Shaggydoo

[Shaggydoo]

Hello!

After receiving a nice intro as a new FWM writer from Garr I guess that it is my responsibility to introduce myself to YOU.

Name……..not that important. You can call me Tony, Hey Man, Shaggydoo, Taco Tony, or whatever else comes to mind. Just try to be nice about it please.

I came to the Fort from Central Florida where I where I spent about 25 years growing up and learning about life. I’ve had the honor of having so many jobs in my life that I can’t remember them all. I think that I worked at McDonalds once for only two days. My favorite job was one that I had with the Walt Disney Co. where I worked as a Mystery Shopper for almost 7 years. My main gig was to scope out the employees who were suspected of thievery. It was pretty wild. I spent a lot of time in the Disney bars, hotels, and theme parks. While I worked there I developed what I call “the gypsy blood” and I’ve been fighting the desire to travel ever since.

While working at WD Co. I finished up my schooling at the University of Central FL and got a headful of knowledge about business. But being the type that wasn’t really interested in joining the “business world (suit/tie)” I decided instead to join the US Army and learn a few new skills that might enhance my life. While I was in the service I got the chance to live mainly out in Colorado (totally awesome!) and my job skill and training were in photography at the Dept of Defense Visual Arts School. I lived with Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines who were all being trained to operate studios, do videography, calligraphy, photography, etc. It was a very cool time in my life and I’d go back and do it again in a heartbeat!

When I got out of the Army I took a job as an English Teacher over in South Korea. I signed up for a one year contract, but ended up staying for three years. While I was over there I got the chance to travel quite a bit around the Pacific Rim. Hong Kong was and still is my favorite destination in the world. It’s like a Chinese London with a New York attitude! If you ever remotely have the opportunity to go, then GO! Oh yeah…….I also got married on the island of Guam. Being a stupid and romantic gypsy, (she) and I got married at sunset on New Year’s Eve on a cliff overlooking the Phillipine Sea. It was a magical moment that didn’t last all that long (thank god!). When I landed back in the USA I hooked up with an international consulting firm that specializes in big cranes. I didn’t know a damn thing about the equipment but I got schooled by some of the best in the business before they threw me out on the road to do my “song and dance”. The song and dance that I’m talking about was to go around to various Fortune 1000 companies and teach them about the heavy equipment they were using. That job gave me the chance to visit places all over the US, Mexico, and Canada.

While I was doing my “crane guy song and dance” a few years back I was spotted by a certain someone who works for a certain someone here in the Fort. This guy asked me if I would like to do my “thang” for their company that was based here in the Fort. I have to tell you in all honesty, that growing up as a Florida boy the thought of living in Northern Indiana NEVER crossed my mind. All I could do was to laugh at this dude when he proposed that I move up here and work with them. But after doing some research on this company and the local area I decided to give it a shot.

I’ve now been in the area for about 7 years. My job with these guys takes me from Northern Michigan to Northern Florida and many points in between. My main job is heavy equipment training and inspections. But I am also in charge of putting together training films for the company.

I met a wonderful woman here in the Fort and she and I got married about 2 years ago. She is an art school grad from St Francis who stays busy working a job and playing in her pottery studio here at the house. Together we have been lurking around the Fort Wayne music scene for the past several years just soaking up the local color. And now that my work life is getting a little more balanced I decided that I wanted to jump into the scene and try a few things. I hooked up with Garr (A Gaff) and formed The Taco Toppers acoustic duo. And Garr has also been nice enough to give me an opportunity to write some upcoming articles for FWM.Com. You guys have a very good thing going here with the music and arts scene and I’m excited to be part of it.

[xpotwenty]

interested in joining the “business world (suit/tie)” I decided instead to join the US Army and learn a few new skills that might enhance my life.???