Things you "have" done in your lifetime! (military, home, first)

[Wild Flower]

I have done a lot of cool things, I never would have thought I would do when I was a kid (I pretty much couldn't see past 18, HA).

I traveled for a living for five and a half years as a traveling photographer for a department store (with the a coin in its name ). I was named Photographer of the month twice- could only be named once in the year, than you were in the contest for the year. I has so much fun, traveling between the Midwest to the West and a small part of the South. I met a lot of people and my horizons were increased! Some days I surely wish I were back there!

I returned to college in 1999. Ugh. I never thought I would but I received my undergraduate in Education (uhm, don't ask about student teaching, uh, well, just don't ask!).

One reason I returned was I received a scholarship from my AmeriCorps service. This was a year that I worked at an Elementary school, tutoring and helping in the classroom. I was so proud that year. I remember the School Carnival, and the principal asking if I would pull the winning tab for one of the contests. I felt like I was floating though the night... haaaa.

Finally, in 2008 I had another year as an AmeriCorps member in Madision, WI. I recruited volunteers, assisted the after school program and tutored kindergartners. I learned a lot there and I know I have two or three solid job references if I wanted them.

That may come in handy if I go back to Madison. OH, I mean WHEN I go back! ;p

[sun queen]

Endured natural childbirth with out yelling my head off

[Nomadicus]

Jobs:

Started out pulling weeds out of flower beds at 11 or 75¢ an hour.
Bagged groceries for a dollar an hour
Started tool and die work for $1.75 an hour
Worked at a strip mine
Worked on an internationally famous cattle ranch
Work for a metal fabrication plant building air filters for big rigs and off road machines
Worked for Walmart in management
Worked as a certified landscape irrigation contractor
Worked as a programmer/analyst for a college
Worked a a professional photographer for myself before retiring.

Like Frank Sinatra said "I did it my way".

[taigagirl]

Originally Posted by Montana Griz

Proud of these:............

Born in the depression era (April 1932)

Starting working part time at the age of 12.

Worked full time every summer vacation from 1946 through 1954.
After college graduation (Jan 1955), worked continously till Jan 1994.
Retired at 62 AND (really proud of this)....MARRIED to the same lady FOR 51 YEARS..lost her 6 years ago.

Used to "hitch-hike" 6 miles to grade school (after 4th grade) and High school (till I bought a beat up '40 Merc at age 15). Thank God--"no more hitch-hikin' " in those northern Illinois winters of the 1940s

Worked my way(3 part time jobs) through college in 4 1/2 yrs. (the extra 1/2 yr due to (8) months of Physical Therapy and Rehab) resulting from being a front seat passenger, in a convertible -- hit a tree @ very high speed-- killed the (2) on my left--Aug 1951... Coma 14 days; 13 major fractures; Oxygen Tent 6 weeks; 7 whole blood transfusions; Full Body Cast 4 1/2 months and etc,etc,etc................... Yea...........I'm damned proud to have survived and walked out of the hospital (on crutches & 50 pounds lighter) after 7 months.

Fathered the world's greatest daughter (only child) & helped my wife (mentally and physically) through (9) Miscarriages after daughters birth.

Have survived (4) major Surgeries (--includung Cancer Surgery at age 70).

Hunted (w/some limitations) and fished my entire life (as time, work schedule and finances would allow).

Highlight: Harvested a Kodiak Brown Bear (aka:Grizzly) on Kodiak Island in November snow storm at age 60!!! Hunt-of-a-Lifetime!!!!!

Drove 3500 miles round trip this past fall back to my 60th High School Reunion. Had great time and lookin' forward to the 65th!!.....(NOTE: You'd be amazed "how old some of those class mates act!!)

And last:...........(4) years ago for my 75th Birthday,....I bought myself (you know "old Fogeys" are entitled to "one crazy, impulsive unjustified action").....a 15 years old (mint- 44000 miles) XJS 2+2 Convertible......"Hey, in this economy it's a better investment that an IRA!!"..............AND, on Sunday after Church, it's great for "trollin' down main street...for Chicks"!!

.....EDIT:>>>>> Some crazy stupid, teen-age stunts:

......at age 15 (winter of 1947), several of us kids decided that since there was about 16 inches of ice on Diamond Lake.....it surely could support the weight of several cars (spread out by due to the fact that they'ed be "racing around a circular course) --about 1/4 mile in dia-- laid out by 15 empty 55 gallon drums properly place to form a circular track"....yea, ........we had fun....and no mishaps....but we sure could have. About 30 minutes after we started racing the Lake County sheriff came out on the ice and stopped our "racing" with a few threats and a lecture.

The other "stunt" , that was "never solved" by the "powers that be": The night before graduation (high school), some how some "Limberger Cheese" ended up inside the "air-ventalation-system" main "intake duct". And the next morning (the day of graduation) when the school janitor turned on the system..........the smell would "stop a train"!!!! He figured it out by noon and got enough "pine-scented-stuff" into the system that it over-powered the cheese smell, and the evening graduation in the auditorium didn't have to be held outside!!..

...........Other occasions.....some sad...some just happened....and some.........?

Lost my dad when I was 13.

Lost my mom to 8 years of Alzheimers.

Only child (daughter) and I both diagnosed with Cancer in 2002.
.....We both had surgery (daughter: 2 operations/removed 15 Lymph Nodes) & Prostate Cancer Surgery for me----both of us are doing OK!!

Lost my wife to Cancer in 2005 after 14 months. .....Sad day....

Summary:.............I have NO complaints.....I have been blessed......I have been DAMN Lucky.........and I'd do it ALL over again!!!...."CARPE DIEM my friends, CARPE DIEM!!!!

Totally amazing. I have the greatest respect for folks who were raised during the during the Depression. You made the very best of what you had and things would be a whole lot better if there were more people around today, made of the stuff you are made of. You are a wonderful generation of people. Thank you so much for sharing your story. It brought tears to my eyes.

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by taigagirl

Totally amazing. I have the greatest respect for folks who were raised during the during the Depression. You made the very best of what you had and things would be a whole lot better if there were more people around today, made of the stuff you are made of. You are a wonderful generation of people. Thank you so much for sharing your story. It brought tears to my eyes.

.............Thank you......

[sun queen]

I ate at the same Mexican Restaurant as Bill Clinton...

[wit-nit]

I met Charlie McCarthy once, we both had the same thing in common, anyone could pull our strings...

[taigagirl]

Worked on a Habitat home and met Jimmy Carter and wound up at the same church service. It has been wonderful to see the family who bought the house I painted in, move on to a better life.

[Mary Ann789]

I shaved my head when I was 13 (Hide the dog clippers from your children! )

I lived on an island in the Arctic Ocean for two weeks.


I've been bitten by a northern watersnake, a flying squirrel, a feral cat, a wood duck, a Canada goose and a tundra swan.

That reminds me, I need to get my rabies titer checked

I hitchhiked across Ireland.

I learned how to cook and bake in a cast iron wood burning stove (with no thermometer).

[Chatteress]

I once rode in the back of a police car (and NO, I wasn't being arrested) ... This was AFTER I got hit by a car and the cop was kind enough to drive me home after I refuse to go to the emergency room.