Culture Collage

Top Left: This section of the culture collage deals greatly with one of my two very distinct identities that was developed over the past decade. I played in a band with four of my closest friends from high school; we were able to create, perform and record original music, travel and spread the word of Folly. This personality helped frame the way in which I approach my life; it embodied communication with other tribes and cultures unbeknownst to me; it also acted as the much-needed catharsis and outlet used to rid myself of the general anxieties of young adulthood. At times, I spent every waking and sleeping second with four guys in a van- driving immeasurable distances to play for strangers. Photos here include the Folly members- Arben, Geoff, Anthony, Agim and I- and a shot taken at one of our final shows. They are embedded over a lyrics sheet, CD sticker and postcard from two of our albums we recorded for Triple Crown Records, entitled Insanity Later(a reference to Seinfeld) and Resist Convenience...



Bottom Left: This section is a continuation of the Folly identity, which melts into my teaching identity on the right (middle of the collage, heart of the whole). Included is a photo of us in our 15-passenger Ford Econoline van, where we spent the bulk of our time on the road. Also included is an illustration of my imagination- running from the dinosaur featured in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, located off Rt. 10W in southern California. It rests on the fringe of Folly lyrics and Sudoku puzzles- my favorite brain game. In the corner is a flyer from a Folly show in Wichita Falls, Texas- far from home. Did you know that “Don’t mess with Texas” is the slogan used for their anti-littering campaign? I didn’t know that until I went there. To its right is a picture my fiancé cut out of the Star Ledger of a Cambodian veterinarian’s arm bitten off by a crododile; taped to it is a fortune cookie message reading, “This instant is the only time there is.” I feel that these two materials speak well for living a life void of fear. They promote the idea of carpe diem- seize the day. You never know what’s going to happen, right? One day, you could be caring for a sick crocodile- doing your job- and get your arm eaten off. Also, sometimes we tend to harbor so much on the past and the future that we forget about the life going on at the moment. The teaching identity, as previously alluded to rests in the middle of the collage for a reason. I feel that everything going on around the collage was influential in my reasons and commitment to educating. I used George Carlin’s head, taped to a Farside cartoon, because a) George Carlin is my favorite comedian, and a social observer and prophet of exploitation and b) because Farside cartoons foolishly tell it like it is. I feel that teachers should be both humanely silly and savagely provocative; hence the “teacher-animal.” The cheeseburger suggests that I love them, which is true, but it also shows you how impossible it is to find a cheeseburger that looks that tasty...



Bottom Right: This section offers up the alternate identity that contributed to my role as an educator. Contrasting to the transient, nomadic singer in a band is my life back home. A map of New Jersey underpins my family and heritage. It represents solid ground, strong foundations- my past and my future. Photos included in this section are my younger sister Julianne, a little-me swimming with my father, and my fiancé Katie. The members of my family, like the guys in Folly, have helped me learn and grow. I am who I am because they are who they are. Also included are Kramer, George, Elaine and Jerry- from my favorite show, Seinfeld. This “show about nothing” best depicts the way I perceive a life about everything. The face pasted on the “young American” is my face from my William Paterson University ID, which pretty much speaks metaphorically for my insane college experience. The word “faces” is included because a former professor once told me that you could learn everything you need to know about someone just by looking at their face. “Change” is included because I always felt like leaving and returning to home while traveling in the band required me to adapt my life to each surrounding, even if it was to and from the seemingly static “home...”



Top Right: Extending the motif of family in this section are photos of my two older, influential brothers. When I think about how I came to be the way I am, I always refer to this picture taken at High Point State Park of the crazy brother- Patrick- and the normal brother- Peter. I consider myself a little bit of both. My mother and father, at young ages, are situated next to and below their hometowns- Clark and Garfield. They met at Montclair State College, while studying to be teachers. This seems odd now that I study teaching at the school directly responsible for my existence. To the immediate right of the red hiker of the Long Trail decal is my hometown- Wantage, New Jersey. I have a certain pride for Sussex County that even overrides the pride I have for New Jersey itself. I love it “up there.” I would live there for the rest of my life if I had the choice...