Just a little obsessed.

I'll admit my infatuation with metal castings is a little strange. I walk down the aisles at Home Depot looking at the faucets to see which are cast. I look underneath strangers' cars to catch a glimpse at how castings might have been used in the suspension system. I stop at idle construction sites to marvel at castings in use on bulldozers and road pavers.

Is it a sickness? Maybe.

Is it an obsession? Most definitely.

Earlier this month, I stood in front of a soda machine and spent five minutes explaining to my wife why the plastic housing component surrounding the slot where you insert dollar bills could be made as a casting to improve service life. Late last month, I pulled over to the side of a highway with my 7- and 2-year-old daughters in tow to examine a windmill to determine if it utilized a cast hub to secure the spinning blades.

In each instance, I ignored my companions' rolling eyes and yawns and explained to them the miracle of metalcasting--the way we can turn blocks and scraps of metal into functional engineered parts as well as sculptured works of art.

To me, the key wasn't so much the information I was sharing but the passion with which I shared it. I firmly believed if my wife and daughters could begin to understand why my arms were waving, my voice was getting louder, my pulse was racing and spit was flying from my mouth, their lives would be better for it.

For those of you shaking your head at me in disbelief, I understand. You haven't been touched yet by the gods of metalcasting. You don't have molten metal in your blood. You see your day in a metalcasting facility as work, instead of as a daily opportunity. While this is your right, I am not sure the metalcasting industry is the best place for you.

For those of you who think I am being a little over-the-top about metalcasting, I urge you to try and let some of this exuberance soak in. Passion can be infectious. When I speak before audiences or write these editorials, I have been given an opportunity to shape peoples' beliefs and mindsets. Whether I have a positive message or a negative one, my message must contain the passion and excitement I feel because if I don't show it, why should my audience buy into it? It is a privilege to hold this podium in MODERN CASTING magazine, and I am going to use it to the greatest extent possible.

So, where is your podium? Where can you help change the minds of friends, family and/or co-workers? Everyone has a podium; you just need to find yours.

Maybe it is at church? How about your child's school? It could even be at your dinner table. Just take 5-10 minutes to stand-up and state proudly, "I love metalcasting because ..." If the mood strikes you, share some photos or a personal story. The key is to show your audience the passion in your eyes and in your heart. Our society will be a better place when it has a greater understanding for the role metalcasting and manufacturing plays in it.

When I first entered this industry I was told, "You are never standing more than 10 ft. from a metal casting." While I doubted that statement initially (I mean really, how could an industry I know nothing about be that omnipresent?), my experiences have proven otherwise. This statement, beyond being true, is an extremely powerful one that shows the influence metalcasting has on everyday society--from cars and trucks to frying pans and faucets to manhole covers and pressure pipe.

So, in hopes of getting you started and passing some of my passion on to you, on the count of three, please stand up and exclaim the following: "I love metalcasting!"

Ready? 1 ... 2 ... 3 ...

If you have any comments about this editorial or any other item that appears in MODERN CASTING, please don't hesitate to email me at [e-mail].