I've been a car guy since birth, which happened back around February of 1965, though not in any kind of planned way. The birth, I mean. I was a teen pregnancy, and given up for adoption. When I was about 30, I did seek and find my birth mother and my 3 half-siblings, who couldn't be a more diverse bunch of folks. I have elements of each of them (or they have elements of me, since I came first I guess). That was a wild experience, and is worthy of it's own page someday.
Anyhow, the car gene is genetic, and has been strong since birth. I could ID just about any car on the road when I was 5. I spent most of my school years bored and longing for my 16th birthday. Today I would be diagnosed with ADD and on Ritalin, I assure you. Thankfully, I have spent my entire life completely drug-free. Two things I would put on a bumper sticker if I was the political type:
"I paid for this car with the money I could have wasted on drugs"
"I was adopted, not aborted"
So bad was the infatuation with cars I made it my career. My first job was delivering newspapers, which was a good experience in responsibilty and customer service. I then went to work in a succession of auto parts stores, becoming the one guy behind the counter you could rely on to actually a) know something about cars and b) giving you the right piece the first time. Eventually, I wound up as an assistant manager at a Saab-Hyundai-Alfa-Romeo dealer where I spent a little over six years. This is where I learned about car dealerships, internal politics, and bad management. I later did a stint at a VW-Audi-Porsche dealer and found the same conditions. Since none of the managers were likely to quit/retire/be fired from their cushy jobs, I became disgusted with the whole process and took up collision estimating for the insurance business. I enjoy this job more in some ways as my schedule is flexible, every job is different and I'm actually paid what I'm worth. It also has it's share of internal politics, moronic micro-management issues and stuff but it's worth putting up with the bad for the good.
I was introduced to, and eventually married, the lovely Tina, who is my partner in making sure the house stays standing and raising our canine children. Marriage is a very easy institution if you a) marry your best friend and b) can occasionally admit the other person is right, even if you know it's not true ;)
The worst thing about being married to Tina is having to be around her brother Scott, as he is a bad influence and continues to fuel the fires of the ridiculous car projects I come up with.
Here's a brief sketch of what I may not have covered:
Born: February 19, 1965
Hometown: Manheim, PA home of the Manheim Auto Auction, a blight that has consumed the town.
Residence: Elizabethtown, PA environs
Favorite place: Wellsboro, PA on STPR weekend or VIR through the esses flat out.
Occupation: auto damage appraiser for the Evil Empire
Spouse: one. She won't let me have any more.
Children: none. We believe in spaying and neutering.
Pets: dogs, presently two.
Non-paid positions: Past VP of Fiat Lancia Unlimited (FLU) car club, which I helped found. Also co-founded Fiat Freak Out annual meets, first one in 1983.
Member of: FLU, SCCA, NASA, Slick 60s Ford truck club, HAMOC Mini owners US, PenNscalers model railroaders
Greatest accomplishments: publishing story in European Car magazine, winning the 1998 Sunsetter TSD rally, adopting three dogs from the animal shelter
Unrealized goal: driving a ProRally car
First car owned: 1971 Jeep Commando
Favorite car owned: 1978 Ford Fiesta (though my Audi is a close 2nd)
Favorite drivers: Alex Zanardi, Rick Mears, Petter Solberg
Favorite authors: Stephen King, Stephen Ambrose, Satch Carlson, Peter Egan, Tim Suddard
Person I most admire: Bill O'Reilly, host of Fox News "O'Reilly Factor". Glenn Beck is a close second.
Favorite TV shows: Simpsons, Survivor (no, I don't know why), 24, Amazing Race, The Shield (too bad it's over).
Favorite movies: Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Die Hard, Breakfast Club, Heat of the Night, Chasing Amy, Mad Max.
Least favorite movies: anything by Jerry Bruckheimer, virtually any film that calls itself a 'car movie'.
Favorite music: Collective Soul, Kix/Funny Money, Nickelback, most 80's hair bands, female country stars singing songs about not taking it from their loser men anymore, and most recently bluegrass music. Rhonda Vincent rocks!
Favorite food: whatever Tina makes that wasn't in the freezer, Papa Dino's turkey boat, hot wings.
Favorite adult beverage: Yuengling beer, either Lager or Black & Tan
Turn Ons: Tina's butt; rallying, touring car racing, dog agility, fine scale modelling (cars, trains)
Turn Offs: puppy mills and amateur dog breeders, people who think that small block Chevy engines with four bolt mains are actually something special; NA$CAR.
When I grow up I want to be: rich, with a big garage and a race every weekend to go to.
