While building this web site for the purpose of selling my observatory plans I came across this little "About Me" page link that I have seen on countless other web sites.  I was going to ignore it but then I thought about my potential customers not knowing a thing about me and how unsettling it can be at times not knowing who you are dealing with.  Well, let's try to get you guys a bit more familiar with who I am and why I am here.

 

I live in a little community in northeast Louisiana called "Start".  I have no idea how it got that name but can tell you it is made up of some of the most friendly folks you will find anywhere.  As a matter of fact, Start has gotten a bit of notoriety in the last few years from one of our citizens who has went on to make quite a name for himself both nationally and internationally.  His name is Tim McGraw who, by the way, was a neighbor of mine.  I never got to know Tim personally as the age difference between us was just too great.  My oldest daughter and Tim went to school together here in Start and are both within a year or two of one another in age so they know one another pretty well.

 

Well enough of that.  I am a farm manager professionally and oversee almost 3000 acres of cotton, corn, wheat and soybeans.  My primary crop in the past few years has been cotton production with a total planting of a bit over 2200 acres.  I'm getting close to retirement now and really am looking forward to those years when my time becomes my own time.

 

Hobbies and interests over the years have ranged from radio controlled airplanes to astrophotography.  I've been an avid astronomer for the past 20 years.  Another hobby that has turned into sort of a sideline business has been working with CAD (Computer Aided Design) and specifically 3D CAD where objects can be drawn into the computer as if they were dimensional solid objects.  Textures, colors and lighting can be applied to these drawn objects so that when "rendered" the drawn objects take on the characteristics of a photograph.

 

I also own a 2005 Pontiac GTO which I bought new a couple years back.  For you folks who don't keep up with cars, the GTO is made in Australia (it actually is a Holden Monaro) and is fitted with GMs new LS2 Corvette motor.  This baby puts out 400 horsepower and 400 ft. lbs. of torque which makes it a pretty darn fast car.  Now before you start laughing too hard, let me put this in.  I am 61 years old now, I wanted a GTO back in my teen years and now that I can afford one, I got one.  Folks say, "Why do you need a car like that?"  I reply that although I don't drive fast anymore, the thought that all that power is there and on tap is enough reason for me to own a GTO.

 

I have two webpages on the net now that feature some of my accomplishments.  Please visit Jim's Astrophotography Page to view some of the astro photos I've have made and Digital Reality With CAD which displays some of my CAD work.  I've also had my CAD artwork twice published on the user's manual cover and installation CDs of the UK version of TurboCAD Professional V10 and V11 CAD software and also by AgConnections which authored  the farm record keeping software for Syngenta's Crop Protection Program.

 

My original observatory, which was designed by me, was built in the summer of 1996.  I did all the work myself except for the application of the vinyl siding which I hired done.  I've had no problems at all with the observatory letting in weather and damaging any of the equipment inside or any problems with the operation of the roll-off roof.  After unlatching the anti-roll bar, I can push the roof off with just the pressure of a couple of fingers.  I would estimate that it takes maybe 20 pounds of push to move the roof.  The observatory has been through some pretty intense storms since it was built so I can attest to the strength of the roof mechanism I designed.  Instead of having to latch down all four corners when the observatory is closed off as is done in other roll-off roof designs, my design only requires that the roof be rolled to the closed position and an anti-roll latch bar lowered to it's closed roof position.  The track rails physically capture the roof rollers when in this position and will positively hold the roof over the structure as long as the walls themselves are intact.  We had a hurricane come through here about six years ago and experienced winds in the 60 mph range.  Trees were down, limbs broken off and a few structures received damage but not the observatory.

 

Anyway, maybe by reading the above you can get a feel for who I am.  Thanks for taking the time to read. -Jim