Who you are is who you’ve been
So Mr. Torres asked me to be a guest writer on this
blog. The only direction I was
given was to perhaps use as inspiration the idea that who I am is inextricably
linked to where I have come from.
How splendidly cliché. As I
try to write through the idea to find the truth of this notion, I can’t help
but realize how you all must have felt every day when I conjured up incredibly
titillating (or, in the very least, mildly interesting) journal topics to
inspire your writing. Now that the
tables are turned I fear that dreaded fear of all writers: writer’s block.
I would like to begin with the incredible and undeniable
impact that the concepts of religion and faith have had on me through all sorts
of endeavors, both good and bad, as I have ventured to become the outstanding
citizen that some have endearingly referred to as “O Captain, My Captain”. I would like to, but I can’t. Long story short, the government says
that would be against the law.
Something about separation of church and state…
My next inclination is to delve into the perilous world of
my personal life to give a complete view of how I have come to be the
hilarious, intelligent, awkward-moment-loving enlightener of young minds you
have all grown to know and tolerate. But, again, I can’t. Because I don’t want to. So don’t try to friend me on Facebook.
It’s awkward. Not the “I want to
bury my face in my pillow” kind of awkward that I have come to appreciate so
much. More like the “Hey Torres,
look, there’s a 15 year old who wants to be my friend” kind of awkward. Not nearly as moving.
I guess that leaves me with family. From the moment I was sent before my
time into this breathing world, scarce half made up, and that so lamely and
unfashionable that dogs bark at me as I halt by them- I have had no delight to
pass away the time unless to spy my shadow in the sun and… Oops, my bad. I got myself confused with Richard III
there for a second. Sorry Billy.
The truth is that all your experiences, all the individual
moments you have encountered are what make you who you are. The person that you’ve been up to this
point in your life, for better or worse, has led to who you are at this very
instant. And the only thing you
can do to define yourself into the future is to take a step in a
direction. Then when you’ve done
that, you are different than you used to be. Let me return to a cliché and tell you to make that step a
good step in a good direction.
I have been lucky enough in my life to have a number of
individuals who have helped me find those steps. I have been wise enough to stay away from those who were
only interested in their own.
So who am I? I’m the guy who just wrote an entire blog post
without actually saying anything.
Thanks for letting me be a part of the conversation. I’m proud of you guys.
You would do that, Mr. K!! You've successfully left even me wanting more. You're selfish and brilliant!
ReplyDeleteHe is!!!
DeleteMr. K! I can honestly say that I'm surprised that you're the one that posted, as I had anticipated another student to create a post at this point and time.
ReplyDeleteI must say, I reread this post numerous times, as it has such a random collateration of useless data within it...
But, as I like to say, "Even through saying nothing, you are saying something."
I no longer have a Facebook (it's a breeding ground for drama addictions and people who poke their nose in everything) but if I did, I most surely would have found your page and clicked the friend button, just to give you the satisfaction of knowing you had an incredibly unenjoyable awkward moment over the Internet to share with your friends.
I remember that piece that you mentioned from Richard III from Creative Writing I. I remember how many people were bored with it, as Shakespeare has a tendancy to do on young minds (including my own, with his famous "Romeo and Juliet". Blegh) and what wonderful creation it had flowing through it.
Now, off with the useless information and onto the (supposed) meaning of this whole post.
My reply to it is short. I am a firm believer in your past being who you are today and how it is constantly shaping who we are at every single second in our life. I know for a fact that I have grown since being in your class at this exact point one year previous. And, while many people regret, I do not.
Though, in an effort to stay within this unregretting zone, I have held off on posting this for a few hours so I can spot check, to make sure I don't give myself the boot with my terrible wording of ideas haha.
And there you are, Mr. K, an entire blog reply written without actually saying anything, and saying everything through that nothing.
I agree withthe point that our past has shaped us to be who we are today. And ithink its hard to accept thefact that its truebecause many of us can regret our pasts.so we must remember to not dwell toomuch on that.
DeleteHaha, wow. I just want to say that when I first stepped into your class last year, I had no idea if I'd even like it. But you turned the class into something that I enjoyed AND YOU GOT ME HOOKED ON THE BIG BANG THEORY ever since. Not only did you teach me about the literary components, but you also made me learn more about myself. I never would have guessed that I'd like poetry and have actual fun looking for the deeper meanings behind a poets choice of words. I'm also now a fan of the demented Edgar Allen Poe. I thought that what you taught went beyond just the classroom. So thanks!
ReplyDeleteI am on the same page as Maria. Mr. K has also got me hooked onto The Big Bang Theory, I now have the series set to record on my DVR. I have even gotten my other friends addicted to it.
DeleteI was also originally a fan of Poe, but Mr. K has made me even bigger of a fan. I have gone out to Barnes and Noble, and got a complete collection of his works.
Mr. K! I love love love your writings i wish you read more to us last year but no!! you decided to contain all of your awsomeness to your self :( But i like the fact thaat you stated at the end that you wrote a whole blog post but yet you really said nothing while we read this being so interested in what you had to say. The thing that i know is that id probably read through this a couple of times becuase its funny and it says alot without really saying anything. If that makes sense? Thank you Mr. K for taking time out to post on here!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree! He always told us he couldn't write, but I think he was being selfish for containing all of that greatness in himself. haha
DeleteI totally agree, it doesn't matte how many times you post a blog on here, we will all read it because of how much we already resect you and how interested we are in what you have to say!!
DeleteMy favorite part, if anyone remebered Creative Writing last year Second semester, was when he told us, "No, I can't write. That's why I became a teacher!" and then busted out into that amazing rap that he made. Thank you, Mr. Kemock, for allowing us, even for a few months, to learn from you. You have filled our hearts with graphite, ink, and a supreme hope for the future, and the only way to get those out... is to Write.
DeleteAs I read this post, I immediately thought back to Creative Writing One, sitting in Mr. Kemock's class as we talked about the most random of things. But once we took the time to write... that was what made that class so awesome for me. We'd sit in the room, the lights dimmed and the only sound coming from pen against paper, and our creativity would flow from our finger tips as works of art were made. Though a good majority of us writers will never be recognized for our abilities in society, I believe that every writer should continue to write. Because many of us won't speak our mind, we turn to writing. Our voices can be heard, they WILL be heard, through our writing and imaginations. Every word written, every thought brought to paper, it DOES matter. And that's what Mr. Kemock showed me. That's what his class opened my eyes to, even though it was a topic never even brought up. I'd like to take a moment to thank Oh, Captain, my Captain for showing me this and changing a part of my life, inspiring me t continue writing. So, Kemock, thank you...
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you Katie! Mr. K has changed everyone in creative writing one. I have a better idea of what I want to write about thanks to him. I am able to look at writing differently and it's easy for me to see hidden meaning in many of the things I read. Mr. K has done a lot for us and I hope he knows that.
DeleteHAHAHAHAHA! Mr. Kemock, you are fantastic! who knew that you were so ggod at talking without saying anything??? I have so many memories from CWI and i miss that class! How you said that you had a lot of people that shaped your life, i have too, in the short period that I have lived. I consider you one of those people because every time I was in your class, I always felt accepted and respected. So I thank you for being the first teacher in my life that actually cared about me as an individual and how I felt. I know this has nothing to do with what you posted about and I know that this is probably not the post you expected but in the last class period, we decided to thank the people who we feel were there for us so I am taking that challenge. Thank you Mr. K and thank you for the post!:) Have a good dayyy!
ReplyDeleteWho you are is who you've been? Original...? If this is the case, then I am a nomad, unable to find a permanent home. I am unable to make friends, and I am scarred for life. I am my brother's death and my dog's death, my grandmother's death and my uncle's death. I am stained from a single day, a single week, and a single year; all last year. I am who I am. Still, I am who I was. I think, Mr. Kemock, that the nothing you have written about is more than everything, because it embodies the truth. You are who you were. You are who you are now. People can change, and things happen, but some things remain the same.
ReplyDeleteim your friend!!! but i love that you looked deeper into your life rather then just saying that you're you because of some things that has happened you stated reasons why, I thought that was nice to throw in there.
DeleteI agree that who we are is irreversibly tangled with who we have been, what we have been through and done, the places we visit, and the people we meet along the way.
ReplyDeleteEveryone makes an impact; everyone leaves their own mark on the lives of others. Some marks are darker, distinct, and clearer than others; some do more than others do as each one helps to mold us into something else: a person who is hopefully a stronger, better individual than we were the day before.
There is no such thing as an insignificant encounter; there is no such thing as a significant encounter. This is because they are one in the same.
We may overlook some encounters, or value some events or people in life more than others, but know that everyone leaves their mark on everyone they meet, whether they seem to have made a significant impact or not.
Who am I? I'm an online fanfiction writer who prefers cloaking herself in mystery over letting too many people see who she is inside, mostly for the fun of it.
I am who I am, regardless of how much that definition changes.
I am Sam Ingold.
I am XionAmmy.
I am facinated with your sense of detail, that is a great gift that i would love to have. it is a useful tool too. but unfortunately i do not have this talent all though i have tried my hardest to describe a person but it has always turned out to be a flop. flop as in pancakes on a plate kinda a flop. flop like spongebob on a dry hot deck. it is awful and i hate being descriptively challenge. its so bad unlike you famous carrot joke. thanks for a great first semester.
ReplyDeleteDespite the fact of the meaning of this content, I'd like to point out that you used a great metaphor to describe your own untalent.
DeleteI'd also like to say that, in fact, if Spongebob -was- on a dry, hot deck, he would not be floppy; but instead, rather hard and dry.
Part of being detailed is pouring everything out, and then editing out most of it and putting more crap on top of that, and repeating the process until what you have is gold. It's a perilous, irritating process, but one we do again and yet again.
This is hilarious! I think I detect a "voice" in your writing...
DeleteI don't know exactly how to reply to this. A lot of this was useless things to say to fill in space like separation of church and state and that little exerpt from Richard III. However, there was meaning behind it. Every step you take make you you. Regardless if they were good or bad. I know we all have taken bad steps in our past, but they make us better people in the end. Other than that, I only have one more thing to say.
ReplyDeleteWho's Billy?
"Billy" is William Shakespeare. I stole his work.
DeleteI agree, Andra. Each step we take, whether the path it be towards right or wrong, will eventually become an integral part of who we are. All of us have found ourselves taking steps in the wrong direction at one point in time or another, but that is the key point.
DeleteSo long as we recognize the errors we make, we are becoming better people; only by blatantly ignoring mistakes made in the past do we find ourselves stagnant--and I think we all know what eventually happens to stagnant water, given time.
A few quotes to send you all off; I haven't the foggiest who wrote the first two, but I personally find them inspiring.
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."
"An error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it."
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."
-Walt Disney
Wow Mr. Kemock. Only you could go on and on and hardly say anything. I loved your class first semester. I didn't expect to learn as much as I did in your class, or have as much fun as i did. I can honestly say that is one class i will NEVER forget, purely because it was the most interesting. In your post you started talking about Richard III, and I thought of how our class had the greatest discussion on it. So I 100% believe that where you've been and what you have done makes you who you are today. Without your past experiences, you cannot learn from your mistakes or have the experience to get through problems that arise.
ReplyDeleteMr. Kemock,
ReplyDeleteI have never truly considered that who you are is who you have been. It is interesting, though, that you would suggest that. You said a whole lot of everything in your post while saying nothing at the same time. It made sense to some degree, though! Funny enough, I knew who wrote this blog post without even reading your name. Anyway, what you experience and who you encounter truly does have an undeniable impact on one's life. In response to your comment on Richard III, I would like to have you know that reading that piece in Creative Writing last year has incited a great appreciation for literature in me. Although I am not as much an awkward-moment lover as you claim to be, you are a person "who ha[s] helped me find those steps."
Alec, your understanding of the world around you really impresses me. The fact that you have found a voice through which to convey it through writing astounds me. You told me the other day that you want to be a doctor. As perfect as that may be for you, the world of writing should be jealous.
DeleteAs usual Mr. K your writing astounds me. Through reading this I had no Idea what to say except, wow. To me this was a stream of consciousness type of deal and it was indeed quite interesting. It's nice to see someone who can be themselves and be able to accept that. Nowadays it seems like everyone just focuses on their faults. While our faults are important I believe that really being able to focus on our good traits is one of the greatest challenges in our live with the greatest rewards. It's people like you Mr. K that are a perfect example of how being yourself can just be the thing that everyone needs. You taught me not to be ashamed of anything I write or of how I act. I am me and I'm happy with that. By having someone that people can relate to and who can sit and just talk about life so freely is inspiring. You're one the best teachers ever Mr. K!.......and you too Mr. T. Almost forgot you haha
ReplyDeleteI agree, I got the stream of consciousness vibe from this post which is one of my favorite styles of writing. I also think it is important to be yourself because you never know who you may inspire with your own 100% original personality. Mr. K has also inspired me to be myself and to show my whits through my writing. I know Mr. T will do the same this semester!
Delete"Who you are is who you've been" Hmmm.... undoubtedly true. Looking at this from my perspective I think that what this says is who you are right now is who you have always been and that the experiences that you have had have shaped you.
ReplyDeleteEven if you were too afraid to sing out loud or do something random it has always been inside of you. The shy timid girl you might think you know could be the most riveting individual in this planet. Deep down in the pits of your very soul your personality sits there patiently waiting to break free and grace the world. I guess what I am trying to say is that it is up to you to be yourself.
Due to evolution and all of that craziness you technically are not the same person you were when you were three. And I just got a 20 second warning so I'm posting this unfinished, unedited blog just waiting to be completed..... (poor little blog post)
It's true, I'm VERY different than when I was when I was three, but I'm glad I'm different!
DeleteLet me let you in on a little secret: all of YOU, being great students, opening your imaginations and just allowing me to be a part of the process, is MY inspiration. So the thanks should go to you.
ReplyDeleteAnd I get paid.
Both in the enlightenment of youth and actual cash money.
DeleteThis is true...
DeleteAnd thanks Mr. K, you gave me a lot of inspiration too!
0____________0 Well then Mr. K. I kind of thought you'd do something like that.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I see what you did there--how you said everything and yet nothing at all. I always find it amusing when people do that. But without saying anything, it's like you've put a diving board in front of us, that so many people take to "dive" into for books, literature, movies, music and poetry, and you've said "no, it's closed for today... sorry!" Part of me is intrigued to hear more, and the other part is laughing hysterically on the inside at your awesome use of words. But at the same time you've said a lot, not only about yourself, but how you feel about writing. You yourself as a writer are incredible in being that you choose to write this, rather than sit there and say "I don't know what to write about."
I really liked your class a lot, honestly. I had the PRIVILEGE of having you as a teacher for a year and a half, and you really are one of my favorite teachers. So thanks for just being the funny, awkward-loving, simply AWESOME teacher I've come to know and (somewhat but not awkwardly) love. Thanks.
I like the part about "no, the diving board's closed for today!" It's kind of like saying before you can take the plunge, you have to know what you already are first. Then you can dive into whatever it is you want to explore. Interesting perception.
DeleteThanks!
DeleteMr. K, you were my favorite teacher last year, especially since I had you for creative writing and english. You always had something funny to say, so I always would forward to going to your class everyday. What you had said last year about how everything always ends up akward is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteYour writing is amazing, I loved it when you shared that poem last year. I really liked it. You also helped my writing become a lot better. It isn't emotionless anymore, I give my writing more emotion now, thanks to you. Actually, I would like to thank you for everything last year, you were a really fun teacher to have.
But I don't want to leave Mr. T out, I'm sure he will be almost as fun as you were. He already is pretty cool. You both have made creative writing really fun.
Mr. K, seeing Purple people eater mention your writing, it made me think of the noodle party and your love poems(: i will never forget the poems, pictures and how RED your face was!(: thanks for a great 1st semester
DeletePFFT! Yeah, you reading your poem was one of the funniest moments ever! Not the actual poem, because I loved THAT, it was just that your face was so RED and you sounded sooooo embarassed! I loved that day in CW1!
DeleteMr. T has a lot to live up to:) ha ha just kidding!
ReplyDeleteHahahah, yeah.
DeleteIt's incredible to read my own writing and see the descriptions I myself write, but looking at yours in much more inspiring to me than any other student in our school. I love how you freely throw out your opinions on things! Your confidence in your own thoughts is appalling. It's not like your a word about it either. You don't object to other's criticism on your ideas. Amazing.
ReplyDelete