Here’s how I’ve been fortunate enough to life a Peter Pan lifestyle since 1997…
I was born 11/25/1977 in Philadelphia, PA. An area of about 12 million people. I remember at the age of 6, I’d sit happily in the window of my parent’s record shop often around Christmas time. I would play Bobby Helm’s “Jingle Bell Rock” and Brenda Lee “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” on my own personal turntable… over and over again. (For reference, it was called “Remember When Records” located in Cinnaminson, NJ) Just Google it, you’ll find something’.
Philadelphia has been notorious for the early Doo Wop groups as well as early Motown. Chicago & Detroit have as well, but where I grew up we always claimed it as our own.
Fast forward to my early teens, the skating rink days, late 80’s/early 90’s. I made friends with the local DJ’s at the “Holiday Skating Rink” in Edgewater or maybe RiversideNJ. (Can’t remember, it was so long ago). I never realized I wanted to be a DJ at that point, I just liked to skate the group “shuffle” or do
So “they” say, “Life is What Happens When You Make Other Plans” A short story about how I became a Professional DJ…
Dance, such a primitive behavior, right? I mean it’s been documented over so many years. I wonder, “What motivates people to dance in the first place?” Is it the beat of the drum, the bass that vibrates from the speakers through your chest that brings out a primal need? Maybe it’s some sort of escape mechanism for us humans, yet, in a positive way.
backwards flips. The bystanders would look on while we did acrobatic stunts. Flipping, spinning, crouching, and high kicks. We literally KICKED ASS! “DJ Tony Dollard” can vouch for this as he was one of us as well as the DJ at the time around 1990.
As I’ve found, times pass fast in High School. Wish I had Google Glasses to catch every memory. Everyone moves on & the question now was… “What do you wanna be when you grow up?” What? I said. I just wanted to be that roller skater electro kid who rocked out to “Egyptian Lover” Freestyle music (no link due to copyright issues so just look it up).
I guess I am a sort of Peter Pan. I refuse to grow up…but should we? I mean, I’m happy. I love what I do & if anyone asks me what my real job is, I tell them, “I’m a professional DJ”.
Granted, I may not make as much money as a doctor or a lawyer & may life paycheck to paycheck at times, but I’d rather do something I love then be a slave to a corporate environment where I didn’t find hapiness.
I encourage anyone to follow their heart. Even though you may go through tough times. If you have the heart/ passion, you always come out good on the other side.
I mean, think about it. Yep, your Lexus/BMW looks good sitting in the parking lot on a Saturday staring at it from your fluorescent lighted sad office working double time…what kind of life is that? Live, love, laugh, & dance as if no one is looking. No person, place or thing can fill that void you’re so desperately trying to fill. Only passion, determination, perseverance, and courage can do that.
