Well this has been one of the most interesting threads on the list I can
remember in the 3-4 years I have been subscribed. I have really enjoyed reading
everyone else's bio so here's my paltry contribution. I'd like to encourage
everyone else out there to send in their bio as well - I typically avoid
anything involving self description like the plague (writing a resume really
sucks) so probably wouldn't be doing this if this list weren't the great
resource and group of people that it is.
I'm Mark Sinclair, age 28, currently living in San Francisco. Going right back
to the beginning- my parents met in London where I was born and lived for a
couple of years before my mother moved home to New Zealand following my fathers
untimely death. I basically grew up a New Zealander (bluddy Kiwi) but since my
father was American I have strong ties to three different corners of the world.
I have a brother and sister currently living in London (on the big OE - see
below), another sister recently married living in Wellington plus the whole
American side of the family which I'm still trying to get sorted out.
NZ was full of English cars when I grew up - lots of Hillmans, Austins, Minis,
etc. - a few Spitfires but not as many TRs as you'd think. My first car was a
Herald 13/60 while at Uni - drove it up and down between Christchurch and
Dunedin for a couple of years while the girlfriend was at med. school in
Dunedin. There are many great driving roads in NZ but sadly that is not one of
them - flat and dull most of the way but I still enjoyed every mile (or so it
now seems!). Took the Herald all over NZ - all around the South Island and most
of the North. Struggled up and down snow laden dirt roads in the middle of the
Southern Alps - little club skifields with a couple of rope tows and a cabin -
the Herald made quite a sight with chains on the back wheels parked next to all
the Land Rovers and other 4WDs in the parking lot. It was a great car and I've
been hooked ever since. Other cars along the way included a 62 VW Beetle, a 72
Audi 100 (bad, bad idea) and a beater 7? XC Falcon. Some time in the late 80's
NZ deregulated the used car market so now the country is flooded with used
Japanese imports. I suppose its was a good thing - brought the prices down a lot
etc. but it's not nearly as interesting on the roads as it used to be.
In 93 I graduated with masters in civil engineering from Canterbury University
and promptly left the country - this is considered pretty normal for Kiwis -
it's called the big OE (overseas experience). Most go and work in London for a
few years and travel around Europe etc. before heading back home. Since I had
an American passport and could work here I thought I come to California - didn't
know anyone when the taxi dropped me with two suitcases at the wrong address in
San Francisco. This city is full of people from somewhere else so after six
years I'm starting to almost feel like a local. It's the greatest place and I'm
always excited to be coming back home whenever I'm leave town for some reason.
We also have a nice little Kiwi community going so there is enough of us to kick
up a pretty good party when the All Blacks beat the Ozzies at the rugby (last
game in the Bledisloe coming up on the 28th - better look out!).
By some strange stroke of luck it also seems that about the best place in the
world to buy an old British car is California - rust free and reasonably priced.
I brought my MKI Spitfire shortly after I arrived. It was in OK shape when I
got it and I proceeded to drive it into the ground. All over Northern
California plus daily 25 mile commute each way to work for four years. After a
nasty incident involving a large Thunderbird with a one armed driver I took it
off the road early this year to do a body off resto while between jobs. Got
through the dismantling stage before starting the new job and have made very
slow progress since then. One reason I read the list regularly to try and keep
up the enthusiasm for the long road ahead.
I work for a structural engineering firm mostly doing building design and
retrofit for earthquakes. My main interest is seismic base isolation which is
(very) slowly starting to take off in this country. It's a strange business but
I enjoy it. Other main interests include skiing, snowboarding, windsurfing and
spending way too much time and money in the local bars and restaurants.
That's me. Keep them coming.
Cheers
Mark Sinclair
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