Accomplishments ~ Your Life as A List

[Oiler41]

In spite of being a high school drop out, I did get back to school and eventually earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree.

I was the intramural racquetball champion in college in 1981.

I served my country in the U.S. Army. Later, I marched with the uniformed veterans/color guard for the 1993 and 2000 GLBT Marches on Washington.

I have been published in two gay and lesbian publications.

Helped form, and was vice-president of the Mississippi Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Mississippi in the early 90’s and helped the students at the three major public universities there form GLBT student groups.

Worked with the Mississippi ACLU to bring to light GLBT discrimination cases in the state of Mississippi. The victim of one of those cases brought forward ultimately testified before Congress about this.

I designed a refinery turnaround system while working for a very large refining company. Six months after I left the company I was offered a very lucrative consulting position with the same company to show them how to implement that system across all of their domestic refineries.

I bought three houses; still have two of them and inherited five more; so in addition to working, I’ve been remotely managing the rental/repairs of them for nearly four years now. They are in Mississippi and New York.

I’ve stood for justice and doing what is right my whole life. I've slipped here and there a time or two, (I am human!) but I stand solidly on my history.

And best of all, I met the love of my life and married her!

I'm thinking that is it for now!

Glynn

[Sweet Bliss]

let's see, looking backwards with my rose colored granny glasses, (remember those? hee hee hee!)

Graduated high school (drug and alcohol free during the 70's) (major accomplishment, little joke there ya'll)

Won 2nd place in the U.G.L.Y. Bartender contest in Hawaii (fundraiser for MS)

Lived past 30.......ya, whodathunkit?

Lived in Europe for several years, wanna go back...

Discovered Love is possible, and all around me...

Am writing my first of what I hope will be many novels...

learned to give MYSELF an orgasm..... (you have no idea....)

Found my voice.... Thank you BF community!!

and today..... living in Grace

[Kätzchen]

Life growing up had lots of positive experiences but also had its heartbreak too. I lived with my family on a farm, raised my brothers and sisters, and made sure all the daily chores were done as expected (school work and church stuff too).

Growing up, I was lucky to study piano (for many years). I also loved to sing and dance and be part of an English Handbell Choir.

My young adult life got off to a very rough start (which this has tempered my outlook on life, for years).

Looking to make my life better, I earned two very expensive college degrees but also earned a separate certificate of completion for my long held career in the beauty industry (45 years and still active).

I raised my two sons on my own. They are the loves of my life. My sons are awesome.

Late in life, I lost my dad to dementia and Alzheimer’s, and just last fall my eldest brother (and abuser) passed on, too.

I am very private and guard my privacy as well as I can and to me, that is a really big achievement.

[Stone-Butch]

As a butch teen I was a dawg. So many girls , so little time. I grew up. LOL

I went to nursing school and passed and worked till I injured my back and had to wear a brace for 8 months. But it still has not really healed.

I went to work at a vet clinic for 12 yrs and quit because of politics.
I also went to work at the first Canadian Animal Emergency clinic (in the paper)

That clinic closed and I went to work as a Private Investigator for the OPP.

I left there and went to work at Purolator driving. Reinjured my back.

Went to night school and got my 13, then University for 5 y rs for my Sociology degree, the college for two years to get my addictions papers, my teaching papers so I could teach Sociology or English.

Invited on graduation to join "Just for Today" addictions counselling and retired from there.

I do not cook bad but could not bake to save my soul. I had two real relationships , one for 22 yrs and one for 12. Not up for discussion,

I now live alone in Canada in a one bedroom apt. Life is ok.

[easygoingfemme]

Kätzchen, thank you for sharing. I'm glad that you were able to infuse music and education into your life as you did.

Stone-Butch- what is the OPP? It can stand for so many things.

Mine: Hmmm
I was raised in a basic no frills 70s household. I had a library card and a bicycle and didn't need much more than that.

I graduated high school a year early by doubling up. Then went to community college at 16, then transferred to a 2 year college to get my AAS and then to a 4 year where I got a double BA in Women's studies, secondary education, and English literature. I worked my way through college as a nanny, cook in the college kitchen, and a nude model in an art school in Woodstock. By Jr. year I had good enough grades that I was able to disappear from time to time to follow the Grateful Dead so long as I came back and caught up. I always did and I graduated with honors.

I floated around for a little after that, moved to New Mexico, trained to be a birth doula and assisted with births on a reservation out there. Had my own baby at 23 years old and then moved back to NY with my baby to get settled.

From there I've been invested in not-for-profit work serving women and children. I started as a case manager for teen parents in my city and then was recruited to manage our county domestic violence shelter. I've been with the same not-for-profit organization for most of the past 20 years, minus 5 years I took a break and worked from home as a counselor while homeschooling my daughter and then ended up dealing with cancer. I went back to the same organization in 2017 and grew from a program manager to the director of a massive housing program for women and children in our city. We are about to embark on a multi million dollar housing expansion to double our capacity to house women and children who are homeless due to trafficking, domestic violence, addiction, mental health struggles, and poverty.

My rough patches: In 2015 I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. I had a bilateral mastectomy, chemo, radiation. I think I came back strong from that but it changed me for sure. I was on track working and living my life when my brother unexpectedly died in 2019. We had been on the phone just two hours before his heart stopped in his sleep. That changed me in a deeper way that.. I'll never be the person I was before. He was my only sibling so I dug in deep taking care of his children and my parents.

I got into a relationship soon after that A move of vulnerability and fear. We married in 2021. It was not a good choice. My wife became increasingly mentally abusive and controlling. I became a shell of who I used to be and lived in fear. My health was suffering greatly. I left her in January 2024- a middle of the night bolt with a backpack and a friends house to crash in. Soon after that my parents needed help with my father's worsening health and they asked me to stay with them to help, which I did.

I'm rebuilding from that and am poised to buy my house in the coming weeks. It's just down the road from my parents so I can continue to help but also have my space to take care of myself and find my footing again.

I know there will be more struggles ahead but I'm laying down roots for a stronger foundation. I'm active in hiking and in a local rowing/crew team. I cherish my friends and small family. I'm getting back into art and enjoying slow no pressure creativity.

So that's... the first 50 years.

[Stone-Butch]

easygoingfemme-- OPP is Ontario Provincial Police.

[Orema]

Here are some of my accomplishments.

I walked away from an abusive relationship with the clothes on my back in a city where I knew no one other than the people I lived with. For years I was stuck (avoided) thinking about the 24 hours before I left. Through art and therapy I was able to work through those harrowing hours and now I appreciate the strength and resilience I used to get through that period.

I sold a home, bought a home and made a cross-country move during a pandemic. (cough, cough)

I took a job as an artwork proofreader, a job no one in the department wanted—everyone wants to create projects but no one wants to meet printers at 6am for press checks or change a hundred trademarks to registration marks. I was more than willing to do that job just to get into this company and that department (I had been a freelance worker with them and a couple other companies). I knew it was a place I could thrive and I did. I had a great career with them for 20 years that allowed to me to express my deep need to analyze, attend to details and micromanage.

Another accomplishment was I proved her wrong. Mrs. Leon thought I was good for nothing more than changing bedpans. I'm good at changing bedpans and a whole lot more.

[easygoingfemme]

Originally Posted by Orema

Here are some of my accomplishments.

I walked away from an abusive relationship with the clothes on my back in a city where I knew no one other than the people I lived with. For years I was stuck (avoided) thinking about the 24 hours before I left. Through art and therapy I was able to work through those harrowing hours and now I appreciate the strength and resilience I used to get through that period.

I sold a home, bought a home and made a cross-country move during a pandemic. (cough, cough)

I took a job as an artwork proofreader, a job no one in the department wanted—everyone wants to create projects but no one wants to meet printers at 6am for press checks or change a hundred trademarks to registration marks. I was more than willing to do that job just to get into this company and that department (I had been a freelance worker with them and a couple other companies). I knew it was a place I could thrive and I did. I had a great career with them for 20 years that allowed to me to express my deep need to analyze, attend to details and micromanage.

Another accomplishment was I proved her wrong. Mrs. Leon thought I was good for nothing more than changing bedpans. I'm good at changing bedpans and a whole lot more.

I love your description of being an artwork proofreader. Mrs. Leon can kiss off.