Otaku,

Sometimes opportunity can stare a person in the face, and the person does not see it. This has you written all over it. Sell a couple of your machines, buy a plane or bus ticket to LV, make friends with Tim, then once you've saved a few dollars, have your collection shipped to LV, and become Tim's apprentice. Sounds like you have the skills to do this. Get a little experience under your belt, use your ears a lot, do every single thing the way the man tells you to do it, and here is your pinball museum.

The USA is still the land of opportunity. Sometimes a person needs to step out of their comfort zone to reach where they want to get to in life. This is so perfect for you. I don't think the timing could ever be better, even though this article is a year old. Nobody has stepped up to the plate yet.

Just so you don't think I'm just blowing smoke. I mortgaged every single thing that I had in my life, moved from Washington state to Maine, just to buy a crappy little 9-hole golf course, which is something I had dreamed about my entire professional career. I got to Maine with everything i owned in a 30 foot truck. I had sold and mortaged every thing else and went all-in. It's a struggle, and there are times I have to scratch and claw just to make payroll, but I've been at it eight years now, and I'm still here. I get up at 4 a.m. every day, work until I can't see anymore, go to sleep, then start over the next day. I am truly living my dream.

Seriously, this is something you could do.