BRYN MAWR, Pa. (WPVI) -- In a century of living, Alan Tripp has been a soldier, author, broadcaster, TV producer, business owner, ad man, and inventor.[br /][Ads /][br /]"When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a songwriter until I found that it was incompatible with eating. You could do one or the other," said Tripp.[br /][br /]So Tripp got into advertising, writing and singing commercials.[br /][br /]Some of which may ring a bell.[br /][br /]One commercial called choo-choo Charlie, Tripp said, "That stuck on for about 25, 30 years, for which we got paid once," (laughs).[br /][br /]He's written several books.[br /][Ads /][br /]"When my wife passed away, I wrote a book about her life and her adventures which was not only a tribute to her but it made me feel better," added Tripp.[br /][br /]He credits his mother, a newspaper reporter for his creativity.[br /][br /]Tripp said, "Most of us owe most of our lives to our mother, whether we admit it or not (laughter).[br /][br /]At the Beaumont in Bryn Mawr where he lives, he continues to write and come up with inventions every day. He just filed a patent for his latest.[br /][br /]"I designed a fan blade that sends the air like an umbrella, out like that, all around the room," he said.[br /][br /]Age has not slowed Alan Tripp down.[br /][Ads /][br /]"Love to work. Work is the only way you realize if there's anything up here (motions to head)] that you can get out and have an impact on the rest of the world," Tripp said.[br /][br /]And impacting the world is something Alan Tripp has been doing for a very long time and he has no plans to stop anytime soon.[br /][br /]"I want to stay alive," he said.[br /][br /]------[br /][b][url HREF="http://6abc.cm/2BucH0r" TARGET="blank" REL=""]Send a News Tip to Action News[/url][/b][br /][b][url HREF="http://6abc.cm/2Gcv09s" TARGET="blank" REL=""]Learn More About 6abc Apps[/url][/b]