Welp my name is James and I'm from Allen Park, Michigan. Where's that? Well if you ever flew into Detroit Metro Airport and took I-94 east into town and drove past a giant tire... that's Allen Park. Been lurking here for some time and decided to jump into the pool.

I got here by way of YouTube hopping when I was nerding up on slingshots, actually. I watched a ton on Fowler's Makery & Mischief, then saw one of his hammock videos, then hopped onto Shug's channel and that got me interested. When I was a kid we camped in a pop-up and later a motorhome. Too much for me nowadays; we tent it now but being a bigger fella I'm sick of these air mattresses and my wife is tired of being launched into the air like a circus acrobat whenever I lay down (bwoooop!). Point is, I dig the minimalism and simplicity of hammocks.

I've been interested in hammocks for some time but I'm between jobs (the job market being what it is) so haven't had much funding for side projects. I was thrilled when a neighbor gifted me a generic netless from Alpha Outpost and I immediately got some daisy-chain tree straps. But as I have zero trees, I'm considering different options like a wooden folding stand or a DIY tensa.

In time I hope to make a bigger tablecloth hammock and get some Amsteel and make my own CLs and Whoopies, play with knots and cordage and all that.

Aside from all that, I'm a husband and dad of two, I'm an automotive technical writer and hardware validation technician (when I'm employed that is), a licensed ham operator, an ordained minister and standup comedian. I also collect and restore oil lamps and pressure lanterns.

Look forward to knowing you all, and many thanks to all of your contributions that I have previously lurked!