What Would I Tell a 12 year old Brandon?
People often wish they could go back in time and change things in their past. I’m no different than anyone else. Everyone has a story they’d like to re-write. But if you could make one change, how far would you go?
I already catch myself wanting to live my life through Liam’s. I want him to love sports and collect comics and coins and love everything that I have loved. I also want him to do the things I never did like learn to play the piano or speak Spanish before he’s in school. I want to maximize his opportunities in life, just like my parents maximized mine compared to their lives. I also just want him to be happy.
Did I capitalize on all the opportunities afforded me in life? Hell no! I didn’t know it was knocking most of the time. Going back in time and talking to a younger version of myself would do no good but I'd at least like to try. How do you convince your younger self that while football may be fun, you should be wrestling. You could be an awesome wrestler if you get more experience and practice. Football can be hard, but it takes more dedication to be a wrestler and while wrestling is a team sport, you are the only person out there on the mat.
Dear 12-year old Brandon, you’re never going to have the height to play college or pro football. You are absolutely pathetic as a basketball player, you can’t hit shit on the baseball diamond. Focus on wrestling. Join the Nashville Police Athletic League and wrestle in the summers. Start now! Run five miles a day while you can. It will pay off. Don’t go to Friendship Christian School. Convince your parents to go to a school where wrestling is king. Ride with your Dad every morning and let him drop you off at Father Ryan.
Don’t wait to start DJing at 28. Save up and buy turntables as soon as you can. Vanderbilt’s college radio station is a good place to start hunting Chicago house records. You love the music at 12. You just don’t have an outlet for it because neither you nor your parents know about it. Vinyl won’t live forever, but it’ll provide you hours of enjoyment over your lifetime. When all music becomes digitized you can look back and know you can beat match by ear. No one will ever be able to take that away from you.
While you’re at it, take all your comics and prized possessions out of your house on September 7, 1987. Your house will be struck by lightning the next day. Keep all those Marino and Montana cards as well as your Hulk comics. Be sure to save your mother’s picture albums because those are irreplaceable. And move the 4-wheeler out of the garage and put it out by the garden. Do the same with your dad’s rifles. It’s just stuff, but it is stuff you will enjoy. Your wardrobe can burn. Don’t wear all those sweaters. They are horrible.
Stay in private school and study. Do your homework. You have a talent at writing. In the future there won’t be nearly as many sports writers or news editorial folk. You’ll have to follow your love and do something else in your life. You should learn how to write comic books but whatever you do, just write! Write five pages a day and when you’ve written 10,000 pages you might have something good. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to find out how. Comic book writers make a good living but they don’t start out doing it!
You’ll go to college. Your parents will make sure of that, but it’s at a cost. As an only child your mom and dad will pay for most of your school and you will be unappreciative. You’ll do what you can to prolong the experience. Don’t. You’re killing your parents and every dollar they spend on you is three they won’t have when they are old enough to retire. There are no words of wisdom I can give you to make you mature. That will come on its own, but use college as a springboard. Get something out of it, not just a degree in journalism. A degree in management may be tough so be prepared to study harder math in high school to lighten your load. You love computers. Computer science will take you far if you learn to code. Management will help you prepare to manage others, and one day your own business.
Rhubarb is spelled R H U B A R B. Brandtite is B R A N D T I T E. Pocket that or else it will cost you at the spelling bees.
Don't buy new cars. You're wasting money, jackass! A new car isn't a substitute for the person you are.
Travel while you are young. Go out of the country if you can. It gets harder the older you get. Also, love often and as much as you can. Be safe though. You’re a good looking guy and you’re fun. Be a gentleman and not a moron and it'll get you places. Read Neil Strauss when his book The Game comes out.
You’re a good kid so I don’t have to worry about you doing something dangerous or stupid…very often. Keep up the good work. Your parents are proud of you and will do everything they can to help you realize your dreams. Also, Nashville isn’t so bad. It may feel lick Hicksville to you right now, but there are worse places in this world that you could live. One day you’ll miss the hell out of that place.
Don't be confused. I love the route my life has taken and wishing is just that. I am happily married and have a beautiful son that I wouldn't have had my life taken a different route. My career is great. Maybe the best conversation with my twelve year old self is no conversation at all. I got it right all on my own!
I already catch myself wanting to live my life through Liam’s. I want him to love sports and collect comics and coins and love everything that I have loved. I also want him to do the things I never did like learn to play the piano or speak Spanish before he’s in school. I want to maximize his opportunities in life, just like my parents maximized mine compared to their lives. I also just want him to be happy.
Did I capitalize on all the opportunities afforded me in life? Hell no! I didn’t know it was knocking most of the time. Going back in time and talking to a younger version of myself would do no good but I'd at least like to try. How do you convince your younger self that while football may be fun, you should be wrestling. You could be an awesome wrestler if you get more experience and practice. Football can be hard, but it takes more dedication to be a wrestler and while wrestling is a team sport, you are the only person out there on the mat.
Dear 12-year old Brandon, you’re never going to have the height to play college or pro football. You are absolutely pathetic as a basketball player, you can’t hit shit on the baseball diamond. Focus on wrestling. Join the Nashville Police Athletic League and wrestle in the summers. Start now! Run five miles a day while you can. It will pay off. Don’t go to Friendship Christian School. Convince your parents to go to a school where wrestling is king. Ride with your Dad every morning and let him drop you off at Father Ryan.
Don’t wait to start DJing at 28. Save up and buy turntables as soon as you can. Vanderbilt’s college radio station is a good place to start hunting Chicago house records. You love the music at 12. You just don’t have an outlet for it because neither you nor your parents know about it. Vinyl won’t live forever, but it’ll provide you hours of enjoyment over your lifetime. When all music becomes digitized you can look back and know you can beat match by ear. No one will ever be able to take that away from you.
While you’re at it, take all your comics and prized possessions out of your house on September 7, 1987. Your house will be struck by lightning the next day. Keep all those Marino and Montana cards as well as your Hulk comics. Be sure to save your mother’s picture albums because those are irreplaceable. And move the 4-wheeler out of the garage and put it out by the garden. Do the same with your dad’s rifles. It’s just stuff, but it is stuff you will enjoy. Your wardrobe can burn. Don’t wear all those sweaters. They are horrible.
Stay in private school and study. Do your homework. You have a talent at writing. In the future there won’t be nearly as many sports writers or news editorial folk. You’ll have to follow your love and do something else in your life. You should learn how to write comic books but whatever you do, just write! Write five pages a day and when you’ve written 10,000 pages you might have something good. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to find out how. Comic book writers make a good living but they don’t start out doing it!
You’ll go to college. Your parents will make sure of that, but it’s at a cost. As an only child your mom and dad will pay for most of your school and you will be unappreciative. You’ll do what you can to prolong the experience. Don’t. You’re killing your parents and every dollar they spend on you is three they won’t have when they are old enough to retire. There are no words of wisdom I can give you to make you mature. That will come on its own, but use college as a springboard. Get something out of it, not just a degree in journalism. A degree in management may be tough so be prepared to study harder math in high school to lighten your load. You love computers. Computer science will take you far if you learn to code. Management will help you prepare to manage others, and one day your own business.
Rhubarb is spelled R H U B A R B. Brandtite is B R A N D T I T E. Pocket that or else it will cost you at the spelling bees.
Don't buy new cars. You're wasting money, jackass! A new car isn't a substitute for the person you are.
Travel while you are young. Go out of the country if you can. It gets harder the older you get. Also, love often and as much as you can. Be safe though. You’re a good looking guy and you’re fun. Be a gentleman and not a moron and it'll get you places. Read Neil Strauss when his book The Game comes out.
You’re a good kid so I don’t have to worry about you doing something dangerous or stupid…very often. Keep up the good work. Your parents are proud of you and will do everything they can to help you realize your dreams. Also, Nashville isn’t so bad. It may feel lick Hicksville to you right now, but there are worse places in this world that you could live. One day you’ll miss the hell out of that place.
Don't be confused. I love the route my life has taken and wishing is just that. I am happily married and have a beautiful son that I wouldn't have had my life taken a different route. My career is great. Maybe the best conversation with my twelve year old self is no conversation at all. I got it right all on my own!