Here are some pics I gathered from around the web

The tea fire started last night at around 6pm. It quickly grew and started coming closer. We lost power at the house and almost all of Santa Barbara for over a hour. We could immediately see the flames cresting the ridge close to the house. Our house is about 5 blocks away from the evacuation warning border.  I have the essentials packed up in the Magnum just in case we need to evacuate. Definately been a restless night especially when you can here the sheriff’s PA a few blocks away announcing that there is an evacuation warning in effect.  I will be updating as I can with news and pics.

Nothing too exciting this weekend.

It finally rained, well I would call it more like mist. I am trying to learn how to take better photos with my Canon Rebel XT. I’ve had this camera for 2 years now and still don’t know how to use it properly. I didn’t realize photography was so complicated. Apature, shutter speed, white balance, metering modes, iso’s and more. I’m used to the point and shoot type cameras. Here are some photos of Diesel and I also went out and took some pics to submit to the annual calendar I produce for CustomMagnums.com. And there is a pic of my ugly mug in there. Just got a haircut, it was the longest I have had it since junior high.

Today marks the one month anniversary of quitting smoking. I am pleased to say that I haven’t smoked one cigarette in that time frame, not even a puff.  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to gain a pound. It should be easy right. . . eat more calories. . . eat better and work out. It’s not working for me. I am going to have to try to eat more, which is going to be hard.

Last weekend I headed back up to Sacramento to fix the Charger. This weekend its was quite a bit hotter up there. I left around 6am and made it there around noon. Took about an hour to fix and headed back. This time, I came back with no tickets. On the way back, I stopped in Shell Beach and took some photos of the dirty Magnum

The Cadillac is posted on ebay again. Hopefully it sells soon.

Yesterday, I headed up North to Rocklin (near Sacramento) to visit a customer who was having some issues with an airbag setup we installed. Usually, I won’t drive this far and will make my customer bring it to me, but I thought I would be nice this time. I wake up at 5:30 and am out on the road by 6:30am. Everything is going good and I am making good time. Then around 9:00am somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Kings County on Hwy 46, I see a CHP coming towards me in the distance, so I slow it down. As he passes, I see his brake lights and he whips it around. I knew I was busted and immediately pulled over to the side. He gives me a ticket for 80 in a 55. There goes my day, but I continue on and try to make the best of it.

I get to Rocklin around 12:45 and start working on the Charger. I was hoping it was a simple fix, maybe a fitting got loose. But it turns out there is a hole in the airbag and I don’t have any spares. I take off the other airbag and the tire is rubbing it to the point where the cords are showing. So now I have to get 2 new airbags out of my pocket and drive back up there next weekend.

I grab a quick bite at In&Out and leave Rocklin around 3pm. I am watching my speed, just going with the flow of traffic and never leading. Everything is good until around 7:30pm right around San Luis Obispo on the 101. It was right at the grade where it goes downhill. I am in the fast lane with 2 other cars in front of me who are going the same speed I am. I see the CHP on the side of the road and brake a little, because we were going downhill. I look in my rearview and see the fucker turn on his headlights. I knew the asshole was coming after me, so I start to make my way over to the slow lane, hoping that he is going after one of the 2 other cars. Sure enough he lights me up. First thing I asked him was why he pulled me over instead of one of the 2 other vehicles in front of me who were going the same speed. His response, “because your car stands out and I like these cars”. He was being cool and I thought he might let me off, but he tells me he is giving me a ticket. He said I was going 81 in a 65, but would write the ticket up as 80 in a 65 so I can take traffic school. Then he start to BS with me about cars which was hard for me to do since the pig just gave me a ticket.

ARGHHHHH. . . why me. . . Now I have to find out how I am going to pay for these, waste 8 hours in traffic school and my insurance is going to go up.

Sorry it’s so short. Will work on a better one soon.

Check out this video: 1959 Custom Cadillac Cadillac

It has now been over 10 days since my last cigarette. I am holding up pretty good. I do have a craving once in a while, but have managed to steer clear of lighting up. I am also working out and eating a lot healthier. I am trying to only eat out once or twice a week. I’ve started cooking or trying to cook would be a better description.

Didn’t really do too much this weekend. Saturday, I printed up some CustomMagnums t-shirts and decals and will start shipping out some packages tomorrow. Then went on an hour long bike ride to try to work out the leg muscles. Sunday, we finally got to drive the Cadillac down State St. and around Santa Barbara. You should have seen how many thumbs up we got and how many people where breaking there necks and even taking pictures. We went up to our spot we usually take pics of customer’s cars when we are done with them. We managed to take some nice pics and a quick video. I wasn’t able to download the video to the computer before the battery ran out on the camera. I’ll post it up later. For now here are some pics.

Its has now been 80+ hours since my last cigarette. This weekend was tough. I had to keep myself as busy as possible to keep from getting board and craving a cigarette. Ended up taking Diesel out for a couple of walks down to west beach to check out the AVP tour that was in town. Last night at midnight, my roommate smoked his last cigarette. It is going to be an interesting week.

Prison Break is on tonight and only 2 more weeks till the season premiere of Heros. I can’t wait.

It has been 17 hours since my last cigarette. I smoked my last one yesterday at 10pm. It has been a little tough today to get out of the usual routine, but so far I am holding strong. I’ve substituted chewing gum and snacking on trail mix instead of the cigarette. It has also been 4 days since I have had a soda. I used to drink anywhere from 2-5 Cokes a day. Now it’s just apple juice, grape juice or a snapple and my morning Red Bull.

With all the money I am going to save, I have decided to start a boat fund. Every time I would buy smokes I will put that money in a jar instead. Hopefully by the beginning of next summer I will have enough to buy a nice 19ft jet boat.

This past labor day weekend I went to Lake Havasu. I thought I could take Diesel(my English Bulldog) with me, but at the last minute learned that someone at the house I was staying at was allergic to dogs.  So Thursday afternoon I browse Craigslist for a petsitter and am actually able to find one in a day’s notice. Friday afternoon comes along and we are off to Lake Havasu. Right around Palmdale I get a phone call from my petsitter. She informs me the Juice(my cat) lunged at her and bit her, breaking the skin. Anyone who has been to my house knows how antisocial my cat is towards strangers, but I have only once seen her chase someone. It took a year before she would actually let my roommate pet her. For some reason she was afraid that the cat had rabies and I had to reassure her that she would be fine and was “current” on her shots. Juice has broken skin many times just playing around with me. After I hung up with her, I found it satisfying to know how protective Juice is of her territory.  I know Diesel would just come up and startlooking for attention from a stranger. In summary, don’t fuck with my cat.