PETE ON THE STREET: We asked you, ‘What’s the one big thing or goal you’re striving to achieve right now in your life?’

Doug Purther yearns for open spaces.

Pete was back on the street, asking garage sellers and buyers a new question: “What’s the one big thing or goal you’re striving to achieve right now in your life?

Our first respondent was Bryan Chock, overseeing a garage sale in north La Verne.

Bryan Chock

“Achieving optimal health,” he said. “That’s what I’m working on now. I’m changing my diet. You take that first step and it leads to the next step. Each month, I give myself a certain goal, such as being able to run a mile in a certain time.”

His wife, Genevieve Chock, also went on record:

“The one thing is my daughters,” she said. “I want the best for them in the future. That’s my ultimate goal: to raise good citizens. We guide them and we make sure they know the Great Book, the Bible and Jesus. The way they treat others and each other is especially important.”

The Chocks’ across-the-street neighbor, Judy Schwieterman, who was fanning herself in the shade, said she wanted to write a book. “I’m very interested in writing. I’ve never taken any classes but I’d love to,” she said.

Genevieve Chock

Judy Schwieterman

As a 16-year cancer survivor, she said she would share her personal story. “It would be about the positive attitude you have to take to get through cancer and the chemo.”

Chris Malally, an elementary school principal who lives a few blocks north of Baseline, has her sights on returning to school.

“I’m actually going to go back to school for my doctorate in educational leadership,” she said, as she watched a pair of bargain hunters inspect a pair of sneakers for sale. “I’ve been in education for the last 16 years and kind of progressed through different levels — teacher, administrator — and I just feel like if I want to further my career anymore, that would be the automatic thing to do.”

Mrs. Malally's son hopes to be as smart as mom some day.

Doug Purther, supervising another garage sale close to downtown La Verne, was dreaming of open spaces:

“One goal I would like to have is to live in the countryside someday, where I get to have my own farm and play my guitar anytime I want,” he said. “It would be somewhere in the Midwest. My dream has been placed in my heart the last six years. Suburban lifestyles are a little too reclusive.”

What specifically irritated him, I asked, about city life. Barking dogs? The fact that he couldn’t crank up the volume on his radio lest a neighbor tell would him to dial it down?

“Nah, it’s more than that,” he said. “Just watering your garden in the backyard or something like that can be difficult. Someone [could be] sitting on the other side.”

He said he simply yearns to hear the wind whistling through the trees.

“If we got at least an acre, that would be nice,” he added.

Lana Dickey

Meanwhile, Lana Dickey has the travel bug.

“I want to travel to Scotland,” said Dickey, who was selling a gorgeous Formica table for $5. The catch was it didn’t fold up, making it hard to squeeze into a sedan and take the treasure home.

“We can trace my ancestors back to Scotland to 1515,” she said proudly. “Our ancestors came over here in 1632 and settled in Connecticut in 1632. They moved to East Haddam, Conn. Twelve guys traded some coats to the Indians in the area for all this land along the river.”

Centuries later, Dickey was still exuding that trading spirit, perhaps hoping to trade a table for a first-class ticket to Scotland.

Jackie was holding an estate sale in a small Craftsman-style home on Bonita Ave. She was beaming from ear to ear.

Jackie's for Jesus!

“What I do is go out and tell people about Jesus Christ,” she said. “That’s my goal: to get everybody in my family and all my friends saved so they can go together [to heaven] with me. He’s coming soon. He’s coming.

“In 1980 I got saved. I got zapped. I hit rock bottom and he just blessed me. I was 39 years old. I was searching and He got me. I‘ve been trying to tell everyone I can since that He’s coming. You can get high on booze and drinks, but you can high on Jesus and never come down.”

Demeris Ramirez wants to minister more.

Demeris Ramirez was conducting more of a church bazaar than a garage sale at the House of Praise in La Verne.

“I hope and pray my husband gets a better job so I could do more charity work,” she said. “I’d like to minister more.”

I found my last respondent, Sue Hare, not at a garage sale, but sitting on a Bonita High School bench by the tennis courts. A small towel was draped over her visor in a futile attempt to shield herself from the intense sunlight:

“The goal I’m working for is early retirement, to save enough money and to put enough way so I can enjoy the better things in life,” she said. “Sports activities like exercise, tennis, climbing, which I don’t really get to do when I’m working and commuting an hour each day into Los Angeles and back.”

Sue Hare

After conducting another unscientific questionnaire with La Verne residents, I, myself, was ready to commute over to the football fields, where Bonita’s varsity, JV and freshman teams had been practicing.

I was about to ask the coaches about their goals and dreams for the upcoming season.

A great book that will help you change faster, dream bigger, focus better, get healthier, see farther, work smarter and risk more for greater rewards is Life Lessons of a Harvard Reject by La Verne Online publisher Peter Bennett.

If you have enjoyed reading books such as The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Power of Positive Thinking and How to Win Friends and Inflluece People, you will absolutely love Life Lessons of a Harvard Reject.

For more information or to order, please visit www.HarvardReject.com.