Looking at the Places of the Past

II started TM in 1973, became a teacher in 1975, and came to work at the National Office in 1976. I stayed here in Pacific Palisades for about 18 months. The good times and friends I enjoyed while working there are some of my fondest memories. Life can be so good when you're 23 years old.

I was came here to work in the purchasing department. Within a few weeks there was a big restructuring and I was moved to the finance department. There I worked on "A-forms" or cash receipts and teacher payroll. As income dropped I worked in the "Course Finance" office where I helped other TM teachers pay for advanced training. Another reorganizing and downsizing later I was working as a bookkeeper in the "Plant Fund" where I kept records for all the fixed assets, mortgages and leases for the Movement. Finally, in 1977 the National Office moved to New York state. I stayed in California for about a month working on the housekeeping staff. But then it was time to go back home to Seattle and start college for a career in computers.

I'm not one of those people who looks back very much. Rarely have I gone back to see old school teachers. Nor do I keep in touch with the hundreds of people I've been so close to and worked with in the Coast Guard, school, various jobs, marriage, and places I've lived. So this was an unusual thing for me to do -- to go back and see a closed down building and beaches I used to roam a quarter century ago.

The ocean was the same, but the waves were different. They didn't look like they could be surfed. They didn't beckon me. Even though LA is more crowded, the beaches seemed so empty -- even for weekday in May when it was over 70 degrees. Some things looked quite different: my apartment building was gone; a new building was on the beach; some other new buildings scattered around; the beach had some erosion control walls put in. But all in all, everything was pretty much the same.

I can't express in writing the feelings I experienced as I drove up and saw the shut down office buildings where I used to work. Suffice it to say the feelings weren't overwhelming, sad or even melancholy. But to see the place where so many great memories were made, memories that simultaneously seem like yesterday and a lifetime ago, to see that place looking like an abandon ghost town left me a little hollow, but still enriched at the same time.

My old office building at the National TM Center in Pacific Palisades. It has been sold and I'm not sure what is to become of the facility.
The main entrance. I worked as a bookkeeper and taught TM here during 1976 and 1977.

The back entrance to the kitchen area.
Some of the most memorable days of my youth happened here. It was very strange to see it 25 years later.

This beach (I think) is called Will Rogers Beach, where Sunset Boulevard hits Pacific Coast Hiway.
Back then I would jog and swim every morning and evening.

Even in the "winter" (ya.. like LA even knows what winter is) I was here all the time.
This is where my friends (Bonnie Mosiman, actually) named me "Surf King".

On the warmer weekends, often times the whole gang of us would be at the beach. I would be body surfing all the time.
Where did everyone go?

The weather this day was quite warm. But the surf was terrible.
Catching a wave... in my dreams.

The apartment (actually motel gone monthly rental) I used to live in used be at this location -- under what now is a red roof..
The intersection of Sunset and PCH 1.

On the Santa Monica Pier.
I guess this pier was nearly destroyed by El Nino storms. It has been rebuilt and seems to be "trying too hard" to be something from the past.

I spent some time here back in 1976 & 1977. The beach here is so big and flat.
Jack and I walked south on the beach and the concrete path.

Flying home. We had checked out of the Disney hotel this morning and spent the day looking at these old sights. We had an afternoon flight back to Seattle. It was a great Spring Break.

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My old office building at the National TM Center in Pacific Palisades. It has been sold and I'm not sure what is to become of the facility.	The main entrance. I worked as a bookkeeper and taught TM here during 1976 and 1977.
The back entrance to the kitchen area.	Some of the most memorable days of my youth happened here. It was very strange to see it 25 years later.
This beach (I think) is called Will Rogers Beach, where Sunset Boulevard hits Pacific Coast Hiway.	Back then I would jog and swim every morning and evening.
Even in the "winter" (ya.. like LA even knows what winter is) I was here all the time.	This is where my friends (Bonnie Mosiman, actually) named me "Surf King".
On the warmer weekends, often times the whole gang of us would be at the beach. I would be body surfing all the time.	Where did everyone go?
The weather this day was quite warm. But the surf was terrible.	Catching a wave... in my dreams.
The apartment (actually motel gone monthly rental) I used to live in used be at this location -- under what now is a red roof..	The intersection of Sunset and PCH 1.
On the Santa Monica Pier.	I guess this pier was nearly destroyed by El Nino storms. It has been rebuilt and seems to be "trying too hard" to be something from the past.
I spent some time here back in 1976 & 1977. The beach here is so big and flat.	Jack and I walked south on the beach and the concrete path.
Flying home.	We had checked out of the Disney hotel this morning and spent the day looking at these old sights. We had an afternoon flight back to Seattle. It was a great Spring Break.