Work for myself so I don’t have to work for some myopic middle manager more interested in climbing than doing the right thing? Yeah, that’d be nice. Work on something as hard as I can knowing that no one else can walk in on a whim and derail it? That’d be nice too. Challenge my technical skills and develop my diverse talents to new levels of excellence? That’d be awesome. Have the means to fearlessly explore technology and the world around us? Brilliant!
$1.3 million doesn’t sound like a lot of money but it would mean a thousand bucks a week until I’m 75 years old. Somebody better at math and competent with investments could probably figure out a more accurate, lower amount that would do the same thing. It’s comfortably middle-class, but I don’t really dream of being rich, I dream of being free from work to pursue my passions. If I could pull that off what would I do with my time? It’s kind of like retirement, but I want to do it now while I’m still able to do something useful with it. I don’t think I ever want to retire.
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| Mechanical Sympathy would expand and become an income stream of its own. It would be the centre of an online media empire! |
Here’s what I’d aim at if I weren’t busy pulling the plough:
MEDIA MAKER
Writer: I’d exercise the English degree and write, but not in a specific genre. I’d pursue motorcycle and travel writing more aggressively. I’d be happiest freelancing and working once or twice a month on assignment with the occasional larger travel project which would lead to a book. Lois Pryce is a role model. While that wasn’t happening I’d be writing fictional novels. It would be nice to work for established publications, but developing my own brand online would allow for more control over what I’m creating. I’ve been working in large bureaucracies for too long.
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| If it’s new and technically challenging I’m into it. Having access to that kind of kit is exciting. I like to be surprised by what new tech can do. |
Photographer: The goal would be to have the work pay for the gear, and the gear I’m looking for is pretty technical. I’d like to have professional quality photo and video gear on hand, as well as technically challenging tools like aerial drones, full spectrum and 360° virtual reality cameras to test limits and produce original, even experimental work. If it’s new and technically challenging I’m into it, especially if it probably won’t work the first time.
Digital Media: Exploring digital media has long been an interest (I teach it now). Having access to the latest tech, not to consume but to experiment and explore, would be fantastic. Projects would include VR environment building in CAD and simulation, as well as immersive media creation. I’m working on a VR research project in school at the moment. I feel like major breakthroughs are currently happening there. What we have in ten years will make our screen use today look archaic.
TECHNOLOGIST
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| I got into 3d scanning last year. The resolution isn’t spectacular, but it’s amazing what you can do with a simple 3d scanner on an ipad. |
Mechanic: I’ve dusted off old mechanical skills with motorcycling, along with some long unused artistic urges. Customizing motorbikes is an elegant way to combine left brained aesthetic creativity with right brained mechanical expertise; it’s a whole brain hobby! Having enough time, space and money on hand to chase down old bikes and see customizations through to completion would be grist for the writing and photography mill.
Digital Engineering: I’m especially interested in micro-manufacturing using digital tools. Multi-axis milling machines using CAD models offer new avenues into high-tech customization. 3d printers are making advances every day. Being able to print my own fairing designs would be brilliant. Being able to print my own designs with dragon scales would be even better.
An opportunity to borrow new technology and see what it is capable of would also be grist for writing and media creation. If in the process I happened to get very good at producing customized parts, I’d lease the gear and get to it. As prices fall on what was once expensive industrial grade equipment and digital management makes high tolerance production available to everyone, a new post-industrial age of customization will emerge.
Kawasaki’s H2 supercharger impeller is a thing of beauty. The technology that built it is becoming more accessible every day.
With table top laser cutters and various other digital tools becoming commonplace, the chance to explore these technologies without safety nannies hand wringing from above would be delightful. The home garage of the future is going to be a magical place of customized, personal manufacturing. It would be a blast to have the time and means to explore it.