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July 2008 Upstate NY



I visited my Uncle Fred at my old family home where i lost most childhood vacations to forced child labor. He’s elderly & not so well so he asked me to leave after 2 or 3 days.. probably revenge for dad doing the same to him when it was our house.. a diplomatic “so, when are you..uh..?” type hint.. according to a reliable source dad (& most people) don’t want guests or relatives in their face violating their space too long.. Knowing this would be my only chance, since the house is always off limits, I salvaged hundreds of deteriorating old photos to be scanned but when i showed him my father’s foreign service career albums which he didn’t even know were there, he said “i can’t let you have them, this is history, and will get written up..” in case they get lost. Aunt Mary said “he’s your father, but the problem is he’s also his brother”. He hid them like I advised so I hope he remembers where they are or thats probably the end of them.. I went to a sleazy Oneonta motel to give him & aunt Mary some space and took 2 weeks to go through & select photos, slides etc. It cost me about $8 per 50mb scan for my own archive at Metro London (special deal for thousands).. so this time i shopped around and found some bargains at £1 per scan (about $2) at various London Snappy Snaps- less professional but good enough for black & white. The gal who cooked for him was a sweet college student. But what a sickening unhealthy artherosclerosis inducing bitches’ brew diet she concocted: mayonaise white bread sandwiches and buttered sugar cookies. Uncle Fred also told me uncle George &/or some other relatives from previous generations were professional studio photographers/ film makers. This made me feel less of an outcast and was most encouraging. Lots of love to you uncle Freddie & Aunt Mary, be well..


Bob & Geo in some bar with a couple conservative prim & proper prudes/ part time exotic dancers. Fantastic rustic atmosphere. Delicious frosted chilled Miller/ Coors lite beer pitchers you can’t get in Europe..

Visiting my friend Bob Sharp & model at his Oneonta New York Art Gallery. Rewards of a struggling artist.. I’ve known Bob & his family many years so he’s in some of my personal videos & Players Guide docufeature as is his mom, one of the nicest ladies.


So I end up in some sleazy motel with yellow brown pillow stains hidden under the pillow cases. How much gunk would luminol expose.. hung t-shirts to dry not to shrink them so they stayed wet & the place stank of damp my entire stay..went through thousands of photos, slides etc. there and in the rented Chrysler Sebring convertible (no mustang available this time) because at the house there’d be too much pressure and distractions since they were on edge..

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