Official PP OT "Who are you?" Thread (Happy Make Nice Thread)

[onewhippedpuppy]

After a self imposed time out from off topic, I have returned to find that nothing had changed. I walked away for a few months because I began to find that I had fallen into the trap, became one of the pathetic, impotent people that I despise on the internet. I find that there is nothing more pathetic than an internet bully, someone that using the annonymity and security of a computer screen to say things that they would not say in person, and I realized that I had began to cross that line. Upon my return, I realized that nothing had changed, in fact it has possibly gotten worse. With nostatic's recent threads that just turned into pissing matches, it occured to me, why?

Is it the fact that we all interact over this cold, impersonal medium, simply generic usernames interacting? Better yet, what can help us to regain a semblance of the friends BS-ing over a beer mentality that this forum use to have? So, my little contribution to making this a happy shiny place again was to start this thread. I want everyone to introduce themselves, location, tell what they do, tell us about their family, car, and any other hobbies, sports, etc that are important to their lives. My hope, soon to be crushed I'm sure, is that if we can view each other as friends instead of strangers, maybe we can resurrect a shread of respect. So I'll start.

Name: Matt J
Location: Wichita, KS
Job: Aerospace Engineering Student at Wichita State, Raytheon intern (Horizon 4000 program)
Family: Married 4 years, son 2 years 5 months
Car: Mazda Protege5- I just sold the 540, it was about to break me. Finally faced the fact that older German cars aren't for college students with no time or money. Now I have a nice cheap car with 54k that gets 30 MPG, and isn't half bad to drive. German cars are for after graduation. Also, 2003 Toyota 4Runner Sport 4x4 (wife).
ETC: Not much, school and work has pretty well stolen my life, the little time I have is spent with family. I used to love golf, and enjoy watching F1 and WRC with my son. Also enjoy DIY work on my car, but my new rice burner shouldn't require much.

[IROC]

Name: Mike
Location: Madison (Huntsville) Alabama
Job: Mechanical Engineer (Boeing) 17 years. BSME 1986
Family: Married, 1 son, 1 daughter
Cars: 1976 911 (very different from how the car was delivered in '76 ), 2001 Toyota DoubleCab, 2001 Toyota 4Runner
ETC: I enjoy spending time with my family, DIY projects, working on cars, and playing guitar. I also enjoy reading and learning. Strangely, I soak stuff up like a sponge these days. I am also into fitness and work out/run regularly.

I still see this place as "friends BS-ing over beers". I don't get my feelings hurt by opinions opposed to mine. I enjoy hearing other people's viewpoints.

Mike

[onewhippedpuppy]

Other people's views are the reason this forum is so great, we have an incredible cross section of society on here, the variance of knowledge and experience is amazing. Sometimes though, threads become monkeys throwing poo at each other, contrary to what makes this forum great. I welcome different ideas, even those that may disagree with mine, but sometime it just gets ridiculous.

[cool_chick]

Name: Keri
Location: Chicago
Job: Training and development for Tech Support personnel firmwide in a large lawfirm (you've probably heard the firm, it's even been posted in this forum before)
Family: Was married 9 years, single for 4 now
Car: Grand Prix. Because I live in the city now, it doesn't make sense to get a new car since I take the "EL" most everywhere and the bumpers on cars get messed up in this city.
ETC: My mother has a severe arthritic condition and she lives with me. She can still get around the house, but she needs help doing other things like going to the store, cooking, etc., so that's what I'm for ..... She lived with me and my ex after my father's death, we sold her home. During my divorce, I sold my home and moved to the city, and she lived with my sister for a couple years. I'm much more patient so it wasn't a good combination. No one should ever feel like they're a burden. Finally got my mom to move back in with me here, and neither of us couldn't be happier (and tired haha).

[Nathans_Dad]

Name: Rick
Age: 33
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Job: General Internist for the USAF. Have been practicing for almost 5 years, about to move to Dallas to join a hospitalist practice.
Family: Married for 8 years, two kids (Nathan and Katie)
Car: 1984 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa, 1999 Honda Accord, 2003 Chevy Tahoe. Hoping to purchase a Boxster or 993 soon.
Etc: I am a golf nut, play/practice every chance I get. I was deployed to the middle east about 2 years ago and may be going again in January.

I see this forum as an interesting place to see what other people think and/or debate topics. I tend to get sucked into the political threads as I try and keep up with current events and what is going on. I think 98% of the people here post with civility and intelligence. The other 2% drag down the discourse for all.

[livi]

Name: Markus
Age: 40
Location: South of Sweden - small beach village called Vejbystrand.
Job: Pediatrician. Specialist in Allergy and Asthma and in charge of the kids with immunodeficiency diseases in my region.
Family: 4 kids age 1-10. No spouse.
Cars: Porsche Carrera euro 85. Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 96.
Etc. No time left between the kids and my job. Author of a book about common diseases in childhood. Inventor and patent owner of medical devices. Play the guitar and piano - mostly blues and R&R.

What a benevolent thread - I like !

[slow&rusty]

Name: Yasin
Age: 35
Location: Colorado Springs
Occupation: Civil Engineer (studied in Canada and England extensively) and I specialized in Structures and Fluid Dynamics which is why I gravitate to Forced Induction cars!
Family: I am single.
Cars: 1989 911 Turbo, Mazda 323 w\ a Miata Turbo motor and an old Datsun Z turbocharged that I am experimenting with (shooting with 400whp). I enjoy playing with cars but have bought an older house, so I see my focus changing soon...LOL!

ETC: I am enjoying life, but the time goes by so quickly...I feel that in life you need passion in your soul and only a very small group of tight knit friends and family to make you smile.

[targa911S]

Name- "T-Bird"
Age- 55
Location- New Castle PA
Occupation- Retired Advertising consultant for a major newspaper in Florida. Now full time bassist for a local/regional blues band (spelled broke)
Family- married 25 years two grown kids, one grandson.
Cars- 1970 911S Targa, Dodge mini van to haul $hite.
Other interests- Restorer of vintage American shotguns, shooting said guns. Vintage John Deere tractors. Women with full Brazilian waxes.
Why am I here? I too feel this is like hangin' with my friends with no faces.

[oldE]

Name: Les
Age: 52
Location: Near Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada
Job: Was in Sales & middle management for a dairy for about 25 years, semi retired, doing what I love in the tourism sector.
Family: My wife says she has been teaching "forever", son out on his own, teenage daughter sometimes on my nerves (Just kidding).
Cars: The "old E", a '69 brought over from Europe by a returning serviceman about 15 years ago, previously neglected, slowly being ressurected and always appreciated, a '93 Passat turbo diesel, closing in on 400,000 km and a '98 F-150 horse hauler.
Etc: Looking after the place, volunteering, P-car, dogs& cats (total of 13, the wife volunteers in a local animal shelter), playing a bit of accoustic guitar, model railroad and a bit of travel.

Les

[kaisen]

Name: Eric
Age: 34
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Job: Manager in the automotive industry, 13 years
Family: Engaged to be married 07/07/07! 2 sons: 8 and 10
Car: Ever changing, varied tastes, sold everything to buy ring & wedding
Etc: I don't have time for many hobbies that aren't auto related, I try to play guitar, have a huge DVD collection, and used to be into BMX.

I am not a political person. You will see me post about anything automotive, some economics and business. I try to play nice.

E

[onewhippedpuppy]

My favorite line so far goes to Markus: "No Spouse". So well put, anyone who followed your thread will grin at that. Congrats on the engagement Eric, I sympathize with the fire sale. My wife is wearing my savings account on her finger.

[Rick V]

Name: Rick
Location: Scottsville Va
Age:41
Job: I am a wrench, I specilaze in Euro cars. I plan to retire from full time work in 9 years.
Married for over 20 years (yes to the same woman) We have 2 kids, son 19, daughter 16(ouch) We started early but if you wait until you are ready you will never have kids.
etc: I find I have let all of my hobbies fall by the wayside since I have no time left in the day. Most of my free time from work is spent working on cars. (can you say stuck in a rut)
I avoid almost all opinion threads in the OT since I have been informed I am always wrong. I like to read them and laugh at how angry people can get.

[svandamme]

Name: Stijn (flemish name it sounds like stain in english )
Age: 30
Location: Rotterdam, or as i like to call it , Rotten Damn
Job: Network techsupport for one of MS's competitors
Family: none
Cars: Porsche 944 for daily abuse, 73 S to blow my money on
don't do much other then messing with cars and working
it's a chicken and the egg thing, i work to pay my cars, and i need the cars because i want to take my mind off work...vicious circle...

[red-beard]

Hi, I'm James ("Hi James, Welcome, Helloe James") and I'm a Pelican Off Topic addict. I joined Pelican several years back, but never really looked at OT, unless one of my threads went there. Then I started responding to some topics, just a couple, here and there. And then, oh, i think I made smart-a$$ remarks just to get my post count up. And one day, I found I couldn't live without it. If the site went down, I'd start looking everywhere. I'd even log onto the 914club site, just to get a fix. I'm weak, weak I tell you! (sobbing turning to crying and to wailing).

Engineer, Purveyer of dark arts (6 Sigma), present working as a Design and production plumber (Warranty Manager) and co-owner of an Export company.
Married 2 1/2 years, this time, and I don't plan to ever marry again!
Still have the Suicide Blond (Stock looking, but highly modified 914/6)
I am on my way to becoming a gun-nut, although my wife thinks I'm already there.
I like to travel, the way dust collects on things, spring mornings in Colorado, chocolate and the color blue
Other hobbies, most not being practiced: Beer Brewing (all grain), Ham Radio, car repairs.
Why am I here? I used to go to a nice bar in upstate NY where I could meet with Socialists and Liberals and talk about these same issues over a beer or ten. Even though we would seriously disagree, things were never anything but Civil. OT really has not degenerated. It's been like this for a long time.

[RANDY P]

Name: Randy
Age: 36
Location: Seattle, WA
Job: Owner / general manager, mortgage co
Family: None / Single (but probably gonna lose that soon.. )
Car: 81 911 Coupe (red, 8" Fuchs, bla bla bla) , 1970 Pontiac LeMans Sport (455 Powered - almost finished), 02 BMW 530 Sport (Driver)- a few others not worth mentioning (Projects)

Other - Plays with weights, guns, reads books, eternally out and about the town. As for cars, they are a lifelong addiction and probably my downfall. I play with domestics and German. Randy likes Musclecars and Hot Rods - a lot.

Why OT?

I don't work or play well with others, so I have to sit behind a computer. Antisocial and available on OT The people interest me, and I never, ever, shut up about RE...

rjp

[zuffen]

Name : James W
Age : 35
Location : SF Bay Area / Walnut Creek
Job : Molecular Biologist
Family : Married, No Kids
Car : Too Many

Why OT?: I still lurk more than I post, but sometimes I can be pulled into the fray.

[Icemaster]

Name: Pete
Age: 38
Location: Cincinnati OH
Job: Roaming IT Project Manager
Family: Beautiful wife of 14 years, 2 spots of sunshine referred to as my boys.
Car: 85 911, 98 Saturn, 06 Outback.
Etc: It pays better than being a full-on engineer. and I get to work from home.

Why here? Lately the same reason people read the letters in Playboy, to see what BS people are writign about. Still find refreshing and in a way nourishing, threads like this, the Bennet Porsche thread, the condolences to CC and Tabs about their pets, the support for Livi, and the overall rush of the silent majority to help and aid the rest of the community in both their mechincal and social endeavors.

Who could ever forget the threads re: Women & Money?

[RoundelRider]

Ive meen a member of these forums for several years after buying my BMW R1100S, and have never wonderd into Off Topic, figure its a good time to introduce myself

Name: John
Age: 33
Location: OakRidge NC
Job: Service Manager for motorcycle dealership
Family: Married, 11 years, no kids, one Pug, 3 cats.
Bikes: 2003 BMW R1100S Boxer Cup Prep, 1990 Honda CB-1
Cars: '99 Acura Integra LS sedan, '96 Jeep Cherokee 4WD

Im gonna start comming in here.......looks like some decent topics comming up, maybe learn a few things!
Ive always loved cars, worked on Acura, Honda, Mercedes, and a short stint on Porsche. I got burnt out and got into my lifelong love of all things on 2 wheels. I keep getting burnt out by messing with my Jeep. Just starting to build a new house (second one we have built)........cant wait, things gonna get exciting here soon!

Good to meet you guys/gals!

[Hugh R]

Name: Hugh
Age: 52
Location: Suburbs of Los Angeles
Family: Married to the same women almost 23 years, daughter 20 at UCSB and son 17 (Eagle Scout!) in High School.
Occupation: Motion Picture and Television Safety for Disney, as such, I travel somewhat and take the opportunity to meet other Pelicans when I'm able to.
Hobbies: Read my signature, and working around the house
Why PPOT? There are some really, really funny people on this board, and I somewhat follow politics. Also, when I travel, some of the places are not conducive to walking around at night, so I hang here.

[nostatic]

Name: Todd
Age: 44
Location: LA
Job: head of communications and strategy for a large research institute at a major university.
Family: 9 year old son.
Bikes: '05 Ducati Multistrada, '97 Moots YBBeat
Cars: '79 911SC mostly track car, '05 Subie 2.5RS wagon
Other: Musician on the side, last album was in '04 though, bass and guitar, jazz, R&B, soul. Track the snot out of my car, have STS and TT licenses with POC, working on my cup license (hopefully done in December). Practice Tai Chi and Kung Fu, still bodyboard (30 years anc counting), and got one of my bicycles back functional yesterday.
Why PPOT? Many of my friends are "digital" and reside right here. Interesting mix of expertise and personalities. I'm comfortable in this setting. Plus I had many years of being a de facto single parent, and this place was where I could "hang out."