OT: Waxing poetic and general rambling

[excelguru]

This was touched upon very slightly in the "unfortunates" thread and I thought it might be interesting to read about each other's background, whether it be growing up on the farm, your first job, the way life used to be, what you learned from dad, etc.

As for me, I grew up with chickens. Lots of 'em. My dad's egg-laying houses contained 10,000 chickens. My mom's broiler house contained 2000. My grandparents had another pair of egg-laying houses with another 10,000 of the stupidest animals ever to wander the planet. So guess what I grew up doing? Yep, I picked up eggs. Lots of eggs. Eggs, eggs, eggs. God, I hated eggs. During the peak months of the summer, we would gather 10,000 eggs PER DAY on my dad's farm alone. Seven days a week. Chickens don't care what day it is. They're gonna screw each other and lay eggs. Every damned day.

I started doing this when I was old enough to physically reach the nests (probably about 7 or 8). Didn't get paid for it either (pay attention kids: working was expected of you). What a God-awful job. When I finally got old enough to get a "real" job, I was THRILLED with the prospect of flipping burgers at the local McD's for $4.50 an hour (minimum wage was $3.75 at the time). It took me several years to understand why dad made me pick up eggs. It taught me appreciation, work ethic, and responsibility.

Now, I look at my younger cousins and (with the exception of one) I haven't seen them break a sweat. I worry about the next generation, I really do.

Enough about me...

Keith
Unique Motorcars
Southern Automotive
Bruce Bunn (the painter)

My Photo Album

[JerryBP]

Keith, I also grew-up on a farm, a little different, only a couple hundesd chickens, 100 to 200 beef cattle and 35 to 40 milk cows, (they also never take a day off.)
We farmed about 500 acres in crops corn, wheet, oats and hay to feed the livestock.
Dad was the progressive farmer and bought all the laborsaving equipment Planters, culivators, combine, haybailer etc so I learned how to mechanic and weld very early as we had to keep all the machinery running.
Learned to drive in a 50 chevy pickup, would drive to town for parts and feed by age 10.
Best thing I remember is taking that old pickup and puting several haybailes in the back and the neighbor kids and going the drive-in on saturday nights.
First job was filling hoppers in a plastic factory at $1.35 an hour.
I share your worry about the future generations.

Work in Progress, Unique 427-9429 400+hp 351C Tremec 3550-2 5spd
Coal Black no Stripes by Bruce, Greg & Jerry Porter Caldwell, Ohio

[rdorman]

Interesting topic.

I am a city boy. I despise the country side (except passing through it in the Cobra), farms smell funny and I hunt and fish at the local market. Would not have a clue what to do with an animal if I had to kill the thing myself.

I have always worked. The worst time in my life was the summer I was without a job.

I was a good kid. Top grades, neat, respectful. My parents divorce at 10 hit me hard. Problem is it took nearly 30 years to know just how much it affected me. Then, about the time I got a drivers license. It all went down hill from there. Kicked out of school (out period, no coming back), minor run ins with the law, drugs and alchohol. I was a wild child that could not be controlled.

Then I met my wife. 8, 9, 10 years of a complete blurr came to an end. When she asked about my past, I just told her I was lucky to be with a prison record and still alive. She didn't ask much more after that. I was already feeling a need for a change. My love for her and desire to be with her helped me break my 'evil ways'.

Fatherhood and marrage all in the same year. It was a very rough year for me. But we all survived. And prosperred. BS in CIS start to finish in 2 years 11 months, with honors near the top of my class. Savings, home, in the black for the first time in my life and then of course I bought the Cobra.

Automotive interests have always been a part of my life. The one common thread. I can not remember a day when cars, and things mechanical, did not facinate me.

Rebel at 20...... an understatement. Establishment by 30, you bet.

Probably more info then you wanted to know! I am sure some may be shocked that I actually put it in writing!

Some things that have stuck with me:
- "If you want to dance, you have to pay the band." For all things there is a cost. For you accounting types, think of it as an Opportunity Cost.
- I and I alone are responsible for my thoughts, actions, words and feelings. Letting someone take control of any one is just that, a loss of control.
- Freedom is truly just another word for nothing left to loose.
- A simple life is generally a happier more peaceful life. Balance is critical.
- Chosing not to make a choice is a choice. And there is ALWAYS a choice (think opportunity costs).
- There is a God.
- What ever you want, give it away.

Rick

[JerryBP]

Rick, (I am a city boy. I despise the country side (except passing through it in the Cobra), farms smell funny and I hunt and fish at the local market.) "so you really don't know what what you missed"

I was also somewhat of a rebel, I was the Leather Jacket Brat on the Harley (58 Sporster) in hi-school, never got kicked out though, (working evenings for the principal helped there.)

Drove Tractor-Trailors for 22yrs delivering freight in and around Ohio
now take care of computers/network for local bank.

Work in Progress, Unique 427-9429 400+hp 351C Tremec 3550-2 5spd
Coal Black no Stripes by Bruce, Greg & Jerry Porter Caldwell, Ohio

[excelguru]

Diversion from topic...

dmiller - You have mail. My dad has 2 Luscombes (flying) and a Cessna 195 (currently in pieces). He keeps the Luscombes at JZP in Jasper, GA. He caught the plane bug and I caught the car bug.

Okay, back to the topic at hand...

Keith
Unique Motorcars
Southern Automotive
Bruce Bunn (the painter)

My Photo Album

[rdorman]

"Despise" was probably the wrong choice of words. I prefer the city. I will visit the country, but I have no desire to live in it! Now, give me a beach and clear water...............
Rick

[KrAzEcJ]

I grew up in the country and will always love the outdoors more than the city. Since I'm in commercial construction I'm always working in the city so even though I have to drive a long ways I've always lived in the country just to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life.

Growing up in Southeast Texas I was always surrounded by the outdoors and grew up hunting and fishing and Grandma and Grandpa raised pigs and chickens and geese and a few turkeys and a couple of milk cows. I was raised knowing if you made a pet out of a pig or a chicken or a turkey you were in for a real shocker when slaughter time came around. lol

Both my father and his father were in construction also and in the 70's during the oil crisis (haha) dad would be working and mom would be too just to make ends meet. So when I got home from school I had my chores to get done then off to the woods or the pond we had on our property for meat for the table. Could be a couple of rabbits or squirells or a dozen fat bluegill. We raised a garden so vegatables were never a problem.

Some of you older guys can relate to this even more than I can but now days how less mature our children have become and how less self reliant they have become in our society. The duties and responsabilities I had when I was a kid I wouldnt even think of letting my kids do now days. Funny how times keep changing.

Dad got out of the military and had almost $10,000 and wanted to buy a "sportscar" His 2 choices were a Cobra and a Vette and also had a choice to go into partnership with a buddy on one of the first McDonald frachises in California. Well needless to say I'm not rich so you know he didnt pick the McDonald's because he said no one would buy hambergers with just mustard and ketchup and a pickle on it. LOL. Second mistake he chose the Vette over the Cobra and he kept if less than 6 months due to the insurance costs eating him alive. So as a child I was supject to hearing this story and my father would show pictures of Cobras and even took me to car shows to see them so that was my first exposure to these wonderful cars.

I always said I would have one someday and that day finaly came true not that long ago. I had gotten myself setup financially to build a Cobra 12 years ago then my wife broke the news one nite that we had a little one on the way. 8 months later we were blessed by Shelby being born, being named after my favorite car of all time. Now shes almost 11 and dad finaly got his car but it wasnt easy. My son Josh came along a few years later and now me and the wife had the family we always wanted. Then at 2 years of age disaster struck our family when Josh was dignosed with Lukemia but we were some of the fortunate ones and after 3 years of intensive chemo he was alive and doing well. He just had his 1 year off treatment anniversary and is playing baseball, and soccer and next year starts football and is living a normal life like any other youngster should. Even though it was a hard few years of feeling helpless it made our family stronger and even closer.

My Cobra was a long time coming but I made it and it even made it that much sweeter when I did get it and hopefully soon be able to get her finished but now with the help of my wife Sally and of course Shelby and Josh.

Unique 4279459

[gasman]

Very Nice story CJ. I look forward to meeting you and your family.

Steve Foushee
Unique #4279389

[will butterworth]

good reading, guess we all are in the same age group -thereabouts,you will love it cj, trying to get grease from under fingern. today, wiped all the underside down last night, will ch. plugs toni., install new dropin msd dist. get rid of lots of stuff under hood, and she commands att. cj-everysoul looks when you go by, and every youngster will challenge you even if he is on a john deere 4020,just have to let them go man, but i do rem. replac. the rear tires the first year, second year, well you underst.Alan, are you going to watch auburn , for sure?Me too, Will.

[pgermond]

I’ve been following this topic with interest, and finally have some time to sit down and contribute...... so get comfortable.

Growing up in the 50’s in N. Cal was much like the country, although I didn’t grow up on a ranch, but across the road from a dairy farm (sorry no chickens). Probably several hundred acres (covered with house now), tall grass, creeks, oak trees, with lots of places for small boys to explore, build forts, or just look up at the blue sky and clouds and dream.

My family was a typical 50’s blue-collar family with values to match. Dad worked hard as an electrician, eventually forming his own business. Mom was always there when we came home from school with lunch or a snack, and dinner was on the table at 5 o’clock every night.

We didn’t have air conditioning in those days, so in the summer when the temperature rose to the high 90’s/low 100’s the family would spend the evenings on the American River fishing, swimming, whatever it took to stay cool. Back then the river had some very good runs of salmon and shad and we would take full advantage of them. The weekends saw us either in the Sierra’s fishing and hunting, or on the northern coast fishing, diving for abalone, or digging clams. In the late 50’s and early 60’s we traveled to Mexico in a ’56 GMC pickup with a cab-over camper, towing a ’46 Willey’s Jeep, with a 12’ aluminum boat on top, and literally live on the beachs for a month - either on the Baja or main land of Mexico near Guaymas. The beaches and water were pristine, unlike today where they are polluted and covered with Club Med’s and ugly Americans.

I had an incredible childhood and was taught good core values (thanks to my parents) – like working, saving, and living within ones means. I started working with my dad during summer vacations when I was 12, and it was work – believe me! My first job while I was in high school was bussing tables, and then I graduated to a gas station attendant at the Richfield station. My dream job - $1.25/hour and full use of the lift and tools!

As I grew into my late teens everything started to go sideways. It was the mid-60’s, I was in California, and I guess at the time the whole State was going sideways. Drugs were common, my parents went through a divorce, and in 1967 my dad was killed in an automobile accident. I tried to concentrate and stay in college but I was distracted and really had no direction. Some may argue this….. but thank God for the draft. While I wouldn’t stand up and say “take me”, the Army was a lifesaver. I did my tour in Southeast Asia with a medical platoon flying medi-vac and running convoys hauling oxygen bottles in a duce-n-half – like I said, I wouldn’t want to do it again, but no one can take that experience away from me.

Soooo, the Army saved me from myself. For the most part, all my car club buddies and others I hung out with are either dead, in jail, or MIA. The values my parents instilled in me paid off, and I am forever grateful. I have a wonderful wife, two educated children, and two beautiful grandchildren, I’m finishing up a successful career and I’m looking forward to the next phase of my life.

Like you Keith, I worry about the next generation as well. It doesn’t seem they know the true meaning of work. Things of value seem to be expected rather than earned. Hopefully we are wrong.

My grandson thinks he’s going to inherite my Cobra – little does he know…. When my time comes, I’m going to have three handles installed on each side and be buried in it!

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!


Phil

427 Roadster, #4279436
Southern Automotive FE
3:31 and Toploader

Roseville (N.Cal)

[KrAzEcJ]

A very good read Phil!

Unique 4279459

[gasman]

Phil, I really want to meet you and get to know you better.

Steve Foushee
Unique #4279389

[pgermond]

CJ - Thanks... yours as well.

Gasman - Homecoming '05

Phil

427 Roadster, #4279436
Southern Automotive FE
3:31 and Toploader

Roseville (N.Cal)

[clayfoushee]

Gasman, I'm just waiting for you to tell "our story." That should be interesting reading. You first......

Great stories all........I'm enjoying this.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler (452.1-stroker), top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[nolastyankee]

Now this is a topic after my own heart! Good stories all, it's fun to know as much about our member's as we do about their vehicles! While the cars bring us together, it is the people that make the group. Thanks for starting this thread Keith!

I'll refrain from my story as I have rambled enough in my own chapters.

Unique 9122 - 289 FIA Cobra - The Legendary "Spence" Car

[gasman]

Clay, I wouldn't know where to start......How do you spell dysfunctional.

Steve Foushee
Unique #4279389

[rdorman]

Now you KNOW we want to hear the Foushee stories! So come on, give it up. He!! mine is practically a confession. Speaking of confession, funny story about my first one. I think the priest finished reading war and peace during my time in the comfessional. And yeh, the younger generation is lazy. But I seem to recall the older generation saying that about my generation. And look how I turned out. [}]

Rick

[will butterworth]

phil, we had a lad in vnm ,from calif., felt sorry for him, only spoke of the high sierra,s, he would describe the place so vividly, heck i wanted to see it, has to be a dream, as we sat in those cold wet bunkers he would tell us about the sierras and how he missed them.Did you see the dirty-faced marine,s picture in paper this week, skinned nose--look at his eyes-thin slitted has cig. in mouth---he is in a death-watch-stupor mindset ready to kill and also ready to die himself.Hey, two children just came in my office and wished me a happy vets. day, how about that.I ,too, enjoy reading about us, good break from the routine.Auburn or Geargia--? Alabama

[clayfoushee]

Trust us, there are certain things that shouldn't be written on the internet. The amazing thing is all 4 brothers were good kids, who never really got into trouble, became responsible adults, and had nice kids of their own.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler (452.1-stroker), top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[TurnpikeBoy]

<img src=images/icon_speech_ok.gif border=0 width=17 height=15 alt=Insert Speech Icon: OK>, born in '53 so I'm very aware of what happened in the '60's and '70's. Smoked my share, ingested others, got a draft # of 123 and they called to 125.

Despite the haze of mind-altering substances and intense stress at times, I remember it all surprisingly well. [xx(]

BUT. I'm not so sure of the status of the younger generation(s) we're all slamming. My two kids, now 24 and 22, were/are the biggest never-ending source of anxiety in my lifetime. The past 20+ years just never seemed to offer any relaxation time, and never seemed to offer any real prospects that - despite my best efforts - things would work out right. [V]

Thank God I was wrong....again. He's about to finish his apprenticeship as a Lineman and is (proud pappa here...)DAMN GOOD at what he does. She decided she want to teach, and after a sloooow start is within a year of graduation, looking like with honors, too.

No drugs for either. Not big on alcohol. No noteworthy run-ins with the Law. Good to animals and kids. Pains in the a$$ on lotsa things, but basically damn good kids.

I don't see them as atypical. Their friends run the gamut - wealthy/poor, city/country (they grew up in the woods), ethnic/not ethnic, political/apathetic, gun owner/gun hater, etc, etc. One thing they ALL appear to be is alive - some may not be the most driven individuals, but they are at least doing something.

I learned a long time ago it doesn't matter, AT ALL, what you do because 6 mos. after you're gone nobody is gonna remember you or what you did anyway. So - do what makes you happy. If you make a fantastic living at it, great. If not, and you're NOT unhappy, who friggin cares?

Kids are kids. We were. We made it. So will they, just not the same way we did.


Yeehah