russosborne

Had a lot of fun. Wish I could have hung out at the show longer, but the friend I took needed to get going. I didn't get to see a lot of the models since they showed up after we left. The bbq was fun. Yes, I tend to sit by myself a lot. Glad to have been able to make it, and hope to get to know more of you at the meetings. But you won't be seeing any of my models for quite some time, compared to you guys I truly suck, and I am not being modest. The junior entrants at the contest were light years ahead of my skills. Russ

I will be there Saturday for sure. No money to spend though. (where's the crying emoticon when you need it?) Russ

Hobby Bench I have been to in the past when I used to live here. It was ok, but nothing special. At least to me. Hadn't heard of Andys though. Will have to give them a try. Is the place at 35th and Greenway going to be open by then? I didn't see any sign (no pun intended) of them the couple of times I have driven by there this week. Thanks, Russ

I was over on the east side of town today taking care of some paperwork for my new job. Lousy traffic, I timed the trip just perfect for afternoon rush hour. So I decide to drop by my favorite Phoenix area hobby shop that is in Tempe and kill some time. Sigh. It isn't the same. New owners as of 6 years ago, and drastic changes. Not for the better to me at least. VERY small car selection, and all of the model kit boxes that decorated the store are gone. Just not the same store anymore. It's like they kept the skin but put some stranger inside of it. I spent all of ten minutes at the most there. Used to spend at least an hour. I wish them all the success in the world, but I won't be driving over to see them again. This so far is the biggest disappointment I have had since being back here. Russ

Thanks for the welcomes. Definitely plan on being there Saturday. Look for a big fat guy with a short beard and glasses. Jeans and a t shirt. I think I am going to be bringing my best friend with me, he used to build as a kid, but I don't think he has done anything with models since then. But he needs to get out and away from his family for a few hours, and free works for him. We are at 47th Ave and Olive in Glendale. Will have to look at the clubs for what day they meet. My job will be second shift, so I can't do anything weekdays. But I get a whole 50 cents more an hour. Russ

oops, never mind. me stupid. Russ

Well, we are here. Got in Sunday evening. So far all the models are in the enclosed carport, but hope to remedy that very soon. But we need to get all the stuff unpacked for living first. No hundred degree day yet. Maybe not for a while according to the weather people. But those guys don't have to be right to keep their jobs. Got a job, start as soon as the background check stuff is done. Lousy pay, but better than nothing. And it goes up after training. If I am not too stupid to be trained that is. Russ

but it is a fresh 110 degrees. Russ

Well, we are not talking as many kits as a lot of you have. Probably somewhere around 75 or so. Nothing like I used to have when I lived in Phoenix before, but then I had a different wife and a different house with a large room just for my stuff. The closet idea is a good one, if we don't have to use it for clothes. I have to wait and see what this house has. I saw the house once about 20 years ago when my brother bought it, but closets weren't an interest then. Going to be interesting for sure. My wife's hobbies include card making and stamping (among others), so she has lots of stuff that has to stay inside as well. thanks, Russ

Thanks, all. The carport is enclosed, it was converted by a previous owner years ago, so theft and direct sunlight aren't issues. Of course our poor car is going to have to be out in the open, which really bites. We are just renting and broke, so we are limited to what we can do. My brother owns the house with a friend of his, so we might be able to put a window A/C in, but I am not sure. In any case it won't be before this summer due to finances. Putting the kits into ziplock bags is a good idea. I tend to like to save the boxes, but I suppose there really isn't a good reason to, except for a couple of kits that I have that are pretty old. That would help to cut down on the amount of storage space needed as well, which will be a good thing. This is not going to be fun. Both my wife and I each have way more stuff for our hobbies than will fit in two bedrooms , and we only have one to share. But beggars can't be choosey and for now this house has to do. This is going to be an adventure. At this age (54) the problem is I don't want any more adventures. Russ

Thanks. Maybe I should stick a thermometer out there and see how bad it gets. Hopefully they will be ok. Dust I can deal with, warpage would be bad. Paint and stuff will be inside with AC. Going to be hard to get used to not having a basement again. I will have to share a small bedroom with my wife's crafting stuff. Russ

The only place I will really have to store my collection is in an enclosed carport on the east side of the house. No insulation or cooling. The spray booth will have to be out there as well. I am really hoping I don't have to build there. While I lived there most of my life, I have never had this situation come up. I never had enough kits for this to be an issue before. Am I looking at a major meltdown or should the kits be ok? Decals I know I need to remove and store inside the house. Thanks, Russ

I am going to try to make it, but that is the first Saturday we will be back in the area and odds are we will still be unpacking. Free is good though. Unless I get a job that first week I won't have money for anything else. Russ

Oh, gosh. Most of the cars I have owned fit in this group. 1965 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88. Very first car I ever owned. Never ran, but had a lot of fun learning about cars with it. 1969 Mustang Hardtop (Coupe). Senior year in high school car. Took my drivers license test in it. Got into a race on Central Ave. in Phoenix the night I got my driver's license (Sept. 1977) 1969 Ford Torino Cobra Jet. Traded the Mustang for this. Neither car was running at that point. Sold it a couple of months later when I went to boot camp. 1972 Ford Ranchero. 351 Cleveland engine. I love Rancheros. 1975 Mustang II Mach I. Had a V6, hatchback. A friend on my sub didn't have a driver's license, but bought this planning on getting one. So he had it put in my name, I ended up buying it from him. Fun little car. 1970 Pontiac GTO. Bought it from a friend who had just gotten divorced and didn't want it anymore. I sold it 5 years later in 1988. :-( Can't buy the front sheet metal today for what I sold it for then. Of these, the Mustang and the GTO are the cars I have dreams at night about having again. Although I would really like to have the Olds again, that would have made a great car. Russ

Hmmm. My wife has done beading (making jewelry with beads and wire), making greeting cards, crocheting, quilting, cross stitch, needle point, stamping (rubber stamps with ink on paper), reading, watching craft shows on tv. She's alot like me, what she does at any particular time depends on her mood and energy level. Russ

We went to see this movie yesterday. Anyone who remembers (and liked) the Rocky and Bullwinkle show will have a good time with this one. The ending is just a tad sappy, but otherwise it is hilarious and a true tribute to the original. Definitely a 4.5 out of 5. Russ

Well, Glendale, technically. 47th Ave and Olive. Although I have never actually lived in Glendale before. Maryvale High School grad class of '77. Glendale Community College grad December 1985. Lived there from the time I was 10 til 8 years ago. '69 to '05, with time out for 6 years in the Navy from '77 to '83. Moved here to Ohio beginning of '06. I was born here and always wanted to come back. Well, to quote B.B. King, the thrill is gone. Can't wait to get away from all this darn snow and cold and potholes and Daylight Savings Time and lousy employers and a whole bunch of other stuff. Ohio might be a great place to be a kid, but being a working adult here sucks. Plus all my immediate family is out there in Phoenix. My wife isn't thrilled about the move mainly since we own our home here, and this is the first time in her life she has ever been a home owner. But she is looking forward to the move overall. Things like Whataburger (my personal favorite), In and Out, the Islands, Manuels mexican restaurant, Sweet Tomatoes, Jack in the Box, and others that are not back here are helping. She has a list of about 10 restaurants that are on the must visit list. Going to be renting a house from my brother for awhile. He is footing the bill for the move, we couldn't do this without his help. Hoping that I can get a job fast, I am an RF Electronic Technician, and the market for those isn't very good here in NE Ohio. Already doing the job search stuff, so far best bet looks like starting as a temp. Will get more serious about that when we have a firm date set. Looks like first weekend of April, but still up in the air. I am hoping to be able to get involved with a club once I get out there. Going to depend a lot on my job situation. Odds are I will be working second shift. Question-is there still a swap meet at the Jewish Temple on (I think) West Bethany Home Rd? I used to really enjoy going to that. It was late winter or early spring if I remember correctly. I have already checked and am thrilled that the Hobby Depot in Tempe is still going strong. I used to work in Tempe and spent many a lunch hour there. Russ

Thanks, Tim! Great write up. Russ

I've been buying a lot of multiples lately. Mainly ones like the AMT Double Dragster and others that are 2in1 or 3in1 or more, because I want to have the ability to build all the versions of that kit that is shown on the box. Mostly ones that were originally released back when I was a kid and I couldn't even afford one of them at that time. Need to buy them now before they go back to collector prices. And then there are always a few of "hey, I have been wanting that kit" when I see it at a store, only to get it home and realize I had already bought it sometime in the past. OOPS. Done this several times, even with the same kit a couple of times. Some are just to have a backup in case I screw up the first one. And then there are the ones that are just my favorites, like the Badman 55 Chevy, just can't have enough of those. If HL carried this one, that is probably about all I would use the coupon for. Russ

Thanks, again. Russ

Hmm, that is a good idea as well. Thanks! Russ

Not a movie, but the show Mayberry RFD with Ken Berry (late 60's ?) had an episode where his tv son built a model of the car that another adult on the show( think it was a guest star for that one episode) had. I really remember that since I was about the same age as the kid in the show and was really building models then. Do not remember what the car was though. I do remember thinking that the Ken Berry character seemed a little jealous. Russ

Sounds good. Thanks! Russ

For the Badman kit. I never realized that the kit engine was a 283. Thanks, Russ

Unemployed (10 weeks now and still going) RF Electronics technician. Laid off by my former employer September 26th. I think I am seeing alot of age discrimination so far. I am 54, almost 20 years of RF experience plus 6 years Navy and an associates degree. wondering if I should take off about half of my experience on my resume. I always used to get calls when I would submit a resume, now I don't even get "no thank you's". Oh, well. I have an interview next week for a crappy one year contract job. Not what I want, but right now I can't be choosy. Russ