how did you learn to work on cars?

My obcesion with cars/working on them all started with older bro's 70 Road Runner,it had a 440 out of 69 Bee,air grabber hood,bench seat with that long pistol grip shifter.I can remeber begging him to hit the air grabber switch and to give me a ride to school.Wish I had pics of that car.My dad wasn't into cars at all,they were something to get him from point A to B.I started hanging out at the local Amoco at night,mopping floors,sweeping the parking lot and cleaning the bathrooms which I did for nothing.At 15 the owner offered me a job,which I loved.mostly pumped gas and changed tires,can still remember the mad rush of people getting their snow tires put on at the first snow of the season,before everyone was using radials.As I was there longer he taught me to do brakes ,shocks,rebuild carbs,helped him swap engines /transmissions.He was a great guy,his name was Bruce Mincher,he just passed awaythis past year,I miss him.I worked for him 5yrs full time,even while I was in school,worked everyday,then parttime for 7yrs after that,to keep my rack privlages.Alot of things I figured out for myself but he gave me my basics.I'll never forget him.