.

Taking my current job with an incredibly awesome company. Interned with them at ISU. They remembered me 5 years later after I had been bounced around a bit in other businesses.

Would have never met my wonderful wife if I hadn't taken this job. I owe them everything and will never be able to give back as much as I have received.
 
I wanted to get a job when I graduated from Iowa State. My advisor thought I should go to graduate school. So she cajoled me and paid for me to take my GREs. I still didn't want to go to graduate school.

One March day she literally sat me down and had me fill out and send in applications.

The job market then was terrible, and I got good offers from grad schools, so off I went to graduate school where I met my wife and was able to land a job that allowed me to travel all over the world.

The day she sat me down to fill out grad school applications changed my life for the better.

I am an Iowa State fan for a lot of reasons, but that persistent advisor is certainly #1 for me.
 
In one week, during my last semester at ISU, my family decided to turn off the machines keeping my grandmother alive after a stroke, she died two hours later. Her passing lead to extended family suing me over the estate. Two days later one of my best friends from high school and college died from cancer. He got the cancer from an organ transplant. I was the last person to speak to him before he passed in his sleep.

The entire experience changed the way I approached life and death. Never pass up an opportunity to tell someone what they mean to you. Doesn't take much to make someone's day. Sometimes a smile, even on the face of a complete stanger, can push the clouds away.
 
Probably a choice I made when I was about 9. Mom saw an ad in the paper for dance, piano, or voice lessons. I chose voice. That teacher became like a 2nd mom to me, ended up taking choir at the high school she taught where I met DH and likely got on the path to attending ISU.

That or seeing a friendly cow I really liked about that same age.
 
Probably a choice I made when I was about 9. Mom saw an ad in the paper for dance, piano, or voice lessons. I chose voice. That teacher became like a 2nd mom to me, ended up taking choir at the high school she taught where I met DH and likely got on the path to attending ISU.

That or seeing a friendly cow I really liked about that same age.
836, right? :D
 
Two close relatives passing away (cancer, age) and two catastrophic separate incidents happening at a town I was coaching at in a two year range. Really hit home that you can try getting through things by yourself but life isnt meant to be done alone and can be a lot more trying that way.
 
  • Friendly
Reactions: NWICY
Having cancer in my 20s. You quickly appreciate a second chance at life. I was lucky. The doctor told me back then that had that happened 5 years earlier I wouldn't have survived.

Big thanks to Dr. Milleman who saw me through it all.
If it's the one here in Ames - he's retired now, but he is a wonderful guy. Treated me & my son for different reasons.
 
HS was easy - average grades with no effort. Went to ISU and promptly flunked out. No discipline, no study skills, lost confidence. Joined USAF out of the blue and became a new person. Saved my life and changed my life. Aim high.
Same here. Joined the USAF after 3 semesters and that was the best decision I've ever made.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpokaneCY
Birth of the first child. She came out covered in black meconium, that white sticky cottage cheese-like stuff, red blood and all that clear jelly like stuff and my wife and I both agreed she was perfect.
 

Help Support Us

Become a patron