Where were you 10 years ago? 5 years ago?

[YTNUKLR]

Was having an interesting discussion with my friend on how people's lives change over time, how much in control of it we are, aware of it, etc., and to what extent "life paths" are already determined before any action (ie., if you are born poor, it is more likely you will stay poor than someone who was not).....this brought up the question, "Where were you __ years ago?"

I'll start..

10 years ago: 9 and a half years old, parents just divorced, favorite activities were swimming, radio control cars and my BMX bike. Bought my first CD, "From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah" by Nirvana. Spent my time laying out miles of slot-car track (w/ my dad's Aurora slot cars), going to summer camp, being a kid.... Got in trouble a lot at school for doing dumb little crap

5 years ago: 14 years old, trying to figure out the beginning of high school, a fairly mentally unstable time (for everyone, I think). This seems to be the age when I started realizing life is not all just fun and games...Also, this is when I began my obsession with Porsches. Always liked them, but this is the beginning of my obsession. Bought an over-revved 2.0L '69E motor and rebuilt it! I spent a LOT of time day-dreaming about how my 911 was going to be when I finally got it.

now, 19, in berkeley, exploring the universe and building 911 engines when I can. Bunch of stuff in the works, busy busy. Still have time for fun , though. Making slow but steady progress on my '70, parts gathering ....

I'm pretty glad so far I'm taking this journey called "life"...

So, tell your (condensed) stories...

[Aurel]

Interesting thread. I`ll bite:

10 Years ago: I was 26, in France, living in a tiny apartment in Amiens, 2 minutes walk from the lab where I was doing my postdoc research on Li-ion batteries, under a contract with Bellcore, a US company I did not know much about. I was driving a 80 hp peugeot 205, and I was doing the trip Amiens-Vernouillet every week on that deserted higway where I could cruise at 100 mph and never got a ticket, but blew my motor once.

5 Years ago: I was working for Bellcore in Red Bank, NJ. Living the single guy life, driving a Honda civic and thinking of buying a 911.
Used to travel to Hawaii for conferences on the company, bought my house in Red Bank, dated a few girls...

Now: 36, married, one adorable baby girl. Working for Rutgers University, living in the same house which has improved a lot since my wife took matters in her own hands. Glad I got my big toys (911SC, boat) before I got married ! If I died now, I would go knowing that I lived a good life. But there is a lot more to come.

I have had sign that told my this path was pre-determined. The most striking one is this poster I bought 10 years ago in France. It was showing some fishing tackle, and an old newspaper from Asbury Park fishing club. At this time, I had no clue I would end up in New Jersey. Now, I live not far from Asbury Park, and my wife used to work for the Asbury Park Press. The poster is still on my wall, as a reminder that there are invisible forces at play in our life paths.

Aurel

[Oh Haha]

This should be interesting.


Ten years ago, I was in a bad marriage wondering what I was going to do. In two months when I turned 30, we were starting the process. I would have never thought in 5 years I would have a promotiom, meet my soulmate and marry her, plus buy a 911.

5 years ago I was having fun with my wife and talking about the future we would have together.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally posted by Oh Haha
This should be interesting.


Ten years ago, I was in a bad marriage wondering what I was going to do. ...

Hmmmm, me too...but I didn't know it!

10 years ago, 1997, 42 years old. Just had my last idyllic Christmas in the home my beautiful blonde highschool sweetheart and I had lived in for over 10 years. Our house was in the nicest neighborhood up in the hills in the town we had grown up in. Our kids were 14 and 16, stars in high school sports. I'd done EVERYTHING to this house. Extensive landscaping, all interiors redone, etc. I thought I would live there the rest of my life.

5 years ago, 2002. My "childhood sweetheart" came home 6weeks short of our 20th wedding anniversay in March, 1998 and said we were over, she wanted out After two years of attempting to hold it together I had finally given up. I was out, living in a crap apartment with NOTHING. Financially busted, no house, NO car, and emotionally pretty broken up.

Today, I've recovered....and it was HARD. I found my girlfriend who is NOTHING like my ex and she is wonderful. We share many things I never shared with my ex. We've got an old house in not-the-best area of Pasadena, nothing like the home and neighborhood I once had but I have been restoring it for a few years now. Financed it over 15 years to try to "get back" to where I once was relative to being able to retire before I'm 80! My kids are 24 and 26. Son in married, daughter in her last quarter of Law School at USC. I bought a big Dodge Ram 4x4 to tow Jetski's we bought. Bought my 911 because I'd always wanted one and I didn't want it to be another life regret thing.

Interesting thread? You don't know the half of what this has made me think of again...and reminded me to appreciate.

[SgtTurbo]

10 years ago I was a 28 yr old Air Force Staff Sergeant returning to the United States after my 3rd, 4 month deployment to Kuwait in support of the Southern No Fly Zone. The C-5 that was transporting our helicopters and my unit back to the United States broke at RAF Mildenhall, UK....we had one hell of a party at the NCO Club and consumed many pints of Guinness!

5 years ago I stalled a Mitsubishi Pajero trying to cross a frigid Icelandic river. The truck filled up with water and we spent the next 6 hours trying to get the truck out of the river. We were 100 miles from any help, soaked and I thought there was a high potential of dieing out there in the Icelandic interior. We finally freed the truck and towed it back to base with parachute cord (amazing stuff!).

Now I am a Master Sergeant that is in charge of the mechanics that maintain the aircraft that transport our nations leaders. In 4 months, I'll be going to Iraq to train Iraqi aircraft maintenance officers.

[legion]

Ten years ago:

I was one semester into my freshmen year of college. My roommate and best friend had recently moved out after I beat the crap out of him (he had anger issues and one day he walked into our room, walked up to me, and punched me in the mouth chipping a tooth without any warning). I decided then and there to concentrate on my studies and get out on my own as soon as I could.

Five years ago:

I had been working in my current job for 1.5 years. I was living in a crappy apartment whose landlord raised the rent by 20%-30% every year to compensate for the growing number of vacant apartments. My girlfriend (now wife) had decided to move 200 miles away the next school year for a teaching job. I was making 60% of what I make now and was driving my first (and only) brand new car: a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am GT.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally posted by legion
...and was driving my first (and only) brand new car: a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am GT.

Did someone perform an intervention with you or what? From Pontiacs to Porsches.....that is quite a jump.

Pontiac styling always reminds me that someone in the Pontiac styling bureau needs to have the pencil slapped out of his hand. What's the deal with all the scoops, vents, spoilers, body lines, and honeycomb? Holy crap! Put down the pencil and step away from the drawing, will 'ya dude?!

[pwd72s]

10 years ago....same wife, same house, same car

5 years ago...ditto

It's a boring little life, but I like it....

[Tishabet]

10 years ago: 16 Years old, HS Junior. Had just started seeing my first "serious" girlfriend, was wrapping up the restoration of a 73 VW bug, living at home.

5 years ago: 21 years old, college Senior. No girlfriend, double majoring in Computer Science and English, driving the 73 Bug and had just bought my next project, 1938 Buick. Living on campus. T minus 1 month before meeting future wife in February '02.

Now: 26 years old, working for a financial services startup leading software development and product development teams, wrapping up the restoration of the Buick so I can drive the soon to be wife home from our wedding this May. Sold the 73 Bug, bought a 944 and a condo. Things are good

[Joeaksa]

Will expound on it a bit... us OF's (old farts) have been around a while.

20 years ago was living in San Diego, doing a corporate gig and enjoying SoCal. In Oct would head to Berlin and my life would change forever. Bought my first 911 when I got to Berlin.

15 years ago was living in Germany flying medivac out of Berlin. One of the best things I ever did. Had been married to a German lady for 4 years. Fall of the Berlin Wall changed everything forever.

10 years ago had just returned from my last tour in Saudi Arabia. In the middle of getting a divorce. Lived in Helena Montana for a bit then on to Dallas Tx. Bought a 1985 911 Targa and was enjoying life.

5 years ago was the head of a corporate flight department in Scottsdale AZ. Still had the 911 but a few other toys were coming on the scene.

Now am still in Phoenix, still have the cars (and more) and doing contract work around the world.

Joe

[Sonic dB]

Good post Scott, it is good that you are thinking about these things.

As you get older, into your late 20s and beyond...for some odd reason, you will probably find that time goes by soooo much faster than it did at your age, or at least it certainly seems to.
Each year will seem to rush by so much faster than it did when
you were young.

I am not sure if this is because of "routines" which we fall into
or whether we just have so much to worry about as we are older,
therefore occupying our brains enough to distract us from time.

For me, the 10 years between 9 and 19 were an eternity, filled
with memories and growth. The 10 years between 27 and 37
however have been marked with constant change, and variety,
but have just flown by so fast. The "routine" aspect, I think, is
in the mental-pattern that I have fallen into... the striving for and thinking about the same things...
regardless of what happens on the outside. This is probably true for most of us.
Whether we have the same daily life now as 10 years ago or not...when we age,
our minds tend to go the same places.

[gassy]

Ten years ago, I was in a bad marriage wondering what I was going to do. In two months when I turned 30, we were starting the process. I would have never thought in 5 years I would have a promotiom, meet my soulmate and marry her, plus buy a 911.

5 years ago I was having fun with my wife and talking about the future we would have together.

Wow, me too man. Damn near the same story. My 2nd wife and I just celebrated our 5th--two kids from my first marriage are doing really well and my four year old is a little pistol. I was promoted to VP 8 yrs ago and bought my 911 a couple of years ago.
Not to sound like a dork but I think it was John Lennon that said "Life is what happens when you keep planning for the future." Not sure why that phrase came to mind or why it's relevant to this thread but I'm dumb so just bear with me. Enjoy the moment and the memories, I guess. Back to your local broadcast.
Christian.

[jyl]

Hmm, this will be pretty boring from me.

10 yrs ago today, Jan 1996 - I was living in LA, married a few years. Though we didn't know it, by year-end my wife would be pregnant with our first child. We were trying to sell our house, saving up money, getting ready to drop out and travel for a year. I think I was starting a 1 month trial, but secretly was getting ready to wind down my legal career and resign from the partnership. Spending a lot of time kayaking in Baja and fishing in the San Bernardino mountains.

5 yrs ago - Jan 2001. Living in Berkeley, two kids now. Had my MBA for two years, not making much money yet. Had spent most of the savings we'd accumulated through 1997, traveling and then supporting family through grad school. The stock market was imploding. I didn't know it then, but my industry was starting a crushing 3 year decline. Almost half of the analysts in my firm would be jobless in two years, and our assets under management would fall from >$50 billion to <$20 billion (means company revenue falls by 2/3rds).

[pwd72s]

Yep, Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes. Scott, you'll never hear this from a philosophy professor.

[Rich76_911s]

Great thread and lots of cool stories.

Jan 1996, I just graduated high school a semester early. I spent the winter opening a bagel shop from 4am to 9am and spent the rest of the day volunteer teaching disabled skiing.

Jan. 2002 had graduated college in august, and had no clue what I was going to do for a job. Was working as a painter and continued volunteer teaching disabled skiing. My Dad gave me my first 911, his 1976 911s and I was going to restore it. I always dreamt about the car, but was inspired after seeing a burnt 912 restored to a race car in an excellence I found in a supermarket. After disassembling the entire car in a garage with no heat, found out that the rust on the tub was not worth fixing. Been dreaming about a running 911 since. Maybe someday.

Scott I really look up to you. I wish I could put engine rebuilder, and experience at TRE on my resume. Good luck with the next 10, 20, 30 years. Maybe someday we'll both have running 911's

[Seahawk]

I wish I had something of substance to add...now, if you want to go back thirty years, I've much to contribute.

YTNUKLR...I went to UCB. Please treasure the days ahead.

[YTNUKLR]

Really enjoying this thread. People's life stories are always interesting, I was just curious what changes in a 10-year period. It's obvious that in just 10 years, your life can turn a 180 you didn't even plan on.....

paul- I wouldn't think of it as boring or little, at all.. You have a lot to be proud of and grateful for. You've worked hard and gotten to a nice place. I could think of worse ways of life than living than in beautiful Oregon with a caring wife and a sweet 911.

sonic-I've been thinking the same things...not that I'm there yet. It just seems like there are so many people that had grand ideas of seeing the world, doing all sorts of different activities, meeting all kinds of people, then somehow they get "sucked into" a job, wife, suburban house and kids.....and that's the end of that!

It seems like divorces are more commonplace than I perceived before..

For me to look back even now, it's very strange how large a part Porsches have played in my life. It isn't just a car.....something very profound about it. Sometimes I look back, wonder what the hell I was doing...who's 14 and decides to buy an old 911 motor? Rich, you should move out to North Hollywood, Dave could use some help at the shop It would be nice to have a running car, too!

Seahawk-I'm enjoying every minute. I almost wish I could stop time. I know several people who went to Berk and they all wish they could go back, now 30 years later....

keep postin' ! i'm going to go take a bike ride up grizzly peak road.

[nostatic]

25 years ago: aspiring rock guitarist. working odd jobs. extensive partying. almost died.

20 years ago: finishing ba in chemistry at USD

15 years ago: finishing phd in chemistry at Caltech, heading to postdoc at UCSF, about to get divorced from first wife (married in grad school).

10 years ago: assistant professor of chemistry at Claremont, married to 2nd wife, son just born.

5 years ago: changed careers to digital media. marriage on the rocks. playing with Kaz Takeda Quartet, do some gigs in Japan in '03.

2 years ago: Simpleflower breaks up, marriage breaks up, I move into crappy apartment. Start running with POC and new g/f.

1 year ago: life much better. another job change. more track days, more g/f.

now: cup licensed, single but looking, doing more writing, pondering living in china for awhile, life nuts in a good way.

[Hugh R]

35 years ago in the USMC under a deal worked out with the Judge

30 years ago, graduated from U of Mass and headed out to LA in search for a job.

25 years ago, in Graduate school and met my future wife, both working on MBAs. Married two years later.

20 years ago, daughter was one year old, working at a consulting firm in Environmental Engineering,

15 years ago my son was three, still working for a one of several consulting firms.

10 years ago got hired to Chair the Motion Picture Industry Wide Labor Management Safety Committee.

5 years ago, back to consulting, but on my own.

Now, I've been at Disney for almost four years doing motion picture and television safety. Still same wife, daughter at UC Santa Barbara, son is a High School Senior, and still married to the same women.

[Don Plumley]

22 Years Ago: Living in a fraternity house. Accepted to medical school.

20 Years Ago: Didn't go to med school, married college sweetheart, got a corporate sales job.

15 Years Ago: 1st child 1 year old. Started company, bought 1st home in Irvine, thought I was king of the world. 2 years later, daughter born. Company failed, lost all our savings.

10 Years Ago: Just finished MBA while working, landed first global VP sales and marketing job. Traveled the world every month.

5 Years Ago: Out of work for one year (2 total), things getting kinda tight.

2 Years Ago: Moved to NorCal. GM of Company - best job ever. Sold the division. Drove on the track for the first time...

1 Year Ago: Left the company, started a winery, started building a track car, started looking for a job (again).

Today: 13 track days under my belt. Partner in a marketing agency, about to release first vintage. Still married to College sweetheart...

It's definitely a journey!