Damian Norvell:
CLASS OF 1974
University of San Diego High SchoolClass of 1974
San diego, CA
Damian's Story
Went across the street to USD and in 1978 graduated with Bachelors Science in Accounting & Business Administration. Yes - Jimmy Carter was still President - so couldn't land a job (sound familiar)?? Returned to USD and got my MBA and with Ronald Regan now our President - was hired into the Insurance Industry as a commercial lines underwriter.
This also meant saying good-bye forever to San Diego and the start of many job relocation moves to Orange County (Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Westminster) and Santa Barbara/Ventura County where I reside now. Still love my Chargers but was an Rams season ticket holder from 1988-1994 (with occassional drives to Jack Murphy too).
Never lost my passion for motorcycles and love European Touring any chance I get. I'm older and slower now so sold my last "Rice Rocket" in 2010. Just a Harley Davidson rider now and part of the Simi Valley HOG chater (were not an outlaw bikers club - rather - more of the geritol crowd, but hey - great for networking for my retirement which I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel).
Life hasn't been a walk-through-the- park and quite often I had to work two jobs and live with roomates. Had to put off marriage until I was well into my 30's (but honestly - I wasn't ready for the committment until then anyways). Have done the starter condo and now in my third home which is the largest yet (but don't live close to the beach anymore).
Now I'm pretty much the "old man" in the underwriting department (we've been downsizing quite a bit and so many have taken retirement packages). Kinda wondering how all you feel about being the mentor now (instead of being the youngest or newest and having to listen to the older employees talk about...Expand for more
how things were really done (back in the day). Seems like it just happened over night to me. Love my job and know that the money and investments are there to take my through my Golden Years.
Interesting working with the Gen X and Gen Y's. They're so smart with technology and really into multi-tasking. But their focus is way too narrow and don't always see the big picture (or know that there is a big picture with writing on the wall). Being a survivor of Catholic School Education System has given me advantages that I never thought of. When you're parents weren't college educated and only had high school math and science - You really have to learn how to struggle on your own and adapt (make alliances) to navigate through life. Personally, I felt threatened by the nuns and some lay teachers when I was in Catholic School and really never wanted any kind of a religious committment with such ever again). But - they did prepare me well for life and knowing how to size up situations and how and when a matter could be exploited (that was the their role modeling take-away lesson that paid dividends for me throught the rest of my life).
I'm a happy man and am involved with charity work and animal rights issues. I personally belive that God helps those that helps themselves - AND- if God gives you much, then much back is expected, too.
Enough for now - This is me and where I am now. Hope you post your story, too. I'm interested in how life went for you. Some of you were so much smarter than me - Had such better vision of what you were going to be than me - were way more mature than I was. Hope it happened just that way - and - if it didn't, I'm sure your story is still having a happy ending!!
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