Born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. Had various jobs growing up including cook and mortuary night attendant. Then I become an Air Traffic Controller for the Federal Aviation Administration.
When I went for the interview at Minneapolis Tower, the manager asked me "How many people took that test?"
I replied "Around 250."
He then told me "Well we will be interviewing 15. And of that 15 only 10 or so will go to Oklahoma City. And of that 10, maybe 3 will make it out of Oklahoma City. And of that 3 only 1 will become an Air Traffic Controller. Are you that one?"
I gulped and said "I hope so."
Spent three months in Oklahoma City, OK not knowing where they would end up placing me or for that matter whether or not I would get through the 'Screen' program. This was back in 1991 and I was 25 at the time. It was much more difficult to get this job back then. They placed me at Minneapolis Center in Farmington, MN. Centers are the place that works the airplanes from airport to airport. Approach Controls get the planes in and out of the airport and we get them to where they're going. It's been 16 years now and I've only got 8 left!
I've been married to Anne for about 14 and a half years and we have three kids - two daughters 9 and 8 (going on 10 and 9) and a son who's four and a half. We've settled in beautiful Empire Township, MN. And we make frequent trips to my in-laws cabin about 3 hours north.
I decided to build my basement into a Home Theater over 3 years ago and started out in the 'other' forum searching for DIY screen options. While I was there I watched paint formulas come and go and I learned an awful lot. Like how not to run a forum!
Back in February this year Bill (wbassett) told me about the Shack and how we should settle in here. I agreed and shortly there after became a moderator in the Screen forum.
My name is Steve, but my friends call me 'mech' (pronounced like the mech in mechanic). Please, call me mech.
mech