June 9, 2012
Before moving onto my next venture(s) (a book on ‘fixing’ American education and my poetry); I have to thank 3 folks (whom I have termed Earth Angels) for looking out for me and essentially getting me through the-past 20-years-or-so: without these Earth Angels – I’m not quite sure where I might have ended up – as they have each helped me combat my fear of success.
Curtis
Curtis was a high school student of mine back in 1991 and became an informant; confidante; and, a lad who would have made an awesome son. Curtis’s parents were divorced and I gathered that he saw very little (if any) of his biological father – so he adopted me — as I guess I evinced some of those qualities that he would have appreciated in a father. And I am very glad he adopted me; because the year after he took my class – he brought me daily (sometimes hourly) reports on my reputation and what I should do more of and/or less of to be a successful high school teacher at that particular school. He helped me navigate through a politically and racially divided high school that sported many students from broken or reconstituted families. Curtis was my socio-educational conscience (or consultant) and without him advising me – I’m sure I would have run afoul of someone. I can only hope that he is leading a fulfilling and satisfying life somewhere in sunny, So Cal — even though he never got the varsity football year he wanted — due to injury. Thank you Curtis!
Muse Lynn
Those of you familiar with my piano music know that Lynn was my inspiration for my first two piano CDs (my third is in the works – and I might need her energies again!). Lynn came out of nowhere – more than 21 years after I had last spoken to her — on the darkest day of my life; and, became a beacon of hope and light that I thought I could never again experience. Readers will have to take my word for it that her blessed intervention did indeed occur on the-darkest- day-of-my-life at-the-time; because, I have no desire to go over the painful details (and I have managed to incur a-few-more dark days since then). Suffice to say, Lynn inspired me to reconnect with my old music and got some new songs out-of-me. If ever I had a soul mate – it was she. I’m hoping that she has stayed healthy and happy because I have a feeling that I will need plenty more inspiration down the road (look for a lyric dedicated to her, coming soon!).
Tami A.
I met Tami A. when I had settled into alcohol-laced, soft middle-age — and though many years my junior – she possessed a vision of how all the players fit on-stage and awakened this sleep walker from his single-parent, somnolence. It was her energy infusion that actually got me to record “Resurrection” (which I released a good 3-4 months before Tupac’s came out!). I believe that Tami A. and I have a creative symbiosis in which we motivate each other to put thoughts to words; and, I know that I tend to get a bit frantic if I don’t hear from her on a regular basis: hence the symbiotic relationship. A teacher herself, I’m pretty sure that Tami A. will be a powerful editing voice for my forthcoming book on: Fixing American Education (so thank you in advance, Tami A.!).
Honorable mention goes to Wife Giti for keeping me out of harm’s way the past 6-and-a-half-years and providing me that diving platform from which to spring forward…if I can just get over that fear of success…