About:''If you haven't seen my Instructables, or comments, you might not know I have Onanon Disease. I go On 'n', On 'n', On...''

My hobby is collecting hobbies. I read that in Make Magazine. It fits me well. I've got Maker genes.

My Grandmother sewed beautifully. My Mom owned a quilt store. I know how to sew (cutting material and assembling). My Dad is a fantastic carpenter (cutting material and assembling). He took me to work with him in the summers and taught me all about building: from the cement foundations to cabinetry, dry wall, electrical, and on up to nailing on the roof shingles.

It isn't surprising that I came out Make obsessed.
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Learning-
I tend to like to learn how to do something and get good enough to make one or two quality objects, then I move on to figure out how to do the next. It is more the processes and skills involved in making rather than the end product that I really love. I don't consider myself an artist. I'm a craftsman.
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Teaching -
I love to teach.

I've given historic architecture tours for about 25 years. I've taught "How to give Walking Tours" classes for many of those years. Those are mainly about how to communicate effectively, and how to make sure you can be heard, and understood. Also how to have fun while doing it. I've taught health education classes.

I helped create an HIV AIDS education program for homeless and runaway kids on Hollywood Boulevard. It was peer education so I mostly taught homeless kids how to talk to other kids and give them good health info. Some of those kids were amazing.
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Doing -

In crafts I've done: ceramics, porcelain, sewing, quilting, finger loop braids, rug hooking, needlepoint, drawing, painting, pen & ink, sculpture but I still need work on that, casting, macrame, origami (I love the mechanics), woodwork, made candles, there are probably more but I can't think of them right now. I did a lot of models as a kid.
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I'm not a cook really. It's too inexact for my mind. I love baking and candy making. It is basically chemistry. I make my own soda, bake my own bread and make killer chocolate chip walnut cookies.
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Lots of sewing: theatrical costumes, my own clothing, household stuff like curtains, pillows, upholstery... I also made turn of the Century aprons for volunteers to wear when they give tours at a historic San Francisco Victorian House Museum.
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In Tech I like to code. I'm really good at photoshop. I really enjoy restoring old damaged photos. You can see some of my work on my Flickr blog. I'm SFHandyman over there also. I've been doing a lot of photography but not too intense on perfecting the art. I'm always improving there. I have a video cam now but still don't know how to use it well.

I can do plumbing, and electrical. I can fix anything. I'll set that blinking 12:00 for you. I've been studying and tinkering with robotics. I've home built my last three computers.

Although I do love electronics and computer/electrically controlled machines; mechanical machines that run from weights, springs and people power are very fascinating to me. I'd love to get more into that.

I want to make a mechanical clock in the worst way. I made a cardboard one once, but I want to make a more permanent one with cool gears; and mechanics run by weights, not electricity. I've been working on plans for a mechanical system to open my drapes remotely, but haven't built anything yet.
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I'm living in a small apartment and gave away all my big tools when I moved in here. But it is a gorgeous 1924 apartment that I've loved slowly restoring to it's original glory, so I'm happy. I've switched more to fiber, fabric, paper, and casting; as that can be done in an apartment without huge machines and disturbing the neighbors.

Long term health problems have made things difficult.

I'm a science/atheist/geeky guy. I love figuring out the mechanics of everything from neurology to natural sciences.

My formal education was really poor. I moved many times as a kid (7 schools from k-12) and never could afford college. I did, and still do when I can, take individual classes in a variety of things from tech/coding classes, to languages.

You probably wouldn't know I don't have a college education though. I've taught myself a lot over the years, and love to read non-fiction and history.
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I can be called an Architectural Historian, since I've spent many years in historic preservation. I've taught architecture classes.

When the American Institute of Architects held their Annual meeting in San Francisco, I gave a huge group (50 or 60) of the best Architects in the US a Beaux Arts tour of the Civic Center. I didn't need to worry about getting things wrong, and I know I taught them some new stuff.

After my tours, I've had folks ask me if I teach, or practice architecture, hahaha. Never had a formal architecture class in my life.
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If you haven't grokked it - I think Instructables was made for folks like me. Learning, teaching and doing!

Location:San Francisco

Joined:Aug 21, 2007

Interests:Making and building things. Historic Preservation. Architecture LEARNING, TEACHING, DOING

Gender: MALE