John
My draft cards from back in the day. Years later when I was teaching and would get to the Vietnam Conflict I'd enlarge one of them and I'd tell my students all about higher education.
My freshman year was spent having a ball and barely scrapping by with a 2.0 while one of my roommates pulled a 3.2. Unfortunately, he had to work for a year at the Bath shipyard before he could afford to go to college which meant he couldn't get the 2-S classification (student deferment) and so remained 1-A and was drafted at the end of his freshman year. He got shipped to Vietnam, stepped on a land mine, but was one of the luckier ones, they were able to save his leg (he walks with a slight limp to this day). He returned to school and graduated a year behind me.
I would then tell the students that when I graduated they went to the lottery and my birth date (two months to the day before I got my first draft card) was in the 200s. I knew they'd never get to it.
That's a pic from back then that I think Brenda took around the time of the wedding shower...as you can see, I had no clue. The sketch is one a student did of me.
The fabric is some Brenda is using to make a Maine quilt.
Canon EOS 350 D camera with a Sigma AF 18-200mm DC OS Zoom lens
08/21/08
49 responses
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peggy gardner gave props (22 Aug 2008):
I like the memorabilia idea - this is great....you're how old? ;o)
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Ronnie Ginnever gave props (22 Aug 2008):
nice wallpaper.
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John Linton said (22 Aug 2008):
I'm 60, Peggy.
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David Eastham gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Great photo. Thanks for sharing the story too.
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Kiwi ana gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Great show! You must be our Maine contender for the name the vet quiz. I love this John, I love that you used such pithy experience to pass on wisdom to young kids with few cares. I'm old enough to have been the same age as some of your students and I'm sureI would have loved your classes.
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Kiwi ana said (22 Aug 2008):
P.S. The sketch tells me you have an evil sense of humour and are always in control of a classroom with a firm hand.
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Farras Abdelnour gave props (22 Aug 2008):
very nicely composed. love it
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Gail Anderson gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Little Butch? i'm sure there's a story there. those were sombering times, the end of the innocence. nicely done.
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Litz Go gave props (22 Aug 2008):
I always love looking at your photo. You do not only have a description on it but also the camera you used to take it. Very nice, John
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Paolo Pizzimenti gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Oh yeah.. " A name is written on a photograph..." Guess the song guess the singer..
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Lynn H gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Wonderful, John!!!
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Carole Thajer gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Photos like this.. stories like these are the reasons I love this place and keep on coming back.. nicely done John.. I think throwing in that sketch was the icing on the cake.. Love it!
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Yasmina Baggili gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Wow John, this is great!! Would have voted if it was possible...Well done
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Hector rtiz gave props (22 Aug 2008):
this is great...
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elfriede fulda gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Oh, this is so cool, I just love this one, I would give you a second prop for it......
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Audrey Kanekoa-Madrid gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Wow! Thanks for the description...very interesting!
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Tesha Farlow gave props (22 Aug 2008):
excellent story and pick
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John Linton said (22 Aug 2008):
Paulo...I think the lyrics are from a Jamie Cullum song, "Photograph"..."It's just another story caught up in another photograph I found.
and it seems like another person lived that life a great many years ago from now"
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Erica Loh gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Wow-ee. Great story. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Jessica Hardin gave props (22 Aug 2008):
wonderful entry thanks for sharing your story!
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phil413 gave props (22 Aug 2008):
Very cool, John. Sorry about your dad being drafted into Vietnam
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Vidyavati Chandan gave props (23 Aug 2008):
nicely done!
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Vladan Djordjevic gave props (23 Aug 2008):
Great image.
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Paolo Pizzimenti gave props (23 Aug 2008):
Ok John, you did it again! yesy it's a Jamie Cullum hit song...So now can you tell me how millions songs you know? And.. do you know als all lyrics? Take care my friend
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J. Harris Blacklist gave props (23 Aug 2008):
Oh Interesting! I like it!
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Caitlin Heath said (23 Aug 2008):
great story to go with a great photo! you rock J.L. (jr.)
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Camille Susak gave props (23 Aug 2008):
Definately one of the most interesting shots/descriptions i've seen-just great!
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Leanna Lomanski gave props (23 Aug 2008):
Well thought out as always..........I LOVE the sketch -- that is a totally evil smile, from mental torturing the unprepared and ill-equipped, I suspect. Is he a famous cartoonist for the New Yorker now??
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David Fullman gave props (24 Aug 2008):
Lovely idea
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Andrew Lorimer gave props (25 Aug 2008):
Love it :) well done
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Michael Lynch gave props (25 Aug 2008):
Way to go John. Great shot for the theme&story to boot !
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Diane Peterson gave props (25 Aug 2008):
Wonderful story to go along with a very clever submission!
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Craig Fraizer gave props (25 Aug 2008):
great work!
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Tammy Espino gave props (25 Aug 2008):
Great "rockin' Theme capture :)
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Alicia Rutkowski gave props (26 Aug 2008):
love it!
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Michele Randell gave props (26 Aug 2008):
Love this John !!!!
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Keith Skinner gave props (27 Aug 2008):
Great work and a wonderful keepsake John... You should print and frame this image
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Lindsay gave props (29 Aug 2008):
awesome awesome awesome work John!
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Howard Simpson gave props (29 Aug 2008):
Excellent work - You've had a very interesting life so far.
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Jason Platt gave props (30 Aug 2008):
TY for sharing part of your life..both the words and photo pack a punch!
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Nelson Campbell gave props (30 Aug 2008):
Interesting John.
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Natalie S gave props (31 Aug 2008):
Seeing those little draft cards places me into immediate sobriety. I did a college paper on PTSD in Vietnam Vets and met with a group of vets who served in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force AND Special Forces. Very heavy stuff. Interesting take on the name challenge.
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Scott Korn gave props (8 Sep 2008):
fantastic!
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Vicki Koch said (10 Sep 2008):
I love it!!
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Teresa gave props (22 Oct 2008):
This reminds me of a Kut Halsey sketch. I love it.
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Bonnie Blanton gave props (2 Nov 2008):
love the picture and the backstory makes it even better
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Martie Last said (11 Nov 2008):
Great history lesson here. It is interesting that you kept the documents all this time.
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Kathleen DesHotel gave props (21 Nov 2008):
Collection and Introspection. Do you ever miss teaching?
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Mario Scattoloni gave props (24 Nov 2009):
FuN-tastic foto & self-portrait.
