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Newbie with long explanation
Hi, I'm a newbie here, but not without prior convictions that a skoolie way of life is an answer. First let me intro my queer as a nine pound note gearhead self. (If it's not cool to be queer here, then I'll leave quietly, I'm no crusader for anything) Anyway, I was in about 7th grade, in a Connecticut public school, and given daily half sheets of 8 1/2 by 11 math paper for use in class for calculations about which I had no clew and no likely help from the teacher who was also a coach. I was always the last one picked for any team, and not likely to make any kind of home run or goal and far too many zits to be popular, and so spent all math class and that half size paper designing interiors that could make a school bus a mobile living space. I had the idea of escape to avoid drowning from having my head flushed in the locker room. My imaginary designs surely included wood stoves and bunks and ways to keep things hot and cold. At that time I had read " My Side of the Mountain" and " Mrs. Mike" , both books on people escaping to the hinterlands to avoid the pressure of their normal lives. Jump ahead......
I'm now looking 60 smack in the face, and probably a bit too long in the tooth to be considering this.... But I decided to write a book where the characters are based in a skoolie, and I describe the design etc. as the characters go through their experiences of the story.
I have long worked in the education industry, first as a teacher in U.S. public schools and finding that the most absurd profession, not because of the merit of teaching, but because of the regulations imposed by the government, and especially local school boards. I went on to be a manager for a bus operation in eastern Connecticut for 15 years, and then with the advent of the internet, found love (really) in S.E. Asia where I now teach English, and live with my lover, husband, whatever you wanna call him.
I've owned 2 school busses, and foolishly sold them for almost nothing. The first was a 1964 International / Ward with a 345 gas job and 5 speed tranny, with no syncros. I had the idea of starting a mobile school or something like that as I was on my way to my first real professional teaching job the following Sept. I got a really good storage location deal from a local Taylor Rental Centre $10 a month and could work on it when I wanted. I used to go and start it up and just listen to it and drive it back and forth and imagine what I would do to transform the interior. I was like a 10 year old playing in dad's new car.....
The rental cantre went out of business and gave me a few bucks for the bus...
Then when I was in the industry I bought from my own company a 1986 International conventional for $ 150 (from my own company) but I got seduced my a stick and staple mint condition already perfect finished product... and traded away this most awesome bus completely rebuilt by my terribly competent mechanic. Damned fool that I am.
So writing this book, I am totally incorporating so many ideas from successes to failures, from untried to proven.
My real goal, if I can pull it off is to really get one more before I croak and cross Canada and see those wonders. Sorry for the meandering, I'm saving my writing skills such as they might be for the book
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