So I did some ragging on a 39 year old loony liberal loser and that made me reflect upon what I was doing at 39. I turned 39 in October of 1985 so let's just look at that year.
At the start of 1985 I was an IBM large systems Custoner Engineer. That means I worked on the big iron, the water cooled mainframes and all the I/O devices attached to them. The account I worked at was McDonnell Douglas Automation in St. Louis which was a wholly owned subsidiary of McDonnell Douglas Corporation.
When I started out at McAuto there were 26 full time CE's on site. As the computers got more powerful and reliable they required less CE's to maintain them. IBM was just starting to downsize. Most of it was done by attrition or promotion. When I left in May of 1985 to come to Atlanta there were only 14 CE's left at McAuto.
As I said, I moved to Atlanta in May of 1985 to become a large systems instructor. I started out teaching the 3081 processor which I was support trained on. There were two levels of training back then: product training which was enough to fix most problems and support training which was more in depth training. I was support trained on the 3081. I was also support trained on the 3850 mass storage machine. This was an early tape library. I made a lot of money as a CE working on that box. Got a lot of overtime.
As I said, I started out teaching the 3081. I then started teaching the 3084 which was essentially two 3081's put together. I also started teaching mass storage. The main reason I was hired as an instructor was my training on the machines I eventually taught. The more stuff I could teach, the more valuable I was, and the more money I could make. It normally took 12 months to get promoted to instructor from associate instructor. I did it in 10 months.
1985 marked my 13th year working for IBM.
From 1980 to 1985 I owned a four family flat in South St. Louis. I lived in one unit and rented out the other three units. There were great tax advantages with rental property back then. I sold my building when I moved to Atlanta and bought a house in the northern suburbs. I had an acre of land. Pretty neat until I had my accident, but that was in 1988.
So, in 1985 I had my own house and a good job that I was good at. I loved teaching. It was fun.
In September of that year I went on a three week vacation in Greece. My sister, her husband, my mother, myself and four other people chartered a 49 foot sailboat and spent 10 days cruising the Greek Islands. Three of us (I was one of 'em) had done bareboat chartering in the Virgin Islands as skippers. All but one had been on bareboat chartering vacations. We could have sailed the boat ourselves, but hired a Greek skipper since he knew the best places to go and could speak the language. He really enjoyed the fact that most of us were sailors so he didn't have to do all the work. Two of the highlights were Delos and Mykinos.
After completing the charter, Mom, my sister, her husband, and I went on a bus tour of Greece. We had already toured Athens before the charter. I got to stand in front of the Parthenon on the Acropolis and stroll through the Agora.
On the tour we stopped at among other places, Corinth, Mycenae
(got to walk through the Lion's Gate and stand at the top of
the citadel), Olympia (where the Olympics were held), and Delphi.
That was one of the best vacations I ever had. This is why I don't watch reality shows. I prefer to live reality.
1985 was a very good year. At 39 I was well on my way to success. I had sumpin' to show for my life. At 39 I wasn't a loser.
Posted by denny at November 29, 2005 09:30 PMIn 1985, I was graduating high school.
:)
I have ALWAYS wanted to travel to Greece.
Posted by: Robin on November 29, 2005 10:57 PM39, hmmm, 1997. Two kids, divorced, 18 years at the agency I'm still working at. Haven't been to Greece- hell, out of the country anywhere- but had accomplished some things. Including learning to forge. Legally with metals, that is.
Sometimes felt like a loser(divorce does that to you), but some things were accomplished.
Posted by: Mark on November 29, 2005 11:18 PMRobin Ditto on the graduating in '85 what can I say it was a good year.
Posted by: Greg DiCroce on November 30, 2005 12:01 AMWell. Thanks for making me feel like a real baby. In 1985, I turned 1.
Posted by: Alli on November 30, 2005 12:47 AMGreg, ha, reminds me of a Sinatra tune....(no, peanut gallery, we are NOT too young for Sinatra!!!)
Posted by: Robin on November 30, 2005 01:12 AM1985- Dropped out of Syracuse University after my junior year.
Age 39- Deployed my unit to Afghanistan as the company first sergeant.
No regrets.
Posted by: Sgt Hook on November 30, 2005 02:04 AMLet's see, 1985 enlisted in the United States Air Force at age 19, at age 39, got to put TSgt, USAF(Ret) after my name. Now embarking on a new career.
Posted by: Sarge on November 30, 2005 07:51 AM39 in 1992. Going through the break-down of my marriage (that ended in 1994). Wasn't a pleasant time. Manipulated into thinking it was all my fault until I woke up, told him to stuff it, and walked out December 26, 1994. Best decision I ever made.
Started over again with a 15 year old with no child support and the clothes on our backs. Own my own house now, and am still at the same job I started in 1985.
Feel pretty good about myself.
Elizabeth
Imperial Keeper
1985: Stationed at Ramstein Germany with one of the units responsible for base security.
Age 39: Start of second term as a judge.
1985:
Moved w/wife & 3 kids to ATL from Chicago; Was 34 years of age and had been teaching since 1970.
Honorably discharged from USMC 1n 1971 and Retired from USAF in 1977.
Still teaching college after all these years; not rich, but very happy with the success of some of my early students who are actually contemplating retirement!
Remember who won the Super Bowl in 1985?
Posted by: DanS on November 30, 2005 09:26 AMThat was one of the most boring, tedious, un-rivalled in irrelevant, ramblings from an "old" person I have ever heard. I would expect a little more from a "grouchy old cripple", In-fact the whole account seemed far from "grouchy" it just seemed flaccid and un-interesting...as if it was from just any other "old cripple". Seriously you people need to be shot. Write something interesting that people can actually read. No one gives a sweet monkey spunk bubble about what you did in your long uneventful life. "Ok well erm I once had a job at some place nobody has ever heard about due to lack of interest, and then at this job there was these things that were getting proggressivly more irrelevant....then I went on vacation...it was good". Listen, git.....No One Cares! I am sick of seeing crap like this on the internet...there is too much of it...too many people dillusioned with the prospect that someone might be interested in there miniscule insignificant actions during his un-noticed miniscule existance. Either write some shit people can read without fighting his overwhelming urge to press the off button on his monitor, or just stop writing all together.
So would the 39 year old be the said 39 year old who had her own web site and then was trampled by our crowd and shut access off? The 39 year old that wanted to spin her hit counter?
Posted by: Kentucky Joe on November 30, 2005 10:34 AMChris must be a nobody if he's never heard of IBM or McDonnell Douglas.
Posted by: Rick C on November 30, 2005 10:47 AMChris - Be aware that your browser has a Back button. Don't like my shit? Don't read it. Simple as that.
Posted by: Denny on November 30, 2005 12:32 PMKentucky Joe - You are correct sir!
Posted by: Denny on November 30, 2005 12:35 PMHi. My name is Carlo. I am a dumb Italian troll who likes to deposit his worthles droppings here every now and then. I have nothing to add to this site. I am a total loser and have nothing better to do than troll the sites of people who are much smarter than I am.
Posted by: Carlo on November 30, 2005 12:37 PMHmmm, 1985. I was 36 and working for Fairchild Space Company in Germantown, MD. I was the Manager of the Final Test Lab and we were doing the final testing for some of the components for the Hubble Space Telescope for which we did the Command and Data Handling Module design and build.
Posted by: Jesse on November 30, 2005 12:53 PMIn 1985, widowed for three years, turned 40, took a year leave of absence from correctional work and lived in San Jose del Cabo, Baja, MEX...or shall I say "lived it up in Cabo!" Lived in house on the golf course w/a ten minute walk to the beach and the best Screwdrivers, made with fresh orange juice...those were the days!
Posted by: Vicki on November 30, 2005 01:57 PMChris Said "Listen, git.....No One Cares! I am sick of seeing crap like this on the internet...there is too much of it...too many people dillusioned with the prospect that someone might be interested in there miniscule insignificant actions during his un-noticed miniscule existance."
No one is twisting your are to read this stuff, Like television "Change the damn channel"
In 1985 I was assigned to Germany. The 7426 Tactical Reconn. Intel Support Squadron in Zweibrucken AB, Germany. The base is closed now and the squadron deactivated. It was fun and I have many fond memories of my 5 years there. I traveled a lot throughout Europe, both job related and sightseeing. I never made it to Greece much to my regret. I would love to visit Santorini, made famous from the movie "Captain Corellie's Mandolin" I know some people that have been there and they loved it. Hopefully sometime in the near future I will make the trip. Greek food is one of my favorites and their wine is always good.
Here Chris
Some more stuff to bore the crap out of you.
At age 39, I was at Vandenberg AFB in Central California, Beeeeeaaaaautiful area, great wine and coast line. Far enough away for the LA city crap to feel like you are in another state. Had a great job, and had a lot of fun.
Posted by: scaryguy on November 30, 2005 04:45 PMIn 1985 I left the USS Independence and reported to Operation Deep Freeze Winter Over Party for 1986 at McMurdo station Antarctica.
At age 39 I was already retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer from the Navy and now working as a systems administrator for a private oil company.
Chris, as you age, and with any luck, you will discover that, except for one trifling exception, the world consists of others. It's not always the story, it's the sharing that matters, and you should hope to grow old. It's a wonderful place to be in this life if you bother to care about others. One of the other good things about being old is that old people understand how immature you are and try to be patient, although most of them wouldn't give a rats patootie about making things better for you.
In 1985, I was 35 and living in Mission Viejo, California raising 6 children...4 his...2 mine. Four finished their education and have gone on with their lives. Two are deceased. I was the Vice-President of a small pharmaceutical firm and managed personal properties in Des Moines. I spent a lot of time in London and Milan during the 80's. Most fun...shopping at Gucci in Milan and getting a good lesson in how prices were so inflated here...Gucci handbags in Milan...$85.00 then. I was invited to join friends to tour the Greek Islands but had to decline due to family responsibilities. I'm envious of anyone who has had the privilege of being there. Someday maybe.
Chris, you are the most boring troll I've ever read.
Now THAT ought to be a crime.
1985- Junior in College, loving life, and feeling like a had the world by its tail.
At age 39- Why that was just last year. Had already put 12 years in as an aerospace engineer for a Fortune 50 company (working extensively with McDonnell Douglas even as they got bought out by Boeing), stayed home for a few years to raise my 3 kids into school, back working aero for a small company as of... my 39th year. Own a home on an acre.
No trips to Greece though. That sounds like it rocked!
Posted by: Bou on November 30, 2005 06:55 PM1985 - back in college after flunking out then spending a 6 year hitch in the USN, nuclear power operator on a Fast Attack submarine. I was in my junior year in Engineering Science (the honors engineering major) at Penn State.
I was offered membership in Tau Beta Pi (the engineer's Phi Beta Kappa). My father was a member at Purdue and his dearest wish is that one of his children would qualify. Well, my sister (MechE from Lafayette College) was more interested in her social life than being a grade grind, and my brother dropped out of the EE program at Purdue, so neither one qualified for membership. I had already flunked out of college once, so I guess Dad had given up hope.
The memory of his reaction when I told him the news still brings tears to my eyes...... He drove up to State College from Philadelphia to attend my initiation ceremony.
39 - I left Rocketdyne after 9 years and went over to IT consulting. I now earn enough to afford a house in Orange County, CA on my paycheck alone, my wife stays at home with our daughter.
Posted by: RickT on November 30, 2005 08:18 PMBou - And Jane is 39 years old an cannot even keep a job at Macy's. How sad is that?
Posted by: Denny on November 30, 2005 09:47 PMRickT - I too flunked out of college my first go round. When I went back I made it to my junior year and burned out from working three jobs so I dropped out. It always amazed my mother that her son, who never completed college, became a technical instructor with IBM.
Posted by: Denny on November 30, 2005 09:51 PMJust reading the comments here, its easy to see what makes people successful. Hard work, determination and goals.
Failure comes when you expect someone else to do the hard work, and whine when your meager work is largely ignored. Failure is essentially when you give up trying.
As one peer recently told his son, you can be successful even being a ditch digger if you are determined to dig the best damn ditches in the country.
Unlike Chris, I enjoyed reading each little tidbit about your lives. Its people like most of you here that has made this nation great.
Dear Chris,
Get back on the meds dude.
In 1985 i was a SSgt, USAF, part of the "Tip of the Sword" at Spangdahlem AB Germany "Phixing Ph++king Phantoms" waiting for the ballon to go up.
At 39 I retired USAF and went to work for a bank in Luxembourg, supporting computer systems. Still there, still doing it. Never been to Greece and never beeen sailing, but "I ainīt dead yet"
Posted by: phil on December 1, 2005 06:43 AM"waiting for the ballon to go up." should have been "balloon", still canīt type after all these years.
Posted by: phil on December 1, 2005 06:44 AMCan't tell you how many times I've wished we had edit options on forums when I realize, even after proof-reading and/or correcting, that I've made a mistake. Hate when that happens.
Posted by: Tessa on December 1, 2005 09:53 AMOhhh, 1985 - 25 - had been to Greece 2x, living the Greed Decade - the Ronnie Revolution, and the bombing will begin in 5 minutes. Size 4 pink leather miniskirt and an MR2 in Champage.
Age 39 - end of the vacation decade.
Life's been berry, berry good to me.
Posted by: Sandy P on December 1, 2005 03:21 PMIn 1985...I was 10. I still have 9 years to go to make 39. Yeah, I'm a young pup.
Be glad you weren't back in the STL area last weekend, Denny. Last Friday night it dropped down to 19 degrees. And they were talking snow when I left Monday afternoon. Just another reminder of why I moved back to Texas.
Posted by: Mike on December 1, 2005 04:14 PMI was 12 in 1985, and discovering the wonders of teenage angst.
I still have seven years to go, Mike--sounds like we're the young pups here! ;-)
--TwoDragons
Posted by: Denita TwoDragons on December 1, 2005 06:02 PMI was 4 in 1985. In 2005 I've just started my career at IBM in Atlanta.
Posted by: Richard Holliday on December 3, 2005 03:22 PM