RobbieG

Thanks alot to all of you. The love here is almost overwhelming and meets or exceeds anything I'm getting in my personal life. You want to get a laugh? I felt like sh*t this morning but decided to do something I love and go for a drive. I got f*cking pulled over! Hahaha. Not for speeding but for not using a turn signal on a lane change on an empty road. Actually, it is a happy story. He was behind me and following in an unmarked as it turns out because he is a car nut and I just got a new Porker as the Aussies call them. He basically admitted he just wanted to look at the car although the charge was legit. Nice kid. He didn't ticket me for the signal violation of course. It was right on a straight and I asked him if I could open her up when I took off and he said go for it as long as I broke before the next rise. I did and it was fun. Man, I love the sound of a good motor and whining turbos. Is there anything like it in the world? If I died today that would almost do...

Yes Ken, I have had all the imaging known to man. I wish it was a pituitary tumor, but for me, the gland itself by some mystery (among other glands) just doesn't send out the message for the body to make T. They can't figure it out. The thyroid is the same way as is the pancreas with digestive enzymes. My body is just slowing shutting down or something like systems are going off line one at a time. Weird to be sure.

Well said BT. Thankfully, in my case I have never cared what others thought, but (probably worse) drove myself near to destruction out of fear of survival. The only saving grace is I am really passionate about what I do and helping my clients achieve what very few can. Simply put, my firm has in a very short time been universally recognized as being the best at the little niche that is what we do. For that I am proud because that was born of passion and not really hard work. Passion is all that has ever kept me going. I would have blown my brains out at age 9 if not for that single gift of life that is my passion in all that I do. Still, with all of that I sometimes wonder why any of us do anything really in the material realm. What is the point? I'm certain after being on both sides of the fence that I haven't felt any different in a $160,000 sports car than in my 1976 Subaru wagon that was my first car. For me, the danger in wealth has been the pursuit of it out of fear. It works. Nothing will make you succeed like being afraid albeit completely unhealthy. Think your arms are weak? See how strong they are when holding on to a rope 20 stories up. We all see the point of course. I agree completely though in that I have no idea what those peopke are thinking that pursue wealth for status. The irony here of course being that we all love luxury watches and yet the majority of us aren't snobs. Go figure. At least my tale of woe has somehow sparked another interesting discussion at RWG. And I'm certain that is far more interested than my insignificant a*ss dying of some rare wasting disease. lol.

Thanks Doc. Yeah I have been everywhere and spent a lot of money for testing not covered by insurance - I haven't exactly counted but maybe thirty grand so far. They can't diagnose me but yes, it shares traits of Cushings, Addisons, Graves, Myesthania Gravis, Lupus, Kenndys Disease and even Myotonic Dystrophy and ALS with hyperreflexia and fasiculations. My white count is very low but platelets are normal. Pancreatic enzymes non-existent, but then liver function is perfect. It is just sort of an autoimmune storm. John Hopkins has described it as an AIDS like wasting syndrome without the presence of HIV. Others like Mayo think it is more Thyroid centered. Others still think the pituitary/testorsterone function is at the core and causing everything else. But even then they can't explain how I could have T that low and still have sexual function, masculine features unchanged, etc. This is all what makes it so tough. I can't even see the true enemy to fight it. Plus, the muscle pain and stiffness is just brutal.

As a side note with regard to money - The other day a freind was talking about a relative that was really frugal and he went out of his way to explain that he was that way because he grew up in the depression. I realized for the first time myself that was why I have been on such a mission my whole life to earn millions, just like many of our Grandfathers did. the old school work ethic and all that. Many of you may not know that I grew up VERY VERY poor. I don't mean poor in the usual sense. I mean major deprivation of basic needs like going hungry from not enough food and freezing from no heat. Basically all due to a lazy abusive Stepfather who didn't want to work and provide for his family. I even used a tree as a bathroom for most of my childhood. I vowed to never be in that position again or allow anyone in my family to ever go without way back then. So as I grew up, I just became a baddass business man who always worked harder than the next guy out of passion yes, but probably mostly because I am just frozen with a pure primal fear of being cold and hungry again subconciously. I probably need therapy. That certainly is no reason to live, but I just wanted to share that I guess I figured out why the pursuit of financial success has been so important to me. Maybe anyone else "burning it up" to get places so to speak in life might learn from my mistakes. It isn't worth it. Just try and enjoy your health because there never is any such thing as security. It is all an illusion...Anyway, thanks for letting me vent this stuff and learn how to heal my spirit even if I can't heal my body anymore...

Thanks for all the kind words. It is true, without health all the nice things in teh world can't even be enjoyed. I would trade all my money and all my things for a cure in a second. I'm just trying to be honest when I speak about goals and stuff. When you are passionate you work hard to achive milestones, but after all this I'm not sure that is a good idea. I never learned to live for the day. I work at things to finish them and maybe don't always appreciate the journey. What good is a fast new car if you can't work the clutch? I love my watches and cars and "stuff", but mostly I live for my family. Lately they are teaching me that I need not be burdened with the weight of worry of taking care of them all financially. It turns out I'm the one who worries about money and safety and not them. They are all living for the day and not planning for the future. I hope someday before I die I figure out how to do that... The prognosis is not good if I continue to have swallowing and respiratory muscles affected, but I hope you are all right and I pull through. I'll focus on those thoughts and hopefully it will all work out. If not, I have to say I have had a good run here on this ride called life.

I thought I would drop a line to the crew as many have expressed concern. I'm sure plenty don't miss me at all either. lol. Anyway, thanks to my inner circle for trying to keep some tabs on me and for caring about my well being. It is much appreciated. In short, I haven't been well at all. I have been gravely ill for some time now. Stricken with some rare endocrine disorder that mimics neurological conditions with extreme pain and muscle wasting. Basically, my pituitary response in my brain is impared so I don't balance my own endocrine system. It is horrible. Truly hell on earth. Sometimes I can't eat for days because my digestive motility leaves food in my stomach for days, or my testosterone will go so low that I am too weak to move. For you bodybuilders out there - ByTor, Lani, etc. - you know the numbers - my T will go as low as 40 intermittently! Yeah, I said 40. Thyroid too. I'm either racing or slowed to a crawl. I'll swing 20 pounds of wait back and forth every two to three weeks. The muscle wasting is coming from the lack of hormone and brain response. All really too complicated to explain really. I have been to almost every specialist in the country. I'm going to be in the record books for this one. It baffles them all. Anyway, it has been slowly progressive up until this year and has just really got worse. The worst part is there is nothing they can do for me. There is no surgery or anything possible. I'm just fu*ked up and it will probably kill me one day, either by wasting of the respiratory muscles or malnutrition or something else. Anyway, I'm not trying to bum anyone out but I thought I would at least let you know why I haven't been around. It has taken all of me to keep my business going and I just don't have anything left for fun. I kind of lied a bit to those who had asked and made it seem like I was just extra busy with work. Sorry about that. I just didn't have the heart to really get into how sick I have been. You know, I gotta say...many of you know me from my "forum" personality which is sometimes more than a little brash, pushing buttons and keeping things lively. But that isn't me really. When stuff like this happens it really takes you down to the core of who you are and what is important. I am passionate and motivated and have worked so hard to be succesful and all that and then you realize none of it means anything. I think then you kind of go through a "sorry" period where you wonder what the point of all this really is. It is like I finally arrived at a bunch of milestones I was trying to reach, you know, goals or whatever. I am deeply in love with the best woman on earth that was made for me. I've made a ton of money in the last few years too so the financial stuff has been very good to me. I can take care of all my friends and my family forever and it is a cash cow that will only grow and get bigger. But guess what? The irony is that just when I literally have it all I can't begin to enjoy it on any level. I'm sitting up at night thinking of sh*t like - "What if my right arm is too weak to hold her hand...". "What can I do to make sure my business continues to run well when I die so my loved ones will always be taken care of.." It is just pathetic and horrible. If you don't have your health you have nothing. You all know the old RobbieG. Love him, or hate him. I want to be happy-go-lucky speeding around in my new Porsche and not giving a fu*k who doesn't like it. Needing only a good steak and a single malt to exist. I have been a middle aged adult for some time now. But I guess I just grew up. Take care guys. This forum has been a very important part of my life. Good watches. Good times. Good friends. I'll see ya when I see ya. Peace.

I'm flattered. I suppose it is always nice to be the "King". In fairness though, there isn't really too much to it other than passionate pursuit of a good set up and some God given natural light when lucky enough to have it. I don't come around much anymore - in fact the only reason I saw this was because BT sent me a PM on the thread and it got notified via email. Look for a thread on that today as well. Anyway, the least I can do here is contribute a few of my favorites to date...

Nice. I had one as well as you know. Great piece. A big step for Rolex fit and finish in the sports watch line. I got rid of mine because it was a GMT and I wanted to keep my category overlap tight. As soon as the Submariner Date version of this same watch hits next year I'll be getting one for sure. Congrats man, you deserve it.

Glad to see you back brother. Yeah man, circle of life. Can you believe two guys could run into each other on a watch forum half way around the world and completely unrelated to shall I say, ahem - our "old pursuits"? And 25 years later I might add! Twenty-Five freaking years since the old days kickin' ass and takin' names on the ole' stompin' grounds bro! What a wonderful time it was. And you know what, these are too. All over again. Imagine that, huh? Hang in there brother. Let's make it another 25 and laugh this off just like we do our old scrapes from back in the day. Same sh*t different century... Mahalo for being a good friend

Forgot how much I love this on rubber... ...and Sirtoli Shark in grey... ...and da lume...

JohnG a gift for all forums? The only thing more absurd than that would be to say RobbieG is an RWG treasure or something. But then again, every family needs a Black Sheep - or two...

I know I speak for many when I say your stuff is top notch Pugs. I don't know if great exists anywhere anymore after some stuff I have been through, but that is another thread. But I have copped more than a few setups and Shop ideas from you over the years for sure. I have been shooting long before these forums and my watch bug got seriously planted but I have always tried to hold a certain credo. I too like you just shoot for the art. If that means the pic is about light or about setup or about a plan to over contrast it or whatever in Shop later then I just follow it. Or better yet, not even have a plan and just shoot and see what happens. A funny thing is when I shoot with the little pocket cam for instance I can't see sh*t in the screen with the light glare. The process becomes entirely different that that with the SLR, but no less involved or artisic ironically. With no viewfinder I just see shapes. But you know, I can get cool set ups by just seeing geometrically if that makes sense. Then it is just pray the autofocus nails it and I have the light right because I have no control. When shooting on that thing in macro mode it just basically surprise adjusts aperature with distance using some unknown algo and then adjusts the speed based on whatever that happens to be and the light of course. It is wild! You are almost like bracketing without really bracketing. Changing the source light and thus making the algo pick a different aperature and then speed and the same shot changes entirely. It seems counterintuitive but it really isn't once you do it a few times. It is really fun. I have found it to be a cool artistic pursuit to experiment and have no idea what is going to happen. I got to where I had so much fun with it I use it exclusively for watches now. I am amazed at how many decent shoots I have had with it and even a rare few that are even beyond the marginal barrier at that. Good fun. And yes, you are right, I have never seen anyone on TZ hold a candle to the best guys we have here. Not even close.

Yup. Setup and get good light and a base image and add the sheen with shop. Although some use more than others. I use PS mostly to clone stamp out dust and do minor color, brightness and contrast correction. I would do more but I suck at it and don't know how to use all the cool features. I love heavily and intelligently Shopped images. I'm just a hack at it so I have no choice but to rely on natural light to try and get some kind of drama out of that alone - when working with watches I mean. I find being out in the world much easier to get good images without much post.

None for my money. My only flings are with springs...

Yes, sense of accomplishment is another thing entirely. There are of course certain things you simply can't do with a little auto job that require long exposure times and/or interesting aperature work. Take these abstract sunset and sunrise images I made in Sedona. No way to do it with a point and shoot unless you get really lucky. These were done with my SLR. BTW, there was no color work done on any of these. Imagine that? Hard to beleive that nature really does look like this in places...

I have a DSLR and love to use it in nature and other art stuff I do, but most of my watch images are taken with a Nikon pocket camera. Mini tripod. No flash. Natural light - no box or tent. Auto shutter release for no shake. That is it. Plain and simple. Setups are the key. I just need good angles to light and I'm also partial to sort of symmetry dial shots. All in all, the little pocket cams are great. There is a reason for it: Small diameter lenses allow for easier close focusing. Anyone who has fooled with auto focus on a 200 macro at a couple inches knows it is a nightmare. So for certain situations the point and shoots come in handy. Noone has ever looked at my watch images and guessed they were taken with anything other than an SLR of some kind. Again, light and setups are key. Here is living proof expensive gear is not really necessary. Presto...

I'm glad you picked up on that too Ubi. Now I know I wasn't just being optimistic as I am subject to do that sometimes. I really felt his spirit was alive today too - and of course back upstairs again which is great. And yes, the whole thing was a wicked viral attack apparently. Again, I don't want to go into detail as I'm sure he will run it all down for everyone if he is so inclined when he gets back. It sure was brutal though, that much is certain.

Yeah, first I almost get taken out now him. Part of the old guard is a little worse for wear I'm afraid - at least the two of us anyway. I wish I could say I'm fully mended but I'd be lying. I'm not sure I ever will be unfortunately, but Lani will be. And he is no doubt more valuable to this place than I am so RWG wins there for sure. It was good talking with him today. It always is really - sick or not. He has helped me a lot by listening to me spit fear and loathing about my illness over the last few months and it has been nice to try and return the favor by telling him how much he is missed, etc. A lot of good friendships are born at this little corner of the world. I really learned alot when I was absent and so many people really went out of their way to seek me out and make sure I was OK and/or ask if they could help in any way. Now I see the same happening here for Lani. You guys are a good bunch of guys. You just don't see that kind of humanity everywhere these days. Good stuff.

...I just noticed we have another "Rob G" here. @robbnj be careful where you use that signature it might draw confusion and dismay that there might actually be TWO RobbieG's floating around here now. Hey, maybe you could be my stunt double and take the hard knocks for me?

You got that right R, I'm stunned browsing this thread! The brain trust...

Nice 112, M ...and IT'S-an awesome Tritium Pepsi! Hey Ubi - so let's see da new bracelet Man!

The 45MM version is a much better rep than the 42MM as you will probably read on the boards. I have owned both a 42MM and 45MM in both rep and gen and it is a fairly significant difference in accuracy. Not that the 42 is terrible, but it will require more work to be as accurate as the 45MM. At least unless something has changed in the last few months I have been away from the board...