Your Friends Are A Reflection of You and You Reflect Them…

by John M. Ellison IV

I wrote this last week:

Right now, it’s Thursday December 10 2009. I’m in Atlanta, GA right now at a Hyatt on business assisting out my sister out with some behind the scenes stuff for Dru Hill’s new video. Anyway, on the way down to Atlanta, it became even more apparent that the people we surround ourselves around really reflect us and we reflect them to an extent. I noticed the common ground between my friends is that even though they’re similar, they’re very fairly different people personality wise. I consider my friends to be a compromise of creative, eccentric, slightly perverted, funny, open minded people with good values. All of those people reflect a side of me that either I display or want to delve into more.

The common ground with my friends is the arts and being misunderstood to an extent. We all enjoy graphic art (cartooning, animation etc.), performance art and music. It’s almost like a community where we share and in some ways try to one up each other on whatever it may be regarding our interests. For example, a friend of mine from former fansite now Esham’s offciate website, Acidrap.com by the name of Stampid. Stampid and I have an affinity for obscure and weird music. Thanks to Youtube, we send each other stuff from artists like Jandek, The Shaggs, Daniel Johnston, Raymond Scott and what not. When it comes to it, he pretty much outdoes me by bringing out the weirdest shit. It’s awesome though because thanks to this, it’s expanded my musical palette. So, when it comes to it, it means a lot from a musical standpoint.

When it comes to my female friends, I’m considered the “William” the guy that you can confide and “confess your sins” without me being judgmental. In fact, I’ve jokingly said “hold on; let me get my frock and an altar boy.” It usually gets a laugh from them. Usually it’s just stuff about guys, life, the need of a second opinion on an issue and I’m happy to oblige my opinion and view on it; The same thing goes with them as well. They’ve been there for me as well.

Now, my sister’s friends, well, ostensibly they seem the same to me. I’m not saying they’re boring, there even a few that I’ve consider close to me and the feelings mutual as well. But, with the ones that I haven’t bonded with really have a theme of being flighty, egotistical, shallow, and self-centered. But, we’re cordial and respectful to each other although we have little in common aside from my being apart of my sister’s life. There’s a theory, “The way to gauge a person’s intelligence is the reaction you get from there sense of humor.” If I just make some occasionally crass, cringe worthy quick witted remarks and they’re laughing there asses off…then they’re cool with me. If not, then whatever.

Throughout this diatribe, the bottom line is that the people you surround yourself with reflect you and you reflect a side of them as well.