. Due to this event the normally tranquil town of Wakefield didn't erupt into a Dante's Inferno of chaos and mayhem. Three years later my parents were forgiven and were presented with their second offspring (this time a female whom they promptly named Wendy and was considered normal). I lived in my home town until I was 6 years old when my father was offered a position in Australia with the mining company "Coal and Allied". And so it was that in April of 1972 my family boarded a British Airlines (then known as BOAC) 747 at Heathrow, London.
After the initial rejoicing for finally being recognised as a normal family (ie: incomplete), it was time me to finish schooling and get out of Kurri Kurri as fast as my feet could take me.
Refusing to realise that I wasn't making out so well in the real world, I decided that I would live an alternative lifestyle for as long as my body wouldn't reject me. I lived with good friends who found themselves in the same colorful situation and lived a life that many only dream about. OK, I was a bum. Being a bum was cool. Then I got better. I got motivated.
Getting motivated involved employment. I wasn't in any condition to gain a paying position as yet. It was at this time that I decided to try some volunteer work. I worked in a Multi-purpose Long Day Care Centre for 12 months as a child care assistant. Up until that time I had only worked as a casual cleaner in Newcastle When it looked as though I was never going to gain full-time employment from the Day Care Centre I decided that I would hurl myself into the signwriting profession. To this end, I started my own business on the meagre funds that I had at the time. I started ActivSigns in Cessnock. This didn't go very well for me (largely due to lack of business acumen). I got the idea from a friend to get into the security industry. Finding employment in this industry in 1985 was very easy, and so I was able to supplement my signwriting income (or lack there-of) at night-time with a security patrol. I discovered that I liked the security better than I liked signwriting. And so I stopped signwriting completely and commenced a career in the security industry that lasted 10 years. Just prior to this however I also worked for another company as a graphic design artist and signwriter. It was the only job that I truly enjoyed as I was the only one in the company that could perform the tasks I did. Being a unique assett has its advantages, I discovered.
In the security industry, I first worked for Century Security (Cessnock) as a patrolman. After 18 months I was offered a position with Wormald Security in Newcastle, where I worked as a guard at a power station in the upper Hunter Valley. After leaving that position, I commenced working for Gold Security in Newcastle as a patrolman. Gold Security was definately the most stimulating time for me; I still do the odd occasional "job" for Adrian Ward and we have become good friends. I also worked for other security companies performing various roles up until 1994.
I first became interested in computers in 1984. My girlfriends father owned a Commodore 64 and it was on this platform that I first became interested in programming after learning BASIC. I later bought my first computer which was an It was during 1991 that I met my future wife, Kylie-Anne Bush. Kylie was a fashion model at that time and was living in Maitland. In 1992 we moved to Newcastle together while I worked for several small security companies. We were married on the 21st of April 1995.
Today I am a full-time student completing an Information Technology Diploma and working odd jobs whenever I can. My wife and I are expecting our first child in early September! Watch out for the postings! I am very much looking forward to becoming a father. My main ambition in life right now is to gain full-time employment and get about as financially secure as a family can get in the 90's.
I don't ever want to have to return to the security industry (here comes the "hard sell" bit folks). This is why I am completing this course of study. I hope to work in the IT field. I know that there will be more of a future for me and my family there. I believe that my communications skills, computer knowlege and business environment awareness will help me a good deal. I have excelled in the field of support and LAN technology within my course of studies. I'm not long for Newcastle and I envisage seeing myself and my new family moving away from the Hunter Valley in the not too distant future. My wife and I have talked about moving to Melbourne, Canberra and even the possibility of Japan or another overseas country. My wife would like to move to England. I am told that in England I could earn over $140,000 per year with my current qualifications and experience.
I think I could like moving back to England as well ;).
Click here to download my resume in MS-Word format.
My simple philosophy on religionism:
During my imprisonment in Kurri Kurri I discovered a talent for the creative arts. I excelled in Art at the local High School (which I resented because I didn't think that anyone there had a clue what art was) and decided that I wanted to become a signwriter when I left. My father escaped Kurri Kurri in 1978 (unfortunately he kinda' forgot to pack the rest of the family when he left... but that was OK because he found another one when he settled in Maitland). This left myself, my mother and sister Wendy to fend off the boredom of Kurri Kurri ourselves.
Leaving school at the age of sixteen is NOT recommended for anyone. And so, armed with all the knowlege of a smart-arse "know-it-all" teenager, I was hurled out of home to fend for myself... and fell flat on my face. I half-heartedly completed a signwriting pre-apprenticeship course but with no hope of an apprenticeship I was left wondering what I was going to become.
(the major coastal city situated in the Hunter Valley). This was fine for a time. I completed a Vacation Care Supervisor's course during this time and also worked in the Kurri Kurri Vacation Care Centre for two holiday periods in the early 1980's. Working with kids was a great time for me. It effectively cured me of any parental instincts for 10 years. I also worked as a handyman for the Local Community Centre one day a week.
500. The Amiga cost me $1200 in 1986 and lasted me until 1993. In 1993 I bought my first IBM compatible: A 486DX/33. I became interested in data coms and modeming in general and so started a BBS in March 1994 called Hollow Pursuits. 
This BBS ran for just over 2 years. During that time I was on a very steep learning curve and managed to learn as much about Personal Computers as possible. For a time I was secretary of the Hunter Valley OS/2 User Group and was active in many other areas of computing and often organised social events and outings for computer users in the Hunter Valley. My computer base grew from a single 486DX/33 to include a 386 laptop, a 486DX4/100, a 486DX2/50 and a 486DX2/66. This grew into a LAN (using as many and various operating systems as possible), which then grew out of control. My wife has since put a stop to these sorts of activities and I try to behave myself these days. We now only have two computers (the LAN survives -- barely) running Windows95 ...with the occasional boot into Linux. ;)
I've always had a passion for taking the mickey out of the establishment. Religion is the perfect target for me. Without religion- we would have lived peaceful and happy lives since the dawn of man. It has become an integral part of our society and an indispensible crutch for the weak. I like to see people defending their faith. I think there's nothing more encouraging than seeing someone defend something that he can't see, touch or even understand enough to be able to explain. It tickles something in those of us who don't need this crutch to assist us prior to the box going into the hole.
Dick Strickleton --August 4th, 1996.
