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Dec. 16th, 2003 02:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
leighblackThis is an observation that I recently made after "bonding" with my mother for an evening. And bear with me, because this is just going to be some plain old whining. I was just upset once I realized this gem of reality.
While I was in high school, it was my dream to move to LA and get into the music business. I wanted to go to school to learn artist management or promotion and start making "connections" and move my way up the ladder. Music was my life back then! I did a lot of flyering and grassroots promoting for bands and I really enjoyed everything about it. Now, I wasn't really naive back then. I knew it would be hard and a struggle, but it's what I watned to do more than anything in the world.
My parents, and in fact my entire extended family, didn't exactly see my point. Every single one of them shot down my dreams saying that I'd never make it and that I should go into something more secure. See, I was the smart one. I graduated 14th in my class. I got a nearly perfect score on my ACTs. Everyone thought that going into the music business would be a "waste" and didn't mind telling me that. As I said then and still say now, that ACT score doesn't mean jack shit after getting out of high school. No one cares!
But, no one listened to me. They just kept badgering me until I finally gave in and left my dreams behind. Maybe I began to buy into what they were telling me, that I was too smart to settle for something like that. I don't know. But one day I declared that I had changed my mind and that I wanted to major in Mechanical Engineering in college. Boy, did that make the folks happy! And I allowed myself to bask in their praise, finally. I guess maybe it does all come down to wanting your parents' approval.
So, I got into the Engineering program at the University of Minnesota, which is very good and not all that easy to get into. I knew it was wrong from the beginning, but plowed through. I became more and more of an introvert as I began to hate my life more and more. Finally, after two years of skipped classes and spending the spring quarter suntanning instead of enrolling for school, I offically dropped out. Yeah, that didn't make my parents happy. I didn't care, I just couldn't take it anymore. I got a full time job and moved out. For a long time, I didn't really do anything. I didn't go out much, I didn't have many friends. I just worked and sat on my ass. It's only been the last couple years that I've really perked back up and started to enjoy life again. And why would that be? Oh yeah, because I've began to immerse myself back into the music again!
So, what's the point of all this? Well, my youngest brother, Ben, will be graduating from high school in the spring. And he is planning on going to school and learn to work mixing boards so he can do studio and road boards for rap artists. He wants to move out East and try to make it in the music business. And my parents couldn't be happier for him. They're going to help support him and make his dream come true. Why is his dream more valid than mine was? Just because I was the "smart" one?? It's such bullshit.
My mom said that I should go back to school then if that's what I really wanted to do. She doesn't understand that it would be extremely difficult at this point. My the time you're my age, you need to be established and have made a name for yourself. Not be some yokle from the Midwest who thinks that they're going to make it. I can't imagine trying to go that route at this point. I know, I can hear some self-help guru in my head telling me that I can do anything I put my heart into. But reality has to have some hold here.
I have no idea what the point of this rant is. Just be sure that you support your kids in whatever they want to do. They'll find their calling in life, even if you don't agree with it.
While I was in high school, it was my dream to move to LA and get into the music business. I wanted to go to school to learn artist management or promotion and start making "connections" and move my way up the ladder. Music was my life back then! I did a lot of flyering and grassroots promoting for bands and I really enjoyed everything about it. Now, I wasn't really naive back then. I knew it would be hard and a struggle, but it's what I watned to do more than anything in the world.
My parents, and in fact my entire extended family, didn't exactly see my point. Every single one of them shot down my dreams saying that I'd never make it and that I should go into something more secure. See, I was the smart one. I graduated 14th in my class. I got a nearly perfect score on my ACTs. Everyone thought that going into the music business would be a "waste" and didn't mind telling me that. As I said then and still say now, that ACT score doesn't mean jack shit after getting out of high school. No one cares!
But, no one listened to me. They just kept badgering me until I finally gave in and left my dreams behind. Maybe I began to buy into what they were telling me, that I was too smart to settle for something like that. I don't know. But one day I declared that I had changed my mind and that I wanted to major in Mechanical Engineering in college. Boy, did that make the folks happy! And I allowed myself to bask in their praise, finally. I guess maybe it does all come down to wanting your parents' approval.
So, I got into the Engineering program at the University of Minnesota, which is very good and not all that easy to get into. I knew it was wrong from the beginning, but plowed through. I became more and more of an introvert as I began to hate my life more and more. Finally, after two years of skipped classes and spending the spring quarter suntanning instead of enrolling for school, I offically dropped out. Yeah, that didn't make my parents happy. I didn't care, I just couldn't take it anymore. I got a full time job and moved out. For a long time, I didn't really do anything. I didn't go out much, I didn't have many friends. I just worked and sat on my ass. It's only been the last couple years that I've really perked back up and started to enjoy life again. And why would that be? Oh yeah, because I've began to immerse myself back into the music again!
So, what's the point of all this? Well, my youngest brother, Ben, will be graduating from high school in the spring. And he is planning on going to school and learn to work mixing boards so he can do studio and road boards for rap artists. He wants to move out East and try to make it in the music business. And my parents couldn't be happier for him. They're going to help support him and make his dream come true. Why is his dream more valid than mine was? Just because I was the "smart" one?? It's such bullshit.
My mom said that I should go back to school then if that's what I really wanted to do. She doesn't understand that it would be extremely difficult at this point. My the time you're my age, you need to be established and have made a name for yourself. Not be some yokle from the Midwest who thinks that they're going to make it. I can't imagine trying to go that route at this point. I know, I can hear some self-help guru in my head telling me that I can do anything I put my heart into. But reality has to have some hold here.
I have no idea what the point of this rant is. Just be sure that you support your kids in whatever they want to do. They'll find their calling in life, even if you don't agree with it.
