ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGAR A PORTRAIT

Back in my more intense bodybuilding days my idol was Arnold.  He had the perfect body and mind.  He went after his objectives and didnt stop until he acheived them.
Since I am in Mexico now I was jonesing to complete my library of his most important books.  I just did.

The book is not particularly noteworthy.  It tells you nothing about how to train etc.  It is more about the relationship between the photographer and Arnold.  The way Arnold did things.  So now with this, his recent autobiography and the Encyclopedia of bodybuilding...for me my Arnold collection is complete.

I am really into getting some of my precious book collection back.   Even moreso than any toy right now.

CUSTOM WWF TITLE IN GLASS!

Yeah...I know.  I am doing the customs no one on the planet ever did before.

Where did the idea come from?

Well back in 1998 the title was put up as vacant due to the fact that Undertaker AND Kane both pinned Steve Austin for the belt at Judgment Day.  The title would rightly find it's new home at the next PPV Survivor Series where the Rock did an AWESOME heel turn to win it in the finals vs. Mankind.

BUT before Survivor Series McMahon trotted out the title on RAW in this glass case.

I thought if I ever played a tournament...I would like to have this too.  So Ray went to work.

 It looks totally awesome.  Ray did a great job.  It is JUST a little too big though.

 Well at least in comparison to the suited Jakks figures that is.

 It was such a short but memorable moment in WWF history.

Ray even did the red carpet flooring.

 Whats this?  Austin is coming out to the ring.  He is pissed!  McMahon robbed him of his title!

 He flies into the ring to attack Mcmahon!

Stunner Stunner Stunner!

Yeah having this is awesome.  It really amps up my wrestling figure play.

BATMAN 1989 NOVEL!

I had most of the 1989 Batman stuff.  Like kids did when Star Wars came out.  I was 5 when it came out. ..So....Batman 1989 was my get all thing about a movie.

And I HAD it all!

No kidding!

So this may be a minor thing in the grand scheme of collecting...I got it again!  Woooo!  I never read it before.  Just had it on my shelf.  This is my new night table book to finish.

CUSTOM WWF BARBED WIRE CHAIR

I had NO idea this even existed.  How lame am I?  But I had purchased the Batista DVD to show in the cafe.  I had no idea Batista faced HHH in a hell in the cell and this was pulled out.  Wow.  How destructive!  I had to have Ray make one.

This was the match in particular.  It looks so brutal.

 It looks awesome!  Love it.  Gonna have some fun with this one from Ray.

It was very simple for him to do as well.  Just a piece of wood, a little paint and some string.  The effect pays off though.  My first barbed wire chair.

WHO KILLED HARLOW THROMBEY?

I sure as heck didn't...

I love having this book again.  Now I have three from my youth.  Mystery of Chimney rock, Deadwood city and now this.  It brought a flood of memories back.  I had forgotten there are SO many witnesses to interview in it.

I am only missing around 4 more to have the ones I had back with me from my childhood.  I discovered these the same time as Alan Ormsbys MOVIE MONSTERS book.  They were at a little book fair at Northwoods Elementary in Doraville Georgia.  I almost had the first 11 books of the Choose your own adventure series.

Such good times.

CUSTOM WWF BROKEN GLASS ARM WRESTLING STAND!

Since I have not watched any modern wrestling since 2005 I must have missed this.  However it came up in a youtube suggestion.  Wow.

I thought it was a natural.  I changed the base of blue to red.  Didnt want it to have a Smackdown feeling.

Not a bad little custom by Ray

 He put in the broken glass.  Pretty cool.

Had to put Undertaker arm wrestling Austin as they have better flexibility.

Uh oh...Austin doesnt like how he might be losing.  He blasts the Undertaker!

POPEYE STORYBOOK!

OH YEAH!  Finally after 25 years I get to have this book again.  I had totally forgot about it but a suggestion from Amazon reminded me.  It is such a thrill.  I read it while my wifey got her hair done.

Having this book again has rekindled my flame to get more books from my childhood.

WWF CUSTOM INFERNO MATCH!

Yeah...I got the wrestling bug again and decided to do more custom wrestling projects.  I would love to get playsets done of all the matches and I basically have them all now except Indian strap match, Texas bullrope match and Dog collar match.  Those are easy to do though.

The original inferno match happened at a PPV called Unforgiven in April 1998.  I thought the concept was so cool then.
I wanted to design mine to be appear to be a little more dangerous.  I had the fire extend to the floor.

 4 sides of the ring!

 So awesome!

 

It was well worth the wait.  I have wanted this for awhile.  I plan on doing more custom wrestling projects.  I like playing with them.

Sorry I have not been commenting much on other's blogs yet.  Halloween season was here.  A huge time for the café.  Also can you believe it?  My camera broke again.  Oh well.