Collecting cool stuff is so much easier than having a bunch of cars. And this stuff doesn't leak oil in your driveway.

My wife bought me this painting a few years back for my birthday. I saw it in a local consignment store and was attracted to the dark moody appearance. I don't know what the artist was trying to convey but I thought it was whimsical that the two little bunnies are hiding in the camp when it looks like an entire army was out in the woods looking for them.

There's more to life than cars.

How about a painting featuring cars? This painting is hanging in my Den (Never refer to it as a Man Cave!) If you are familiar with Historic Downtown Los Angeles you might recognize the Angels Flight railway at the Third Street tunnel. I purchased this painting several years ago at the Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market. Besides being a huge Raymond Chandler fan, I am also a great fan of the city of Angels, as I worked their for a few years in the early 1980's. Michael Connelly, my current favorite author, wrote a thrilling novel simply titled  "Angel's Flight".

Paradigm shift: n. a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.
(definition courtesy of the New Oxford American Dictionary)

Paradigm Shift, or How does the Heart cool in it's ardor? How do you start out loving old Cadillacs and end up loving old Jaguars? It is a long and winding road.

Photo source: E bay

I was a grammar school kid in Oakland Ca. in the mid 1960s. 

The brotherhood of gear heads, or I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.

                                                   image source: Honest Charley.com

At one time these club affiliation plaques were commonly found displayed in the rear window, mounted above the license plate, or hanging from chains from the rear bumper.

Abandon hope all who would enter here!

photo source: http://www.allinnews.org/home-improvement/how-properly-do-garage-cleanout/

                                     
Space, the final frontier.  Or most likely space can be the first obstacle. Such as in, "Where can I park my car to work on it?

It takes a village to raise a blog!

I am very excited to premiere my new Better Beaters logo. I had sketched out some ideas on paper, but it took the technical skills of my Daughter to make my vision a reality. Then she added the logo and byline to the top of my blog page. I like the idea of a logo, as it  gives my site a distinct identity. I plan on using my logo on business cards and making decals to go on my car's rear window.

Another symbol of my identity is the spoked wheel that makes up my avatar. I have used this image for many years to identify myself while posting on other sites.

                                                                                        

The urban farm truck.

A farm truck is an old beat up but running and useful pick up or flat bed seen parked alongside the barn. Or standing alone in a field. Nobody is too concerned about how clean it is, or how shabby the interior is, or the few dents and scratches it has.