Geek For The Kids

By Dale Hartley, Wednesday,6 May, 2009 at 11:21 am

Grant is the epitome of an IT Geek. He has been working in the industry ever since I meet him during a stage show he was tap dancing in. Yes you read right, my IT darling is a tap dancer and a violinist. And it is through his passion for performance that he has used his computer geekery to work magic.
I have called this entry "Geek for the Kids' because all of my students love him to bits and were so excited when I announced that we were engaged. We have been married for 4 years now and have a beautiful daughter called Madison. She is in this picture of Grant - can you see the similarities? Right down to the bald heads!
Grant has recently started work for a new IT solutions company and has made himself invaluable. Last month - in the middle of a recession - they gave him a pay rise just because they really rate him. How good is that?
We run a small performing arts school in my home town and want to give the kids all the opportunities of the big schools.
How do we get awesome backing tracks for our shows? Grant finds and tweaks them for us.
How do we provide excellent sound gear without the hire fees? Grant fixes/cobbles together cheap or free stuff.
How do we get experts to give us their time? Grant fixes their computer for free.
How do we record our students' excellent singing talents? Grant teaches himself how to use music software and scores us a laptop to turn into a recording desk.
How do we build our own dance studio without the cost of an architect? Grant downloads design software and teaches himself how to draw our plans. There are so many other ways in which he has made our student's time exciting and valuable.
I met him when I was running a cabaret and after only 2 months of dating I was ringing him any time of night and day to help me sort out our backing tracks and lighting for the show. He never once told me he couldn't talk or that other things were more important.
We are also involved in the local musical society where Grant is called to help with set, light & sound which he will do til the wee hours of the morning for nothing more than maybe a bar of turkish delight.
He is also a Boys Brigade officer running Computer workshops and 4WD/Rock Climbing camps on his spare weekends.
I cannot think of a single person in my life that Grant has not helped out with some kind of geek problem, he is just that kind of person.
I hope you will think so too and reward him for all his hard geek work.

10 Comments

  1. Jess J

    9 June, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    Grant, you are awesome! I know the votes are closed now but Mum forgot to tell me about it lol!! But you know that if I’d known you would have got my vote for sure! You are a big contribution to all the things that go on at DHSSD and you make a big contribution everywhere else possible! You and Dale are awesome! Dunno what I’d do without you! (You gotta gorgeous wee girl too haha!) Thanks for everything and sorry that I couldn’t be an extra vote for you :(

  2. Ryan Hanna

    23 May, 2009 at 2:25 pm

    Good luck Grant!!

  3. Lou Days

    22 May, 2009 at 4:59 pm

    Go you Geek thing! of course you get my vote :-) xx

  4. Funky Hot Mama

    22 May, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    Without Grant we’d never have been able to put our promo stuff together making it so easy for us to get and continue to get great gigs. He is alway willing to pull apart, reconfigure and find solutions for a ditzy blonde who sometimes finds it difficult enought just to turn her laptop on! Thanks Grant.

  5. Ivan

    22 May, 2009 at 4:14 pm

    Go Grant!!!

  6. Amz!

    22 May, 2009 at 2:13 pm

    Grant!!! Your awesome! You and Dale are the ultimate team! Without you guys I’d still be lost! :P You so deserve this!!

  7. Amy Jane

    22 May, 2009 at 2:10 pm

    Grant!!! Your awesome and I LOVE you and Dale! You guys make the ultimate team! :D Thanks so much for helping me in every way possible!

  8. Adam

    22 May, 2009 at 2:01 pm

    Haha dale has prety much summed it up in a nutshell grant is an awesome fun loving guy with alot of geek knowledge hes a very hands on guy to, and yes hes a fabulous tap dancer and violoinist too, but we couldnt forget about the work he does for the school making the kids ‘light up’ literally so good luck grant your an absolute legend.

  9. Adam Burton

    22 May, 2009 at 1:33 pm

    A true renaissance man, Grant does everything well, with the style and passion of a true Geek!

  10. Dale

    22 May, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    Well of course I’m gonna vote for my husband. He’s the best!
    He makes all my students look and sound like Rock Stars!

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