This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I have something meaningful to say.

I found a great site that you can upgrade your memory in your computer for very reasonable prices.  Check it out at MemorySuppliers [link] - I am not paid to endorse them but I went from 2gb ram to 4gb for under 55 bucks. - A very worthwhile browse to say the least. -Dusty




If you can't play nice, at least play fair.

Tears of compassion can never fall from closed eyes.
-Dusty Studebaker

This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I have something meaningful to say.

Well, I went and got myself a new computer; a LAPTOP no less, and this time Windows Vista (Currently installed is Business Edition, but I'll be upgrading to Ultimate soon I think).  

As part of this upgrade/migration, I've also upgraded to PhotoShop CS3 (along with all the other Adobe programs in the CS3 suite), so I might have need of some tutorials to learn the new stuff in the CS3 verion since I am familiar with PS7.  Anyone know who would be best to ask for occasional help (free of course)?

On the "Day Job" front, things are still going SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fucked Up).  Well, that's not COMPLETELY true.  I'm trying to get back into the Information Technology field, and if I don't successfully land a position by FY09 (July 1st, 2008), I'll be pretty much SOL (Shit Outta Luck), since I don't have any FORMAL schooling or training in IT - Only self-taught and On-the-Job training...  But I am looking into getting the former taken cqare of within the coming school year by enrolling in a local IT school or College program to actual quantify my experience and skills.

I've been busy with focusing all my attention to this career switch, since the deadline is so important to not miss, but I promise that 2008 will be having many more things uploaded to dA from me.  I have a master plan, and I mean to stick to it this year.

More will be posted here as it comes to fruition...

Many blessings to all in the coming year 2008!

Thank you!




If you can't play nice, at least play fair.

Tears of compassion can never fall from closed eyes.
-Dusty Studebaker

This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I have something meaningful to say.

ostit: Well, I've finally gone and done it; I have officially quit smoking cigarettes.  It's been (as of the date I write this initially) 35 whole days since my last cigarette.  I'm going strong still.  Not a bit of worry about not making it this time.  But of course, this time I have a little help in my corner.  I decided to go through a program with my healthcare provider, Kaiser, and they paid for the cost of the patch to help me quit smoking (All I have to pay is my normal co-payment for prescriptions, wow!).

ostit: In other news, I also, as a present to myself for going 30+days without smoking, I bought a 8x10" drawing tablet for my PC.  I htink that after I get the hang of using it in PhotoShop, it might help increase my throughput/output.  I take SO many more pictures than I release because there are things I want to do to/with them but can't with a mouse.

ostit: I am releasing today the first item that uses that tablet, "Sunset Solitude by the Seaside".  Please check it out, and there will be more later, as I learn how to better use my new toy.

ostit: Finally, A somewhat "Random" but "Meaningful" note/rant
Why do the car manufacturers all make a big deal about HIGHWAY mileage, when it's always the CITY mileage that we deal with on a day-to-day basis?  Why can't the use that measurement in their advertising?  It would be so much more honest and easy to buy cars if they did, dontchya think?  (enter your thoughts by leaving comments to this journal, please).

Peace!




If you can't play nice, at least play fair.

Tears of compassion can never fall from closed eyes.
-Dusty Studebaker

This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I have something meaningful to say.

I've been kinda depressed as of late, and haven't been spending nearly enough time on art as I should.  I decided that noone is gonna pull me outta it but me; so I am uploading some of what I have been hoarding since last upload here at dA.  Please take some time to look, and if you like, leave a comment.  I am always looking for new subjects and ways to improve my skills.

Thank you for taking the time to view my dA-page.  It does mean a lot to me.


-Dusty

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.

This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I have something meaningful to say.

ostit:  Well, I finally got it; the camera I've been drooling over for a while (or one of them at least).  I got the Nikon D-80 package just the other day.  I have not yet fully explored the new camera or its many features, but will definitely be doing so this coming weekend.


Current users of the Nikon D80 model: Any tips or tricks wouold be greatly appreciated if sent by e-mail to dirtycar74@gmail.com


I will post my first couple of satisfactory images as soon as possible.  Please keep checking as I don't know when that will be; I am writing this journal entry while on my lunch break on Friday March Ninth 2007 at approximately 12:30PM PST [GMT-8].

Much love, respect, and...

MORE POWER!


-Dusty

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.

This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I have something meaningful to say.

ostit:  As I stated in my previous journal entry, I was a royal dumb-@$$ and mis-managed my finances, resulting in a broken wallet.

I must give a big THANK YOU to `Ohno-moment for donating a 3-month subscription to me while I recover from my bout of stupidity.  W00T!

Please visit her gallery here: [link]


This is her featured deviation:

Thanks for being there when a friend needs it!  Much luffs!

-Dusty

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.

This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I have something meaningful to say.

I'm a real dumb-@$$ and need to beg a friend to donate a one-month subscription to dA while I get my stupid finances in order.

Anyone willing to do this would be very much appreciated, as I don't want to lose anything on here...

I just mistakenly went broke over December (Christmas) and January (while waiting for some financial paperwork to go thru; I guess I shouldn't have listened to or trusted the attorney who was handling it, eh?).

I dunno what I can offer in return except the returned favor when you need it worst...

Please help!


-Dusty

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.

This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I have something meaningful to say.


Well, I've been away from dA for quite a while, and things seem to have changed more than I care to list or try to...  

I will be making a comeback soon with some new work, I promise, folks.  But I just can't say exactly when and with what I will come back with to wow you all.  

So, just keep your eyes open, be as deviant as ever, and rock on like always (or like never before, depending upon your point of view)...

Peace, out.



-Dusty

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.

This site has never been about Journals for me. I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal here, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.

This journal will only be updated when I feel I have something meaningful to say.

ostit: 2006:07:30:18:57:00
I've been trying to do some edits and upload some of the "recent" shots, but this monitor I'm using lately seems to give me weird colors and weird contrasts sometimes.  

If you spot something that looks really out-of-whack, please don't hesitate to let me know about it and I will try my best to edit it again.  

Your help is appreciated on this...  

Other than that I haven't much to say other than:


1. Dave and Chris will be accompanying me to Silver Lake and Stinson Beach (or Ocean Beach, or both) soon, and there will, more than likely, be a plethora of pictures, but as of this writing the dates haven't been set.  It looks as if there will be no shoot with Tim, unfortunately.



2. I'm still trying to drum up new people for photos, so if you know someone who wants to get some FREE PICTURES TAKEN, send him (or her - I'm no sexist!) my way.



3. I'm still trying to schedule shoots with Rai and Billy, so keep those fingers crossed.


Thanks for taking the time to look and read and view my photos.  It means a lot to me.


-Dusty

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.</B>

LOOKING FOR FREE STOCK? Find some here: ~discard-pile

ostit: Begin:

Been a spendin' fool again.  I really need to stop, since I lose track of what I've spent, and get into trouble with my wallet.  But I'm so impulsive it's repulsive.  Or is that compulsive?

Screw it, I give up.

Anyway, I'm hoping to have some new stuff uploaded soon, I promise.

New projects include:

Dave (=ConductorDave77)
Tim
Rai

Also, my SCRAPS section is now used for works in progress that have stalled, so occasionally I will put stuff in there that I have reached an artistic impasse with - Please feel free to browse and give me some suggestions and/or comments on those!
ostit: EDIT [June 18th]:
MySpace (click on the "website" link on my main dA page) has videos taken June 17th, 2006 at the South Fork of the American River just downstream of Silver Lake Dam, and my "Scraps" section has a few snaps as well.  Thanks for viewing!

Re-released "Silver Lake Cottage 01" [link]
Re-released "Wings in the Woods" [link]

Oh, and a big THANK YOU to whoever bought me something from my wishlist!  Whoever you are, you're a god in my eyes!

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.</B>

Nothin' doin' here...  Please come back later...   

I'll have a couple shoots to show soon with Dave and his new beau (hopefully, if he's not too shy, that is) and I'm hoping to get back into things more often here on dA.  Talk at ya more when I have something to say.

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.</B>

Well, folks, I've done it.  I've passed my probationary period and am taking a week of holiday (Read: YAY!!!).  Unfortuantely, though, I didn't plan as well as I would have liked, and am stuck in Sacramento until payday anyway, though there's still plenty of time for me to go to Santa Cruz after payday (Read: Major bummer but I'm still having a blast until payday anyway, then I can really blast off!)

Yes, I'm going to visit Santa Cruz and see *paulscha, even if it's hot down there.  Hell, I'll bring a cooler full of ice if I have to!  I'm just going to be very glad to see Paul and it is, and continues to be, very good news that his recovery seems to keep going up and up in the positive direction.

And yes, I'm going to be (hopefully) doing a lot more photography now that I've passed my probationary period at work and I can now stop worrying so much about it.  SO:

If you're interested in doing any "modeling" or collaborations, please e-mail me at my HoTMaiL address or my G-mail address (dirtycar74@) and let me know what's up.  

I'm an easy-going guy, and I'll work with just about anybody if they'll work with me.  I'm hoping to get my first licks in (figuratively speaking, mind you - unless other things go as deviously planned...) on darker skin-tones soon as well, so keep posted...

I've also somehow become a slave to the dreaded i-Pod/i-Tunes N@N0...  I don't know how I got through a day's work without it!  I also can't believe howeasy it is to lose so much money in their store without knowing it!  I can't believe I dropped a cumulative total of about USD$300 since I purchased my iPod!  It adds up QUICK!  But somehow I also think it's worth it!

ANYway, I'll post more as it becomes clear to my foggy little brain...

ostit: EDIT: Please check SCRAPS - I'm at an artistic impasse with "untitled 20060601"

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.</B>

Well, here we are again, on the cusp of another brilliant California Summer. (I'm crossing my fingers)

Summer...  Ahh, yes, the time when beach-goers flaunt their skin (hopefully in front of my camera lense), and ample good times are doled out to those deserving (as well as to a few who don't, but that's yet another story entirely).

So far, I'm planning to take a week-long trip at the end of May/beginning of June to Santa Cruz, to visit and carouse with *paulscha (He's been under the weather for a while, so to speak, but is making a GREAT comeback so far).

I'd love to get more "model" shots into my gallery.  

I'm looking for people within a 200 mile radius of Sacramento (about as far as Visalia to the South and Redding to the North, Pacific Ocean on the West and Fallon Naval Air Station (NV) to the East), who would like to get together, get out in front of my camera for some much needed photography practice.  I'll be making several trips during this Sumer to various semi-local destinations, and will hopefully be hooking up with several other California deviants in an attempt to socialize and share ideas and get some much needed practice with my photography skills.

If you think you'd like to get together as well, simply note me and I'll see what arrangements can be made.  More trips can be made, but most will be limited to "weekend jaunts" due to limited vacation time available to me at this time.

TRUTH ≠ FACT: TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE; FACTS ARE OBJECTIVE.</B>

This site has never been about Journals for me.  I've tried several times to keep an up-to-date journal, and have failed to keep it going on every attempt.  Therefore, I am hereby deleting any previous journals.  I hope that this will enable me to focus on why I am really here; to engage my mind and body and soul in the ART.

I will occasionally update this journal when I feel it is appropriate...


ostit:  Edit: I anticipate doing a LOT more photography this coming Summer, thanks in part to getting contact lenses (glasses and photography are a tough mix), and a return of good health that I forsee to be ongoing and continuing to improve...

The greater the site, the greater the price of greatness...

We have not forgotten °jark or °matteo or anyone else; but have come to realize that TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVE.

ostit: Well, Here I am, trying once again to keep some sort of a semi-weekly update here...  I know, sometimes there's nothing to say, but it's nice to try to touch bases sometimes...
Last night I took my family to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Arco Arena.  It was well worth the $200. I dropped on the four tickets plus souvenir CDs/DVD box set.  What a show!  I bought my parents tickets last year and this time I went along...  I am SO glad I did.  If you're even remotely thinking about seeing these guys, it is my recommendation that you GO!!!  It's well worht every penny - they put on quite a show, including pyro, faux snow, and even a Christmas message.  Even though their music has been mostly Christmas-oriented in the past, they are not limited to that; they have a few other CDs available and another coming soon.  I am getting the one called "Beethoven's Last Night" next!


ostit: I also recently purchased Madonna's new offering, "Confession On a Dance Floor" - and I don't know about you, but it definitely makes me WANNA MOVE!


ostit: My office is moving next Friday, December 9, 2005; I am very busy preparing for this move and will not be able to post or view much until we are settled into our new digs.  Sorry!





ostit: I think it's a good thing to spotlight some unknown artists here in an effort to let people know about them, and to get a little publicity to them.  Be on the look-out here, cause this will start in LATE 2005 - EARLY 2006!


If you would like to make a suggestion, please feel free to drop me a line in either e-mail or a note through this site.  Thanks!









DONATE!: [link] </b>   


PLEASE ALSO REMEMBER TO VOTE:[LINK]

--Thank you for taking the time to look at my journal; Please feel free to leave me comments if you like, as they are ALWAYS appreciated, and more often than not they are reciprocated.
~dirtycar74

ostit: Updates on my life:
First and foremost, I'm not sure (and I'm aware I'm probably not alone in this realization) what's going on with this site here at dA.  I'm looking for answers just like the next person is...  If you know more details about what is going on here, please feel free to share the information, it's only helpful for the common good of the community to let it out into the open at this point.  That said, let me continue:
A lot has transpired in my life since I last posted a meaningful journal entry here.  This will be an attempt to "catch-up" and let those of you who care to read know what's been going on in my life as of late...


About my health: I'm at a stable plateau right now with my health after a brief scare a few weeks ago where I spent a few days in the hospital.  "Wait a minute," you may say... "What's all this about?"  Well, here's a little back-story...


As told in a previous journal entry, I have a diagnosis of being HIV(+), which I've known about for about a year now.  As a matter of fact, right at a year ago this month, the seventeenth of November to be exact.  Anyway, it wasn't a total surprise to me, because I have had unsafe encounters (who hasn't at some point?) and there were some implications with my health (a few weird quirks, etc...), so let's just leave it at it wasn't a surprise, and I've taken it quite well, almost matter-of-factly.  Anyway, in about April or so, I began a regimen of anti-retroviral meds, and, to my great surprise, they are kicking butt.  COMPLETELY.  In just this short time that I've been on them, my test numbers are all moving in the desired directions (Viral load has gone to an undetectable level, and my T-cell counts, or CD4s/CD8s, etc., have all continued to rise).  This is all GREAT NEWS.  I've also been on antibiotics as a preventative to any opportunistic bacterial infections, like PCP Pneumonia, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), etc...  Well, here's where some of the stuff starts turning not-so good, as some bacteria are resistant to some antibiotics...  Even more back-story may be needed, but I'm only going so deep into this puddle here...  Let's just say that my genetic disposition is to not have very good teeth for starters...  Well, the HIV virii have a tendency to decrease the longevity of teeth, for some odd reason, and about a month or so ago, I noticed a (yet another) tooth had cracked and needed dental work.  Well, me being the procrastinator I am, decided to put it off as long as possible.  Well, it obviously got infected somewhere deep and unseen, and somehow aspirated some of the infectious material into my lungs.  This is all unbeknownst to the medical professionals back in the hospital, by the way, and back to the hospital story...   

While in the hospital, the doctors ran all manner of tests, and could not find out what was causing my breathing problems, which was the reason why I was being kept in the first place.  They tested for pneumonia and nothing came back positive.  They eventually decided to call it "Asthma" and let it go at that.  Fine by me, I wanted out!  I wanted to get back to some semblance of normalcy and head back to work so that I could start my new position...  "Wait a minute!" you might say...  "More info, please!"  Well, that's coming up...

About my job: I don't recall at this time what situation I was in when last I wrote, but let's just say that I got a promotion out of the mailroom when my six-month probation was up, and went to work for another department.  That means another six-month probation in the new classification.  Well, about half-way through that probation, the supervisor kind of flipped out and started looking fro reasons to write me up and fail me on my probation.  Ten days prior to eht end of that probation I got the notice of failure on my probation.  I initially wanted to fight it and try to keep it from impacting my personnel record (it's a permanent record the rest of my career), but I decided that just failing on a probation and going back to my previous position really isn't such a bad thing, and not worth the stress and time away from work to deal with.  Well, I had applied for another
promotional position with my old organization, and I finally was notified that I was accepted and offered the position.  The week I was in the hospital (November 16th, to be exact) was to be my first day in this new promotional position.  Needless to say I started out on a sick-day.  What a way to start a probationary period, eh?  But my supervisor seems to be very understanding and accepting.  On top of all this, Our offices are moving next Friday to a different area of the city, but for me, it's definitely a good thing, as it will be less than five minutes or so for my commute to work, and I won't have to carpool any more.

About my art: I haven't posted ANYTHING in quite a while.  That's entirely obvious.  I'm upset at my camera for (a) lack of functionality; and (b) it's just not what I had hoped for.  I'm hoping to forget these items and begin taking pictures again very soon, but I also anticipate upgrading very soon to a Nikon D-70(s) or a Canon (I'm not sure which version, but it'd be a dSLR model for sure).  Look to see new stuff coming soon.  Well actually it will be stuff I've taken and not released yet, but it will be new to the site, and new models as well as new material.


ostit: BTW, I'm probably going to kill my stock account ( ~discard-pile ) for lack of time and energy and interest.  I will, of course, load a bunch of stuff to it in the interim (those that I see fit of the outcast shots), but I think it's a lot extra work I don't have time for right now.  Let me know your opinion on this, PLEASE...

ostit: I've started a MySpace... Click the link on the website logo/button on the top of my main page to visit me on MySpace or click HERE to go there as well.

Check these out:
~TheZone #dapride

DONATE: [link]

ostit: Previously: Actual journal text is pending until current website issues are resolved satisfactorily.

ostit: Currently: Well, it looks like nothing's going to change or no one will let the public know what the heck is going on...  I've decided that I'm going to stay even though I'm still a bit upset by the actions of some of the staff here at dA...  I'm not going to post a new journal until I have something to talk about though...  

Check these out:
~TheZone #dapride ~discard-pile

DONATE: [link]

So, I bought a "new" car - finally got someone to finance me.  I got a 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic.  It was a previous rental car, so it was pretty well maintained and it drives like a champ.  I took it on it's first out-of-town trip out to Mount Tamalpais and the City this Saturday.  Up the mountain it went, with no effort whatsoever.  Quite spritely and fun to drive.  The twisty roads were a total blast to drive in this car.  I'll update with the mileage after I calculate the whole tank out.

I'm preparing for Summer.  This means that I'm doing photo shoots here and there around town on a whim, when I have the time, and scheduling photo shoots on the weekends.  I've had two "impromptu" shoots, and am working on the images, but until I receive model releases, I will not post them, just to be covered.

I'm also now one of the many many "official" beta testers for dA, so you may be wondering why the prefix to my username has recently changed.  Personally, I like the equal sign a lot better than an asterisk.

My dear friend Paul (*paulscha) has been ill for quite a while, and some of us have wondered whether he is doing well or if he is even alive...  Well, I recently read a new journal entry at his dA page that gave me so much hope.  He's doing well enough to write a journal.  He can't do any photography stuff yet, but even a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.  Please visit his page at [link] and leave him a note to let him know how much we have missed him around here.  I'd also like to see someone help out with a subscription for him so he doesn't miss any of the notes and devwatch items he would have had.

My lab reports (recently I stated that I had tested positive for HIV) have shown SIGNIFICANT improvements since starting anti-viral medication treatments. When first tested, the viral load (number of copies of the virus cell, per milliliter (ml) of blood) was over 500,000.  A few weeks ago my labs showed about 300 copies.  My doctor seems to be blown away by the speed which I am responding to the treatments.  I am too, I'll be the first to admit that.  But I still have to take so many pills that I sometimes dread it.  There are times when I take those things that I just have such bad stomach pain for a couple hours, all I want to do is sit still and try to only breathe, not moving at all.  But those occurrences are getting fewer and farther between, as my body has seemed to adjusted to the medications.

That about covers it for now...  I hope I can find time soon to update more often.  Things around here have been moving at a hellish pace, and I don't think that it will be changing.