If you’re big into grammar, you’ll know that the headline is technically ambiguous, as the “they” isn’t necessarily tied to any particular plural noun. Are the paintings/gifts amazing or are the two people? I let it slide because the answer is “both.” Let’s have a look at these two amazing paintings by two amazing people — Jason Torchinsky and Ross from Australia.
I’ve already written a few stories about my wedding a few weeks ago. It was a true miracle given… well, things… but it happened, and my Jeep looked great, the car-toys I used to show people their tables were awesome, and I got an extremely German gift from my good friend Andreas.
But yesterday I arrived home to two really special things that I want to show you all. The first is this beautiful drawing from Ross all the way near Dubbo, New South Wales, in Australia.
Ross and his family were among the kindest, most hilarious, warmest people I met in Australia, and they made my time with Laurence working on Project Cactus among the greatest times in my life.
Back when I finished Project Cactus, Ross gave me a gift before I flew home, and it’s something I treasure to this day. Check it out:
Thank you, Ross!
The second package I received — in a hastily-taped cardboard box instead of a tidy cardboard roll this time — came from Torch, and my lord is it beautiful:
Let’s take a quick peek, because it’s an oil painting on wood, and the texture is just phenomenal:
What an absolute masterpiece! Jason tells me that’s Mazel tov in Hebrew there in the corner. He also tells me that the oil paint he used is at least 20 years old, and that he started this painting for me back in 2022 when I still owned that 1958 Willys FC-170! This thing:
Thank you Ross, thank you Torch! Just incredible.
P.S. Shoutout to Andrew Collins for the Santa Monica YJ diorama!:
Handsome David, you know what that means, right? You will have to buy another FC!
As a grammar aficionado myself, the “they” doesn’t bother me in the least. However, this title made be notice that:
Not Every Word In A Title Should Be Capitalised.
I’ll be notifying the authorities.
Elise (not her real name) finally has a face and a nice smile.
I say use this face instead of the smilely face for now one 🙂
David, it’s your wedding and I wish you a blessed life with that wonderful woman. AND, it’s a good moment to ponder what you and Torchinsky have wrought. It’s a blessing for all of us. And so lovely to see Mr Collins ! Dude, I hope your hand is functional. That’s all I’ve got. Love you guys. Where is Orlove?
Great talent by some cool friends!
Is she hugging him, or wringing his neck? It’s a fine line.
Same end result, no ?
Yes?
Look at Torch’s attention to detail – he got the rust spots on the white grille right where they are. Both paintings are fantastic.
That’s one detail he absolutely had to get right. If there’s anyone on Earth that would notice, it’s David.
Those are some amazing gifts.
Wait! Elise (not her real name) has a normal face, not a yellow smiley face?!?! Next are you are gonna tell me Elise (not her real name) is not her real name? My worldview is completely upended.
Maybe her name IS Elise and he just does the “nhrn” thing just to throw us off?
If he had blurred her face in the drawing it would have been clutch.
Wait! How do we know that’s actually Elise (not her real name)’s face?
I think it is just the face of the decoy since we aren’t supposed to know the real Elise (not her real name) is in witness protection and that’s why her face has to be secret.
Wow, those are some incredible gifts! The use of colors and shading on both Ross’s drawing and Jason’s painting is really top notch.
I’m sure he would tell you that 😀 Might want to check the translation, just to be safe – that would be an excellent way to prank someone (good-naturedly, of course).
In any case, that’s an excellent painting and a great set of gifts. I really like the detail in Ross’ drawing (locking front hubs!).
I know you’re joking, but you know some of us can read it and knew it said mazel tov without DT saying so, right?
If you knew I was joking, the rest seems superfluous.
And I am well aware that the Autopian populace is nicely diverse, thanks.
I think it’s Klingon for, “Hey, is this Bondo?”
Bondo is more of a Romulan thing. Or Ferengi.
Resistance to rust is futile.
Well, it’s not the first, nor do I expect it to be the last joke I’ve encountered in the last month that boiled down to “haha Hebrew, who even knows what that means” so maybe I’m a little touchy, but maybe you’re also being a little insensitive and we can agree to meet in the middle?
Or at least put the? punctuation there
If you think my joke boiled down to “haha, Hebrew”, you genuinely need to work on your reading comprehension.
We can agree that you are touchy.
Hope you have a nice day.
As a fellow Hebrew speaker (or at least Hebrew-kind-of-undestsnder) I would say I saw no malice in that joke. Things are crazy for us (ALL of us) lately, but don’t let online discourse poison your perception of reality 🙂
David, these are all amazing, personal gifts for a gearhead and an understanding partner! Have not heard of Andrew Collins since he left the old site – hope he is doing well.
He’s the executive editor at The Drive.
Thanks – not a site I normally frequent.
Great articles and writers, but steer clear of the comments section.
Nice to hear a shout out about Andrew Collins. Glad you didn’t duplicate his wedding misadventures. Clever gift.
Oh, man, I hadn’t thought of that since he wrote about it way back when (pre-Covid?). Yikes. I’m glad to hear he’s doing OK now.
Wonder what Fancy Kristin would have given as a gift?
She’d have got her butler to wrap Santorini.