Thank you for the teachings of Neothink…

My life, enters Neothink now my expectations
As a sophomore in high school…… With the help of my counselor I was asked “what profession do you have as your goal”? The only thing in my life that really excites me is when I am taking pictures, I want to take pictures that have meaning, interest, depth, and creativity. My counselor suggested Photography. The photography classes were extremely interesting and as I applied my self I found my instructor saw a potential in me, giving me assignments to help me excel beyond the class. In my Junior year I was offered the position of photographic editor of the school newspaper. I was everywhere taking pictures of all school activities. I knew this was a stepping stone to a future and I worked weekends doing gardening work to pay for film, paper, and flashbulbs. At the end of the year I was awarded a Letter in Photography, the first Junior to receive a letter in Photography in the history of the high school. I could not afford a letter sweater so I displayed my letter in my bedroom. In my senior year I was the photographic editor of the schools yearbook. Again I was everywhere taking pictures of groups, sports, dances, plays, I learned so many techniques to make my pictures stand out above my predecessors. I entered my special pictures in a national high school photographic contest and I did win a scholarship. Again I learned new ways to express myself in photography.
After graduation I started working for a man who had the photographic contract for the Tucson Daily Citizen. I was going to the University of Arizona in the morning and I worked for him the rest of the day and evening. I hadn’t worked for him very long and I had a date with a lovely girl in my art class to go to a party in a small mining town north of Tucson where her folks lived. At the end of the party we walked to the car and one of the tires were flat. I sent her home with friends and she told me to walk on inside and my bed would be made up on the davenport. Her father would wake us in time for breakfast and time to drive back to the campus for our 7:40 am class. I repaired the tire and it seemed like I just lay down and her father awoke me for breakfast. As we left I thanked them for their hospitality and I drove toward the University of Arizona.
Three days later I woke up in St. Mary’s Hospital. I lay there with a broken femur and a fractured pelvis, shortly they put four platinum screws in my left femur. Later they put a body cast on me from my mid-chest to my toes on my left leg and the other just above the knee, with a bar between both legs. I was told I may never walk again without the help of crutches, a walker, and possibly a cane if lucky. I knew within me that I was going to walk and I visualized Jesus the Christ standing beside my bed every day giving me healing. The doctor sent me home and my parents rented a hospital bed to care for me the three months I lay there in the body cast. One day the doctor called and said he was sending out a technician to remove the body cast. Without the cast to support me I felt very weak. My Uncle Del, a physician, came out every few days and showed me how to strengthen my legs and torso. I learned to raise each leg a little each day, and finally I could raise each leg and hold it up for a time. Then I learned to move each leg from side to side and in circles while it was airborne. The day came when I was to sit up on the side of my bed with my feet over the side. Wow! what a feeling….. When my father got home from work he would help me sit up on the side of the bed, each day longer before I had to lie back down. Uncle Del came one day & said we are going to stand you up today. It sounded exciting until I stood on my tender feet as they tingled and my head swirled, I just stood there until Uncle Del said “that is enough for today”. Each evening my father would stand me up for a while until I was too tired to stand. One evening Uncle Del came over and said we are going to learn to take a few steps . I had forgotten how to move my legs!, Uncle Del said “you can do it, move your right leg forward” My leg finally went forward. Then the left leg and shortly I was very tired and I guess I was dead weight for Uncle Del and he got me back in bed. I had to learn to walk all over again as my mind & body forgot how to walk. It took time and patience for my Uncle Del and my father to help me learn to walk again. Finally I was given crutches and I was able to walk around the house and even out into the back yard. As my strength grew I was able to go by car and walk more with my crutches. The sun felt good as I walked in the sunshine.
One day I received a call from Sam Levitz, a photographer for the Arizona Daily Star. He had the photographic contract and also had a commercial photographic business. He said if you can walk on crutches and sit at a desk you can be my secretary until you get stronger and then we can go together on assignments and I will teach you to take pictures “Newspaper style”,  I was excited and after almost six months I was going to ge able to work again. Sam would pick me up in the morning and take me home in the evening. Sam was a great teacher and I could hold the extension light for the pictures with my crutch and get a greater lighting effect. I learned fast and soon I could leave my crutches longer each day. In the darkroom I could support myself on the darkroom tables and sink for support. Then one day Sam told me on the way to town that we were going to buy a car so I could work by myself.  He said he would loan me the down payment and I could make the payments out my salary. Wow, we bought a new 1951 Chevrolet Coupe!  Sam also lent me a 4 x 5 speed graphic with some film holders. He set me up with film, flash bulbs and paper, I was ready to go to work that afternoon. Believe me I counted my blessings for many a year. And I still do.
My first commercial job was to take pictures for a full page add for a local Tire Dealer. I showed up with all my equipment and I introduced myself, and the tire dealer told me he expected Sam to take the pictures not a young Kid. I told him that Sam sent me to do this assignment because I was highly qualified and would do a superior job for you. I also told him that if in any way he was not 100% satisfied with my work there would be no charge. He said “you are very sure of yourself aren’t you”? Yes sir, I am. Afterwards he called and commended me on the pictures for his add. He said, “I’ve received a big increase in business as the result of this add and your pictures were responsible for my success” .
I worked hard and one day Sam gave the business to a co-worker and myself. We worked together until  one day a veteran returning home from the Air Force took half of our business.  Soon the two of them formed a partnership and things got very competitive. I subsidized my business with a school picture service to the elementary schools in town. I hired a man to work for me taking pictures for the newspaper as I was busy shooting head and shoulder pictures at the elementary schools. When the shooting season was over I sold the junior high schools a program that I would shoot all the group pictures for their year book and get the student year book staff to design their year book in 4 days. The Principal for the one school said “it was impossible”! I said” if you knew what I know you wouldn’t say that”. His response was that near the deadline the teacher would have to finish the lay out her self and mail it in on the last day.
I told him my idea is to use “colored templets” for each group of student pictures related to the number of students in the group. I photograph each group with this format. For the layout all we have to do is lay two pieces of 8 ½ x 11 paper down and design the pages with the colored templets on the open pages. We put the pictures even at angles and create a design layout. Students will draw a line around each templet and these pages are finished. Page by page, your student yearbook staff and I create a design of creativity. I use last years yearbook for continuity, thus showing the students their yearbook is superior to last years. With lager groups we put the group over the fold in the center of the page. When I take the picture I leave a small space down the center of the group for the center binding. I print all pictures to a 1 to 1 ratio. This cuts engraving costs and your yearbook costs are lowered because the engraver does not have to scale each picture. These savings help pay for your group picture cost.  The teacher is relieved of the pressure of having to do the unfinished layout herself after school hours.  I am taking the head and shoulders of all students and the school gets two free photos for your school files and ID cards. I did all five of the junior high school yearbooks and each school was thrilled.
I moved to Phoenix and soon married the girl next door. I learned of an job opening for a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative. I would make more money and my wife said she would help me learn the medical language as she was a Medical Tech.  After working for 26 years and placing myself as a Professional Medical Sales Representative and the top 10 salesman, I retired.
We moved to Arkansas and bought a beautiful brick home with 10 acres and 40 foot oak trees. We built on a 25 foot square entertainment room that I designed. Before it was finished my wife had a tipple heart bypass and lasted 8 hours. Life must go on, even if it seems that your happiness was ripped from you. The next few years I went from one girl friend to another. I went to another state to be with a woman whom I thought was interested in me and I to her. Time passed as I left my home standing alone with a new alarm system to protect it.
One day I received a e-mail from my high school class re-union committee. We were to have our 50th class re-union and they found me through my brothers. My gut feeling kept saying go…go, so I sent in my reservations. At the re-union I met JoAnn, whom I had a crush on while at Tucson Senior High School. I always saw her in between classes and took her picture with others at special functions. At that time I could not date for I had no money & no car. I had a career and a future to work for. My photographic instructor told me not to worry about the girls, as I found success the women would find me. JoAnn and I spent the next three days at the re-union talking of old times and enjoying the re-union, some how we were always together.  To my surprise it was so easy to talk to her and share our experiences over the past 50 years., When we parted at the end of the re-union I knew I had again found an old flame and I did not question the how and why.
I never forgot JoAnn during the next almost five years. Soon I could see the hand writing on the wall, there was no future with the woman I was seeing. I packed my things and drove back to Arkansas. I opened my home again. I admit it was lonely and one day I received a letter from my brother in Tucson and he told me my class was having it’s 55th class re-union. I had the strangest feeling within, I was going to see JoAnn again and we were going to be close. I contacted the re-union committee and asked them about JoAnn S and my response was, “I do not have a JoAnn S in our records. My gut feeling was still the same every time I thought of her, JoAnn was going to be at the re-union and I could feel it. I made reservations following this “gut feelings”. Following only my gut feeling I drove to Tucson, AZ.
It wasn’t until the evening Banquet that JoAnn walked in, she wass stunning. When she spotted me she came over to where I was standing and she said “This deserves a Hug”. After three hugs we walked into the banquet hall together and met many of our former classmates. “I was in Cloud 9”. When dinner was announced we found a seat on the opposite side of the room from the band. JoAnn told me her husband had died four years ago after a long illness. After JoAnn & I shared our addresses and phone numbers, she told me that one of her girlfriends called and told her that I was looking for her. This was the best re-union ever because we “clicked” and JoAnn said after traveling to visit her children she would be home and I could call her that evening. We talked for 3 hours that evening and 3 hours every evening for the next month. Spontaneously I asked her if she would come to Arkansas and see where I lived. She said yes and after seeing my place, she was not impressed with the chiggers, hot summers, and cold winters. We knew we wanted to be together, and I asked her where she wanted to live. No question she responded , “Oceanside”. You must fly back with me and see where I live. It was meant to be because we got to fly back side by side on both flights to San Diego. JoAnn’s daughter picked us up at the airport and I spent three weeks in this wonderful city with the woman I loved. This was our first Christmas together and afterwards I flew back to Arkansas to bring back what ever clothes and what ever I could get into the car, as we were going to enjoy our new life together in Oceanside.
. Then one day I received a letter from Neothink and it explained that I was chosen after extensive research. I read and re-read the letter and soon I realized this letter was forwarded to me from Arkansas, and the cut-off date was two days ago. I sat down at my computer and wrote them back saying your invitation was delayed in the post office forwarding system and Yes, I would be honored to be a member of the society. I waited & another letter came, this time I called and gave the lady my address and credit card number and she said I was accepted and I was to wait for my first book.  Excited as I was I waited. When I opened the first book, I realized the material was for a working person and I was retired.  I was impressed to skip over the business part and later I could see where I was to fit into Neothink. The balance of the book was interesting and I did make some notes in the front of the book. I decided to re-read the book from cover to cover and try to do what was suggested even if I was retired. I could see how I could have used these techniques when I was working and I could also see how I could modify some of the system to my life as a retired person. I have not been able to have a Friday night essence because I no longer am in the business world. I am retired !!!
The second book arrived and I was into reading whenever I had a spare moment. As I read I also had inner growth, so many thoughts came into my mind. My outlook on life changed and new thoughts and happiness came into my life from everywhere. Now I am more organized and I try to get more things done around the house, I waste less time doing nothing. I do go to the YMCA three days a week for two hours of exercise . Yes, I want to live the life I was meant to live. We are trying to make room in this condominium for my things when it was previously full of her things. I know why I was impressed not to bring a lot of things. Would you believe that we decided to gut the 35 year old kitchen and re-design the whole thing? It took 3½ months before the kitchen was completed. We now have stainless appliances and a beautiful kitchen.
Reading Book two helped us through all the construction and I felt the love that JoAnn and I had for each other, love that was deeper than ever before. I could also feel the love from JoAnn growing towards me. Who ever said that love was for the young? Young love is a highly physical and unless true love, fidelity, and respect grows between two people they could be on rough ground. We have so much more going for us, and our prior marriages gave us insight and tolerance toward each others wishes and desires.
Book three arrived and I had to find time to read it with all the commitments.  It was in the evenings and since JoAnn was a night owl, I could read a few hours each evening while she puttered on the computer and other projects.  My outlook on life changed and new thoughts and happiness came from everywhere. The third book filled in many of the missing pieces. May I add that when we got to the 10 second miracle part, I realized I had a 10 second miracle when I was impressed to use “templets” with the Junior High School students in designing their yearbook. The templets made it so easy for the students to visualize what the layout was going to look like.  Another 10 second miracle was to print the pictures to a 1 to 1 ratio, instead of the usual 8 x 10 glossy. With an enclosed note to save you time scaling the pictures. The yearbook printer sent me a check for a $100.00 for my idea and gesture.
Now I want to re-read each book for I know I will get more out of the 2nd reading. I have received many 10 second miracles and I realize that each one gets us closer to the big puzzle.
When I analyze my 76 years of life it seems it flowed like mood swings. I have had some rough times and when things were rough I know I am on the way up and things can only get better. I also know that this time I am going to glide to a new height and I will never see those depths again.  Now with Neothink I see an even greater height, for now I am going to live the life I was intended to live.
Thank you Dr. Wallace for the teachings of Neothink…
Merrille S.