Been quiet too.

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Nephew
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Been quiet too.

#1 Post by Nephew » Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:02 am

I see a few of the other old timers on Ozbow have come back after quiet periods so I thought it's probably the right time to explain why I've been so quiet. A couple of years back I wrote a yarn about how bowhunting has helped me to return to normal life after years of living in the wilderness of addiction (in my case, Heroin) but I realised after it was published that it was only the prologue, I have many more years of life left (all going well) and what was I going to do with them? To be honest, I was feeling a bit down on myself, like I was bludging on my mates through welfare and knew I could contribute more, I just didn't know how.

I knew it would be hard to join the workforce in my mid forties with a non existent resume. So, I had to pull some kind of rabbit outta the hat! For months I went to every employment agency, community centre, and Govt. office I thought might be able to help until someone told me I was eligible for a wage subsidy. I figured this might make it a little less difficult to convince an employer to give me a shot, so went out to try my luck with various companies... and had no success! I was really worried for a while that I would end up collecting shopping trolleys with Sanjeev and the boys at Woollies or something!
Eventually a man who was married to my sister back in the eighties somehow heard about how I'd cleaned up my life and was striving to reach the next level. Now this bloke, quite understandably, had written me off years ago and was surprised and really pleased to hear of my progress so he contacted me. After we talked for a couple of months he offered me a shot with one of his companies, trialled me for a month, and now I'm 9 weeks into a Soil Tester trainee-ship! ( There are some really good people out there! Garry didn't have to bother, I'm nothing to him, but he did and I will be eternally grateful for that!)
We test the structural capabilities of soils and advise on the type and method of foundations needed for whatever project the client has in mind. We also do compaction tests on fill pads and road bases, and a whole lot more I'm yet to learn. He's putting me through cert 3 and 4 so in 18 months I'll be qualified and ready to test on my own. I love it, fellas! I get around all over Sth East QLD for most of the time collecting samples and data, and spend a couple of days a fortnight in the lab learning how to run tests on the soils.
This is why I've been quiet, I've been really head down, bum up for a while trying to find work, and now I'm either working, learning, or sleeping (MAN I get tired! :smile: )
So there it is, the next chapter has begun. From worse-than-useless junkie twenty years ago, to bowhuntin' soil tester today.
Life's been good to me, fellas, and now I have to honour that gesture and do as well as I possibly can with this.
Now...if I could just find the time to get out West and fling some arras! :roll: :wink: :biggrin:

A dip o' the lid to my mates here. Jeff and Rod probably don't realise it, but both have had an influence on me, in providing examples of how decent, solid, reliable men conduct themselves. I came from a pretty messed up, dysfunctional family and had never had examples like that in my life before and it was a revelation, believe me! We may not agree on everything, but I've never doubted either mans integrity.
Nor would Nutgrass know it, but he inspired me to have a red hot go by showing me what a successful man who achieves things looks like. He became my template for what I could be if I tried hard enough. Thanks Nuts, you should know how much your example affected me and helped me change my life, mate.

Honestly, is there any way being involved in bowhunting doesn't enhance lives?
:biggrin:
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Lately, if life were treating me any better, I'd be suspicious of it's motives!

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GrahameA
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Re: I'm back too!

#2 Post by GrahameA » Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:07 am

Hi Craig.

Yay!!! Well done.
Grahame.
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Bent Stick
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Re: I'm back too!

#3 Post by Bent Stick » Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:27 am

Good stuff Craig, that bit of travel might end up bearing fruit for ya too mate, right place right time for another property etc
If your not having fun, your doing it for all the wrong reasons

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Nephew
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Re: I'm back too!

#4 Post by Nephew » Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:40 am

Thanks Fellas! It means a lot to me! :biggrin: Keeping my eyes open, Bent, seen some potential already, just waiting for a prop owner to complain about ferals and I'm all over it, mate!
Lately, if life were treating me any better, I'd be suspicious of it's motives!

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bigbob
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Re: I'm back too!

#5 Post by bigbob » Sun Oct 06, 2013 7:08 am

I am so happy with your outcome Nephew. Can only begin to understand the demons you have faced in later life and defeated them all. Great great stuff and all credit to you. Incidentally my second job out of school was as a cadet soil tester for the Main roads, but ended up doing an apprenticeship as boilermaker.Cheers mate and any time you've got the time the old offer still stands.
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
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Bill
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Re: I'm back too!

#6 Post by Bill » Sun Oct 06, 2013 7:42 am

:smile: Ok, now that make a lot of sense; I was wondering why things were so quiet on your front. Well done and all the best for the future.......Bill

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Gringa Bows
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Re: Been quiet too.

#7 Post by Gringa Bows » Sun Oct 06, 2013 9:53 am

well written story as usual Booof,,you doing great mate,i know you've been trying to get work for a long time,you can only gp up and up now.....Real happy for you......only problem is I wont have your company as much out in the scrub with the bows in hand :cry: .........good luck with the job Craig :wink:

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Mick Smith
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Re: Been quiet too.

#8 Post by Mick Smith » Sun Oct 06, 2013 10:04 am

Good for you Craig! There's always room for improvement, no matter who you are. You surely have the desire and the drive to achieve your goals. I'm really touched by your story.
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.

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Stickbow Hunter
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Re: Been quiet too.

#9 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sun Oct 06, 2013 10:14 am

Craig, be proud of yourself mate!!! Only a REAL man could pull through his past mistakes and make something decent of his life and you my friend have done just that. I'm proud to call you a mate young Young Fella and I hope we get to share a campfire again soon. :biggrin:

Jeff

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bigbob
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Re: Been quiet too.

#10 Post by bigbob » Sun Oct 06, 2013 2:25 pm

Well said Jeff! It's taken a lot of guts for Nephew to make that admission and even more to get to where he is now. Nephew you have my respect and admiration mate.
nil illigitimo in desperandum carborundum
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Nephew
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Re: Been quiet too.

#11 Post by Nephew » Sun Oct 06, 2013 5:49 pm

Thanks so much you blokes! It's amazing how much things have changed for me since I found the trad bowhunting community, 6 or 7 years ago my life was like one long episode of "Housos"!
I sincerely appreciate all your kind words, especially as I'm only cleaning up the mess I made! :oops:

Jeff and Rod, we will share a campfire again within months, there's a whole lot of long weekends coming up early next year! :biggrin: Hopefully, by then I will be able to buy a more suitable vehicle for trips out bush.
Lately, if life were treating me any better, I'd be suspicious of it's motives!

jcm
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Re: Been quiet too.

#12 Post by jcm » Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:07 pm

Well done. Good On you Craig
Thanks for sharing.
Regards
John

little arrows
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Re: Been quiet too.

#13 Post by little arrows » Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:51 pm

Hi Craig,

Thank you for sharing your story, it must have certainly taken some soul searching.
You should be very proud of your achievements. Well done mate. :smile:

cheers
sue

daniel boon
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Re: Been quiet too.

#14 Post by daniel boon » Sun Oct 06, 2013 6:56 pm

Good to see that things are working out for you. WELL DONE
Cheers Dan

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Roadie
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Re: Been quiet too.

#15 Post by Roadie » Sun Oct 06, 2013 7:04 pm

Ay Craig, Have you managed to get Rid of the Smoking Monkey Yet. Keep up the great work. Cheers Roadie.

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Goatchaser
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Re: Been quiet too.

#16 Post by Goatchaser » Sun Oct 06, 2013 7:36 pm

Thankyou for sharing, and well done mate, great to see your on track now and best of luck for the future also. :wink:

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Gringa Bows
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Re: Been quiet too.

#17 Post by Gringa Bows » Sun Oct 06, 2013 8:34 pm

Looking forward to the campfire Booof :biggrin:

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Nephew
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Re: Been quiet too.

#18 Post by Nephew » Tue Oct 08, 2013 8:05 am

Me too Boof! :biggrin:

Thanks everyone, I hope someone reads this and decides it's never too late to take a shot.

Hey Grant, only three vices left mate, Nicotine, Caffeine...and FLINGIN' ARRAS! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Lately, if life were treating me any better, I'd be suspicious of it's motives!

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Nutgrass
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Re: Been quiet too.

#19 Post by Nutgrass » Tue Oct 08, 2013 8:41 pm

Mate I am so proud of you.
You should stand tall & with your chest puffed out, you deserve too. Where you have been & where you have come is a sensational story. But the true character you have shown is all you, you have done this, nobody else.
I dip my hat to you my friend. I am proud to call you a mate, the honor is truly mine.


Just on the quiet, I love this guy to bits ! You to Rodney 8)
RABBITS (karen) wrote:NUTGRASS >>----> Nobody knows where he came from, & nobody knows how to get rid of him.
Shooters get to 50m to shoot, but only a hunter gets inside 20m to hunt.

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Gringa Bows
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Re: Been quiet too.

#20 Post by Gringa Bows » Wed Oct 09, 2013 7:51 am

ohhhh feelin the love mate :biggrin:

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Benny Nganabbarru
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Re: Been quiet too.

#21 Post by Benny Nganabbarru » Wed Oct 09, 2013 5:26 pm

That's the way, mate. Good on you! Cheers, Ben
It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder,
It's the forests where silence has lease;
It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It's the stillness that fills me with peace.

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rodlonq
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Re: Been quiet too.

#22 Post by rodlonq » Wed Oct 09, 2013 6:04 pm

LB rod 55 wrote:ohhhh feelin the love mate :biggrin:
You are soooo funny Rod :lol: :lol: :lol: always good for a laugh...

Good stuff Craig, really glad to hear about the traineeship and you getting ahead. Well done mate!

Cheers...... Rod
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hazard
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Re: Been quiet too.

#23 Post by hazard » Thu Oct 10, 2013 4:27 pm

Onya Craig :mrgreen:

Only the strongest man has the balls to face his own demons, you have done more than that.

You have honoured your friends and family yet remained humble. That takes courage!!

We will chat shortly mate.
Politics is a game played by dishonest people to gain an unfair advantage!

Never under estimate the strength of a cornered coward.

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

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Chase N. Nocks
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Re: Been quiet too.

#24 Post by Chase N. Nocks » Tue Oct 22, 2013 3:14 pm

Well when I first took a look at the photo without reading the text I thought it was a picture of Chopper Read with his vertical corpse disposal business.

Then I realized I wasn't far off the money.

Seriously though Craig, good on ya mate. A remarkable and courageous journey.

BTW, I'm bloody tired all the time as well. :biggrin:

Now can you work another miracle and get Abbott out of office?

Troy
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....enforced by the "whistling grey-goose wing."
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Nephew
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Re: Been quiet too.

#25 Post by Nephew » Tue Oct 22, 2013 4:11 pm

Chase N. Nocks wrote: Now can you work another miracle and get Abbott out of office?

Troy
Mate, I'm a soil tester, not a bloody wizard! :wink: :smile:
Thanks Troy, sure feels good to come in from the wilderness I thought I'd never escape from, believe me! :biggrin:
Lately, if life were treating me any better, I'd be suspicious of it's motives!

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