As taken from Epiphany, who took it from Happy Catholic, who took it from– oh, I dunno know. You how this thing goes…
My Top Ten Non-Familial Influences (from a historical perspective)
10. Carl Sagan
From the 4th grade on, I have had a love of science and astronomy that blossomed from a reading (and re-reading) of the books of Carl Sagan. Even though I didn’t much like arithmatic, I did have to admire the beauty and symmetry of nature and the laws of physics gained by reading his books.
9. Arthur C. Clarke
If Carl Sagan turned me on to Science, Arthur C. Clarke turned me on to Science Fiction. With new technologies comes new experiences, and any technology sufficiently advanced is magical to less advanced cultures. Long before today’s arguements, Clarke took on aliens, cloning, and even invented the concept of the geosynchronus communications satellite, with out which Fox News would be impossible. (Well, with the good comes the bad, right?)
8. Charles Fort
Much later in my life, I discovered, as 19th Century author Charles Fort did, that for every advance in scientific theory, there is a great deal of evidence that is left sitting around, swept under the rug because it does not fall into the prevailing scientific logic of the day. From frog falls to UFO’s, anything that does not fit neatly into theories is “damned,” to a sort of evidential pergatory whereby either the observer or the evidence is discredited. Don’t believe me? 100 years ago, the fact that numerous fossils (and layers of sediment) that can be found in Eastern North America and Western Europe were the same was considered circumstantial. The fact the South America “fits” into Africa or that Madagascar looks like a piece out of Africa… all of this was silly nonsense, because everyone “knew” that the continents had always been the way they are today. Nowadays, it’s called plate tectonics. Alfred Wegener was laughed at by scientists everywhere for suggesting what any 7 year-old could see– the continents were once all together.
7. Craig Beiser
Craig helped me grow after I left junior high; he exposed me to things from The Smiths to vegans to skating to alcohol– Craig also taught me that there is a time and place to lie to your parents, and a time to come clean.
6. Scottie Garrison
Whereas Craig exposed me to The Smiths, Scottie made me listen to The Pixies, the Flaming Lips, and everyone in-between. While he was no angel, he did have a good heart. If it weren’t for Scottie, it may be possible that I never would have married Jinny. Then again, it may be possible I would have married her 5 years before I did.
5. Travis Breaux
Travis was by far more of an intellectual than Scottie, and my reach of different concepts and ideals was constantly stretched and expanded by just hanging out with Travis. While there was never a dull moment with any of these guys, with Travis, you were never sure where things were going to lead. One day it might be the mythical blender in his backyard, another day it might be climbing buildings, and a third day, it might be picking up a girl and taking them to coffee, just to chat.
4. A 3-Way Tie: Staci Heien/Kirstin Moburg/Tami Nelson
With all of the previous entries, I learned new things about my surroundings, science, or the world at large. But with Staci, Tami, and Kirstin, I learned about relationships.
From Staci I learned that you can’t mold a person to be the person you want them to be if they aren’t motivated to change. And, most importantly, I learned that wearing you heart on your sleeve only leaves you exposed for future catastrophe. If dating is a game, then it is more like poker than chess. There is a certain element of bluff, and and a definite element of the ante up. Mostly, I learned that it is important to know when to fold. And always fold before she does.
From Kirstin I learned that there is a limit to how many times you can date on-and-off, and that with this dating scenario comes the law of diminishing returns. I also learned that I am allergic to cats, and that “…some girls are bigger than others. Some girl’s mothers are bigger than other girl’s mothers…” Plus I learned that freckles are okay, after all. ‘Ginger girls’ can be hot.
From Tami I learned that it really is impossible to have a Harry & Sally type friendship, because the relationship is always lurking under the surface, if only from one person’s point of view. Fortunately for me, I had already learned about when to “fold,” so this was not so bad. But through Tami I was exposed to a wealth of different things, from “Rad Space Car 54″ to the Museum District. And like Travis, with her, you never knew that you were going to get.
3. Henry Britt
What can one say about Henry? I’ve known him for 10 years, now, and I can say for certain that dependability is not traditionally one of his better virtues. Somehow, that doesn’t seem to matter. Whenever we meet up, we just seem to pick up where we left off. More than anyone else, he has assisted in some of most Diantological activites – Blue, Red Cedar Place Steering Council meetings, and, of course, Festivus.
2. Ava McCarthy
Languishing in North Carolina in 1995, Ava took me in, fed me, and treated me like one of her own children. She was there for me when my parents were absent, she was there for me even when her own daughter wanted me out of the house. I have always felt a moral debt to Ava for helping me get my head back on straight, for getting me back in touch with the part of me that wanted to succeed and become something more than what I was. I think back on how she helped me, and I look at people in my environment that need this kind of help, and I try to do what she would do.
1. Gerry Toll
What can I say about Gerry? I have known him 2/3rds of my life, and I would like to think that from 4th grade until sometime after college, our interaction has molded each other into the people we are today.
Lastly, as an honorable mention, I would like to name Kourt DeHaas, for reasons best explained in his own comments.
