We got Parkland from Netflix last night and enjoyed the movie. It came out in 2013 but I had never heard of it. It's a drama wrapped around the hospital that President Kennedy was taken to after being shot in Dallas in on 11/22/1963. I was 11 at the time but still have a vivid memory of that day. That moment I heard the news is frozen in my head.
I'll never forget that weekend Besides the events that took place,I was supposed to report for active military duty that monday at the federal building in downtown NYC. Monday was a national day of mourning so the building was closed and I went home. I ended up being awol when I finally reached California two days late Found an officer with a brain that I told the whole story to and believed me.
Damn Jerseyguy, you're old! I graduated HS in 1970 and was fortunate enough to skip Vietnam with a lottery number in the high 200s.
Tell me about it Joe But it beats the alternative,and like I always say,the trick is getting here.Mrs. JG took off for a week with her highschool girlfriends(believe it or not,most of them are still alive) so look out AC.
Same w/ me Joe only I was 9 and just started the 3rd grade. We heard the news while in class and the teacher turned on a television. I rememeber all of us being stunned and when I got home that day, my Mom was sitting there crying. I always felt like America lost something besides a president that day. Before that everyone believed what our Gov't leaders told us. After this, even as a child you couldn't help but think there had to be something bigger going on and more people involved than a single gunman and a magic bullet. I'd bet my last dollar there is more to the story and wonder if the public will ever be told after enough time goes by. Funny, I just read about the move too....yesterday on the internet. I will definitely be renting it, thanks for the heads up no that. Off subject a bit, but your story and Jersey guys story reminded me; It's amazing how one or two events change a persons life. As I recall, when I turned 18 in Sept, they didn't actually have the drawing for draft #'s for a few months after that...may have even been the first of the year in 1973. So when that day came.....my draft # was 48....yea, 048. Before the drawing, I already decided if I got a low # I was going to go talk to the Air Force. So, a buddy of mine and I head down to the recruiter and he sells us on the "go w/ your buddy boot camp program" and we do everything "but" sign the dotted line. I wanted to take the info home and have my Dad look it over. I don't recall the time frame but it seemd very short....like just days...I get up one morning and turn on the news and Nixon has abolished the draft. At this point I do a lot of thinking and serious soul searching....at least as much as you're capable of at 18. I decided I was going to still go in the AF since I nor my parents could afford college and I really didn't have the drive at that age to go anyway. I had no clue what I wanted to do. So...my Dad says, "hey, they're giving a test for apprenticeship's down at the shipyard, why don't you go take it before you sign up and see if you get offered anything. Well, long story short...I get hired, never go into the AF and have a great 38 yr career as a civilian for the Navy going from a pipefitter to a financial manager and retired 3 yrs ago. A person couldn't even do that today....they require a college degree for most every job that is outside of the trades anymore. I have a lot of friends probably like you guys that went to Viet Nam and some came home and some never came back. What a crazy time and just a few events that were totally out of my control, for sure changed my life and possibly whether I would even be sitting here today.
I was actually hoping for a low draft number so I could go and not have to put up with my 3 brothers (all were Air Force and a dozen + years older) & mother telling me I was stupid if I enlisted. Anyway, draw the high number, so now what? I knew I had to do college, but all I could afford was the local, 2 year tech college for an Associate's Degree. I'm a fairly sharp guy, but don't excel in the classroom environment, so having no clue I enroll in a basic 2 year degree program, that has no technical/mechanical base. I skip most classes every week because I am so bored and play cards for money in the student union almost every day, but still pass the first semester. One brother suggests I try for an Associate's Degree in the electronics department, specializing in TV engineering. The campus runs two PBS public television stations on site and it has a national reputation for the class program. If you're still with me, I found my niche. Done playing cards, finish in the top of the class and get hired at one of the local network affiliate stations at age 20. I work there 35 years, invest well and retired at 55. hard to believe that it has been almost 6 years since I retired. The sad thing is these days, where do you find a job/career that you can make a decent living and support a family w/o a 4 year degree. The trades are disappearing, or at least the Union trades seem to be. And, where can you work for 35+ years anymore for the same employer? It is becoming very rare.
You guys all hit the nails on the head " It is what it is" as the saying goes,"Joe Lunchbox" is becoming a rare creature compared to how many of the species used to exist
Trades are acutually pretty prevalent in our area but I know we're not the norm for the country. The ship building and ship repair business is huge here...lots of private industry and a government/Navy shipyard. That said, I'm sure all of it is going to get hit by defense budget cuts that are almost assuredly have to happen. You're right about the long term employment....not many work for one employer like that anymore. Even though I stayed w/ the Navy as a civilian, I moved from WA state after working 25 years and worked the last 13 here in VA.....thanks to BRAC.
I was 7 years old at the time. I remember my Dad sitting in the dark watching TV - 24/7. I think I knew at the time he was very depressed though I was too young to understand. I checked Netflix on my computer and it said it was not available to Stream for some reason. The YouTube movie trailer looked interesting. I'll have to check it on my Apple TV box later.
We tried streaming Netflix a couple of years ago and weren't happy with the interruptions, so we're back on the mailed DVD plan. That's how we got it.
I was 7 at the time. I remember school closing for the day and my mom on the phone talking to her friend and she was crying about what happened. Now when something happens in the gov't I think of conspiracy theories.
