***I recently had writer’s block, but felt like writing (odd I know), so I asked my friends and followers to choose a topic for me to write about. The rules were simple, as posted on all of my social media as follows:
The rules were simple, as posted on all of my social media as follows:
1. I will make the article 1,000 words or more (depending how inspired I am) at the very least. To be posted on Medium (https://medium.com/@noahwatry) and my personal website (noahwatry.com) once it’s rebooted.
2. You cannot nominate that I write about someone else we both know personally (no nominating significant others or family members). You can nominate yourself or an athlete/celebrity though.
3. Nothing religious or political. I’m not interested in creating a division among my friends, nor am I interested in talking about something I’ve always said I would keep private (religion and politics).
4. Also, nothing I have touched on before. If you want to know more about my poker playing or thoughts on funeral service, please check out my book (available on Amazon: Life and Poker by Noah Watry) or other articles here, on Medium.
5. Try to be creative! This is your opportunity to read about what you want to read about. I will personalize this as much as possible for you, so let’s have some fun with it! ***
There were two things I wanted to be when I was a youngster; a paleontologist and an NBA player. I’ll spare you the (non) drama, I became neither. While I certainly haven’t done a lot of things I once had hopes for, I have become a few things, that looking back on, are exactly what I always wanted to be doing. I’ve become a writer. I’ve become a funeral director. I’ve become a beacon of hope.
As I got older, going from a young child with dreams to a young adult with goals, I started to have different people and things I wanted to become like. When I was in high school, I actually looked up to my teachers. I did not act like it, however, and I’m sure most people thought I was a clown or not to be taken seriously. Highly understandable. Even now, I still have old high school classmates bringing up something I said or did twenty years ago. Move on, bro. I have.
“People don’t forget.”
Some have chosen to remember something so trivial. I have chosen to remember the lessons I learned along the way. I too, have not forgotten. As I grew, so did my intentions and thoughts and goals. I wanted to become something more than that class clown I portrayed. Believe it or not, I wanted to become a teacher one day. Part of me still does, twenty odd years later. Someday, perhaps.
I was always into literature and writing. From getting my thoughts out onto paper, whether it was writing or drawing up a comic or short story, or even love notes to all the ladies. I was even down to doing my friend’s homework because I wanted to do more when it came to that side of course work. I just wanted to write and to think and create. I loved reading. We would get a homework assignment to read a chapter and I’d read almost half the book in a night.
It wasn’t always this way though. I was prone to getting into moods or feeling depressed for no reason as well, so I also had moments where I wouldn’t even bring my books home or do homework for weeks at a time. When I did, I aced anything regarding English, Writing or Art. I was also into History, but it was hard for me to remember specifics, like which year something took place or someone’s name (quick, choose between 1814, 1816, 1818 or 1924). Exactly. No fucking clue. I didn’t ask a question and if you’re like me, you’re already second guessing what the correct answer is.
All we know is that 1924 is not the answer. Shoot, or is it?
I looked up to my teachers in high school because of the attention they commanded and how they dealt with clowns like me goofing off every now and then. Those who cannot do, teach. Quite the opposite, in fact. Those that can, teach. Because why wouldn’t you want to see the potential in someone else and nurture that? When I see someone who has any talent and feel I can help them or support them, I cheer them on as if I’m their number one fan. A teacher does that.
Without naming names, my favorite teachers were always my English class ones and then Physics. When it came to science, I was into it and it was very fascinating to me, but I was terrible in it. But I respected the teacher, who was kind of a dork, but in a dad-joke-kind-of-way. My science teacher was one who held strong in not giving up on me when my grades plummeted in senior year.
I was falling fast, with no railing to grab onto.
Nothing that was stopping this free falling object in motion. Inertia. I was the moveable object, and the force was me not caring. Like I said, I was moody and had wild swings back then. But my science teacher helped me by giving me detention every day. It was sort of a give and take; we both knew what was going on. I was taking away from his teaching by acting out, and he would then give me detention.
It was during those detentions that he would go over the course work with me, and not give up on me. I acted so foolishly back then, and wish I would have just tried my best at everything, but that’s not how I learn. I learn the hard way. I made it out, but it wasn’t without my teachers help.
My English teachers gave me all I could handle in terms of strengthening my creativity. My science teacher gave me all I could handle in learning what I needed to, in order to pass. Not every teacher would have done so. I applaud them greatly, and miss being in school, if only because I would love to go back and re-learn everything all over again.
And, for those wondering just what books I read ahead of time back then and have become my favorites from high school, here’s my top five, listed as follows…
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
1984 by George Orwell
Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton
Odyssey by Homer
Sonnets by William Shakespeare
As you can ascertain by my list, it is quite eclectic. A little bit of everything in there. Which is exactly how I would describe my interests, in reading and in life. I’m into anything that catches my eye or can hold my attention.
I currently am into much different books (self-help, stoicism, business and autobiographies), but those helped expand my knowledge and thought process. There’s very few things I appreciate more in life than getting to relax with a good book in hand. I can get lost and lose track of time while reading. It’s something I will now do for the rest of my life. It’s actually become my headline on my social media profiles, and a nod to my teachers.
I read. I write. I create.
Life, Death, and Everything in Between. 