Who has influenced you most in your life?

MIlo here; Gail

Honestly, the women I have crushed on. Some of them know I wanted them, some did not. I always wonder what they would think when I get to an important decision.

My mom. She is this odd combination of realistic and idealistic, and a little sarcastic on both counts. But she is also traditional and has her flaws. Growing up she definitely gave me more leeway than I deserved, and allowed me to become who I wanted to be, while encouraging me to be more kind than I would have naturally been.

The voices. Who else could influence one’s life?

There’s not one thing. I’m just some animal floating through life. I do what I have to to pay my bills and live a semi-comfortable life.

Me.

My Sister

I have been homeless four times. Three times she let me live with her while I sorted my shit out. The other time she paid my rent after getting me an apartment.

A few years ago she found out her husband was cheating and told hime to fuck right off. She managed to take the three kids and moved 120 miles away. She managed to find a place to live and started school to be a nurse. She will be done with that soon and she just bought a house.

I guess my sister. She is the strongest person I know. We haven’t always got along but if I had to die or her I would easily chose me to die.

I can’t say one person. For me, everyone has inspired me. All the good people and the bad. Those I’ve agreed with those I’ve greatly disagreed with. In some shape or form, it’s molded me to the way I think now.

As other have said, not one person. My father always tried to instill in me to value education but I didn’t really get it until I was in my 30s. He also had great honesty and integrity and I see him as an important role model in this area of my life.

I also have two colleagues who inadvertently influenced me greatly. They were lecturers when I started my undergraduate degree and showed such faith in me. Faith I didn’t have in myself at that time. They have both continued to be mentors but one especially has always been there and still is and is both a wonderful female role model but she continues to offer me guidance. She has been instrumental in many of the decisions and paths I have taken and I am very grateful for her support. I should write to her and tell her this.

My children have also had a huge influence on my life. My ex hated me studying and tried to put a lot of road blocks in my way. In the back of my mind constantly was the knowledge that I was a role model for my children and the way I responded to his behaviour would model the way they should behave and the things they should accept. This thought stopped me giving in and kept me moving forward towards my goals. I was also keenly aware that I needed to support them financially and didn’t have the luxury of failing.

Probably a combination of my self and celebrities fictional characters.

I think I influenced my self, and then used outside confirmation to verify that I was right in thinking what I was thinking.

e.g. forming very negative opinions, and then having them confirmed by people like George Carlin or Johnny Cash or some other figure.

My best friends, of course.
And music. I mean bands, their songs, everything.
My favorite books have influenced me as well.

Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield, Jean Michel Jarre, the good people at Bridges for Education

Dead poets and sexy teachers.

There are several people who influenced my life. They were a part of it at the right time because they were willing and I allowed them to play that role.

I suspect that you will learn, as I did, that these people rarely fade away from your thoughts and actions, even if they are no longer in your life.

Me myself & I.

All the people who’ve impressed me in ways big and small, positive and negative—it is the aggregate of these influences that continues to shape me.

A few specifics are the really good and really bad teachers, the really good and the really bad bosses, the really good and the really bad “friends.” Last, but certainly not least, my long-deceased pedophile uncle, who changed a scared child into a woman who doesn’t fear her own voice and the strength of her own convictions.