rscmaine Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Just flipped the two Subs for this last night - it is arriving tomorrow - 1981 vintage 18038, factory diamond bezel, with all 25 links in the bracelet, dial has been swapped back to the factory gold stick (but I am also getting the MOP diamond too) A little background - Years ago I had a bunch of money, no wife or kids, and lived the Jimmy Buffett life living aboard a 35 foot Hinckley sailboat. I wore a brand new Rolex Seadweller at that time to give people an incentive to dive for my lifeless corpse when I inevitably fell overboard drunk. Got married and had a kid...things were swell. Then, I broke my neck and spent 18 months in a neck brace - lost the boat, 2 jaguars and a house...last to go was the Rolex...and it fed my family for 6 months during very dark days indeed... My pursuit of this watch (and yes the 18038 is my ultimate 'grail') has been fueled by a 13 year effort to regain all that was lost during that time. We were on food stamps, fuel assistance, jeep repoed from yard and house in foreclosure in 1997, and wife pregnant with 2nd kid- about as bad as I could ever imagine...(just got my Social Security statement last week - my 1996 taxable earnings for all of 1996 were $156...for the year) The President is my version of putting a period at the end of a long and difficult sentance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its_urabus Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Congrats man. Not my style, but I can relate to what it represents. Congrats on making it through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki6 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Good on you for never giving up bud!! I have broke my back in 4 places, so I feel your pain! Life isn't fun being stuck a body brace or neck brace! Huge kudos for staying and rebuilding yourdream man! Sixx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDorian Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Way to persevere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CY0811 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 AWESOME watch and great story...you got knocked down and climbed back up to the top bro...congrats!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member X Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Respect is due for having the drive to never give up - too many others give up over much less! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBreitling Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 +1 for all of the above, you got my message directly this AM. Wear with pride of ownership and perseverance. But don't forget my mom's advice, "Don't wear a watch worth more than your hand!" especially in dangerous places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justasgood Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Strong! God Bless and prayers that you never re-visit that cycle ever again. Kudos and great watch made better by an incredible story..... Enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornerstone Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Congratulations on the grail watch, and on winning the battle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki6 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 +1 for all of the above, you got my message directly this AM. Wear with pride of ownership and perseverance. But don't forget my mom's advice, "Don't wear a watch worth more than your hand!" especially in dangerous places. Lol, your mam is a very wise woman Dave!!! Sixx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john7830 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) Congratulations on getting there. I'll tell you, reading your post nearly brought a tear to my eyes. Im serious. The fact of you having gone through all that, to persevere and rise again, is truly inspiring. I myself, know whats its like. I have lost a home to foreclosure, my car, and had to sell everything that I owned and valued more than once in my life and Im only 30 sitting here. BUT as you have shown, you GET THROUGH IT. You move forward and you move on, and you NEVER give up. Material objects can always be replaced. Family and loved ones are what matters most, and I have done, and will do everything I can for them, as you have done. I think its so important for people to remember that fact in life. Reading that was truly inspiring to me. As life would have it, I start school again in January to earn my degree. I know that I will get where I should be, and where I CAN be. If I work at it enough I simply can't fail. On a side note, that is MY grail too. Not with all the diamonds, just an 18K Day-Date with a champagne dial someday.. The line about wearing the Seadweller as incentive for people to dive in and save you had me laughing very hard here. Congrats once again and good on you for making in life, you really sound as though you have earned every bit of it. Edited June 8, 2009 by john7830 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerthat Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 GREAT Story!!! Wishing you continued success Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubu Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Life is full of cycles- up, down, and many times just a side step. Congrats on your new DD. Enjoy, not for the watch, but for the newest positive energy it represents. I am sure that the relationship with your family is even more important than the DD. And the relationship with yourself has come full circle. The DD is a symbol of regained confidence and prosperity. CONGRATULATIONS! Life hands us many lessons, we grow and learn. Someday you may look back on your journey as a blessing and gift. Be very grateful for your family and that they are with you with love on this journey. In life relationships give meaning to our lives. It is not our possessions but the people and those relationships that are the most meaningful. The meaning of life is that life has meaning. Enjoy your new Rolex! And celebrate your return. You earned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star69 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 ZING ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubu Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 ZING ! No just some philosophy from a person who has lived a few years and also had my ups and downs. Watches bring me great joy and my family brings great meaing to my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star69 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 No just some philosophy from a person who has lived a few years and also had my ups and downs. Watches bring me great joy and my family brings great meaing to my life. he he - don't get me wrong here - its just a watch you see not everyday ....... that's all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayward Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Good to hear it's all good again...nice Rollie too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 That's truly inspiring, congratulations for getting through it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rscmaine Posted June 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Thanks for all the replies...it has been over a decade now and our world is in good order and balance - kids well, family happy, Dad still a nut The wife of the Founder and Chairman of Aflac Mrs Paul once told my wife and I that such travails always stay with you - and always for the better - when they started the company they sold most of the stock for start - up money and Mr Paul worked for the first several years selling policies door to door and plowing everything into the business - they lived like church mice for many years. 53 years later Aflac is worth about $60 Billion. The Christmas before I joined the company my wife scraped together 8 $1 bills from redeemable cans so I could buy a present for our daughter - a nice stuffed horsey she wanted. Every Christmas since, I put 8 crisp new dollar bills in each stocking so we will never forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubu Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 May your stockings contain eight new Rolex Watches. One for each arm and wrist in the model of choice for you, wife ,and two kids. The best always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmegaPOFL Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 wow....great story!! good to hear things are slowly getting back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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