TomcoPDR
05-22-2011, 06:37 PM
Hello people of Beyond. Please accept the fact that this thread will have a contradicting double-edged sword aspect built into it.
On one hand, IMHO, I am proud as a single nobody person, a single person operated no-name business offering these little peaks within a local car community, as a local company to local people (in the car trade).
On the other hand, on a personal level, I'm making this thread/contest/"scholarship" hopefully to be a final saga in my Beyond car blog to record in history.
I always liked automobiles, took all the high school automotive courses, then went from high school straight into pros at 16 doing what I do now (dent repairs). Stopped doing cars for few years personal reasons. When I came back on the job market in late teens, nobody really believed who I was, what I can do in the begining. (mostly in dent repairs)... Some members here even thinks that's all I know, but of course I've paid my dues with employment in both auto-tech, and bodywork. But in the end, the industry spoke, and sticking to what I do now (PDR, dent removal) is what's best as a tech that I can offer to the auto industry.
You know those news articles about PDR hail chaser techs who flew from all over the world into repair hail damaged vehicles from the Calgary July 12, 2010 hail storm? Well, I'm in that same type of network of contractors to be called. (its just that working with business assoicates across Canada keeps me busy enough, along with personal life stuff, and any free time while I'm home I try to take care of Beyond members and local car businesses; but I aim to take on a job outside of Canada for once)
But I think both as a person, as a business, we should never forget our humble beginings, and to appreicate it. Like I said, I won't forget being a nobody coming back into automotive, I posted a few articles about PDR work, and the members on Beyond listened and appreicated the skills involved in this rare speciality trade. You know, it's nice to "give back" to the people/system that supported you, right.
If we take the Beyond community as the island of Neverland, and its members for the Lost Boys... Then I'd be Peter Pan. (that's the catch-22, stuck from reality)
The dark side to this is, while it's great and fun to be the "chill business guy" to do all these corny giveways, act like a Beyond teenager, etc... But you lose yourself from facing the real world, and it's brutal dog-eat-dog reality. To certain levels, (whether one uses the internet to fake-a-role, or it actually is their real-self), it's not hard to transpire that the whole "TomcoPDR" persona is just my escape gateway against the real world. (thinking everyone's nice, perfect world, creating situations where everyone on Beyond can call me a "nice guy, chill guy" etc...) No lie, that is my true self indeed, not an act, I can't escape from it, no doubt about it, I don't deny it.
But as the clique goes, "nice guys finish..."
With life, it evolves and things turn. The real world is mean, cruel and unforgiving, I know, there will come a day where I simple can't hide within Beyond anymore. Simply put, I cannot forever be Peter fucking Pan.
So I made myself a promise, before hitting 30 years old, I need to become more of a douchebag (these are the guys that gets everything in life)
In order to survive in the real world, I need to start doing douchebag things, learn to take up 2 parking spots at a mall on a busy Saturday, Not clean up my food tray at the food court, bringing a skank home just piitb without asking politely (versus nice guys asking nicely usually get rejected)
This thread is my last purge of "random kindness"... hopefully when I can fully transform into a douchebag, or at least more cold hearted, that I can look back to this and laugh at my old idiot self. (like no doubt in the back of my mind, I know in the real world there are people out there no matter how nice you are to them, they won't hestitate throwing you under a bus; I can't kid myself)
So here's the reason for the occasion of this thread... (ok, I'll TRY to make this quick 'n short)... I'm sitting on a vacant condo warehouse property waiting to be leased out, no biggie... And then Gary @ Urban Expressions Wheel & Tire (South) contacted me a few while ago asking if I can hook him up or know of any detail shops to get his big black truck polished. Every detail business I refered him to call was hitting busy season, so they're booking really far in advance.
I never forget that those guys from Urban X from North and South always helping me out, and always helped out the people I send to them (price quotes, installs, etc...)
So I basically donated the use of my warehouse which I've already set it up as a detail shop anyways, and told him I'll find a detailer to call into my warehouse to do the polish for him... But unlike my old self (I would had said don't worry about it Gary, it's free), as my new douchebag self told myself I need to get some bling $$$$$ from him.
So a portion of Gary's money went directly towards the detailer that helped with the polish (actually I helped HIM, lol, I'm just not a good detailer, lol)
Here are the pics, it's hard to tell from photos (as you can still "trick" the after pics, I know)... so either you're just going to have to ask Gary, or see the truck yourself... But no hologram swirls or hazes.
Scratches:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4776.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4774.jpg
In the shop:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4777.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4780.jpg
Work in progress:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4784.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4786.jpg
Finish, outside pic (but just have to ask Gary what he thinks):
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4792.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4791.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4790.jpg
Waiting for Gary to pickup, took a shower b4 he showed up:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4795.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4800.jpg
Ok, so the other part of Gary's payment for polishing his truck, I'm giving that away into my miniature version like a "scholarship" just for local (Calgary) Beyond members enrolled in automotive courses.
Entry qualificiations: An active (not banned) Beyond member, enrolled in an automotive course: From a Calgary, AB High school (Auto tech 10, 20, 30, Autobody 10, 20, 30 or something similar)... or SAIT/Southern Alberta Institute of Techology (AST, bodyshop, automotive marketing, or ask)... (thought hard on this one) Motive-Action counts too.
Does NOT qualify: Employee internal videos from lube shops, tire shops (those 15 mins crash course types) or their internal training classes, AMVIC's 1 day, $300 dollar salesperson 100, Dealership or private auto shop's weekend "Coffee, donuts and car care clinic"
The contest: Post up your most recent grades. (you can censor your last name, address, student ID)... but have to disclose the school, grade, semester date.
Prize: 2 prizes. First to post highest mark = $100.00 cash (Canadian funds). Second posting highest mark = Free credit for 1 vehicle (4 tires) mount, balance and install when you purchase a set of tires from Urban Expressions Wheel & Tire from the South location. (so about a $80-$100 value worth of labour :dunno: )
Deadline for entries: 2 weeks from now. Last entry must be posted before: June 5, 2011 at 11:59pm
Rules:
- This offer is neither approved nor disapproved by Beyond.ca or Canwest media. May be modified or canceled without notice nor compensation.
- Contestants must be reside in Calgary, Alberta
- Winner to claim prize directly from Gary @ Urban Expressions Wheel & Tire (South store)
- Top prize of $100.00 cash may be paid out in different combination of Canadian funds. (i.e. 1-hundred dollar bill, 2-fifty bill, 50 toonies, etc.. up to Gary's discretion)
- Second prize of free credit for 4 tires mount/balance/install is for 1 single vehicle (i.e. don't bring them different sets of tires from different beaters) when tires purchased from South store, credit can be transfered only (i.e. to friends, family, etc...) NO cash redeem value, void if sold for money. (if sold on Beyond marketplace, I will do everything in my powers to ban you, that's not the deal within the contest)
- The grades posted are translated to percentage. (i.e. if GPA system, then rounded DOWN to nearest percent, I'm a douchebag so even if you have 82.8%, that'd only count as 82%)
On one hand, IMHO, I am proud as a single nobody person, a single person operated no-name business offering these little peaks within a local car community, as a local company to local people (in the car trade).
On the other hand, on a personal level, I'm making this thread/contest/"scholarship" hopefully to be a final saga in my Beyond car blog to record in history.
I always liked automobiles, took all the high school automotive courses, then went from high school straight into pros at 16 doing what I do now (dent repairs). Stopped doing cars for few years personal reasons. When I came back on the job market in late teens, nobody really believed who I was, what I can do in the begining. (mostly in dent repairs)... Some members here even thinks that's all I know, but of course I've paid my dues with employment in both auto-tech, and bodywork. But in the end, the industry spoke, and sticking to what I do now (PDR, dent removal) is what's best as a tech that I can offer to the auto industry.
You know those news articles about PDR hail chaser techs who flew from all over the world into repair hail damaged vehicles from the Calgary July 12, 2010 hail storm? Well, I'm in that same type of network of contractors to be called. (its just that working with business assoicates across Canada keeps me busy enough, along with personal life stuff, and any free time while I'm home I try to take care of Beyond members and local car businesses; but I aim to take on a job outside of Canada for once)
But I think both as a person, as a business, we should never forget our humble beginings, and to appreicate it. Like I said, I won't forget being a nobody coming back into automotive, I posted a few articles about PDR work, and the members on Beyond listened and appreicated the skills involved in this rare speciality trade. You know, it's nice to "give back" to the people/system that supported you, right.
If we take the Beyond community as the island of Neverland, and its members for the Lost Boys... Then I'd be Peter Pan. (that's the catch-22, stuck from reality)
The dark side to this is, while it's great and fun to be the "chill business guy" to do all these corny giveways, act like a Beyond teenager, etc... But you lose yourself from facing the real world, and it's brutal dog-eat-dog reality. To certain levels, (whether one uses the internet to fake-a-role, or it actually is their real-self), it's not hard to transpire that the whole "TomcoPDR" persona is just my escape gateway against the real world. (thinking everyone's nice, perfect world, creating situations where everyone on Beyond can call me a "nice guy, chill guy" etc...) No lie, that is my true self indeed, not an act, I can't escape from it, no doubt about it, I don't deny it.
But as the clique goes, "nice guys finish..."
With life, it evolves and things turn. The real world is mean, cruel and unforgiving, I know, there will come a day where I simple can't hide within Beyond anymore. Simply put, I cannot forever be Peter fucking Pan.
So I made myself a promise, before hitting 30 years old, I need to become more of a douchebag (these are the guys that gets everything in life)
In order to survive in the real world, I need to start doing douchebag things, learn to take up 2 parking spots at a mall on a busy Saturday, Not clean up my food tray at the food court, bringing a skank home just piitb without asking politely (versus nice guys asking nicely usually get rejected)
This thread is my last purge of "random kindness"... hopefully when I can fully transform into a douchebag, or at least more cold hearted, that I can look back to this and laugh at my old idiot self. (like no doubt in the back of my mind, I know in the real world there are people out there no matter how nice you are to them, they won't hestitate throwing you under a bus; I can't kid myself)
So here's the reason for the occasion of this thread... (ok, I'll TRY to make this quick 'n short)... I'm sitting on a vacant condo warehouse property waiting to be leased out, no biggie... And then Gary @ Urban Expressions Wheel & Tire (South) contacted me a few while ago asking if I can hook him up or know of any detail shops to get his big black truck polished. Every detail business I refered him to call was hitting busy season, so they're booking really far in advance.
I never forget that those guys from Urban X from North and South always helping me out, and always helped out the people I send to them (price quotes, installs, etc...)
So I basically donated the use of my warehouse which I've already set it up as a detail shop anyways, and told him I'll find a detailer to call into my warehouse to do the polish for him... But unlike my old self (I would had said don't worry about it Gary, it's free), as my new douchebag self told myself I need to get some bling $$$$$ from him.
So a portion of Gary's money went directly towards the detailer that helped with the polish (actually I helped HIM, lol, I'm just not a good detailer, lol)
Here are the pics, it's hard to tell from photos (as you can still "trick" the after pics, I know)... so either you're just going to have to ask Gary, or see the truck yourself... But no hologram swirls or hazes.
Scratches:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4776.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4774.jpg
In the shop:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4777.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4780.jpg
Work in progress:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4784.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4786.jpg
Finish, outside pic (but just have to ask Gary what he thinks):
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4792.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4791.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4790.jpg
Waiting for Gary to pickup, took a shower b4 he showed up:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4795.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r95/Tomcompany/Past%20repairs/100_4800.jpg
Ok, so the other part of Gary's payment for polishing his truck, I'm giving that away into my miniature version like a "scholarship" just for local (Calgary) Beyond members enrolled in automotive courses.
Entry qualificiations: An active (not banned) Beyond member, enrolled in an automotive course: From a Calgary, AB High school (Auto tech 10, 20, 30, Autobody 10, 20, 30 or something similar)... or SAIT/Southern Alberta Institute of Techology (AST, bodyshop, automotive marketing, or ask)... (thought hard on this one) Motive-Action counts too.
Does NOT qualify: Employee internal videos from lube shops, tire shops (those 15 mins crash course types) or their internal training classes, AMVIC's 1 day, $300 dollar salesperson 100, Dealership or private auto shop's weekend "Coffee, donuts and car care clinic"
The contest: Post up your most recent grades. (you can censor your last name, address, student ID)... but have to disclose the school, grade, semester date.
Prize: 2 prizes. First to post highest mark = $100.00 cash (Canadian funds). Second posting highest mark = Free credit for 1 vehicle (4 tires) mount, balance and install when you purchase a set of tires from Urban Expressions Wheel & Tire from the South location. (so about a $80-$100 value worth of labour :dunno: )
Deadline for entries: 2 weeks from now. Last entry must be posted before: June 5, 2011 at 11:59pm
Rules:
- This offer is neither approved nor disapproved by Beyond.ca or Canwest media. May be modified or canceled without notice nor compensation.
- Contestants must be reside in Calgary, Alberta
- Winner to claim prize directly from Gary @ Urban Expressions Wheel & Tire (South store)
- Top prize of $100.00 cash may be paid out in different combination of Canadian funds. (i.e. 1-hundred dollar bill, 2-fifty bill, 50 toonies, etc.. up to Gary's discretion)
- Second prize of free credit for 4 tires mount/balance/install is for 1 single vehicle (i.e. don't bring them different sets of tires from different beaters) when tires purchased from South store, credit can be transfered only (i.e. to friends, family, etc...) NO cash redeem value, void if sold for money. (if sold on Beyond marketplace, I will do everything in my powers to ban you, that's not the deal within the contest)
- The grades posted are translated to percentage. (i.e. if GPA system, then rounded DOWN to nearest percent, I'm a douchebag so even if you have 82.8%, that'd only count as 82%)