Good Venn
I had this idea, to say something about the States, the zones within States, I was going to say something about the idiosyncrasies of the places, the four places, where I have lived.
And then - I started writing - bird by bird
And the story, it had a mind of its own. The story carried me off. The story took off down its own path, a different direction.
And - I love that. It’s cool. Stories, close your eyes, take the ride. I love that.
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I have an Aunt and an Uncle who moved to Texas for work, way back, 1969 if I’m not mistaken.
Work, the company that my Uncle worked for, it’s origin and HQ was in New York State, Rochester, New York. But like so many companies, cost of living, cost of labor, there was a lot of shifting at that time (and probably still, to this day)... movement, relocation of people and resources - west and south.
American migration
1969 Dallas, the suburbs of Dallas, that’s where the company asked my Uncle and Aunt to go - to go with the flow.
I don’t know how they felt about moving, moving away from the place they knew, away from family and friends. A one way trip to an unknown…
And I’m guessing here. But, if I’m correct, I’d guess that they might not have thought much about it at all. Not much thought or consideration. (Should we go, or should we not go?)
The company “asked” them to go. Back then (maybe less so today) - the company wants you to go. You don’t ask “how far”. You want to advance? You want to have a career?
You say “Yes” - every time.
The company wants you to go - You Go.
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Like a lot of the people that I went to college with. You see, my Uncle and my Friends, we went to schools that specialized in educating their students in fields of study where there was work… high demand. Companies wanted our focused, youthful talent and we looked forward to interviews and recruiters and then offer letters = jobs at the end of our school day(s).
Some of us got better grades (my great friend Sue for instance, and a bunch of my other friends too) and some of us got lesser grades (less studious students like me). There were A-list companies that picked the A kids. And there were B-list companies, they got Scotts.
It’s OK. It was just a start, a beginning. A jumping board. A pool slide.
Because of our school, but moreover, our choice of majors, we all, most all of us, found a spot, a chance, a beginning, an offer and a job - some work in our field - before we ever graduated or shortly thereafter. We all ended up in the pool. We all had our chances - to swim.
Four years, they went fast.
At then end, immediately - like the wind - we were dispersed.
We were blown off, away.
We flew to different corners of Country and in some cases - World.
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I went to a small college. Small, smallish.
Kids, children, at my school, many, most hailed from New York State (ex-City) and New England States. Children of the Northeast.
We came mostly from smaller cities and many came from very small towns. There were a few of us who came from Boston burbs, and also a few Long Island kids. New York City, five borough kids? No. (Mostly no.)
I don’t know why. Or maybe I do know why. NY City kids - they did not go to my (our) school.
City kids, I think, they did not go to our school because - it was too remote. Too far out in the boondocks. Our school was located in a small, a very small, a very far away from anything and anywhere - New York State town.
I remember meeting a City kid who was admitted to our school and started Fall semester. I remember him asking me and other students - - - “Where are the discos?”
Mic drop. Laughter. Children = other students at my school, most of us dressed in flannel, Levis and Timberland boots, we rolled on the ground. Endless laughter. Laugh until you cry laughter. - - - “Where are the discos?”
The City Mouse, he didn’t stay long. City Mouse, went back to City. Not every place is for everyone.
Bright lights, Big Shows and yes - Discos. (Contrary to the famous song lyric. Big City Boy - I guess he Could Not make it - anywhere. Apparently - farm living - wasn’t the life for him.
There were a significant number of fellow students I met, at my school, who thought that the city that I came from (Syracuse) was a big place - “big city” (For me - that was a Wow - a wake up call - a revelation. Me? What? To you, I’m a big city boy? Wow.)
We were children. Kids with beer money. Of course, what did we know? (All that we knew were the places that we came from. Of course. Makes sense. How can we know another place, until we go there? We know what we know.
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Who were we? Who were these kids who made these choices to go to my small technical (training) school located - out there - away - in place far away from everywhere and anything?
Who were we?
Of course, we were (we are) all individuals. But at the same time, there is something, there are some (very specific) things with us, among us, these children - these kids, my Peeps, my College Friends.
Even though we were still children, for the first time in our lives, we self-selected each other. We made the same choice - to go to this small, narrowly focused school, located in this out of the way place, close to nothing.
There are common things about us. A lot of Venn Diagram overlaps.
I want to know. I seek to understand. Who were we?
Clarkson kids. RPI kids (in the case of my Uncle).
Who were these children and what did we have in common, beyond our quest for beer?
>>>>>
Three circles, three overlapping (Venn Diagram) circles come to mind when I think of who I was (who we were), me and my Clarkson (that place - that time) fellow students.
1 - Venn Circle One - Geography
I’ve covered that topic. There is not much dispute, although no doubt there were a few outliers.
We were children of small towns and mostly small cities and suburbs of New York State and New England.
Erie Canal kids, Albany and west all the way to Buffalo. And all the other parts of New York State too. Catskill kids, Adironondak youth, Finger Lakers, Lonk Islanders. (Sing it with me… “I Love New York”, remember that jingle. I love New York kids - - - sans City.
And, New England kids: Maines, Live Free or Die, New Hampshire kids, Vermonter kids, Mass-hole kids, Nutmegger - Connecticut kids.
I don’t recall ever meeting any Rhode Islanders - quahog kids. I’m thinking they must have been there. But maybe not. Rhode Island is very much it’s own place, and maybe they were like city kids. No beach, we’re not going there. (I don’t know. You tell me. Or, maybe I’ll never know.)
2 - Venn Circle Two - Philosophy
I think it’s fair to say that me and my Clarkson Friends, we were Pragmatists.
We had skills, a predilection, knowledge that a good percentage of our fellow high students did not have. We had proficiency that others did not. Strong Math, Science skills in my high school got one labeled as being - “A Brain”.
Brain is kind of a nice word. But another word for us Brains, it was “Geek”, or “Nerd”.
So, we had these skills and we knew that the marketplace wanted these skills. Brain, Geek, Nerd.
There were employers who wanted people with these skills. We had them, and although perhaps they weren’t paths to “dream jobs” (I always wanted to be a Rock Star) - we knew that there were solid prospects for success if we used what God gave us. Our unique skill sets.
Using our less common skills equalled paths (good prospect paths) for success.
I would call that kind of thinking - pragmatic.
Doesn’t mean that we didn’t have dreams. Or that we ever gave up on other dreams.
It just meant that we embraced our inner geek. Revenge of the Nerds.
We were - I would say - common sense kids.
3 - Venn Circle Three - Caste
Now here I’m going out more onto a limb, out on to less solid ground.
This circle, it is less defined, less sure and probably full of a lot more holes and breaks in its lines.
I’m not sure, but I do know some background of more than a few of my Clarkson Friends and their Families.
Me? I came from a great, a proud, Blue Collar family.
My Dad was in a Union. He worked a Blue Collar job. He wore a Dickies brand shirt with a collar (I still have it) but he was a solid Blue, a (true) Blue Collar man.
I met the men who owned the company that my Dad worked for. He told them that I was attending Clarkson. These men, company owners, they were pleased and maybe impressed. My Dad, their Employee, he had a Son, attending this school with a good reputation and a great brand, a good name.
My Father was pleased that they were pleased. It was really a - All Good. A whole bunch of good. Good feelings. Good vibe.
I was aware of a lot of other fellow students, much like me, that hailed from good, proud, Blue Collar families.
I was also aware of a good number of kids whose parents had, maybe two year degrees, two years of advanced education.
I think that, at Clarkson, at my time, when I was there, kids hailing from families with 4 year degrees, they were less common.
I could be wrong, but that was my sense.
And so what does that mean? What is the significance of this?
Kids going to a school, a large percentage coming from families with less than 4 years of formal education.
It means, I mean to say, that it felt like - Opportunity Knocking.
It felt like - Opportunity for Advancement.
We were kids, trying to climb ladders.
And I think that this is my favorite circle. A circle of Kids standing tall upon the shoulders of great Parents, great Families. Families lifting their children - - - UP.
Hands to Sky, Reaching at least - All of Us trying - no matter if we made it or not - how high we might climb. We were trying, all trying.
I’d call this - my favorite Venn Circle - American Dreamers.
So, lets recap. Three Circles
1 - Geography - place, a region, kids from common soil
2 - Philosophy = Pragmatism. Common sense kids. Common thinking, a similar approach
3 - Caste and Reaching Beyond It. American Dreamers. Children NOT of privilege. Just a bunch of kids with some uncommon skills - kids who were lifted UP. Good dreams with feet planted on solid ground. Actionable imagination.
That’s it, as best I can figure.
Me and my shadows. Me and my Dear College Friends. Who we were.
My Peeps.
Good Venn
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Photo:
Scott and his Grandma - Clarkson Graduation Day - May 1984
Forty years ago - only off by a couple days. Forty years back, almost today.
As best as I can recall, we were only allowed three invites.
My Mom and Dad were there AND my Grandma (my Mom’s Mom)
My Grandpa passed away when I was in high school, too young.
In 1984, my Grandma was 80 years old. My Grandma had another 6 years to go.
I wanted my Grandma to be there. I wanted her to come to my graduation.
It looks like she (my Grandma) - it looks like she could blow away with a strong wind, a gust. Right?
Nope. Not my Grandma.
Grandma, my Grandma, she was steady sailing. My Grandma was strong.
My Grandma. Me and my Grandma.
I loved and respected my Grandma. (Still do.)
Me and my Grandma. May 1984