I have a long history of starting something and not finishing.
In high school, years, I built a telescope for which I ground and finished an 8″ mirror. I briefly considered astronomy as a career, but electronics, especially television cameras, succeeded in holding my interest.
When I graduated from RPI and went to work for RCA, my boss Chuck Shelton invited me to join him and Aaron Boyd in owning a Stinson Voyager airplane. I took lessons and almost finished my license – I needed only to pass a flight test with a CAA inspector. I did one last long flight to Maryland. Could not find anyone to refuel me for a while. Finally headed back to Echelon Air Field. The sun was setting. I radioed my instructor and ask if I could continue or should land at Vineland. He said I could com on in – he would circle abouve the field with headlights on so I could find the field. I found the field and then him. Made a fine landing. Found the office full of people looking like they were waiting for rhth last bomber from Germany, The CAA man was there, too. I did not want to face him for a flight teest (foolish, I hold have) so I put it off. Then won the fellowship for grad school and quit my share of the plane. Never finished the license.
I took up pottery making after retiring. I wanted to make pottery the southwest Indian way, had coiled with no wheel. I bought a kiln and clay and made several pots. I had a hard time decorating them with good symmetry but had fun for a while. Then I moved on to other things and gave the kiln to our friend Ruth Rooks.
I collected southwest Indian pots for a while. I have about 50 stored away. I tried to give them to the Peabody Essex Museum, but the curator said they want big pots that exhibit well, not my small ones. I have Maria Martinez, Lucy Lewis, and Nampeyo pots, and about 40 or more by Alice Dashee, a Hopi potter that I visited and who made a pot just for me.
In Massachusetts, my business partner Jim Newkirk, an accomplished sailor, suggested we buy a 43′ sailboat. We did, and Sharon and I enjoyed sailing out of Marion MA for several years, and I did several Bermuda races (more on this elsewhere). Then Jim and I arted company and I sold out of the boat.