Monday, November 1, 2010

I'm back on the post wagon

I'm sorry to say that I am no where near as prolific at posting as my wife or eldest child, but once in a while I do spill to the public. This is one of those times.
Soooooo.............. I have been diligently hacking away at the ridiculously layered mega program "Chief Architect", and tonight I feel I've shot up to around 60% cognition, which is to say that I have worked my way through the easy, obvious stuff and still need to tackle the part of the program that expects me to think on my own, analytically, through deductive reasoning and deft aplomb. My short set consists of the fact I graduated high school in 1976, before calculators were big, (I actually found math solutions on a slide rule, having mastered the abacus) ending my formal education that year. Since then I've logged a million miles of cut wood and a million nails driven. Don't get me wrong- I can draw a house plan- I don't hold myself short on ability beyond the Jesus trade. I simply need to convince myself I'm as smart as the next CAD guy, supplanting my years in the trenches with his years learning Autocad. I'm hoping my transition to his desk is easier and faster than his transition to the field might be. I'm betting I don't know a single CAD jockey who'd last 2 days doing what I do; I'm also betting the law of reciprocity won't apply.
I'm now setting a time table: By Thanksgiving I will be at 90%+ and ready to buy the real thing. I will immediately produce a full set of a 2,500 square foot ranch home to use as a demo, design and produce business cards, flyers, a letterhead and a web site (need help here), and take my first (hopefully) assignment by first of year. Go, go, go.

3 comments:

Rachel said...

Dad,
Here is the plain truth- in a lot of ways, formal education is highly overrated. I personally know quite a few "formally educated" people that I wouldn't trust to change a tire, let alone design a house. I think the important things are that you know how to learn and you can work hard to achieve your goals in a timely manner. We all know that you can knock out a project in a shorter amount of time than a crew twice the size of yours. And you love to learn. You are a veritable sponge. Just ask mom when you get on a new kick (Egypt comes to mind...) So we know you are capable. Plus you have the practical experience to know when something won't work. By having hand drawn and built homes your entire life, you can look at a cad drawing and see that the pitch of the roof is wrong, you'll need a higher ceiling here, or a bathroom won't fit there. These are things that the "purely digital" guys may not catch. I think your experience and you knowledge surpasses any "cad guy." I have all the faith in the world that you are going to kick some cad butt.
I'm proud of you.
Love ya,
Rachel

Patti Zantout said...

Bravo Tracy! I, too have the utmost confidence in what you can accomplish. None but your mother has followed your achievements from your day of birth to present. I always knew you would be the best and I've never been wrong, right???? You go, Trace. Love ya, Mom

momboe said...

Well, it's obvious that I KNOW you can do this- or anything you put your mind to or I wouldn't be pushing you...I mean encouraging you to do this. As far as not having formal education- I remember you telling me on Many Many occasions that the teachers had no idea what they were talking about and you would prove it and often did.
I am so excited for you to get started on your new business adventure and teach me too!
Go design me a new dream art studio!