Charity tempered with naivete

So, you know I put a HUGE gash in the passenger side of my car a few months ago. It got dented in several places and two long stripes of paint are missing which can be found on the handicap assist rail at Silverstate Credit Union. A couple of days ago, (after going to the gym with Alex - yeah for keeping up with new #5 of to do's) I was in the parking lot of Baha Fresh when a truck drove up. The driver - an older latino man with one of his front teeth missing - told me he could repair my dent. He works at a body shop that specializes in non-paint repair dents. Not only could he get it back to it's normal shape, but I wouldn't have to pay him until it was done AND he could finish the job right here in the lot in under 30 minutes. I told him I had somewhere to be, but he persisted. He explained that today was his day off and he need to do extra work to pay rent for him and his three kids. He insisted the work would look good and he would save me hundreds of dollars by only charging me $480. I told him I was sure that was a great deal, but I didn't have that kind of money to throw around; he lowered the price to $380. I told him I was greatful for the offer, but I couldn't justify even spending that much. In desperation, he said he could do it for $280 - he just really needed the money. So, I let him fix the car.

He popped out the majority of the dents by releasing the buckle of the frame with a crowbar inserted into the door. He sprayed rust-away type stuff and covered the deep scratches with a bond-o type substance. I got back from getting water to find my silver Ford Taurus in good shape but looking like it had been vandalized by blind grafitti artists. He showed me that it would all come off by rubbing some of the brown spray off while it was still wet, but I would have to let it set for 24-hours. I got his money from the ATM, and he drove off aparently feeling that I should have tipped him more for his work.

Now, several days later, I tried to wash the car. The bond-o stuff scraped off in the areas where the heat had begun to melt the bond, but the brown rust-off and the majority of the white patches wouldn't budge. A neighbor saw me willing the car to be clean while I rubbed and scratched, and he told me that a propane-based substance like gasoline or lighter fluid should do the trick. I would of course have to clean the car thoroughly before venturing out into my flamable world. Tomorrow I will try his solution.

While telling this story to family and friends I have gotten responses in the vein of you-should-have-known-better. They don't feel that the nearly $300 were well spent for only a moderate cosmetic procedure. I, on the other hand, am just happy that he was able to work an honest trade to get my money. I feel good having helped him support his family. I may be a little naive, but I'll take naive over cynical any day.

Mishap Maven II

My car looks as if it's had a stroke. The right side had just recently sustained a huge gash (refer to Mishap Maven for details) and now I've lost my passenger side mirror. I was driving to Angela and Kerwin's when I was crowded into the right lane. I corrected a little too far over and connected with an orange construction barrel. The arm structure that holds the mirror is still intact, but the mirror itself just ejected as if in protest of my prior treatment of that side of the car. Once I realized what had happened, I returned to the scene and recovered the mirror. One of these days, I'll try scouring a junk lot for a replacement. Until then, I have to train myself not to glance into the cavity of the mirror and assume that not seeing anything means that I'm in the clear. I actually have to turn around and check to be sure I wont have any more collisions. There must be an end to the madness before I ever consider buying a new, non-used car.

What I do in my spare time

Really, the list is pitifully short. You'd think that with all the free time I now have because of the new job that I'd take more advantage of my freedom.

1. Sleep
2. Watch movies
3. Create theatrical make-up designs (scroll down for examples*)
4. Make attempts at keeping this blog current
5. Newly added: go to the gym. I got a membership to 24-hour fitness today so that I can whip this petit body into the best shape a 5'2", half-latina white girl can handle.

*I'm looking for new models for my make-up morgue. I want to try different looks on various faces. My supplies are limited (alas, no latex for now), but I'll keep trying to challenge myself with what I've got. I had been planning on an acting career for most of my life, but this form of art keeps calling me back to it's ever-changing arms. Who knows, maybe I'll have a healthy career in both fields.

Make-up Morgue examples

Vampire Fangs Just dental acrylic molded to snap onto my teeth
Demon Fangs The gums were molded onto my teeth, and then I added the fangs with rolled up dental acrylic on top.
Piranha Design Two-piece foam latex design painted with airbrush.
Piranha side view The demon teeth doubled at pirhana teeth.
Gimli Single piece made of gel latex with about a pound of crepe hair.
Gimli side view I would have liked a second shot at this design to perfect the blending of the hairline into my own.
Mystere My first bald cap application. I worked with two other women to get this look done in a quick two hours.
Receeding Hairline Here's the second bald cap. I actually made this one by hand laying latex over a plastic head form. Matt here was humble enough to let two of us give him a glimpse of his receeding hairline in about twenty years.
Dragon This is my most recent.
Dragon side view From molding the head out of clay to adding the final touches I made Angela withstand four hours of work to finish this dragon

Gatekeeper by Night

I finally got a decent gig. I am now a glorified usher for Ka, the Crique du Soliel Show at MGM Grand. It's been really interesting. I work with 27 other quirky people from various backgrounds. We work Friday through Tuedsay from 5:30p to 12:30a as characters in the villiage of Ka who take guests to their seats for the celebration.

Since I don't have to pay rent, my whole pay check makes it into my pocket...so I quit my day job. It's great to have so much time off. I can do anything or, which is more common, nothing at all. I have been redecorating my bedroom which has left it in varying degrees of disarray. Also, being around the Ka cast has renewed my vigor for stage make-up, so I'm designing some new pieces. Hopefully, more time will also mean more psots, but don't hold your breath.