There exists a fountain of inspiration and encouragement at the UM-Dearborn Wellness Center: Willie, the clerk. Before I get to quoting him, it's worth noting that Willie is a virtuoso artist. In four swift pen strokes he can create a horse, in about five he can sketch an anatomically correct human skull. What's even more remarkable to me is that his knowledge about what he draws (he says he mostly paints but I've only been able to witness him sketching) is integral to his life and interests. He'll tell you what muscles, tendons, and ligaments are attached to what part of which bone, and can probably tell you when the bone(s) start to fuse together. He's almost always seen sketching or expounding upon powerful learned nuances of life.
In some ways, he's one of the first personal mentors I've ever known. The first time he found out I played an instrument, he signed me up to play the National Anthem for the University's basketball games. When I mentioned the song "Tequila" inspired me to choose the saxophone as one of my primary instruments, he let me borrow a tape (yes, cassette tape) by Wes Montgomery. Almost half a decade later I ran into him at the wellness center again
Below are rushed and somewhat paraphrased quotes from a conversation inspired by watching him teach Aerie(? a fellow student stopping in to exercise, not sure how to spell his name) the anatomy of the forearm, wrist, and hand based on a freshly completed ballpoint pen-on-printing paper sketch.
"They teach you to memorize what the bones are called, but they should really teach you so to appreciate them as part of your life."
"Maybe that's how they are, but it doesn't mean that's how they can be."
[the second time I've heard him say this] "Slavery exists today...
[from a different discussion circa __ 2012]: There's painting, called the School of Athens--man, that's what College should be like! Everybody's engaged and discussing.
[today: building on it]
"When a kid goes to class, he should look forward to it every time--it's like going to class to get gas in the tank and see where he can go from there. No one should ever go to a class, feel like they left on empty, and wonder if they'd be learning more at their job."
On the world's finest engineers:
"Remember this when the Woodward Dream Cruise comes up: there are so many masters out there who know their cars and would love to teach somebody about what they can do. Meanwhile, there are kids out there who could be the greatest engineers jacking peoples' cars. Why not catch them and say 'Hey, you're pretty good! Let's see you put a car back together'"
In some ways, he's one of the first personal mentors I've ever known. The first time he found out I played an instrument, he signed me up to play the National Anthem for the University's basketball games. When I mentioned the song "Tequila" inspired me to choose the saxophone as one of my primary instruments, he let me borrow a tape (yes, cassette tape) by Wes Montgomery. Almost half a decade later I ran into him at the wellness center again
Below are rushed and somewhat paraphrased quotes from a conversation inspired by watching him teach Aerie(? a fellow student stopping in to exercise, not sure how to spell his name) the anatomy of the forearm, wrist, and hand based on a freshly completed ballpoint pen-on-printing paper sketch.
"They teach you to memorize what the bones are called, but they should really teach you so to appreciate them as part of your life."
"Maybe that's how they are, but it doesn't mean that's how they can be."
[the second time I've heard him say this] "Slavery exists today...
[from a different discussion circa __ 2012]: There's painting, called the School of Athens--man, that's what College should be like! Everybody's engaged and discussing.
[today: building on it]
"When a kid goes to class, he should look forward to it every time--it's like going to class to get gas in the tank and see where he can go from there. No one should ever go to a class, feel like they left on empty, and wonder if they'd be learning more at their job."
On the world's finest engineers:
"Remember this when the Woodward Dream Cruise comes up: there are so many masters out there who know their cars and would love to teach somebody about what they can do. Meanwhile, there are kids out there who could be the greatest engineers jacking peoples' cars. Why not catch them and say 'Hey, you're pretty good! Let's see you put a car back together'"
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