As the title suggests this is an opportunity for you to brag.  Also we can get to know each other a little better hopefully.
    List the accomplishments that you're the most proud of.  Don't be modest. What have you done that's special?

Last year I had a placement on a ward that dealt with mostly elderly patients and was a "holding" ward after people had come from emergency care before they went home or onto a different ward etc. I hadn't had the opprtunity to put in many i.v. cannulas before but on that ward I finaly got the chance to practice and got fairly good at it. I've had a bit of a phobia with needles and that placement cleared it right up. On my very last day there, there was another student that hadn't been studying as long as me and I was tasked with assisting her as she tried to put in a cannula. She did very well, her technique was fine, but she didn't manage to get it in the right place on the first or second attempt. I said (as at this point it starts to be more important that the patient doesn't get pricked 100 times than the student getss to practice) that I could have a go and see if I can get it in.

First time. Boom. No problems.

Felt on top of the world. Good way to end a placement.

I started another placement 2 weeks ago and on the second day there they needed a cannula placed in a patient.

Again, first time. Could not have made a better first impression. I walked into the break room and just at that moment all the other nurses were talking about me saying how great it was that the student can place cannulas so well.

I think I gained about foot in height.

Probably the most interesting thing is I'm a blackbelt in judo and been training for about 10 years (hence my forum name). I've competed maybe 20-30 times with around 2-5 fights per competition. I used to train 4-5x a week, though not getting that much done these days...

Another interesting thing is that I am currently studying a PhD in robotics and already have a masters in robotics and a degree in theoretical physics.

I’m proud of being kind.
I am multilingual, smart, and have a number of worthy talents but I’ve always felt like being kind is a big deal

Tomas wrote on Jan 20^th, 2019 at 1:58pm:

I’m proud of being kind. I am multilingual, smart, and have a number of worthy talents but I’ve always felt like being kind is a big deal

If I could live my life over again the main thing I'd change is that I'd be more kind.

   Here we go. I've been around a while so I've done some stuff.  I'm an army vet. I served from 1975 through 1981 in the 142 MP Co.  in Seoul and in the 101st Airborne.
   I've had quite a bit of martial arts training.  My first instructor was John Korab who was Joe Lewis's first instructor and buddies with Bruce Lee.  Most of my training was in Tae Kwon Do and Street Fighting Techniques but I've also had some training in Kung Fu, Hapkido, Judo, Boxing, and Wrestling.
    I worked full time while going through college and finished my degree while my Lyme Disease was raging... no small feat.
    I quit smoking twenty eight years ago. I quit drinking some time shortly after that.  Not quite two years ago I ended a twenty three year legal addiction to Oxycontin.  I did so all on my own, with no medication or support.  I read that it was impossible to do so and took that as a challenge. 
    I survived cancer twice which is really more dumb luck than an accomplishment but I'm still pretty happy about that.
    I have rescued nine dogs and thirteen cats.
    I guess that's all of the major stuff.

lol - it's weird that normally I'd trot out the slinging stuff: first brit to ever win a balearic slinging trophy, only person to build and run slinging events in 3 countries. First 3d printed sling pouches, etc
Administrator on the worlds only intermational slinging forum.

But you guys already know that :-)

I do have other interests.
I'm a moderator on 3dprintboard.com
I used to do a fair bit of wood turning, mainly because I never had the patience for proper wood working.
3d printing is a great alternative, I can go from thinking of an object to designing and printing and holding it in my hand in a matter hours.

So on that side, I'd say I'm proud of how good I've got at designing things.
I'm not traditionally artistic, can't draw and have concluded that my brain works exclusively in 3d - the bit that translates what you see in your head to what you draw in 2d on paper, is missing - I just don't have it.
I have no formal training, can't use autocad or similiar programs that require you to draw things.
But with the discovery of Openscad. I found a design program that works the same way my brain does.
I can simply tell it what i want and it does it.

I've yet to find something I can't design, and once you start designing your own things from scratch, you start to realise that it's designers that - literally - shape the world we live in.
You also begin to appreciate why cars are so bloody expensive :-)

I'm also an accomplished charcuterer.
Been making my own sausages for close to 20 years I reckon.
Also jerky, biltong, salami etc.

For christmas this year I cured and smoked my own salmon. Cured my own ham and made my own sausage meat that was used in the turkey stuffing and the little sausages for pigs in blankets.
I'm proud of that :-)

I'm an expert in most kinds of information technology, built my very first computer over 30 years ago and shortly after started building them for other people.

I was not a nice kid, but I am proud of the man I've turned into.

I finally finished my PhD in criminal justice. Took me 8 years but I finished. Thank God.

perpetualstudent wrote on Jan 21^st, 2019 at 2:28pm:

I finally finished my PhD in criminal justice. Took me 8 years but I finished. Thank God.

Now I'm understanding the name choice :D I'm so close to finishing I can almost taste it and I CANNOT WAIT to be done.

'criminal justice'

Now there's a phrase with multiple meanings :whistle:

And congratulations :thumb:

I've been impressed with the amount (and variety) of crazy I've encountered in the field. And that's all I'll say about it.

It's funny the main thing I felt when I passed was just relief. Not pride. Not accomplishment. Just a weight off of me.

I'd say I'm most proud of being a teacher. Of finding the words to get someone to understand something. I love watching the lightbulb go off. Doesn't matter if it's how to tie a knot, how to use a firearm, how to build a shelter, start a fire, a mathematical concept, or a new way to think. I love passing the flame.

perpetualstudent wrote on Jan 21^st, 2019 at 2:28pm:

I finally finished my PhD in criminal justice. Took me 8 years but I finished. Thank God.

Congratulations.  That is a huge accomplishment.

Along with making mead, I'm also a brewer.  Admittedly not a great brewer, but a good one in my own humble opinion.

The last beer I brewed was an ESB.  I ran it in a homebrew competition this past November.  Part of the competition was a "people choice" award, so all the brewers were there pouring samples of their beer.  As usual, I didn't win anything.  But on four separate occasions I had a person come up to me and say "I was told I need to come and try your beer".  And though my ESB didn't place, it was awesome to see people's enjoyment of a beer style that many aren't familiar with.

And today I just finished clearing snow off the driveway.  And am now enjoying a glass of said ESB on a pretty lovely winter day, and thinking of the fun at that competition :)

http://beehatmead.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ESB-2018-Winter.jpg

Wow... We have an impressive bunch!

So let’s see. I guess I’ll go: I got my degree in Engineering Physics, and I still work for the same company I started my career with 15 years ago.

I married my highschool sweetheart after dating through college.  We had one kid after 13 years of marriage, adopted a second boy a year ago, and now kid #3 is due to be born in April.

I have two patents, and maybe another one on the way if it makes it through the application process.

My wife and I started a side business with $1000, and our sales hit $100,000 in the first year.

Once, I manage to break my arm in a pillow fight.

I was once mis-identified as a machine-gun wielding Cuban terrorist commando by a very scared janitor in Albuquerque NM. Fortunately the police weren’t quite as quick to jump to conclusions :)

I am pretty sure I’m the only person in the world who has built not one, but two: life-sized wooden mockups of a nuclear reactor’s primary containment vessel (or at least a horizontal slice of it... the real thing is more than 3 stories tall).

A few months ago, a couple of friends and I walked into a meeting to ask for $25,000 to build a prototype for an idea (related to that possible 3rd patent), and after a 10-minute conversation, we walked out with $9,000 more than we asked for.

That’s all nice, and it’s 100% true, but the more important truth is that I have way more problems than talents, and I don’t deserve more than maybe partial credit for any of the accomplishments I call my own.  In the end, the one thing in my life worth bragging about is that I trust in Jesus Christ as my savior.

   I find all of this very interesting.  I'm glad I started this thread.

It was a good idea. I know for myself that it's actually kind of hard to talk about achievements because I don't want to be thought of as a big head or showing off. Setting it up that it's fine to show off is a good way of going about it :D

I'll add one more. I'm a (very out of practice) black belt in the Korean martial art Choi Kwang Do. It was a really good thing to do and it really helped my confidence. I'm not Jackie Chan and it's very likely I'd get beaten to a pulp in a fight but knowing just a little bit helps you to walk a bit taller and not be seen as a potential victim. I still have a fair bit of muscle memory as well which I sometimes wonder could be a problem. A few times someone has waved their arm close to me and I've had to stop myself blocking it and immediately following it up with a strike :D

Learning a martial art is like money in the bank. It's there when you need it.

Guess I'll have a go, I'm new but it is a good way to get to know folks. It is a good thread. I don't think I can compete with what I've read from others so far, but I'll be glad to associate with so much talent. Any way completing a career in the Army is a recent one I'm proud of. I started out as a welder/machinist and later changed jobs to military police. The last few years recruiting (not so proud of that) it's a miserable job! Multiple combat tours, injuries but still in one piece. Completed a criminal justic degree (and made the army pay for it! Haha) spent three years driving in Italy as law enforcement without a single accident, I know that sounds dumb but if you have ever driven in Italy then that's something to brag about.

I make and sell various wallets, some of my own design as a side business now in leather and Kydex. Fully retired I work for no one now. Trying to use my machining background to explore slinging and bring some ideas without over engineering it. Lol. Used to be bilingual but my Tagolog sucks now. Anyway lots of years training in law enforcement/ weapons training and violence all around lol. Now I throw rocks to relax :)

That sounds like a lot to be proud of to me :D

   Here's something a little off the wall.  June 18, 1972;  While I'm at work at the Trio Restaurant the owner's son came up to me with two Led Zeppelin tickets for that evening. He wanted to sell me one.  They were $5.50 back the, believe it or not.  The problem was that this was also the night of my high school graduation. I actually skipped my graduation to see Led Zeppelin.  Yes, c_a, I know you hate them.  I have seen many if not most of the great Classic Rock bands... The Stones, The Dead, Yes, Sly and the Family Stone, Pink Floyd, Santana, etc... too many to mention.  Led Zep was in a class by themselves.  Absolutely the best concert I ever saw.  This was just as they were releasing their fourth album with Stairway to Heaven on it.  They were very much in their prime.  My parents hated that I skipped graduation to see a Rock concert  but I am very glad I had my priorities right and saw an incredible concert instead.  Many of my friends from back then are still jealous today. 

That does sound pretty awesome and pretty rock and roll :D

Kick wrote on Apr 15^th, 2019 at 3:50am:

That does sound pretty awesome and pretty rock and roll :D

We got a whole lotta love that night.

Me and 5 friends just completed a 5 day 4 night 140km backpack trek . The Cape to cape track in Western Australia , I was lucky enough to have the lightest kit but even so carting 18kg of food water and camping supplies around steep rocky terrain isn't a easy feat . I'm glad we did it and 1 day faster than expected .

Awesome, Mersa.  I love stuff like that.  The dogs keep me in walking shape but at my age that pace might be a bit much for me.

@ Mersa

Longish treks help build character and are fondly recalled later (over the hill) in life ;)

@ Mersa
6 people are a lot! nice thing you held together.
go for a 10 day or more, it creates very fond memories and you get more clear emotions about the situation, you engage more, you think more of the now than what you'll do when you go back and when you come back you feel like people around you are sooo numb.

I'm a bit late posting this in a way, but I think it's because it's taking a while to fully sink in.

I finally graduated. I'm a fully registered nurse.

I picked up my graduation certificate earlier this week (the official ceremony is coming up in a few days) but yeah it's still a bit unreal. I'm still expecting to get an email from my teacher telling me I still have one more essay to complete or they forgot to mention some extra practical training I need to do, but yeah... I'm done. 4 years of hard work, stress, some of the best experiences of my life and some of the absolute worst and even a few panic attacks. Done. I think I can feel pretty proud about this one.

@Kick - Congrats!  Great stuff man  :)

Thanks! It was a long road but finally that part is done.

...what I'm most proud of is being part of this forum.
What I'm most ashamed of is that I'm not posting here as much as I used to do back in the days: job, family etc all this keeps me away.

But you all are still in my hearth and I have lots of news to share so... see you in the next days... I wish you all the joy and peace you deserve  :D

Congrats Kick!  My wife is a registered nurse and I have a lot of respect for anyone who is in that field. It’s definitely a calling as much as it is a career.

Thanks! Let's hope I can do the job proud.

Congrats Kick!  WTG!

     While in the army I underwent Arctic Training. I am a Snow Snake.  SSsssssssssssss! Prior to heading up to Ft. Drum, N.Y. we spent December outside at Ft. Campbell, Ky. to help prepare us.  I actually loved being outside for a couple of months in the Winter.  I am a big fan of wintertime.  Upstate New York is gorgeous that time of year.  It's not a big deal but I'll bet that you don't know too many people who are qualified to wage war in the Arctic.
    The main thing I learned is that it's all about the gear.  Your gear is everything in those conditions.

I am in the middle of sending a few slings to be in a movie.  'Hopefully '

Way cool. Give us the details if it happens.

Rat Man wrote on Aug 15^th, 2019 at 11:19am:

Way cool. Give us the details if it happens.

Here is the thread about it

http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1565741734