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Today's Featured Biography
Donivan Claunts Redwood
Born in Tulsa at Hillcrest, Feb. 15th, 1957.
Lived with some woman call "Mom" and a older brother "Roger", never knew my dad.
Attended Jefferson Elemtary grades Kindergarten thru 3rd. Moved to Chelsea, Okla, in 1965. Attended McIntosh Elemtary, Longfelow Jr High for no apperent reason.
In May of 1969, brother ran away back to Tulsa, with "Moms" car. In June of '69,"Mom" ran away back to Tulsa and left me alone.
In June 1969, I became on my own, and got a job with a traveling carnival for the summer.
In Sept 1969, enrolled myself in Alluwe High school, stayed one year. Left Alluwe in 1970, traveled with traveling Carnival, again.
In Sept 1970, found myself in a Boys Ranch in a poedunk little town called Kansas, Ok. worked during the winter at a Boys Ranch, learned how to butcher a cow, drive a truck, use a chainsaw and other implements of destruction. Left Boys Ranch with short hair and a bad attitude, came back to Tulsa, and got a job as a dishwasher at Kips'Big Boy on 11th and St. Louis. During my Carnival days I learned how to drink whiskey, fight, play poker, steal, smoke, cuss and con people.
I enrolled in Horace Mann Jr Hi in Sept 1971, life was hell, and I had no one to call a friend. I was chased constantly by Densel Vance, Clay Walker, and the Bell brothers.
finally got caught on day in Central Park, after school and beaten by six guys all at once, until I finally was able to get up and smach in the face of one of them with a brick.
from that day on, I carried a switch blade and a .22 pistol in my boots.
In sept of 1972, I enrolled in Central High School, I was angry, frustrated, hateful of all authority, distrustful, rude, belligerant, defiant, and lonely. I had no money, no car, no friends, no love, and living in a hole in the wall apartment for $35 a month. I worked at night as a dishwasher/fry cook and attended school by day, on the weekends I dealed in pot, cocaine, speed, uppers, downers, and sometimes would take a job as a "runner", one who takes stolen cars up across state lines.
I liked going to school, but I didn't make any real lasting friends, I was too suspicious of their motives. I was disdainful of those who seemed to have money and positon because of their parents, and mistrustful of all others, except the ones who smoked pot, or did other drugs, I could speak their language, but I never trusted them.
I wanted desparately to change things but I didn't know how, I didn't believe all the hype by the "powers that be", but I should have listened to them anyway cause now I can see that they were right, to get a good job, you have to get a good education. I messed up by going to Texas to sell a pound of marijuana, and didn't come back for Graduation. I had to take my Jr year over again, and by that time, I was burned out on going to school, and felt hopeless. I also struggled with being so "worldly Knowledgeable" but had to sit in a class with a bunch of sophmoronic idiots learning english, etc....for get math, that was a joke. I ended up hitting a kid in the head with a desk and getting expelled for three days. I was told not to come back or face prosecution, I came back anyway just to show them I could and on the third day, I had dropped some acid that morning, and wore boots, so I couldnt run as fast as usual, so, Mr Wright and his helpers, helped me to the principles office, and then off to jail.
That was the last time I set foot inside Central High School. Mid May, 1976. Later that year, the school closed down.
I guess I ambled through life, working at whatever I could, and failing. I went through a lot of jobs, and I eventually got married to someone who was an emotional wreck, I should have known by the second attempt to kill me that it was not going to last, and the divorce was bitter to the taste.
My second marriage, failed as well, because I caught my wife in bed with another man, and I decided I had had enough of being forced to eat lifes bitter pills and ills, and so to get even, I casterated her lover.
Unfortunately, there was some jail time for that one, and I had a some time to kill, so I finally began getting a clue, I guess, and by age 32, I began to educate myself by reading anything I could get my hands on just to learn something that might help me better myself in the career dept. I became a locksmith, and a Architectural draftsman, and that was a good turning point for the better.
I made some decent money, but the job market here in Tulsa was bad, so I learned some more skills, and that eventually led me to marry a fine woman, Kathy, who has been a tremendous life saver, and someone who really loves me inspite of myself. she helped me to make some inner changes, and that led to me becoming more the creative person that has for so long been locked away inside.
I began to write songs, and produce them in a recording studio that I built from scratch in the basement of my home, hence the name, Basement Technologies. That musical creative side of me, led to my study of computers, and how to fix them, build them, and all that. I began to have more confidence, and able to get jobs in the computer field, including one with Gateway, where I worked as a service technician.
That eventually led to my opening Basement Technologies Computer Service Center, right here in Tulsa. From a literal throw away kid, to the president of my own corporation, I think I have finally arrived at where I need to be, cause for the first time in my life, I have peace, joy, and someone who loves me.
thank you for listening,
Donivan Redwood
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