tuesday 2:44 PM
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brown colour'd doll .

AW mannnnn beautifullllllll idea!!!! You have awards to be given out all around Myspace then, because I've seen best interracial couples, best over 40's... some of everything man!

Posted by brown colour'd doll . on October 23, 2007 - Tuesday 12:34 PM
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brown colour'd doll .

I nominate Ruben Esq for best BBW art, though he seems to me like a BBW artist LEGEND, he still rocks the flyest

Posted by brown colour'd doll . on October 23, 2007 - Tuesday 12:34 PM
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JNESS

This is a great idea, I agree. I also would like to second the motion and nominate Ruben Esq! His artwork inspired me when I was in high school 20 years ago, his brand of art was the first to encourage me to try BBW ART!!!

JNESS

Posted by JNESS on November 14, 2007 - Wednesday 8:32 PM
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This is what LOVE looks like...

I nominate me and my sexxy lil self!!! =) I lilke award 3 and 4....

Posted by This is what LOVE looks like... on October 24, 2007 - Wednesday 11:20 PM
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THE ART OF THE BRIAN

Great idea my man. You should get an award for just coming up with it.

Posted by THE ART OF THE BRIAN on October 26, 2007 - Friday 1:38 AM
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EVERYDAYICYOU

I love the concept and the categories. The four picture would be a great statue/award.
Thanks for loving the curves of big gurls

Happy Halloween, Sonya

Posted by EVERYDAYICYOU on October 28, 2007 - Sunday 11:37 AM
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Francisca

Thank you for presenting me with this award!!!! I am honored!!!

Posted by Francisca on October 31, 2007 - Wednesday 11:55 PM
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Goddess de Piez Descalzos

Thank you I am really honored tho be included..
Millia

Posted by Goddess de Piez Descalzos on November 1, 2007 - Thursday 1:26 PM
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Sultry Singer

I like award 5. What do i do to nominate someone?

Posted by Sultry Singer on November 2, 2007 - Friday 6:11 PM
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The Original Hairdiva!!!!

I like award choice 6...and I nominate myself of course for the hairstylist award. This is a good idea and a motivating one at that!

Posted by The Original Hairdiva!!!! on November 6, 2007 - Tuesday 10:44 PM
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Susan

Is the design something you can change up each year? That would be a great idea so visually it can be identified, "Awwww, that was '07!"

The current one is great and I like the one sitting and holding up the "V." It reminds me a little bit of a classic hood ornament and being in Detroit, that commands mad respect. I am not a fan of the other one standing and holding the "V." I can't place it, but the design reminds me of something so doesn't stand out to be as original as the others.

More power to ya' man!! :)

Posted by Susan on November 8, 2007 - Thursday 8:46 PM
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[J][A][N][E] [D][O][E]

THESE AWARDS AND THIS CONCEPT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED. I LOVE NUMBER 4.

IT'S ABOUT TIME WE SEE OUR WORLDWIDE APPRECIATION.

CHRISSETTE

Posted by [J][A][N][E] [D][O][E] on November 18, 2007 - Sunday 11:55 AM
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Ruben Esq

This is a great idea, and I feel honored to be thought of by so many people. I hope there is a lot more participation in all the categories. I'm looking forward to it.

And my personal favorite award design is the first one.

Posted by Ruben Esq on November 19, 2007 - Monday 7:07 AM
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DyMoNdS

I WANT TO NOMINATE RUBEN ESQ. AS BEST ARTIST....HIS ARTWORK OF BBW'S IS THE BEST AROUND....HE IS TRULY A GENIUS......I THINK ITS ABOUT TIME SOME OF THESE PEOPLE GET SOME RECOGNITION.....THANKS FOR COMING UP WITH THE IDEA BABY....YOUR AWESOME....XOXOXOXO

Posted by DyMoNdS on November 19, 2007 - Monday 3:48 PM
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RamStar Visuals head honcho

oh yeah... Ruben Esq would get my vote. Not only is he a kickass artist, but he's a real stand up guy.

Posted by RamStar Visuals head honcho on November 20, 2007 - Tuesday 12:07 PM
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If I could do it all over again, I'd change EVERYTHING!

2008-07-24T19:58:00.002-05:00

Where do I even begin? I recently turned 33 years of age, and it feels good to be a young black man in this country who has lived to see 30 and beyond. Most brothers today barely make it to 18 nowadays and that even includes those who were reared in Christian households. I brought all this up for a reason or more. It has been 15 years since I've graduated from high school and I've seen things come and go. I reflect back and I think about where my life has gone since then. I think about my life now and how I've abused it and worse yet, allowed people to abuse it for me. I think about the opportunities that I had, and I wish I could go back in time and turn back the hands of time.

Case in point, I stay at home, I have no woman in my life, I'm in debt, my credit is (screw)ed, I drive a car that's almost 15 years old, my neighbourhood is going to (crap), I have a job that was promising in the beginning but due to greediness and corruption in politics with the organization that I work for, all that was thrown out the window. Not a day goes by that I do not wish that I could tell my job to "...kiss me where the sun don't shine.." You get the idea, I trust. As I reflect on what I just posted, I think about that account in the Bible where Abraham and his nephew Lot and their attendants were fighting over a certain amount of land because their livestock were all over the place. So to die down any further confusion, Abraham and Lot decided to part ways and choose which land that they would individually dwell in. To sum all this up, Abraham had chosen the good land (although in a formless state), and Lot had chosen a nice lavish land, which was anything but once he found out what he had gotten himself into.

After all these years, I'm just now beginning to realize the I had taken the easy way in life (which is anything but), I thought that I was on the high road, and now I find out that I've been on the low road all this time. I was given an opportunity,to work for Chrysler, and I rejected it, and after many attempts to get in, I couldn't (even though I had already taken the physical and passed everything-and I thought I'd finally be in Chrysler just to make up for the lost time). Discouraged and heartbroken and disillusioned because I didn't jump ship when I had the chance in '93 when I graduated from high school. I've had opportunities to make something out of myself when I was in culinary school, I rejected that, even in restaurants, I was offered to step it up by making more money and advancing myself, but I rejected that because I thought that I was too green and too slow to keep up with those who have been doing it for an even longer time. So now two good money makers I've had COUNTLESS opportunites to take the high road on, and I chose to stay in my comfort zone, living in my own pipe dreams instead of hard-core realities. Now I find out that I have an upcoming job with Detroit Public Schools and mom (who constantly-at the time had an EXTREMELY bad habit of-opening my mail) actually forced that job down my throat and I didn't wanna work for DPS I was content at Ruby Tuesday despite a few fallouts from the (stuff) that I was taking from my coworkers, I liked it there. I worked in the mall, and in the suburbs.

But for the first time, I found myself working two jobs. I would work full-time with the Board of Ed., then part-time with Ruby Tuesday. And that made me feel good because Ruby's paid weekly, and the Board paid every two weeks. And being 20 at the time, my thing was "I gotta have some money for my comics as well as my model cars". Those were the days, man. But still optimistic about getting into Chrysler, I still kept my hopes up. But after all those attempts, no dice! If I had taken that high road earlier in life, more than likely my life would've turned out way better than this! Although my job has good benefits, and sick time as well as vaction time, it's not the same anymore. There used to be a time where you could move up in the custodial business. I mean, way up to being in charge of not only the building that you worked in, but you could get a position downtown-perhaps a supervisory position. But all that is gone now. If you try to move up today, you run a huge risk of losing everyting from your seniority to your position and maybe even your job! And that's why most people are holding back from taking further action. But for me, like I stated earlier, I stay at home with mom in a neighbourhood that neither one of us can stand, despite the benefits, my job SUCKS, I live from paycheck to paycheck, I'm constanly putting money in a car that's LITERALLY on its last limb and I need a new one, my credit is HORRIBLE, I'm over 30, overweight although I'm busting my (butt) trying to stick with Weight Watchers (12 lbs. melted off so far, need another 88 and I'm done!), and I have no woman in my life, and I'm past that stage that the Bible calls "the bloom of youth" or the "flower of life" depending on which version of the Bible that you read, and as much as I'd like to make up for the things I missed out on in my infancy stages of bachelorhood, I want so badly to be a husband and a father (before I turn 40, at least). But in the state I'm in, I cannot, and WILL NOT, in good conscience, bring a woman in my life and I have all this red tape on me. And I have no desire whatsoever to bring any woman to reside in the area that I grew up in as bad as it is now. Ain't gonna happen!

Thankfully as it turns out so far, I have two business ventures that I hope will support me while I continue my ordeal. I plan to have everything straightened out by the end of this year. If ispeedway as well as Pre-Paid Legal are everything they're cracked to be, I may just make my way through this. I just need to leave the matter in the hands of God and just leave it. I still remain optimistic after all these calamities that I inflicted on myself. Now I have a chance-maybe a few more-to change things and make life better for me and those around me. I was recently told that 'as long as there's time, there's hope'. I can't even remember the last time that my spirits were lifted THAT high!

I realize now at my age that the older you get, the fewer your opportunities are. So I have learned-and still continue to learn-that whenever I jump on one, I do so with more caution. This away I can avoid the pitfalls that I had to endure. I have no desire to go through any of these things twice in a lifetime!

i-Retail

2008-07-18T22:46:00.002-05:00

www.i-retail.ispeedway.com

Online shopping at your convenience.

Feels good to have some time off (again)!

2008-07-04T12:51:00.002-05:00

It's a holiday today-not that I celebrate them or care for them too much-but I'm just happy to have some time off again. It gives me some time to do some things that my job will not distract me from doing. Even though mom got some insurance money from the sewerage backup that flooded our basement. But I had just taken some pictures of some items that I wanna put on eBay and make some money so I can put a dent in this hole that I'm in. I'm optimistic and I'm focused. Even though doubts creep in, sometimes I can just taste freedom in a couple of months. I will go so far to say that I am willing to get rid of everything I have just to start over again and move on. Other than that, I'm 'bout to start my mission, and that's make some money (via cyberspace)! I've been hearing so much about how much money can be made online and I 'm hungry for some of that. I have two startups, a week's vacation, a paid holiday (today), some stuff I wanna rid myself of. And I'm asking myself, 'what's stoppin' me?!?' ME! So after reading books on business, they've all said the these things [in common]: Get out [that] comfort zone, be willing to change, and think in a different perspective. Yesterday I had some visions of freedom dancing in my head. I need to entertain those visions more often. It's been said throughout the ages by many men (and women); 'if you're positive, positive things will happen to you'. I'm gonna read some more just to boost my spirits up. L8r!

I could get used to this!

2008-07-02T19:38:00.002-05:00

Man, I ain't blogged this much since my days on Yahoo! 360 which later led to myspace. In spite of my rantings and ravings this past week, the main purpose of this site was/is to post artworks that were previously on my Yahoo group (which is now defunct) and to give a description of each piece giving the opportunity and if I was tapped for conversation at that time. But unlike the yahoo group that I ran for over two years, I am not as restricted in regards to the history of the things that I post online. I still regret not keeping the group open for the links section. That didn't hit me until months later and it's mere water under the bridge now. So bitching about it does me no good. Time to move on!

I took pics of pics posted of some of my favourite female celebs online. I'll be sure to post them on flickr sometime soon. I may even entitile them: "My future wife." Which I know will never happen (in this lifetime)! But hey, a man can dream, can't he (lol)?

Right about now, I am about to work on ispeedway.com (one of the startups that I purchsed). I checked my checking account and I kicked myself and said "you're in all this debt, and you've done nothing about this. And nothing is worse that nothing! You have monthly fees coming out of your account every month and the least that you can do is make an effort to get this one off the ground."

I lack motivation so friggin' bad, man! I keep saying to myself, for every day that I don't at least put forth an effort it's a lost opportunity. Time to get serious!

It's the first of the month and not much change has happened, but I remain optimistic regardless.

2008-07-01T22:19:00.002-05:00

I won't even address the issues about the corruptive ties with the Detroit school board and the City (so much crap, I can't even keepup with it). So I've spent this past hour with flickr and surfed the web trying to find the current value of six of my scale models that got caught in our flooded basement, and I still don't have my tax refund yet and I'm friggin' broke. So if I pace myself at work tomorrow and still have some energy left, I'm gonna have to take the basement door off its hinges, and take some things out to the backyard and get rid of things little by little until there is nothing left. Hopefully mom and me will get some money for the damages lost from the flood which resulted a sewerage backup on our side of the block.

I. AM. NOT. HAPPY. THIS SUCKS!

Since we're in a new month, maybe when this (nonsense) is over, I'll post some old-and hopefully new-art on blogger and give a description on what I posted.

Judgment Day

2008-06-30T21:20:00.003-05:00

This is post #70 for me. And although things were slow for me since being here on blogger, but I'm on the verge of doing things that I said I would do when I was shutting down my yahoo group-explain each piece that I post on this site. My only regret was that I didn't keep the links open-I had some good ones, real good ones. But more on that later.

As (anyone) knows, I've been with the Detroit Board of Ed for 13 years (almost anyway). And I've seen alot things happen, and I've done alot of things as well (some of which I'm not very proud of-only by God's grace I still kept my job). But a $400 million dollar deficit has put alot of us in the (crapper) like a ton of bricks. Alot of things done in darkness has come to the light so fast my own head began to spin. Just when we thought that the hype about our mayor had come to a standstill, the individual(s) who were pointing the finger at him, now he's in hot water as well and somehow DPS was connected to that via our last superintendent, Dr. Bill Coleman. As you well know, he was in hot water when some events unfolded from his tenure in Texas. And as the brothers put it, "...instead of going under, he snitched...". Well, if you had 18 counts of federal indictments against you, you'd sqeal, too!

Now the news is that today, June 30, that we will know what the last word may or may not be in regards to what our fate(s) will be with the Board of Ed.. Now's my opportunity to search the web, and get one of my startups off the ground. SOON! But, the message is clear, and the writing's on the wall. It's time to go. I believe that I've come full circle with these people and there is no future here anymore. The good part is, I just got off my vacation (which SUCKED), and it's a four day work-week (if we still got a job tomorrow), AND I have another vacation DURING a pay period (again, granted we have a job after tonight-not to mention my last vacation was during a pay week as well). But, these past 13 years were good to me. I've had a job that lasted over ten years, I have butt-kickin' benefits, I've bought property, and I've bought cars, I've traveled (not lavishly, but at least I did do something), I've eaten in some fine restaurants, and drank some fine spirits, met some fine women, even worked with some (that was the best part), went to some some fine clubs-even worked in one, worked in some of the best schools in Detroit as well as worked doubles for a semester nearly doubling my income. That event had taken place during my 5th year with DPS and I was under 30 at that. So I've done alot. But sadly, I've made some bad decisions which resulted from being greedy and using bad judgment which resulted in my credit being damaged. But due to some pay cuts, and stress that stemmed from it, it was a bumpy road. If I get at least one of these startups off the ground, that'll put an even larger dent in it. I made a vow to myself, my friends and family, and to God that when I get out of this mess. I will NOT get back into it. Doing that, would be like (as Solomon and Peter putting it) "the dog returning to its vomit". I have no desire at ALL to go through this ever again!

More about DPS (in case you're interested).
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080630/METRO01/806300447

Just going through the motions before I go back to work tomorrow!

2008-06-29T00:08:00.003-05:00

Go to:

www.flickr.com/photos/theblacklightstudio

My tribute to the Red Wings. I do NOT want to go back to work tomorrow! Gotta roll with the punches, I guess.

Well, my weekend's is already booked despite some plans that I had!

2008-06-28T01:01:00.002-05:00

Where do I even start with this one? Last night, our basement had flooded and mom lost half her wardrobe, we had up to 8 inches of water flooding the basement due to a storm that we had and our sewer line in our alley had clogged up which may have contributed to the basements in the households on our side of the street flooding. I lost six of my 1/18 scale model cars (and one of them I paid 50 bucks for), my black 300C, two of my Mercedes vehicles, my new Camaro concept, my F1 Honda racer, and my Porsche 911 that I bought at a $5 value at Kroger. And I was gonna sell those on eBay (gotta write 'em off due to the flood-I don't know what's in that water and I'm not gonna chance it)! Before all this, I did take pictures and post 'em on flickr. I even lost my lawn chairs-I had two-one of them was a gift from a school I used to work at, and the other one I bought from Target WITH the footrest for $20! All this you could say is a sign of the times that we live in. If anyone has read their Bible, Jesus foretold that things would get worse before the end came in these last days that we live in. What upsets me the most is that in this flood I lost a brand new 5 piece luggage set that my father recently bought for me before our trip to Alabama. But this little ordeal is nothing compared to the floods in Iowa and Missouri where the farmers lost virtually everything and instead of cars the residents are using boats to make their runs! Surreal? YES!

I got half the basement cleaned out but little by little (we) have to get only so much out the house because our trash can can only hold so much. Despite the losses me and mom had to take, this might've a good thing. Heck, I'm just about over this already! It could have been worse, thank God it wasn't!

My time's is almost up (in other words, back 2 work Monday)

2008-06-27T21:03:00.002-05:00

I am dreadful at this point in time. I've accomplished nothing that I wanted except sleep and eat and be in la-la land with that fine woman that I know I'll never have (laugh if you want to, I insist). But this past week that I've been off, I had to put up with (crappy) weather, our basement had flooded, and I kept letting letting myself get distracted from getting my online business started-I get distracted very easily-not good if you wanna experience financial freedom. Don't know why I keep bullsharking around knowing that for every day that I let pass, that's a lost opportunity. I may, or may not stop by a friend's house this weekend and start a photoshoot with her. But I'll just play that by ear between tonight and Saturday. I was in Toledo this past weekend, but it was an event that I attended. Next time I go to Toledo, it's gonna be just ME! That's it, bottom line, end of friggin' story!

I did, however, take some nice pix and posted some on flickr.com, and I still have more to post. I am also working on a 365+1 project on flickr for 2008, and to me, I feel a bit constricted (or restricted) with this project because most of the project had taken place either around home or work. And when I hit the road to the dirty south last month, what I saw coming actually did happen. I skipped a day (or two) on my project and the adminstrators of the 356 group(s) that I belong to told me that I could adlib with other pix I've taken that same day just to clse the gap. After this project is up, I doubt it very seriously if I'll do another one. Perhaps when I'm older and have more time on my hands, I'll do it then. But I'd say that some of my best pics in my 365 so far were pix I've taken of certain areas-esp. outside of Michigan-I favour those the most.

-Like I said, I have no plans of doing another 365 after this (but all that can change, I'm halfway done with it already). Besides, my flickr calendar wasn't this dang complicated!

I did renew my pro account on flickr. Year#1, MISSION ACCOMPISHED on that note! Over 230 pages, nearly 5,000 images (including some art and CG I've done), and over 22,000 views! I couldn't even get that many on my former Yahoo! group (which this domain takes the place of) and myspace combined! Another accomplishment as well. My next goal despite my being an amateur photographer would be to take any (good) picture that would get the exact same amount of views as my site on flickr combined. One well-known photographer, Bobby Alcott, had this one pic of the Detroit skyline, and it was the the first searched image search on Yahoo for quite some time now, and just that one picture had nealry 30,000 views! I'M HATIN', OKAY? I ADMIT IT! But I'm not jealous-by no means-if anything, I'm inspired. And I appreciate Bobby posting that pic. It's one of my favourites on flickr!

All this time off, and I got something done. I need to get off my (rear) and get some (stuff) done before I go back to work. Perhaps I'll go downstairs and bleach the basement. THAT will be fun. I do NOT think so! I can't wait to leave the 'hood. AGAIN! And this time, if the will of God allows it (and I hope it does), I will be gone for good! That's ALL I gotta say 'bout that. I'm gone! L8r.

Times are hard today (and they're gonna get worse before they get better)!

2008-06-18T22:08:00.003-05:00

"But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here..."
-2 Timothy 3:1-5

Man, where do I even begin here? Forclosures, gas going up, reposessions, evictions, umemployment, etc. is at an ALL TIME HIGH!
After (nearly) 13 years with the Board of "Constipation", I believe I've come full-circle, despite the debts I have, the inconveniences I've dealt with these past few years. I'm in need of a car, my credit is SHOT! I wanna leave the hood again, and I'm seeing foreclosed houses in the city AND suburbs that are selling for dirt cheap! But with no jobs to obtain food and shelter, gas, utilities, (and we're not even counting what's left after we've paid everything for the month)We've pretty much have thrown our hands in the air. I just posted my resume for two jobs online. I'm trying to get my PC back on track so I can get at least one of my online startups off the ground before the month is over. I was in Clinton Twp. (suburb of Detroit, Michigan) and I saw some condos that are on sale RIGHT NOW for under $50,000, and do I regret messing my life up finacnially knowing that with our economy and the shape that it's in as well as real estate practically begging folks to move in, it seems like I have many opportunities, but I don't know where to go seeing that there are so many avenues and if you've led a very sheltered life like I had, and if you've gone through the (stuff) I've gone through, you are as green as the grass. I am trying so hard to be a little red so I can put this naivete in check!

But enough bitching and crying like I've been doing [and been gettin' nowhere]! It's time to (to quote Lee Iacocca) "... shake off the horsesh__ and go to work!"

After reading several books, I believe I've found some motivation.

What a week I had!

2008-05-19T23:38:00.002-05:00

Man, where do I even begin here? I've spent a whole week downsouth visiting long-lost relatives. I've taken tons of pics of a variety of sceneries. Expect some pics ASAP-some of which will consist of my 365+1 project for 2008 on flickr. But after seeing such cities as Dayton, Cincinatti, Lousiville, Nashville, Birmingham, and Montgomery. I have waited way too long to seen the things I've this past week and I deeply regret that I did not see some of my relatives before they passed away, and thankfully I didn't have have to attend any funerals. I've attended about two or three since this year began as it was. But all in all, by God's grace, the trip was very successful (and safe), I've gotten to see the country (for the first time in over a decade-esp. in the south), and it was pure serendipity from start to finish!

More to be said (once you see my pics on flickr) after this!

2008 NAIAS

2008-02-02T18:43:00.000-06:00

Some pix from the auto show last month!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theblacklightstudio/sets/72157603841633175/

West Jefferson Avenue

2008-01-13T06:02:00.001-06:00

Parts of Detroit (some) never knew even existed.

A new year and lots to accomplish!

2007-12-31T22:23:00.000-06:00

Here's 2 the new year!

1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1

2007-12-24T21:42:00.001-06:00

I shot this @ the 2006 Autorama. I posted this on flickr.com and already I got some hits on it!
Right away when I saw this mint condition horse I thought about the original Gone In 60 Seconds. Not much to show here, but I haven't been here in a while so I thought I'd post somethin' here before the year's over.

Narcotics Officer

2007-12-06T23:17:00.000-06:00

Something I did before I started college @ Henry Ford Community College.

1980 Plymouth Road Runner

2007-12-05T01:03:00.001-06:00

Something I did after my high school graduation. I have one I drew in collage but unfortunately I cannot locate it at this time-I will repost this pic and the other one when I can find it.

It's always good 2 have friends in high places concerning the art world.

2007-12-04T13:11:00.000-06:00

I was in a bit of a slump as far as my art was concerned and I posted a blog about it. But I'll repost it here and hopefully someone will relate 2 what other people had to say about it:

April 2, 2007 - Monday

Artists only!
Current mood: creative
Category: fulfilled to some point Art and Photography

Something was bothering me within the last few days. Actually it's been bothering me for the past few years. I've been wondering why some of my sketches although complimented by a few people were looking so bland. I was looking at the artworks of other artists and I was trying to figure out why their art was more 'fleshier' and mine was on the bland side. I began to realize the instruments that other artists were using were totally different to what I was using. And it just hit me, I'm using the wrong stuff! And it made me think things over. For many years-as early as my teenage years-I've been using lead (mechanical) pencils. Something that is condemned in the art field with the exception of drafting. And I'm recounting to memory a huge edge between the 'traditional' pencils-the ones that you sharpen-and the lead pencils where you buy spare lead packets. With the more traditional pencil you have a better chance of maneuvering your shading as well as your perspective (provided you have very good judgment with your sketchpad) in contrast to the lead pencil where if you're heavy-handed, you keep breaking the lead and at the same time when you're getting into it with your drawing, sometimes the lead in the mechanical pencil clogs up, and that couldn't come up at a worse time. Now I realize that I have to go old-school and go back to using the traditional pencils if I want my artwork to have a more fuller appearance! Now I also understand that I figured out what my problem was I have go on the offensive and do the opposite and see what happens. For my friends who are artists, please respond and leave a comment. Thanks.

1:57 AM - 9 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Susan

Drawing instruments do have an outcome on your finished product. Take this to heart though, growing up drawing was pretty much considered a waste of paper and money we did not have. Necessity is the mother of invention so taking regurlar #2 pencils and using your finger to shade was the first time many of us tried to render depth.

I like mechanical pencils. If you go to an art shop you can find leads in more hardnesses (sp?) and thicknesses so work with the medium that you prefer. Realizing that different tools will give you different effects is great! It's late and I'm going to sleep now. I don't even know if I addressed your concern very well so I will revisit it after I have some rest :)

Posted by Susan on April 2, 2007 - Monday at 1:53 AM
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Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC

You addressed it in the manner that I was looking for. Thank you very much for your input. I thought I was losing it (for a minute). I need to get some rest myself. Thanks again, I appreciate the response.

Posted by Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC on April 2, 2007 - Monday at 1:59 AM
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Susan

Haha, OK good! :) I would love to see the results of using different tools on subjects you are familular with. I am envisioning a soft lead on cold press paper (paper type also makes a difference) with streetlights.

OH! Using conte crayon (waxy orange chalk) to color in an entire sheet of paper and then using a rubber/puddy eraser to "erase" your image on the sheet would be great for something like that. Work with charcoal too. Use the entire stick and not just the tip; that's what I used for the two gesture drawings on my page.

Good luck to you!

Posted by Susan on April 4, 2007 - Wednesday at 1:20 AM
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Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC

Who says great minds don't think alike? (lol) I just tok out my old tackle box full of pastels and conte crayons and charcoals but I haven't gotten to using them yet. Thanks again 4 your input. I don't know waht you thought of my other artwork that I've posted on myspace so far. but thanks 2 U I think I'll step my game up to the point where you'll see a more serious side of me. It's just gonna take some time. I just took some pix of Downtown Detroit and I'll have 'em here hopefully by the end of the week. Let me know what you think of those when U C 'em. BTW, I have another website, it's a yahoo group. the door's open anytime (as long as I still run the site-lol).

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theblacklightstudio

P.S. what I may start doing is post different pix here on myspace and different ones on yahoo as well. Thanks again.

Posted by Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC on April 4, 2007 - Wednesday at 1:31 AM
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RamStar Visuals head honcho

first of all, disabuse yourself of any notions about what's "condemned" in the art world. Anybody who feeds you that line is full of shit. At the end of the day, if it's about creating the work you use what it takes to get the job done.

As to the tools, as Soju pointed out, there are varying hardnesses of leads. Each has its properties which suit it lay down a line a particular thickness (or weight) and lightness or darkness. Also, it comes down to determining what the task at hand is going to be. That is, whether it's going to be line art or full tone rendering. Each has it's own set of inherent challenges and/or limitations. With line art the challenge is to convey a sense of mass and volume. This can achieved by varying line weights, hatching or any combination thereof. With tonal rendering the trick is in the gradations. I personally go from starting with the hardest I can find (usually 6H) and intensifying my darker tones and shadows with progressively softer leads (usually ending at a 4B).
The cholce of paper factors in, too, but that's a whole other ball of wax..

I rarely use "traditional" pencils unless I need to work with anything softer than a HB lead. My old drafting tools serve me well. When you get down to it, it's less about the tools than the hand and eye that wields them. Observation and practice are going to be what makes all the difference in the long run.

Posted by RamStar Visuals head honcho on April 4, 2007 - Wednesday at 1:57 AM
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Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC

Dang. How much do I owe y'all? (lol)

I'm having a renewed spirit with this one. Thanks, Ramstar. The door's always open @ the blacklight. Other than that, I got some practicing 2 do. BTW, Bristol Boards (vellum or soft-if I got the brands right) also makes an exceptional differnce I'm just now remembering that for some odd reason.

Posted by Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC on April 4, 2007 - Wednesday at 2:03 AM
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Abandoned In Detroit - Fashion Showcase Project

Here I am using the "wrong" profile to respond. My personal profile is Fuzzytek.

Anyway it has been years since I was drawing (number of years would be a lifetime for some adults). The last time I was doing it was a second course at Wayne State in drawing. The teacher looked at how detailed I was drawing in prior work. She told me that I wouldn't have any fine drawing tools that semester - I worked with graphite sticks, bamboo pens, charcoal, and other assorted drawing tools. Funny thing is that freed my expression. I began creating faster and with more fluid motion. I was able to express emtion through the medium being used and it was fun seeing the difference.

I love the gift of being a creator. The trick is when you feel confined ... it is really your own feelings which confine you. Once you get over your own conditions there is a world waiting to experience the new you. There is nothing in black and white, shades of grey prevail with no ONE being right.

What the prior comments offer is great advice and the hardness of lead from 6H to 6B was going to be the topic of my comment until I saw that addressed. You've got a great listening audience

You are right about the surface too. There are factors like how much product does it hold, how easy to maniplute what is down (smudging or removing), the brightness of stock, and how the base color comes through.

Posted by Abandoned In Detroit - Fashion Showcase Project on April 5, 2007 - Thursday at 10:52 AM
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Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC

Wow, this is gettin' better and better! What didja think of the El Camino I hooked up?

Posted by Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC on April 5, 2007 - Thursday at 10:55 AM
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Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC

U R right about the pencils. the more I think about 'em, the more I wanna use 'em. I was @ the art store earlier 2day and I saw that I missed out on quite a bit since I was in art school (back in 2001). since I joined myspace I've gotten some support on my artwork and hopefully I'll continue to get more. (Now if only I got this much support on my other blogs, I'd REALLY be happy [lol]). I drew comics as a hobby hoping 2 hit it off big time, but I'm content with just drawing as a hobby until something of my interests comes up. But I thank you (as well my fellow artists on myspace) for helping me out with this issue that I've had 4 quite some time. And now that I think of it, the more 'traditional' pencils always do the best job(s)-nothing like the old school-my teacher @ Henry Ford Community College had us use the 6B pencils and I saw a bit of a difference between the two. I recall those events now, and I just might 'give the brass ring one last tug' and go back 2 using thise pencils. Thanks again.

Posted by Blacklight Studios/313 Arts, LLC on April 15, 2007 - Sunday at 10:44 PM
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The Blacklight Studio (new banner with websites)

2007-12-03T12:55:00.000-06:00

Not much to say seeing that these banners speak for themselves.

1969 Chevrolet Impala (wild colours)

2007-12-02T00:03:00.001-06:00

My very 1st ride (I STILL miss it 2day)

2007-12-01T01:16:00.000-06:00

This was my first car, a 1987 Plymouth Horizon. I only had this car four months and I wrecked it. the car was worth $1000, and it cost $1,050 to get it fixed. And till this day-almost 14 years after the accident-I'm still asking "What was the big friggin' deal? It was just an extra 50 bucks!" I mean, how bad could this be?!? But I have some stories to tell about this ride I had for a very short time. I'll probably tell them when/if someone decides to comment on this blog.

Free Spirit

2007-11-30T00:49:00.001-06:00

Another ad-lib of a Spencer Davis character. My favourite, Free Spirit.

Swirl

2007-11-29T22:52:00.000-06:00

This was something I ad-libbed from a well-known sculptor named Spencer Davis. So I came up with a multi-ethnic babe I could improvise from off his models. I posted this on myspace and got some mad props-though not many-for it. You could say that this was the predecessor to the recently-created Voluptua Award that I've passed out on both flickr and myspace. I posted a blog about the Voluptua and the various categories that complement it. So if you haven't read it, read it and let me know what you think.

www.myspace.com/theblacklightstudio
www.flickr.com/photos/theblacklightstudio

BTW, Swirl is one of the 'Angelic Queens' that I'm working on. More on that later on in the future.

2006 Ford Fusion

2007-11-28T02:24:00.001-06:00

Something I did a year ago. Drawn from the 2006 Ford catalog.

Feelin' VERY nostalgic 2day!

2007-11-26T23:59:00.001-06:00

ALL these drawings I did go back for the better part of a decade. The last two were done when I was in art school while the first two were done before I began my art classes. That's one thing I appreciate about blogger.com. Unlike my Yahoo! group that I recently deleted after two years online, here, I can give a piece by piece description of my artwork and so on and so forth! So here goes: The 1st piece I drew @ a riverside park on the outskirts of Downtown Detroit (Chene Park)-a late 1990s Isuzu Rodeo. I sat on the grass mountain and drew the SUV. I observed this lovely couple approach the car and me in its background and to make a long story short, I showed the sketch 2 them and put their names on the car. So now you know where the names came from.

2nd piece: Basically an adlib from several magazines and their advertisements. Back then, I knew little or nothing about drawing women with curves in the 90s, but hair on the other hand, I had some knowledge. The skin-tight jeans were a hit when I was in high school, and my favourite of 'em all-and I even had several pairs myself-the Grant Hill FILA sneakers! I'm gonna get another pair if the Good Lord wills it! That was my 1st time buying a gym shoe with someone else's name on it-and I didn't have to worry about gettin' shot over 'em either-THEY WERE JUST AS GOOD AS JORDANS, only more cost-efficient!

3rd and 4th sketches: Basically futuristic drawings. The map is a somewhat futuristic version of my neighborhood (if you're from Detroit-esp. that particular area-you have an idea where I'm comin' from). And the car along as the cityscape is pretty much an infusion of the Plymouth 'Cuda with fins from the Plymouth Fury (I didn't think of THAT until just now, the fins thing that is) with the grill resembling a shark's face with bright eyes for headlights and teeth of a grill.

Yep. The last two were done in college, folks.

Megatron

2007-11-26T08:04:00.000-06:00

Something I recently (gasp) did on a whim @ work.

The Motown Mercenary

2007-11-25T21:46:00.001-06:00

This was something I did in high school. May 1992, 2 B Xact. U could say I based him on a variety of Marvel characters that I was inspired by. Maybe one day-if time permits-I'll give a brief story of his history.

-While the images still remain fresh in my head!

Not much 2 show tonight-just ramblin' on as usual!

2007-11-24T20:26:00.000-06:00

I'm just sittin' here watching DVDs of the 1st season of Dukes of Hazzard and Remington Steele.
Not much 4 me 2 say other than i got enough caffeine in me to do some cleaning for my studio. What I may do is take pix of my studio and reroute everything in it-maybe that'll help me rid myself of this vermin problem I've been having for the past few months-I swear if I catch one of them little (s)uckers, I'm gonna STOMP 'EM HARD AND GOOD! I may even take a picture of one and post it online. I hate them little bastards!

BTW, here's my version of a Dodge Magnum coupe-sorry 2 C that Dodge may discontinue the Magnum. It was really starting 2 grow on me! Chrysler's gotten a bad rep this past decade. Now that it's independent again-most of it, anyway-things are looking somewhat worse!

What a price 2 pay 4 signing your independence away!

FUTAB THANKSGIVING!

2007-11-22T14:35:00.000-06:00

Even though this pic was taken on a Friday some months back, this is my FUTAB on Thanksgiving. But to me, EVERYDAY is Thanksgiving!

Spirits

2007-11-19T04:10:00.001-06:00

Another sketch from college. Takes me back to my clubbin' days.

1958 Chevrolet Impala

2007-11-17T01:21:00.001-06:00

I was out of town when I shot these pictures. This car was in mint condition! This '58 Chevy was dubbed 'The Baby Cadillac" in reference to the 1958 Cadillac Eldorado. To the Latino community, it is dubbed "Suavecito '58". I'd love to see one of these on Woodward one day.

dream house

2007-11-16T02:58:00.000-06:00

Yep, something from college. I just might go back 2 art school.

1974-76 Ford Torino Elite

2007-11-15T09:13:00.000-06:00

The luxury version of the mid-sized sport car, this baby rode real smooth.
My father and one of his nephews/my cousin shared this ride.

VW Beetle

2007-11-13T01:19:00.000-06:00

Something I've did from the book 'How to draw cars' by Doug DuBosque. The drawing on the bottom is the same one, but done with colors coutesy of Picture-It!.

1959 Cadillac Eldorado

2007-11-12T01:18:00.000-06:00

something I did in college.....

Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.!

2007-11-11T22:02:00.000-06:00

This is a recent skyline photo I've taken before I went to work. Although other photographers have taken similar pix like this, I consider this one of my masterpieces.
From left to right: The Riverplace Apartments/Condominiums, Cobo Hall, The Renaissance Center/General Motors Global Headquarters, The Asian Village, The Comerica Tower, The Penobscot Bldg., Millender Center Apartments,
Cadillac Square Apartments, Chene Park, and Parke Davis HQ.

Six-Fingered Ratchet

2007-11-09T00:04:00.000-06:00

Something I recently drew from www.lambotricks.com
All I did was draw this exact image the best way I could from off that site. I hope to get a response on this one.

Babe on the floor

2007-11-08T12:37:00.001-06:00

Something that I did in college. The original sketch (top) I did in school, and the other three, I colored with PC colors over the years. The last pic was the most recent.

Soundwave and Rumble

2007-11-07T10:56:00.001-06:00

Cyclonus the Warrior

2007-11-06T23:51:00.000-06:00

Formerly Skywarp, Cyclonus (1st generation) was and is the Undertaker of the Decpticons.

Ninja (something that I dug up from the vaults)

2007-11-05T13:09:00.001-06:00

Something I drew in the spring of '91. I basically adlibbed a pose of a Marvel character in a book that Stan Lee published called 'How to draw comics the Marvel Way!'

BTW, the character was Namor the Sub-Mariner in case anyone's curious.

The pic on the far left is my original, the 2nd is a black and white, and the third is negative.

1976 (or 77) Dodge Aspen

2007-11-01T13:11:00.001-05:00

A customized 1976-77 Dodge Aspen I drew in college. Not much 2 described but I dig the ground effects that I put on the bottom of the car.

Collages

2007-10-31T02:32:00.000-05:00

Something I've done in recent years and posted on Yahoo. I was-then and now-a huge fan of womens apparel. It, to me, brings out the personality in a woman be it her clothes, hair, shoes, coat, nail polish, jewlery, whatever calls for that particular occasion, what a woman (man, or child for that matter) wears for that day defines the frame of mind she has whether it's good or bad.

Hot Rod Collage

2007-10-30T11:35:00.000-05:00

Something I did last year when I posted some new drawings on my former Yahoo group. I came up with some designs of my own and let my imagination run wild like it normally does. I did a collage of come futuristic rides with some contemporary touches. The hot rod, you could say, is an ad-lib of some rides from the past (use your imagination for that one), and the truck is a customized Dodge Dakota with sailboat rims. I drew two of the same truck. One with everything closed, the other with everything open but with a different style and flavour, as it were.

And BTW, the hot rod was the one I loved (and still do) the most, so I saved that one as a pic by itself.

My (future) living room.

2007-10-29T11:19:00.000-05:00

This was something I did in college. I said to myself that this is the kind of living room I'd like to have one day.
Notice the curved lamp, the martini set on the one table, a painting of Miles Davis above the recliner, Detroit's downtown skyline out the window, plant next to the window, a small book shelf with a Bose stereo on top of the bookshelf, another table next to the recliner with the Bible on top of it. Like I said, I was in college when I drew this.

Detroit, Michigan is my home, no matter what!

2007-10-28T00:07:00.000-05:00

Some pictures I've taken at random of the downtown area.
From top 2 bottom:
1) Downtown shot from Hart Plaza
2) A picture of the Marriot and one of the towers shot from the inside of the Renaissance Center
3) A camera phone picture of Campus Martius
4) The new Detroit River Walkway
5) The Renaissance Center (now General Motors Global Headquarters)

Chevy Pickup Concept

2007-10-27T02:16:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't be surprised if this would become Kup from Transformers. Just thinkin' out loud here.

I love ANYTHING on wheels!

2007-10-07T19:36:00.000-05:00

I've had in infatuation with automotive since I was little. Be it the real thing, drawing it on paper, taking pictures, or my personal favourite, collecting scale models (which is the closest I've come owning the real thing-let alone driving/riding in certain vehicles which I know I'll never be able to afford). From top to bottom, a very sweet Honda chopper I shot in Royal Oak, Michigan. Next, a drawing I did in '96 called the Plymouth Cheetah (which was my version of the sister car to the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring). An unfinished drawing of a BMW 218 I did about seven years ago. Next, a 1962 Chrysler LeBaron Imperial that I shot @ a private car show in Oakland County, Michigan (which became a favourite shot on flickr.com). Last but not least, various shots of a 1/18 Mercedes S500 that I bought about a decade ago.

My kind of woman (Wishful Thinkin')

2007-10-01T11:47:00.001-05:00

My kind of woman…..

I would like to have woman who…

Knows how and when to use her common sense, and does use it!

Goes by the golden rule

Is God-fearing

Dignified

Self-respecting

Educated

Streetwise

Artistic

Articulate

Optimistic

Keeps to herself when something is not of her concern

Keeps to herself when she’s upset

Will see both sides to a story before jumping to conclusions

Has good judgment

Just as beautiful on the inside as well on the outside

Takes good care of herself and others

Funny

Well-disciplined

Doesn’t take any (nonsense) from anyone, at the same time not give any to anyone either

Likes to be pampered

Treated out to somewhere neither one of us has been before

Fair

Positive

Encouraging

Knows when to say when

A lady at all times, if possible

Characteristic

Long-suffering

Romantic

Freaky every now and then

Loving

Compassionate

Good with kids

Entertaining

Hospitable

Quiet

Calm

Collected in thought

Logical

Emotional when it’s necessary

Always there for me when I need her

Who wants to marry me and have children with me

Moderate in habits

Modest

Doesn’t have to compete or prove herself to anyone

Shares the same interest/beliefs I do

Has reachable goals

Has goals similar to mine

Independent

Loves sports, dancing, and clubbing/lougin’ every now and then

Loyal

Doesn’t use a lot of profanity (if any)

Voluptuous

Sexy in every sense of the word

One I can hold in my arms and say ‘I love you’ each time

One I can kiss many times throughout the day

One I can think and fantasize about and not feel guilty for it

One whom my life can revolve around with no regrets

Takes exceptional pride in herself and those around her and can keep it within bounds

Good with money (cause I suck with it!)

Healthy

Adventurous

Open-minded

Releases her inner child ever now and then

Very charismatic

Tactful

Agreeable

She stands by me no matter what (and vice versa)

Willing to compromise as long it doesn’t affect her moral code of ethics

Mechanically inclined (if possible)

Loveable (even on a bad day)

Edible (VERY!)

Comes out of her shell when her buttons are pushed (turns me on, but I keep my distance as well-HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED!)

Musically inclined

Open to a variety of things in life (2 many 2 name right now)

One I can be wrapped up in her arms as if today were the last day!

Wishful thinking, one may ask? I think it’s well worth it. So many traits at one time, but if that (future) lady in my life-whoever she may be right now-can do the least bit of the things I just mentioned, that’s good enough for me. And NOT ONE TIME did I go into detail or fantasize about certain parts of a woman! Sooner or later a man’s gotta get those fantasies outta his system!