#i have several classes in the museum room. but i’ve never been in the storage area where they keep the stuff that’s not on display

[treecakes]

the professor i’m supposed to be doing the internship with is supposed to contact me within the next day or two to set up a meeting and literally i am so nervous

[lovemesomesurveys]

Do you prefer apple cider or chai? I’m actually not a fan of either one. Do you prefer pumpkin spice tea, pumpkin spice coffee, or no pumpkin spice? No pumpkin spice. I wish I liked it and could get hyped about it, but I don’t. Have you ever made a stupid mistake? HA. I’ve lost count. Do you ever feel insecure? I am very insecure. What does your trick-or-treat bag or pail look like? I’m 30 years old, my trick or treating days were over long, long ago. How old will you turn on your next birthday? 31. Blah.

What are your plans to celebrate? Ew, I’m not thinking about my next birthday right now. I just turned 30 and I’m in no rush to get any older. What floor do you live on? We live in a 1-story. Do you have a balcony? No. Do you ever feel alone? Yes. Do you like fall evenings or mornings better? I just love fall, man. I can’t wait. What is your favorite way to spend a fall evening? I do much of the same things, but the best part is I’m not hot and miserable like I am during the summer.  What is your favorite way to spend a fall morning? Like I said, I don’t do anything different. I just love that it’s cold.  What is your favorite fall drink, if you had to pick just one? I drink hot coffee all year round, but it is especially nice during the colder months. I also like some of Starbucks’ seasonal drinks.  Which X Factor audition(s) was/were your favorite? I don’t watch X Factor. Were you a straight A student in spelling and grammar? I was, yes. I’m not in school anymore. Were you a straight A student in math? Noooo. I barely got by in math with a C. That was always my worst subject, I was just lucky I had good teachers and I was a good student because they wanted to help me and see me pass. Also, just doing the homework counted for a lot, so that is what really saved me. Would you rather wear orange or black? Black. Were you abused or do you know anyone who was abused? I know people who have been abused. Are you scared of something right now? Yes. Are you a democrat or republican, or neither? Blah. Do you plan on voting in this November’s election? There isn’t one this year. Do you have trouble keeping your room clean? No.  Who would take care of you if you needed surgery? My mom.  Do you have anyone that you can rely on? My family. Do you tend to wake up early or sleep in? I usually get up around 9 or 10, sometimes 11. Do you wish you could wake up earlier? No. What is the name of your favorite coffee shop in your town? I just go to Starbucks. Yeah, yeah I’m basic. What is fall weather usually like where you live? It doesn’t usually start to feel like fall until like late October here. D: Our summers are so long and miserable.  Do you think you have an accent? I guess everyone does, but it’s weird to think of myself as having one. It’s not distinctive like a southern or British accent, for example. Have you been told you have an accent? No. Where do you live (country or state)? California. Are there any churches you feel welcome at in your town? I think so. If you could start a church, what would it be like? I wouldn’t start a church.  What color is your favorite laundry basket? My hamper is red. What color is your clothes hamper? The one for dirty clothes is red, but I have another hamper for extra clothes storage that is teal. Do you use plastic, wooden, or wire hangers? Plastic. What is your favorite shade of yellow? I like various yellow shades. Are there any shades of blue that you don’t like? If so, which ones? Not that I can think of. What is something you want to accomplish before you turn 30? Welp, I’m already 30 so it’s too late for that. There were a few things. Are there paper-thin walls where you live? Yeah, kind of. Do you feel happy today? No, but I saw It Chapter 2 this morning, which was awesome. The movie was very well done, the entire cast is very talented. Perfect casting.  Do you ever experience paranoia at random times? Yes. Who has the best decorated house in your town? *shrug* Like for the holidays? There’s several houses that I’ve seen that really go all out. A few that are known for that every year. What is your favorite part of Halloween? The spooky time, but I really love that time of year because of fall most of all. Is there a cemetery in your backyard? My dog, Brandie, is buried in our backyard. Do you feel a connection to the moon? No. What does your heart long for? Happiness... Do you know what your purpose in life is? No. If so, what is your purpose? Why are you here? If you live in an apartment, what is the maintenance man’s name? I don’t. Did you decorate a pumpkin this year? Not yet, but I likely won’t. I haven’t the past 3 or 4 years. If not, will you decorate a pumpkin this year? Probably not. What are some fall activities you would do with your kids? I don’t plan on having kids. Have you ever seen a fox? No. What color are the squirrels where you live? Normal squirrel color? Do you find Halloween fun or scary? I enjoy it. There’s spookiness, but I love it. Is there anything about Halloween you find offensive? Nah. What was the last thing you drank? Starbucks Doubleshot. What do the trees look like where you live? Like trees. lol. There’s various kinds. I’m not a tree specialist. What is your dream vacation? Beachy places, mountainous places, scenic and touristy places. I just wanna travel. What was the best vacation you’ve been on so far? Beach trips. What is the best class trip you’ve been on? Senior grad night at Disneyland. Having the park closed to the general public and only open to a few senior classes from different schools from like... 10 to 5AM I think it was, was awesome.  Did you like field trips when you were a kid? Yeah. Do you find museums boring or interesting? I find them interesting. What was your school’s rival team’s mascot? Do you wish you could do your life over again and make less mistakes? Absolutely. What are three issues you are passionate about? I don’t really feel very passionate about much. :/ What are three countries you have no desire to visit? Hm. Do you like your country’s flag? Yeah. Would you ever wear a shirt with your country’s flag on it? I have. Do you have a bedspread or a comforter? Both? What size is your bed? Full. Do you prefer cotton or microfiber sheets? Microfiber. Does anyone love you and support you? My family. What’s a medicine that makes you sleepy? My pain med, allergy medicines, medicines intended to make to make you sleepy. Do you like bath bombs? I’ve never used one. I’m a shower person. What was the best summer of your life? Childhood summers. What year do you wish you could go back to? Childhood years. What did your favorite homecoming dress look like? I didn’t go to homecoming. Who is your favorite neighbor? I don’t know any of them. What did you last have for lunch? A sandwich. If someone told you “trick” instead of giving you a treat, what would u do? I’d prefer the treat. Who are your favorite small youtubers? A lot of the YouTubers I watch have a big following, but there’s a few smaller ones as well. Who are your favorite big youtubers? Shane Dawson is one of them, and a few ASMRists.  What was your favorite girl group when you were growing up? Spice Girls, probably. Do you like Disney movies? Yes. Were you ever in the popular crowd? Nope. I was more than fine with that. If not, do you want to be popular? No. Would you rather live in a log cabin or Smarthouse? Smarthouse, ha. That reminds me of that old Disney Channel movie. Have you ever used an outhouse? No. What does your middle name rhyme with? What was the name of the first dorm you lived in? I’ve never lived in a dorm. Were your college years the best years of your life? No. 

[albionscastle]

First Impressions Part 9

I’m not going to lie, I’ve been in a dreadful funk since getting back from Scotland and I haven’t written hardly at all. But I was putting up the tree and thought of a scene which turned into this.

This chapter doesn’t really further the story much but gives an insight into what Lizzie and Jack are thinking. 

MASTERLIST AND PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

FIRST IMPRESSIONS PART 9 - SNOW DAY

LIZZIE

Winter had officially arrived, several weeks early in fact. Lizzie sat in her window watching the children walking to school, bundled in their coats and scarves, happily throwing snowballs at one another. Shop owners were salting and shovelling the sidewalks while the trucks came along to give the same treatment to the roads. The first decent snow of the season the week before Thanksgiving was almost unheard of. Since Lizzie had been in high school it had only snowed before Christmas maybe three times. Up at 6am she’d already shovelled the sidewalk outside the theatre, the landlord was far too old to be having to worry about it and if she was honest she enjoyed the simple labor of it.

What she didn’t like, however, was driving in the snow, especially in or around Chicago. She’d admittedly been called a crazy driver more than once but she had nothing on the idiots who came out in the bad weather. It was far safer for her and everyone else for her to just, not. The museum had already been informed that she wouldn’t be back until March, and honestly Lizzie was looking forward to taking the time off to explore some online classes, anything to pad her resume. Today, though, she was free just to relax and watch the flakes fall while she nursed her tea.

A ping from her phone distracted her, no-one usually texted her at 7am unless it was an emergency, or they wanted her to work.

Brad: Hey Red! It’s snowing!

Lizzie rolled her eyes. In the weeks since Charlie’s birthday, the weird feeling she’d had about Brad had almost vanished and she’d engaged with him a lot more. Though she had yet to take him up on his offers of dinner, she had allowed him to sit beside her at the movies once or twice. For his part, Brad had eased off while still making his attraction clear. Lizzie couldn’t understand why she was so reticent about getting involved with him. On paper he was a hell of a catch - gorgeous, charming, successful, friendly and fun. Brad Wickham ticked a lot of boxes, except two. Attraction and trust.

The truth was - she just didn’t think of him in that way. If he brushed her hand or touched her she felt nothing. Literally nothing, it just wasn’t there for her and no amount of trying had changed that. There was also the niggling feeling in the back of her mind that she just couldn’t trust him. Whether it was because he was just too perfect, or her own personal fears, she just couldn’t tell, but it was there.

It didn’t stop her from enjoying his friendship though.

Lizzie: Your powers of perception are second to none. I never would have guessed.

Brad: Ha ha, there’s talk they may cancel filming today.

Lizzie: It’s barely a dusting! And wouldn’t that just put production behind? Brad: Nah, we only have a few days of filming left and today is just us lowly bit part actors lol

He was right, Lizzie realised suddenly. Even Tom had mentioned more than once that the whole thing would be done by Thanksgiving, which was only seven days away. She made a mental note to ask Maya what plans her and Tom had made.

Lizzie: I forgot you will all be out of our hair this week.

Brad: Well our mutual ‘friend’ will be, me, I might stick around for a while.

Don’t.

She didn't’;t even realise that she’d said the word out loud the thought was so sudden. But Lizzie knew without a doubt that deep down she didn’t want Brad to stay in town once production finished.

Lizzie: trust me, there’s NOTHING here in the winter. Just ice and assholes, other than that, nothing happens.

There was no text for a while and Lizzie hoped that she’d gotten the message across diplomatically enough. She knew damn well what he meant when he talked about staying and she didn’t want to give him false hope.

Brad: Subject change, are you going to the wrap party?

Lizzie: Half the city was invited so yes. What about you?

Brad: Well it's sure to be awkward but I’m determined to. After all, Jack’s the one who should be ashamed, not me. If he doesn’t want to see me there he can leave and hide in his hotel room.

Lizzie: Now that would make the night perfect lol

Brad: Gotta go, we just got called. TTYL

The wrap party had been a bone of contention for Lizzie since the invitations arrived. Her mother and Lydia were over the moon, naturally, but when Lizzie had suggested she stay home with Ben she had been vetoed across the board. Reluctantly she’d had to agree to go, even though she wanted to avoid a great many of the people who would be there.

Still, maybe the night would be bearable with Brad and Charlie there. Maybe.

As expected, the snow had eased off by mid-morning and would be melted away by late afternoon. Maya had arrived at lunch, arms stacked with books and looking all flustered.

“Can I study here? If I go home Mom is just going to distract me and I’ll get nothing done, I’m behind already.”

Lizzie couldn’t say no to Maya, even if her presence meant that her planned day of solitude had gone out the window. Leaving her sister with her law books spread out all over the dining table, Lizzie had pottered around cleaning the apartment and hauling the Christmas boxes down from the storage room. Chloe was strict about the tree not going up until December and Colin had never allowed one. This year she was going to have it her way, Christmas was her favorite time of year.

It was dark by five and finally Maya shut her books.

“I’m done. All caught up, thanks Lizzie.”

“No probs, are you hungry?”

“Famished, I should get home for dinner.”

“I’ll rustle something up, stay and relax for a while.”

Lizzie could see Maya’s forehead wrinkle nd she knew what was bothering her.

“You have plans with Tom?”

“Just dinner with him and Jack.” Maya looked guilty.

Taking a deep breath, Lizzie made the decision.

“Invite them here.”

The thankful look on Maya’s face was worth any irritation that Lizzie felt at the prospect of Jack being in her apartment. Besides there were just a days left and she was, as always, willing to put up with anything if it meant Maya’s happiness.

Lizzie busied herself in the kitchen, making sure she was busy when the men in question arrived. She could hear their voices, the difference between their accents always so clear. Despite herself, she enjoyed the burrs and lilts when Jack spoke and loathed that she actually found his voice quite comforting.

“Could ye use a hand?”

Speak of the devil and he’ll pop his head into your kitchen.

“I’m actually good.” Lizzie didn’t even look up  from chopping the carrots.

“Are ye sure? I think those two want some time alone, if ye ken?”

You could have stayed home, she thought bitterly.

“Fine, can you chop these for me?” she sighed.

“What are makin?” he took the knife from her hand and got to work.

“A coconut curry, nothing special.”

“Sounds better than McDonalds again.”

Lizzie couldn’t help but snicker. Whiting wasn’t known as a hub for the discerning diner, and their McDonald's even had a Facebook page declaring it the worst in existence. For good reason.

“You’re gambling with your life eating at that shithole.”

“Take it up wi’ the young’un, he’s go a stomach made o cast iron.”

“And apparently the taste to go with it if he willingly eats that crap to begin with.”

“Well, to be fair, the lad’s no had a lot of experience past uni, and ye know how tha goes.”

“I remember. I existed on a diet of ramen, takeout and toast. Oh and chocolate, naturally.”

“Naturally.” he chuckled, sliding the veggies into the skillet at Lizzie’s beckoning.

The conversation lapsed into a comfortable silence as the meal came together. Jack seemed able to anticipate her needs and they worked together like a well-oiled machine.

“It’s almost ready, let me check the rice.”

Lizzie lifted the lid on the pot and held her hand out for a fork. Jack handed one to her, fingers sliding over hers as he placed it in her palm. The jolt that hit her made her catch her breath, hand shaking as she gripped the utensil. The last time he’d touched her this hadn’t happened, but she’d been upset and his touch had been comforting in the face of Colin.

This. This was trouble.

Lizzie waited until Jack went to set the table before she let out her breath, her hand still tingling and her body far too warm for comfort.

What the fuck had just happened? JACK

His hand was twitching, literally twitching as he flexed his fingers. He’d seen Elizabeth take a deep breath and he knew that she felt it too. The attraction that simmered was white hot and coursing through his veins and it was all he could do to slow his breathing. Jack barely even paid attention to what he was doing, his mind wandering to far more interesting thoughts.

Stop it! He muttered to himself before his body betrayed his thoughts.

Jack forced himself to calm down before going back into the kitchen. Elizabeth had her back to him as she transferred food to serving dishes. He took a moment to appreciate her, even all covered up she was a treat. For a brief moment he allowed himself to imagine walking up behind her, lifting her braid so he could press his lips to her neck. In his mind she leaned back into him with a smile as his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her as he whispered in her ear.

“Can you get the others?”

His bubble burst and reality came into sharp focus as he called out to Tom and Maya, taking a serving dish from the counter. He gave himself credit for rallying well during dinner, telling stories from different sets that had the women howling with laughter. There were moments he noticed that Elizabeth would have her brows furrowed in confusion, and he definitely noticed her watching him when she thought he wasn’t looking.

Bolstered, he not only dragged Tom to make sure they did the cleaning up, but he also broached the subject of the Christmas boxes in the corner.

“Lizzie always was gung ho about getting Christmas up and moving.” Maya laughed. “Mom would never even let her look at tinsel until December.”

“I’m all fer decorating early ma’self.” Jack shrugged, noting Elizabeth’s surprise. “There’s summan magical about Christmas an I think the longer ye can experience it each year the better.”

He didn’t add that he hadn’t decorated his flat since Lisa buggered off and even then it had been all her, designed purely to be shown off and with no warmth or charm. There had been no magic to it.

“Lizzie! Why don’t we do it now?” Tom suddenly piped up with excitement.

Good boy, Jack thought as he murmured his agreement to the idea.

“Well I guess we could.” she seemed uncertain at first but he could see the excitement brimming in her eyes.

That was all it took. Within minutes the boxes had been dragged into the center of the room and the corner emptied.

“I prefer real trees,” Elizabeth sighed she cut open the huge box containing the tree. “But I couldn’t justify the expense when I already had this.”

As it was, her fake tree was impressively real-looking, and large. Jack could see that it had been packed away for quite some time as even the scent packets in with it had lost their smell. It was a lovely tree but in the back of his mind all he could think was that he deserved the real thing.

Maya lit pine-scented candles, while Tom turned on a Christmas playlist. Jack helped Elizabeth piece the tree together, pulling and fluffing the branches until it looked perfect. For the next hour or so, lights and tinsel were hung, and box after box of baubles opened. Many were the typical colorful glass balls, glittering stars, pretty but impersonal. The last couple of boxes were different. He watched the sisters as they lifted each one out, some hand made and some old and well loved. There was even a box of ornaments that were nothing but Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, a wonderland of pop culture. Jack’s personal favorite was a Darth Vader in an ugly sweater who spoke about presents and Sithmas every time someone moved past him.

“When did you get all these, Lizzie?” Maya was hanging a golden Snitch beside a sparkly Merida.

Tom was unboxing a Captain America and jack was playing with a shark that played the Jaws theme.

“I’ve just bought them at sale over the years, Mom never wanted them on the tree and Colin…” Jack watched her visibly gather herself. “He wasn’t big on Christmas.”

It occured to Jack that this might well be the first time Elizabeth had her own tree, in her own home, and he wasn’t sure how it was making him feel. Shaking his head to try and clear his thoughts he handed her the shark, watching her while she hung it. After it all was done and the boxes carted back to storage, Jack stood back looking at what they’d done.. The tree was a hodge podge, with no apparent style or theme and he had to admit he thought it was perfect. The result was warm, inviting and somehow uniquely Elizabeth. This apartment wasn’t designed to please anyone but her and it worked, in the fact that one felt so much at home here.

His flat in London was pathetically sterile, had been even during the time he shared it with Lisa. She’d been all for the ultra modern, with white everything and the place had looked like a damn photoshoot. He’d been afraid to even sit on the fucking couch. In the year that she’d been gone the only thing he’d done with the place was buy a couch and a tv, most of the time that was where he slept too. If he was with a woman it had always been at her place or a hotel, somewhere that he could make a quick, discrete exit. There had been no morning afters, no desire to have a woman in his space.

Until now.

Elizabeth would hate his place, he knew by looking at her jewelled throws and little knick knacks, and he’d be embarrassed to take her there. But here, he could see something more than taking her to bed and sneaking out while she was asleep. He could see snuggling on the couch as a movie played, he could see cooking together again.

He could see a future and it scared him to death.

It wasn’t possible, least of all with her and all of this had to be some weird side-effect of being in close quarters to the woman he wanted to shag and couldn’t. There was no future with a woman who lived in a different country and whose whole family belonged on some trashy American talk show. Not to mention that he was never ever going to put himself in that position again. He could never allow himself to be blindsided and betrayed again - especially when the woman in question was already friendly with Wick.

While the others dug into dessert, Jack excused himself to the bathroom, finding that he needed a few moments to be alone with his thoughts. Strolling down the hallway he ran his fingers along the wall, taking in the gallery of photos. Most were of Elizabeth and her family or friends. He chuckled to himself at one of her and Charlie as young teens, skinny and awkward looking, their teeth in braces. Further along, closer to her bedroom door were two framed documents. With some surprise he realised they were diplomas, from Northwestern University. Somehow he’d known in the back of his mind that she’d been to school, something he’d overheard maybe. He hadn’t considered a place like Northwestern, or that ‘gone to school’ meant a Masters degree in History.

He was honestly taken aback. What on earth was she doing working in a bakery with a masters degree? Jack couldn’t wrap his head around it, or around why the hell he cared so much what she did or didn’t do with her life. Splashing his face with water in the bathroom, Jack tried to shake some sense into himself. With a resigned sigh he instead gave into curiosity and opened the bathroom cabinet, all the while telling himself that he was a despicable human being.

“What on earth?” he murmured aloud as he took in the row of prescription bottles on the shelf.

His brow furrowed as he read the labels; Hydroxyzine, Lexapro, Amitriptyline, Naproxen - that one, he knew was for pain. The others though, he had no idea what they were but it didn’t bode well. Whatever was wrong with Elizabeth, she did a good job of hiding it, he’d certainly seen no signs of illness or weakness.

“That was a nice night, even you have to admit Jack.” Tom remarked later as they walked back to the hotel.

“Aye it was. Say, do ye know if Elizabeth is sick or summan?”

“She looked fine to me, a bit tired maybe.”

Jack just shrugged, surely if it were something  like say, cancer, Maya would have mentioned something to Tom. Whatever it was it apparently wasn’t bad enough to cause anyone any real concern.

Again, why did he even fucking care?

Short answer, he didn’t. The woman had gotten under his skin, yes but for no reason other than him being horny, wanting to scratch the itch. Anything else was simply sentimentality, maybe a touch of loneliness.

“Nuthun, jus thought she seemed a bit, off, probably jus tried like ye said.”

“Awe how sweet of you to care you big softie.” Tom laughed, despite the dark look that Jack shot him.

“Shut the fuck up, asshole.” Jack muttered, shoving Tom good-naturedly.

As much as Jack hated to admit it, Tom had a point. He did care, despite his better judgement and every argument against it. He cared. Very much.

And he was miserable.

[lightning95mcqueen195]

Lightning HeadCannons

Hey, I was bored and I wrote out all the headcannons I have on the kachow boy. There's 50 so I hope y'all will like some of them at least. :) I've seen people put their headcannons on here and I wanted to share mine lol. 1. He's terrified of the dark and needs a night light or someone to cuddle with at all times. 2. He's got anxiety issues, idk maybe just anxiety in general or separation anxiety, cause I think I'd be cute to see him all scared in a store or something with Sally and he can't find her and he's getting scared and then he turns around and she's behind him and he just gets so relieved and hugs her or something, omg. 3. He wants kids one day, but is kind of nervous cause he's afraid he's gonna mess up by not being there or just doing something wrong, but he'd really like to have a daughter. 4. He gets really nervous in tough situations, like super shaky and sweaty (do cars sweat??) and he gets this cute stutter or something. 5. He's a very hyper car, like he was a hyper child always running around and wearing himself out, and like now he's calmed down a bit but he sometimes just gets that burst of energy and no one can freaking calm him down. 6. He's a really good singer, but his anxiety causes him to not sing in public. Maybe he sings with Sally or something idk that'd be cute. 7. With the singing thing, he's not usually shy in front of people and fans but put him on a stage with a microphone and he's got chronic stage fright. 8. Oh, he's shy! I can feel it! He may be able to show that smile on the camera, but on the inside he wishes he could crawl into a hole and leave all these cameras behind lol. 9. He wears glasses/contacts. Idk, I think he'd make a cute nerdy kid. 10. Oh, speaking of nerdy kid, I think he was one. He may seem kinda dumb and hot headed in Cars but he was actually super smart throughout school. He was like top of his class, playing chess, and getting them A's. 11. He had braces. Come on, no one can be born with those perfect teeth without going through some major dental work. 12. He loves to play video games, but not with someone else cause he can't stand losing. 13. He was a delinquent as a kid (even with all them good grades and what not) but like he would do all kinds of bad things around his hometown or something, like all the cops knew him by name lol. 14. He had an abusive father. Idk, I feel he had something bad in his childhood cause that would explain his nasty attitude in Cars, but I feel like his dad maybe forced him into racing when McQueen didn't even want to, and his dad would just abuse him for it. Lighty eventually fell in love with racing, but he always thought of his dad and he's always had that fear that he might come back and hurt him again because he wasn't the nasty racer his dad wanted him to be. 15. Lightning has thought about marriage, but he's nervous about it because he doesn't want to have a divorce like his parents did when he was younger. Plus he doesn't see why him and Sally need marriage because they are perfectly happy the way they are, plus they're both super busy so planning a wedding on top of that would be a literal wreck. 16. His mom was super supportive of him. She was always the one cheering him on a sport events and stuff and she like loves Lightning more than anything in the world and she can't help but gush to the other moms about what Lighty is doing now and how amazing he is. 17. Lighty calls his mom ALL THE TIME! Like four times a week I'd say, like he's always excited to tell his mom what he's been doing and just talking to his mom in general. 18. He reads fanfiction, like he has fandoms he obsesses over or something and he's kind of embarrassed by it, so when people drive in while he's reading it he kind of freaks out and will throw his phone across the room. 19. He loves to sleep and he's like a really heavy sleeper, like nothing will wake him up. He has to set like five alarms at the same time just to make enough noise to wake him up. 20. He loves to cuddle! He's not super clingy but he can be if he wants. He's always looking to cuddle and maybe have a movie date night. 21. He has beautiful handwriting (tire-writing??) and like Sally is jealous cause hers sucks and Lightning freaking breaks out the cursive and Sally ends up just throwing the pen in frustration. 22. Lightning is involved with his fans and the fandom based on him (in the Cars world 😂). He's always talking to his fans and he keeps up with them and laughs at all the things they post about him being super sexy and how he's such a dork. 23. He's a dork. (No explanation needed) 24. He has like so many social media accounts, I'm talking an Instagram, SnapChat, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook like he's got it all. 25. He loves Netflix, like he binge watches TV shows and movies 24/7. 26. His favorite alcoholic drink is Vodka, even though he's a lightweight, but he figures "go big or go home". 27. He loves horror movies, like he adores them and can't get enough of them! Sally will be terrified and he'll be sitting there complaining about what a big baby she is and how it's not even scary. 28. He loves to read, like he loves all them teen books and all the movies that come out based on books (Fault in Our Stars, etc.). He can't get enough of them. His favorite is Twilight. 29. He likes chick flicks. Like he never admits it, but he does get teary eyed from some of them. 30. He loves fire and he loves the Fourth of July cause he loves fireworks and fire and he gets to play with it ( lol no idea where this came from tbh). 31. He loves Trap music and he likes to get down with it. 32. He's a terrible dancer but he tries. 33. He's literally terrible at everything besides racing. 34. He loves art and he can't help but go to art museums and stuff. 35. If he ever got into a movie as an actor, he wants it to be a horror movie so he can play dead and stuff lol. 36. He loves horror, but he's terrified of dolls, like he can't stand them at all. 37. He's a heavy sleeper but it's like so hard for him to fall asleep. He'll be on social media for hours before he passes out from exhaustion. 38. He has night terrors (due to his abusive dad and what not) and he sometimes wakes up crying and screaming in the middle of the night. When he lived alone he always had to get up and make some tea or something to calm down, but now that he lives with Sally she comforts him in any way, shape, or form. 39. He's jealous of people who can get up early because he totally cannot. 40. Lighty loves his dank memes. They take up probably 99% of his phone storage. 41. It's easy to make him laugh. 42. He has several kinds of laughs. He's got like a polite chuckle and then a full on laughing fit like he's choking and dying or something. There's no in-between. He has one of those laughs that's funnier than the actual joke. 43. He loves Disneyland and he wants to go back but he never has time. He still remembers the first time he went and it makes him sad cause he can't go back for a while. 44. He's a kid at heart. 45. He's always getting in trouble because he does some stupid things from time to time. 46. He loves the beach, like he literally loves it. He owns like a condo in California and he goes there sometimes (with or without Sally) and just chills on the beach. When he's with Sally he'll race along the shore and spray sand everywhere and getting Sally dirty in the process and then she won't talk to him for the rest of the day lol. 47. He's a big coffee drinker because he can't wake up in the morning. 48. He legit uses the word "lit" like all the time and he uses it when talking to his fans and his fans get annoyed sometimes cause he says it way too much and they say stuff like "Light, stop abusing the word or else we aren't using it anymore" then he like just keeps repeating it until everyone literally stops chatting with him. 49. He loves YouTube and he has all his favorite YouTuber's and what not. 50. He loves to argue, like all the time, but more in a fun way than an actual argument way. He'll argue about literally anything and it drives Sally insane until he starts cracking up.

[willmeiertext]

Behind the Fourth Wall: My Experience as a Museum Worker

It’s a unique experience, art-handling – being a “preparator” (which autocorrect thinks isn’t real). Like with any manual labor, it’s rad to get paid to work out. But obviously, there’s much more to it than that. You touch the untouchable things, you have keys to rooms many will never know exist full of objects to be seen by sometimes even fewer (I mean, the amount of pictures on my computer I wanted to include in this post and just...couldn’t...for whatever reason...it’s more than just a couple), and you live behind the fourth wall that is the magic of the completed exhibition. You built the wall. And in a way, it’s like there’s some of yourself sealed in there.

There’s a sort of trivial glory in it, but also a kind of hilarious demystification, a rapid desensitization to the wondrous. And a lot of the most menial labor you could possibly imagine. Dozens and dozens of hours of out-of-body audiobooking while waxing-on/off. I haven’t been doing it long enough to become jaded yet, but I know very few career preparators it hasn’t happened to. But really, would I be writing this if I didn’t think it was awesome?

I’ve had a lot of people over the years ask me how I came to do work like this, so I want to give that question a bit of attention:

I had an internship and then a job at a gallery in college, the H&R Block Artspace – which was run by a really brilliant director and showed world-class art, but mostly entailed sitting at a desk and socializing with visitors. But toward its end, I met some real-live art-handlers who chuckled with sympathy when I tried to get on with them. That small private company very shortly after, however, got the contract for several years of building traveling exhibits from New York’s American Museum of Natural History at a brand new nature and science museum outside Kansas City. And they needed a big team all of a sudden, and gave me a call. So I started out building dinosaurs.

There’s a very ad-hoc feeling to that sort of context. You need this thing to fit with that thing and if you’re tool-savvy enough, you make it happen. Sometimes it’s not pretty but if it’s safe to let the public walk under then it will work. It’s fun, or at least engaging – the small-scope part of the job which is just the constant problem-solving and spontaneous fabrication strategies.

But the bigger picture that fascinated me from the beginning about this kind of work was the collision of information and architecture. This is what will always carry over into my future pursuits: the question of, how do you best craft an architectural space, one inhabited momentarily by all varieties of people, the sole purpose of which is to educate each of those people about some element of culture in an engaging way?

I got my taste, but quickly realized that it’s incredibly hard to make a living in this career path. The nature of art-world work is that almost all positions are contract, meaning you need a minimum of probably 2-3 jobs at once to juggle in order to make it work, and still often there are dead periods where you are really panic-level strapped for cash. So I branched out quickly in as many relevant directions as I could, taking any skill-building entry-level job I could find. Some of the paths I took were fabrication-oriented: doing backend assembly of custom commercial cabinetry, then finish work on museum casework and artists’ sculptures. Some were art-handling: private transport and storage, hanging galleries, assisting professional artists on installs, etc. There’s a resume on my website *eye roll*.

Every one of these jobs I gained through face-to-face ‘networking’, through someone I met at another gig. Meaning at the recommendation of friends. Most of them I worked with my best friend, also Will, who got me into the world of art museums. Team Will, shoutout. 

I’ve in turn gotten more than a couple of people their first museum jobs. There’s nowhere I’ve seen where ‘who you know’ matters more.

That being said, not everyone is cut out for it. Most aren’t. I just happen to associate with generally exceptional people ^______^ . It takes an eye for a ridiculous level of detail, and a hand that can consistently perform tasks attuned to that detail without fucking anything up. Plus snap-judgment problem solving skills for often dangerous and/or costly predicaments. You also generally need to be a fun person, since the work can get quite tense (understatement for the 60hr/wk installs my team is used to) and it helps to be able to lighten things up.

It’s interesting how many different skillsets and attitudes intersect in this world. You have very blue-collar-flavored work surrounded by typically intellectual types of people. The stakes are high (put it in the back of your mind that just about every individual object around you is worth more than you might ever make in your life, accumulated) so people are very serious, especially around art, and while there’s a special level of hero-ness in actually touching The Stuff, it can tend to involve less creativity, for good reason. I was a Lego kid, so the construction and space-creation side of the job was always a little more engaging for me, personally.

So I really lucked out to land where I’m at today at the Denver Art Museum. My current job is basically to assist in the construction, fabrication, assembly, and finishing of everything that exists between the empty room and the art. It’s called “Exhibitions Production”, and at DAM, what a ‘production’ it is. We do really high-dollar build-outs designed to be theatrically jaw-dropping to the public. At standards of craft that I’ve never seen anywhere else as ‘standard’ – think 1/16″ margins on nearly everything. Which, combined with the irregularly angled Liebeskind building we do most of our work in, makes my job pretty complicated. Which keeps me out of trouble, which is nice.

So back to how the hell I landed in such a good one: 

In order to secure this job (they’re extremely coveted and basically impossible to get without personal invitation), I had to work as a guard, a ‘gallery host’, for half a year. I told my hiring managers in that interview that I only wanted the job to meet the art-handlers who I would be working for in the future. It was interesting to take a step back from the behind-the-scenes world I was used to and be basically at ground-level with the visitors, an underling of the museum social hierarchy who exists as a mediator of rules. By interesting I mean almost totally shitty, with the exception of a much slower-paced experience of observing many, many people engaging the same exhibits day after day. I had always worked to put the shows on, but by the time that is over with you are sick of the show and already on to the next thing anyways. Catharsis. This was sort of the opposite – like a Groundhog Day of visitors forever wiping their oily foreheads all over the fourth wall. Incident Report.

But it offered an opportunity to see both sides of the idea of ‘the exhibition’. The before and after. To watch people’s patterns of real-live interaction with shows that clearly had intricate thought put into specifically the visitor-engagement / education elements of their designs. 

And it also worked: it gave me the opportunity to see someone pushing a cart full of tools, whose boss’s email I got from him, who I proceeded to harass frequently over the next half a year until he finally agreed to give me a trial run.

Since my promotion to the Exhibitions department, moving on to work with the designers and administrators in charge of those experiences I mentioned – that has been so fulfilling. It’s been the best job I’ve ever had, but beyond just enjoyable day-to-day-ness, it planted the seed that has grown into my biggest fascination now, which is the idea of the future of the museum experience.

“Museum Experience Design” – the museum in the digital age. Information architecture meets architecture. Rather than didactics for a universal audience, a modal, entirely custom veil of educational opportunity tailored to each visitor... That kind of thing. That’s where I’m headed. But that’s an entirely different topic.

For now I just feel super lucky to be on such a ridiculously talented team at a big, well-funded museum that puts on such extravagant shows. There’s a lot to observe, and a lot to learn.

I guess the moral of the story, if there is one, is that if you really want to get into this kind of work, you need to be talented, i.e. probably an artist (no, not a conceptual artist), but mainly you need to put yourself out there and meet the people who can hire you. And be relentless in trying to get them to do it. There aren’t a lot of these jobs but they’re worth trying to get. 

If you land one, just make sure you don’t drop anything, then have fun.

[gethealthy18-blog]

Gift Ideas for Mom (That She Will Use and Love!)

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/gift-ideas-for-mom-that-she-will-use-and-love/

Gift Ideas for Mom (That She Will Use and Love!)

As Mother’s Day approaches, I’ve gotten several requests from husbands of a few readers for gift ideas for Mom when regular chocolate won’t cut it anymore.

I’ve compiled a list of some of the things I’d want to get (hint-hint honey) and feel free to add your favorites in the comments! Some of these are definitely not your typical gifts but are ones that will help Mom be healthy and happy!

Gifts for Mother’s Day (She Won’t Just Pretend She Loves)

How do you get a gift for the person that gave birth to you, cooked food for your entire childhood, and was at your side through teething/tantrums/friend drama/dating and all the other challenges of childhood?

It likely isn’t possible to find one gift that says “thanks for everything you’ve done for me” but I’ve compiled a list of gifts mom will be able to use and enjoy. These are gifts I’d give to my own mom or that I’d be thrilled to receive from my kids. Of course, nothing beats a heartfelt letter or handmade gift, but if you’ve already got those covered, here’s a list of some other ideas she’ll love!

Amazon Prime Membership – Get free 2-day shipping on many items, plus free streaming music and movies and now unlimited photo storage too.

or Real Plans Membership – I love this meal planning service that lets me plan our meals each week in just minutes and shop in half the time. Give mom some time off by saving her time on meal planning and prep (and even better, plan and shop for her for a few weeks!)

Shiatsu Massage Pillow – I received this as a gift and absolutely love it! It rivals an actual massage and I use it all the time after long days of cooking and holding babies.

Hydroflask Water Bottle – These steel bottles are cute and really functional! They keep liquids cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12.

Royally Flawless Facial Moisturizer – Amazing facial oil with the highest quality ingredients and no junk! My mom loves this stuff and it is the only one I can use without breaking out.

RTIC Tumbler – This one performs as well as the high-priced Yeti and I use mine all the time. Great for coffee, smoothies and water.

Wake-up Light Gentle Alarm Clock – Waking up can stink, especially after a long night of being up with littles. Wake up gently to gradual light and sound with this wake-up light.

Himalayan Salt Lamp – Soothing warm orange glow at night from these beautiful lamps.

Blue Blocker Glasses – I wear these after dark for better sleep (some studies show that avoiding blue light after dark helps melatonin levels).

Sleep Master Sleep Mask – A sleep mask that is actually comfortable! Great for travel or home.

10,000 Lux Happy Light – I use this super-bright light in the morning to keep my cortisol levels healthy.

Anything Le Creuset – Incredible (but pricey) dishes. I’ve been collecting a few pieces over the years and resisting the urge to buy it all!

Microwaveable Slippers – These slippers are super cozy for moms who always feel cold.

Dry Brush Set – Brushing isn’t just for hair and teeth. Brushing skin can help it stay smooth, supple, and may improve collagen. It also feels great and is super-relaxing.

Low-EMF Hair Dryer – Did you know that hairdryers product a LOT of EMFs? This dryer is pricey but the quick drying time and smooth shiny hair that results is so worth it.

French Press Coffee Maker – Coffee is my sanity some days. If the mom in your life is the same way, help her ditch the toxic plastic coffee maker with a glass french press or any of these non-toxic coffee makers.

Instant Pot – Revolutionize dinner! This electric pressure cooker makes roasts in about an hour and turns tough cuts of meat into deliciously tender meals.

Grown-up Coloring Book and Markers – Coloring isn’t for kids anymore and studies show it may reduce stress levels. Try a “grown up coloring book.”

Kokomo Cream Organic Deodorant – This natural deodorant smells like the tropics and last for months.

The Wellness Mama Cookbook – Ok, I’m biased, but my cookbook is filled with 200 delicious recipes that our family loves (and I know yours will too!).

Blackout Curtains – Even a little light can interfere with sleep quality. We use blackout curtains to keep our room really dark.

Wine Bottle Tiki Torch – Upcycle old wine bottles with these adorable tiki-torch kits.

Myobuddy Massager – An amazing handheld massager that rivals what chiropractors use in-office (in fact, some of them do). This percussive massager heats up, vibrates, and feels like a real massage. Especially a great gift for nursing, which can be so hard on the neck, shoulders, and back.

Wine Subscription – The secret to a happy mom? Wine showing up at the door! Just joking of course (kind of) but if Mom is a wine lover, this is the gift that keeps on giving. I especially like this one because I never get headaches from it like I used to even from just a glass of regular wine. It’s organic, low-sugar, and free of any unhealthy additives.

Other Fun Experience-Based Gift Ideas for Mom

A CSA share

A picnic (if it isn’t too cold)

Tickets to a local theatre or performing arts center

A basket of seeds and gardening supplies

Surprise overnight getaway at a hotel — alone (ahh!) or with a friend

Pedicure basket or gift certificate

Museum passes if she likes art, science, history, etc.

A framed photo of a special memory with a handwritten note or a photo book/scrapbook

Cooking classes, personal training, or massage gift certificates or at-home massage course

Flowers – but give in a flower pot rather than cut flowers so she can enjoy them year round!

A gift certificate to do an escape room with the family or with friends

Anything made by her kids 🙂

Not having to cook or clean for a day (This is the one I really want!)

Bottom Line: Show Mom Lots of Love!

I’m not always a fan of Hallmark holidays, but moms give so much day in and day out (pregnancy and childbirth just for starters!) and certainly deserve to be celebrated. Show Mom a little (or a lot) of extra love and care this Mothers’ Day and every day… hopefully some of these ideas help!

What are your favorite natural gifts for mothers? Please share below!

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/4894/gift-ideas-for-mom/

[itsworn]

One Man’s Mopar Journey: A Profile of Chrysler Expert Frank Badalson and His Shop, American Performance

“Mopar, that’s all I know. That’s all I’ll do. I just don’t know anything else,” Frank Badalson says. We were in his restoration shop, American Performance, in Richmond, Virginia.

“The majority of my business is survivor,” Frank says, and to his left on a lift was a jaw-dropping example: an 1,800-mile 1971 Challenger Hemi that had been in the possession of its original owner until it sold in January 2015 at the Mecum Kissimmee auction for $600,000.

“This Challenger has its original battery. I have it sitting there on the bench. There are a minute handful of cars, especially Mopars, with original batteries.”

The battery was dead but useful for show. Frank is immersed in its details. The part number, 69, corresponds to the build sheet code, which contained the plant of manufacture, the Kansas City Cold Battery Storage Company, indicated by KC, and 11-0 for the date of November 1970. The red caps were original, having five vent holes in a Group 27 battery.

Frank was showing us elements of what he calls “extreme preservation and extreme detail,” which become very important on cars such as this Challenger. His work is more like that of a curator than a restorer. This Challenger has to remain original and unrestored. Few people in the world could be entrusted with this museum-worthy piece of history, so owners find Frank. He doesn’t find them.

Journey Begins

The more we talked, the more specialized I understood American Performance to be, and the more I realized how much his life and work has been a Mopar journey, right from his very first car in high school. Frank got his license in 1969. He wanted a Hemi right away, “but it didn’t happen,” he says.

“In May 1971 I got back from military school and my father said, ‘You’re going to work. I got you a job, but you got to drive to D.C.’”

They went to a used car lot owned by a friend of his father’s named Vince. There were two Mopars. Frank recalls an F4 green 1970 Hemi Challenger with a shaker, and a 1970 Lemon Twist Barracuda powered by a 318. Of course the enthusiast and all-American horsepower-loving teenager wanted that Hemi. He started it up and remembers thinking, Oh man, this would be great if I could swing this.

“I went to make sure the car was original. In a couple minutes, my father came storming out and started cursing. ‘You ain’t getting that car! Vince says it goes 200 miles per hour and gets 4 miles per gallon. You’re not getting that car!’”

No pleading could change his father’s mind. The disgruntled teenager got the 318 Barracuda, which at least was a sporty E-Body.

Frank’s Mopar enthusiasm had begun with the introduction of the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner. “My older buddies started buying them, and we went to the dealership all the time looking at them. That’s just where it grew.”

Frank would have to wait for his father to get out of the way of his Mopar dreams before he could get his first Hemi. That didn’t keep him from trying. His father canceled a 1970 Hemi ’Cuda purchase in April 1973.

“He walked around it, and saw Hemicuda on the shaker. He looked at that, stared at it, and said, ‘Hem-a-cuda. What the hell is hem-a-cuda?’” And then he recalled the name Hemi from a few years earlier.

With money borrowed from his mom and stepfather, Frank bought a 1969 Road Runner for $900 in May 1973. That was followed by an A4 Winchester Gray Metallic 1971 Hemi ’Cuda that he paid $1,900 for to use in his junior year in college. This is the same Hemi that sold for $950,000 plus commission at the Mecum Kissimmee Auction in January 2016. Frank was not the seller at Kissimmee. He had sold the Hemi ’Cuda many years earlier for far less and bought more Mopar muscle cars.

After graduating from college he became a police officer and started his own accident investigation business in 1991. He has bought and sold “well over 90 Mopars,” which included “a little bit of everything.” He has never had a convertible Hemi, “but other than that, I’ve had pretty much anything you could name.”

In Business

Since his first Mopar, Frank has helped friends fix their Mopars, an activity that turned into “a part-time business that was almost a second full-time job.” The depth of his expertise grew over the years.

In the late 1980s he became friends with famous muscle car restorer Roger Gibson through a technical car magazine article Gibson wrote. “He posed a question in the tech article and I answered it,” says Frank. “We started a parts business around 1992 called Auto Restoration Parts Supply.”

By 2008 he’d had his fill of “depositions, traveling, and constantly going to court.” Meanwhile his Mopar business was engulfing him. He decided to “retire and do cars full time.”

American Performance is very nondescript and unadvertised, located in a plain building in an industrial complex. Aside from a normal desk, Frank’s office consists of shelves filled with parts and resource material that spills onto the floor in several storage rooms.

“Everything here is N.O.S. There’s nothing reproduction back here.”

Frank has been gathering N.O.S. parts for years, and he knows what’s what. He pulled out a large album that he said is “one of my many volumes of engine and number tracings.”

The tracings started “in 1976 when I first became a cop. We had a class, taught by the FBI, that centered on motorcycle fraud. They taught us how to get these engine numbers and frame numbers off Harleys, and that sparked me into thinking. All these Mopars that I had my hands on, I needed to start checking them.”

For the past 40-plus years, Frank has been gathering tracings and photos of high-performance Mopar engine, transmission, and body numbers “I did it for my own education and for myself, to make sure I didn’t get taken in any sort of fraud.”

His database is massive. It would be hard to imagine anybody else who could match this level of both expertise and sheer volume of specialized information.

Frank talked about “hand stampings” on cars. “What are they supposed to look like? What period on the [assembly] line did they do this kind of thing?”

Having this information is what helps Frank authenticate cars, another large part of his business. He also authenticates drivetrains in cars. By having hundreds of tracings and photos, he knows what is factory, right down to anomalies that could easily fool other Mopar experts.

For example, 1968 was the first year the assembly line starting putting VINs on major components, meaning engine and transmission. Frank pointed to the rear of an engine, top rail, opposite the oil sending unit. Some stamps done by hand look like mistakes, but they are real. Frank does not release the intimate details of these stampings, but he does have to discuss them when he is authenticating Mopars.

Restorations, Too

Adjoining the office in the same building is a shop where Frank works on cars. He also has a second building behind the shop, where he stores Mopars.

A 14,000-square-foot body shop is off-site, owned by Stuart Jackson. “American Performance does full, ground-up restorations,” Frank says. “I also have an engine shop, owned by longtime friend Charlie Morris. But my specialty, my preference, are survivors. We do great restorations. Every [car] receives the same amount of detail as any survivor, if the customer is willing to go along. But we are known for survivors, which is why there are so many survivors here at the shop.”

Frank labors alone on cars he loved in his youth. His shop is large but secluded, a hideout in a sense, a lair that is a sanctuary to safeguard, preserve, and restore aging Mopar muscle cars.

“I have so many cars come in here, like Hemis, with the carburetor linkage hooked up improperly. They send them to me to run right so they can enjoy the car.”

Frank fired up, first crank, a 426 Hemi in a 1969 Super Bee to dispel misconceptions about how a Hemi sounds and how it runs—not balky, but smooth.

His daily driver is a 1972 Satellite Sebring Plus with 100 percent original paint and interior. It even has its original trunk mat. His dad, who passed away in 1983, would approve of this car. It’s a 318.

We couldn’t help asking Frank what his father would think today about his son owning so many high-performance Mopars and making a business of them, becoming a master Mopar restorer.

“My mom had a lot to do with this. My mom was always supportive. There was a gold Hemi Charger that I stored at my mom’s house because I didn’t have a garage in 1977. My mom’s car died one day, and she drove the Charger to the grocery store. Everyone was whistling at her and asking if that was a real Hemi. She had so much attention. My mom was always enthusiastic about the cars and the Hemis.”

We asked, “Did your father ever understand, once you got in business?” In other words, did his father finally realize his son’s fascination with Mopars was much more than a kid looking to raise hell with a hot rod car?

“Never, no, no. My dad died in 1983 while I was still a police officer. This was all still a hobby then, which he very much hated. He also didn’t like me being a cop.”

Later, Frank added, “Today I think my father would be amazed at how something he considered to be a losing proposition—cars and high performance—has turned into a good business. I think he would be amazed at that.”

In his college days Frank Badalson posed for this photo in the engine bay of the 1971 Hemi ’Cuda he’d bought for $1,900. Forty years after Frank sold it, it sold again in 2016 for $950,000 plus auction commissions, which brought the total price to over $1 million.

Frank today at this shop, American Performance, leaning into the engine bay of a 1971 Hemi Challenger to work on the carburetor linkage.

Frank showed us Mopars parked in a second building in the same industrial complex as his office and shop. He had completed work on the yellow 1969 Hemi Super Bee, a car we featured in “Not Really Restored,” June 2018.

This is Frank as a teenager with his first car, a 318-powered, Lemon Twist Yellow Barracuda.

Frank got interested in Mopars when the 1968 Road Runner came out. This giant factory image from a Road Runner advertisement is in his office today.

Frank organizes tracings and photos of Mopar driveline stampings and VINs in loose-leaf notebooks he has gathered over more than 40 years. This original research helps him authenticate Mopar cars and drivelines.

Frank was working on this 1,800-mile 1971 Hemi Challenger R/T when we arrived.

He became a police officer after college, as seen in this photo from 1979.

His daily driver is this 1972 Plymouth Sebring with a stock 318.

This shelving in Frank’s office holds a treasure trove of N.O.S. and original Mopar parts.

A Hemi is on the dyno at the engine shop, which is off-site from Frank’ place of work.

Frank bought this 440 Six Pack/four-speed Superbird with 20,000 original miles and original paint and interior from the original owner in 1978. His 1978 440 police car is in the background.

Stuart Jackson paints cars in his shop, which is directly affiliated with Frank.

This vintage print shows Frank’s silver 1971 Hemi ’Cuda in the parking lot of Moore Hall dorm at Richmond University with college buddies Butch Bell, who drove a 1968 Chevelle SS396, and Stuart Cordish, who drove a 1972 Dart with a 225 Slant Six and three on the tree.

Frank’s mom, Gloria, was very supportive of his interest in cars. This is a photo of her with Frank’s 1970 Barracuda.

The very first Hemi that Frank rode in and drove was this 1968 Road Runner owned by high school buddy Steve Sowar. Sowar was “very instrumental” in Frank’s quest for a Hemi. The deep-dish Cragar S/S wheels on this Road Runner ended up on Frank’s 1969 B5 Blue Road Runner.

In 1976, Frank sold the 1971 Hemi ’Cuda for $3,300 ($1,400 more than he paid for it) and bought another ’71 Hemi ’Cuda, which “didn’t last long,” followed by this 1970 Hemi Charger R/T with 29,000 miles and original paint.

This 1970 Charger is the Hemi Frank’s mom drove to the grocery store that got her so much attention.

Here is how the 1971 Hemi ’Cuda that Frank owned in college looks now. How cool is this, for a car you bought for $1,900 to return to your shop after having sold for over $1 million?

The post One Man’s Mopar Journey: A Profile of Chrysler Expert Frank Badalson and His Shop, American Performance appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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