I have learned a lot in life by being stubborn. I have accomplished what I have often because I was told I couldn't.
As a mechanic, I took on the jobs no one else wanted, and I learned to love the "problem vehicles" for the puzzles they provided. I gained a reputation for being the guy who would rescue vintage European cars from destruction. When body shops told customers that the cancerous rust had consumed too much and that the pieces necessary for repairs were no longer available, lucky owners became my clients, and I created the tools and parts to make their beloved mechanized family member whole again.
As a generation of simple vehicles was dying out, a new fleet of machines with a host of high tech features was emerging. No longer merely transportation devices these vehicles became rolling servants capable of making calls for you, heating (and cooling) your rear end automatically, acting as co-pilot, and even calling for help if the need should arise. Each new feature, however, brought new technology and new malfunctions. With dozens of computers and network systems controlling how vehicles start, steer, and stop, the word mechanic metamorphosed nearly overnight. Many of my colleagues actively avoided confronting these new technological twists. I welcomed the new challenges as a way to prove to myself I was worthy. And so, the "problem vehicles" was once again passed on to me.
Blood, sweat, and skin - I left a piece of me in each of these vehicles.
I have been told, "It is the cobbler's kid that goes without shoes." This rings true. While I have repaired and restored so many others' vehicles, I have allowed my own vehicle to fall into disrepair. I have abused it over and over throughout the years without providing proper maintenance.
Tomorrow I begin to repair the damage and to re-tune it into a high performance machine.
475 days have been allotted for this project.
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