A day that changed your life

[edd_jedi]

Is there one day that stands out for you as one that completely changed your life?

When I was 20 I applied to uni to do a graphics course, but didn't get in because the course was full. I put the idea of uni on hold for a while and carried about my normal life, at the time working in retail (Phones4u I think from memory.) One day later that year I was at a hotel with my then-girlfriend having a 'romantic' weekend away, and my phone rang. We were in the bath at the time and I didn't want to answer it, but she insisted. It was the tutor from the course I applied for telling me that somebody had dropped off the course I applied for and if I said yes right then I could have the spot, but it was likely to go quickly. So I said yes.

I went to uni, did the course in web design, and got my first proper job through my tutor (the same one that had made that awkward phone call to me.) This was about 10 years ago and I'm now doing pretty well in the IT industry.

If I hadn't answered the phone that day I wouldn't have gone to uni, wouldn't have learned my current trade, and would never have met my future employer so would probably still be working in mobile phone shops in Bournemouth. I would also never have moved to London, which ended up being the reason I split up with that girlfriend, and would never have met my current girlfriend (or fiancee should I say!)

I can't quite believe what an impact that one phone call has had on my life, I dread to think where I would have ended up if I hadn't answered the phone that day.

Any similar stories?

 

[itfciain]

Love it

Mine is pretty cheesy, but I met my (future) wife on internet dating - funny thing was that she was studying in Norwich at the time so when the first message came through and I saw she was in Norwich then I didn't bother to reply (1. because I was living in Leeds at the time and 2. Sadly, because being from Ipswich means you don't like people from Norwich!)

Luckily for me, she messaged me a second time - and this time I checked out her profile and realized she was a Colombian (so all good on the Norwich front) - so I replied back - we met, I moved to Norwich, got married, had our beautiful little girl and now we live in America

All of this wouldn't have happened if she hadn't messaged me a second time. To be honest, up until that point I had been making a bit of a mess of my life and for her to come along, stabalise it and give it purpose was the best thing that ever happened to me

 

[Richard_H]

Loads and loads of these.....

Wouldn't have met my girlfriend without massive dysfunctional family issues on both sides. We were both in a pub on NYE that neither of us should have been under normal circumstances.

A course tutor rang me to do a course I wasn't really interested in but he convinced me. That led to my qualifications and future job in the end.
Browsing a notice board in a University queue a read a sheet about p-t summer work. Applied got it and then was offered a f-t job after my first degree.

Possibly the most changing was when I was working for the MoD and was made redundant. I applied for a PGCE course because I couldn't think of anything else really although I was considering teaching and they were offering good grants. A few weeks later after I was asked to go back to the MoD as the second gulf war broke out but I refused.

Each job/promotion I've been convinced by others to go for and against the odds I've got them.

Only support Arsenal because my family were so poor they saved up for football tokens from a newspaper to buy the Match of the Day Annual at Christmas one year and it was Arsenal focused.

A nun tried to kill me with a knife when I was 6 months old and missed :lol:

Honestly I could go on and on with stories like this.

When I was 2 I crossed a 4 lane dual carriageway in a smoby car. Luckily the police spotted me and stopped the traffic :lol:

 

[db94]

A nun tried to kill me with a knife when I was 6 months old and missed :lol:

^ This is why I'm going to drive down to the next organised meet - want to buy you several pints and get the full story

 

[spoons]

A nun tried to kill me with a knife when I was 6 months old and missed :lol:

^ This is why I'm going to drive down to the next organised meet - want to buy you several pints and get the full story

An extra in the Blues Brothers?

 

[sith-smith]

Day I went on a history trip while studying A levels made me change my aim of going into music (from a musical family, was studying music) and go for a history degree. Took my life into a completely different direction and ended up being a teacher of RE.

Has ultimately meant that I probably earn more money than I would have had I gone down the music route and consequently was able to afford to buy property and the collection I have.

Also meant I ended up suffering an attempt on my life


Can't even imagine what my life would be like had I stuck to music.

 

[SublevelStudios]

Also meant I ended up suffering an attempt on my life/quote]

What?! Holy crap

 

[x-pack]

That's easy ...but it depends how you link things up. I mean everything you ever did has put you where you are now right?

In 2001 I booked a flight out to Mumbai the idea being that I would spend 6 months travelling around India for the second time. I was going to go on my own but about 6 months after booking the ticket a close friend said he would like to come with me...

When we got to Mumbai airport there's this thing where you have to fill out immigration papers and so on. Typical long winded Indian bureaucracy. So we're waiting around in a queue looking for pens and stuff and my friend get chatting to this girl in the queue. He invites her with us as she's heading down to Goa on the train.

That girl ended up being my partner for years after. We've split up now, but because of that meeting I ended up living in London and starting the job I do now. We then relocated back up north and I transferred my job up here. Bought a house and so on.

When we split I met my wife. Still live in the same house. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for my friend meeting that girl at the airport. I'm useless with women so would have never got chatting to her. Without that I imagine I would have still been grinding my ass off for nothing fixing cars.

Of course none of it would have happened it it wasn't for an old school friend who got me into travelling in 1995. Weird the twists and turns life can take innit?

 

[SublevelStudios]

A mate of mine rented 'ALIENS' out on video when it first came out, about '87 and invited me round to watch it.
I don't think I spoke for about an hour after it finished - it had a very profound affect on me and I remember that day clearly.

 

[weasel]

:lol:

 

[x-pack]

A mate of mine rented 'ALIENS' out on video when it first came out, about '87 and invited me round to watch it.
I don't think I spoke for about an hour after it finished - it had a very profound affect on me and I remember that day clearly.

Same exact thing with Withnail & I. There are films I wish I could watch again for the first time

Weasel stop laughing :lol:

:wink:

 

[weasel]

I don't get the attraction in Withnail and I. I tried to watch it once, but got so bored I gave up half way through. It's just ****ing dull.

 

[x-pack]

It's not for everyone. There's no guns, explosions, robots, spaceships, aliens, sexy ladies or car crashes :wink:

 

[.Q.]

Count me in the Withnail fan club, one of the few movies I can clearly remember the 1st time I saw it. Perfect movie (to me anyway :wink: )

Great thread. Like others, probably being introduced by a mutual friend to my good Ladywife. Married 13 years now and our daughter is about to start school this autumn. A bit young to watch Withnail yet... but we all love SW!

 

[x-pack]

Count me in the Withnail fan club, one of the few movies I can clearly remember the 1st time I saw it. Perfect movie (to me anyway :wink: )

Great thread. Like others, probably being introduced by a mutual friend to my good Ladywife. Married 13 years now and our daughter is about to start school this autumn. A bit young to watch Withnail yet... but we all love SW!

Too young!?

...you probably mean for lines like, "right you ****er! I'm going to do the washing up!" :lol:

I distinctly remember having an affinity with the Marwood character (Paul McGann) when first watching W&I. That's probably not a good thing :?

 

[poncho]

Theres a dedicated with nail and i thread somewhere.

 

[Dublinjeff]

Decided to bring the mood right back down....

For me it was late August 1984, I can't remember the exact date, but as a family we had returned from our Summer holidays in France.

It was then that my parents told me and my sister that they were separating. It kicked off pretty badly in the following days/weeks....Police etc.

I was 8 years old...

It definitely had an affect on the person I am. Growing up in a household with two woman during my formative years shaped the person I became.... Not in a bad way! However, I really felt I had to become the 'Man of the house' . Later on in life it definitely helped me in my chosen career. You become very self reliant and develop a strong sense of reading people. Well I did anyway.

My mum was fantastic rearing my sister and myself. It was a brave decision she made back in those days. She worked tirelessly so that we never went without! I reckon that is why we are still so close to this day.

I have reconnected with my Father. We have a good relationship. Having a family of my own now ties everyone back together, being Grandparents, birthdays etc

Well that's it...it was a long time ago, but typing this makes it seem a bit closer.

**** it...Time for a beer

 

[SAVORY100]

mine is two events really, but related very closely...

1) Dad dies...
My father died of bowel and bladder cancer, a disease that has a hereditary trait and was responsible for his fathers life too. A fast and nasty disease that was diagnosed only c6 weeks before he passed. The day after he died I was advised to attend/request tests that can be done every three years to severely reduce my risk. Coupled with this I was handed some information about what the risks and known causes were, I read it all and I read up on the other lifestyle choices I could affect to mitigate risk... All the obvious stuff, give up smoking, reduce red meat, quit alcohol, lose weight (I was a big boy at the time) and get fit; something that was the scariest of all for me, crap at sport and a love of the sofa...

The booze and diet was easy, so over about six months my lifestyle changed, I became teetotal, started eating healthily, reluctantly joined a gym.

2) Dinner with friends...
I'm having dinner with a large group of friends, picking the healthiest meal on the menu, I finish my starter and leave the table for a roll up, as I stand my friend Diane, asks why I still smoke, given I now make such an effort with everything else... I stand outside in the cool night air enjoying my cig, mulling over her words, I was embarrassed by what she'd said, I knew she was right... I finished the cig, return to the table and never smoke another!

Now I'm a trained Personal Trainer, run multiple marathons a year (10 last year, my fifth of this year is only a week away) and running coach in my spare time. Still enjoy a pizza and a steak, but just once a week rather than ever night!

 

[x-pack]

Bloody hell :shock: Well done on giving all that bad stuff up and starting the healthy regime. Incredible and definitely life changing

 

[Mr-shifter]

There are three moments in time that have had quite an impact on the direction of my life. Pretty similar to other people here but I thought I would share.

The first was back in 2003. I had gone through school with little direction, and went to university to do a degree in Chemistry, for no reason other than I enjoyed sciences. After 2 years of study I had come to the conclusion it wasn't for me. I went into the job market with no idea and had worked for an insurance company, and then as a pensions administrator. I was quite capable of doing the job, I just found administration work mind numbingly boring. One afternoon I was drawing pictures on paint rather than doing what I was supposed to be doing and it suddenly hit me that I needed to get away from office work and find something that I would enjoy and could craft into a proper career. I had a chat with my manager that afternoon and had handed my notice in at the end of the day. I had agreed to work a 3 month notice period, and I knew there was no turning back. I wanted to do manual skilled work, and by the time I had finished my notice period I had gotten a job with the electricity board. I went on an adult training scheme and ended up qualifying as an overhead linesman. It was a job that I loved, and spent 10 years doing before taking an engineering role. I still work for the board, and have completely redone my education, completing an NVQ and City and Guilds, before doing an HNC in electronic and electrical engineering, all company sponsored.

My second was a few years back, when I was online dating. I had been conversing with a girl but had not yet met her. She was due to go on holiday and get in touch with me a week later when she got back. Nearly three weeks went by, and she had been back online since her holiday but not got in touch. I decided to send her one last message saying something along the lines of "Do you still want to meet up, if not, no problems but just say." I got a message back saying she had been busy and had forgotten and now left it a bit long but still wanted to meet up if that was ok. I married her in 2013 and last November we had a little girl. I have always wondered if I hadn't sent that message wether she would have mailed me back or just left it.

The final moment in time was again in 2013. My mum had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer back in 2011. After a lot of chemo and radio, the treatments had stopped working and her health had deteriorated quite badly. We had a hospital bed at home for her but she had gotten to the point where she was referred to the local hospice. She had picked up a bit the week before but then taken a turn for the worst. On the thursday of that week I had been in hospital myself to have a hernia repaired so hadn't been to see her that day. My then partner had taken me to see her on the friday, but we didn't get there until 4:40pm. Mum was not very well and was quite laboured with her breathing. It was a lovely day and the window was open with a slight breeze in the room. When we got there both my brother and father where there, which was quite unusual as we normally ended up visiting at different times. I had told my mum that we were all there and sat down next to the bed. I was chatting with my dad about 15 minutes later and I suddenly realised she had stopped breathing. She took a series of a few breaths, and then died at 5pm. One thing she had said many times when she was diagnosed was that she did not want to die alone. That was the only time since the day she had gone in 2 weeks earlier where me, my dad and my brother where all in her room at the same time. I truly believe that she chose that moment, whilst her entire family where present, to leave us. It also made me realise exactly how short and uncertain that life can be.

Sorry for rambling. Life is so much all about the fine margins.