OUR READERS FALL 2020
WITH EACH ISSUE OF PROGRESS, WE SIT DOWN WITH A HANDFUL OF READERS TO LEARN A BIT ABOUT THEM. THESE FIVE READERS JOINED US IN THE STUDIO, A MEETING SPACE UPSTAIRS IN THE COMMERCIAL DISPATCH BUILDING, IN SEPTEMBER 2020.
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR STORY AS WELL. IF YOU’RE OPEN TO ANSWERING OUR FIVE QUESTIONS, LET US KNOW BY EMAILING PROGRESS@CDISPATCH.COM
IVAN LUCKETT
CONTRACTING OFFICER, VETERAN, COLUMBUS
Is what you’re doing right now what you wanted to do when you grew up?
I don’t think when I was a kid I actually knew what I wanted to be. The only thing I cared about was playing football. But then I guess in my senior year in High School, that’s when it really took a toll in my head and the whole thing was I can’t live the way I was living at the time, because I am actually from the projects. So I just decided to go to the military. I went to the Army and did over 16 years.
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Pick the same friends that I have right now and the ones that I lost, don’t pick them, because they’re not here for a reason. I would give myself advice on some of the decisions that I know I wouldn’t have made later. I am big on family, so I think I would have allowed more family in and gotten closer to them before I didn’t have the time.
What’s the one thing people tend to misunderstand about you?
My skin color, my beard, my body build. Almost immediately a lot of people are intimidated by me, because I might have a smug look or whatever, but once I start communicating everybody laughs with me.
What’s your greatest extravagance?
I’ve got about five cars and a motorcycle, but my biggest extravagance is my son. My son lives in Colorado with his Mum, but the way things are right now we can’t move like we want to. So once this COVID-19 is over, it’s going to be the traveling part. I want to take him to all the games and museums. I want to take him to the beach and just show him a whole bunch of stuff.
If you could master one skill, what would it be?
Man I don’t want to put this in the book, but it’s the truth: manipulation. Not all manipulation is bad, not all of it is good, but you can sway things to where they should be and where they need to be, where it can work for the greater good. There might be another word for it than manipulation.
JOANNA JAMESON
SPEECH THERAPIST, WEST POINT
Is what you’re doing right now what you wanted to do when you grew up?
I feel like growing up I had a lot of skills and talents that I knew I wanted to apply to the job that I would have. I wanted to do something with creativity and I knew I wanted to work with people and help them, so with that in mind I never really wanted to put myself in a box. Who knows where the road is going to take me, but the job that I have now is checking all the boxes.
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
In College if someone asked me to come and do something, my response was always “oh no, I need to stay in and clean or something”. My Mom always told me to be careful with that, because you’re not going to remember that in 10 years, you’re going to remember going to dinner with all your friends and having a great time. That’s something I had to learn to do and I wish I had told myself that a long time ago.
What’s the one thing people tend to misunderstand about you?
When I was younger I heard someone describe me as shy and quiet and I just took a step back, because I thought that’s not me. I kind of thought about it and I realized they’re right, I don’t really apply myself or stand up and do things in front of people. So I thought let’s change that, because that’s not who I am. I started to be more myself, step up and be more outgoing.
What’s your greatest extravagance?
I would have to say experiences in general, whether that’s traveling or eating at really nice restaurants. Life is short, so I just feel like I never want to say no to anything and miss out.
If you could master one skill, what would it be?
I wish I knew how to sew. My grandmother is a great seamstress and I always have relied on her to hem my clothes or sew me cute Halloween costumes. She’s tried to teach me before, but I probably have to learn a little more patience, but that’s something I wish I could do.
JACK JAMESON
CO-BUSINESS OWNER (ADVENTURE ATV), WEST POINT
Is what you’re doing right now what you wanted to do when you grew up?
No, it wasn’t. I always thought I’d be a farmer. I majored in Agribusiness at MSU and my dad has been a farmer his whole life. I just assumed after college that’s what I would do and then in 2000 he opened that dealership.
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Probably to be open to more opportunities. I kind of always regretted not studying abroad and being more involved with different group activities. I think that’s really important for my job now, like dealing with the public on a daily basis. I’ve been there for 7 years and I’m still learning, but that would have been a good head start for my communication skills.
What’s the one thing people tend to misunderstand about you?
I’m trying to be pretty straight forward, but I think people think the younger generation doesn’t necessarily have the work ethic that the older generations do. In my experience our generation has some of the hardest working people and I’ve seen it from both sides, working on the farm where I was physically drained and working at the ATV dealership where I’m mentally drained, but you sleep just as good. People can just automatically look at you, the way you dress, your age and just think that you don’t possess a work ethic.
What’s your greatest extravagance?
Definitely travelling. My wife and I, we just travel from Orange Beach to visiting friends from Boston. We’ve taken some trips to Scotland, London and we’ve gone to Italy. Any chance we get, we try to go. So, like now, we’d love to have gone somewhere, so I’m glad we were able the last couple of years to just go. That’s where we probably spend more than we should.
If you could master one skill, what would it be?
Carpentry, I’ve just always thought it’s the prettiest art. I know some carpenters and I’ve got some carpenters in my family. It’s just amazing what somebody that’s really passionate about it can do. I’ve always just loved how complex or simple carpentry can be. It’s really available to anybody, you don’t have to have tens of thousands dollar tools.
TRESA SANDERS
CITY CLERK, ARTESIA
Is what you’re doing right now what you wanted to do when you grew up?
No, I actually wanted to be a teacher when I first started out, but then I changed my mind. I wanted to teach history, but the kids changed my mind and I decided to go another route.
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
To be more patient and to listen more. Always seek advice from other people, because you don’t know it all.
What’s the one thing people tend to misunderstand about you?
People seem to think that I’m mean. It takes some time for me to warm up and really get to know you and it takes some time to really get to know me. I’m not a talkative person sometimes, but once I know you and warmed up to you, I can adjust to you. I am kind of a very much guarded person.
What’s your greatest extravagance?
The greatest thing was building a house. Me and my husband watching it go up and building on it each day was one of the greatest things and accomplishments that we had. Building a house from the bottom up, it took almost a year.
If you could master one skill, what would it be?
Communication skill, I would love to be better. Sometimes I can get frustrated very easily and I want to be more communicative with people and talk to people more.
PAT CHISM
RETIRED VICE-PRESIDENT (CHISM ELECTRIC), COLUMBUS
Is what you’re doing right now what you wanted to do when you grew up?
Not really, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but it worked out fine. I’ve really been blessed, I learned a lot working at the bank and made a lot of wonderful friends. Then I got to work for 16 years with my husband at Chism Electric Service.
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
There are several things, probably one would be continuing my education and wait a little bit longer to get married. I got married right out of High School. One thing I’ve been thinking about lately is ask questions. My parents are deceased, my dad was a prisoner of war in Germany and I never really talked to him about that. I wish I had asked more questions growing up about our family.
What’s the one thing people tend to misunderstand about you?
That’s the tough one. Probably, when I first meet someone I am not really outgoing to carry on a conversation. Some people might also think that I’m kind of bossy and they would probably think that because of how my husband and I pick at each other all the time, but we have a wonderful relationship and we just do it for fun. We’ve been married 52 years.
What’s your greatest extravagance?
Traveling, we’ve been blessed immeasurably and we’ve been all through the United States, bost coasts. We’ve been overseas and on several cruises, we’ve just been blessed with those opportunities. And then of course our grandkids. We have two daughters and each one of them has a son, so our two grandsons.
If you could master one skill, what would it be?
Actually, there’s two. I love to sing, I sing in the choir at church, but I haven’t mastered singing yet. Then I would love to be able to play the piano. I took some lessons while I was working at the bank, but working, taking banking classes and taking piano classes was just too much.
INTERVIEWS BY CLAUDI ARRINGTON
PHOTOS BY LEDRICO ISAAC
