Hot Rods Quotes to live by...

"no doubt about I gotta get another hat" Bullwinkle

 

"Eenie, meenie, chili beanie... the spirits are about to speak."

 

Mark Twain did not say "no amount of evidence will ever pursued an idiot" but still a good quote

 

"Eenie, meenie, chili beanie... the spirits are about to speak." I said this to my wife & she said " Are you going in the bathroom ? "

 

“The more students read,
The more words they know.
The more words they know,
The better they will be
In being smart and knowledgeable…”



Hello,

Spring Break week is just starting for some. The local public schools are at the end of the “Easter Vacation or “Spring Break.” We grew up in the Easter Vacation mode, but over the years, that had too much political implications, so Spring Break is a neutral show, not offending anyone.

But, the emphasis is education in all forms. The daily routine is important to learn and retain the information. We complained at the time, but years later, we all learned, that without history, there is no tomorrow. So, as teens we learned what we wanted to learn, but, the emphasis was on the fun part, hot rods, surfing and camping road trips as well as exploring the great outdoors.

As we got older, now, the choices were there and we had to learn to make those “right moves” to get us where we wanted to go or at least gave it some thought as to what we actually wanted to do with our future lives.

Jnaki

Some made it through those tough “Semi-adult” lives with a direction of some sorts. Others were and are still learning at their rate of understanding and are moving along. Sometimes those choices were made for us and other times, we had a big say in what we wanted to do.

Every parent has high goals for their children. Whether or not they become what they want to be is up to them. We are all there to guide them as much as possible and hope for the best. But, support for our schools is the first step in getting the “kids” on the right track. The more they know, the more they can become… YRMV

Note: I am an avid reader. I get my hands on tons of reading material, novels, short stories, etc. But, articles and text books are still not my thing. It took some doing, but somehow I got on the right track, plus, moved along in life and family.

 

“And though time slips away, it can never replace
How you’ll always be here in this heart of me
Lucy and Linus and Charlie Brown
Oh how Snoopy he never made a sound
Oh, that is true
You remember me like I
How we laughed in the face of danger
Tonto and Lone Ranger
There were no mountains we could not climb
We soared like eagles cross the sky…”
“You remember me like I remember you
Like I remember you..”

Brian McKnight

Hello,

Sitting around with plenty of time on our hands, one looks back a few years to remember how we got together, pursued our life when all of society was going crazy at the time. The hectic college classes were getting blurry as seniors, since we could see the end coming fast. So, we just happily moved along at our own speed, having daily lunch breaks in the Belmont Shore Alamitos Bay Harbor side. We always sat in front of a 80 foot long cabin cruiser and dreamed of life after college, while going somewhere on the ocean in this huge boat.

It is difficult to see how we coped with the situations when they arrived and how we dealt with them. The other times we walked around the Los Angeles/Hollywood area for concerts and shopping. But as we saw huge gatherings, it showed us that it was not our thing. So, all we wanted to do, as newly college graduated 20 somethings was to be left alone and have fun growing up. The low key beach lifestyle was eons removed from that scene and it worked for us.

Our lives were rolling along smoothly until some catastrophe somewhere in the USA or world forced everyone to look at their lives and adapt to the changes coming down the road. Some changes were good, others did not affect us as much. There was no need to get worked up over nothing... We still evaluate things that have gone public over time. It was/is not our way to see our simple lives.


Jnaki

Through the old saying my wife’s mom used to say was “You can stand it through thick and thin…” My mom’s saying was “endure” and that we did and were able to adapt to the strange things going on during those times. We lived to tell about it many years and generations later. Hopefully our son and even our granddaughter can see us as fresh college kids just like their time in school. But, the lives back then were a little different in history. YRMV

 

I don’t know if it is a quote to live by but it is a good quote from my buddy Dan-

I don’t want to see a car that is half a spaceship welded to an outhouse with a bared wire steering wheel and and elephant head sticking out of the side!

 

“Some men are Baptists, others Catholics. My father was an Oldsmobile man.”
— Jean Shepherd

 

I told myself, Jake, don't feel so bad things could be worse, so I didn't feel so bad and sure enough, things got worse!

 

“Finally, I am coming to the conclusion that my highest ambition is to be what I already am.”

Hello,

When we were teens, we wanted to be sports stars. A tight end or wide receiver in football, a shooting guard in basketball and a shortstop in baseball. As little kids, competition was there, but it was simple to get better and play every season for more experience. As elementary school kids, we did all sports throughout the year in our PE section of the classes. In junior high school, there were the sports teams set up to compete against other local junior high school teams from across Long Beach on Saturdays.

Finally, the realization came to light in high school. There were other kids doing the same thing and they were taller, larger, stronger and could swat a basketball out of the air after you got off a shot… what? That curve ball that could be timed to make a hit into the field was now a fastball curve that not only curved, but dropped at what seemed like record speed by the larger players. So, what was left to do?

At least I could still play football and knock the crap out of the defensive player, and then, make a touchdown catch, all in competition. But, I also learned to surf and surf well. So, there was a back up sport activity.

Jnaki

In college, the size, skill and huge barrier was there in gobs and one had to see the light for a future. But, a short drive away was a calm activity that could be used to further one’s goals in life.

So, the last years of college allowed me to meet someone that would enjoy a lifetime together in low key simple life of enjoying each other's company. It was time well spent doing things we liked and not worry about making tons of money as some of our other friends had as a major goal. We just moved along watching the sunsets and enjoying a nice dinner together, along with our small doggy.

The future came fast, as it seemed to knock on our door and in no time, here we are retired and enjoying life to the extremes at this “older, but wiser” stage. So, what about the ambition from the high school years? The college years started to straighten our the focus and allowed us to see what was important. Not necessarily a job or planned future, but enjoying what life had to offer us being together through those times when we just sat back and laughed at the world’s hectic scene.

Being together in mind and spirit has made life easy and simple for us. It was what we thought would happen, but the important thing was the person who was always sitting next to me in a car or across the table smiling. Happiness is the key to finding ones goals and future. YRMV

 

Life is like a roll of toilet paper...... the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes!

 

Don't make fun of your wife's choices. You were one of them.

 

Better a man speak truth strongly than lies softly.

- me

 

“The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches
you shave his face in the mirror every morning,”

Hello,

My wife told me this one day last year. I wrote it down and just found it. Digital files can be labeled anything, but if you can’t remember the title, it is useless. I drew a 40 Ford truck and saved it to my files. You would think it was labeled 40 Ford truck. All drawings are labeled with a two year title, so I know what year is the car, truck, sedan delivery, station wagon, or whatnot. But, I have changed the complete file twice and each time, something goes missing when I save the whole file.

I will find that 40 Ford truck one day as I constantly go through my old files and delete stuff I no longer need or use. Space is not a problem with 5 TB hard drives, but why have duplicates I will never use again?

Jnaki

Ever since we got together while still in college, my wife has told me that old saying. “The guy you see in the mirror is “the” person you have to watch out for in daily activities. Luckily, you don’t have to shave everyday!” As she chuckled from across the table…

All of this time since those 20 something days, almost every guy we see these days has a 10 day or older “beard + mustache, on TV or locally. So, I will be easy to pick out for identification if necessary… “check out the guy without any facial hair or beard growth.” Ha! At least I still have my electric shaver since the days our son went to high school… Yowza!

The guy in the mirror has been a good person all of his life… ha, that is me, alright! I certainly don’t keep the shaving industry in gold all of these years, that is for sure.

 

"Do you want to speak with the man in charge or the woman who knows what's going on?"

 

"Ain't we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain't that a big enough majority in any town?" - Mark Twain

 

“If you don’t know who quoted it - say it’s a Mark Twain quote ” a friend of mine says. Works most of time says me. lol
Dan

 

“Don’t make fun of your wife’s choices.” You were one of them."


@ramblin dan
Hello,

In this day and age, one has learned to adapt to all things selected and lived with for many years. My wife came from approximately 1400 miles away in the middle of the USA (OKC) to So Cal (back and forth) many times in her growing up days. For our history, it was a great choice to finally decide to settle in So Cal. Near Knott’s Berry Farm, in its own “Ghost Town only” early years.

Overall, from 1956, she was a So Cal local leading up to today. Our own family history in Long Beach is different. But, long lasting in So Cal from ten years earlier, having decided to live and play in Long Beach until we got married and moved to the big OC coastal areas, where we have resided since… way back then.

Together since the final days of college, has led us through many activities and have adapted well to all encounters along the way. It was not all “wine and roses,” starting off as a Coke and Burgers kind of encounter. But, what a trail we have left behind…

Jnaki

As we get on in our years, we can look back to our vast history, even though it has been centrally located along the coastal areas of So Cal. We have traveled all over the USA and have settled in So Cal since those early twenty something days as a couple. Making decisions along the way.

Did we make the right decisions along the way? To us, yes. To others, well, that was their choices, not ours. So, yes leading up to a wonderful granddaughter who is now leading her direction to adulthood and those similar encounters in her life, in her own timeline.

Note:

Life is a “Circle Game” as described by Joni Mitchell and Tom Rush.

Yesterday a child came out to wonder
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star

[Chorus]
And the seasons, they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game

[Verse 2]
Then the child moved ten times 'round the seasons
Skated over ten clear frozen streams
Words like "when you're older" must appease him
And promises of someday make his dreams

[Chorus]
And the seasons, they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look
Behind from where we came

And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game

[Verse 3]
Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels through the town
And they tell him, "Take your time, it won't be long now
'Til you drag your feet to slow the circles down"

[Chorus]
And the seasons, they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game

[Verse 4]
So, the years spin by and now the boy is twenty
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There'll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through

[Chorus]
And the seasons, they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time

We can't return, we can only look
Behind from where we came

And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
And go 'round and 'round and 'round

In the Circle Game…

 

Met a man the other day, while I was crawling out of my car at a Gas/Convient Store. He said how u doing. I sail about as good as you. He said "If It dont hurt it don't Work". Enjoyed that

 

As part of the Lonestar Roundup Garage Crawl last month, one of the stops was at the garage of Doug Chambers. His shop was full of amazing quotes.

 

As the World turns and the stomach Churns ...

veteran boat racer, Brian Hendrick bh/

 

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from...”

Hello,

When we were in high school, our counselors looked at us and told us that the work force is good, right now and there will be plenty of jobs available. So, little mention of college and a degree, but lots of lists for jobs in the neighborhood. A good starting salary for the times, close to home and money to be made.

A few of our old friends took those counselor advice lists and started making a living right after graduating. So, there was that choice. the other one was the army/navy/marines. Instant acceptance…will train you in your choice of skills and upon finishing the tour of 6 years, will be a skilled worker with government training and experience.

Some of us went on to hit more books in general education in those college courses and met a whole bunch of new students from several other high schools in Long Beach. So, as long as my grades kept up, I had no worries about being drafted when it was time. now, as the year moved on, things started appearing on the horizon. We experimented with more modifications to our high school hot rods, yet that was still a part of our enjoyment.

Jnaki

At this point, it was now a time where the last vestiges of being a teenager was coming fast and soon, we would be able to drink at bars legally. Time was moving and we all heard stories about the guy who made the most money working in the oil fields, the guy who joined the military and those who left the area to go away to college. So, the road was starting to narrow down.

For a road well traveled, made a new direction to our fun activities…

Life seemed to just fly by quickly after meeting my wife in college, living in a small apartment and then moving on in a simple life with no reason to live in a lavish lifestyle and all of the difficulties that go along with that style. We were easy going 20 somethings and loved to be with each other. We made it work and with our family support ladder, it was a road well traveled. Somehow, we still made it work out and did not worry about a vacation, living in coastal So Cal was a great place to relax, earn enough to live and not worry about much.

For us, So Cal coastal area was a vacation spot. We were right in the middle of a great place to live and enjoy life. Which is what we have been doing since meeting each other in 1966 and developing our casual style to this day. It is the simple things that make life pleasurable. And… it has been YRMV

 

“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there, it takes time”


Hello,

We all would like to be in a comfort zone in almost everything we do in our lives. Comfort means just that… relaxing and enjoying life as it should without worries about the future or spending/making money, etc. all fingers point as some point in life where one will be comfortable. Lots of money does not always bring comfort and serenity. But, it is the way one uses the life style selected to pursue to make ends meet and start enjoying some comfort.

As young 20 somethings, we had the whole world ahead of us, despite the terrible conditions our whole USA was heading. Protests, police/army interventions, undeclared war, political turmoil and several shocking assinations in 1968. So with all of that going on, what were a couple of 20 somethings doing?

We adapted a low key lifestyle and did not let the major downers get to us. We were “under the radar” for most of our lives, just living to enjoy what time we had together. No fancy cars, no fancy homes or flashy vacations. We just made do with what we had and enjoyed the low key coastal lifestyle. Sure, it was difficult, but we were able to stay low key and adapt to the barriers put across our path…

The red El Camino was not the lowest key item for us. But in traffic, it just was another car on the street that melded into all of the other cars. Back then, there were more colorful cars being sold. Not like today’s grey, black and white being the top three colors we see on the roads and on dealer’s lots.

Jnaki

So, it can be done, even today, if one is not totally affected by the dumb antics of some to seem like we are all supposed to get behind any movement to make our selves seem important. To us, it was not that important to join any movement or actions. We just made do and lived our own lives. Some of our friends did not understand why we weren’t active enough and that was their choice. We made our own lifestyle and it has worked all of these years… YRMV

 

Arguing with an irrational person is like playing Chess with a pigeon. They will walk around crapping on the board and knocking over the Chess pieces and then they will stare at you like they won the game.

 

“TIME IS BUT MEMORY IN THE MAKING.” ― VLADIMIR NABOKOV

Hello,

When our history teacher kept telling us that “Without history, there is no future.” As high school kids, we all laughed at the time. What does our history have to do with the future? It was a thought provoking statement, that normally flew right over our teenage brain and thought process.
1962
The current thought was how to get through the day, so we could go work on our cars and do some fast cruising or acceleration on the Bixby Knolls, Cherry Avenue Drags location. Or just drool at the cars at or near the parking lots of Joe Reath’s Automotive Speed Shop or Joe Mailliard’s Shop just a block or so away from our high school campus.

Jnaki

Our time was actually memory in the making, but, that was the last thing we could think about during our teenage years. Who went as far as actually getting married and starting a family? Only one couple got married and still are together today. But, the rest of us scattered all over the USA and only a sprinkling of folks stayed in So Cal during the adult years. Some are still around these days in the old age group as graduates of 1962. We knew exactly where we were in 62…

Time has provided a batch of memories that won’t go away. It was a time that we certainly want to remember, but physically, the 20s to the 40s were the tip of the iceberg. Top physical condition, developing minds, adapting to new technology and moving on in our lives from a couple to a small family to an expanded family, all made it worthwhile as those early teen memories provided the starting ground for our further adventures… YRMV

 

I worked with a fellow years back always did a half assed job on every thing he did, always had extra parts and cobbled things together. sometimes even using wire. He was the assistant manager and didnt think he had to things right. I always got after him about the job he was doing cause I had to fix what he wouldnt, that is till the day I was ragging on him about something. He looked at me and said
"You cant see it from my house." then went home.
There's no answer to something like that, so after that I never said anything else to him, just fixed his mess and left him alone'

 

I used to work with I guy that always said”Just remember you might be the one who has to work on it next”
RIP Leonard
Dan

 

“Do what you want to do and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.” Beastie Boys

Hello,

In the back of our growing teenage minds, it was probably fairly empty with stuff that was important, but filled with teenage worries and mind set. So, all was not lost at the time. Remembering our junior high school counselor telling me that industry jobs were good paying and abundant for high school graduates. But, she emphasized “graduates,” as if I was not going to graduate in 5 years. 8th grade required meeting with a counselor for future class choices.

Our school district had the normal 4 year curriculum like all national high schools. But, for some reason, in Long Beach, the freshman or 9th grade year was located at a junior high school campus. It was the same for the whole area, including Lakewood and the Belmont Shore area.

So, at this 8th grade conference, she gave me a direct shot at going to work after a basic high school curriculum. Back then there were “tracks,” which are illegal, but it was implemented for a lot of schools. A college track and an industry or work force track.

Jnaki

The work force track sounded fine for me, but our mom had other plans. When she saw the information sheets I brought home, she had a parental “fit.” She wrote a letter that I was supposed to give to the counselor and put me in the “college bound” track for the 9th grade.

My brother was already in the college track and was doing fine. I had a choice and I chose the workforce track as it looked easier and fun. But, as things go, the fun part of the non college track could also be a part of the workforce track, so to please my mom, I was now on the “college bound” track. Crafts, Jewelry, Metal Shop and Automotives were a big part of the move to teach to the industry bound track.

But, secretly, a part of the elective courses for the “college bound” so called track were the fun classes. So, when our parents came to the high school open house and back to school nights, they were surprised at the course offerings. They were impressed with the college bound English, History and Science/Math classes, but were less impressed with the “electives” in the course choices. Boooo!
Guess what business I wanted to follow for support and joining the work force?
Note:

At first, the college track was hard, but a lot of my friends were starting the same curriculum and were moving slowly in that track. I eventually got my bearings straight and move well through out high school classes and it was the most fun for the 4 years. I chose the classes and they were full of fun electives, including “Radio Production Workshop.”

I did what I wanted and had fun doing it… The most fun, of course the years of automotives, followed by metal shop and jewelry, too.

Note 2:

In college, I had more of a say in what classes I liked the most, besides the ones needed for graduation. All of the PE classes, art classes and photo classes were the most fun on a daily basis. I did graduate with a good grade average, but my wife’s GPA was a lot higher and she has never let me forget it… ha!

 

If you're paying $3.29 a bottle for Smart Water...it's not working!