I'm 29

Haha, guess im going to break the age thing

Im 14, turning 15 in Aug =)

I go to school, hang out with my friends a TON, and Race on road rc cars, bash my BL machines, thats my life till im done with school and into collage im guessing, since thats what I have been doing for the last 5-6 years LOL

[bdebde]

Wow 14 - 54, quite an age range! At least I am not the oldest one here

I got my father in law hooked 2 years ago. He'll be 70 this year. Your never to old to start a good thing.

[DrKnow65]

Originally Posted by DrKnow65

If I were single and in you shoes Harold (since you asked) I would try to do whatever it is that I would like people to know about when I'm gone. For me I would like to leave a legacy of helping families who for no fault of their own end up on hard times, like those successful business' gone in the wake of huricane Katrina. Natural disasters leave lots of responsible good hearted people hurting.

I dream of a piece of propery with 6 homes and a dormatory where I would invite families and individuals to stay for very low rent while they rebuild their lives and provide for their kids. I'd help them out with food and transportation, mabey some tools or schooling. I would take the rent they pay and save it (say $3-500 a month) and when they were ready to leave, I would send them off with enough cash to be able to put a down payment on a new home.

Then if they ever asked me if there were anything they could do to repay me, I would simply tell them to get successful again and go out and do the same thing I had done for some family themselves...

For me today that means working hard to get my auto reapir clientel built up, running a fair business (read honest) and not waisting my time with drugs or bad living. I persue a close personal relationship with God, since it is His dream for me to love Him and love others with all that I am and all that He is in me. I enjoy my friends and I like my RC stuff too. I believe I can accomplish the goal with the housing in the next 5-10 years, and I hope my kids see enough value in it to continue long after I have gone.

When I get get to heaven I just hope to get a "job well done, good and faithful servent".

So above was my post from a few days back and yesterday things may have taken quite a turn. I had an accident with a table saw while working on our "Habitat for Humanity" house yesterday (yes, my family is recieving the next H4H house here in Carbondale, CO--- google it, very cool). Anyhow table saw chewed up my thumb and pointer finger good, expect to have full use of them again. My middle finger didn't fair so well though, basically lost most of the second nuckle and may never function like it should again.

Auto mechanics may be impossible for me now, as I work alone and need both hands. So I may have a big change coming, I'm going to go pray for healing at church (we actually do have miracles and healings at my church, matter of fact I have been healed of huge teeth problems a few years back and my youngest daughter has been healed of a hernia too), I'm going to ask for finantial help, and my wife is going to try to help me finish the work I have scheduled for this week.

Anyhow I'll post up in this thread from time to time as this works out. I think it will be neat to share here as this plays out. My spirit is good and I have high hopes and expectations. I will not give up on the dream, but may have to get there a different way.

Harold, hope this is an acceptable following up to your question :)

[JThiessen]

I've got a couple kids, I've had a few dozen women, and I'm perfectly content alone, playing with my r/c's, sitting back collecting my government cheese. Should I do something with myself?

I'd say you owe to those kids to get off your butt and provide a home for them. Get involved in their life rather than being content just being "alone". I've been there, and spent too little time with mine. Now that they are out of the house, I know that I missed out.
I have never had any respect for the people I've known that are content with just collecting the "gov't cheese". Life takes work, and rewards are worth the work.

[_paralyzed_]

JThiessen- I should have elaborated, I live alone but I'm absolutely in my sons lives. Caleb, 11, is doing quite well with the violin I bought him and is in the top 95th percentile of every standardized test he's taken. Isaiah, 7, lives much closer and attends a catholic school where he's doing well, unfortunately it is his mother who is absent, on drugs, he lives with his grandparents. Thank you though, for your input, thats what I wanted and why I asked, I do have guilt for not earning my keep, but I worked many hours between 14 and my accident at 22, so I get my cheese and both my boys recieve support based on my work history, I'll get there yet.

Dr.Know-

I will not give up on the dream, but may have to get there a different way

.
That is my attitude, don't give up! My D.I.S.ability is a Do It Sitting Ability. Keep us updated.

[JThiessen]

Great! Mind if I ask - are you intending to try to get custody of the boys at some point? They are nearing the age where they might actually be a benefit for you to have living with you - given your circumstances.

You never said if you have a degree? IF not, go get one!!!

[pipeous]

I just turned 44 3 days ago. Most people gues at late 20's early 30's. I just retired from hockey a few years ago. Trying to run a seasonal business and survive these winters is a pain (it's how I have so much time to post in the winters).

I actually supplement my living buying up packages of rc's, fixing them up and reselling them. I don't make much money doing it but keeps the hands busy and lets me be involved in the hobby more.

I won't comment on the issue with your kids because I don't know you or understand your situation so a judgement by me wouldn't be fair.... I could collect a gov't stippend but I won't. My business the last few months hasn't made enough to pay the rent, so I have had to hussle and do pressure washing, done some gardening for seniors (actually rewarding work doing handyman stuff for those that can't do it) and whatever I can find.

I agree with above that working for what you get is far more rewarding. I was in a really bad car accident in August, just as I was starting my detail shop. I had to close the doors and operate from home and run it was a mobile detailing, but I couldn't keep paying 2 rents when I only had one good arm. Being a hockey goalie for so many years tought me how to do rehab and I am very dilligent in my excersize routines.,,, got sandwiched between an f350 and a mazda 3. mazda ended up on my hood and my trunk was in the back seat, bent my car into a U and had to climb out the windows because the doors were jammed

[_paralyzed_]

I hope as my boys get older they will ask to live with me. The first teenage fight and they'll want to live with me, I'm strict but a way cool dad. You should see my boys drive my r/c's, way better than me.

JThiessen- I see you with your r/c's and a torque monster diesel, Lincpimp with his own business and 40 or so r/c's, and it makes me want more, I guess thats the point of this thread

pipeous- I need to be more dilligent in my rehab, thanks for the post

everybody- what are your thoughts?

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by _paralyzed_

I hope as my boys get older they will ask to live with me. The first teenage fight and they'll want to live with me, I'm strict but a way cool dad. You should see my boys drive my r/c's, way better than me.

JThiessen- I see you with your r/c's and a torque monster diesel, Lincpimp with his own business and 40 or so r/c's, and it makes me want more, I guess thats the point of this thread

pipeous- I need to be more dilligent in my rehab, thanks for the post

everybody- what are your thoughts?

Well I can say that descisions are an important part of life. I had to choose between getting my mech eng degree, or learning my father's business. I took the latter, and had about 4 rough years before I bought it from him. He wanted to retire, and I did not want to loose the oportunity of owning my own business. In those 4 years I learned to manage the office, paint cars, do body work, and then clean and fix everything after 5 feet of hurricane Katrina flood water. It is hard work, and I am ultimately responsible for everything. Sometimes I wish that I had stayed in college and worked for someone else. But I am also a better person from the resonsibility. Plus I make more money, and the perks are great.

Get something going on the side, are you any good at anything specific? What did you do before the accident, if I may ask?

And I do not like to wrestle other men, as you mentioned in the traxxas motor thread. I stick to women, pretty ones. I guess that I am flattered that you are trying to hit on me, but I prefer to swing a different vine than you. No hard feelings, you will find a caring man out there, just keep the hope alive.

[_paralyzed_]

I use to be a framing carpenter, I've thought about cad and architecture, thanks for the well wishes Linc, and I said you wrestled pigs, not men, that's right, I'm coming after Miss Piggie, Kermit, lookout!

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by _paralyzed_

I use to be a framing carpenter, I've thought about cad and architecture, thanks for the well wishes Linc, and I said you wrestled pigs, not men, that's right, I'm coming after Miss Piggie, Kermit, lookout!

Well, you could do house design, or be a consultant for an architec? Would having a part time job eat into the gov't funding?

[DrKnow65]

Small update, midnight and I've got feeling back in all 3 of the damaged fingers... not what I care to be feeling right now. Nerve damage was half the battle, so even pain is a good sign at this point.

Friday is inspection day with the hand sergon, then I get to see about the other half of the battle, dexterity. I need my middle finger to function properly to be the mechanic I was before...

[JERRY2KONE]

Hey DrKnow65 sorry to hear about the accident. That sucks trying to help others out and ending up with the machine turning on you. I work a lot with power tools as well. I have been doing carpentry since I was 14 and I love making stuff from logs. Mine is mostly for play now. There is nothing like it.

I hope that you get everything worked out, and can get back on that wagon "so to speak". It sounds like we all have our life challenges to deal with, and overcome. It is not all about the outcome that we need to look at. It is the journey that defines who we are. Have fun, work hard, and do what we all know is the right thing every day along the journey. Life is too short, but we can pack years of memories into that short period with our kids, loved ones, and those who we are lucky enough to call true friends. We all need our time alone, but it is the time we share with others that really makes us feel good. Weather it is playing with our kids, wrestling PIGs, or just hanging out at the track racing RC's with others who are struggling just as we are to find happiness along the way. Its all good.

I am truely sorry to hear about the struggles that some of you are going through. Still you are alive and moving forward every single day. My EX died at 35 fighting for her life every single day to be with our kids. We all have our struggles and we all still have the benefit of choice as long as we are alive. I enjoy the fact that we can share our struggles and so many other things on this site. Thanks guys for being a part of things here. I hope that everyone gets some enjoyment from sharing on here as well. Life is an education that only lasts as long as we do. Rc is just awesome isn't it? Have a great day and an even better tomorrow.

[_paralyzed_]

Jerry2kone-
Thank you for that. I've seen people that get over 30,000 a month just for their race, and I lived in a nursing home for 11 months and saw people who literally owned nothing, yet the people with nothing were the most generous, caring people I've met. People get so wrapped up in status and posessions. Life is absolutely about the relationships you make, the health and well being of your friends and family is the only thing that is really important. Don't sweat the small stuff!