SMB 7 Up

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7 - On my 7th birthday I moved from Roker to Fencehouses. Hated it at first.
14 - 1989 and the UK is under the spell of Stock Aiken and Watermann - I'm in love with Kylie Minogue (and still am to be honest)
21 - It's 1996 and England is all about the Euro's and that song. I've just broken up with the mother of my daughter so the Euro's come as a welcome distraction.
28 - 2003 and I am married having moved to the US a couple of years earlier. Jungle Fever is in full effect.
35 - It's 2010 and after the ex-wife fucked with my immigration status I am back in the UK for a couple of years. Miserable as fuck, deeply depressed and borderline suicidal. Fortunately things start to look up when I get a job with a little marketing company in Newcastle
42 - 2017 and life is good. I've quit the corporate world to become a full time Realtor working the luxury NJ markets and made the switch to RE/MAX, I see my son almost every day despite the ill shit my ex-wife did and I am once again happily married. Looking forward to seeing where I am in 2024
Aye, but the hairline is receding
 


7 - Living in S Shields with Dad, older sister and older brother, Mum had died the year earlier (leukaemia). Looking back, really felt for Dad as he had to give up the career he’d worked so hard for, had risen to be the youngest oil tanker captain for Shell + the fact that he was thrown into looking after 3 young kids (7,10,11) when he more used to having an obedient crew!

School at Ridgeway infants, did ok but NOT top of the class lol. Had to wait 2 years before Dad took me to my first match (he was B+W but took me and my Kid to Roker as there was loads of NF propaganda stuff going on at the landfill)

14 - King’s school Tynemouth, bus, ferry then bus to get there, Did ‘ok’ in first 3 years but then the wheels started to come off. Was v unhappy at home, Dad was really strict and was only really interested in academic achievement, which I duly rebelled against (in style). The one thing I was good at was running, was often in top 5 at school, still run to this day. Also started noticing the opposite sex, which didn’t help relations at home…

21 - With 4 O Levels and an OND from South Tyneside College, the world was not my oyster. Still, I was determined to fuck off from the NE, so at 21 I found myself about to start the second year of my HND in the academic hotbed of Luton. Certainly became quite streetwise quickly, on my first day I was called a white bastard, lovely.

It did coincide with that famous away day at Kenilworth when the away fans were banned, was behind the goal in the home end, what a crazy day and some great memories.

On the plus side, I was 6 years into seeing my gf, who was from the NE and doing medicine in Sheffield. She really was the love of my life back then.

28 - Married said gf on the first Saturday game at the SOL! (Princess Diana died the next day) Service was just around the corner and we left at about 2.30, hordes of fans let’s just say giving us some marital advice ;)

Working as an IFA, which I actually seemed to be decent at.

Did an MSc at Sheffield Hallam.

35 - Living back in S Shields. Had split up from the wife in 1999 (living in Sheffield), back up to live with my brother in Boldon, bought a gaff in Shields, then had moved to Brum to go into business with 2 other IFAs, then fell out with one of them so moved back up.

As soon as I got back up north, I met my now wife on a blind date (internet dating). Had to tell her that, due to my recent business woes, I was royally skint. Thought it was fair to give her an option to bail. She didn’t (thankfully).

42 - Married, one daughter, living in Whitley Bay, work going really well. Feeling really settled at long last. Dad still alive (77) remarried and living in Shields (he died in 2014, ashes scattered at sea, a fitting end).

49 - (now) Still married, 2 daughters, still in same house (extended) in WB, work still heading in the right direction. The Lads still breaking my heart, STID.

It's been emotional!
 
7 - Living in S Shields with Dad, older sister and older brother, Mum had died the year earlier (leukaemia). Looking back, really felt for Dad as he had to give up the career he’d worked so hard for, had risen to be the youngest oil tanker captain for Shell + the fact that he was thrown into looking after 3 young kids (7,10,11) when he more used to having an obedient crew!

School at Ridgeway infants, did ok but NOT top of the class lol. Had to wait 2 years before Dad took me to my first match (he was B+W but took me and my Kid to Roker as there was loads of NF propaganda stuff going on at the landfill)

14 - King’s school Tynemouth, bus, ferry then bus to get there, Did ‘ok’ in first 3 years but then the wheels started to come off. Was v unhappy at home, Dad was really strict and was only really interested in academic achievement, which I duly rebelled against (in style). The one thing I was good at was running, was often in top 5 at school, still run to this day. Also started noticing the opposite sex, which didn’t help relations at home…

21 - With 4 O Levels and an OND from South Tyneside College, the world was not my oyster. Still, I was determined to fuck off from the NE, so at 21 I found myself about to start the second year of my HND in the academic hotbed of Luton. Certainly became quite streetwise quickly, on my first day I was called a white bastard, lovely.

It did coincide with that famous away day at Kenilworth when the away fans were banned, was behind the goal in the home end, what a crazy day and some great memories.

On the plus side, I was 6 years into seeing my gf, who was from the NE and doing medicine in Sheffield. She really was the love of my life back then.

28 - Married said gf on the first Saturday game at the SOL! (Princess Diana died the next day) Service was just around the corner and we left at about 2.30, hordes of fans let’s just say giving us some marital advice ;)

Working as an IFA, which I actually seemed to be decent at.

Did an MSc at Sheffield Hallam.

35 - Living back in S Shields. Had split up from the wife in 1999 (living in Sheffield), back up to live with my brother in Boldon, bought a gaff in Shields, then had moved to Brum to go into business with 2 other IFAs, then fell out with one of them so moved back up.

As soon as I got back up north, I met my now wife on a blind date (internet dating). Had to tell her that, due to my recent business woes, I was royally skint. Thought it was fair to give her an option to bail. She didn’t (thankfully).

42 - Married, one daughter, living in Whitley Bay, work going really well. Feeling really settled at long last. Dad still alive (77) remarried and living in Shields (he died in 2014, ashes scattered at sea, a fitting end).

49 - (now) Still married, 2 daughters, still in same house (extended) in WB, work still heading in the right direction. The Lads still breaking my heart, STID.

It's been emotional!
That was really interesting, credit to your dad.
 
That was really interesting, credit to your dad.
As soon as I became a Dad I started to understand what an immense job he did for us all - at the end of the day he only wanted the best for us all and gave us the platform by sending us all to good schools, which I failed at along with my brother, but my Sis worked her tits off and did really well

From my late 20s mine and Dad’s relationship was on the up and we enjoyed many good years until he passed

So, in the end we’ve all done quite well in life (not just job, £££), so hopefully he’s looking down thinking “yep, I didn’t do too bad a job”
 
7. At school at St Leonard's Silky. Didn't really mind primary school tbh.

14. Lived in Carlisle of all places as my mother is from over that way and dragged us over there for a few years. Was full of plastic Mags and I was one of 3 Sunderland fans in my school.

21. Graduated from University (Central Lancs) Started a Masters in Journalism at Sunderland University. One of the best years of my life. Had a great time.

28. Living in London. Had lived there 3 years. Was just living for the weekend really. Working in PR mostly in an office all day bored as fuck. Sexually frustrated. Safc away games in the smoke though = :cool:

35. My current age. Since 30 I've lived in Costa Rica, South Korea, Czech Republic and now Northern Spain. Decided to ditch PR and become an English teacher. The last 5 years of my life have easily been the best, wish I'd done it sooner.
 
As soon as I became a Dad I started to understand what an immense job he did for us all - at the end of the day he only wanted the best for us all and gave us the platform by sending us all to good schools, which I failed at along with my brother, but my Sis worked her tits off and did really well

From my late 20s mine and Dad’s relationship was on the up and we enjoyed many good years until he passed

So, in the end we’ve all done quite well in life (not just job, £££), so hopefully he’s looking down thinking “yep, I didn’t do too bad a job”
Nice one. Our dad was quite strict with us too but looking back, he was doing 12 hour shifts and had 3 noisy lads keeping him awake when he’d been on night shifts.

It’s true that once you have your own kids you realise that your parents were trying their best for you, even when they were quite severe at times.
 
Cracking thread.

7 - primary school at Easington Village CofE. Tiny school and very sheltered so comp would come as a shock in a few years. Living in Dalton-le-Dale with my mam and dad and two brothers. Holidays in the Lakes and life was good. Loved the cup final when I was 6 even if I pretended to want Leeds to win to wind up my dad.

14 - Easington Comp, having just picked my o levels. Hormones raging, wondering why I couldn’t get a girlfriend. Discovered the joys of cider at parties (“hey mister, can you get us a bottle of...”) and kissing Angela Johnson’s big sister. Realised I was shit at football but worse that I loved SAFC and was now going to away as well as home games. Still with the family in Dalton-le-Dale, still holidays in the Lakes and still life was good.

21 - final year at Newcastle University doing a law degree. Great time. Learned to look after myself, live on a budget, push my boundaries, shag women and drink to excess without face-planting in the Tyne. Continued my tradition of regularly pissing on St James and generally hating the mags whilst loving their city.

28 - working as a company and commercial lawyer for Eversheds in Newcastle after doing well at university and law college. Going out with Helen my first real love but who I never really told how I felt. She was way too good for me both looks wise and as a person and all these years later I’m not proud of the way it shortly ended. Had my first house in Jesmond and was enjoying life without too many ties travelling long haul around the world for climbing holidays. Season ticket holder, loving the generally shit football.

35 - now working as a senior counsel for a multi-national. Very lucky to still have a career after being arrested for GBH after a fight with some mags in the Bigg Market one match day in 96. Doing corporate projects and travelling with work all over Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific. Living in Nottingham with Louise who I loved and still do with everything I have. Still a season ticket holder and making most home and away games. Sunderland still generally shit. Money was good, but my parents weren’t well and I wasn’t seeing much of my brothers. Should have been deliriously happy but was on happy pills for the first time and for the first time thinking I didn’t like myself that much.

42 - international general counsel at the same place and career going as well as possible. But brutally hard and I was starting to resent what it was taking whilst loving the lifestyle and not liking myself. Two boys with Louise who just blew me away and yet I struggled to show how important they were too me. Parents still alive but my da had had a couple of scares with his heart and my ma was crippled by arthritis. Still a season ticket holder but no more away games. Sunderland pretty much still shit, though not as shit as the 80’s and 90’s.

49 - fair to say that a lot happened and a lot went wrong. Louise and I had our little girl in 2010and married finally in 2011. The kids meant (and mean) everything but I struggled to show it and realised I am definitely on the spectrum. This started causing rifts in the relationship and in 2013 louise told me she wanted to split. The worst day of my life. Shortly after I got heart failure and spent three months expecting to die before I saw my kids grow up. Even after I recovered, the black dog wouldn’t leave and I came uncomfortably close to taking my own life in 2014. A move back to the north east in the same year didn’t solve the marital problems and I was asked to move out of the family home. My dad died of a massive heart attack in 2015 whilst I was in Italy with work - that’s a journey home I’ll never forget. Couldn’t get my head right with all this stuff going on and the fall from Grace was complete when I lost my job just as I hit 49 in 2016 for telling my boss that I thought he was a c@nt. Sunderland very shit but we kept beating the Mags so there is a god.

52 now - been three further years of mainly downs but some ups. Kids have saved my life and keep me kicking. Ma is pretty unwell and housebound but keeps going so if she can do it with the pain she’s in, I’m fucked if I can’t. Loving being back in the NE and won’t leave the region to live again.
 
Cracking thread.

7 - primary school at Easington Village CofE. Tiny school and very sheltered so comp would come as a shock in a few years. Living in Dalton-le-Dale with my mam and dad and two brothers. Holidays in the Lakes and life was good. Loved the cup final when I was 6 even if I pretended to want Leeds to win to wind up my dad.

14 - Easington Comp, having just picked my o levels. Hormones raging, wondering why I couldn’t get a girlfriend. Discovered the joys of cider at parties (“hey mister, can you get us a bottle of...”) and kissing Angela Johnson’s big sister. Realised I was shit at football but worse that I loved SAFC and was now going to away as well as home games. Still with the family in Dalton-le-Dale, still holidays in the Lakes and still life was good.

21 - final year at Newcastle University doing a law degree. Great time. Learned to look after myself, live on a budget, push my boundaries, shag women and drink to excess without face-planting in the Tyne. Continued my tradition of regularly pissing on St James and generally hating the mags whilst loving their city.

28 - working as a company and commercial lawyer for Eversheds in Newcastle after doing well at university and law college. Going out with Helen my first real love but who I never really told how I felt. She was way too good for me both looks wise and as a person and all these years later I’m not proud of the way it shortly ended. Had my first house in Jesmond and was enjoying life without too many ties travelling long haul around the world for climbing holidays. Season ticket holder, loving the generally shit football.

35 - now working as a senior counsel for a multi-national. Very lucky to still have a career after being arrested for GBH after a fight with some mags in the Bigg Market one match day in 96. Doing corporate projects and travelling with work all over Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific. Living in Nottingham with Louise who I loved and still do with everything I have. Still a season ticket holder and making most home and away games. Sunderland still generally shit. Money was good, but my parents weren’t well and I wasn’t seeing much of my brothers. Should have been deliriously happy but was on happy pills for the first time and for the first time thinking I didn’t like myself that much.

42 - international general counsel at the same place and career going as well as possible. But brutally hard and I was starting to resent what it was taking whilst loving the lifestyle and not liking myself. Two boys with Louise who just blew me away and yet I struggled to show how important they were too me. Parents still alive but my da had had a couple of scares with his heart and my ma was crippled by arthritis. Still a season ticket holder but no more away games. Sunderland pretty much still shit, though not as shit as the 80’s and 90’s.

49 - fair to say that a lot happened and a lot went wrong. Louise and I had our little girl in 2010and married finally in 2011. The kids meant (and mean) everything but I struggled to show it and realised I am definitely on the spectrum. This started causing rifts in the relationship and in 2013 louise told me she wanted to split. The worst day of my life. Shortly after I got heart failure and spent three months expecting to die before I saw my kids grow up. Even after I recovered, the black dog wouldn’t leave and I came uncomfortably close to taking my own life in 2014. A move back to the north east in the same year didn’t solve the marital problems and I was asked to move out of the family home. My dad died of a massive heart attack in 2015 whilst I was in Italy with work - that’s a journey home I’ll never forget. Couldn’t get my head right with all this stuff going on and the fall from Grace was complete when I lost my job just as I hit 49 in 2016 for telling my boss that I thought he was a c@nt. Sunderland very shit but we kept beating the Mags so there is a god.

52 now - been three further years of mainly downs but some ups. Kids have saved my life and keep me kicking. Ma is pretty unwell and housebound but keeps going so if she can do it with the pain she’s in, I’m fucked if I can’t. Loving being back in the NE and won’t leave the region to live again.
Hope it turns around for you soon. Good luck
 
excellent thread!


7 - primary school. Middle of the road kid. Not too keen on the whole school life but it was what it was. Developing an interest in SAFC due to SAFC in the community leading coaching sessions and giving us cheap tickets.

14 - starting secondary school. Made friends for life. Friends I would eventually travel around the World with. Started properly following SAFC.

21 - living in Lancaster but about to move home. Had experienced uni but felt I had hit a crossroads and didn't want to waste anymore time at uni. Grades suffered massively and I virtually withdrew 4 months before I actually left. Moved home and stumbled across a college leaflet on the doormat at my mam and dad's house. I wasn't aware at the time the impact that leaflet would have. Picked a course and signed up (to get my parents off my case more than anything). I was lazy and wasn't ready to properly grow up. Not afraid to admit that. The course was to support teaching and learning. I applied for a placement at my old high school in Ashington. Got in, loved it, got my qualification. I was then up at stupid o'clock searching for a way in when I stumbled across an agency advert on indeed (iirc). It was about 3am in the morning but fired off an email anyway. Woke up to a reply asking me to pop in, they signed me up and got me back in at the same high school wherever they were short. Supply teacher in my old high school at the age of 21. Proper sink or swim. The school was rough and local to me so I was often teaching classes of 30 senior pupils including siblings of my mates who would have eaten me alive if I hadn't 'swam'. Teaching French and German (or rather following a lesson plan) to my mate's 14 and 15 year old brothers was the ultimate test. :lol:

27 (current age) - now working full time in SEND and living in Shields (via two different flats in Newcastle). The same agency that sorted me out at the age of 21 got me in to my current work place. Been there 5 years (via various different places of work). I haven't looked back. I've no idea where I would be if I wasn't home when that leaflet dropped through the letterbox at the age of 21 or if I had scrolled past the agency advert that night. Still best mates with the high school friends despite the fact we are all living in different corners of the globe. The power of social media eh?
 
7 living in hartlepool going to junior school had been advance 2 yrs since age of 5 so was in class with 10yr olds
14 senior school hartlepool very disillusioned with education so mainly playing truant
21 finished engineering apprenticeship and HNC
28 living in coventry with first Mrs Cat in first house i bought working in music industry lots of drink and drugs first daughter born this year
35 living in daventry with 2nd Mrs cat and 2nd daughter in house i bought working for Dixons
42 still in daventry still with 2nd mrs cat and second daughter same house working for Borders
47 still in daventry still with 2nd mrs cat and second daughter same house working as national ops manager for bookstore chain id opened
53 livining in cheltenham with 3rd Mrs Cat(no) renting house running own business a bookshop

55 in 9 days living in worcester in rented apartment with 3rd mrs cat still running a (failing) bookstore and working self employed in the gig economy
Walked past the shop this evening but you'd closed. The Mrs is going to pop in and buy her summer reads, which will keep you ticking over for a bit if previous years are owt to go by.
 
Walked past the shop this evening but you'd closed. The Mrs is going to pop in and buy her summer reads, which will keep you ticking over for a bit if previous years are owt to go by.
aye we close at 5 except saturdays 5.30..... tbh Im hardly in there these days just the Mrs(no) as im off trying to earn elsewhere
 
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