There is a teacher at my school. And not just
any teacher. In my whole seventeen years of life, he is, by far, the most extraordinary man I have ever encountered.
Mr. X, I'll call him, comes from a time when Jefferson Airplane rocked the radio and love, drugs, and free-thinkers were plentiful. His beard, he says, has been on his face since the time he was able to grow it, and the twinkle in his eyes remind me of a leprechaun -- cheerful and mischevious. While teaching (he's a graphic & media arts teacher by the way), he'll drop in tidbits of his life story, but seal his lips if inquire any further. We've told him countless times that he should write an autobiography, but he just chuckles and shakes his head.
My friends and I have made an attempt, but only have a few peices of the puzzle. I'll fill you in on some of the deets:
- He was, in his own words, "a precociuos young boy, and started developing photographs by the age of 8 or 9" in his fathers darkroom.
- He was there during the Quiet Revolution in Quebec
- While on a one-way train to nowhere, met a girl from a commune of nudists and stayed with them for a short while. Turns out he wasn't a fan of all the nakedness, and was on his way.
- Had a Mexican juggler as a roommate who quite frequently dropped the eggs with which he practiced all over the floor.
- Travelled all the way to France to recapture the heart of his true love, only to find out she got married the week before.
- Has had some exceptional photo exhibitions, and admittedly, some complete failures.
- Knows a whole lot about printing presses.
- Says he became a teacher to make sure we don't turn out the way he did.
- When asked about his past, frequently states that "Oh come on, I don't remember ANY of the sixties!"
Anyyyyyyways, now I should probably pass on the bit of wisdom he recently shared with us.
Lately, I've had thoughts of doubt towards my dream of pursuing a creative career. I worry that I haven't a niche to set myself apart from others, and would end up really going nowhere. I know I'm artistically inclined, but I'm definetly no Picasso, Frost, or Emerson. It wasn't until Mr. X casually stated, "And remember class, it's all been done before, but not by you!"
Everything clicked. And so simple to boot! It's all a recreation of something old, just modified with your own personal touch. There is no need to worry about tailoring your art/life to what somebody else would like. Just do it your way. That's what all the other guys did, is it not? They took something and ran with it. Besides, things that are done with genuine passion are often the things that shine through the most, are they not?
I don't know if you've heard of 'em, but Fleet Foxes are, in my opinion, one of those bands. A friend told me about them in the fall (which would be a perfect time to listen to them), but I never looked them up until a few weeks ago. I don't even know what to say about them! Unlike a lot of stuff on the radio these days, their lyrics have substance, and their sound is unique. To describe them is rather difficult, but just imagine this:
