Date: Sun, 24 Dec 2006 10:50:54 -0500
Reply-To: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Come out of the closet, all
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=response
Merry Christmas to most everyone and Happy holidays to the rest! I've
enjoyed reading about the others, to get a background on the person behind
the name on the list.
I'm a VW nut since birth, practically.
As a little kid, I had a neighbor with an Oval that I adored (both the
owner and the car!).
I used to love to draw, and cartooned a cool-looking bug that I named
"Wheelie" (I still have some drawings somewhere!). When my dad taught me
to work with wood, I carved a 3D version of Wheelie, too!
I've painted (took some evening classes as an older kid) with acrylic, oil
or watercolor, sketched with pencil, pastels or charcoal, and loved making
models (plastic, metal, balsa, wood for cars, ships, planes , both display
and flying!) I still have many finished and unfinished kits of all types of
cars (especially VW-related) and aircraft (military and general aviation).
I'm a licensed Airframe & Powerplant mechanic with about 25 years
experience wrenching on KC-135's, RC-135's, F-15's, Cessnas, Pipers,
Beechcraft, hot-air balloons, experimental aircraft and AGE (aerospace
ground equipment).
I've owned, driven, restored over 45 cars, mostly VW's of every
description, with a few Porsches thrown in for good measure ( I currently
drive an '82 911SC and an '84 Vanagon GL). I've rebuilt many ACVW engines
both Types I and IV, and have about a dozen cases in the basement, with most
all of the parts needed to build them up complete.
I've built a large 2-story, 2-car garage addition on my home and a fairly
large shed out back.
I'm a licensed electrician in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island,
currently working fulltime as a Fire Alarm service technician for a company
out of Pawtucket, RI (near Providence).
I recently had the town come down on me for too many unregistered cars on
the property, and have to pare it down to only 3 unregistered cars, so some
VW's have to go. I scrapped 2, sold 1 and moved 2 to my buddy's garage
(listed on craigslist for sale). I still have to eliminate 2 more, then
I'll only have my '59 Beetle resto-in-progress, my '64 Beetle
resto-in-progress, my afore-mentioned 911 and Vanagon, my friend's 71
Karmann Ghia, my wife's '03 Rav4 and my company workvan.
I know, I know, that's a lot, but I've got 3 garage spaces, paved off
street parking for 6, and about an acre out back for a couple behind the
shed, under a large green tarp.
I've been married 3 times and have 3 kids, travelled (and scoured VW
junkyards and flea markets!) all over the world, retired with 21 years of
service in the USAF and AirNG.
I've camped in my many Westy's. I take annual vacations to Las Vegas,
Disneyworld and cruises to Bermuda.
I loved Florence and Pisa, Italy ('my country'!) and Denmark, England,
Germany, Luxemburg, Korea, The Phillipines, Hawaii and Diego Garcia, an many
others.
I've driven coast-to-coast 3X, and flown all over the USA. I've lived in
Okinawa, Japan for 3 years and Phoenix, AZ for 12 years. I've lived in Rome,
NY for a year and Portsmouth, NH for a year, Chino Valley, AZ and Rantoul,
IL. I've sat through a 6.1 earthquake in Ramona, CA, and countless Typhoons
all over the South Pacific.
I'm currently writing a VW book and have considered writing another one or
two, maybe some day..........
I'm happily married (3rd times a charm!) and have joint custody of my
almost 8 year-old son. It's our turn to have Xmas together this year, so
I'm a pretty happy guy right now.
Well, that's enough about me for now! Take care all and hope to meet you
in person someday!
Mike B.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rodgers" <inua@CHARTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 11:06 PM
Subject: Re: Come out of the closet, all
> Nathaniel Poole wrote:
>> I'm curious: how many artsy-fartsy folks on this list? Is there a
>> relationship between this unfortunate disorder and loving vanagons? There
>> is
>> a stereotype of hippies/vw buses, but does that still echo on with the
>> 80s
>> version of the bus?
>> BTW I count myself as one.
>>
>> Nathaniel
>>
>>
>>
> Nathaniel, you have really struck a chord. I've never seen a thread this
> long!
>
> Artsy-Fartsy Bus/Vanagon connection?? Maybe,maybe not.
>
> I've got both curses, somewhat more of one than the other.
> More crafter than artist I think, but it's a fine line in any case.
>
> Potter, Sculptor, Painter, Mold Maker . ..... thats me. My work has
> appeared in three national magazines. I'm full time, make my living at
> it. Have for years, Wouldn't do anything else. 5 kilns, two potters
> wheels, slab roller, slip casting tables - all of it.
> I have also designed and built 35 homes
> Airline Transport Pilot, Bush Pilot, Aircraft Mechanic, School Teacher,
> Corps of Engineers, US Public Health Service Division of Indian Health -
> to name a few!
> Harmonica Player - 10 hole diatonics, 16 hole Chromatics - with
> amplifier. Favorite is Hohner 2016 CBH
> Owned 3 Beetles, 2 buses, one early Westy, three Vanagons - currently
> own two of the latter
> Ecology minded, but not a nut about it.
> Scuba Diving, Hydroplane driving, Sailing are passions
> Lived in the Florida Keys, and Alaska - and points in between.. In
> Alaska both in the bush and in the city (bush is better)- Wrangell,
> Cordova, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Soldotna/Kenai, Bethel, Kodiak, Dutch
> Harbor, Barrow.
> I have spent time at Tahtitlik, Kokenok, Eek, and Hungry. I rubbed the
> rivits on Russian bombers thinly disguised as transport aircraft in a
> cultural exchange in Bethel in 1971. The Russian Pilots got kinda upset
> with me.
>
> Bachelor, personal odometer just ticked over on 67, and the eye still
> has a serious twinkle for the ladies!
>
> Regards to all,
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver X II
>
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