It's fun to reflect on the time that I spent with my dad right after graduating college (1989). We were off pursuing his dream to patent and sell a unique product. While the concept was all his, I was the doer/experimenter/engineer/co-patenter. We bought a lathe; conducted electrical tests while standing barefoot in puddles in his garage, frequently shocking ourselves senseless; and we roared with delight when I designed and created a new piston on our pump that was able to shoot water out of a small hose up to a length of 25'. I remember that day well. I persisted until the late evening hours designing and building my creation. I finally hooked it all up and flicked the switch and... ta-dah! Water squirted across the driveway. I ran into the house and said, "Dad, you gotta see this!" It was our biggest technical victory and we were proud to show it to anybody who feigned interest.
Sadly Dad's health and well-being diminished and I finally had to tell him "Dad, I've accepted a job at another company. I'm starting in two weeks."
It's too bad I didn't have the knowledge that I have now back then. I could've taken this thing to great heights, but it's fun to look back what an awesome experience it was. I particularly enjoy looking at our patent,
#5,085,563, and the drawings that I painstakingly labored over to create. It would be so much easier today with CAD, but I created these on a wooden drawing board with T-squares, compasses, and templates. Honestly, sitting at my desk crafting these images was about the most satisfied I ever was in my career. Good memories; I hope to carry Dad's innovative spirit and engaging personality within me as I move onto my next venture.
