I started working in machine shops at 17 in the
Seattle Washington area sweeping chips and cleaning machines. Over the
next 20 years I learned the machinist trade, got married, had 2 kids,
and moved up to programming some very sophisticated machines. If you live up
by the 45th parallel you know that during the winter months you can get up in
the dark, go to work in the dark, work in a windowless tin building all day,
and then go home in the dark.
After my mom passed away, I decided to use the inheritance to start up a small
part-time business that my wife and kids could run during the summer. As a kid,
our family used to vacation in Florida. I remember playing mini-golf and telling
myself at the age of maybe 10 that someday I was going have a course. It seemed
like a fun business to have. We bought a portable course (call me before you buy
a course from Lomma), found a location, and tried to get a building permit...
One of the cities that chased us out of town (see Award Winner Sumner), recently
received an award from some unnamed organization based on it's growth management
policies. The story made the front page of the local paper, and the local councilmembers
were just gushing over themselves. I decided I would like to form an "association" to
give out awards too.
I have been fighting with the local governments ever since.