Dwayne’s ’35

Old Fords!

One of my paths to manhood was working on cars. Dirty clothes. Grease under my fingernails. Bleeding knuckles. Firing up a new engine with no mufflers and pissing off the neighbors.

 

Over the years, I owned three 1936 Fords, two coupes and a four-door sedan.

Recently, I fed these old photos into GROK x AI with instructions to clean up the photo and paint the cars maroon,

The sedan going to New York, 1964

I am as sorry I sold these cars as I am that I sold my Apple stock 15 years ago.

Car Shows

I love going to car shows. From the old Ford flathead V8s to the newer muscle cars, these machines have unlimited money and love poured into them. The creativity is astounding. They strike me more as artistic sculptures than cars you would drive on the street.

Mostly the owners are retired Boomers. Of course, younger hot rodders may not have an extra $75,000 to invest in rebuilding a car from the 1930s. In addition, younger people may be drawn to newer, small Japanese cars to invest in…or… even electric cars. My generation is fading into the sunset.

Dwayne Harrold This weekend, I met just such a person at a local car show. He was proudly showing his restored 1935 Ford Tudor sedan. Here is my nine minute interview with Dwayne. Watch closely as he points out the special features he has built into this classic car.

I would call Dwayne as much an artist as a mechanic.

Updates

Neck surgery

Seven weeks since my surgery, Cervical Laminectomy.  Most symptoms cleared up, especially my balance is better. Am I 25 again? No. But much better than before the surgery. I now have two titanium rods in my neck for stability. Very grateful for Medicare and Kaiser.

Reid’s Song

The music is being written that will support this 40 minute epic poem for my grandson. Though he may like the music, doubt he will understand it until well into adulthood. Wish I could be there. Here are a couple of verses and the chorus, fyi.

Chorus

Chasin’ happiness

Total bullshit.

All you need

Let ‘er Rip!

 

Chapter #1: Mining for Gold

Have a great run,

Go roam about—

It’s not about happiness,

It’s finding stuff out.

+++++++++++++

Listen to the dream

From deep within

A passing fancy

Or original sin

++++++++++++++

Worldly goods will

Numb your soul

Purpose comes

From mining for gold

++++++++++  

But you never will find

Any peace of mind

Only blessed unrest

That is the best

Chapter 8: Therapy:

Therapy changes your life

Brings to the fore

Your hidden thoughts

And opens new doors

++++++++++++

I sat in Ib’s wicker chair

Told my dream

About the garden hose

That the water’d not come out.

She laughed uproariously

and  started to shout

Don’t you see Rick

The hose is your dick?

I said that is so crazy

But still it appealed

My deep secrets

Had been revealed

+++++++++++++++

Express your feelings

The good and the bad

Owning the ones

You didn’t know you had

+++++++++++++++

Banging on pillows

Rolling on the floor

Pissing your pants;

Feelings galore

+++++++++++++++

According to Freud and to Ib

Your id is to blame

For all that you did

That you so enjoyed

+++++++++++++

Castration anxiety

Oedipus Rex

Your problems are all

about hidden sex.

+++++++++++++

Carl Jung says

it’s pie in the sky

Universal Archetypes

Just do not lie

++++++++++++++

Rogers says we’re

Basically good.

With active listening

You’ll feel understood

+++++++++++++++

EMDR is evidence based

And peer reviewed.

Without that therapy

You may be screwed.

+++++++++++++++++

But finally Freud said

The goal of analysis is to

Turn hysterical misery

Into common unhappiness.

+++++++++++++++++++

I know this sounds

Like a lotta  woo-woo

But therapy helps

To get you through

+++++++++++++++

Goodbye

So that’s my story

And advice for you

What I’ve learned

In life to be true

++++++++++++

There ain’t no Santa

Or Tooth Fairy

There ain’t no god,

Or virgin Mary

+++++++++++++++++

There ain’t no heaven

Up above somewhere

There ain’t no hell

Down below I swear

++++++++++++++++++++

No baby Jesus

Up in the sky

No pearly gates

When you die.

+++++++++++++++

Some people say

Without god or Jesus

We’d all go crazy

And do what pleases

+++++++++++++++

So here’s the deal

Heaven and happiness

Is not our goal…

We’ll take a pass

On the heavenly fold

++++++++++++++++

It’s all quite simple

Your story to tell

Listen to others’

Stories as well  

++++++++++++++++

Oh, and one more thing

That will save your soul

Blessed unrest will

make you whole

++++++++++++++++

Let me say it again

Finding stuff out

That is the gold

No greater thrill

You can behold

+++++++++++++++++

Big purpose in life

Is  your best shot

And Let ‘er rip

Is what you’ve got

++++++++++++++++

Have a great life

my only grandchild.

Love you to the moon and back,

Hope you run wild!

 

Grandpa Rick

Stay tuned. More to come.