Sithcamaro: There are no men like me

It was nearly 2 months ago, and I was in LA for a quick trip, doing some big Marvel work. I was grinning from ear to ear, like a kid in a candy store. Then as I was about to leave for my flight, my father sends me one of his occasional doomsday type texts, as if he’s not going to be around for much longer. Tells me he’s been sick for a few days, so I automatically assume it’s Covid. We text a little more back & forth & I tell him what I’m currently doing as I’m about to catch my flight.

Flash forward to the following evening, and I’ve not heard back from my previous text. Then later, his neighbor messages me, saying he’s sorry for the loss of my father….

Safe to say that really brought me down from my high. Even my usual getaway of working on things had been difficult. Not so much thinking about both my parents now gone, but just life.

Though he lived 2,000 miles away, I am fortunate to have gone to see him for his birthday last year. Even with the pandemic still very much going on, I wore my respirator around him at all times, while hanging outside for the entire day. Even going as far as sleeping in the car. I knew how uncertain the future can be, and am glad I took that chance when I did. I made sure to get a couple hours of video of him just rambling, having learned my lesson with my mother & thinking of doing the same but too late.

He’d usually ask me what I’d been working on, sometimes with no idea what I was talking about. But he really wanted me to make him one of my Silence masks, so I managed to bring him one last time I visit. Even growing up, he had a think for masks. Even some of the old ones I’d play with while growing up, he had on dummies across his property.

I know it’s always said, cause I sure know I’ve heard it a million times…. But always remember your parents, cause they’ll not always be around. Losing my mother helped give me a little more hindsight with my father, but even then I was still a little distant. Life always finds a way to get in the way. The mundane repetition, personal goals, needs, etc.

I am not even sure how to end this, so maybe I’ll say exactly what he’s say on a phone call, no matter what time of day it is:

Alright, goodnight.

My last month has been nothing but sculpting mountain. While the other half of the shop concentrated on building the chalet, myself and 2 others built this 20 foot tall mountain.

I’m glad it’s over…. Until I return in January.

Speaking of Vegas, while I was there, I was finally able to see the Thor costume I made. The lighting in the room made it difficult to get a clear picture, without all of the glare on the glass.

Over at Treasure Island, they have the Avengers STATION. It was an alright exhibit, with some cool items. But seeing as how I made the Thor, I can’t really say anything in there is screen used.

As our shop wraps up work for our Bellagio conservatory installation for Christmas, I realize I never post the 10’ orchids I made back in late spring.

These 2 flower sculptures were featured alongside a sculpture by Daniel Popper.

But, they have recently turned me loose onto the CNC machine. I’ve barely been on it for 2 months now, and I’ve not only learned the machine within the first week, but both cad software and illustrator.

The first personal job that I jumped on were a couple of illuminated Death Star style display cases. I’ve literally been planning them for 2 years now, and all I needed was the knowledge of the routing machine.

As those were coming together, I started dreaming up tons of other ideas. Bases for the helmets, neon looking LED signs, furniture, you name it. They’ve helped create a monster. I’ve not only whipped up ideas for random things, but I’ve also made things I’d never have bothered making, simply for the fact that I can with next to no effort.

Mummy book of the dead/life? Check.

Scarlet Witch headpiece? Check. 😂

Even cutting Loki blades from aluminum.