A day that was long coming

[ChevLoRay]

Yup. Wish I was 21 and know what I know, now. IF so, I probably wouldn't know everything I now know.

You have your whole life in front of you, and your education is a very important part of that life. I blew it off when I got out of the Air Force, in '71. Seems that my attitude was not in my best interest, but I couldn't see it and nobody could help me. So, I finally went back to college in the fall of '78, when the incoming freshmen were kids who started the first grade in September of '65, when I was starting college the first time. A job change in '80, that offered me an opportunity to supervise helped me have a future with a decent retirement, but at the expense of my education in an institute of higher learning.

To make a long story short, my job was eliminated in June, 01. All of the men who worked for me, and our department, were eliminated from the payroll. Even though we are all experienced in packaging and shipping, loading and unloading railcars and OTR trucks, can drive a fork lift with the best in the world, we are now in our early 50's to our mid-60's. We draw varying amounts of retirement pay, are looking forward to drawing our social security and some of us are working part-time or full-time jobs to supplement that retirement pay, in lieu of drawing SS (too young). So, your education CAN provide YOU with the financial means to circumvent all of this and create a secure financial environment for your hobbies, family and future. Good luck to you.

By the way, I'm 55, working part-time and my 3-year truck project is being driven while I wait to do some stuff my wife wants to do to the house (new floor coverings and a new, larger, deck). My goal now is to have it done by the spring of '05, when I will have been out of high school for 40 years. I never graduated from college, and I am not going to speculate about what could have been, had I done so. My retirement income pays my monthly expenses, so I consider myself very fortunate. My wife and I are working part time, just for gas and groceries....and maybe a little other fun stuff.

Again, good luck to you and any other young person who may be facing a similar situation.