The Golden Lion

I got this when we saw Dick the Bruiser wrestle for WWA at the Fort Wayne Coliseum in the late '70s or very early '80s. I've kept it for the next 40 years, so may it be preserved digitally forevermore.

Tim Golden

The Golden Lion

WWA

How Now?

One of many treasures Ericka has collected over the years is her set of "Colonial Cats," a series of cat dolls released when she was a little girl. Each cat doll represents one of the original 13 American colonies. 

 RE: post title - “How Now?” is one way colonial Americans greeted each other.

Oh, Deer

When it's time to decorate for Christmas, I always think, "Deer!"

Since 2015, these deer, and more, have been a staple of my holiday festivities. They fit perfectly on top of a flat screen TV.

Christmas deer on the TV, 2015.

 

Batman Bob

Batman logo autographed by Batman creator, Bob Kane.

Willow Weaving

When you're making rustic furniture, it's a fine line between looking really good and looking really crappy.

                                                           - Rustic willow-weaving instructor 

Ours both looked really good.

Mesa Verde

With Ericka at awe-inspiring Mesa Verde National Park, home of the cliff dwellers; May, 2015.

Salvation Mountain

With Ericka at Salvation Mountain. Niland, CA; July, 2014.

 

It's Warm Even

Autographed copy of Rat Catching from Crispin Glover.

Crispin Glover's Rat Catching.

Marquee.

Eat More Gyros

Gyros signs of southern California: "Eat more gyros."

OK!

Laguna Beach.

Los Angeles.

John Waters

 If you're paying to see John Waters speak, go ahead and spring for the meet-and-greet.
Dec., 2012.

He was kind of pissed the venue had these promotional cards in the lobby. For the meet and greet, he had a couple boxes of his latest book to sell and sign, but everybody just grabbed these cards and had him sign them.  I don't think he blamed anybody for doing that, but he was a little annoyed. He was like, "Where did you get these?"

Great Shakeout

Earthquake preparedness flyer for our participation in the Great California Shakeout:

Great Shakeout flyer.

Knife Day

[From RW...BS's "Knife Day"]

I have 2 knives of note -

1. My first knife ever:

My first knife ever.

This was a gift from my father when I was 6 years old or so. The little metal plate says "Old Timer" and I've placed it on a bag of small flour tortillas for scale.

It is notable for not having a safety lock, so if you're not careful, the blade can close on your fingers while you're cutting something. Strange choice of gift for a six year old child. It taught me at a very early age to be careful when using knives.

2. Ulysses' Death Knife:

Ulysses' Death Knife.

I acquired this knife in Los Angeles when Ulysses (the guy who rented the basement of Miski's house) moved out and left it stuck in a tree. Miski didn't want it, but said I could have it. It is also placed on the same bag of small flour tortillas for scale.

I still use knives when needed, but I don't always use cutting boards. Somewhere along the line, I've acquired the habit of cutting vegetables while holding them in my hand.  I did this with a bell pepper at my Chinese Professor's house when she invited the class over and she was startled and horrified.  I keep my home knives pretty dull, but hers was super sharp, so that's probably why she over reacted.

[Originally posted on The Real World...Blogger Style!, Sep. 3, 2005]

Long Live This Ditch, 1983

Long Live This Ditch, S.G. & J.C. '83."

Found this message inscribed in a cement ditch. The message has survived 23 years so far, though it narrowly escaped destruction from a severe crack.

[Originally posted on Rebel Leady Boy, Feb. 4, 2006]

The Presidential Prayer Team

Well, this is stupid. It's a sticker from an organization called the Presidential Prayer Team.  I'm now getting spammed with right wing prayer requests, but receiving this free sticker of George W. Bush praying with the ghosts of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington makes it totally worth it. 

The Presidential Prayer Team.

What a dumb thing.

[Originally posted on I'm Nacho Steppinstone, May 16, 2004]

Found Object

Karate napkins - for karate parties.

Found karate napkin.

[Originally posted on I'm Nacho Steppinstone, Feb. 4, 2004]

Quote from Céline

whenever they get a chance, never fear, people make you waste hours and months ... they use you as a wall to bounce their bullshit off of ... blah! and blah! and blahblahblah! ... you put up with it for an hour, you'll need two weeks to recover ... blah! blah!                                          

   - Louis-Ferdinand Céline, North

DX, Suck It

I don't know if anybody remembers "DX", the late '90s WWF professional wrestling team, but "Suck it!" was one of their catch phrases.

"DX" was also the name of a Japanese (pain relief?) product. 

I guess that's all the information you need to understand this:

[Originally posted on I'm Nacho Steppinstone, Dec. 12, 2004]

Cowboy Fishing

Are there any cowboy fishing enthusiasts out there?

Cowboy Fishing.

I discovered this ad for Cowboy Fishing magazine while browsing through a different magazine in the Anchorage library and thought, "That's a real specialty item!"

From the ad text:

Enjoy a magazine with in-depth articles about cowboys and fish, written by cowboys who love to fish with other cowboys. Subscribe today. YEEHAW!

How large could the audience for this publication possibly be? Do they fish with a lasso?

[Originally posted on I'm Nacho Steppinstone, Mar. 12, 2005]

Life, Jim Thompson

 “Life is a bucket of shit with a barbed wire handle.”

– Jim Thompson, Texas By The Tail

Every Meximelt

Personal ad placed in the Valentine's Day edition of a local newspaper (Bloomington, IN; Feb. 1992). It is a message from Larry to Laura Lynn. I'm guessing Larry was a Taco Bell employee and Laura Lynn was a customer.

At one point, Larry had apparently taken a photograph of Laura Lynn during one of her visits to his establishment & published it in the local newspaper along with a personal message of love. 

Laura Lynn,

You don't know me, but I love you.

I work at Taco Bell.

I was thinking maybe you love me too,

because you're there so much.

It's your smile I see when I melt the cheese on every Meximelt.

Please be mine.

Larry

[Originally posted on I'm Nacho Steppinstone, Mar. 9, 2004]