Mary -

Since my preserving extends no further than my house (aroung 180 years
old), the reason I got into it was simply because I think too many of the
new homes looks just plain ugly.  We chose this house because it had a
REALLY big outbuilding, where my husband could play with his toys (HO slot
cars, mostly), and the house with lotsa potential and a little acreage
happened to come with the deal.  It's been a lot of work, but to see the
final product of gutting, rebuilding and then decorating is both
exhilarating and soothing.

The house where I grew up was built in the 40's or 50's, I believe, so it
wasn't from being immersed in older architecture.  The only influence I can
think of is that my mother used to doodle floor plans, which gave me the
desire to become an architect; however, I've been a computer programming
geek for my entire professional career.

- Pam
---------------------
But what else is there?  Genetics?  A mother who did all the repairs around
the house? Living in an old house? A father who insisted on touring
historic
sites on the weekends? A mentor? An aversion to losing things?
Obstreperousness?  (I spelled checked it already.) An event? A belief in
"good" design, quality materials? Political correctness? A need for a
"higher
purpose" in one's life? A penchant for social action? Or (dare I even
suggest
it?) making a living (Gawd, Mary, give us a break -- money???).
My event: my town tore "my" old library down when I was a kid.  I loved
being
there, and then it was gone.  It changed the way I felt about my town. And
maybe, just maybe, throw in a little Irishness that likes a good fight now
and
then . . . ("Who said that?!!" -- or, as CG suggested: "Who faid that?!!")
I'd love to find out how other preservationeers got into all this in the
first
place.
Mary Krugman