Thursday, April 21, 2016

PART 2 OF THE STORY OF JOHN

JOHN AND JESSICA

Well I've decided I'd better finish up with my John post as I am only 1/2 way through my kids posts. Let's see where was I?  Another area where John always excelled was in his artistic ability.  He could draw AMAZING cartoons and sketches and was a very imaginative as well.  He has very creative abilities.  When John was in high school he began some creative writing .  His high school newspaper published some of his articles a few times.  Those were exciting days at our house to see your son's work printed even though it was only the high school paper.  It was a LARGE public high school [over 4000 students!] and the competition was fierce.  Fun times.  The summer after his high school graduation John got what was supposed to be a "summer time" job with one of the top graphic artists in Hollywood who designs the big standee's you see in the movie theaters.  His company did the BIG movies.  Let me try and remember some of the designs he got to work on that summer....There was Jurastic Park for one, and the Lion King for another, and also Mrs. Doubtfire.  He got the job because hubby knew the designer very well and knew he was looking for some students and recent college graduates to intern with him over the summer, and his intention was to offer one of the college graduates at the end of the summer a full time position.   My goodness John took to the whole thing like a fish to water.  It truly just came easy to him, and he LOVED every minute of it.  Now truthfully this was truly a case of just knowing the right person at the right time, because of course under ordinary circumstances to get an opportunity to sit and be taught under such a noted designer doesn't just happen.  Those college grads that worked there that summer too had fought long and hard for their opportunities.  John honestly just lucked into his.  However, at the end of the summer the designer talked to my hubby and told him that the truth of the matter was John was his first choice of who he wanted to hire on permanently.  He told him that LOTS AND LOTS of people can be trained to be very successful graphic artists, but that nothing can be substituted for God given creative talent and abilities.  John was surprisingly mature for his age and again his memory abilities helped him to excel quite quickly. His personality and John's meshed very, very well, and that was another thing that doesn't always happen.  He would work directly with him.  There was of course MANY designers that worked for this company, and not all of them by any means worked directly with him. He didn't want to offer John the job though if we really wanted John in college, but it was honestly how he felt.  John was not even eighteen years old, though his birthday was in about a week.  Let me tell you hubby and I really prayed about this decision!  The truth was John was smart enough to do whatever he wanted to do in life.  He could have sailed through college if that was his desire.  But honestly John, while ALWAYS pulling straight A's, hated school.  He read what he wanted to, wrote what he wanted, and because of his memory knew things most people just don't is the only way to describe it.  He is a very different kind of guy.  He did not apply to ANY colleges as it was, as he just couldn't be made to.  He DID NOT want to go.  However, he had got him to agreed to begin at the local junior college in the Fall, I guess mainly because we had thrown such a fit and threatened to kick him out on his own if he didn't,  lol  But here was an opportunity right in front of him doing something he LOVED and that most would never get the chance for college grad or not.  On the other hand he was VERY young and the whole thing was a VERY adult world, and I guess I felt he BELONGED in school.  But on the other hand...... neither my hubby or I had a very good feel for the fact that he would be happy in the junior college anyway.  Soo in the end we told John about the job offer and left it up to him, and he of course dove on it.  And that begun John's career as a graphic artist.  I'd be willing to bet he was one of the highest paid HIGH SCHOOL graduates around, short of those who go straight into professional sports, lol.  He worked there for MANY years, and to this day still occasionally will free lance for them when they need extra hands. Some of HIS own personal design ideas have been used in the movie standees including Saving Private Ryan. John moved on eventually for many reasons [too long and not my stories to tell] but has remained a graphic artist and still enjoys it very much.  He has written two novels as well. Neither of them has been published, [I've read them both...sooo good] as he continues to work on them.  Trust me, I encourage him to try but his answer is they aren't ready yet, lol.  John reads as much as he can get his hands on.  It is another passion of his and as a result his range of knowledge is honestly quite phenomenal.  He has also done quite a bit of stand up comedy.  He has performed at many laugh clubs in Hollywood, and a few times as well at some of the local ones around here.  He does MANY impersonations which honestly really are hysterical.  The stand up comedy world is NOT my thing. While John's comedy is really quite clean, most of it is not of course and I am not always comfortable in the environment. We have of course though seen him perform many times.  He has not done much with it at all in the last couple of years or so though, and it was never something he really wanted to pursue seriously, but more something he did just for fun.  I can tell you though he does keep this family amused whenever he is here.   I do need to tell you quickly about John's romantic life, though this too is getting quite long.  I didn't think it would take quite so long to tell the basic stories of the lives of my kids, but then again I guess John will be 40 this year, so he has led quite a bit of life, and Joe of course is already 43.  Anyway....John met his first wife Jennifer when he was around 23 years old and fell head over heals in love and got married within a year.  Don't know if I had ever known someone who was as suited for this "different kind of guy" then Jennifer was.  She too was a really intelligent, massive book reading type of gal, though she had gone to college and in fact had sailed through in just 3 years!  They lived most of their marriage living in Long Beach and working hard at both of their careers.  She had a BEAUTIFUL voice and played guitar and performed frequently in the local coffee shops where they lived, in addition to her job of working with a non profit organization funding homes for special needs children.  Honestly we didn't see a lot of them as they were frequently busy, traveling or working. They never had any children, and didn't really want any either.  7 years later they separated and finally divorced, and John was honestly quite devastated over the whole thing.  He was still working in Hollywood at the time, but moved back home for a short period of time.  He honestly was rarely there however as he worked and stayed in Hollywood with friends frequently.  He dated other women of course over the next few years, but honestly his desire was always to work things out with Jennifer.  They were in the process of beginning to do just this when she died quite suddenly of a burst aneurysm one morning while out walking their little dog.  It was of course a VERY hard time for John and for her whole family of course as it was all very unexpected. Jennifer was only 37 years old and we all still miss her very much.  Looking back it does seem strange that both of my older sons lost their wives at a very early age to death.  John took a few years after that and dated only occasionally, but eventually met the woman he again fell in love with, and they married just a few short months ago.  She too is a WONDERFUL match for John and I am soo happy that he has found her and they are very happy together.  She is eight years younger then John however, and they are hoping to have at least one child, and maybe two.  So God willing John still might be a father after-all.

Well I guess this tells at least the main parts of John's life so far, and again I can honestly tell you that John has brought me so much pride and joy over his years as his mother that it would be hard to describe.  I may not talk to John as frequently as I do my other kids, but on the other hand when we do talk, we have been known to talk on the phone for hours at a time and share MANY similar loves and insights, and never grow short on things to discuss.  I can count on John to make me laugh, make me smile, and make my heart swell with love.



6 comments:

  1. such a beautiful story, bless you dear.

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  2. Wow, how interesting Debbie. I have a son who is a grpahic artist, and I understand at the different way they view the world.
    I am so glad you had a nice time in N.M. I can't believe Claire is already so big!

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  3. He sounds like a very special man and you are a blessed mama!

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  4. I've so enjoyed these bios of your children. They all have such lead such colorful lives. Happy weekend!

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  5. Pardon me, Debbie, Imwas interrupted for the umpteenth time and arrived back to find that I have been sitting here some time. Anyway, I read every word and was just amazed. Two sons and two uniquely wonderful stories. Gotta love the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. What a odd thing to have two daughters-in-law pass so young. It does give one pause. I do hope that John experiences the joy of fatherhood.

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  6. I love the way one can read the heart swells when a mother writes about her children. Especially when it is such a truthful and sweet story as you tell about your boys. So much love and pride in your writing. Thank you for sharing their stories with us.

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!