Charles Taylor:
CLASS OF 1969
East High SchoolClass of 1969
Des moines, IA
Grinnell CollegeClass of 1974
Grinnell, IA
East High SchoolClass of 1969
Des moines, IA
Goodrell Middle SchoolClass of 1966
Des moines, IA
McKee Elementary SchoolClass of 1962
Des moines, IA
Charles's Story
Life
During 1971/1972 I lived and traveled in Europe, attended a Goethe Institute, and worked in a department store in Munich, and even so I graduated from college in 7 semesters. My sophomore year I had studied at a comm. coll. in Calif. and that's really where I learned to study. In 1974 I graduated from Grinnell College with a BA in English and history. Shortly thereafter, I thumbed my way to California. I worked that summer in San Jose, and started Grad. School at Sonoma St. Biggest mistake of my life--took drugs and ended up in Des Moines, IA, and thank God for my mother who helped me find help, and over the next four and a half years underwent therapy and four hospitalizations. In 1979 went to Iowa City to start grad school again. I met my wife in 1980 as we lived in the same apt. complex, and studied Am. Short Story together. She is really SMART. Marge holds a BA in anthropology, and an MA in anthropology, and she is a GS 12 working for the govt. Renewed my contact with my father about 25 yrs. ago. Earned an MA in English and an EdS in Higher Ed in 1982 when Marjorie and I were married, taught in a com. coll. moved to Colorado where I earned an MFA in creative writing at Colo. St. Univ. I've published more than 60 poems in little magazines and small journals. Taught at Front Range Com. Coll. and IVCC in Illinois, finally moved to South Dakota, my wife's home state, where I continue to write and work on my photography (a life-long love). The University of Iowa was a wonderful renewal of learning. We have one pet. The dog thinks he owns the house. My daughter thinks she owns the dog. My daughter is gifted. She went through all of public School with As and even completed four years of H.S. with all As. She was at the top of her class with another student at West Central here in Hartford. She scored a 32 on her ACT, 700s in the SATs. She has vocal music ability, plays the clarinet, saxaphone, has dabbled in percussion, and plays piano. I worked in the photo dpt in Walgreens, Shokko and as a cashier for Lewis Drug. I left a bankcard job because I couldn't tolerate dishonesty on the part of the employer. I have more fun with photography, and pictures for myself (digital but not so much film), and studying writing and photography. I am not teaching these days although I taught for almost 20 years. Marjorie and I are slowing. My daughter, I think, has the urge to travel and wants to go to Japan. I have read widely in Buddhism and Eastern thought and I am a Christian. I enjoy laughing and watching TV as much as the reading. I'm really happy, though I have chronic arthritis, mental illness and inject myself with Enbrel twice a week. Life turned out oh so much better than I could have imagined. I have mostly Canon and Nikon equipment. I've finished a professional certificate at the New York Institute of Photography; I also finished an Advanced Certificate in scenic and nature photography. I've finished several certificates in the on-line ed2go program. I don't want to go to school full-time, and I have a lot of living to do besides just books and "thought." I have not had any alcohol in more than 22 years, and I am living proof that life without the so-called recreational drugs is worth living. Peace be to you and yours. I still feel that companies sell credit to unsuspecting card holders. My arthritis has become very bad, with 3/4 of my spine scarred. I am grateful to God for being with me, for carrying me when I needed Him. There is a Power greater than ourselves. I've just finished a boook I began 16 years ago, WINTER FROM SPRING, available through Xlibris in September 2009. Not sure what the next decade will bring, but I'm ready. ...Expand for more
I quit smoking a number of years ago, and that was after I did damage to my lungs, DON'T SMOKE. Laurel, my daughter wants to study at the University in Keotto Japan. She is going to Japan for her Junior year. Nikon surprised me by going mostly digital, and I'm happy to have mostly digital cameras. Daughter was selected for All-State Band and chorus and she is attending Middlebury College in Vermont.
School
I hold the BA, MA, EdS, and MFA degrees, but I'm getting a bit long in the tooth to try for the PhD. I did know a man in Iowa City who was working on a PhD at age 50, but I think this is rare. I've published more than 60 poems and a few other types of writing, and for about 20 years I was a college teacher, some full-time teaching, but mostly part-time teaching. I completed a certificate in Professional Photography. The certificate arrived in April, 2005. In 2008 I completed an advanced certificate in photography, and in 2008, I earned a digital certificate. Charles Taylor
College
College was hard for me, as in H.S. I didn't apply myself, and had to learn how to study. Graduate school came easier, though degrees and education never fell into my lap. However, I like learning and finished a distance-learning photo course. Two factors helped my grades. Meeting Marjorie, my spouse who is really smart, and the advent of word processors and computers, which have allowed me to edit and change what I write. This certificate that I earned from New York Institute of Photography will not be my last formal education for recognition, Today is November, 2008. Three years ago, living with worsening arthritis, a titanium knee, injections in the joints, fear, rebellion, age, all a grinding on without me, 54, abandoning previous presumptions, I started the diploma in photography, and though all my symptoms never left from thirty-six years ago, I have gotten better. Marjorie sleeps in her chair, and I recall a wall, the possibility of sitting at the base and admitting that I did not climb over. But I have a book in the works.
Workplace
I've worked hither and yon. Truth to tell, I can do a lot of things. Retail to teaching, I've been successful at a lot, and never really stayed at any a number of things. I worked for Lewis Drug for a year and a half, and I've found work again now, but when I finished my training at New York Institute of Photography, with two cetirficates, I found a bad job that turned sour. I found an easier job at Culvers Butter Burgers, and volunteering at the Sertoma Butterfly House where I've taken a lot of pictures. In 2007 I gave a photo show from mostly pictures taken at the butterfly house. I've enjoyed the butterfly house very much. People in their mid to late fifties have trouble competing with younger people. I've had to get help from Social Security.
I hope my friends will remember me, a poet, photographer and a loving husband and father. The difficulty in being open and stereotyped causes one to question all Christians. But I think I'll be okay in a liberal church.
Meeting Marge was the hope of hopes, and in our home we have some role reversal. I still tend to be the spiritual head of the home, and Marge has all the common sense. We came out of the sixties/seventies generation, those who came of age in the Vietnam era. We were not afraid to try new ideas in our relationship, and we are still both very creative. As we ease over into older times in our lives, we both realize that we are lucky to be alive.
I have just finished a book with Xlibris, WINTER FROM SPRING by Charles Taylor. I have in mind a new book about traveling through Europe, THE ORANGE BICYCLE. As long as I can, I'll continue on Blogger, Chuckie's World, my blog.
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