BLOG DAY # 100 in a day of my life. Isn't it approiate that on my 100th BLOG that I celebrated 45 years of work yesterday!

    Today, well it is about me. You see, on June 5th, 1967 , I started a job- a job that I needed. I was 18, fresh out of high school one week and MARRIED! It was just one of those things that happen in life. Not planned, but their was a child, a boy born in Jan. of that year.

     That wasn't the only thing-9 months prior in Sept. of '66, I was in a automobile accident- spending 51 days in the hospital- not knowing if I would ever walk again. So yes, the job was important!

The place- AMERICAN OLEAN TILE CO. East state street in Olean NY. I was hired for the summer, not knowing what I was going to do come fall.

I can remember a song, and a movie that year. "TO SIR WITH LOVE." by LULU. I wonder whatever happened to her, as it turned out to be a huge hit.




Olean is a small community- maybe 14,000 to 20,000. The tile plant was located on 417 just east of Forness park.

I started out in what they called the CELLER gang. We filled in all over the plant and did the groundswork outside.

They needed someone in Body Prep. I was choosen because my date to leave was later than the guys who were going to college. I NEEDED A JOB!



THIS WAS THE BEGINNING IN 1914- you would not recognize it today, as it was added on and added on so many times.

Life was hard, we lived with my parents. Then one day they asked me when I was leaving. I told them I would like to stay if they would let me. I NEEDED A JOB! College was not in my plans, I had a family, I had recovered from my accident, was walking and willing to work. It was perhaps one of the greatest lessons of my life. I learned to do the best that I could do and do it without being asked to !  i had to survive, and it was important to make that impression so that they would want to keep me. I NEEDED A JOB!

"WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS!"   and "LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS!"

THE BEATLES WERE ALMOST EVERY ONES FAVORITES!

  I learned how to make tile.

For the next 6 1/2 years, I worked second shift-only it was different- we were scheduled to work 10, 11 and 12 hour days. I NEEDED THE JOB!

Then, I got the opportunity to move to days in the same department, different job, by this time I had learned all the jobs in Body Prep. I worked with guys who had nick names, Shorty, Bear, Fly, Zeke, Lawton, Frosty, Nolder, Walt, Guiannie, big John, Clarence, all but four are now gone, there were others who came and went.

For 3 and 1/2 years I worked days. But after 9 1/2 years, I was tired of working 10 hour days. So I bid and received a shipping job. I worked in shipping for another 9 1/2 years. This is where I met Sherry after my divorce. She was in payroll. We had contact as I had to walk through her office to get to transportation office. We connected- as she had just gotten divorced. I asked her out and we still are together 31 years later, married 30 years.

""DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE!" another song from '67   

The years have gone by- I worked in Olean for 32 years, going into management, and process facilitator, back to management when we were merged with Dal - Tile. Then one day , Sherry came home and said, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE SOUTH?  I SAID WHEN ARE WE GOING!

You see, I had become someone that I didn't like, someone who was frustrated with the job and was burned out! Management does that to you-I didn't want to be management anymore after almost 12 years.

MY LIFE HAD BECOME "KIND OF A DRAG!' BUCKINGHAM'S


WE WERE HEADED FOR NORTHERN VA. SHERRY WHO WAS LOGISTICS AT OLEAN, APPLIED AND GOT MANAGERS JOB AT THE DULLES SSC. ME, I DIDN'T CARE, I WAS DONE, OR WAS I?  I GOT A PHONE CALL, THEY NEEDED SOMEONE AT THE SSC IN ALEXANDRIA. I COULD TRANSFER, I WOULD TAKE ALL MY TIME & VACATION WITH ME. THE ONLY CONDITION I MADE WAS, "I WANTED NO MANAGEMENT OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR OTHER THAN MYSELF!"

"I'M A BELIEVER" MONKEES  1967

NOW IT IS 13 YEARS LATER. I HAVE BEEN WORKING AT SIX DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, INCLUDING THREE AT ALEXANDRIA. I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR NO ONE OTHER THAN MYSELF. I HAVE BEEN OFFERED , BUT DECLINED THAT RESPONSIBILITY, I HAVE GONE FROM I NEEDED A JOB, BACK TO I LOVE MY JOB!

HAPPY TOGETHER- TURTLES   GROOVIN - YOUNG RASCALS

YES , THE TIME HAS GONE BY-45 YEARS AGO YESTERDAY- I WILL STAY NO LONGER THAN ANOTHER 23 MONTHS! I AM HAPPY. SHERRY RETIRES IN 24 DAYS TO PURSUE HER LOVE.  YESTERDAY THEY SURPRISED ME, THEY PAID TRIBUTE TO ME FOR MY TIME, THERE WERE HANDSHAKES AND HUGS. I EVEN GOT AN APPLE (FRUIT) TURNOVER- THEY THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE HEALTHY! lol

CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU---FRANKIE VALLIE

SO TODAY, I AM FEELING IT! I LOVE LIFE AND PLAN TO LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST I CAN.

I THINK WE ARE ALONE NOW--TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS

WE HAVE EACH OTHER 7 WE HAVE ARE FAMILIES- WE ARE WHO WE ARE AND WILL DO TOGETHER WHAT WE BOTH LOVE.

INCENSE AND PEPPERMINT--STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK

I WISH YOU ALL THE HAPPINESS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED OVER THESE YEARS-45 TO BE EXACT. WE ALL HAVE A GOAL, AND MINE IS TO FINISH OUT ,

DOING IT MY WAY--FRANK SINATRA


AND I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH ONE OF MY FAVORITES OF 1967.


"ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE!"   BEATLES   "I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER" STEVIE WONDER

  WE WILL HAVE A FUN LIFE!