REGINALD PHILLIPS
12 April 2000
Malo peoples!
(Finally Jeb - sorry, better late than never).
The life of Reg.
As required, the life history, not quite a Michener effort like some of the others featured so far (like, wow) but here goes.
End of 83 - left Samoa to attend Form 6 in 84 at Sacred Heart College, Auckland, which was supposed to be a nice Catholic school for nice Catholic boys (if that wasn't a challenge to change). Konrad (Keil) decided to come along with me that year to uphold the SamCo reputation.
1985: After stuffing around in 1984, the Marist brothers at Sacred Heart (with a stern talk full of 'Mr Phillips' statements) told me to come back again for another go at Form 6. Reg thought that sometimes a second go at things can be more fun, so leered it up even worse that year . Went in for another talk with the Marist brothers, complete with more 'Mr Phillips' statements, where they suggested I try spreading my wings at another Catholic school institution and try to convert them as I had done all my corruption possible at their institution.
1986: Found the ideal Catholic Institution to spread one's wings in John Paul College in Rotorua. It was actually a co-ed institution that needed some ex-Auckland rugby imports, so it was a scholarship of sorts (even if it was a jock one), so they were happy to take on a wide eyed innocent like me to help hold up their scrum that year.
Had a lot of fun that year (yep, those country Catholic kids can have fun) and even walked away with a slip of paper at the end of that year which said that I had stayed awake in class enough to have learned something.
1987: Went back to Samoa for a year 'to refocus one's life ideals'; the parents decided to retire end of 87 to Rotorua (as I had obviously made such a good impression there the previous year).
1988: Was then living in Rotorua with the folks; attended the local Institute of Technology studying for a Diploma in Tourism Management.
At the end of study that year (which involved a continuation of all the recreational pursuits of former school years, but still getting the slip of paper at the end), took up an offer for an internship with the Department of Conservation.
1989: I decided the yogi bear thing may be worth a shot as a career ('sun in your face and wind in your hair, call of the wild', blah, blah) so took up their offer for full time employment after one year at Tech, deciding to finish the rest of the tertiary bit whilst holding down full time employment (didn't fancy the student loan lifestyle).
Also travelled back to Samoa that year to attend Konrads wedding to Cecilia, held during a cyclone, (a lesson in 'persistence in the face of adversity' - but that's another story).
1990 to present(!):
On the career front, still a
yogi bear, currently doing Concessions\Compliance & Law
Enforcement, (which basically means I deal with people who don't
want to meet you because 1. They owe you money 2.
They are doing something they're not supposed to - kinda like
being a cop in yogi bear uniform).
However, in that time I married Joanne in 1992 (a Rotorua girl), brought 3 mini-Phillips' into the world, being Selina (6), Konrad (4) and Paul (1).
The family life is good, and have been to Samoa a few times since (most times by necessity - fa'alavelave, and once by choice, for a holiday with the aiga).
What the future holds....who knows, but Reg sez (his life motto - wait for it!):
"life is a book, with pages of"....
The
present, experiences to be savoured fully,
The past,
experiences been but never lost,
The future,
pages only yet to be turned,
but the
book is always full of friends either known and still loved,
and, rather
than strangers, only friends yet to be met.
Take care all - stay in touch!
Reg
PS: Jeb, thanks for for the inspiration and effort to get everyone together this way! Now there is no excuse to lose touch is there?