Home Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

Already 20 years since HS grad??...& I'm VERY proud of my so-called "worthless" liberal arts degrees

EstilEstil Posts: 6,864 ✭✭✭✭

In light of that other thread asking for our ages I can't believe it's already been twenty years since I was among the last graduating class of the 20th century (Fun Fact: Roughly the same about of time passed from the release of Prince's 1999 song in 1983 (sixteen years) and his passing approximately sixteen years after the year 1999 in 2016.)! And of course it's also been 16 years since I earned BA's in history and political science from the University of Kentucky in 2003. They are by far my most cherished and hard earned possessions. :) And next week happens to be me and the old lady's 14th anniversary as well! :)

As for what all this has to do with trading cards, well one of the first things I did when I came to Lexington was to find the best card shop there (buying stuff on Internet/Ebay was still a fairly new thing at the time) and Baseball Card Warehouse (I think they're still around) was a major help in getting me started with my complete set collection! My first ever complete sets were 1987-89 Topps and let me tell you, I still remember sitting at the table there and sorting that 1987 factory set and putting it in my album...I also got the 1989 Topps factory set (of course I did...it along with 1989 Donruss was the first packs I was ever bought when I was nine at the time) but I had to settle for a hand set of 1988 because he didn't have factory set for that year. The cards I collected when I was at UK (I still have nearly all those sets) along with the retro video game cartridges I started doing my last two years there (my card and game hobbies I seem to rotate my focus on one or the other every few years or so) are among my fondest memories of all time.

(I originally posted this at the Nintendo Age forum (retro video games are one of my "other hobbies):

I've been meaning to get this off my chest for a while now. So a little over 16 years ago (05/10/2003 to be exact the year of our basketball centennial! I was HS class of 1999, last of the 20th century!) I graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BA in history and a BA in political science (the requirements for each were so intertwined with each other so of course I used three summer school sessions at the local then-UK affiliated community college to get the 144 credit hours needed to get double degrees rather than mere "double majors"). Granted I didn't make as good grades as I would've liked (2.57 GPA) but me working almost six hour nights and all day Saturday ( I did need some spending money plus it helped keep the loan debt way down) plus my then undiagonosed Aspergers (which I didn't find out I had until 2006) might have had something to do with that.

So why am I bringing all this up you might ask? Well it's just that I often see headlines/opinion pieces/whatever about how "worthless" liberal arts degrees/majors are and I could not disagree with this notion more. Now look, I knew all along history and political science weren't the kind of majors one makes anywhere near six-figures off of. I know those trendy, sexy STEM majors are the "in-thing" but I just wasn't cut out for those. So I majored in the subjects I enjoyed and even to this day I enjoy doing things like reading those Britannica yearbooks (I did World Book ones last year) which I call "freelance" learning. No worrying about grades, no strings attached.

Unfortunately I made the mistake of moving back to my hometown area instead of staying in Lexington where there of course there were far more good job opprotunites. Once I was finally able to move out on my own in 2004 the only jobs that were avaliable at the time that I could get was a brief stint at the local hospital cafeteria, grocery checker form 2004-2010, and a brief stint at a local factory in 2011 before I was forced to go on disablity (VERY long story, please don't ask me for details).

Of course I wanted something more "college level" but aside from the opporutines just not being there in my area at the time, I honestly after college had no idea exactly what I wanted to do. It was my big dream/goal to graduate from college at the best university I could get into and once that was done, it was like, "now what?" I certainly toyed with some ideas such as clerical, sub teacher (you have to have a masters to be a full fledged teacher), and so on but again, despite my best efforts and paying my dues working the above jobs and such, it just didn't pan out.

So this may sound like a classic story of "See? Your college degrees ARE worthless!!" but the fact of the matter is that I'm one of very few in my immediate family who went to college (my parents didn't even finish HS)...the only others I know of off the top of my head was one of my great-great grandfathers who was a renowned old-fashioned country doctor and one of my first cousins once removed who served as a local judge who married me and my wife Denise in 2005 All the more reason I consider it a real privilege to get the chance to go to a real good college when just a couple generations or so ago only those who were rich and/or super smart or athetic enough to get a scholarship got to go to college for the most part. And from the start my attiude was that even if I never get/got a chance to do a "college level" sort of job/career I have none/zero regrets whatsoever for getting so called "wasted"/"worthless" degrees. I was able to get many experiences and memories at UK that will last me a lifetime and I know for a fact that I would've very very much regretted it for the rest of my life if I did not finish college.

So forgive me if I rambled on and on too much like I sometimes do, but bottom line is for those of you in college or going...there is no such thing as a "worthless" degree. Even to this day only a little over 30%ish of Americans have at least a bachelors so anyone who does achieve it regardless of their chosen major or its earning potential should feel very very proud and very lucky to get that kind of chance. I do! :smile:

All that being said though, my wife was able to get two masters degrees and back in her day got to work with a few Ivy League places along with John Hopkins...so I'm even more proud of her (and I tell people all the time how she's the REAL brains of our family! :smile: ) and quite envious of her smarts . :smile:

I don't suppose there's any other proud college grads here is there? Incidentally, this year is the 80th anniversary of the retirement and HOF induction of the Pride of Yankees...who went to one of the Ivys! Columbia to be exact. :)

WISHLIST
Dimes: 54S, 53P, 50P+S, 49S, 45D+S, 44S, 43D, 41S, 40D+S, 39D+S, 38D+S, 37D+S, 36S, 35D+S, all 16-34's
Quarters: 61D, 52S, 47S, 46S, 40S, 39S, 38S, 37D+S, 36D+S, 35D, 34D, 32D+S
74 Topps: 37,38,46,47,48,138,151,193,210,214,223,241,256,264,268,277,289,316,435,552,570,577,592,602,610,654,655
1997 Finest silver: 115, 135, 139, 145, 310
1995 Ultra Gold Medallion Sets: Golden Prospects, HR Kings, On-Base Leaders, Power Plus, RBI Kings, Rising Stars

Comments

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 22,526 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I certainly remember Nintendo. I must have spent years at the TV playing. I remember one of my proudest moments was when I was finally able to go all the way through Mike Tyson's Punch out from start to finish and beat the game. From Glass Joe all the way through to Kid Dynamite Mike Tyson. Started getting tough at Sandman, and Super Macho Man, but we made it through them. If you could withstand Tyson's opening round one punch knockout blows, he was pretty simple to handle. I definately have a master's degree in Mike Tyson's Punch out.

  • perkdogperkdog Posts: 29,349 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I was just talking Nintendo yesterday with my buddy, I mentioned one of my most crowning moments in my video game career was back on 1990 when him and I played a grueling Stanley Cup finals best of 7 series. I was USA and he was Poland, I went up 3 games to 0 then he stormed back to tie it at 3-3, game 7 goes to OT! I won it 😎. Estil nice post bud, 20 years is a long time

  • thunderdanthunderdan Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭

    @Estil said:
    And of course it's also been 16 years since I earned BA's in history and political science from the University of Kentucky in 2003. They are by far my most cherished and hard earned possessions. :)

    So in order of importance: BAs from UK, Cats, Wife?

    image


  • EstilEstil Posts: 6,864 ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 11, 2019 11:53AM

    My wife and cat are not possessions. If anything the cat owns me! :)

    WISHLIST
    Dimes: 54S, 53P, 50P+S, 49S, 45D+S, 44S, 43D, 41S, 40D+S, 39D+S, 38D+S, 37D+S, 36S, 35D+S, all 16-34's
    Quarters: 61D, 52S, 47S, 46S, 40S, 39S, 38S, 37D+S, 36D+S, 35D, 34D, 32D+S
    74 Topps: 37,38,46,47,48,138,151,193,210,214,223,241,256,264,268,277,289,316,435,552,570,577,592,602,610,654,655
    1997 Finest silver: 115, 135, 139, 145, 310
    1995 Ultra Gold Medallion Sets: Golden Prospects, HR Kings, On-Base Leaders, Power Plus, RBI Kings, Rising Stars
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Estil said:
    My wife and cat are not possessions. If anything the cat owns me! :)

    Had 2 rescue cats.

    They're good at getting what they want. They're like family members.

    One died this year - very sad moment for me.

    Mike
  • EstilEstil Posts: 6,864 ✭✭✭✭

    @Stone193 said:

    @Estil said:
    My wife and cat are not possessions. If anything the cat owns me! :)

    Had 2 rescue cats.

    They're good at getting what they want. They're like family members.

    One died this year - very sad moment for me.

    My first cat Tweetie passed away in 2012 (I have her ashes inside a small memorial of sorts) and I do still miss her sometimes....she did appear one night in a dream years ago as if to let me know that everything is fine and that I was a good daddy and such. I'm not into organized religion at all but I most definitely believe in the Rainbow Bridge (google/wiki it).

    And yes it is indeed sad...I can't even watch that Alvin and the Chipmunks episode "Cookie Chomper III" because the kitty of that name the boys take in ended up getting run over by a car :(sniff... :(

    WISHLIST
    Dimes: 54S, 53P, 50P+S, 49S, 45D+S, 44S, 43D, 41S, 40D+S, 39D+S, 38D+S, 37D+S, 36S, 35D+S, all 16-34's
    Quarters: 61D, 52S, 47S, 46S, 40S, 39S, 38S, 37D+S, 36D+S, 35D, 34D, 32D+S
    74 Topps: 37,38,46,47,48,138,151,193,210,214,223,241,256,264,268,277,289,316,435,552,570,577,592,602,610,654,655
    1997 Finest silver: 115, 135, 139, 145, 310
    1995 Ultra Gold Medallion Sets: Golden Prospects, HR Kings, On-Base Leaders, Power Plus, RBI Kings, Rising Stars
  • FINESTKINDFINESTKIND Posts: 374 ✭✭✭

    Does she know you called her this "the old lady's 14th anniversary as well!" :o She might hurt you really bad before that date. :D

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Estil said:

    @Stone193 said:

    @Estil said:
    My wife and cat are not possessions. If anything the cat owns me! :)

    Had 2 rescue cats.

    They're good at getting what they want. They're like family members.

    One died this year - very sad moment for me.

    My first cat Tweetie passed away in 2012 (I have her ashes inside a small memorial of sorts) and I do still miss her sometimes....she did appear one night in a dream years ago as if to let me know that everything is fine and that I was a good daddy and such. I'm not into organized religion at all but I most definitely believe in the Rainbow Bridge (google/wiki it).

    And yes it is indeed sad...I can't even watch that Alvin and the Chipmunks episode "Cookie Chomper III" because the kitty of that name the boys take in ended up getting run over by a car :(sniff... :(

    I hear ya.

    It's sad just posting this pic.

    Mike
  • lawnmowermanlawnmowerman Posts: 19,477 ✭✭✭✭

    Before we purchased our German Shepherd we used to have a cat. He was a mean little a******. I don't think it helped his attitude much when I stuck a helmet on his head but it was fun nonetheless.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 22,526 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's official, cats have taken over this thread.

  • thunderdanthunderdan Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭

    Can we please get back to complaining about eBay right meow?

    Also, Matt, your cat looks like Randy White.

    image


  • EstilEstil Posts: 6,864 ✭✭✭✭

    @lawnmowerman said:
    Before we purchased our German Shepherd we used to have a cat. He was a mean little a******. I don't think it helped his attitude much when I stuck a helmet on his head but it was fun nonetheless.

    Your kitty grew up dreaming...of being a Cowboy...

    https://youtu.be/mOPXN3pa_4g

    WISHLIST
    Dimes: 54S, 53P, 50P+S, 49S, 45D+S, 44S, 43D, 41S, 40D+S, 39D+S, 38D+S, 37D+S, 36S, 35D+S, all 16-34's
    Quarters: 61D, 52S, 47S, 46S, 40S, 39S, 38S, 37D+S, 36D+S, 35D, 34D, 32D+S
    74 Topps: 37,38,46,47,48,138,151,193,210,214,223,241,256,264,268,277,289,316,435,552,570,577,592,602,610,654,655
    1997 Finest silver: 115, 135, 139, 145, 310
    1995 Ultra Gold Medallion Sets: Golden Prospects, HR Kings, On-Base Leaders, Power Plus, RBI Kings, Rising Stars
  • EstilEstil Posts: 6,864 ✭✭✭✭

    @FINESTKIND said:
    Does she know you called her this "the old lady's 14th anniversary as well!" :o She might hurt you really bad before that date. :D

    Only if I get caught :)

    WISHLIST
    Dimes: 54S, 53P, 50P+S, 49S, 45D+S, 44S, 43D, 41S, 40D+S, 39D+S, 38D+S, 37D+S, 36S, 35D+S, all 16-34's
    Quarters: 61D, 52S, 47S, 46S, 40S, 39S, 38S, 37D+S, 36D+S, 35D, 34D, 32D+S
    74 Topps: 37,38,46,47,48,138,151,193,210,214,223,241,256,264,268,277,289,316,435,552,570,577,592,602,610,654,655
    1997 Finest silver: 115, 135, 139, 145, 310
    1995 Ultra Gold Medallion Sets: Golden Prospects, HR Kings, On-Base Leaders, Power Plus, RBI Kings, Rising Stars
Sign In or Register to comment.