ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES~LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES
THE 1950s
As a young girl, I would beg to go with my dad to his diesel engine repair shop. I loved to smell the smells, clean the tools and sweep the floor. I was banned from his shop when I reached puberty and 'exiled' to do housework at home with my mother because, at that time, that is where, "Girls belong."
1971
I'll never forget the high school guidance counselor shaking his head and clicking his tongue in dismay over my high scores in math, science, dexterity and spacial relationships. Lacking in ideas of a direction in which to guide such a young woman, he handed me my score papers with a sigh of relief and said, "Here, you scored high in English...be an English teacher."
I followed his and my father's guidance[sic], enrolled in college to study English, and found myself bored to tears. I also found myself facing a market 'glutted' with starving, under paid and out of work English teachers who were working at the corner grocery stores in order to make a living.
Meanwhile, my father took away my 1969 Chevrolet Nomad station wagon because I, "didn't know how to take care of it." (I must admit, 30 years later and knowing what I now know, the car was in quite a dismal state of dis-repair:-)
1974
I did some serious soul searching, and given the areas in which I felt proficient, I decided to be my own 'guidance counselor' and enrolled myself in automotive repair school. I figured that, at the very least, knowing how to do some things myself would save me some money and make me a more informed consumer.
I enrolled in automotive school (the only female there) and listened as every teacher repeated, "You are a natural at this." I graduated at the top of the class and, unable to find a man willing to hire me or pay me well...
1977
I joined the United States Army, became a Motor Sergeant and got some great managerial, supervisory and mechanical skills and training.
I discovered that, while I liked to travel to exotic places and meet new people, I didn't want to kill them.
I completed that tour with honor, traded my Army green uniform for one of mechanic's blue, and re-entered civilian life. ( Don't miss clicking Here to view my education, special training and to follow my career path.)
1981
I designed and implemented a stellar preventive maintenance program for the state of Georgia Department of Transportation's 10,000 pieces of equipment.
For several years I hurt my head by beating it up against their 'glass ceiling'.
Faced, once again, with the opportunity to do more heavy soul seaching...I decided to open my own shop!
