During the first year or two, I kept waiting for the state to close down the media department. Then one day I was told that the room that I had built a Media Department in, was to be used for something else, and of course they would really like me to move everything into another room. They wanted me to take apart and re-assemble, in a few days, what took me about ten years to build. And they wanted me to move all the main wires, plus put power that was needed for everything, in a much smaller room. Since there wasn't enough space for everything, what would stay and what would go? That decision was out of my hands!

The years creeped by and I was introduced to something brand new to my Sciatica Nerve. Because for the first 28 years of my chosen career, the heaviest item that I found myself lifting and moving most of the time, was a video or audio cassette. Then there's a major change in my career with heavier things to lift every day. So something in my back started happening. In January of 1996, I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis. In short, a ruptured disk in my back was causing the verterbrate that was resting on it, to slide forward. This forward motion started putting continuous pressure on my sciatica nerve, which controls everything from your waist down. And any type of sudden, up, or down physical motion, only makes it worse.

You may be wondering, "How is Bob sticking it out in maintenance?" I AIN'T!!! In January of 2000, It had been decided to have certain maintenance employees use golf carts instead of regular size vans. My first experience with these carts, educated me very quickly. "This is NOT going to be good for my back." I sat and thought, "what can I do?" By this time Mom was 86, and needed much more hands-on care from me. A tiny stroke that she had suffered the year before, kept her from getting her own grociers, prescriptions, and other visits. In other words, I became her ride. Now I had THREE major responsibilties. (1) My Life (2) Mom's Life and (3) My Job. Everything was really wearing me down - what to do? On February 2000, I became "self-retired".

So until 1991, I used all of my Radio & TV Production experiences, along with some technical knowledge, to put together a Multi-Camera Video Production Facility and Studio. Working with various Staff Personell, we produced Educational Programs that were eventually shown, along with other campus events I recorded, over our local cable system that I also updated and maintained.

The Up-To-Date Media Room, I put together from 1981 to 1991

"If you can get enough wires and enough stuff and spend enough time trying to connect this to that - you can build a Media Room that can be used for making recordings for Educational Purposes. And after you have all those programs recorded, you'll have a powerful tool that can be used for Educating and Training individuals who are mentally delayed on various levels. But a Media Room is more than just wires.....

From the age of 33 to 47, I used whatever means possible to document most of the campus events. Which required me to piece together audio and video equipment and use thousands of my own weekend hours and dollars to maintain my objective.

On May 23, 1984, it was reported in the Summerville Journal-Scene, "we have the only cable TV system anywhere specifically geared for the severely to profoundly retarded. The other three DMR centers in South Carolina are fledgling stations and often come here to see how we work."

Working with these FAB FIVE was the most fullfilling fourteen years of my life.

But it's Goodbye Media and hello maintenance

In September of 1991, computerized office equipment needed to be installed campus wide and the only person available to install it was someone that was in the maintenance department. Since he was unable to take on this new responsibility plus do his regular job, his replacement was being looked for. At that time there was a state wide freeze on hiring, so they looked within the department and found that I also had a technical degree as an Electronic Technician. On September 19, 1991, I was informed that the Media Department that I had spent the last fourteen years building, was going to be closed very soon and it would be in my best interest to transfer to the maintenance department to take on different duties. I didn't exactly like the idea of flushing 28 years of Media experience down the toilet, but at 47 years of age, there wasn't much else I could do.

I few people got together and staged a farewell party for me. But for some reason, it didn't have the same atmosphere as if I was going to a bigger or better location. I guess the only reason that no one could understand my loss was that they weren't going to lose years of experience in one career and have to start all over again elsewhere.

So after 14 years of state employment, taking a storage room with a few things plugged together, turning it into something a bit more useable - my Media abilities were no longer needed. I could now apply 28 years of total Media Experience in a brand new way. The maintenance department awaited me. I was to be in charge of the fire alarm equipment throughout the campus. That, indeed, is not a bad job - IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE SPEND DECADES WORKIN TOWARD. Dealing with fire alarm equipment doesn't sound too bad does it? As the days turned to weeks, the fire alarm responsibilties increased to carpentry, painting, sheet rock, fiberglass, ceiling tiles, telephone cables, fiber optic cables, rebuilding air conditoner filters, floor tiles, assorted hardwares, carrying ladders and batteries and a few other heavy incidentals, crawling around on my hands and knees on concrete floors and wooden planks in different attics.

"Bobby's very talkative". That's what was said about me when I was young. And now, in my 60's, I'm still talking. So thanks for checking out my Web Site. I hope you've enjoyed some of the sounds of my first fourteen years in Radio and Television. Below is another small chunk of fourteen years from September 16, 1977 to September 30, 1991, where I was allowed to use my talents and abilities in order to help bring some joy and happiness to those that were around me.

One of the many lessons that most people learn over the years, is how to be part of "a team". We learn that from our friends that we grow up with. From the early years to the late teens, we rely on them and they rely on us. Unfortunetly I wasn't allowed to learn that lesson. You can only learn that when you're young and by staying in one place long enough. It takes at least a year or two, to acquire your friends and for them to learn about you. From 1951 to 1963, I was moved from Columbia SC to Virginia to Indiana to Charleston to Okinawa to Decatur Ga to Atlanta Ga to Charleston to James Island. Since my Dad was in the Army, they moved him about and apparently never thought about the consequences to the children that have to move with their parents. Some of these children grow up with extremely independent ideas, especially if they haven't any brothers or sisters.
Thankyou ----------- Thom --------- Gary ---------- Richard --------- Rick -- and -- Charlie.

Click each photo to hear a recording