The date is April 26, 2004, and it is about 7:30 a.m. as I climb behind the wheel of my lifted Bow Tie chariot and hit the freeway on my way to work. Social Distortion pours out of the speakers as the scent of fresh morning coffee fills the cab and I gradually click off the 31-mile trip from my home in Torrance, California, to our offices in Anaheim. I arrive in the parking lot at about 8:15, and eager to get to my keyboard to get some ideas I had for a few stories down, I leaped from the truck and walked into my office.
On this particular morning I had a few moments to reflect on my job as feature editor for this fine publication and could not help but smile. My position has enabled me to enjoy a passion for custom vehicles that has been with me since a very young age and incorporate that passion with the skill of creative writing. Going to work is enjoyable, as I know each day will bring something different - be it a new set of challenges or learning something new about a particular truck. Each month, when a new issue reaches our offices, I can hardly wait to get my hands on one to view all of my and the rest of the staff's hard work in print. There is a sense of pride that goes along with doing a good job, and when your work is something a large number of people look at every month, putting forth your best effort is necessary. I am passionate about my career and strive to put a personal touch into every article I write and every photo I shoot.
Aside from spending 40-plus hours a week behind a keyboard writing about some of the most killer trucks to roll the blacktop, a big part of what I do involves interacting with enthusiasts at shows and photographing their trucks. I enjoy these efforts because it provides me with an opportunity to meet new people who share my passion and get a little one-on-one time with our readers.
Over the last four years, I have come to increasingly appreciate the art of photography and have learned something new every time I roll another truck in front of my lens and begin to click away. Playing with various angles and composing different shots is the best part about being behind the lens, since amazing shots can be taken by using a little creativity and patience. Exploring different lighting and positioning a truck to capture various paint details is the trick to nailing that perfect look to a feature article, which is a skill I have tried to hone over the last four years.
Out of all the positives to my job the thing I like the most is the fellowship with the custom truck enthusiast public - especially since I was just another enthusiast before landing a job with Truckin' magazine. Hanging out at a show and talking trucks with participants is what it is all about. It's great to see a truck that started out rough gradually improve show after show and finally be able to commend the owner's hard work by offering him or her a feature or cover shoot. Usually, this news is followed by a huge smile from the truck owner and nothing can beat helping make someone else's dream of getting their truck in a magazine come true. In short, I love what I do and thought I would use my column this month to show all you readers out there how much this hobby and the people involved in it mean to me. My life definitely would not be the same without this hobby or Truckin' magazine. Until next month, keep hitting those switches, cranking good tunes (such as Firehouse and Cinderella), and cruising until your heart's content.