They say you should never meet your heroes. I’ve always kind of had a weird relationship with who my heroes are. Most people think of celebrities, but I see celebrities as just people who got famous for playing a persona. It’s cool you’re a superstar in sports, or one of the greatest people on TV, but like.. that’s not who you are. It’s who you play in the public eye. I had a few moments of “celebrity fame” when I got recognized by a bunch of ravers in a foreign city during my DJ days. They asked me for my autograph, which was REALLY awkward for me. They seemingly idolized me as this big shot DJ (I really wasn’t), meanwhile little did they know that I’d just moved out of my mother’s house and was living barely above the poverty line with a roommate, working a shit desk-jockey job.
So, who are my heroes? My dad? He’s a terrible person. My mother? Well.. yes, in a lot of ways. My friends? Ya, a lot of them, actually. I look up to them. Someone who did something really cool which advanced society in a way I feel positive? Heck ya. The single parent who works 3 minimum wage jobs just to ensure the kids are fed and clothed, absolutely! Maybe it’s that kid who got bullied their entire life, was suicidal, and rose up above their childhood to live a prosperous and happy adult life – You’re incredible! However, there was a time when Wayne Gretzky was one of those heroes, and that’s totally OK.
Continue reading