User:Tesral

Tesral
Real Name	Garry Stahl
E-mail Address	grognard@phoenixinn.iwarp.com
Other Links	http://phoenixinn.iwarp.com
Authorized to use:	None
Certified Trainer on:	None

Hello; I am Garry Stahl. I an aging SF fan with too much time on his hands. I was born January 7, 1958 along with the space age. I saw every lift-off, major event, and splash-down of the first age of Space Exploration as it was happening. I know where I was when Kennedy was killed, and when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon (I don't forget Mike Collins BTW). I hope in my heart to live long enough to remember where I was when man sets foot on Mars.

My hobbies include folk music, including that thing called Filk. I have played AD&D and D&D in some form since 1976 (no not one session), and I am crazy over the work of Anne McCaffery, Robert Heinlein, EE 'Doc' Smith and Arthur C. Clarke, among many other authors. I have also met two of the four, you guess which two. I am also a hard core Trekkie.

I am married to Susan Stahl, a multitalented lady in her own right.

Interests & Skills

I am a creative person. I frankly need to be creating something, be it a model, a new piece of writing, or even repairing a windowsill on my house.

• Modeling: I enjoy modeling in the old fashion physical sense. Most of my work is in small scale modeling. I am familiar with and have done mold making and casting for both urethane resin and pewter. I will work in plastic, wood, cardboard, or metal.

  I am interested in learning my way around 3D modeling and the Makerbot.

• Computers: I play with computers, mainly to accomplish my writing and graphics. I'm familiar with the inside because I started with Amiga. Keeping those beasts going way past what they should have required getting into the physical guts. I am a user of Linux because I prefer to spend my time working with the computer, not on the computer. I own a Thinkpad T-61 that was shipped with SLED. My desktop was assembled at home from parts and no Microsoft tax paid. I am currently running OpenSUSE Linux 13.1 on the desktop and on the laptop. I have an extensive collection of Amigas.

  I do not code. I am familiar with HTML (I do my own web page.) but not PHP or CSS. I can navigate wiki markup decently, and hate it.

  I do not do Windows. Indeed like the maids of old. Not being snooty here, I haven't gotten into the guts of a Windows machine since Win98. My knowledge has aged out.

• Graphic Arts: I write, I draw, with the help of a computer. I used to do old fashion drafting, but I have not touched the drawing broad in years. I can construct a grammatical English sentence. My typing is flail and pray followed by extensive first response work. I was taught touch typing, but recovered. I'm a touch dyslexic, without computers I would not write at all.
• General: I'm the owner of an 80 year old house. I know my way around an extensive collection of power tools. I am familiar with basic machining tools of the metal shop. I've turned my hand at just about anything from the engine lathe to the forge. Familiar with most, expert in none. I can do general carpentry. I have never had the tools for proper cabinet making, but would do that too given the chance. I can do plumbing, and hate it. I don't do wiring, that I leave to my wife.

Web Presence

Tesral is my handle. What ever I'm doing it's tesral. So if you find a tesral on the web say hi. I have neither a facebook or a twitter account.

• The Olde Phoenix Inn -- My main website Est. 1997 at that address.
• Tesral on Livejournal -- The only social networking I barely mess with. It's my home page, and with this darn Linux I seldom ever have to restart Firefox and see it. Out of sight, out of mind.