JAL3
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2009
- Messages
- 14,333
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After a short, 4 hour shift at the hospital today, I got home and saw a sight I had sometimes despaired of ever seening again. There was a Semroc box sitting in my mailbox.
Be still my beating heart!
While this has always been a good thing, it is not something I have experienced for over 2 years.
My last church, Browning UMC, was closed on Easter Sunday of 2010. Through a quirk in our canon law, I fell through the cracks. My bishop had already published his list of appointments and the assumption had been that I would be back at Browning. Sadly, Browning was no more.
For the first time since I was 14, I did not have a job.
I promised my wife that I would not build, fly or otherwise spend money on rocketry until I was employed again. Getting to play around on TRF was not part of the deal because its free and I am positive my wife knew that my system could only take so much shock.
These have been 2 difficult years. God I missed air conditioning, good food, rockets, movies and lots of other things! I especially missed the rockets and air conditioning.
The time has had it rewards as well. People have been good to me.
In June, I finally got some part time work in hospital chaplaincy and have been able to start doing some things again. Air conditioning is a big part of the plans. Banishment of peanut butter sandwiches and ramen noodles is another important part. Most important, though, is my return to active rocketry.
I want to thank ET Dixon UMC for the appointment as associate pastor. That has allowed me to keep my creditials and be on the list for a full time appointment this coming June.
I want to thank Methodist Healthcare systems for taking me on and giving me the opportunity to post this.
I want to thank the people of TRF in general for being my refuge in time of trouble.
I especially want to thank Troj and WiK for giving me the opportunity to play with the gallery section, for providing me with the technical support for things beyond my understanding and for letting me work on some of my crackpot ideas.
I want to thank the Alamo Rocketeers, NAR 661 for keeping me in the loop and sometimes letting me come out and sniff used motors.
I want to thank Art Applewhite for helping me keep my hand in a little bit teaching some rocket related stuff for my church.
I want to thank Scotty Dog for an unexpected Christmas present that really lifted my spirits at a critical time.
I want to thank Erik of BadAzz who did something similar and thought of me even as he faced issues with his wife's health.
I want to thank JohnNGA for the support, plans and inspiration for what will be described below.
I want to thank Layne Pemberton of Puria Llama Chow for the laughs.
I want to thank Mark at Stickershock for bearing with me when I lost my job and giving me the chance to pay off what I owed him. I still want to go ahead with the "John Deere" stuff we were working on when everything went to pieces.
I want to thank Gordon of Roachwerks for the custom work he did for me over 3 years ago. Hopefully, the project will finally be finished within the month.
I want to thank LW Bernici for the facecards he sent me for scanning into the gallery. It helped my spirits, will help the gallery and TRI but, most importantly, revived some cherished memories of youth.
I want to thank the people of YORF who helped me with background information for the galleries.
There are so many more to thank and I apologize for not remembering them off the top of my head as I type this, humbled, by what people have done for me. I do, however, have to mention two more.
The last rocket I flew in Feb of 2010 was at a DARS competition. I had a great time up there and was amazed that I actually won something. I just enjoyed to opportunity to get out and play. Over the last 2 years, I have changed my mind several times as to what my first forray into rocketry would be, if that day ever came about. Scotty and Erik and Art, y'all are still at the top of the list but something has come up that just seems "fitting".
In October of this year, DARS is having a "classics" competition. It is not a sanctioned event but it sure seems like it will be fun. It also seems right to start up where I left off. Doing so will let me try a few "new" things as well as finish at least one project that went into hiatus when things turned bad. Who know? I might even get another ribbon.
I like old things. That's one of the reasons why the DARS Classic "Classic" event apeals to me. I was inspired by JohnNGA's Rock-a-Chute Mrk 1 and will be building my own for the event. I thank him for the plans he sent me.
That brings me to the Semroc box I saw waiting for me today. Carl from Semroc was most helpful in providing me with extra information and a custom nose cone. I was getting my order together for my "triumphant" return and then things turned mysterious. My emails went unanswered and even a phone call to Semroc just got the answering machine. Knowing their first rate customer service first hand, I worried that they might have gone on vacation and asked about that on YORF.
They had not gone on vacation. Nor was I being ignored. Today I got my welcome back to rocketry box. It is not for me to detail the full extent of their kindness but I can express my gratitude.
Thanks to Carl and Sheryl of Semroc. Its good to be back.
Be still my beating heart!
While this has always been a good thing, it is not something I have experienced for over 2 years.
My last church, Browning UMC, was closed on Easter Sunday of 2010. Through a quirk in our canon law, I fell through the cracks. My bishop had already published his list of appointments and the assumption had been that I would be back at Browning. Sadly, Browning was no more.
For the first time since I was 14, I did not have a job.
I promised my wife that I would not build, fly or otherwise spend money on rocketry until I was employed again. Getting to play around on TRF was not part of the deal because its free and I am positive my wife knew that my system could only take so much shock.
These have been 2 difficult years. God I missed air conditioning, good food, rockets, movies and lots of other things! I especially missed the rockets and air conditioning.
The time has had it rewards as well. People have been good to me.
In June, I finally got some part time work in hospital chaplaincy and have been able to start doing some things again. Air conditioning is a big part of the plans. Banishment of peanut butter sandwiches and ramen noodles is another important part. Most important, though, is my return to active rocketry.
I want to thank ET Dixon UMC for the appointment as associate pastor. That has allowed me to keep my creditials and be on the list for a full time appointment this coming June.
I want to thank Methodist Healthcare systems for taking me on and giving me the opportunity to post this.
I want to thank the people of TRF in general for being my refuge in time of trouble.
I especially want to thank Troj and WiK for giving me the opportunity to play with the gallery section, for providing me with the technical support for things beyond my understanding and for letting me work on some of my crackpot ideas.
I want to thank the Alamo Rocketeers, NAR 661 for keeping me in the loop and sometimes letting me come out and sniff used motors.
I want to thank Art Applewhite for helping me keep my hand in a little bit teaching some rocket related stuff for my church.
I want to thank Scotty Dog for an unexpected Christmas present that really lifted my spirits at a critical time.
I want to thank Erik of BadAzz who did something similar and thought of me even as he faced issues with his wife's health.
I want to thank JohnNGA for the support, plans and inspiration for what will be described below.
I want to thank Layne Pemberton of Puria Llama Chow for the laughs.
I want to thank Mark at Stickershock for bearing with me when I lost my job and giving me the chance to pay off what I owed him. I still want to go ahead with the "John Deere" stuff we were working on when everything went to pieces.
I want to thank Gordon of Roachwerks for the custom work he did for me over 3 years ago. Hopefully, the project will finally be finished within the month.
I want to thank LW Bernici for the facecards he sent me for scanning into the gallery. It helped my spirits, will help the gallery and TRI but, most importantly, revived some cherished memories of youth.
I want to thank the people of YORF who helped me with background information for the galleries.
There are so many more to thank and I apologize for not remembering them off the top of my head as I type this, humbled, by what people have done for me. I do, however, have to mention two more.
The last rocket I flew in Feb of 2010 was at a DARS competition. I had a great time up there and was amazed that I actually won something. I just enjoyed to opportunity to get out and play. Over the last 2 years, I have changed my mind several times as to what my first forray into rocketry would be, if that day ever came about. Scotty and Erik and Art, y'all are still at the top of the list but something has come up that just seems "fitting".
In October of this year, DARS is having a "classics" competition. It is not a sanctioned event but it sure seems like it will be fun. It also seems right to start up where I left off. Doing so will let me try a few "new" things as well as finish at least one project that went into hiatus when things turned bad. Who know? I might even get another ribbon.
I like old things. That's one of the reasons why the DARS Classic "Classic" event apeals to me. I was inspired by JohnNGA's Rock-a-Chute Mrk 1 and will be building my own for the event. I thank him for the plans he sent me.
That brings me to the Semroc box I saw waiting for me today. Carl from Semroc was most helpful in providing me with extra information and a custom nose cone. I was getting my order together for my "triumphant" return and then things turned mysterious. My emails went unanswered and even a phone call to Semroc just got the answering machine. Knowing their first rate customer service first hand, I worried that they might have gone on vacation and asked about that on YORF.
They had not gone on vacation. Nor was I being ignored. Today I got my welcome back to rocketry box. It is not for me to detail the full extent of their kindness but I can express my gratitude.
Thanks to Carl and Sheryl of Semroc. Its good to be back.
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