Those who know me well also know I am anything but a computer expert. It was only a little more than a decade ago I first tried my hand at one. I remember too well how my kids had to show me how to turn it on and painstakingly guide me through each simple task - again and again as I learned. Files I was working on would disappear - sometimes permanently. I would call my kids again and they would search asking me what I had done. I simply had no clue.

Typing was a subject I shouldn’t have really passed in high school but I think my teacher had pity on me. Back then I think I got up to nine or ten correct words per minute. English was also not one of my favorite subjects although I guess I somehow struggled through. When I was much younger public speaking was something I dreaded and avoided at all costs. Although few know it to be true now, I have always been very shy.

Fast forward these many years and I now am privileged to regularly write articles for the sign trade magazines. In fact, I just had an article accepted in which I wrote of my “Changing to a Mac platform - without any difficulty.” Computers are now a big part of my daily life. Writing articles and stories also takes a significant portion of each working week. In our Sign Magic Workshops people travel from around the world to see and learn how I use a computer controlled router to help make our signs. I now also regularly write this journal. Just recently I have contracted to do a couple more journals for other companies with still more on the way.

These days I regularly host workshops and often travel many thousands of miles to conferences and such - speaking to large groups, many times to hundreds of people at once. I’ve learned to be at ease when giving radio or TV interviews - something I absolutely dreaded many years ago.

All the things I avoided and disliked so much when I was younger now are part of my life on a regular basis. What’s more I enjoy them immensely too. Who would have imagined it to be so?

-grampa dan