Goals, Then and Now
Excuse me while I reminisce a little.
42 years ago tonight I was in my first few days of boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago. I remember sitting in my barracks on New Year's Eve 1975 and thinking how a mere three weeks earlier enlisting in the Navy was in no way one of the options I was considering. I had watched nearly all of my friends leave for or enroll in college that fall while I remained behind working factory jobs with no real future plans.
I acted on my sister's suggestion and went to speak with a Navy recruiter in Brooklyn Park. Chuck Wilson would shepherd me through the process. Everything happened so quickly after our initial meeting where I took an exam to see if I qualified for any schooling after boot camp. Chuck then scheduled me for a physical examination at a facility in Minneapolis. I remember asking him about how late in the recruiting process could I still back out. He replied that once a person has had their physical he likes to think they've made a commitment. And so it was at that point that I accepted this new road I was on and vanquished any remaining doubts.
It was a pivotal point in my life but not one that I recall seeking advice from either of my parents about. They had left for Pottstown, Pennsylvania one year earlier with my two younger brothers while I was in my senior year at Thomas Jefferson High School in Bloomington. My dad supported me while I was still in school but probably not much after that. I can't recall for certain. It was mostly my brother and brother-in-law who encouraged me to sign up.
I've always been goal-oriented in my adult life but not so much yet at the age of 18. I do think though that I realized I had to do something with my life other than what I had been doing and that was motivation enough for me to enlist. Honestly, as I look back I can't think of any goals I set for myself other than maybe trying to move up from bagboy to stockboy at Penny's Grocery in Lohman's Plaza a mile from home. My world was still quite small then as were my ambitions.
The first real goals I recall setting for myself were ones I made that involved my bike, such as riding from San Diego to Campo and back or up to Oceanside and back. Those early days on my bike were some of my first experiences where I challenged myself and pushed myself to find my limits on roads like this. The endurance athlete in me took root and gave me a confidence and belief in myself that hadn't existed before. I wasn't out there to prove anything to anyone but myself. My bike became my focus as did my fitness. In a lot of ways, I'm still the same person I was all those years ago.
I wasn't getting the book-smarts my friends were getting in college but I was progressing in my own way, and I had to be content in that. My goals would expand to saving enough money to buy a new frame and parts to go with it in addition to finishing my enlistment and finding my way to college while supporting myself. There was a lot on my horizon and I was chomping-at-the-bit to begin my next phase of life.
But that's enough of my past for this blog entry.
I enjoy reminiscing like this but it's also kinda sad when I see how fast my life is moving. I would give anything to relive the previous 42 years or at least slow time down. I love the zest and curiosity for life that I've been given and I'm thankful for it but lately, I can see where my time here is finite and that's not something I'm ready to think too much about just yet. And so I keep moving and keep challenging myself.
I'm not much for making life-altering resolutions to begin the new year, instead, I'll just put some milestones out there to try and work toward and see how I do. I'd like to bike 6000 miles (9600 km) and walk 2000 miles (3200 km) in the coming year. I think both are very doable. I'd also like to achieve a golf handicap of 8 by this time next year. And I'd like to see if I can establish my niche and gain a following at my Etsy store by steadily building my inventory and occasionally promoting my work. I've been enjoying dabbling with stained glass again and I find a lot of satisfaction in producing my art. Also, rather than volunteering time working on mountain bike trails, I think I'd like to find a more meaningful volunteer opportunity. I have a friend who drives elderly people to appointments. That appeals to me.
Here's wishing you all the best in 2018.
I'll leave you with a video from this past week. We've been invaded by Star Wars characters!
42 years ago tonight I was in my first few days of boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago. I remember sitting in my barracks on New Year's Eve 1975 and thinking how a mere three weeks earlier enlisting in the Navy was in no way one of the options I was considering. I had watched nearly all of my friends leave for or enroll in college that fall while I remained behind working factory jobs with no real future plans.
I acted on my sister's suggestion and went to speak with a Navy recruiter in Brooklyn Park. Chuck Wilson would shepherd me through the process. Everything happened so quickly after our initial meeting where I took an exam to see if I qualified for any schooling after boot camp. Chuck then scheduled me for a physical examination at a facility in Minneapolis. I remember asking him about how late in the recruiting process could I still back out. He replied that once a person has had their physical he likes to think they've made a commitment. And so it was at that point that I accepted this new road I was on and vanquished any remaining doubts.
It was a pivotal point in my life but not one that I recall seeking advice from either of my parents about. They had left for Pottstown, Pennsylvania one year earlier with my two younger brothers while I was in my senior year at Thomas Jefferson High School in Bloomington. My dad supported me while I was still in school but probably not much after that. I can't recall for certain. It was mostly my brother and brother-in-law who encouraged me to sign up.
I've always been goal-oriented in my adult life but not so much yet at the age of 18. I do think though that I realized I had to do something with my life other than what I had been doing and that was motivation enough for me to enlist. Honestly, as I look back I can't think of any goals I set for myself other than maybe trying to move up from bagboy to stockboy at Penny's Grocery in Lohman's Plaza a mile from home. My world was still quite small then as were my ambitions.
The first real goals I recall setting for myself were ones I made that involved my bike, such as riding from San Diego to Campo and back or up to Oceanside and back. Those early days on my bike were some of my first experiences where I challenged myself and pushed myself to find my limits on roads like this. The endurance athlete in me took root and gave me a confidence and belief in myself that hadn't existed before. I wasn't out there to prove anything to anyone but myself. My bike became my focus as did my fitness. In a lot of ways, I'm still the same person I was all those years ago.
I wasn't getting the book-smarts my friends were getting in college but I was progressing in my own way, and I had to be content in that. My goals would expand to saving enough money to buy a new frame and parts to go with it in addition to finishing my enlistment and finding my way to college while supporting myself. There was a lot on my horizon and I was chomping-at-the-bit to begin my next phase of life.
But that's enough of my past for this blog entry.
I enjoy reminiscing like this but it's also kinda sad when I see how fast my life is moving. I would give anything to relive the previous 42 years or at least slow time down. I love the zest and curiosity for life that I've been given and I'm thankful for it but lately, I can see where my time here is finite and that's not something I'm ready to think too much about just yet. And so I keep moving and keep challenging myself.
I'm not much for making life-altering resolutions to begin the new year, instead, I'll just put some milestones out there to try and work toward and see how I do. I'd like to bike 6000 miles (9600 km) and walk 2000 miles (3200 km) in the coming year. I think both are very doable. I'd also like to achieve a golf handicap of 8 by this time next year. And I'd like to see if I can establish my niche and gain a following at my Etsy store by steadily building my inventory and occasionally promoting my work. I've been enjoying dabbling with stained glass again and I find a lot of satisfaction in producing my art. Also, rather than volunteering time working on mountain bike trails, I think I'd like to find a more meaningful volunteer opportunity. I have a friend who drives elderly people to appointments. That appeals to me.
Here's wishing you all the best in 2018.
I'll leave you with a video from this past week. We've been invaded by Star Wars characters!
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