I've just read the other intro's, and its left me feeling like I'm a hollow man.

Just turned 50 and struggling with life, ( three late teenage daughters does that to you, you know), I chanced upon this forum because of a work related issue, and its like there's a whole new meaning to existence.

I was the typical rural Aussie, worked hard physically day in day out, but not much to show for all the effort. Can operate most things, and if not was willing to have a go ( hell I've even gone parachuting for a dare). Operator tickets in Dozers, Graders, Excavators, Loaders, skidsteers, backhoes, semi trailers, unrestricted single engine VFR Private pilots licence with tail wheel endorsement. Still not enough to get me a better paying job in the mines, so then I started to get interested in Excel.

Firefytr got me out of a sticky employment situation by showing me a few things in Excel and it was like someone opening a door to whole new world.

I started to ask some questions and those on the forum quietly showed me that it was more than possible. As of last thursday I was called into a meeting with the Company's Group IT Manager, two local IT managers, The Feedlot Manager, and my Supervisor, and was asked to explain every thing about the Grain Testing & Residue Sampling workbook. ( And I mean everything). Apparently senior management of the Company took notice of some pertinent comments made by the Auditors of the National Feedlot Competition regarding the QA potential of what I had "developed". The truth here is I may have dreamt of it, but you guys made it happen.

Anyway the end result of the meeting was that, they're impressed and... they're going to copy it, as a progress written database, and send it out to all the feedlots in the company. In fact not just the 7 feedlots but it will also be modified slightly to include all the meat residue testing programs from the 4 abattoirs as well. Its going Australia wide. The irony of it all is... I got a quiet pat on the backafter the meeting was over, and was told to get back to work.

They're stealing my "baby" from me. I feel gutted.

Anyhow that's enough crying.... I'm also a golf, cricket and fishing nut who loves gardening, and have a weird sence of humour. So if any of you are down this way, feel free to call in, and I'll show you some dinky di Aussie hospitallity.

Ted