......lipstick on a pig..........is the first layman's attempt to explain the art of a mechanics strange journey to becoming a professional.How one begins, and in an odd sense, where. From childhood to school, bicycles, lawnmowers, motorcycles, cars, machine shops, and aviation. Aviation being the strangest one. Why does anyone in their right mind, volunteer for a career at working with grease and oil. Hot machines, and everything seems to be broken. In need of repair, and not the fundamental maintenance. Yeah, but if it ain't broke, why fix it? or better said: if it ain't broke, don't fix it Why do we strange people want to take things apart? T find out how it "works". Isn't that what school is for? Yes, but it isn't any fun. Boring in fact, books, videos, no.... Yes, we soon learn that the specs are necessary, and actually following the instructions is exactly how to put these confounded machines back together again, it actually runs , and to get paid for this shit And you learn about trust. Never borrow a tool more than three times, go buy one next time, ya bum......You learn about trust, and never to trust anyone, with your tools, your tools are your bread and butter People steal, tools Hot Rods are an addiction, it's normal relax. That, may explain why we do this crap, more is better? Right? Faster, quicker, and fun as Hell And Racing, and the History, Hot Rods, bootlegging, and then oh no, NASCAR. I avoided trying to make a living racing cars, working on race cars for a living. No, besides it's a Fraternity A good ol Boy Club. I never even tried to join it. Not my style. Aviation is addictive, and it got me A machine, that flies through the air. My fathers experience in the Army Air Corp, his adventures and the many type of aircraft he learned to fly, including a P-51 Mustang. One, and they were all new in those days, he crashed, totaled the damn thing, and the very next day was in another new P-51. To try again He, introduced me to flying when I was