Symbolicly, metaphorically, and actually this is me, doing what I always do. Bobbing along in the vastness of the ocean. While I'm doing that I'm also helping someone else learn enough to move onto the next level. While I'm doing that I'm keeping my hat on so my balding head doesn't get sun burned. While I'm doing that I'm keeping my feet up off the bottom so I don't step on sharks. While I'm doing that I'm looking out to sea for the next big wave to unexpectedly come crashing down. While I'm doing that I'm watching those that weren't careful get thrashed by the waves on their way in to shore. You get the idea.

My wife would say that I was doing the typical "man thing" - solving the current problems, not thinking far enough ahead, not worrying about the right things, making the same mistakes over & over, etc. She would probably be right.

From the (Venus and ) Mars perspective I think I (and we) did okay. We raised four kids over thirty years, one graduating from Penn State, and we are not technically bankrupt (assets - debts > 0)! In fact, we still have assets! We're also still alive. Still in reasonably good health. We'll be have the time to generate enough money for our retirement. We'll have time to enjoy our grand children (four at last count).

I've started close to a dozen companies over the last fifteen years and made my living on my own from about 1991. I have no formal training in anything, dropped out of college my second year (to get a job and take care of my wife), and still managed to do okay (sorry Dad & Mom). Most of my life I have written software to do things like make bullets hit their targets, airplanes fly, and marketing messages reach their intended audience (you'd be surprised at the similarities).

I have acquired vast knowledge of PDF (Portable Document Format). I can use PDF to create variable data printing (part of what I do now) as fast or faster than anyone in the world. I sell products all over the world. Have traveled all over the US and parts of Europe.

I have acquired mailing, printing, warehousing, truck driving, HR, and accounting skills. I can take my wife camping and keep her comfortable. I can hunt and fish. I can shoot accurately and keep my guns clean. I can do electrical wiring and plumbing. I can build walls, rooms and porches. I can fix hydraulic lines, run a loader, do body work and plow fields. I can kayak class IV rapids, repel, and run 14 miles a week (when younger I could run a 0:40:00 10K). I can build analog and digital hardware.

Presently, I own several business, maintain (badly) our farm, practice guitar 7 hours a week, and still have time to take my wife out at least three nights a week and have famiily over on Sunday. (I think I've moved up from "not romatic" to somewhere in the "adequate" range - but to move up further I need to learn more about country line dancing and dancing in general...)

The plain and simple truth: I have too much knowledge, not enough time, and way to much wisdom.