Rather as an introduction than a explanation.
Psychologists say that we are the amalgamation of everyone around us. We absorb, digest how we know to, and excrete reflections of our experiences which make up, not only our perceptions of our experiences, but our personalities themselves.
I’d like to take a moment or so to reflect upon people that have made me who I am. I suppose with every late night that I have, I’ve been meaning to share the more dominant mirrors on my ‘internal disco ball of influencers’.
Ryan Mathews
Futurist and daddy-pants Ryan Mathews
Without being cliche, my dad is most definately a prime mover. He has taught me the value of many things such as, passion, family, thought, and honesty. I recommend him highly for any and all conversations. Even if he may have no education on the subject, he can absorb the content and the concepts and remix them into multiple facets of alternate ways to think.
Joerael Elliott
Conceptual Enforcer
Joerael and I met in college back in Pittsburgh, PA. He is one of the few people I know that is truly authentic. (granted that is a relative term considering what this post is about). He taught me all about letting go of the device of social filter. I absolutly could not be who I am today without his metaphysical hammer to shatter my social fears.
Dawn Mitchell
Siren and phoenix...all in one!
Dawn found me on myspace.com back in October of 2003. My head was a mess. She took all of my mess and made me a pearl which I still mentally wear to this day. I remember when she finally drove from her house in Ohio to meet me in Pittsburgh. I had her come up to my room. I was hiding. I had her open a letter on my keyboard and then play an audio clip on my computer. Over planned and dorky…she loved it. I can’t imagine the world without this sort of reality buffer in it.
Tod Connoley
Human wasp.
Tod and I also met in school. Our first exchange was quite humorous. It consisted of him saying, “Hi! I’m from Michigan too!”, and as disdainful as my previous self could, sharply replied back, “That’s nice.” Later I found out that he wanted to yank my face down on the desk for being such a prick. He totally schooled me in the skill over getting over risks and sucking it up to complete jobs as well as financial goals.
Don Hogan
Human 2.0
Well let’s face it. Without this guy, I’d still be fluffing ficus out in the middle of Phoenix, AZ. I could call him my groomer and black hand of the secret sauce…*ew*… Don, with zero prompting, will stop and help out anyone who needs it. He has incredible focus and a passion for the human condition that is unmatched. I’d praise him more, but you get the picture.
iLan Epstein
Youth meets mastery
Take everything you know about love, life, youth, and good taste. Now fill a rubber glove with your gatherings and take a marker and make a little face on it. There you go. This guy has kept me going through some of the toughest points of my life so far. We haven’t lived in the same state for more than 6 years now and our friendship is still a bond which can’t be broken. I fear if we ever live in the same state, our friendship could quite possibly challenge the energy levels of the LHC.
Lisa DiVenti
Lesamonster Teeter-Totter Extraordinaire
Lisa is another one of those people I met off of the internet. We always joke about how if I had a car, I’d never met her because she was the only girl in walking distance to my house that would meet me. Ha! She is the teeter to my totter. The last four years have put my personality into balance. I couldn’t have done it with out her.
There are dozens upon dozens of people who’ve made me who/what I am today. The friends, the enemies, the lovers, the haters, the people I met for a reason, a season, or a lifetime; I thank you for being part of that disco ball in my head.
Here’s to influence.
