Thread: Howdy, Y'all

Just stopped by to say, 'Hello,' and to introduce myself. Actually, I am not as 'down home' and bucolic as the title up there suggests; however, it is consistent with the hinterlands of Maryland, east of the Chesapeake Bay, whence I hail, as a young, simple farm boy (at least, I was told I was simple ), and to where I have returned, and consistent with the local dialect, into which I can easily immerse myself if warranted. I am an old geezer by most standards, but not by mine (three score and four, as of this writing). I am a retiree several times: from an international chemical company, real estate sales (hated it), home improvement contractor, and minor real estate investor (lucrative if you do your homework!). I've lived in Atlanta, GA; Wilmington, DE; Newark, DE; Tampa, FL; Japan; and another small, foreign country named Texas.
A year ago, I put myself back in college full-time, majoring in Physics and Philosophy, after attending part-time in my twenties. My writing experience consists of technical writing of lab reports decades ago, a real estate-oriented column in the local paper a decade ago, a patent application for the USPTO (hated that, too!), and, recently, two semesters of intense writing in history, philosophy, and English (I've written a little music but I don't think that counts). I enjoy flying in small, single-, dual-, or 4-seat aircraft, communing with other winged creatures; old and underpowered, 2-seater foreign roadsters (like the Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite that goes from 0 to 60mph in . . . well . . . 3 weeks); languages of any stripe, e.g. Japanese, Spanish, French (LOVE IT!), any computer language; travel (I'd love to spend half the year in Paris and the other half year in one of two pubs in Finchley, a suburb of London).
I searched through many writing forums and this one seems to be populated by caring people who actually give meaningful, precise, and substantial criticism. I am in the middle of a novel (I hope) and have written a few other very short pieces that I hope to put up here and have you folks hack to death help me with.
I tried, with the above words, to describe who I am; alas, they only tell you what I'm made of.
Bye, y'all
Bill

Hello Bill! What an interesting life you've led so far. We have many 'mature' writers here, some have been at it for years, others just starting. Welcome!

Hey, Gumby,
Thanks for the welcome! I noticed one of your interests is drawing. Do you limit your interest to sketches or have you delved into painting, brush and ink, pen and ink, etc? I ask because fine arts and graphics arts are my interests also. BTW, grew up with quarter horses so I understand your interest there.
Bill

G’day mate.


Good to have you with us.

Hey, OX,
Thanks for the welcome! Does Ox come from the character in the Crocodile Dundee pic?
BTW, does the outback have room for one more? Australia's a place I haven't visited yet but plan to (and visit a boozer or two ).

I haven't even come close to exploring all the artistic mediums that interest me. I've just now gotten back into drawing after a long hiatus. I hope you will share some of your work with us here, I'll look forward to it. And we do have quite a few horse enthusiasts here also.

Originally Posted by LWilliam

Hey, OX,
Thanks for the welcome! Does Ox come from the character in the Crocodile Dundee pic?

D'you mean the ox he hypnotised? No, my OX comes from a slightly different background.

BTW, does the outback have room for one more? Australia's a place I haven't visited yet but plan to (and visit a boozer or two ).

You'll need to visit more than two; you'll get as dry as a dead dingo's donger down here. Just make sure you avoid VB and stick with the XXXX.

Hello there, Bill, and welcome to the forums.


Nickie

Howdy back Bill,

Sounds like you've had a varied and eclectic back ground (as many of us do if we live long enough). This time knocking around often gives great fodder for writing. I’ve enjoyed my time here (since 06’) and hope you will also.

Richard

Richard,
Thank you for your wishes. As corporate pilot, did you get into rotorcraft? I've often said that I'd give my eyeteeth for my rotor wing rating but, now, I'm not sure I still have them . . . uh, the eyeteeth.

And, Nickie, thank you very much for the welcome as well!

Yes I started off in helicopters (US Army 64-6 then moved into fixed wing and corporte operations for 39 years. Now I do consulting in both.

Is that the longbow version? Quite a different approach - from rotor to fixed wing. Most approach from the other end. My father flew a few hours in rotor but said he was not built like an octopus - didn't have the "8 arms necessary to fly the damned thing". He thought about getting his rotor rating as well.
So, you've been in this since '06. How's the writing going?

Flying a helicopter has been described as "rubbing your belly and patting your head...then rapidly reversing the process".