It's a rainy Saturday morning. It's a little cool, I wouldn't mind it a little cooler. Katie got up early to take the SAT this morning. She is trying to beat her previous scores and make this one her personal best. That kid is the most self-motivated person I have ever known. She's got the self-discipline of fifteen people. Way more than I ever had. I was a bit of a slacker in School. As a matter of fact, I didn't even go to college, per se. I took the California State Proficiency Exam (similar to the GED) in eleventh grade and, after passing, ditched the rest of high school. I did take a few semesters at L.A. City College. Mostly real practical stuff like Philosophy, Logic, Psychology, Film. The typical Jim Morrison influenced acid head/stoner classes.
Those Philosophy classes were wonderful, though. I had a professor named Dr. Richards, who was the greatest teacher I ever had. I was a monster in his classes, scoring well above anyone else in the exams and essays, and I attribute that to the inspiration and tuition of Dr. Richards. He was brilliant, yet he could relate to just about anyone, and he never lost his cool. He was surprising not only in his depth of knowledge, but his breadth of experience and street smart hipness as well. My friend Steve Kobashigawa and I were frequently astonished by the guy. He was the kind of guy you'd want to take out to the pub and have awesome conversations with. Unfortunately the only guys at the pub were Steve and I, but that was cool enough. We had some staggering conversations ourselves, figuratively and literally! Truth be told, I probably only took those classes to be able to hang with Steve, and talk some heavy topics together. Those were great times. They will stay with me forever.
4 comments:
Probably helped that you seem to be a born philosopher.~
You're too kind Christine. It also may have helped that I could BS with the best of them on essays!
I hope you know and feel in your heart how special you are to me, and how I always follow you and your thoughts.
Christine is right; you're a born philosopher, though I guess you're right as well...you always were able to mix in a little BS with ease and grace...
But you were a total monster in Philosophy! I think of Richards all the time! He was a pure teacher, the best ever.
BTW, do you remember the story about the silencer?
Love to you, Rog and the girls,
-S
Hey Steve,
Great to hear from you my dear friend! No, I don't recall the silencer story, but I do remember us thinking that if Richards strapped on a guitar he could probably smoke us all!
Oh, and BTW, You were right there at the top of the class. I wasn't implying that I was number one. It may have been you. It may have been me. It was definitely us! Allow me to clear that one up. When I said I scored well above everyone else I should have said everyone except Steve.
I miss you man. I hope to be out to LA again soon, and we're definitely going to have to get together.
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