Thread: Anyone else?
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Old 05-31-2015, 09:02 AM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Joe Nerv
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Bklyn. NY
Posts: 1,859
My parents weren't alcoholic, and I wound up a completely non functioning, suicidal, basket case at 23 anyhow. I guess I should be grateful that they weren't alcoholics .

Anyhow, I had a realization not that long ago that changed my thinking regarding other misgivings I had with my parents. I'm an artist. As a kid I loved to draw, paint, and build things... as an adult I fell in love with music, and learned to play many different instruments. I play bass guitar professionally, but still use other means (a day job) to support myself.

My parents never supported my music. All they did was scream and yell at me to turn it down, and tell me find something useful to do with my life. When I got sober and started really taking music seriously, I'd stand on my head doing anything and everything I could to get their support, and it just wasn't happening. And I resented it.

Then one day it occurred to me. When I was a little, 6-7 years old, I had the ability to draw portraits and/or caricatures of people that actually looked a whole lot like them. I have to admit, I was pretty good at it - still have a bunch of those drawings. Anyhow, they LOVED that! Anywhere and everywhere we went, they had to show me off. They had me drawing all their friends, showing everybody and anybody who walked through our door my artwork, and guess what - I hated it! I didn't want to draw their friends. I didn't want the attention they were giving to me. And as soon as I realized they'd leave me alone with my guitar guess what I stopped doing, and started doing. I quit the drawing, and started playing guitar 24/7.

I think differently about my parents now. And while they still don't support my music as I wish they would, they're completely accepting of it, and more importantly, of me. I'm a lucky dude.
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