Tuesday August 16th, 2011 - Dallas, TX/Palatine, IL Elvis died on this date in 1977, and I’m still living. Elvis and I didn’t have very much in common, other than we both liked to eat greasy cheeseburgers into our 40s. He only made it to 42, so I guess beat him in that respect. That’s about it though. He won all the rest. What a showbiz ride for the ages that guy had, but I wonder how much of it he was able to actually enjoy? There does come a point where too many good things are happening all at once to comprehend, even if I can’t relate to it from personal experience. It can happen. Elvis had his problems, I have mine. He died young and left a legacy that’s still there to this day. His fans still love him, and he has created new ones after his death. His music is still around and will be for centuries. He made his mark, and then some. He’s a legend. I almost died several times, but for whatever reason the universe has seen fit to have me hang out and try to navigate this wacked out planet, at least a little while longer. I’m still at a major loss trying to figure out exactly why that is, but I think I’ve at least got a hint. At least part of the reason I think I’m here is to teach and mentor. Whenever I do, I get a major feeling of satisfaction, and it comes naturally to me. I love to help others, and I love it even more when I see the gleam in a student’s eye when a new concept finally clicks in. I made it back from Dallas just in time to attend a workshop this evening for continuing education instructors at Harper College in Palatine, IL and I’m glad I did. It was a fun and very worthwhile event put on by some amazingly sharp people. This is where I want to be as far as creative energy, and I felt very much at home visiting with the other instructors. I taught a comedy class at Harper last fall and thoroughly enjoyed it. There’s a different clientele entirely from those who take the Zanies classes, and I want to do both. These are people who are life long learners, and probably aren’t looking to go into show business as a career. That’s fine, but there are a lot more of those people and they create a big market. One thing I really loved about tonight were back to back workshops that were especially designed to make us better teachers. Harper is offering ongoing training at no cost to raise our awareness on things I’m painfully inept at like computer technology and how to teach in a college environment. I plan on taking full advantage of it all and improving my class. Performing is a privilege and so is teaching. It’s a service to humanity if done correctly, and that’s the only way I want to do it. Piecing together a half ass presentation on stage or in a classroom is not my idea of success. It’s a waste of everyone’s time, who needs that? I may not have the success of an Elvis, and nobody may care on the day I die much less keep remembering the anniversary of it 34 years later, but he’s not around anymore and I am. The best way for me to spend that time as I see it is to make an effort to be of service to as many as I can with whatever abilities I’ve been given. I can’t sing, but I can teach.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment