A combo platter

[Guest guest]

My email is a combo of about 2 others that I read.

I can somewhat relate to redhawk's post about those who come from sad

backgrounds, rise up and beat the odds. My dad was the oldest of 4 and

was raised in a low income, almost poor family, in upstate NY. His dad

was in the ARMY and an alcoholic, and his mom was not all " There " and had

her own problems. When my dad was going to his community college, he'd

have to skip some classes, drive about 30 miles back home to pick up his

drunk father from the bar and take him home. Dad pretty much raised

himself and helped out with his siblings, but his mom WAS a mom...she

just let her husband get away with verbally abusing and somewhat physical

abuse ( spanking the kid who didnt do anything, when the other guilty

sibling stood there and laughed ). My dad finished his 2 yrs in college,

joined the ARMY and made a life of his own. He met my mom in Germany

while he was an MP and she was a medic nurse. They moved back to the

states, had me...blah blah..he went back to college and got a Bachelors

in Liberal Arts and retired from the ARMY in '96 after 21 years. His bro

and sisters did fairly well as far as the economic values up there...his

sister is a registered nurse, his other sister is a housewife and his

brother is a welder. But I think my dad rose above a LOT and he has made

such a good life for himself, his wife and me...so I can understand that

life is full of surprises, especialyl if youre as hard headed ( putting

it ins nice terms) and you dont let things get you down.

Now MY two cents is about college. I graduated high school in 97 and was

so excited about going on to college. So I went that fall for 2 yrs at a

junior college, to get my feet wet and get my core classes out of the

way. I got accepted to Agnes College last December. I was supposed

to be enrolled this spring, but since they couldnt do all my

accomodations in time ( december to spring IS a short time span), they

bumped be back until this fall so they can work on the them this

summer...which theyre doing as we speak. And I'll tell ya, I enjoyed my

semester off until about 3 weeks into it...hehe I am SO ready to go on

back to school, dorm for my first time and finish up my last 2 years and

get my Bachelor's in Art. I admit I'm kinda nervous that I won't get the

job I've been going to

school for, but it doesnt mean that thats a gurantee...A friend of mine

graduated from seminary with honors, and is now going back to school to

take computer classes to get a computer job....go figure. He loved being

a preacher but apparently it wasnt his niche. Not everyone is made for

the job they dream of, sometimes it'll take years for us to find our

mold. But we shouldnt give up...I admire redhawk for being strong and not

holding a grudge against her family. It's too bad that her parents

weren't more supportive, but thankfully it didnt bring her down.

Anyhoo....sorry for my blabbing Take care!

Gretchen

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