"Jagvar" (Jagvar)
12/11/2013 at 18:45 • Filed to: Introductions
10
29|
"Jagvar" (Jagvar)
12/11/2013 at 18:45 • Filed to: Introductions | 10
| 29 |
I've been an Opponaut since early 2008 and I'm pretty active, so I feel like you all know me by now. But I suppose five years isn't too late for a formal introduction.
I'm Patrick, I live in Virginia just outside of DC, and I'm a certified gearhead. I've been obsessed with cars ever since I was a 3-year-old playing with Matchbox cars in the backyard. Now, I'm extremely lucky to work at the corporate office of a major auto manufacturer. I'm a jack-of-many-trades, working in writing, editing, marketing, and training development. It's a dream come true, and I consider myself lucky to work for a company I truly love.
So, tell us about the car.
I've had my '99 Mitsubishi Galant since 2000, when I bought it after my 16th birthday. Nearly 100,000 miles later, it's still a champ, though the Minden Silver metallic paint has seen better days.
No, the other car.
The Phaeton? When I first heard about it in 2002, I was skeptical. A $67,000 Volkswagen? But when it hit the U.S. market in 2004, I checked it out. I read the reviews. I test-drove one. And I decided very quickly that the car was an underappreciated gem, and I had to have one. I scraped and saved and kept my eye out for just the right car. In July 2009, I found it listed online: a 2004 V8, Klavierlack Black over Sonnenbeige, 54K miles, fully loaded. I put a deposit down, jumped on a plane to Nashville, TN, cut a check, and drove the car 600+ miles home through the mountains. It's been my baby ever since!
Where are your shoes, Frodo?
You'd think after all these years, I'd have a standard response for this. Honestly, I've just never liked them, ever . Even those dopey shoes with the toes. I need to actually feel the ground I'm walking on to be comfortable, so I just go barefoot. There a lot of benefits to it, and it's even improved my running form. Don't knock it till you try it.
Why are you called Jagvar?
This goes way back. I went with my dad on a test-drive of the new Jaguar S-Type in 2000. The salesperson was a somewhat terrifying woman named Venka who spoke with a thick Russian accent. She was very pushy and not very helpful, and ended up convincing my father to buy a Lexus. But my friends howled at my retelling of the experience, especially when I attempted to impersonate her voice. "Is good Jagvar, yes? You buy it, yes? When you come back to buy?"
Anything else interesting?
Not really. I'm big into hiking, kayaking, and the outdoors. In my spare time, I'm a writer, and I've been s-l-o-w-l-y working on a novel for years. I also go to Cars and Coffee in Great Falls pretty frequently, so if you're ever there, we just might run into each other!
area man
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 18:49 |
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I WANT YOUR JOB
desertdog5051
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 19:04 |
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I'd like to go for a barefoot hike, like you have posted before. Ya think one of these days I could borrow your callouses? Send 'em right back.
oldirtybootz
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 19:06 |
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I've never been a big VW fan but I've always loved the Phaeton.
And I've always dreamed of working at onw of the big three. Right now I'm cleaning Dodges and Rams, though I've been told a sales job may be in my future. I'd like to go back to school and eventually work for an automaker like you do though.
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Jagvar
> desertdog5051
12/11/2013 at 19:14 |
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Dude, try it! Barefoot hiking is where it's at. Like most things, it just takes a bit of conditioning. If you're new to barefooting, start by taking barefoot walks around the neighborhood. Callus builds faster than you think; your soles can start to toughen in as little as two weeks. When you're ready, start with shorter hikes on easy trails, and take on more challenges with time. After a few weeks, you'll be climbing mountains with ease!
Jayhawk Jake
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 19:19 |
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Do you wear shoes to work?
Blondude
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 19:21 |
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What do you do when it's stupid cold out and you need to go somewhere? Just deal with the frostbite?
/KindaJoking,KindaSerious
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Jagvar
> Jayhawk Jake
12/11/2013 at 19:23 |
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Generally, yes. It's a corporate environment, and while Steve Jobs could always get away with rolling barefoot into work, I'd rather not push my luck.
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Jayhawk Jake
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 19:28 |
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Do you at least remove them at your desk?
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Jagvar
> Blondude
12/11/2013 at 19:32 |
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Most warmth escapes through the top of your body (heat rising, and all that), so it's possible to last awhile barefoot in the cold if you're warmly dressed otherwise (thick hat and coat are a must! ). That being said, I don't go very far without shoes once the weather drops below freezing. That's when frostbite can get ya if you're out for too long.
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Jagvar
> Jayhawk Jake
12/11/2013 at 19:44 |
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Oh, for sure. I'm not going to suffer eight hours in those things.
Tom McParland
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 19:51 |
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So many questions answered. That Jag story is hilarious. :D
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Jagvar
> Tom McParland
12/11/2013 at 19:52 |
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Thanks! I tried to address the "FAQs."
Kookanoodles
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 20:33 |
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Is that a Bugatti shirt ?
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Jagvar
> Kookanoodles
12/11/2013 at 20:57 |
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Yes, it is! I love that shirt.
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Kookanoodles
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 21:00 |
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Wait... You own a Phaeton, you work for a "major auto manufacturer" and you have a Bugatti shirt ? Do you work for Bugatti ???
Can I be your sidekick ?
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Jagvar
> Kookanoodles
12/11/2013 at 21:03 |
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I don't work for Bugatti, but I do get to play in them from time to time.
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Kookanoodles
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 21:07 |
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You lucky bastard. I suppose you work for VAG or one of its subsidiaries, then ? What's your opinion of the Bugatti ?
RotaryLover
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 21:32 |
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Hi Patrick, I'm Patrick. Nice to meet you Patrick.
Hooker
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 21:34 |
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I'd read that novel when you finish it.
I like your writing style.
Thanks for the introduction and the Jagvar story.
Agrajag
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 21:44 |
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I imagine the conditioning side effects only make shoes even more uncomfortable.
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Jagvar
> Kookanoodles
12/11/2013 at 21:49 |
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Yes, I work on the VW side. The Bugatti is very impressive, but I'm more of a Bentley Flying Spur kind of guy.
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Jagvar
> RotaryLover
12/11/2013 at 21:50 |
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Thanks, Patrick!
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Jagvar
> Hooker
12/11/2013 at 21:51 |
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You're too kind. Do you like historical fiction? Because if you ever read my novel, get ready for a whole lot of 1912 Philadelphia.
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Jagvar
> Agrajag
12/11/2013 at 21:54 |
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Very true. I put shoes on, and my brain responds by saying, "I can't...feel...anything!"
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Hooker
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 21:56 |
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I love history. And fiction. And oddly, the year 1912. Philly is a great place too. I think I would like it. Do you have a date where you would like to have it finished? I know writing is a process (sometimes a maddening one) and can't be rushed. Just curious.
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RotaryLover
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 21:57 |
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No problem, Patrick! :D
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Jagvar
> Hooker
12/11/2013 at 22:04 |
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I first started writing it seven years ago, if you can believe it. I got halfway into it three times, and three times I threw it away and started over. I'm on draft number four, am about 20,000 words in, and figure I still have about four-fifths of it to write. Since I have a full-time job and several hobbies, it makes it difficult to buckle down and write. Though I suppose I could cut back on my Oppo time. ;)
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Hooker
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 22:09 |
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Why would you ask cut back on Oppo time? Seriously, I can understand that. Life tends to get in the way of our passions sometimes. I can appreciate your commitment to your story. The struggles you go through to create it will make it all the more better.
"The artist suffers, therefore he creates."
I'm certain you will finish and when you do, it will be fantastic.
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Agrajag
> Jagvar
12/11/2013 at 22:10 |
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If embed doesn't work correctly the 5:36 till about 5:45 mark. This character goes everywhere barefoot, and this happens to her when she tries socks.
It's Always Sunny is fantastic.