I pondered this name change for a very long time. I am from Alexandria, VA just south of the Mason Dixon line. Southernmaninla was a name picked out 23 years ago for an email address when I arrived in Mobile, AL. The name seemed fitting.

15 years ago we left Mobile, for an adventure in the Midwest. Our adventure here started on a dilapidated farm outside of Pawnee City, NE, the home of Larry the Cable Guy. The inherited farm situation rapidly deteriorated, too many fingers in the pie. We left the farm. My wife's family lives mostly in KS. One evening as we discussed where the heck we were going I handed my wife a paper map with a circle drawn upon it. When she inquired as to the "circle", I informed her that it was a 60min circle. The center of the circle was her father's house. My FIL was about to retire, I like him but didn't want him on my porch every evening.

My loving wife fell in love with a neat little money pit, built in 1897, in Lyndon, KS. The move almost destroyed us. We were hemorrhaging money and I had no job, as much as I tried, I was sending out roughly 100 apps a week. In April of 2012 I took everything I owned, firearm/hunting related, to a gun show. The show put some money in our pocket, and I enjoyed it. I have worked hard all my life started as a cabinet maker, continued this as self employed into full scale remodeling. I was everything the guy doing the bids, doing the jobs, accountant etc. I spent 120+ hours a week carving out a living. I was never good at figuring out what my time was worth. I was real good at landing work I underbid.

I have never been a "good employee", I'm too head strong, opinionated and independent, coupled with intense ADHD. I've managed to last no longer than 9 months in any job outside the military. The few "jobs" where I worked for someone came close to costing my marriage.

I enjoyed the gun shows. So for the next 2+ years I did a show every weekend selling optics and parts and pieces. I went to shows in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky and Iowa. When I was home I had a gun store in the house. Our 2nd year in business we had a situation that pushed us from a home based to a "brick and mortar store".

Christmas eve 2013 we were in bed every light off, suddenly at 11pm. there was a loud knocking upon our side door. I do not know what pissed my wife off more....the fact someone pounded upon our door, "looking to buy a gun for my son for Christmas" or the fact I got up and sold that man a gun. I was hooked. Christmas morning was very cold, at least as far as my wife's looks. We bought our 1st location, an old Casey's gas station 6 months later.

The Casey's was 2000 sqft. The day we moved the business I looked at my wife and stupidly said "it's to small" she burst into tears. 5 years later we bought a Jehovah's Witness church, 3000sgft and just outside of Lyndon. I turned to my wife started to open my mouth and a woman that doesn't cuss told me to "shut my MF mouth." 3.5 years later we have made our final move.

Our new location is an old Mennonite furniture store 8 miles north of Lyndon. We are back to living in the store. This is my final move as I am too old to remodel another building.

I have watched Sigforum from afar everyday without fail. I rarely post but I have watched as the members here have grown their businesses, had problems with there departments, had joys and disappointment with their families. Divorces, loss of loved ones, loss of members, bird stories, Mall NINJA's, nurse's that seem lost. I don't look much in the threads that are the "bread and butter" here. I spend all day everyday talking guns, reloading, Cerakote, gunsmithing. I come here to enjoy the lounge/ what's your deal. I do check out the other areas on occasion. I have found the members here to be a cut above. No BS mods run a tight ship. PARA if you read this, NM I know you will you read them all. Just know that I have greatly appreciated this forum it has been a port in the storm. I've greatly appreciated the insight of members here, I will try to contribute more.

Welcome to SIGforum. Again.

And good luck with your business !

I've watched you grow up, I'm not sure what is going on but I was responding to you 12131

Thank you

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Welcome to SIGforum. Again.

Merry Christmass HLLC

Best wishes with your business and your family, Harrison!


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Funny, I remember your old username. I could never figure out how to pronounce southernmaninla. I guess it's too late now, but there's a term called Camel Case. It's used in programming, usually to name variables. It helps readers when there are multiple words concatenated. After reading your explanation above, the light finally went on SouthernManInLa.

Welcome back.

Crazy thing is, Southern Manila stuck in my mind.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Crazy thing is, Southern Manila stuck in my mind.

That's what I thought it was too...

Thanks guys and yes it was "Southern Man in LA" as in Lower Alabama. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!

quote:

Originally posted by HarrisonLLC:
Thanks guys and yes it was "Southern Man in LA" as in Lower Alabama. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!

I should've known better too, we were stationed in Tyndall AFB many moons ago (Panama City, FL) and it was common knowledge in that area L.A. meant Lower Alabama.

Had always took the username to mean you were in Lousiana.

Merry Christmas,
Spunk

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Crazy thing is, Southern Manila stuck in my mind.

It was SouthernMania for me.