Will he ever reply?

[entertainus]

I get it a lot that I"m just a "stupid teen" and I'll i'm here for is to make trouble. No one really takes me seriously or cares for my opinion and I really hate it. What do you mean by this whole "stupid" thing though?

[dejected]

The question was for everyone except you, but also to tell you that you don't have to call yourself stupid (or shouldn't have to).

If you're around people who say that to you - forget them!!   (don't hate THEM for being stupid, just stay away from that - no one needs that).

We have all "felt" like a stupid teenager at some point in our lives.  But eventually you should feel comfortable that MOST NORMAL people have felt that way at some point.  Then you can identify yourself with the crowd instead of feeling like some outsider that doesn't belong.

Another point was that there are PLENTY of 14 year olds out there who are fans just like you - so you're not "too young".

Why do we all love Daniel?  Because he EXPOSES that weak, uncertain side of himself, and we all RELATE to that.  And we know he is BRAVE for being so honest about it.   In that sense you are BRAVE for shouting out what you think or feel here.

If it makes you feel more comfortable to say you're "just a stupid teenager", well, okay.  But I'm just saying that you shouldn't have to.   Like the corny thing some elementary teacher might say "there's no such thing as a stupid question."   You should be able to say what you want on this board.

Okay - aren't we getting philosophical here!   Just to define what IS stupid, stupid is when someone is unfair and demeaning.   Stupid is when they FORGET that they are flawed too.   When someone puts others DOWN for what they are (or where they are in their growth) or for the very things that they do or have done themselves.  That's stupid.  

For an example of that go read the "Ray Pickens" conversations elsewhere on this board.

[entertainus]

Good point. It also really disappoints me when people say things like, "Don't be such a fag" or "Don't be such a Jew". I'm not homosexual or jewish, i just don't see why that can be used as an insult! It's horrible that people still are mean enough to think that it's a bad thing to be jewish, or japanese, or anything. It's just what everything tells them; their parents, the movies, pretty much just society in general. I think that if people were just... overall nicer, the world would be a lot better place. I get made fun of for my clothes, for my music, for my hair, and just for being me. If people could just accept that everyone's different, there would hardly be as many problems.
I love daniel because his music actually teaches you something. Most of the modern rock nowadays is just like, "I hate you! I don't like society! I like to do drugs!".
See:
Daniel Johnston:
"... he over flows with the gold of sincere friendliness. And gets in return a self-satisfaction, and influence, and a power with people that all the money in the mint could not buy. He does not wait to see if people like him, Fred assumes they do like him, that is one of this secrets..."
See? It can teach you something... it has helped me!
Now look at Linkin Park:
"...Shut up when I'm talking to you, shut up, shut up, shut up. I'm about to break..."
They mostly just talk about their own little problems and complain. I love daniel.

[Henry Long]

Hey Entertainus-
Your post made me want to send out a few personal thoughts...

First, screw the kids givin you crap for expressing yourself as you see best,  be it clothes, hair, music, what you like to eat, whatever. That **** gets nobody anywhere, no matter how old you are.

Second, the best reason in the world for liking anything is because you do. Somethings require no explanation, and even less demand a defense. You like what you do just cuz you do. Good enough.

It occurs to me that at 14 (way back in the old days of 1977!!!), I was sitting in my bedroom everynight, reading comic books, writing poems (aweful ones), listening to my records and 8 tracks (Alice Cooper, Beatles, Zappa, Cat Stevens) and drawing constantly. I was over 6 feet tall, totally unathletic, and all I cared about at school was getting home to hang out in my room. New kid at the Public School (escaped from Catholic Prison), you can just imagine how popular I was. (Ack!).

Anyway, in time, it all came together. I've been creating art in various forms since that summer when I had my first show at some hippie place called "The Expanding Universe" (I kid you not), have taught upper level classes at the same college I graduated from in '84 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting, have just published my 9th chapbook of poetry, having an opening of 17 of my most recent paintings and drawings this Friday at a really cool gallery (sold a piece tonight for 800 bucks!), blah blah blah, toot-toot, blah. You get the idea...
 
All I'm saying (and I apologize sincerely to the Fan Forum for my Pickensian moments back there) is what Joseph Campbell (who's writings I cannot recommend highly enough) always told his students:

FOLLOW YOUR BLISS!

Find that thing that makes you the happiest, and do it as much as you can.

At 41 years of age, I still can't wait to get home to my room, put some  music on, (of late it's been SMOG, Wil Oldham, T-Rex, Daniel...) and create something wonderful. Whatever anybody else "thinks" doesn't even enter into the picture. Believe me.

So, uh, yeah.
Hang in there.
Daniel Johnston's awesome.
Long Live Rock-n-Roll.


[/b]

[entertainus]

I'm with you 100% dude. I do everything I do because I feel it is best for me, and it is what I like to do. If I'm happy with it, i don't see why anyone else has a problem. It's not like it can hurt them in any way. And with my future, i have no idea where it's going to lead to, I'm hoping something artistic, or even just anything that i will have fun with and be happy with. I will try to get as fart with playing music as I can, and as long as I play music that I like and if I think it's good and I enjoy listening to it, then I don't care how many other people buy my cds or listen to my  music, as long as I'm happy with it and think it's good, it doesn't matter. (I don't think i'm going to get too far with this attitude, but who cares!?)

[wickedwill]

entertainus or joey,
just be yourself! stupid is trying to be something your not instead of yourself. im sure when daniel was starting to hand out his cassettes back in the day alot of folks thought, who is this weird little guy handing out this stupid music and gave it no more thought and look at all the beauty of great song they missed out on! we all know daniel is not full of social grace and has done alot of things that would appear stupid to alot of folks, but he stood his ground and did his own thing against the odds and they were against him but he prevailed. to hell with the naysayers be yourself and be true to yourself and you cant go wrong. 14 is a tough age but its also a magical time in your life that you will never get back,and will one day miss and look back on with good memories trust me. most of the cats who use this forum i am sure will agree with what i say. so dont let the fact somebody calls you stupid or slags you bother you. you seem smart for a 14 year old who knows these jerks may one day work for you!!!

[entertainus]

Yeah, i know all of that good stuff about being who are you are. I do everything to build my character. To show people who I am, not who they'd like me to be. One of my favorite quotes is by Kurt Cobain (it's my signature). I also know that these next few years are going to be hard years, as well as ones that are the funnest of my life. I've been trying my hardest to appreciate and take advantage of being 14, but can anyone older tell me what they would have liked to do more of/less of during their teenage years? I feel like i really need guiding right now in my life, but since my parents just got divorced and I'm living with my mom, and I've been losing most of my friends lately, and i'm not religious or spiritual in any way, I don't really have anyone to talk to about things. I know I could always talk to my mom about it, and I do sometimes, but it's hard to talk to someone so close to you about your problems. I don't know what it is, but I usually go to music for healing or stress relieving. It doesn't bother me so much when other kids make fun of me, I just don't understand why they do it.

[wickedwill]

entertainus,
 the reason kids pick on other kids is a question we will never know. could be they have low self esteem or a bad home life. but dont let it get you down they do it mostly cause they themselves are miserable. i was a odd kid who didnt like sports or most of thre things my peers liked. and being big guy and pretty quick with my fist (which i dont recommend) alot of the kids treated me well so i didnt get picked on alot but i saw alot of it going on and i was the first in line to defend the one being picked on.14 is a awkward age but it will get better trust me. you are not a nerd or a sissy or fag or whatever it is they call you you are a individual with great potential and thats all you could ever want and its much better then being a sheep and following the herd!!! keep talking to your mom about things there is nothing on this earth that is as strong as the love a mother has for here child.she may not understand where you are coming from but she will listen and give you advice............hell im 32 years old and still ask my mom for advice.............dont give up and follow the flock because its the easiest thing to do.....stay true to yourself.........and you will find your place in life

[entertainus]

Thanks Wickedwill

I have one question... Is there anything you wish you would have done more of/less of when you were 14? Anything that you wish you would have done differently? I'm the type of person who follows the fact that there is always room to improve in your life.

[Henry Long]

I second what Wickedwill has to say about Mom. (And Dad, if there is one)
One of the blessings in my life is a Mom who is still alive and loving, and who I talk with every day. I regret the years spent not treasuring what time I could with my parents. But when you're a teenager, they are the biggest idiots in the world.
In your 20's, they are well-meaning but stuck in their old ways and just dont get anything. In your 30's, if you are lucky, they are still around and you go, "Oh, my folks did the best they could, I guess," blame them for all your problems, and leave it at that. And in your 40's you finally "get" what they were all about, and you can't tell them to their face how much you loved them because they are gone forever.

(sniff)

As for the More-of/Less-of things I wish I'd done at 14?

MORE OF:
Reading anything and everything.
Leaving my room once in awhile and having fun.
Trusting my parents.
Seeking out others my age with my interests.
Holding onto the things that meant alot to me at the time
(toys, records, books, Star Wars action figures, etc)
Enjoying being 14 with the whole world ahead of me.

LESS OF:
Fear.

That's the big one, really. I work on that one still everyday. Stops you from trying. Stops you from changing. Gets in the way of every new experience. Limits your relationship with others, especially the opposite sex.
Worry, Guilt, Self-Loathing, Health problems... all come outta Fear.
Get rid of the fear, (and desire, but that's another story) and you got what alot of people dont have. Balance.

That's my 2 cents.
One more thing, if I may? If you are going to really believe in something, make it yourself. I know it is a cliche, but it's true. Everything else comes up short eventually, but deep down, somehow, we all know what is best for us. The hard part is listening to that voice. Once you have faith in your SELF, the sky's the limit.

[entertainus]

Thanks for everything you guys are telling me, I'm going to listen to you and talk to my mom more (my dad divorced my mom).

But anyways, dejected.... did you ever get to talk to Daniel?!?!?!?!?!?  

[dejected]

Entertainus,

Yes - he's not much of a writer, but he took the printed copy of your email and responded with a few lines.   I included an autographed photo and mailed it this last week.

I guess I do think that Daniel's "message(s)" are good ones for you, like "Don't Be Scared", and even "Fear Yourself" etc.  (You can be your worst enemy!)    Hey, that would be fun to string together a bunch of his lyrics or song titles into a co-hesive message.

Oh - here's the "flaw" I saw in that quote:  Once you decide to be "honest" (to others and yourself), there another decision that is excluided from that quote, and it is probably MORE important:  to be selfish and evil (but honest about it!) or compassionate and caring.  

Most people who decide to be "honest" are also deciding to "screw everyone else" and do what they want no matter what the effect on others.   Or they deny that they are "resonsible" for the effect they have on others.

Anyway, there is no end to the decision-making in life, but there really is a major decision to be made in your years:  "Luke, don't underestimate the power of the dark side!".    

So how do you take persecution and not "hate" back- that's a tough one - it's a decision down deep in your soul that CHOOSES not to let your innerds collect anger and hurt.  But I concur with the "mom" thing above - don't overlook that - be willing to tell her "I love you" ALL the time, etc.!   Those words coming out of your mouth CHANGE you on the inside.

You know what?  Here is a practical test:  If you cannot say those words to your mom in front of your friends without embarrasment or fear or being thought "less of", you may have the wrong friends.

At some point you're going to have to fogive your dad - even if only to yourself and even if he doesn't care one way or the other - just so YOU can go on with life in freedom , and not tied down with the baggage of resentment and hurt.

It is "easier" to hang on to those feelings in the short term - they are a form of "comfort" to us like "nobody understands me" and "woe is me", etc.   But hanging on to them hurts us in the long run.

On the other hand, it is hard to let those feelings go now, but it will be better in the long run.

Sorry, if I'm preachy, but I do belieive in "good" and "evil" as two opposing forces.  Choose sides wisely.

Later!

"Love Defined"

Love is patient and kind
Love is not jealous or boastful
It is not arrogant or rude
Love does not insist on its own way
It is not irritable or resentful
It does not rejoice at wrong
But rejoices in the right
Love bears all things
Believes all things
Hopes all things
Endures all things
Love never ends.

[entertainus]

Thank you, Dejected, for the advice and for the letter & signed photo! Thank all of you for the advice and guidance, i really appreciate it.

[entertainus]

It came today! It wasn't much, but it was definitly enough! Thank you very much dejected. Thanks a lot.

Joe

[wickedwill]

entertainus,
 what would i do more or less of.......well henry summed it up pretty good perhaps better then i can.  you are a 14 year old and maybe you should concentrate on just being a 14 year old and not put so much thought into it and just go with the flow. but this is a STONE COLD HARD FACT when you get out in the real world of paying bills, putting food in your kids mouth, putting a roof over your head etc.. NOBODY and i mean NOBODY will do it for you!! so you must put alot of faith in yourself and EDUCATE yourself, take your school serious and consider college. it sucks living hand to mouth. education is the key to life. being witty or writing great songs or painting a beautiful picture most of the time will not put food on the table or clothes on your back. when your in the real world providing for yourself its just you and thats all, and its a fact. i am almost certin if daniels family and friends/fans had not stepped in at various points in his life he would not be making music and art. he would have been so taken advantage of that he would have lost all joy in making his art, if not dead. he was fortunate and alot of folks are not. forum members do you agree with that statement or not??? so joey take your schooling serious and strive to get more knowledge but be a kid and do kid things and have fun.