I'm just getting recovered from the crazyness that was my holidays- less of holidays and more of a work nightmare that is winding down- but my girlfriend got back from France on the 30th and we had 'Christmas' together, and I gave her my present- the Cello.
You guys might have seen my thread asking for advice on Cellos. Well, I got her one. I went halfway between a student model and more professional model, it's brand new, but reworked by a luthier (worked the peg box, tailpiece, nice strings, etc.) She loves it. She started lessons this week with this ukranian lady who plays in the la phil I think. So yea, she was stoked.
But I was in for a surprise. For what she got me... was.. I still lack the words.
I unwrap a framed, original print of the 1994 Monaco Grand Prix poster that featured the winner of the 93 event- Ayrton Senna in the MP4/8. This poster has the unique value in that it was pulled from production right before the event.... as Senna died two weeks before Monaco at Imola and thus would never race at Monaco in 94. So finding an original copy of this poster that isn't a reproduction or a canvas copy is rare... but there is something else...
It is signed by the man who won the event. Michael Schumacher. For Michael to sign such a poster is amazing in my opinion, as he, of all the drivers, was definitely one who was very shaken by the passing of Senna. This was the last driver to see Senna alive before he went off at Tamburello (being right behind him).
1994 was the first time I had Cable TV and the first time watching F1. The San Marino GP was a big deal for me, and this poster, being one of the rarest F1 posters in modern times, is a big deal for me.
My girlfriend heard me mention the poster to some friends out one night after seeing it featured on Jalopnik, here:
The saddest poster for the Monaco Grand Prix
And here it is framed, still not on the wall, can't decide where the best place to put it quite yet...:
