[TheForge] anyone know of a disabled person wanting to take upblacksmithing? OT:
peter fels
artgawk at thegrid.net
Sun Apr 10 13:40:34 EDT 2011
Shawn...those BS meets and conferences are the best thing you can do for your smithing!
After my first conference my jaw was dangling and my head whirring for months.
On Apr 10, 2011, at 10:25 AM, shawn.bennett09 at gmail.com wrote:
> Thank you. I will definitely take you up on the offer. To be honest, I thought the "meets" were for more experienced members. I've been to Cold Springs a few times with the kids but have never been there for smithing specifically. I'll check the calendar and try to make the next event. Again, thank you for the invite.
>
> Shawn
> Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bruce Freeman <freemab222 at gmail.com>
> Sender: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2011 09:40:43
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA<theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Reply-To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] anyone know of a disabled person wanting to take up
> blacksmithing? OT:
>
> Ah! You're in NJ. You're not very close to where we do most of our
> activities, but you might benefit a LOT by coming to our meets:
>
> http://njba.abana-chapter.com/
>
> I believe we have a meeting scheduled for Tuckerton Seaport, which is
> across the state from you. We will also likely have a few meets at
> Historic Cold Spring Village, near Cape May. We have meets roughly
> monthly at various places around the state, and WEEKLY open forge
> meetings near Freehold (Monmouth Co.). You can see the latest
> newsletter and the current schedule of events (subject to additions at
> any time).
>
> If you are after equipment or instruction, there is no better way to
> start than by coming out for meets like these. At some point you
> might want to take classes or buy over ebay, but for starters, the
> local resources are the best.
>
>
> On Sun, Apr 10, 2011 at 7:32 AM, Shawn Bennett
> <shawn.bennett09 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Good morning gentlemen,
>>
>> I've been part of the "team" for a few months now because of my interest in
>> smithing. I've got a very basic backyard set-up in the backyard of my home
>> with a propane 2 burner forge, rr track anvil, a few hammers and a few tongs
>> that I pieced together in a fenced in concrete dog run in the backyard.
>> I've been interested in blacksmithing for quite a few years but have never
>> had the finances to really get started. I've bought many of the books and
>> have spent quite a few days bothering the blacksmith display at the
>> Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.
>>
>> I'm a 35 year old disabled Army veteran with 8 years of active service who
>> was honorably & medically discharged with a 40% disabiltiy. I broke my
>> back, the first time, in Kosovo in 2001.
>>
>> My convoy was re-routed due to mines on the original route after spending a
>> few hours on a medcap (we provided basic medical care for the village we
>> visited that day. Kinda like a public relations trip) north of Pristina,
>> Kosovo. The trip was wonderful. The local village was primarily Serbian
>> and they welcomed us with open arms. My unit was guarding the doctors we
>> brought to give them some basic medical care. We brought candy for the
>> kids, school supplies for the K through Highschool school that took care of
>> the entire populous of the village and the neighboring village as well. Due
>> to my rank and my friendship with the Captain, I was invited into the
>> village elders home to have tea and cakes with his family. We were so well
>> received and welcomed he (the elder was a man of approximately 60 years old)
>> allowed his only daughter to serve us and sit at the table while we drank.
>> It was explained to us that that was a very high honor. When finished we
>> took our 8 vehicle convoy through a dried out riverbed in a valley along the
>> new route. Again, thanks to the Capt. I was in the lead vehicle. Our was
>> an APC (Armored Personel Carrier - think of it as a small tank with no guns
>> but a M-60 mounted to the roof) the only vehicle in the convoy with a tall
>> antenna. We were attacked at the center of the basin. Mortars. We lost
>> the second and last vehicles in the first volley and my APC was damaged.
>> The antenna was destroyed. I exited through the top hatch and re-installed
>> the spare antenna to radio air support. The second volley followed just as
>> I finished. It hit the cliff wall to my left. The concussion blew me off
>> the top of the track about 20 feet down to the riverbed floor. I woke up 2
>> days later in Camp Bondsteel Kosovo to find that we lost 8 men but we got
>> out. I also didn't have the use of anything below my navel. I was told I'd
>> never have the use of my lower extremities again, even the fun parts. 4
>> months later my toes started to itch and I was able to move them limitedly.
>> 6 months after that I was walking again though a lot of effort and
>> re-training. I've now regained most of my mobility, as much as I can have
>> with 2 12" titanium rods, 12 screws and a 3"x4" plate keeping my spine
>> together.
>>
>> Due to a recent divorce, I've had to take a temporary break in my hobby.
>> Amazing how much the courts in NJ make you pay for "Spousal Support" to a
>> woman who hasn't had employment for over a decade. I'm currently selling my
>> home in Tabernacle, New Jersey to downsize into a much smaller one, but I
>> found a house with a beautiful detached garage in Marlton, New Jersey. I
>> imagine that within the next 6 months the garage will be were I spend most
>> of my time anyway. The new home is much more affordable, thankfully, and
>> also closer to my work. I'm an apprentice engineering technician for Public
>> Service Electric and Gas in Moorestown, New Jersey and have worked there for
>> the last 3 years.
>>
>> I'm telling you all this because I would be honored to have the opportunity
>> to learn. I hate to sound like I'm begging but I would absolutely love to
>> speak with you more about your offer. I can't pay much, but I'd be happy to
>> try and if you aren't interested in making any money I'd be happy to donate
>> to a charity of your choice.
>>
>> If you'd like to speak with me, my name is Shawn Bennett and my telephone
>> number is 609-353-8047.
>>
>> Lastly. Are you really giving up the land? I've been shot, stabbed, blown
>> up twice, been to war and even survived a divorce where my ex-wife decided
>> she wanted to have an affair with my father. Even though I've lived through
>> more than most, I'm absolutely terrified of the ocean. I'm utterly
>> convinced that I'm damn near indestructible on land, but in the water... *Well
>> I'm sure something will eat me.*
>>
>> Thank you again for your patience and I hope that I'm not sounding as if I'm
>> bragging, but I felt that this is an opportunity that I couldn't pass up and
>> I wanted to give you as much information about myself that I could. I hope
>> to hear from you soon.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Shawn Bennett
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Apr 9, 2011 at 8:53 AM, <dann at wctatel.net> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Peter's thought was was first thought as well.
>>>
>>> Terry, what after burning your bridges, you discover that your dream of
>>> spending your last years at sea, was better than the reality.
>>>
>>> I live in Winnebago County, Iowa ... where the primary employer driving
>>> the local economy is manufacture of Winnebago Motor Homes.
>>>
>>> I always wondered how so many people could afford to put a couple hundred
>>> thousand dollars into a big new camper on wheels, and then pay nightly
>>> camping fees for where-ever they parked them.
>>>
>>> So I asked. Turns out, apparently the "average" buyer sells the
>>> residence/ fixed home and uses that money to bank roll the purchase of the
>>> Winnebago. They down size everything to what he/she can take in their
>>> Winnebago. Many use a mail drop with a South Dakota address for their
>>> permanent address... and away they go.
>>>
>>> After playing at being a gypsy for a while, many end up living in a condo
>>> in some Southern state. Used motor-home sale value / salvage value of the
>>> Motor Home falls about like you would expect in a used luxury car. Craigs
>>> List anyone?
>>>
>>> Dann
>>>
>>>
>>> Peter Wrote:
>>>> Say Terry;
>>>> What happens if you tire of traveling after a while?
>>>> It's a romantic notion viewed from afar.
>>>> But as for myself...i'm an impatient spectator.
>>>> I find i go pretty nuts if i travel for a few months.
>>>> Think before you burn bridges.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Bruce
> NJ
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