TV Editor, Los Angeles, CA
/My time in high school
Attended high school in the
1970s
Overall high school experience
1/10. I had given up on school by the end of 8th grade. I felt like I wasn't learning anything new or interesting. I learned more on my own, reading books - fiction, non-fiction, history, science, etc. I cheated my way through 9th and 10th grade and then dropped out for the most part.
Grades in high school
C's and below. I was never in class after the first semester of 9th grade. I hung out on campus getting high and drinking or spent time at friend's houses doing the same.
Favorite subjects
English, History / Social Studies, Science, Visual Arts
Struggled with...
Math. I didn't apply myself and so I suffered.
Favorite extracurricular
Arts/Crafts
Life since high school
“I’m a professional television editor, I edit cartoons for a major studio. It’s an amazing accomplishment, especially with route I took to get here. ”
Attended college / university at
I took some classes at Foothill College and De Anza. I took a couple business classes, music classes, art classes, television production at De Anza and the radio station class at Foothill.
Post-graduate education or training
I took vocational school classes for computers (where I learned to type, among other things), I also took an electronic engineering and production program.
Places lived in US
California
Places lived outside the US
2 years in Thailand
Current occupations / past occupations
I've worked dozens of jobs. Some I would never wish on anyone. I ended up seeking work in the entertainment field, working with video equipment, cameras, and editing.
Industries I've worked in
- Other Services (except Public Administration) (e.g. Repair, Salon, Political/Labor orgs, etc.)
- Accommodation and Food Services
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (e.g. Law, Accounting, Interior Design, Graphic Design, R&D, PR, Advertising, etc.)
- Information (e.g. Publishing, Film, Broadcast, Telecommunications, Libraries)
- Transportation and Warehousing
- Retail Trade
- Wholesale Trade
- Manufacturing
- Construction
Did your education prepare you for your career or occupation?
Somewhat, but not directly. I learned the skills I use on the job.
Has your education or career/occupation trajectory ever changed? How?
My trajectory has changed a couple times, mainly by me going off track and pursuing an entrepreneurial venture, leaving my "day job"/career behind for awhile.
A little introspection...
To me, being successful means...
Being true to yourself. Following your dreams. Finding what makes you happy. Being comfortable with your place in life.
My definition of success has not changed over time.
Not really. I always wanted to make my way. I never really bought into all of society's ideas of who or what I should be.
My greatest accomplishment to date and what I’ve learned from it
I'm a professional television editor, I edit cartoons for a major studio. It's an amazing accomplishment, especially with route I took to get here.
My biggest mistake or regret so far and what I’ve learned from it
My biggest mistake was getting too involved in drinking and partying with drugs at a young age. At the time, I guess I needed it to survive. I was self-medicating to deal with harsh realities in my life. I wish I could have been a little more forward thinking.
An unexpected event that significantly changed my life and how it impacted me
There have been many. When I was 9, my father was murdered in San Francisco and the killer was never caught. My mom then hooked up with an organized crime figure and we spent years on the run from the law. Suffice to say, I didn't have a normal childhood and could not related to kids my age, I was drawn to the low lifes, burnouts and criminal types at school
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My favorite spot in or around Palo Alto
Stanford University grounds, baylands and Foothills Park
