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Thread: Bio - guess it's time....

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Conway, Arkansas
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    13,181

    Bio - guess it's time....

    Well....I've been here for a long time know and moved over when Badger Pond closed up. I figure that now is the time to post a bio for those that don't know me very well.

    I was born at Tyndell AFB, Panama City, FL in June 1959. Moved to Alabama when I was 3. Raised in the country and spent most of my growing years working gardens and farming. Was in the FFA (Future Farmers of America) for 4 years, done soil judging, calf showing, was the best small engine guy in school and became a decent furniture refinisher by the time I was a senior in highschool. Went in the Air Force in 1977 and spent my entire active duty years overseas. I was a Non-Volunteer for Overseas Duty...imagine that! There I was an "Explosives Expert" and participated in the Iranian Hostage Attempt, provided emergency supplies relief to earthquake victims in Cairo, Egypt and Naples, Italy. I wound up being the highest decorated E-4 that the Air Force had at the time in Europe.

    Went to a tech college for computer programming and met my current and only wife there. Married in December 1983 and still happily married to her today. We have 4 kids, 3 boys and 1 girl with the oldest being 14.

    I started doing ww'ing at the age of 13 and have been doing ww'ing off and on for most of my life since then. I have only been seriously ww'ing for the last 5 years. My previous jobs were: Residential/Commercial Electrician, computer programmer, Unix Systems Engineer (which is where I am today). I have worked on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama for almost 18 years before I took a new job in Arkansas working for Acxiom Corporation. I worked for the PATRIOT Missle Systems (10 years), Foward Area Air Defense (4 years) and the Redstone Corporate Information Center for 4 years.

    I play bass guitar and enjoy many forms of music with bluegrass, country and oldies rock as my favorites. I am just now learning how to read music and have never had a music lesson on anything in my life. I used to play rhythm guitar years ago but have stuck with the bass for most of my music playing years.

    I enjoy woodworking and like flat work pretty well and like refinishing old furniture even better...but nothing beats the joy I get out of turning on the LATHE!!!! My current shop is 30 by 60 (1,800 sq ft) and is a metal building sitting near my home on 3 acres in Conway, Arkansas. My shop has phone, water, heat, A/C, two floor drains, a seperate tool room and a soon to be seperate finishing room. I am now involved in making custom knife boxes for two of the nations 5 Master Bladesmiths and am excited at the skills they will be teaching me as time progresses.

    I am a volunteer moderator here at SMC in the OT forum and am honored to serve a great community of friends and fellow woodworkers here at SMC.

    Well....that's some of my life and wouldn't want to bore you with the rest.

    To all the new folks.....Welcome to SMC..!!!!
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Knoxville TN.
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    It's good to really meet ya Dennis. Now I just need to figure out how to meet ya in person. It is always a pleasure conversing with you here at the Creek. Get to learn a lot from your posts. Thanks
    Dick

    No Pain-No Gain- Not!
    No Pain-Good

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dick Parr
    It's good to really meet ya Dennis. Now I just need to figure out how to meet ya in person. It is always a pleasure conversing with you here at the Creek. Get to learn a lot from your posts. Thanks
    Dick,

    I'm working on a "how-to" on making wooden hinges without using an Incra Jig setup. I'll be posting it soon.
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Just outside of Spring Green, Wisconsin
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    Quite the distinguished background and admirable accomplishments, Dennis! I'm glad I can be around to see you add to those attributes! Like Dick said, I've learned a great deal from you. Plus, it's ALL your FAULT for getting me started on the Festool craze! You earned top honors from me for that alone, much less all the other stuff! I, for one, am really glad and feel honored to have you on board here at the Creek! Thanks for hangin' out with us.
    Cheers,
    John K. Miliunas

    Cannot find REALITY.SYS. Universe halted.
    60 grit is a turning tool, ain't it?
    SMC is totally supported by volunteers and your generosity! Please help if you can!
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  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Miliunas
    Plus, it's ALL your FAULT for getting me started on the Festool craze! I, for one, am really glad and feel honored to have you on board here at the Creek! Thanks for hangin' out with us.
    Thanks John. But....HEY....wait a minute! You blaming ME for making you buy a Festool?!? OK...so maybe I did put your arm in a sling after all that arm twisting I did!! But...no regrets here!!!!

    I have learned from you as much as you have learned from me. Shoot, I've learned a LOT from everyone here on the Creek and is the sole reason why I am gaining ground on getting my skills and knowledge where I need it to be.
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  6. #6
    Very interesting bio Dennis! You sure have done a lot in your life. It was great being able to meet you and the others at Terry's BBQ.

    It's amazing to have access to this knowledge base and all these great people and I look forward to reading a lot of these bios...

  7. #7
    Always a pleasure to learn from you and learn more about you. Thanks for your service to our country. We need to send you a FPP.
    Big Mike

    I have done so much with so little for so long I am now qualified to do anything with nothing......

    P.S. If you are interested in plans for any project that I post, just put some money in an envelope and mail it to me and I will keep it.

  8. #8
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    Bout time you tole me who you were...I'll get mine on here someday...promise. Thanks for the run down, Dennis.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Pasadena CA
    Posts
    713

    a coincidence ?

    I was married in December of 1983 as well, on my birthday, so I would never forget my anniversary !!

    and my life is not as exciting as yours . . .
    MARK

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Conway, Arkansas
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    Greg,
    You better be "fessin' up" and postin' a bio....You don't want me to come up to Tulsa and type it in fer ya...do ya.!!!

    BTW, While in the military, we didn't have a fire department where I was stationed, the AF regs said we had to have one in the bomb dump. So I scrounged around and found a fire truck, got it working, put together a "volunteer fire department" on the installationand severed as the primary lead for 2 years before I left and got out of the Air Force.

    Did I happen to mention that I'm a Very Good "Scrounger"!???!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Heppeard
    Bout time you tole me who you were...I'll get mine on here someday...promise. Thanks for the run down, Dennis.
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  11. #11
    Now THAT'S funny Dennis! I have done my share of "scrounging around" in my time..........but I ain't NEVER come up with a Fire Truck!

    I must be scrounging around in the wrong places?

    Nice Bio write up Dennis!

  12. #12
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    Thanks, Dennis. That was a great bio!

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevin Gerstenecker
    Now THAT'S funny Dennis! I have done my share of "scrounging around" in my time..........but I ain't NEVER come up with a Fire Truck!

    I must be scrounging around in the wrong places?

    Nice Bio write up Dennis!
    Kev,

    I was with equipment folks like you are with tree folks. My fulltime job was explosives and I ran the largest munitions crew in USAFE (United States Armed Forces in Europe) and we used heavy equipment all the time for moving explosives and such around....except for when we held "forklift drag races" in the middle of the bomb dump.!!
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Grand Marais, MN. A transplant from Minneapolis
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    5,513
    See I told you my younger brother was cool!
    TJH
    Live Like You Mean It.



    http://www.northhouse.org/

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Conway, Arkansas
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tyler Howell
    See I told you my younger brother was cool!
    Tyler....my <I><B>cool Bro!!!!</B></I>....I gotta meet you in person one of these days. We'll have a good ol' time..!!!!
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

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