Mind Boggling 2

[jimmerc]

I am  am a high school shop teacher - since 1967. Next year is my last. They will be closing down my wood and metal shop and putting in one of those "TECH LABS" where the kids use computers and  don't get dirty. I would love to have the  lathes, mills, bandsaws, welders etc. that will get thrown out. Wonder where kids will learn to work with their hands?
Hope to be working on my 51 Merc. convert.

[KustomLincolnLady]

I handle the Accounts receivables at the Pella window store! Been there for 5 yrs.
Prior to that I was the office manager for 6 ear,nose and throat Dr's (Otolaryngoligst's) for 16 yrs. The stress of the medical field got to be to much, needed a break!!!  

[Greg Wapling]

I'll be 49 on the 15th of March. My offical title is Geospatial Systems Architect. But if I said that I play with computer mapping systems it would probably make a lot more sense. Started out as a surveyors assistant in 1974 and after one particularly wet winter swore I'd never work outside again. Been playing with 'puters ever since. To my mind they were the good old days as I was involved with many systems implementations where you were going from paper to digital made you feel like you were really doing something.

Only ever had 3 employers, the second one was a large regional water board and now I work for the Victorian State Government in the Statutory Land Planning area. Don't do much hands on coding these days all project and contract management so having my own sites and learning HTML etc was good therapy for an old programer.

Lucky to have access to lots of "toys" and interesting work and so long as it remains that way I'll stay. Much prefer the development side of the business than the mundane operational side. I am never short of something to do and if it wasn't for my discipline of keeping "to do" lists I'd be in real trouble.

Started with a site for the Australian Street Rod Federation I have since built many sites for friends and hot rodding businesses, also do a site for Dry Lakes Racers Australia and created by own little piece of cyberspace at Hot Rod Internet

Went to an industry function last year and there were no less than 7 proteges that I had previously introduced to the wonderful world of geographic information systems who were now out developing / managing systems for a range of organisations. Made me feel real proud, more so than any systems launch.

[TerryO]

I'am 58 and live in a suburb of Toronto. Married for 33 years to my first wife and have two grown kids. The other love of my life is my 49 Ford Business Coupe which just came back from it's first visit to the body shop for new sheetmetal. Once the paint is on it will be getting a 351W with AOD and an Explorer rear end. Plan to retire in June 2005 so I can devote the rest of my life to the old girl (the one with wheels).

[Pope Downunder]

Married with no kids, although they are definitely in our future... after I get my Hot Rod.

Isn't eighty years old a bit late to be having your first child?

I was 43 when my first was born.  I'd agree 80 would be a bit late!

[Dolly]

Wonder where kids will learn to work with their hands?

They won't need to, as all that stuff will be imported from third world countries where the slaves will be paid $2.50 a day to work 7 days a week with time off for sleep, to make it.

[JGross]

Retired from  Calif Hwy Patrol, over 400,000 miles on motorcycles in LA area.  My first CHP motor was the last kick start Harley in the LA area, wasn't I lucky.  Anyway, we have 5 kids live in a mountain area out of Fresno.  I have my cars and my wife raises paint horses as her hobby.  My second career is in local gov't where I will take my second retirement shortly.  My wife is the County Animal Control Director for the County (Spay and Neuter *).  My current project is the 51 Kaiser that I have painted myself into a corner with.  I really envy some of you guys and the mechanical backgrounds that you have.  I really would have loved to gotten into the machinist line.  Your knowledge has helped me on this current project.  When I finally retire, I plan to work on my projects and learn more.

[jaybee]

Wonder where kids will learn to work with their hands?

Think you have a point here.  True enough that "the wisdom of the marketplace" dictates that every job possible be outsourced to a place where you can pay people a subsistence level wage.  My mind questions how it's good for the economy for no one to have enough money to buy goods, but supposedly people smarter than I have that all figured out.  Still, things need to be fixed and custom work done.  Maybe as the supply of people who can do that dries up over the next generation people who work with their hands can earn a little more scratch and a little more respect.  Seems to me the lack of a decent wage for the skilled trades is how we currently populate those jobs with morons who hook the satellite TV up to the doorbell.  

[purplepickup]

...snip.....I really would have loved to gotten into the machinist line.  ...snip..

Judson, anyone that has put over 400,000 miles on a motorcycle in LA as a cop  definitely has my respect.  I envy the 400K miles but not the LA part of it

[48 Suburban]

I am a full time street rod builder in apartnership with my Father. We currently have 9 cars under way. :!:  48 suburban

[Ralph]

Hi Rick
Glad you finally made it here.A warning: this site is really addictive. You can fritter away tons of time on here. But it's not wasted. It's RESEARCH, right?
Ralph

This was a reply to Rick from Loboys in Baldur. How'd it get down here?
Operator error? Couldn't be!
Ralph

[river1]

Wonder where kids will learn to work with their hands?

Think you have a point here.  True enough that "the wisdom of the marketplace" dictates that every job possible be outsourced to a place where you can pay people a subsistence level wage.  My mind questions how it's good for the economy for no one to have enough money to buy goods, but supposedly people smarter than I have that all figured out.  

those supposedly smarter people don't care about all that they just care about their wallets and wether they have the money.

later jim

[mrloboy]

Hi Ralph!

I know what you mean about addictive. I've been lurking here for quite sometime. Seems like a good place to call home, so I signed up.

I heard through the grapevine that you sold your pickup. Them legs of yours getting caught up in the underdash wiring harness! Still driving the '41? rj

[toad32]

My real name is Carter and I am a 34 year old art director for a local tv station in St. Louis.  Currently building a 37 Ford Club Cabriolet so we can take the kiddo cruising.  I also freelance with House of Kolor and their digital paint booth program.  I love my job at the tv station and I love to do design work of any kind.  I have worked in the television field now for almost 8 years(all my professional life).  I did work for Parr Automotive selling streetrod parts a few years before that.

Toad

[Bruce Dorsi]

...  I also freelance with House of Kolor and their digital paint booth program.  
Toad

You're too modest, Carter!  ...It's OK to tell everyone YOU conceived, developed, and did all the programming of the Digital Paint Booth Program.

I met you at NSRA-York, and was very impressed by you, your talents, and your program!
:b-d: