College on the VA GI Bill
After 4 years in the US Navy I enrolled at a community college to take advantage of the VA GI Bill benefits. I was behind in math and needed a few prerequisite classes to take the Calculus I, II, III sequence. There was a town 10 miles away that was opening a new community college so I enrolled there too. I took 15-18 units at each place and got two semesters work done in one. I was lucky that it was spring semester with the summer break following as I was burnt out with the double homework.
During the summer I worked in the shipyards as a journeyman outside machinist and worked overtime everyday of the summer break from school. I think we did 12 hours daily and the overtime pay helped with school expenses. Every time I was back to work on a ship my leg muscles would ache the first few weeks from going up and down the steep ladders on the ships.
I had joint custody and visitation rights so I had my daughter on Saturday for all day visits. This didn't last long though as exwife moved 600 miles away right after I started school. I didn't see my daughter for a year and a half and then I got adoption papers from exwife for me to give up my rights to see her. I declined so next came a 'forced adoption' court case. They made up a lot of issues but mostly said I was alcoholic from one time on a visitation day was at my ships party and I had a girlfriend helper and driver. I played beer baseball where you have to drink before running. The judge saw through their deceit and they were admonished for trying to force loss of parental rights, my child support amount was cut in half because was to high and especially for a college student. My pro bono lawyer used my college grades as proof I was not an alcoholic. I had to re-connect with my daughter and have a visitation weekend once a month for a year and I did all 12. They were fun weekend trips for me and my girlfriend.
My daughter has a great life now with a high earning husband, her own company and two kids. She is estranged from my exwife and resents her and her stepdad for her teenage years. The stepdad didn't work for 30 years claimed 'bad back' so my exwife supported the family. My daughter had to work for food money all through her high school years. They lived in an affluent neighborhood cause they bought a high cost home with inheritance from Navy Captain but had 'low income' for the area so my daughter was miserable as a 'pauper in 90210'. I just learned all this from my daughter 5 years ago. I raised the child support I sent back to the original amount after I was working and sent that until she was 18. I would have helped her in high school if she had told me.
Well mate, after eight years service... much the same journey in one sense... except I did not undergo the odyssey (pain) with divorce. When you get a chance you can read my first blog post made here Eternal Father it gives my rearing and influences and pain AYE I would not commit to a relationship until much later - now 40 yrs plus later. Did the same community college to bone up on the math.science prep, took every summer classes for both terms to balance the fall/win load and for five years worked two jobs and my BSEE - objective done and like you it was work-work-work and little or no time for play. So when I say to you I know - well we both know. Made a good life... but we worked for it...brother! PS my uncle: CA-35 The USS Indy! Still on patrol
You put in a lot of hard work. Also glad you were able to reconnect with your daughter.
Thanks Misty. The hard work was easier because I was interested in learning that field so was not work. I am happy we reconnected but also for the great life she has due to her hard work. The area she grew up in is truly full of 'snobs' and anyone without wealth would be miserable there.
Good things come to those willing to work for it.
Exactly right fastcat351c. Even then a bit of good luck doesn't hurt either. Other people recognize your hard work and help you even more.
I left home at 15 because I got tired of watching my Dad beat the living shit out of my Mom, he was a drunken asshole those years. I did steal for food sometimes but preferred to work for money. At 15 years old I hung out on "Cash Corner" as they called it in 1975, downtown Calgary. I was always one of the first to be picked up for a temp job, mainly because I was 6'1" and I looked healthy. I lived on the streets because of that asshole. When I turned 16 and finally got my class 5 drivers and that all changed, I stopped stealing for food. I got a fulltime job washing cars. Rarely called in sick, became very dependable and worked my ass up the ladder. I had no idea how to be a husband or a parent because of what I was taught up until 15. I never did beat my spouses but I always picked trash as a partner. Everyone of my relationships failed until I finally grew up at 48 and met a tolerant Asian girl...she puts up with a lot of my shit :) Philippine's women are very loyal. My first marriage ended by an affair with my fav Bro. Not only did I loose a wife but I also lost a Bro. Their affair ended shortly after. Far as I know my ex still pays rent and lives in an apartment. Both of my boys hate her guts now. Karma is a bitch and the best way to avoid it is to work hard and earn the things in life that you need. House is now paid for, I have a border paying me rent and I have money in the Bank.
All of the early strife in your life makes you work harder when the later opportunities (jobs) present themselves. My parents divorced when I was 11. We lived with alcoholic mom until I was 15. Moms drunk boyfriend was beating on her and I had a broken leg at the time. I laid that guy out with one of my crutches. Never saw him again until we went to live with Dad at age 15. Good times, eh?
"Good times eh" had to laugh "Eh" I kicked my dad in the balls bigtime and on target that night he put mom in the hospital for three months. Mom says he smartened up that night, she thanked me hundreds of times after that, right up until dad passed away last Feb.
You have done a lot of interesting things in your life. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I am just getting started bladefire239. Thanks for saying so. I just want to tell a little bit of story but all this other stuff goes along with it. lol.
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