Spotlight On.............e.davies1

[MrBrownstone]

A day later than planned I give you...... e.davies1.....

2. Where are you from / where do you live now?
I was born in Des Moines Iowa, but my parents lived it Missouri at the time. Moved to Blaine, MN when I was 2, and have stayed within 20 miles of there my whole life. I currently live in Lino lakes, MN.

3. When did you start collecting Cars?
I started collecting Cars in August 2012

4. Why did you start collecting Cars?
After visiting Cars Land in June/July 2012, I deciding that my kids should have some of the cars to play with. I saw what they were selling for on Ebay and almost had a heart attack. I bought one persons collection, sold off what we didn't want, then found these forums and bought back all of them and then some.

5. How many cars (roughly) do you currently have?
I have at least 556 different cars, haulers, etc..., but probably have over 1,400 cars total.

6. Which diecast car is your favourite (only one allowed)?
I would have to go with Lightning Mcqueen from cars 1.

7. Which car (from the movie) is your favourite, and why?
Mater. He is the favorite of all 3 of my kids, and i like Larry the Cable Guy too.

8. What has been your best ever find?
Finding Rip in the wild twice at the same store within 1 week.

9. What car(s) do you currently own?
a 2007 Toyota Prius, and a 2011 Toyota Sienna SE, Black with smoked rims, tinted windows, and clear lenses, sweeeeeet! (for a Daddy anyways).

10. What is your dream car?
My semi-realistic dream car is a Lotus Elise, any year, otherwise a Tesla Roadster, based on the Elise

11. What do you do for a day job?
Teach technology and engineering classes to grades 7-12.

12. Other than Cars Collecting, do you have any hobbies?
Playing with my kids, hiking, customizing anything, engineering, construction (decks, sheds, house remodeling, etc...), working on cars, home maintenance, trying new bottled root beer (know of anything local I might want to try?), woodworking, and metalworking, to name a few.

13. What is your greatest ever achievement?
Hands down, convincing my wife that I was the right guy, and raising our beautiful children.

14. What is your favourite ever TV show and favourite ever movie?
Simpson's, Cars

15. If you won "Who wants to be a millionaire", what would you do with the money
50% - give to the government, I'm a nice guy ;-)
50% - invest, take 15% of the interest each year and donate it, spend 35%, reinvest 50%

[MrBrownstone]

Great read - thanks e.davies1

Are you sure you'd give 50% to the government...really...???!!! Your's must definately be better than mine!!!

For the benefit of myself and other non-Americans, what age are the "Grades" in the US school system?

[jestrjef]

Nice to learn a little more about you Eli!

[cac1959]

Great to learn more about you, Eli... my wife and I had the privilege to meet Eli, his wife, and their children this spring... we've had a couple of trades since then and I look forward to more.

556 different Cars! In less than a year... Wow.

Many thanks for your contributions to PCD and the Cars community.

[bobbyjack]

You wouldn't have to give the government half. They would would just take what they want anyway. Cool to learn more about you! Grades 7-12 is 13 to 18 year olds, right?

[e.davies1]

Coerrect Bobbyjack! Students in grade 7 turn 13 sometime during the school year, all the way up through 12th grade when students turn 18 (except for our "Super Seniors" who can be up to 20 years old before they move out!)

[cac1959]

I taught at a junior-senior high (grades 7-12) as my first job upon graduating from college... taught 8th grade math and Algebra II... I also got to write and start up a computer curriculum - we started with 4 Apple II+ computers... seems like such a long time ago.

I know we have other members who are teachers - many thanks for helping to shape the lives of today's youth.

[MrBrownstone]

I know we have other members who are teachers - many thanks for helping to shape the lives of today's youth.

At last - people to blame...!!!

"Super Seniors" who can be up to 20 years old before they move out

Is that to further their education or because they need to learn more??? There's not really that concept in the UK, you usually have to go elsewhere to resit years...

[jeff]

Great to hear about you Eli. Best well wishes for you and your family.

[carslover]

nice to learn more about you Eli
another teacher huh, better you than me lol

[e.davies1]

Anyone in school beyond age 18 is generally there because they messed up somewhere along their path, and need to earn a few more credits to graduate. Most of them choose other options, or just don't graduate, but they usually have the choice of continuing on in the school to finish up. There are exceptions of course. Some students need to go for a longer time due to an extended sickness that they were not able to make up over the summer months.

Carslover
Are you kidding! I wouldn't choose any other way. Nights, weekends, extended holidays, and summers all off, with plenty of time to run a business if you choose. I know several teachers making $70,000 plus in their time off, plus their teacher pay and what is usually good insurance (my district has extremely bad insurance).

[carslover]

Anyone in school beyond age 18 is generally there because they messed up somewhere along their path, and need to earn a few more credits to graduate. Most of them choose other options, or just don't graduate, but they usually have the choice of continuing on in the school to finish up. There are exceptions of course. Some students need to go for a longer time due to an extended sickness that they were not able to make up over the summer months.

Carslover
Are you kidding! I wouldn't choose any other way. Nights, weekends, extended holidays, and summers all off, with plenty of time to run a business if you choose. I know several teachers making $70,000 plus in their time off, plus their teacher pay and what is usually good insurance (my district has extremely bad insurance).

it would not be the job I don't want
it is dealing with that many teenagers
no thanks

[e.davies1]

Aaah, I see! It really isn't bad. I suppose it works for me because I am kind of a big teenager myself. Being into collecting and r/c cars and such helps quite a bit to build a rapport with the kids as a lot of them can relate. Oh yeah, and potty humor never dies with them! My sense of humor fits in with them fairly well.
I think that teaching is a job that every person should try once. Not necessarily as a job even, but at least as a classroom volunteer for a week or so. I think it would open up a lot of people's eyes to what really happens in a classroom. It is not how it used to be! I have a few friends and family who talk a lot of trash about schools and teachers (not that anyone here is!), and have invited them all in, none of them have accepted! Anyways, I enjoy the job, I guess it takes a different type!

[carslover]

Aaah, I see! It really isn't bad. I suppose it works for me because I am kind of a big teenager myself. Being into collecting and r/c cars and such helps quite a bit to build a rapport with the kids as a lot of them can relate. Oh yeah, and potty humor never dies with them! My sense of humor fits in with them fairly well.
I think that teaching is a job that every person should try once. Not necessarily as a job even, but at least as a classroom volunteer for a week or so. I think it would open up a lot of people's eyes to what really happens in a classroom. It is not how it used to be! I have a few friends and family who talk a lot of trash about schools and teachers (not that anyone here is!), and have invited them all in, none of them have accepted! Anyways, I enjoy the job, I guess it takes a different type!

I don't have the patients to teach others
i'm sure school kids would drive me crazy