Rocketguy53

I have been a science fiction fan since I was probably 8 or 9 years old. The TV shows I grew up with and the budding space program of my youth drove this interest to bud and flourish. I fondly recall the Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, and so many other such shows from the ‘60s of my youth.

While in high school I became completely infatuated with the space program, particularly the Apollo lunar program, which caused me to decide to become a “rocket scientist” for my career. Ultimately I obtained my engineering degree from FTU/UCF in Florida and from there snared a job with NASA working from the beginning to the end of the space shuttle program at KSC.

During my youth I pursued my hobby interest of building plastic models with many being fantastical creatures or machines which fell in line with my interest in SF and the space program. Around the time I turned 15 or so I picked up a serious interest in model rocketry again after a brief experience with it a couple of years earlier. I became a very serious model rocketeer joining the NAR and in my early 20s becoming a national competitor as well as hobby flier. During this time I let my interest in plastic modeling dwindle, only building them when they coincided with model rocketry.

Then around the time I turned 50, when most guys buy a Corvette, I returned to serious plastic modeling, mostly building “geeky” subjects such as SF kits, classic horror kits, and kits from my youth. I now attend local contests and also the yearly trek to Wonderfest in Louisville, the mecca for monster and SF modelers show and contest.

Of course I also started attending local and some national SF cons over the last 20 years or so. I have been on panels that discussed the space program at some cons and have met many authors who I have read thoroughly because they were at the con. SF plays a big part in my life as it still provides the wonders and stories that I have enjoyed since my youth.