Patrick Ballard:  

Life As a 98 pound weakling, I left FHS for Univ. of Ala., got three degrees, and am now a 198 pound weakling. I worked for Rust Engineering as a chemical engineer and designed process/automation for multi-million dollar plants that sometimes actually worked. Later moved into the exec. ranks as Dir. of Corp. Planning and Finance. While single and sober, I learned how to fly light aircraft, flyfish, hunt, ski, travel and chase women, all fun activities. I got married for better or for...better (she's looking over my shoulder). Actually a wonderful woman with a great sense of humor that she draws on frequently when dealing with me. After seven years I discovered the causal relationship between sex and children. By then it was too late, I had two kids and as a family man had to buy a family sedan and give up my sports car, flying, skiing and most of my humor and all of my sanity. I then learned un-fun things like how to be serious and change diapers. Not bragging, but I have changed more stinking diapers per capita than any other white boy this side of the Mississippi. The only really unique thing I did with my youthful zeal was to design and build (yes, I was dumb enough to learn to screw with a screwdriver) an 8000 SF home on a mountaintop in Leeds. Took 8 long years with wife's help. Mama Nature didn't like it and with one lightning bolt burned it down the year we burned the mortgage. Big tragedy, but who hasn't survived one. With vast knowledge of ship building from owning a 14' bassboat and a midlife crises, I quit Rust and went into shipbuilding. Discovered it was a lot easier receiving a paycheck every two weeks than making payroll for 1600 pissed-off Philidelphia shipyard workers. After 5 years and 3 million FF miles, I moved back South and settled in Mtn. Brook and got into the stock market; bought high and sold ...Expand for more