Every single experience I have ever had has contributed to who and what I am today. But, the biggest influence on me has been God.

Why are you who you are? Have your adult personality & preferences (interests hobbies) evolved based mostly on how you were raised, childhood influences? Is it more a matter of more recent influences? Or a little of both?

Who or what things were most influential?

When I was a child, my mother would say,
at ANY complaint/question I had, "Well,
we both know you are smart enough to
figure that out yourself.."

I took this as gospel.
Made me who I am.

Now, my sister, it was always "Help your
sister, we all know she can't
do it herself.."
She still needs help.

Methinks parents are the biggest
early influence.

definitely my parents

they modeled responsibility and integrity and taught me the reality of choices, consequences, and putting action to your words,,,,(consistency)

they also stayed DILIGENTLY on top of our education, involved with working with us at home everyday to teach us how to comprehend and use logic instead of just going with the flow or jumping to conclusions


my parents will always be the most awesome people I have ever known

Although my parents laid a solid foundation, my present personality and preferences evolved during the transition period from adolescent to adulthood and are based on the the choices I made during those early adult years....

Dad...Sun Tzu. In that order.

From grade school, I learned patience, hard work, and that if I worked within existing power structures, that everything was possible, and justice would triumph.

In high school, I learned computer programming from a neighbor, and that I was superior to almost all of the teaching staff, and that the world was full of idiots but that I would be successful.

I college, I learned I was invincible and in the inevitable triumph of good over evil.

In family life, I learned that my life consisted of working and changing diapers; that truth shall set me free, that blood is thicker than water, love never fails and your children are yours forever.

In time, I learned that all these truths were false.

More recently, I learned that God's will isn't executed with his divine hand, but rather by my own and those like me. I learned that all can be lost, and that unfairness and loss unite us all. I learned empathy for my fellow man and how to fail with grace. I learned not to root my self esteem in the approval of others.

And I learned that tomorrow never comes and that I have only a succession of todays and to make the most of them.

I was raised in a place, and around people who believed and made me think that women were to be submissive, gentle, dependent creatures who did nothing but performed domestic duties.
However, that made me form the opinion, that.. that was a load of total and complete ********. So in turn, I ended up pretty much the opposite.

Of the people who are not my biological relatives, the person who has influenced me the most was a 6-year-old girl living on another continent.

Were it not for her, I would have given up on living a long time ago.

Were it not for her, I wouldn't have met my late wife.

Were it not for her, I wouldn't have established a bond with my princess, whom I adopted last year.

That little girl will be age 24 next month.

Friends and certain people coming in and out of my life. I find the most influential ones tend to linger on in your memories and make you smile. I seek out people who uplift me rather than cause a chink in the chain. You can't get awesome that way.

What influences me? Art....most of the great literary writers of past centuries I look up to. Classical music. Bold statements. Mostly anyone who isn't afraid to take chances and live in their dreams. Anyone can be influential in that way; to the next generation and on.

I am influenced by the common folk. The people who go to work everyday and take care of their families.

My work ethic definitely from my Dad. My high tolerance for pain Mom. And my need to be connected to the Ocean, from 13 generations of mariners, that sailed everything from Revolutionary Warships to Whaling vessels to Cargo ships trading spices with India.

is that how you see yourself choosing to live?

Ya, parents can also do some undermining.
I always think families should be the
cheerleaders.
There are enough peeps in one's life
ready and able to tear you down.

For me, it never, EVER occurred to me
that there was anything I could not do.
Whereas my sister, 2 years older, still
requires looking after.