A Few Words from an Industry Veteran- Charlie Baxley

Hello SynAudCon Members,

I recently received a note from Charlie Baxley. Many of you will recognize his name immediately. He attended several SynAudCon Seminars and Workshops and he has been a member since 1973.  He retired from audio last year.  Charlie has a good sense of humor. You will enjoy reading his words as he described his career with audio.

Hi, Brenda,

Last year I thought I might have been the longest practicing SynAudCon member. For that reason I felt you should get the official “I quit.” Although of not much import to the rest of the world, I thought you might be interested because of my long association.

First I hung up my triangles and paper cut-out coverage patterns.  Next, I hung up my slide-rule. Then I hung up my HP-41, then my “spheres”, and then the PHD program and JBL CADP. And now I’m going to EASE out the door. It’s been a long and sometimes bumpy ride, but it has been fun, and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and consorting with some of the greatest people. Including you guys. I’m not about to try and list them for fear of leaving someone out.

I entered the business in 1964, but could have hardly been rated a professional until my first SynAudCon in

Orlando with Don and Carolyn in, I believe, 1973. Got me hooked and haven’t done anything else until last year, when I closed my last office.

Below I have attached some photos and a copy of Baxley’s Law, a compilation of truths uncovered over the years that some of my associates have found of interest. The rules of inclusion in the laws are simple: if not worthy of the first page, it doesn’t make the cut at all because there was never a page two. (One shouldn’t have too many rules: Baxley’s Law)

Baxley’s Law

FIRST LAW: Everything’s a hassle.

• Beware of entremanures.
  

  Bill Thrasher and Charlie Baxley – 1983-84

• If it works better, do that.
• Implemented cost is the cost.
• All you can do is all you can do.
• Nothing beats a full-scale model.
• No good deed goes unpunished.
• You can stay home and go broke.
• Don’t believe everything you think.
• One shouldn’t have too many rules.
• Never make an enemy by accident.
• It is better to be fortuitous than skillful.
• There is no such thing as cheap labor.
• Never take the casters off your toolbox.
• It takes three days work to offset one day off.
• If you’re going to show up, act like you want to be there.
• Every dollar your salesperson saves the client costs you ten.
• Take care of the basics, and most everything else will fall into place.
• Don’t be surprised by short-term fluctuations in your long-term expectations.
• Give credit for a good idea three times; thereafter you may tacitly imply it is yours.
• You may sometimes get what you pay for, but you will always pay for what you get.
• Without fail, there is more to any endeavor than is intuitively obvious to the casual observer.
• There is nothing wrong with being an asshole when called for. The hours are good, and there’s no heavy lifting.
• There are a lot of people with one year’s experience. How long they have been practicing their trade seems to be irrelevant.

Audio is not the only thing that changed over the years.  Charlie enjoying his other hobby – flying.