Rock and Roll History Made on This Day

[KroyWen]

The song "Time" off that album saved me,,,
It provided a well needed trigger for my future life.

Back in the Spring of 1998 I was a 46 year old divorcee,,,
I wasn't in dire circumstances as yet,,,
But I had no future.

I was definitely in that 3-paychecks away from homeless state.

My semi-retired Father and I were supporting ourselves making driftwood furniture,,,
This was not really a bad thing as we were good at it and sold a lot,,,
Local craft shows and the Tulsa Flea Market were our venues..

I remember very clearly one Monday morning after a pretty good sale,,,
I had slept in and when I woke I stretched, smiled and thought,,,
I have some money in the bank and a roof over my head,,,
I remember thinking to myself,,,
Life is Good!

Then a little voice in the back of my head said,,,
"Today".

That reminded me that even though I was momentarily fine,,,
I had nothing in the way of a future.

My previous profession was as a portrait/wedding photographer,,,
I knew I couldn't stand to do that any more so I thought,,,
Why not go back to school and get a teaching degree.

Oklahoma State University was only 63 miles from me,,,
They had a top ranked Vocational Education program there,,,
So I pondered the idea of getting my degree and teaching at a Career Tech.

Just a few days later Pop sold a bunch of furniture to an OSU professor,,,
He said, "You've been talking about applying/enrolling at OSU,,,
Why not deliver this furniture and apply afterwards.

Great idea I said,,,
So I called and found out where I needed to go on campus,,,
I delivered the furniture early the next day and went on campus to apply.

Parking at OSU is very slim,,,
I drove from lot to lot trying to find a place,,,
Then I said screw it and decided to come back and try another day.

So there I was on Perkins road heading back to Sapulpa,,,
It was a balmy spring day and I had the windows down and the radio up high.

Then the Pink Floyd song "Time" started playing,,,
I've worn out two or three albums of "Dark Side of the Moon",,,
I knew the words by heart and was happily singing along until I hit this verse.

"... and then you find, ten years have got behind you,,,
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun."

As that soulful guitar solo started playing,,,
I experienced a cold chill running up my spine.

I had sang those lyrics thousands of times before,,,
On that day, in that circumstance,,,
I finally got their meaning.

I pulled over to the side of the road and sat there for a minute or two,,,
Then turned my car around and headed back to the campus.

I didn't even try to find a guest parking spot,,,
I just parked right in front of Whitehurst Hall and went in.

Three hours later I had applied for admission,,,
Gotten the instructions for follow-up paperwork,,,
And applied for a PELL Grant and any other financial aid I might get.

Five weeks later I got a letter from the Dean of OSU admissions office,,,
I had been accepted and was invited to enroll in a program,,,
I was there the next day to do just that,,,
I started classes in the Fall of 1998.

My first semester there I almost quit,,,
I had no idea how to work a computer,,,
And a lot of my classwork required just that.

But my Fairy Godmother tapped me on the shoulder,,,
I stumbled into a student worker position at my college's computer lab.

My duties were to keep the printers full,,,
And check out loaner gear to the faculty and staff.

Being in that lab though gave me the opportunity to learn from other students,,,
I discovered that operating computers wasn't a form of magic,,,
It was just another machine to learn how to boss around.

I learned how to operate a Windows computer, MS Word, and the on-line learning system,,,
I used those new skills to become a valuable asset to the faculty and staff,,,
I held that job until I got my BS in December of 2001.

Then my Fairy Godmother tapped me on the shoulder again,,,
My boss at the lab offered me a 20 hour graduate assistant position,,,
Then a group of five faculty members offered me another 20 hours GA position.

This would finance a Master's Degree very nicely,,,
So I spent 20 hours a week helping the faculty use the on-line learning system,,,
And the other 20 hours doing all of the tech/grunt work for that team of faculty members.

I held those positions for three years,,,
I graduated with my MS in December of 2004.

Then my beloved Fairy Godmother tapped me on the shoulder yet another time,,,
About four weeks before graduation I was called to the Dean's office,,,
She asked me if I was interested in getting a Doctorate.

She offered me a Teaching Assistant position,,,
Which could finance that Doctorate.

I thanked her profusely but told her I was not really interested,,,
At that time I was 53 years old and needed a real live adult type job,,,
One that would pay well, provide for benefits, and have a pension at it's end.

One week later she approached me again,,,
They had decided that I was a valuable support resource,,,
If I was interested they would turn my GA position into a full-time position.

My friends,,,
I almost wept for joy.

I held that position as the Faculty Support Specialist for the next fifteen and a half years,,,
At the age of 69 I retired from OSU with a very adequate pension from OTRS.

I now live very comfortably in a raggedy old mobile on property that I own outright,,,
Between Social Security and OTRS (Oklahoma Teachers retirement System),,,
I have plenty of income for good health insurance and a very nice car.

I often look around me and see people of my age who have nothing,,,
When that happens I pause to thank my lucky stars.

If I would not have heard those song lyrics on that particular day and time,,,
I would have driven back home to Sapulpa and continued my paycheck to paycheck existence.

But because of those lyrics providing the impetus,,,
I made a major life decision,,,
And more importantly,,,
Acted on it.

On my wall I have the Diploma's for my BS and MS degrees,,,
I have the framed letter of admittance to OSU.

And somewhere in my files of stuff,,,
I have the $35.00 parking ticket I got that fateful day.

So I offer thanks to Pink Floyd for that inspiration,,,
They and their song literally gave me a life beyond poverty.

Aarond

.

What a great success story Aarond. Thanks for sharing part of your life story. It’s an encouragement to all of us to excel and never quit, where ever we find ourselves in life. You need to speak to young people to encourage our youth, to continue to strive and never give up.
PS- just my personal take, your so called fairy GM, is really God.. All the best my friend !

 

[Profreedomokie]

The song "Time" off that album saved me,,,
It provided a well needed trigger for my future life.

Back in the Spring of 1998 I was a 46 year old divorcee,,,
I wasn't in dire circumstances as yet,,,
But I had no future.

I was definitely in that 3-paychecks away from homeless state.

My semi-retired Father and I were supporting ourselves making driftwood furniture,,,
This was not really a bad thing as we were good at it and sold a lot,,,
Local craft shows and the Tulsa Flea Market were our venues..

I remember very clearly one Monday morning after a pretty good sale,,,
I had slept in and when I woke I stretched, smiled and thought,,,
I have some money in the bank and a roof over my head,,,
I remember thinking to myself,,,
Life is Good!

Then a little voice in the back of my head said,,,
"Today".

That reminded me that even though I was momentarily fine,,,
I had nothing in the way of a future.

My previous profession was as a portrait/wedding photographer,,,
I knew I couldn't stand to do that any more so I thought,,,
Why not go back to school and get a teaching degree.

Oklahoma State University was only 63 miles from me,,,
They had a top ranked Vocational Education program there,,,
So I pondered the idea of getting my degree and teaching at a Career Tech.

Just a few days later Pop sold a bunch of furniture to an OSU professor,,,
He said, "You've been talking about applying/enrolling at OSU,,,
Why not deliver this furniture and apply afterwards.

Great idea I said,,,
So I called and found out where I needed to go on campus,,,
I delivered the furniture early the next day and went on campus to apply.

Parking at OSU is very slim,,,
I drove from lot to lot trying to find a place,,,
Then I said screw it and decided to come back and try another day.

So there I was on Perkins road heading back to Sapulpa,,,
It was a balmy spring day and I had the windows down and the radio up high.

Then the Pink Floyd song "Time" started playing,,,
I've worn out two or three albums of "Dark Side of the Moon",,,
I knew the words by heart and was happily singing along until I hit this verse.

"... and then you find, ten years have got behind you,,,
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun."

As that soulful guitar solo started playing,,,
I experienced a cold chill running up my spine.

I had sang those lyrics thousands of times before,,,
On that day, in that circumstance,,,
I finally got their meaning.

I pulled over to the side of the road and sat there for a minute or two,,,
Then turned my car around and headed back to the campus.

I didn't even try to find a guest parking spot,,,
I just parked right in front of Whitehurst Hall and went in.

Three hours later I had applied for admission,,,
Gotten the instructions for follow-up paperwork,,,
And applied for a PELL Grant and any other financial aid I might get.

Five weeks later I got a letter from the Dean of OSU admissions office,,,
I had been accepted and was invited to enroll in a program,,,
I was there the next day to do just that,,,
I started classes in the Fall of 1998.

My first semester there I almost quit,,,
I had no idea how to work a computer,,,
And a lot of my classwork required just that.

But my Fairy Godmother tapped me on the shoulder,,,
I stumbled into a student worker position at my college's computer lab.

My duties were to keep the printers full,,,
And check out loaner gear to the faculty and staff.

Being in that lab though gave me the opportunity to learn from other students,,,
I discovered that operating computers wasn't a form of magic,,,
It was just another machine to learn how to boss around.

I learned how to operate a Windows computer, MS Word, and the on-line learning system,,,
I used those new skills to become a valuable asset to the faculty and staff,,,
I held that job until I got my BS in December of 2001.

Then my Fairy Godmother tapped me on the shoulder again,,,
My boss at the lab offered me a 20 hour graduate assistant position,,,
Then a group of five faculty members offered me another 20 hours GA position.

This would finance a Master's Degree very nicely,,,
So I spent 20 hours a week helping the faculty use the on-line learning system,,,
And the other 20 hours doing all of the tech/grunt work for that team of faculty members.

I held those positions for three years,,,
I graduated with my MS in December of 2004.

Then my beloved Fairy Godmother tapped me on the shoulder yet another time,,,
About four weeks before graduation I was called to the Dean's office,,,
She asked me if I was interested in getting a Doctorate.

She offered me a Teaching Assistant position,,,
Which could finance that Doctorate.

I thanked her profusely but told her I was not really interested,,,
At that time I was 53 years old and needed a real live adult type job,,,
One that would pay well, provide for benefits, and have a pension at it's end.

One week later she approached me again,,,
They had decided that I was a valuable support resource,,,
If I was interested they would turn my GA position into a full-time position.

My friends,,,
I almost wept for joy.

I held that position as the Faculty Support Specialist for the next fifteen and a half years,,,
At the age of 69 I retired from OSU with a very adequate pension from OTRS.

I now live very comfortably in a raggedy old mobile on property that I own outright,,,
Between Social Security and OTRS (Oklahoma Teachers retirement System),,,
I have plenty of income for good health insurance and a very nice car.

I often look around me and see people of my age who have nothing,,,
When that happens I pause to thank my lucky stars.

If I would not have heard those song lyrics on that particular day and time,,,
I would have driven back home to Sapulpa and continued my paycheck to paycheck existence.

But because of those lyrics providing the impetus,,,
I made a major life decision,,,
And more importantly,,,
Acted on it.

On my wall I have the Diploma's for my BS and MS degrees,,,
I have the framed letter of admittance to OSU.

And somewhere in my files of stuff,,,
I have the $35.00 parking ticket I got that fateful day.

So I offer thanks to Pink Floyd for that inspiration,,,
They and their song literally gave me a life beyond poverty.

Aarond

.

I think most people overlook Gilmour's solo in "Time" I think it is one of the best.

 

[Gunbuffer]

If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!

View attachment 269019

Wrong album

 

[aarondhgraham]

PS- just my personal take, your so called fairy GM, is really God.. All the best my friend !

That could very well be my friend.

But in actuality I was referring to a line from Glory Road by Robert A Heinlein.

The main character is an enlisted man in the US Army,,,
He refers to the military's "Fairy Godmother Department" quite a bit.

"...the Fairy Godmother Department is one elderly female GS-5 clerk usually out on sick leave.
Occasionally she wakes up at her desk, puts her knitting down, and stamps some random piece of paperwork as "Approved".

Opportunities came my way that at the time seem almost miraculous,,,
I'm simply glad that I was able to recognize and utilize them.

All I can say for certain is that those lyrics hit my ears at "exactly" the time I needed to hear them,,,
I shudder to think what my life would be like now if I had simply driven home that day.

Thanks for your good thoughts.

Aarond

.

 

[Glock 'em down]

Wrong album

Ah schit...my bad.

 

[Jason Freeland]

That could very well be my friend.

But in actuality I was referring to a line from Glory Road by Robert A Heinlein.

The main character is an enlisted man in the US Army,,,
He refers to the military's "Fairy Godmother Department" quite a bit.

"...the Fairy Godmother Department is one elderly female GS-5 clerk usually out on sick leave.
Occasionally she wakes up at her desk, puts her knitting down, and stamps some random piece of paperwork as "Approved".

Opportunities came my way that at the time seem almost miraculous,,,
I'm simply glad that I was able to recognize and utilize them.

All I can say for certain is that those lyrics hit my ears at "exactly" the time I needed to hear them,,,
I shudder to think what my life would be like now if I had simply driven home that day.

Thanks for your good thoughts.

Aarond

.

Heinlein pretty much raised me, must be why I'm so twisted.