Rick Bragg

I've been married and divorced 3 times, but who's counting? None had any lasting hostility or financial ruin. There have been 3 distinctly different careers that change when market conditions create the need to move on. Early years as GM for swimming pool builder in San Diego and during the last two years I learned I could sell the product and actually speak to people. But, the building market crashed so I moved on to 15 years as the first So Cal salesman and business consultant for Aveda salon products. What fun that was! I got to wear funky fashions, wear the latest weird trendy haircuts and be around beautiful creative people. During that period I became a public speaker and seminar leader. When a big corporation bought them out and offered me 1/3 my previous earnings I left that industry and then spent 10 years, mostly very successful. as an independent rep selling (manufacturer to retailer) home furniture. That industry crashed 2 years before the banking and housing market did so when 80% of my clients had declared bankruptcy I left that industry.
When the economy stayed low in So Cal I finally decided to give up my solo careers and go for the benefits package. For the first time in my life I punch a time clock. Now I work in the Specialty Department for a local Whole Foods Market and host the wine-related events.
***News flash! I left Whole Foods after 6 1/2 years and am back to working as an independent rep selling a line of contemporary furniture. The company's based in Canada and I set my own schedule again. More travel, lots more freedom.

During all that time I managed to stay in great shape and maintain a positive attitude. Sports and hobbies pursued: distance running, mountain climbing, tennis, wine collecting, cooking, politics, jazz and blues music, reading, gardening.
Health update April 2014: Just got a hip replacement; doing fine. I'll be ready to dance at the 45th reunion!

I guess I had mostly very good memories of school, though I lacked the motivation to push myself, whether athletically or scholastically. I had enough natural talent to semi-coast and do well. Sure wish I'd have really tried!
A few things do standout. Mr Lawrence introduced me to some fine old blues tunes as well as making literature and writing fun. Mr Figenshu had a dry sense of humor and made learning science interesting. He once set up an experiment showing lung capacity and used me (6' tall and 130 lb skinny kid who smoked cigarettes) against John Ryan, the all-state wrestler and decathalete. I beat him twice in a row and spoiled Fig's lesson.
Perhaps no teacher taught me more than Mr Foster, whose free-form, open-thought art classes were more about life and honest dialog and inner exploration than learning art for those of us less talented. He allowed and encouraged open discussions about everything hormonal teens were curious about. He encouraged John Allen to bring us the latest in rock music from his So Cal connections and they were played regularly during his classes. I still remember listening to Alice's Restaurant for the first time while trying to learn about stained glass!
I loved all sports and managed to get some letters in the only sports that had no followers. Wrestling, bowling and cross country are the least known and watched.

My two closest friends were on the wrestling team and seem to have disappeared. Where are John Achermann and Steve Dietrich?
And, having my first girlfriend, finally, entering my senior year. We ditched class together just once and I got caught, she didn't. Her note forgery was better than mine so I got busted. No more cutting classes for me!