Build update on the Narcissus Shuttle - ALIEN 79 - 1:18 scale. Worked on the remaining frame work for the wall panels. Finished both yesterday and began adding detailing....which is going to take some time. Using a mix of styrene, Epoxy and various misc items (greeblies) to build out the details. I've decided to begin building back into the shuttles main entrance first before moving into the pilot stations...for the exception of the wall panel with all the piping rolling around. I really want to do that wall! HA! So the storage compartments will be separate sections and the airlock will be a separate section..the only way I can build this will be to keep it modular. ‪#‎alien‬ ‪#‎narcissus‬ ‪#‎shuttle‬ ‪#‎diorama‬ ‪#‎stowaway‬ ‪#‎bigchap‬ ‪#‎luckystar‬ ‪#‎scratchbuilding‬ ‪#‎modelbuilding‬

¿Por qué esta magnífica tecnología científica, que ahorra trabajo y nos hace la vida mas fácil, nos aporta tan poca felicidad? La repuesta es está, simplemente: porque aún no hemos aprendido a usarla con tino.

Albert Einstein

We fixed this dingy brown dresser to a super fun shabby chic dresser.

 

My Lovely Katherine's Corner is wearing Love Jayla scalp (they swapped) and it looks good with her makeup but will see

After about 3 hours of driving I arrive in New York City.

  

After Samuel was paralyzed by Despair and She-Hulk I promised him I would drive him to New York to see Amadeus Cho, who may have the technology to help Samuel. He hasn’t been very social for the ride, only speaking when he needed something, but I don’t blame him, if some blue monster started throwing me around I would be pretty traumatized. I didn’t feel like talking anyways, I was too busy thinking of what was going to happen when Fixit found Despair and She-Hulk. I get out of the car and go into the trunk, where a foldable wheelchair lays, I unfold it and then roll it over to the passenger seat where Samuel is. I help him out and then roll him down the street to where Amadeus’ shop is supposed to be. We eventually arrive at what seems to be an old auto repair shop, but where the sign must have been now hangs a banner that reads “Cho Tech”. Beneath the banner is a metal garage door with an arrow spray painted on it, the arrow points towards the front door, which is open. I roll Samuel inside, and as we enter two bright red lights flash above our heads and a speaker starts to yell “CUSTOMERS! CUSTOMERS! CUSTOMERS!”. There are 4 long tables spread across the room, each one is cluttered with tools and scrap metal and odd inventions. At the very back of the room is a short Asian man who appears to be tinkering with an odd metal box, he slowly looks up at the blaring lights and speaker and turns them off with a snap of his fingers. He then turns his attention to us and gets up to meet us. He looks as if he’s been in his shop for the last couple days, which could be true, his hair is kind of messy and he’s wearing a grey hoodie and black sweatpants.

  

“Welcome! My name is Amadeus Cho! C.E.O. of Cho Tech! What can I help you gents with?”

  

“Um yeah, my friend Samuel here was paralyzed and--“ I say before I’m cut off.

  

“We need you to fix my legs.” Samuel demands.

  

“Okay, well I actually may be able to help you.”

  

Amadeus leads us over the second table on the right, he then tosses some papers and boxes aside revealing a metal belt with a bunch of wires hanging down on the left and right, they connect to two circuit boards covered by some sort of clear plastic, and on the ends of them is a metal ring that would seem to fit around the leg.

  

“So these may be the answer to your problem, I call them “The robo legs”!”

  

“Really that’s the best you could come up with?” Samuel asks sarcastically.

  

“Don’t hate, appreciate! Plus it’s a working title.” Amadeus says.

  

“So you’re willing to give these to us?” I ask.

  

“Sure, I got a whole closet full of them.”

  

“No you don’t.” Samuel says.

“Of course I don’t, it was a joke. But I will give them to you, but if anything else happens I can’t be held responsible, because they’re only a prototype.”

  

“So Samuel will be your test subject?” I ask.

  

“I wouldn’t call it that, he more of a…well yeah I guess that’s what he is but don’t let that discourage you.”

  

“It won’t but let’s see if they work, someone help me put them on.”

  

I help Samuel out of his chair and Amadeus gets the robo legs. We manage to get them on and let Samuel try them out. At first he struggles but the more he walks the less painful it appears to be, and in not long Samuel seems to be able to walk with no trouble.

  

==========================================================================================

 

Meanwhile in Boston, Fixit searches for Despair and She-Hulk.

  

Early today Bruce took Samuel Sterns to find help for his legs, and he sent me to find the two Hulks that paralyzed Samuel. I feel I am close to finding them, so I head towards the dock. At first I don’t see anyone but that’s when I hear screaming. I run to the noise and see She-Hulk and Despair sitting on the edge of the boardwalk picking up boats out of the water and throwing them back in. She-Hulk is laughing and Despair definitely doesn’t look as depressed. I walk over to them, trying to make sure no one spots me, they don’t seem to notice me as I approach them so I announce myself.

  

“My name is Mr. Fixit, I’m a Hulk, like you two.” I say.

  

They turn to me and stare at me for a couple seconds, and then She-Hulk speaks.

  

“Oh yeah, I remember you from the school when we were split from Banner.”

  

“Yes so do I, I saw you two the other day but there were too many people.” I respond.

  

“So Mr. Fixit you are what part of Bruce’s personality?” Despair asks in a low sad sounding voice.

  

“I am the intelligence, I was the only Hulk to stay behind and help Bruce. What part of him are you two?”

  

“I’m his sadness and She-Hulk is his feminine side.”

  

“His feminine side?” I say with a bit of a snicker.

  

“I wouldn’t laugh if I were you buddy, I’m known to have a temper towards smart asses. So back to what you were saying, you met Banner?”

  

“Yes, I’ve been helping him find other Hulks.”

  

“You’re the one who helped him find fear? You’re gonna get us killed!” Despair says breaking into tears.

  

“Chill Despair, that wasn’t him, it was the cops, and speaking of the cops we should get outta here.” She-Hulk says.

  

“Yes, they’ve probably been alerted of your presence by now.”

  

“For the smart one you’re not very smart, look behind you genius.”

  

I follow what She-Hulk says and look behind me, at first I don’t see anything but then I see the sirens flashing. Three police cars and one SWAT van come speeding around the corner, when I turn back around to She-Hulk and Despair I see they’re already running, so I run after them. I follow them down the boardwalk, up some stairs and onto the road. They then run in-between a bunch of crates and freight containers stacked on top of each other. I just manage to slip through before the Police can catch us. We all meet behind a green freight container thinking we lost the police.

  

“I think were safe.” She-Hulk says.

  

“They’re g-gonna k-k-kill us!” Despair says through is tears.

  

“Stop crying, you’ll give us away!” I say.

  

We all stay quiet for a couple seconds but then a cop comes from behind us and yells that he found us. Sweat drips from his forehead, his gun shakes, he looks young, probably a rookie. Despair turns around and runs straight for him, the rookie fires at him but the bullets just bounce off Despair. The rookie is then lifted off the ground and tossed into a nearby warehouse. I then turn around to see five more cops, they rapid fire on us. I jump out of the way but Despair and She-Hulk run right for them, She hulk grabs three at once all slamming them into some crates and the throws them into their own cars. The two remaining ones are slammed together by Despair and then straight into the ground. She-Hulk then signals me to come over. Looks like she forgot about the SWAT truck. Instead of following her I go the opposite way around the container. As I peak my head around the corner I see four officers in SWAT gear come out of the truck, behind them is Captain Ross, the man who murdered Fear. The officers fire at the Hulks but like before, they are not affected. But then one of the officers goes into the truck and comes out with a bazooka. He fires it at the Hulks and they are sent flying back into a couple of crates. Despair begins to scream and cry, but She-Hulk just gets right back up like it was nothing. She picks up some debris from the crates and throws it at the officers, two of them jump out of the way but the rest just keep shooting. She then picks up a large piece of wood from the crate and rams it into one of the officers, stabbing him in the leg. The officer with the bazooka drops his weapon because She-Hulk is too close to fire. Ross yells at the officer and then runs into the truck to get a weapon. The other officers that jumped aside before run at She-Hulk and jump on her back trying to stop her, but she just reaches back, grabs them and tosses them into the harbor. Ross come out of the truck with two grenades in his hands, She-Hulk doesn’t seem to notice him as she’s looking back to where Despair is lying. I yell at here but she doesn’t hear, so I run to stop Ross. He pulls out the pin from one of the grenades and tosses towards the Hulks I manage to knock the grenade away from all of us but it’s still close enough to knock Ross, She-Hulk and I away. I slowly get up but when I look for Ross he’s nowhere to be seen. But then I hear something hit the ground. I look down to see a grenade right beside me. I try to grab it and throw it away, but then Ross pulls out a gun and shoots it right in my hand, causing it to blow up.

 

Scale shot of some of the sculpt work in progress. 1:18 scale.

Mr. Fixit It

Build update on the MU/TH/UR 6000 chamber - ALIEN 79 - Nostromo 1:18 scale. Possibly my last bit of updates to the MU/TH/UR build. Waiting on some resin to cast the control panels to the entryway door then this project will be tabled and figure sculpting will commence! Will finish the control chair as well. I'll be needing to create a shell that will encompass the chamber along with the corridor leading to the entrance from the bridge. It will need to allow room for the fiber optics to set in. If it's ever to be put on display, it will be tricky. I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it. More to come! #alien #nostromo #muthur6000 #weylandyutani #buildingbetterworlds #diorama #scratchbuilding

Build update on the Narcissus Shuttle - ALIEN 79 - 1:18 scale. Worked on the remaining frame work for the wall panels. Finished both yesterday and began adding detailing....which is going to take some time. Using a mix of styrene, Epoxy and various misc items (greeblies) to build out the details. I've decided to begin building back into the shuttles main entrance first before moving into the pilot stations...for the exception of the wall panel with all the piping rolling around. I really want to do that wall! HA! So the storage compartments will be separate sections and the airlock will be a separate section..the only way I can build this will be to keep it modular. ‪#‎alien‬ ‪#‎narcissus‬ ‪#‎shuttle‬ ‪#‎diorama‬ ‪#‎stowaway‬ ‪#‎bigchap‬ ‪#‎luckystar‬ ‪#‎scratchbuilding‬ ‪#‎modelbuilding‬

I have to fix it

My... second humble attempt at fixing shit without payin' for it, lol. (Garmin GPS) The first successful attempt would be the complete disassembly/ reassembly of a PS4, but with no soldering needed. In this video (yet to be posted), I fully deconstruct and reconstruct a PS4, replacing it's noisy fan, with a completely silent fan. And if you don't know that fan is, then ask me.

 

And now that I've done that, I might as well take the challenge. This is a fun trip down technology lane and I am learning about soldering and circuit boards on the microscopic level and everything else involved with that, which is a massive pain in the ass.

 

Interesting stuff, and it harkens back to my days working in one of the most toxic jobs I've ever had... customer service representative at Public Sound in Wayland Square, Providence, RI. Despite this being a fully authorized service center for electronics repair for every product you can whip up, it was a very sinking ship, and eventually everyone had to leave. Crazy, crazy times.

 

"GET OUT OF THE ROOM!".......Parker. ALIEN 79

Progress on "The Beast" - 1:18 scale.

FQ vs swatch setting + miniscule text for designer names

 

This design was made for large scale applications like cushions, bedding, wallpaper. But it cannot be set for first sight viewing at a size that makes sense.

 

Why are the designer names in such miniscule text? Is Spoonflower ashamed of us?

 

[FQ vs swatch setting + miniscule text for designer]

Within what seems like the blink of an eye, I am dropped out of Savage Hulk’s giant fist as he is sent flying by Mindless Hulk, I fall hard to the ground and The green and red Hulks begin to tear up the farm with they’re blind rage.

 

After struggling to get up from what I think is a broken rib or two, I walk back to the rubble of the farm house to try to find Despair, She-Hulk and Fixit. Where the kitchen was, Despair lays flat on the ground and She-Hulk is sitting on what’s left of the sink wiping some blood off of her face.

 

“Sh-she-Hulk! You’re okay!” I yell to her.

 

“Yeah I’m fine, Blue is just out for the count.”

 

“Oh, well that’s good to hear. You have to help me find Fixit.”

 

“But what am I gonna do with Despair here? Those Hulks could kill him!”

 

“Please you have to help, Fixit’s the only one who may know how to stop these Hulks.”

 

“Dammit Bruce, look I saw Fixit near the tractor in the wheat field. I’ll be looking out for you.”

 

“Alright…thanks.” I say struggling with my injuries.

 

I walk out to the field, both Hulks, mindless red hulk and savage green hulk fight it out outside the barn but Fixit is nowhere to been seen.

 

“Fixit! Fixit where are you!”

 

I hear a quiet moaning coming a couple feet away from me, I scan the field and then I see a green hand just peeking out of wheat near the road. I walk over to see Fixit laying on his back, bleeding from multiple locations, and a couple fragments of metal sticking out of his leg.

 

“B-b-bruuuce…” Fixit says barley getting the words out.

 

“Fixit…you’re…I have to get you out of here!”

 

“Br-ruce…accept it…accept my…”

 

“No! I will save you! We’re all getting out of this alive!” I say, tears streaming down my face.

 

“Bruce, I will die tonight and it’s too late to change that. I-*cough cough*-I represent your intelligence and I’m smart enough to know…when someone is past saving. And as your intelligence I am telling you to accept my fate.”

 

“Dammit Fixit I am not going to let you die!”

 

“Bring me to the b-barn, tell She Hulk to bring Despair. Use that helmet to do what I’ve been trying to do since the day that gamma bomb exploded, and bring the H-hulks together…once and f-f-for all…” Fixit says reaching his hand out to me.

 

I grab his arm and lift him into my arms, carrying him feels impossible but I do it because maybe he’s right, maybe I have to bring the Hulks together to end this.

 

==============================================================================

 

I reach the barn and drop Fixit on some hay right as I get inside, not long after She-Hulk enters with Despair. Despair immediately falls to the ground and looks up to me. Then I realize they’re all waiting, waiting for me to use the helmet and bring the Hulks together. So I place the helmet Bruce called “The Leader” onto my head and over my eyes. I look around to see green, Fixit, a darker green, She-Hulk, and then Blue, Despair.

 

“Focus Bruce. Channel your emotions and combine the Hulks.” Mr. Fixit says.

 

“You can do it Bruce.” She-Hulk says softly.

 

So I close my eyes and go through my emotions. Fear… he was killed by Ross…but I still feel fear inside of me. Fear that Fixit will die. Sadness…Despair. Compassion and Love…She-Hulk…Rage and Hate… Savage Hulk and Mindless Hulk. And finally intelligence…Fixit. I focus on intelligence, Fixit helped me assemble the Hulks, from the moment the gamma bomb went off, to now. I feel Fixit drifting, so I open my eyes look at him, and use all the strength I have to bring him back. Then I look to see Fixit turn into air, a green mist. Then the mist that is Fixit come towards me. Then I hear Fixit in my mind.

 

You did it Bruce, you saved me now you have to combine the other Hulks before it’s to late.

 

“Mr. Fixit! It worked! You’re alive!” I say in excitement!

 

“Why is he talking to himself?” Despair whispers to She-Hulk.

 

“Alright guys time to bring in the rest of you.” I say “She-Hulk, Despair, Thank you for everything.” I turn to them and say.

 

I then close my eyes and do exactly what I did with Fixit. First She-Hulk and Despair, then I focus on Savage and Mindless. They’re a bit harder but eventually I bring them in to. I finally feel complete, all my emotions are mine and I can control them all. As I walk out of the barn I expect to see Fixit and She-Hulk walking behind me, but then I realize I’m alone. But then I realize they’re all with me. I take off the metal helmet and drop it to the ground, putting this mess behind me. As I walk back out to the car voices begin to scream into my head, all yelling at me to watch my back and that I’m not alone.

 

Then all the voices quiet down and Mr. Fixit speaks. Bruce, he’s here.

 

I then turn around to see a man in a full metal suit bend down to pick up Amadeus’ helmet. He then puts it on to his head slowly, and once it’s in place he looks at me with a wicked smile.

 

“Samuel? You…What are you doing with the Leader?” I ask.

 

“The Leader huh? Is that what this thing is called? Well, tell your gamma beasts I am their leader.”

 

Comes with Joe Fixit’s right leg, a gun, and three hands.

reakfast deals

bicycle repair van on the market square

 

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HIT THE 'L' KEY FOR A BETTER VIEW! Thanks for the favs and comments. Much Appreciated.

 

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All of my photographs are under copyright ©. None of these photographs may be reproduced and/or used in any way without my permission. Just ask!

 

© VanveenJF Photography

 

Took some images using my 35mm camera instead of my smart phone (similar to the image I shared last night). Hope you enjoy!!‪#‎alien‬ ‪#‎spacejockey‬ ‪#‎sculpture‬ ‪#‎hrgiger‬ ‪#‎derelict‬ ‪#‎nostromo‬ ‪#‎diorama‬ ‪#‎art‬ ‪#‎sithfire30‬

My fixit quest continued with a quick trip to Angelo's this morning to stretch out and rebuff and reshine and reheel a pile of shoes [please make my Lanvin flats fit please please please] before heading home to purge the attic/basement/playroom/entire house while Heath left for Vegas for his brother's bachelor party [I take turns focusing on the flights, the late nights, the bars and the strip clubs]. This dumpster is no joke. 12 yards! My mom is already convinced it's too small, since the garbage from Adam's room alone filled the entire bottom, but come on - 12 yards worth! We should be fine. Though Bumble Bee Pooh Bear took up a surprising amount of space. Also, it is much easier to purge sentimental items in a wine-induced haze. True story.

Fixit and I went back to my apartment.

 

It was hard sneeking around a man with green skin and red eyes but we managed to get him into my apartment building. It was about 5:00 and the sun was starting to set, Fixit walked in, turned on the lights and grabed a beer from the fridge. It was as if he knew the place inside out, but then I remembered he was technically me, one of the many versions I just became aware of.

 

"So what do we do now Fixit?" I ask.

 

"One, Please call me Mr. Fixit, and two we watch." He says.

 

"Okay, what are we watching for?" I ask him.

 

"We watch for any news of the other Hulks, and for any odd behavior from you." He answers.

 

"Odd behavior? Why?"

 

"All the Hulks are linked to you, so when a Hulk absorbs more of the emotion they represent they grow in power, some of that emotion or feeling will come through you."

 

"Oh, so how many Hulks are there?"

 

"You tell me Bruce, your the one who's connected to them, I just know what I know because I'm a Hulk and I'm the intelligent one. So concentrate, concentrate on the Hulks."

 

I follow what Mr. Fixit said and I close my eyes so I can focus. I take deep breathes and think about my emotions, about the Hulks and about how much my life changed a few hours ago. I start to see colours, flashing, blue, red, green. But then my silence is broken by a knock at the door. I open my eyes and look to the door, I remember "Betty". Mr. Fixit stands up and puts his finger to his mouth, signaling he'll be quiet. He then walks quietly into the kitchen, I then walk to the door and open it. On the other side is a girl, she wears a red sweater and tan pants, she is smiling at me, her name is Betty Ross. I invite her in the door and we hug.

 

"Hey Bruce." She says to me.

 

I start to get nervous, Betty and I have been friends since high school, I'm usually never nervous around her. I back away slowly, I feel scared. I run into the kitchen but Mr. Fixit isn't there, I turn around and Betty is now in the kitchen.

 

"What the hell are you doing Bruce?" She asks.

 

I look at her again, no longer feeling nervous and I speak.

 

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." I say.

 

"Are you alright?"

 

"Yeah, I just had a really weird day, I think I need to rest."

 

"But I thought we were going for dinner, you said you wanted to tell me something."

 

"Right, right. Do you think we could reschedule? I think I'm coming down with a cold." I lie.

 

"Well if your feeling sick a hot meal is what you need."

 

"I'm sorry Betty, maybe another day?"

 

"Okay, Bruce, I'll see you later then." She says as she leaves.

 

Mr. Fixit then comes into the room after the door closes.

 

"What happened?" Mr. Fixit says.

 

"I have no idea, I just felt scared." I say.

 

"Sacred? I don't remember a Hulk like that."

 

"I'll turn on the news and see if there's anything."

 

I flip through the channels as Mr. Fixit paces the room, I don't see anything big, only that a robery of Potts Tech in New York was stopped by some masked vigilante.

 

"Well I couldn't find anything." I say.

 

Mr. Fixit then looks outside and speaks.

 

"Well I did."

 

I run to he window, and see that everyone is running around in chaos on the streets, in the center is a lime green man, just taking everything in.

 

"Looks like we found our first Hulk I say."

  

==========================================================

So here's issue 1! Hope you guys enjoyed! Sorry about the crappie pic editing. :P

The letter "A" mysteriously appears in the clouds. Lots of interesting words begin with this letter. Which one d'ya suppose the clouds had in mind?

 

POEM STORAGE LOCKER

 

HOMELAND INSECURITY

 

Remember the Weapons of Mass

Destruction? The ones they never

Found? There are those who’ll tell

You they still exist somewhere, but

It’s a secret. With all the technology

And good old American know-how

They still can’t tell us what became

Of those WMDs, their excuse for

Spilling all that blood. When they

Shrieked 'the sky is falling, let us

Save you', the whole country bent

Over and said 'as you wish'. Now,

As then,they don’t even need an

Excuse, never mind a court order –

To spy on you because they think

You’re interesting. Better not be

Too interesting. Better be a bland,

Dull, boring little drone, otherwise

If it’s a slow day they’ll aim all that

Technology at you just to find out,

In the name of public safety, who

An interesting person gets to sleep

With, and whether you’re concealing

A WMD between your sheets.

  

SHEEPDOG

 

When I come up with something

That seems halfway intelligent,

I try and put it into some form

I can share with you, because

Most of my day I’m just as

Speechless as everyone else.

I look at things and just go,

What the f—k. I feel like a

Sheepdog trying to keep my

Charges from falling prey to

The freedom that comes so

Naturally to them, and which

Wolves depend on. And who

Do they get mad at? The wolf?

No, me. Need I explain further

Why I’m mostly speechless?

 

BOOKS

 

What a sentimental dinosaur I

Must sound like, seriously sad

That the era of books seems to

Be ending. Global warming will

Mean fewer trees for paper, and

A cheap alternative to printing –

Texts right to your computer -

Already exists, so it’s really a

No-brainer. What paper that

Remains will be needed for

Toilet tissue, until computers

Can wipe our asses too.

 

SANTA

 

Consumerism and spirituality dance a

Mutually suspicious tango together

In December. Alas, my letter to Santa

Would reveal I’m just as materialistic

As anyone else. But if you were Santa,

I’d ask that you slide the benefit of a

Doubt down my chimney. And were

I to find even the smallest present of

Your trust under my tree, that would

Move me far more than any glittering

Bling from the mall. I’d put forgiveness

On my wish list, along with healing,

Acceptance and grace. If we could

Share the gift of understanding, then

I think we’d be getting closer to what

Christmas is all about.

 

JIMCARE

 

I know I should have asked you

First, but you're my doctor - that's

All there is to it. You've got the

Cure if you ever want to use it.

 

SKIN

 

My skin may be thick but it’s full

Of nerve endings. Honestly, my

Thoughts can’t all come from my

Well-ordered, logical brain, which

Actually prefers the comfortable,

Logical, practical, and reasonable.

Nope, my edgy thoughts must

Come from my skin when it rubs

Against poison plants or gets

Surly over weather variations or

Bristles at certain personalities.

My normal conversation wouldn’t

Resemble some of my more out

There observations, unless you

Were to listen to my skin.

 

CONFUSED WITH FOOD

 

Don’t you just wish sometimes

People were like food, existing

Just to please, just for your

Benefit, just for you well-being?

Don’t you love how food says,

Do anything you want with me.

Eat me hot, freeze me for later,

Spice me to your taste, bathe

Me in seasoning till I make

Your mouth water. Yum, yum,

Honey I’m home for dinner.

I believe I’ve illuminated the

Obesity epidemic spreading

Across America insidiously as

Communism in the ‘50s, but

Were I your food, I’d sincerely

Want to be a balanced meal,

Lots of what you like but also

Lots of what’s good for you.

 

WITCHY

 

If magic wands weren’t standard

Issue just for wicked witches, I’d

Wave one and say presto, abra

Cadabra, it’s all sorted out and

Everyone’s happy. All loose ends

Reconnected, all pressing questions

Answered or rendered irrelevant,

All with Heaven’s smiling approval

Because it’s done right. That’s what

I’d do if I had a magic wand. While

We’re at it, a broomstick in lieu of

Plane tickets would be great too.

 

MAGIC

 

You can’t rely on magic, but that

Doesn’t mean it’s not there. It’s

Fickle, it hides, it’s unreliable, it

Would make a lousy employee.

Even Wizards get wounded when

Their spells backfire. Magic won’t

Make you a superhero. Magic is

Best approached with a certain

Humility, maybe a willingness to

Nurture without a constant eye

Towards a desired harvest. Keep

A pleasant garden for magic. It

Holds dear safe places it can rest

Without demands put upon it.

Magic wants to help, but knows

Too much help can be more like

Harm. Still, who knows, when it

Wakes it could always sprinkle

Your day with unexpected grace.

 

KITCHEN

 

This house feels like a home

Because of the ones who

Were here with me over the

Years, many long passed on,

But the kitchen feels like

They’re still here. This is

Where they took care of

Life’s most basic business –

Food, drink, doing dishes,

And I still live by what I

Learned from them. Do we

Really have any choice about

Ideas of right or wrong

Drummed into our heads?

Is it anyone’s fault the ones

Doing the drumming had no

Way of knowing the world

Beyond their kitchen?

 

SEE

 

How do you really see someone?

Can you put on sunglasses to cut

Their glare without perceiving

Them as darker than they really

Are? Does what you see through

Rose colored glasses really have

A rose fragrance to go with it?

Can you put someone under a

Microscope in the name of science,

Analyze their germs in the hope of

Curing their sickness without

Catching it yourself? Different

Ways of seeing give you different

Images, but the word image is

Always close to the word imagine.

The truest way to see someone

Is the way they see themselves,

But how would I know what that

Is when I can only look from afar?

 

LITERALLY

 

When they say don’t love the world,

They really ought to qualify that as,

Don’t love the world of man. As for

Our planet, it needs all the love we

Can spare. The world of man is an

Abstraction, indicating our species

Considers itself separate from its

Own origins. Just because man

Invented language, our definitions

And dogmas don’t make us more

Than a luckier class of monkeys.

Like monkeys that discovered how

Bones made excellent weapons

And proceeded to hit each other

Over the head just because they

Could, our so-called discoveries

Have just as often been our own

Undoing as our salvation. Relative

To our species’ long tenure at this

Address, we only recently

“Discovered” that we live on a

Rock floating through space. Left

To our devices, we ruin our planet

As casually as an infant soils its

Diapers. Don’t love the world?

Hey, the world gave you a tongue

To say those words with. And this

Is what you give back?

 

LAUNDRY

 

Carelessly piled in rude proximity

To each other’s soils and smells,

Pelted with goo or white flake,

(Usually by a white flake), then

Drowned in darkness as the

Heartless machine’s waters turn

Hostile. It’s receding leaves us a

Crumpled, damp distortion of our

Once beautiful selves. And as a

Final indignity, we’re spun about

Violently for what seems like an

Eternity till we collapse in a

Bewildered heap. Is this what you

Have to go through to get clean?

Beware, housewives of America –

What goes around comes around.

Precious, I’m on to you by now –

You throw me in that torturous,

Spinning thing, but I know you’ll

Just make me dirty all over again.

 

ACKNOWLEDGE

 

How do you acknowledge all

That you know, all that you’ve

Felt, and all that you’ve thought

Without making it seem all of

That's more important than

Everything you’ve yet to know,

Yet to feel and yet to think?

Only by choice. Sometimes

Even the wise pretend that

Yesterday never happened,

While only the most foolish

Pretend tomorrow never will.

 

SCALE

 

Hope in change for the better,

Fear of change for the worse –

The scale starts out balanced

Equally, then we start moving

Around, acting, reacting, beliefs

And feelings and feelings start

Shifting from one side of the

Scale to the other. I wish I could

Weigh in just on the good side,

But I’m only part of the balance

And sometimes my choices

Put me on a different side than

I’d intended. I need someone

To jump on the good side with

Me. We could tip the scale, I

Know we could.

 

PISCES

 

There’s a built in flaw with words –

It’s nice to catch thoughts, but

Thoughts are life fish, they don’t

Have life unless they flow. Don’t

Take anything I share with you as

The last word. Thoughts need to

Be fluid, not frozen, not stuffed

Like trophies, not canned, labeled

And sold at competitive prices to

Stimulate the economy, not made

Into sandwiches nor marketed as

Fast food hamburger alternatives.

Think living fish, moving. Truth is,

Like the moods of the sea, one

Thought flows into another, then

Into another, ad infinitum, which

Is why what’s hurting us today

We often end up laughing about

Tomorrow, and vice versa.

 

BAD STUFF

 

Nobody wants to hear about the

Bad stuff, but it’s what makes the

Good stuff good by comparison.

How to stay off those subjects

When they’re part of what forms

The story, part of why things are

The way they are today? The bad

Stuff is like a horrible creature that

Emerges from the sewer at night.

The bad stuff will hurt you, and

You know very well it’s there but

Not how to talk about it. Yet it

Holds the key to unlock the

Reservoir of pain, let it empty

So something more joyful can

Fill it instead. The bad stuff is as

Ugly as sin. Have you got the

Guts to look it in the eye?

 

COOL AS ME

 

People cool as me never admit to

Needing someone. People cool as

Me are expected to act like if they

Want company there’s a menu of

Willing individuals only too happy

To comply, but mostly they just

Want privacy. People cool as me

Act like they’re married to their

Mission in life, regardless of how

Long ago we got a messy divorce

From it that we’ll forever be

Paying off. People cool as me are

Alone on Valentine’s Day, wishing

They had someone they could be

Themselves with, someone to

Hold in confidence, someone to

Enjoy the world with, someone

By their side to while away those

Lonely hours even the coolest

People can’t avoid.

 

VOICE

 

I found a voice, and dammit,

I’m gonna use it. Do I really

Have anything to say? Does

Anyone? Actually, I do have

Something to say, but it’s

Not something you’d say

Outright. It’s there between

The lines. And it’s not just

Having a voice that makes

Speaking worthwhile, it’s

Knowing there’s someone

Listening. You have more

Power than you realize –

You’re really the poem,

I’m just the voice.

 

SUPERHERO

 

Superhero, now we need you. Go

Make Russia mind its own business.

Throw their tanks back across the

Ukraine. Make them stop being

Such vodka brains. Superhero,

Scare off their armies, tell them go

Direct traffic in Communist Square,

Not invade other countries. Cause

Russians are weirdos with nothing

To lose and a chip on their shoulder

From way too much vodka and too

Much cold weather and no rock and

Roll and they’re mean to Pussy Riot

And Communism never worked

Anyway - no wonder they’re mad,

But when mad equals stupid, we

Need Superheroes for villains like

Godzilla and Russia under Putin.

 

WISH I KNEW WHAT TO BELIEVE

 

Wish I knew what to believe.

Is it just up to me? Would you

Leave such a crucial definition

To the village idiot? If nothing

Else, at least you’ll get an

Unusual perspective, but alas,

Not necessarily one that will

Change things much. Is it the

Acceptance of things as they

Are or the persistence in trying

To make things different that

Defines an idiot? Or is it both?

Someone said no, no, that’s all

Wrong, it’s all about where

You’re coming from. Well, I’ll

Have you know, I aspire to

Come from someplace clean,

Honest, honorable, true, but

All I know for sure is, I come

From my mom. Or so I’m told.

Wish I knew what to believe.

 

UNSOLVED MYSTERIES

 

Conspiracy theorists are already

Tweeting it was aliens took that

Plane from the sky. There’s a

New Bermuda Triangle up in the

Skies above Asia. Planes fly in but

Don’t come back out, or maybe

They all will in 500 years, when

The Triangle expunges the lot in

A single eruption, like a giant fart

In the time-space continuum.

Unsolved mysteries suggest too

Many possibilities, that’s why we

Don’t like them. If it wasn’t aliens

It could have been hungry clouds.

Or there’s a giant bird up there

Collecting planes the same way

Some of us collect butterflies. Or

The plane flew into a time warp

To 1000 years in the future, the

Planet of the Apes, where a fuzzy

Faced Sarah McLaughlin is on TV

This very minute singing “In The

Arms Of An Angel” on behalf of

The passengers and flight crew.

 

BEARS IN WINTER

 

Winter sends her message in

Such a cold way. We need to

Learn secrets of survival when

All turns to ice for awhile. Only

For awhile – in time even this

Freeze will melt so the water

Can flow again. For now, time

Out, red light, cease fire, halt

Till further notice, hunker down,

Carry on as usual – if you want

To freeze to death. Unlike the

Bears who have the right idea

And sleep through it, I’m awake,

Feeling every cold moment.

 

DEMANDING BASTARD

 

I guess I could get better pictures

If I used a fancier camera, but as

I’ll explain to anyone who’ll listen,

In my experience life goes by too

Fast to focus a fancy camera on it.

Fancy cameras are for when you

Have the luxury of subjects who’ll

Hold still for you. I need my quick

And dirty little point-and-shoot for

The kind of subjects I catch. I want

People living, not posing. What a

Demanding bastard I can be. Am I

Enough of a cunt yet that you’d

Consider me some kind of artist?

 

SHE HAD A TERRIBLE VISION

 

She had a terrible vision in the

Post office parking lot. She saw

Samoa fifty years from now,

When most Samoans will look

Like me, in denim instead of a

Lava lava, and worse still, part

White. All I did was get out of

My car and I gave this old lady

A terrible vision in the post

Office parking lot. I know I did.

It was written all over her face,

I felt her terror and sorrow,

And now I’m just as scared.

 

FREUDIAN SLIPPERS

 

Psychological mechanism, whether

You’re aware of it or not, it’s what

You do on impulse, without thinking,

Almost as if it did itself. Like when

You shut me out, not just once, but

Time and time again. Makes me

Wonder what you’re thinking, why

You believe that’s what I deserve.

When you spoke to me, is that the

Impression I gave? In my company,

Is that how I made you feel, like

Someone you need to shut out, not

Someone you need to open up to?

What you need to know is, I don’t

Have a clue. I take my cues from you,

But sometimes I wonder whether

You even know why you so naturally,

Spontaneously, automatically shut

Me out like you’re a vampire and

I’m sunlight.

 

ALL YOUR FAULT

 

Investigate, detective, analyze

The crime scene. Compile a

Profile of the perpetrator, try

Guessing their motive. Using

Wit and intuition, crack their

Puzzle, expose them in the

News, soothe public concerns

The criminals are taking over.

No, criminals are predictable

And secretly long to be caught.

They just crave the stimulation

Of knowing they’ve engaged a

Mind as brilliant as yours to

Figure them out. In fact, were

It not for you, detective, the

Criminals wouldn’t find crime

Even worth it.

 

PRODUCTS PROMISE

 

Does roll-on or spray keep you cool,

Calm and collected better when

Someone you care about gets you

Really upset? Can this glue can hold a

Relationship together? Which plastic

Container will best protect my heart

From being jostled and bruised?

Which of these scissors is quickest

For cutting through the bullshit? If

She drinks this cola, will she really

Open her happiness for me? Every

Single item in this store says made

In China. So what would Chinese

Buy if they were trying to connect

With someone special? Whatever

Looks most American? That would

Not quite explain overpopulation,

In China, unless their condoms are

About as reliable as their radios.

 

ROCK & ROLL

 

Old folks can’t rock & roll so well

Anymore on the dance floor, but

In their hearts the music never

Stops. When I say you rock me,

I mean you move me. I don’t

Know why, you just do, for or

Against my will, either way, and

I’d rather celebrate it than hate it.

We needn't drag each other through

Hell. Rock & roll has a dark side,

As does most things first intended

For a more Heavenly purpose. It’s

Just the way we feel each other’s

Rhythms, and when you and I find

Our groove, it’s like the angels

Are rocking out.

 

CIRCLE

 

In the days when Samoa was further

From the center of western society

Than most could even contemplate,

White men who saw it would jump

Ship and hide in her mountains. They

Thought they’d found Paradise, and

By comparison America or Europe

Was a hell they had no wish to ever

See again. Nowadays we don’t worry

Much about sailors jumping off ship,

More about locals trying to jump on.

Western society has always had some

Trying to escape from it, so now we’ve

Come full circle and some from here

Are trying to escape island society.

I guess your perception of Paradise

Depends a great deal on what you

Can compare it to. I wonder whether

Those longing to escape island society

For its first world counterpart could

Ever see Samoa the way it looked to

Those first eyes that knew enough to

Make that comparison so long ago.

 

FROM BABIES

 

Babies know joy instinctively, even

In the midst of the worst troubles

Going on around them. When adults

Aren’t causing pain under a misguided

Notion it will keep pain from being

Inflicted on them, they’re desperately

Trying to dull whatever pain still

Penetrates their armor, even though

Not feeling is just the same misery

In different makeup. With all the open

Pain warfare around us, it’s not as if

We’re unaware that others hurt too,

It’s more like we don’t care. Pain is

The currency of exchange between

Our bodies, minds and spirits. Spirit

Pain is the deepest hurt a person can

Feel, and many don’t realize how deep

Into darkness their spirit has sunk until

Something or someone unlocks the

Chains and their spirit can fly again.

Some say we take our sensitivity too

Seriously, but when we stop giving in

To the agitation of disquieting ideas,

These same sensitivities can make us

Sensitive to joy. This might take some

Re-learning, some remembering but

Luckily you can learn a lot from babies.

 

RECIPE

 

I speak to you in my mind and maybe

Occasionally say the right thing. We

Are more than just our ideas, way

More, but ideas shine a light on

What’s going on inside our walking

Balloons of flesh, blood and bones.

I put things together for you, like

A recipe, hoping my creation is to

Your taste. There’s a taste in my

Dreams, engages all the senses,

And I wake knowing there’s only

One real point in coming back from

Slumber at all. Whatever powers

I have of thought, speech or action,

I wish only that they be right for

Bringing you the recipe that comes

To me from somewhere inside.

 

NO WAY TO TREAT A GUEST

 

Goes by like a shadow outside the door.

Shiver. Ghosts don’t show up during the

Day – must mean this one couldn’t wait.

Is something urgently needed before it’s

Too late? Ok, I’m waiting, but I haven’t

Got all day. What is it you want me to

Realize? Is there something you hope

That I’ll recognize? I’m wide open to

Suggestions, but can you do more than

Just skirt the shadows of my awareness?

Uh oh, I think I’ve just insulted the ghost –

Spoke before thinking - you’re supposed

To be mysterious and it’s very special,

Very sacred, even very blessed in a way

That an entity from the other side would

Feels strongly enough about something

Here on this one to intervene. So here I

Sit, calm, clear, open. Seconds tick,

Nothing happens. Apprehension grows

I’ve insulted the ghost. I like to believe

I don’t intuit spirits when there really

Are none, but now there really isn’t.

No mysterious tingle, no strange noises,

No unusual signs. Not even a hint of what

It meant or what it wanted. It could be a

Misunderstanding, true, but there’s no

Mistaking the emptiness of feeling sure

Something came to me but wouldn’t stay.

 

MOON IN ARIES

 

My sun sign is Cancer, but my moon

Sign is Aries, which coincidentally the

Sun just went into. Man, my planets

Get kind of mixed up sometimes. I

Googled “moon in Aries” and was

Kind of horrified to find that what

It described wasn’t the person that

I am, but rather the person I try not

To be – impatient, inconsiderate,

Innocently self-centered, as in, why

Of course I’m the center of the

Universe. I’m Jim and your’re not!

No, no, I’ve consciously cultivated

Being kind when I can and even when

My first impulse is to kill dead. I take

Things very personally. Treat me like

Someone you want nothing to do with

And I will have a very, very hard time

Ever opening up to you. Treat me like

Your friendship is genuine, comes as

Naturally as breathing, and I’ll never

See you any other way. If I scare you,

Congratulations, your wits serve you

Well, but even celestial egomaniacs

Are capable of evolving. Honest.

 

MOTHER HEN

 

It’s really funny you feel threatened.

Hey Einstein, if I was capable of doing

Something crazy I already would have.

But my craziness takes the form of

Expression, and if anything I’m more

Of a threat to myself than anyone

Else, just like Van Gough caught a

Form of craziness that caused him to

Cut off his own ear and offer it to a

Prostitute, not as payment but as

Some kind of token. True story. Pure

Madness, but look at the paintings

That came out of him. As for me, I

Can say with about 95% confidence

My ear is safe. At heart I’m more of

A mother hen, taking care of other

People hella more than anyone takes

Care of me, but that’s my token, I

Just try and look after things. You’re

Not threatened, you just bring out

The part of me that wants to express.

 

PEACH

 

Aries is the time when impatience

Comes naturally – when it feels like

Whatever is supposed to happen

Should have happened already.

There may be a time and place for

Such a sentiment – it keeps things

From getting stagnant, shakes up

Our routines, reminds us that life

Needs to move, needs to feel new.

Once man feels the power of his

Actions to effect things, he thinks

Action is the answer to everything,

And inaction is worthy of contempt.

But what happens when you want a

Ripe peach right now, and the tree

Says sorry, it’s not ready yet? In a

Fit of impatience and contempt,

Should you take an axe and show

The tree who’s boss?

 

COLD ON A SUNNY DAY

 

Anxiety causes tension that affects

The body, weakens the immune

System. Anxiety can be like birds

Making noise, birds that feed on

Feelings, constantly announcing

Their presence, attracting even

More birds, making more noise.

Birds only know one song, but they

Give the performance their all. I’ve

Heard the same song interpreted

Many times, and you have to give

Them credit for staying faithful to

The original. It never changes, it’s

Constant as the color of the sky.

No one complains about the color

Of the sky, they just learn to see

It as beautiful. My immune system

Isn’t applauding the constancy,

But birds aren’t about to change

Their tune just because of me.

 

WHY IS THE DEVIL?

 

Why is the devil so attracted to this

Family? He must like our banter, the

Pomposity of our place in society

Echoed in our accents of faraway lands.

Why does Lucifer join us at our table

Every time the whole family’s in the

Same room? He must delight in seeing

Supposedly civilized community icons

Turn into savages after a few drinks,

Cutting and bashing each other with

Words instead of clubs, the nervy ones

Jockeying to establish dominance like

Apes forming a mating hierarchy. Why

Is God’s fallen angel always co-counsel

To our lawyers whenever our family

Mess inevitably winds up in court? The

Devil specializes in turning imported

Laws against the importers, reminding

Us that the higher the privilege, the

More prolonged the payment.

 

QUIET MONARCHY

 

America’s mainstream spirit lives

Under house arrest in the gated

Community where the quiet

Monarchy bide their time. Now

That they’ve captured the voice

Of the silent majority, have you

Noticed it’s endless variations on

The same commercial? The ads

Promoting our country as global

Cash register, moral arbitrator,

Cultural enforcer? America’s

Mainstream spirit sleeps in its

Comfortable prison, its dreams

Often tormented by the older

Ghost of American humanity and

Idealism. America’s mainstream

Spirit doesn’t mean to demonize

The excluded, but in celebrating

The included, well, that contrast

Just has to stand out somehow.

Like a golden vision of perpetual

Prosperity, at least for some, the

Rockets’ red glare shines forever

In the lights of Las Vegas, where

For every spent Elvis waiting to

Die one morning on the toilet, for

Every spent engine of industry like

Detroit waiting for the scrap heap,

There is one more diamond in the

Crown of America’s quiet monarchy.

 

QUIET ANARCHY

 

We all make our own choices, and

Mine have grown mellower with age

But once in awhile there’s still this

Quiet anarchy I feel, where I want

To just burn down everything and

Everyone who’s ever caused me to

Hurt, caused me to believe you’ve

Been dealing me cards all along

From a dirty deck, cause me to

Realize I’ll never succeed in any

Way unless I play a bullshit game

That feeds someone else’s control

And profit. See the old anarchist

Walking his dog with plastic gloves

And a paper bag. I have to clean up

My mess or else face a fine, while

You go scott free every time you

Take your glorious dump on me

And everyone else.

 

PUNISHMENT

 

Such a painful situation

You wish you could punish

Somebody for it. Wish you

Could cast the first stone,

Wish you could bear damning

Witness, wish you could join

The witch hunt, but you won’t.

Punishment might provide a

Pleasurable revenge, but don’t

Forget, in love it’s better to

Give than to receive. Can you

Say the same of punishment?

 

CONSISTENCY

 

I’m always wrong, but at least

The reason keeps changing.

One day I’m wrong cause of

This, next day I’m wrong cause

Of that, in a week I’ll be wrong

Cause of something else. I’m

The barometer or baseline by

Which you gauge what’s wrong.

If I’m always going to be wrong,

What can I do? Be wrong in

Creative ways, be wrong in

Original ways, be wrong in

Inspired ways, be wrong in

Ways that are at least true

To myself, be wrong in ways

An impartial observer might

Conclude are only wrong

Depending on one’s point of

View, which I’m sure you’ll

Immediately shift accordingly.

 

OIL AND VINEGAR

 

It isn’t someone whose faith

Blinds them that we need, it’s

Someone whose faith opens

Their eyes. And perfection

Isn’t what we should seek in

Another, but rather someone

Whose imperfections mix with

Our own like oil and vinegar

Rather than gasoline and fire.

Oil and vinegar are not terribly

Romantic, I know, but see how

Together they elevate the

Salad from bland to sublime.

 

GOING COWBOY

 

I don’t feel so at home on the

Range, where the deer and the

Antelope make territorial noises,

While my own thoughts about

Unclear boundaries compromise

The night’s quiet. Like a Hamlet

On horseback, the uncertainty of

A stalemate situation eats away

At my peace of mind. Any kind

Of move would be going cowboy,

Riding in with pistols blazing.

Might save the day, might just

Leave a big mess. Feels like a

Rescue is called for, though no

One is yelling help. It’s fine to

Go cowboy, follow no rules but

Your own, if you want to break

Free, but if you want to return,

You ride alone, trying to recall

The trail home on a dark night.

 

SPEECH DEFECT

 

Just a way to get a word in, talking

Without voices, without eye contact,

Just words symbolizing meaning,

Representing feelings, self-centered

By necessity because propaganda is

Always a distorted exchange, forever

Open to interpretation. Hardly the

Optimum way to communicate, but

The alternative is total silence, history

Interpreted in opposite ways, with no

Basis for agreement or understanding,

No common meaning because you

Can’t treat meaningfully someone

You don’t acknowledge even exists

Anymore. How strange to feel like a

Ghost in someone else’s world when

You’re not even dead yet.

 

COUNTRIES

 

American Samoa was born in 1900.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Was born in 1922. American Samoa,

Which is not quite America and not

Quite Samoa, is still trying to figure

Out what it is. The USSR, which was

A Union only by force, rape by any

Other name, Soviet and Socialist only

For as long as it was convenient, until

Its Republics grew strong enough to

Assert they wanted to be countries

Themselves, is also still trying to figure

Out what it is. I was born in the late

1950s, and I’m still trying to figure out

Who I am. You were born in the late

1980s, so if you haven’t figured out

Anything yet, that’s understandable

Given historical precedent.

 

COSTUMES

 

Costumes and uniforms, I’ll dress

The way I need to. One day one,

Another the next, any kind of

Outfit to please you. What we

Wear will make some kind of

Statement. It’s better, I guess,

Than walking ‘round naked. Put

On, put on, take off too. Same

Old me but the costume is new.

 

MR. FIXIT

 

Poor Mr. Fixit has forgotten about

All the things he can fix perfectly

To obsess on one thing he can’t

Quite figure out how to repair. Yes,

He says, I’m well aware there are

Things only God can fix, but if He’s

Not working through me then it

Must be due to some fault on my

Part. To find the solution within, I’ll

Purify myself. Friends say, Mr. Fixit,

If you were any more pure you’d be

Invisible. Friends say it’s turned

Into a battle of wills, of pride, of

Honor, of ego between Mr. Fixit

And the one thing he can’t fix. He

Knows they’ll never understand

How desperately motivation needs

A victory or else accomplishment

May as well be an accident. Besides,

He wonders, how can they say I’m

Overdoing it if I can’t get it done?

 

SWEETIE

 

Sweetie, I think your poetry

Is beautiful, just like you are.

You move me, always have.

Sweetie, I think you’re scared

Of me, and I can’t say I blame

You, but come on - compared

To Jesus, we all kind of suck.

 

THE DREADFUL PINK EYE

 

If you don’t want to catch the dreadful Pink Eye

Don’t look at someone like you wish they would die

Because if they suss that that’s what you think

They’ll punch both your eyes until they turn pink

Don’t antagonize with the things that you say

Or you’ll wear sunglasses all night and all day

Don’t provoke somebody to charge like a rhino

Or friends will all ask if you’re turning albino

 

MIDDLE AGED PRAYER

 

Age brings the same old problems,

Just with a more thoughtful response.

Still the same old choices soon as you

Wake. Always wishing things could be

Better for everyone, things could be

Fairer, things could be kinder, but the

World’s the way it is like a cookie

Crumbles the way it does, sort of by

Design but mostly at random. Lord,

Deliver us from randomness, except

When it brings something wonderful.

 

QUESTIONABLE CONDUCT

 

Opinions on what exactly constitutes

Questionable conduct will usually

Vary depending on who you ask and

Whatever/however their relation is

To the one whose conduct is called

Into question. If we all understood

Each other perfectly, no conduct

Would be questionable because

Whatever question there is would

Already be answered. Therefore,

To question another’s conduct is

Really to say you don’t understand.

As to the question of whether or

Not understanding is any business

Of yours… That actually explains a

Lot of suffering and violence. It

Could just as easily be, how dare

You not care, as how dare you

Interfere. It can be harder to act

Than to understand, but I still say

You’re worse off when it’s harder

To understand than to act.

The US Health Care System needs reform, I decided to fix it myself. I ran into problems right away when I couldn't decide what would work best, a phillips or a flat-head screw driver.

Squeeks is a little robot that showed up here and there during Transformers: The Last Knight. He was a character mostly in the first part of the movie. Once things got crazy, he went to the wayside so the big bots could battle it out. I had expected to see more of him in the film, maybe in a roll similar to Fixit from Robots in Disguise.

 

Well, Squeeks comes in his robot mode with a trailer, an arm, and a giant gun.

 

The trailer opens up into a repair station not unlike Optimus Prime's trailer. It has a weapons system in the back, a repair arm, and a red tool box for holding parts. In this case, the arm, and his handlebars in vehicle mode.

 

He can sit on the repair stand in robot mode to get fixed up.

 

When one of the handlebars is removed, the arm can take it's place and give Squeeks an actual usable hand.

 

He can change out that arm for a cannon as well. This this is crazy. It also had a handle so someone else could also use the gun.

 

The trailer can fold up once more and become a backpack, though it does make Squeeks back heavy, so his front wheels are off the ground. The weapon system is deployed in this mode over Squeeks head.

 

Transforming Squeeks is quite involved. It is pretty amazing the engineering that went into making a fat round guy into a long scooter. But it works, and he looks great. The rust and dirt is brushed on from the factory, and does not look all that good.

 

The trailer can attach to a flip-up hitch. There are little wheels on the bottom of the trailer so it can roll. The hitch was hard to get connected the first few times, but got a bit easier. The parts hold together very well.

 

The only thing missing is a place to store the big gun. It is not very "disguise" like if a scooter is driving around with a super cannon on the trailer.

 

And if the scooter mode needs a bit of fixing up, it can fit well on the trailer as well.

 

I have been waiting for this guy since I first saw him online. I knew he would be a unique figure with some pretty neat transformations if he was to change his look that much. I had expected him to be slightly bigger. I was thinking he would be a similar size to the motorcycles that have come out in the Generations line. It was going to be my main vehicle for my 6 inch Deadpool.

 

But alas, it is ever so small. Great for comedy relief, but out-scaled nonetheless. Either way, he is a whole lot of fun to play with. Keep your scanners peeled for this one.

Bee....flea.....errr... see the video here! : youtu.be/u3Gx3dJts10

li'l miss fixit

My little creature shop -a portion of it anyway. I have three versions of the 79 Alien and a version from the Creative Assembly game -Alien: Isolation in the works. 1:18 scale. All parts are castings taken molds of the original sculpts. Made several to test articulation, stability etc. Need a little splash of paint I'd say.....once completed of course. Working on having the Isolation version assembled by this weekend I hope - currently sculpting the lower legs. ‪#‎alien‬ ‪#‎alienisolation‬ ‪#‎xenomorph‬ ‪#‎nostromo‬ ‪#‎hrgiger‬ ‪#‎Giger‬ ‪#‎sith_fire30‬

 

I had a great time strolling 'round Santa Monica today with Fixit inPost. I tried tagging you in buddy, but that's one of the multitude of functions that isn't quite....functioning...around here lately. I'm thinking I should do a photo essay based on LA cliches. What else would that include? That everyone's an actor? That the traffic is terrible everywhere, all the time? That people here are shallower than people elsewhere? What else? Talk to me Flickr!

 

Processed with VSCOcam with k2 preset

The first of two semi-static posed figures of the creature from the 1979 film, Alien. Hand sculpted, hand painted. This version depicts the beast as it would have appeared in several promotional test shots during pre-production, the air duct scene where Captain Dallas met his end as well as a deleted scene appearing within the corridor while Parker and Lambert were making their desperate escape.

 

Figure is approx. 3" high from highest point on head to the feet. Articulated neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists. Vacuum formed PETG dome is removable.

 

Original was sculpted using Aves FIXIT sculpt, a two part epoxy. Parts were cast in resin and assembled to build this version. Used Model Masters Polly Scale and Tamiya acrylics.

 

#ALIEN #nostromo #alien79project #avesfixit #avesstudio #20thcenturyfox #hrgiger #miniature #sculpting #art #painting #monsters #inspacenoonecanhearyouscream

The first of two semi-static posed figures of the creature from the 1979 film, Alien. Hand sculpted, hand painted. This version depicts the beast as it would have appeared in several promotional test shots during pre-production, the air duct scene where Captain Dallas met his end as well as a deleted scene appearing within the corridor while Parker and Lambert were making their desperate escape.

 

Figure is approx. 3" high from highest point on head to the feet. Articulated neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists. Vacuum formed PETG dome is removable.

 

Original was sculpted using Aves FIXIT sculpt, a two part epoxy. Parts were cast in resin and assembled to build this version. Used Model Masters Polly Scale and Tamiya acrylics.

 

#ALIEN #nostromo #alien79project #avesfixit #avesstudio #20thcenturyfox #hrgiger #miniature #sculpting #art #painting #monsters #inspacenoonecanhearyouscream

Stockton, CA

The screw and bolt lottery.

Sculpt update on various projects...

- 1:18 scale Newborn from Alien: Resurrection

- 1:18 scale Egg Layer Xenomorph from Aliens: Defiance

- 1:18 scale "The Beast" from ALIEN (79)

and a couple more images from the 1:18 scale Sleep Chamber (NOSTROMO) project.

For the Newborn and the Egg Layer Xenomorph, it's all about hands. I've created the frames for the hands I will be sculpting this week. For the Egg Layer Xeno, I want to sculpt a "neutral" hand which is nothing more than an enlarged version of the original ALIEN 79 hand so that will be fun.

For the ALIEN 79 "Beast"...I am happy with what I have done with the figure but I see where improvements can be made. The head sculpt has never been 100% for me...and I think with a little tweaking I can get it there. I'm also thickening the lower abdomen sculpt as its proportion to the upper rib cage is a tad overblown. I'll post a separate update to explain all that later.

Finally, I wanted to shoot a couple more images of Parker from the Sleep Chamber build just to get a couple more shots of that hand before I sculpt over it with another one. LOL!..and I shot another image of Ripley because it was just there. LOL! This was the shot Ridley wanted but the production company thought nudity (although logical in this circumstance) would limit the number of people that would see the film so he chose the alternative (the ridiculous bands across the chest) that didn't see the light of day anyway! LOL!

OK! See? I'm still kickin' out updates! LOL! I hope you all are safe and doing as well as you can with the current state of things. Hope my little updates can break up some of the monotony out there.

Thanks for looking! More to come!

#alien #alienresurrection #aliendefiance #darkhorsecomics #sculpting #nostromo #scratchbuild #sleepchamber #diorama #miniature #art #xenomorph #customactionfigures

From the Gamerverse line. This was a Wal-Mart clearance item that we wouldn't have even picked up then (We don't need another Cap) except it does have the Joe Fixit BAF piece.

 

This is one of those annoying tactics where they release the same figure again, just with different paint ops, and call it "stealth" or whatever. It saves them tremendous money by not having to go through the process of designing a new figure and they know we will need that fig if we want to complete the BAF. We ignore this scam at retail but, obviously, will pick up the fig at clearance.

 

But, since I don't see us ever using this Cap figure in the story, that just means we paid $7 for the BAF piece. 😣

Build update on the MU/TH/UR 6000 chamber - ALIEN 79 - Nostromo 1:18 scale. Possibly my last bit of updates to the MU/TH/UR build. Waiting on some resin to cast the control panels to the entryway door then this project will be tabled and figure sculpting will commence! Will finish the control chair as well. I'll be needing to create a shell that will encompass the chamber along with the corridor leading to the entrance from the bridge. It will need to allow room for the fiber optics to set in. If it's ever to be put on display, it will be tricky. I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it. More to come! #alien #nostromo #muthur6000 #weylandyutani #buildingbetterworlds #diorama #scratchbuilding

Stockton, CA

Your lucky day!

If your scenic bicycle trip along the South Shore, suddenly comes to a halt, Dero Fixit will enable you to repair your bike at no cost. Close by, is the LaHave Bakery, after all has been put back into order, take the time to order a delicious meal, go out onto the dock and enjoy the view 👌

 

Red maple leaf hangs from a pipe wrench - verticle still life

Stockton, CA

Cette tête de Beethoven par Bourdelle est contemporaine de la sculpture de Franz von Stuck. Il s’agit là de l’un des très nombreux portraits que le sculpteur a réalisés jusqu’à sa mort dans tous les matériaux possibles (bronze, granit, pierre, marbre, terre cuite). Impressionné par le visage de Beethoven, Bourdelle ne cesse (à partir de 1887-1888) de le dessiner, de le peindre et de le sculpter. Cette tête en bronze évoque de nouveau le « masque de vie » de 1812 : cette fois, le musicien a les yeux fermés. L’expression d’extrême concentration et les yeux clos peuvent être interprétés comme le symbole du monde intérieur que Beethoven, qui était sourd et souffrait de cet enfermement, cherchait à exprimer dans ses œuvres. L’énergie accumulée se libère dans la chevelure désordonnée, qui semble vivre de sa propre vie et submerger le visage du compositeur. Cette image tourmentée forme un contraste avec le socle, cubique et dépouillé, sur lequel Bourdelle a gravé cette phrase : « Moi je suis Bacchus qui pressure pour les hommes le nectar délicieux. Beethoven. » Bourdelle assimile par conséquent le musicien au dieu de la danse et de l’ivresse, à Bacchus-Dionysos, que Nietzsche déjà, dans La Naissance de la tragédie (1872), avait rapproché de l’auteur de l’« Hymne à la joie ». Beethoven est un génie bienfaisant, un être divin qui apporte aux hommes, par la grâce de sa musique, le « nectar » des dieux antiques, sans commettre d’ailleurs de sacrilège comme Prométhée ou Tantale.

  

La réception de Beethoven à la fin du XIXe siècle

« Les plus grands poètes de l’Allemagne sont ses musiciens, merveilleuse famille dont Beethoven est le chef » : c’est ainsi que Victor Hugo, en 1864, proclamait son admiration pour Beethoven. Après Berlioz, Wagner, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Balzac, cette admiration reste largement partagée à la fin du siècle par le public européen, qui peut désormais entendre régulièrement, chaque saison, la musique du compositeur allemand. Beethoven devient le sujet d’œuvres littéraires, musicologiques et plastiques. En France, Romain Rolland (1866-1944), historien de la musique avant d’être romancier, rédige une monumentale Vie de Beethoven dans les premières années du XXe siècle, tandis que le compositeur Vincent d’Indy (1851-1931) consacre en 1911 une étude à l’auteur de la Symphonie pastorale, œuvre dont André Gide (1869-1951), autre grand écrivain-musicien, empruntera le titre pour l’un de ses récits les plus connus. Autour de 1900, Beethoven inspire aussi de nombreux artistes : tandis que Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) conçoit à Vienne une « Frise de Beethoven », le peintre bavarois Franz von Stuck (1863-1928) sculpte un visage du compositeur. De son côté, le sculpteur français Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929), obsédé durant toute son existence par le personnage de Beethoven, réalise en 1903 l’un de ses nombreux portraits du musicien allemand.

 

ANALYSE DES IMAGES

Le masque du génie

Le haut-relief polychrome de Beethoven exécuté par Franz von Stuck devait prendre place dans la villa que le peintre avait fait construire et meubler à Munich en 1897-1898 d’après ses propres plans. Elle abrite un salon de musique qu’il avait d’abord prévu d’orner des effigies de compositeurs célèbres parmi lesquels Beethoven. Ce portrait a été directement inspiré par le « masque de vie » (moulé sur le visage du musicien en 1812), mais Franz von Stuck lui a apporté trois éléments importants : la couleur, la chevelure et le regard. Le contraste entre le fond rouge-brun, la chevelure noire et le visage blanc, fantomatique, évoque une apparition soudaine : la tête de Beethoven semble surgir de la pierre. Les cheveux ébouriffés et abondants, souvent représentés de cette manière, figurent l’énergie indomptable, la fougue et la liberté de l’artiste. Ils encadrent un visage résolu, extrêmement concentré, à l’air presque méchant : les sourcils sont froncés, les lèvres serrées, le nez légèrement gonflé. Beethoven semble possédé par une force qui doit se décharger de façon imminente. Mais ce sont surtout les yeux qui sont remarquables : tandis que sur le « masque de vie » les yeux de Beethoven étaient clos, Franz von Stuck choisit de les sculpter et de leur conférer une puissance magnétique, si bien que la fixité de ce regard hypnotise le spectateur.

  

INTERPRÉTATION

Deux images sacrées

Ces deux œuvres procèdent d’une volonté similaire : il s’agit d’instaurer le culte de Beethoven, homme divin, prêtre d’une nouvelle religion, possédé comme la Pythie ou le Bacchant. Le haut-relief sculpté par von Stuck s’apparente à une icône : le musicien, dieu terrible, fige et fascine de son regard foudroyant le spectateur et doit provoquer en lui une réaction d’effroi et de soumission. La tête en bronze de Bourdelle est assimilée à la tête d’un dieu, divinité bienfaisante et tourmentée, souffrant les affres de la création pour le bien de l’humanité. Et bien que cette tête de Beethoven porte encore la trace de l’influence de Rodin, la simplification des cheveux et l’âpreté des traits du musicien indiquent une évolution du sculpteur vers un style plus personnel, qui s’affirmera notamment en 1909 dans une autre œuvre, en quelque sorte le pendant de ce portrait : la Tête d’Apollon.

especially karl bears

Sculpt update on the Space Jockey - 1:18 scale - ALIEN (79).

  

Material used - Aves FIXIT Sculpt from Aves Clay

  

Completed the sculpt of the "control sticks" for each hand, "the interface" and detail along the back of the pilot's chair. I want to tackle the upper rear of the pilot chair before moving onto another project. Been a couple additional weeks than I planned to work on this piece but I'm "in the zone" so to speak and want to continue while not suffering a loss of interest. I'm doing this in my own time and not for a client so I have that luxury.

  

Crazy to think I look at this piece as becoming an "action figure accessory" or some part of a 1:18 scaled play set. It's where my mindset is...always has been since this ALIEN 79 project started. It just so happens that it's a sculpture study at the same time LOL!

  

I've taken care to be as accurate as possible to the Giger production version of the doomed pilot but I'm sure a few spots have emerged as "best interpretation" at this point. I'm not looking to be 100% spot on. I don't think anyone who has taken on this project has. I hope those of you who are die hard Space Jockey fans will be forgiving.