One of the questions that is asked on the popular classmate reconnection site, Classmates.com, is "What have you been doing with your life since you graduated?" In other words, what the heck have you being doing for the last 32 years? Wow! Thirty-two years has passed since graduation from Dodge Center High School. It is a good thing that memories fade over time, isn't it?
Before answering the question about what I have been doing, I would like to address another question of my own. Where have I been? Are you ready?
Starting out on the family farm, I briefly attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. I went on a sojourn for a couple of months. I returned to the family farm in rural Dodge Center and then after marriage, moved to Kasson, Minnesota. From Kasson, I moved back to rural Dodge Center, then to Rochester, Minnesota. After Rochester, I moved with my family to St. Paul, Minnesota. After four years in St. Paul, I moved to St. Louis, Missouri for two years, then moved to Niles, Michigan and returned to St. Louis for a final year.
From St. Louis, my journey took me to Gillette, Wyoming for one year. For a few months, we camped out in Claremont, Minnesota and then moved to Lewisville, Minnesota. After six years in Lewisville, the family headed for Lidgerwood, North Dakota. When things didn't quite work out in Lidgerwood, I moved on to Fargo, North Dakota and from there, I moved to Dallas, Texas. While in the Dallas vicinity, I also lived in Addison and Richardson, Texas in addition to three stints in Dallas proper. When I left Dallas, I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since returning to Minnesota, I have resided in St. Louis Park, Minnetonka and now Brooklyn Center.
At one time I was very good at moving, packing, condensing and purging. Of course, there have been numerous other learning and career experiences during the past 32 years. Probably the biggest learning opportunity has been life itself. But since you asked, following graduation, I have been involved in farming, carpet installation, farming again, insurance sales, airport and stadium security, youth work, Christian education, financial aid support at a college and seminary level, admissions support at a seminary, pastoral ministry, retail cashier, restaurant host, apartment on site management, telecommunications, administrative support, database management, non-profit volunteer training and management, banking mail room, help desk analyst, help desk supervisor, help desk management, IT business analysis and project training. During that period of time, I received a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree and a Master of Divinity degree.
On a more personal level, I dated very few women. I was previously married and have four wonderful children. Eventually, the marriage ended after more than 18 years. There were a couple of doomed relationships before I met Bill. We have laughed, cried, argued, celebrated, agonized, consoled one another and through it all, attempted to remain optimistic for six years, six months and two days. To date, we have survived all the drama. Bill keeps me sane and provides me the strength to go on more than he realizes.
In my spare time, I like to read, listen to music, yard work, gardening, certain TV shows, a few movies, listen to others, provide guidance to my children and loved ones, solve problems, eat and occasionally sleep. Currently, I am unemployed, somewhat frustrated in my job search and obviously not taking the right approach. So there you have it, the last 32 years in a nutshell. It made me who I am today!
~ DB Turnmire
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