25 Years

So today’s my 25th birthday. There’s not a whole extraordinary lot going on today to commemorate what (I hear) should be a pretty big deal. Okay, I guess I will be out at the Empress tonight performing in the one-act play festival (http://empresstheatre.com/), but it won’t be like last year, when my college roommates gift-wrapped all the crap I left in the front room. That was a good time.

Here’s what I’M doing to celebrate: In another vain effort to relieve some of the pressure my inflated ego puts on my innards, I’m compiling a list of the 25 most influential people in my life. I guess you COULD consider this to be an act of gratitude, but let’s be honest – this is still all about ME.

Now, these are people that I’ve actually met, associated with for a more-or-less extended period of time, and been changed/influenced by in some quantifiable way. And it’s by no means a comprehensive list. There are literally sixes of people I could have included, but didn’t – for no reason other than I’m limiting myself specifically to 25. So… yeah, here we go:

Jan Bradford – This list just HAD to start with my mother, especially since she’ll probably wind up reading this, anyway. I’m pretty proud of my mother, actually – besides being an amazing cook, she’s just a generally nice person, who always taught me to do and be my best. So when I’m being a pissy jerk, you know it’s NOT her fault.

Mark Bradford – Despite the fact that I’m turning 25, I’m still pretty much a kid – I read comic books, play video games, and LOVE cartoons. So I’m pretty much just like my dad, except he can actually do stuff like fix cars and provide for an entire family.

Bryan Bradford – I could have easily put any of my three brothers here, but, for the sake of keeping the list down to 25, I’m going to go with my little brother Bryan. We shared a room for about ten years, so it’s no surprise that we’ve wound up being almost exactly the same. Bryan’s better at everything than I am, though, just so you know.

Clarice Bradford – My brother’s daughter makes the list because she’s done something no one else has ever been able to do ever in the history of ever – she’s gotten me to hold a baby. Actually, I’ve gotten to the point where I LOVE playing with little Clara – provided she keeps all her body fluids to herself.

Mrs. Walters – Most of my friends remember her as that crazy old lady with the guitar who taught her 4th graders how to sing “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt” in Spanish (“Juan Paco Pedro de Lamar,” if you want to know). And that’s how I remember her, too. Of course, she’s ALSO the first teacher I ever had who actively encouraged me to write, so this whole poetry… thing… I do is basically HER fault.

Mrs. Rider – The more I think about Mrs. Rider, the more surprised I am that Granite School District actually allowed this woman to teach elementary school students. Still, she was by far one of the most encouraging teachers I ever had. Plus she typecast me as the evil tyrant king in TWO different tragedies.

Mrs. Evans – She was my junior high English teacher for three years – and probably the single most influential teacher I ever had. Not only did she help foster my love for reading and writing, but she taught me how to do them well. I probably wouldn’t have made it to college without her.

Ms. Sirstins – On a whim, I auditioned for my junior high’s production of Oklahoma! (which now rates as one of my least favorite musicals of all time). From that audition, Ms. Sirstins decided I needed a place in both the concert choir AND madrigals. I’ve been doing music ever since.

Ms. Johnson – If Ms. Sirstins got me hooked on choir and performance, Ms. Johnson made me love it. I had more fun in her choir than in any other club/group/class before. She also taught our choir how to sing “Choose Something Like a Star” by Robert Frost, which is now one of my favorite poems.

Mr. Moore – If you went to Cyprus High School, you know the Cult of Moore. Okay, they never actually CALLED themselves the “Cult of Moore,” but they totally should have. Mr. Moore’s choir classes were pretty much the only enjoyable thing I had in high school. Plus the man just had a good attitude about life – something I’ve tried to imitate.

Mrs. Roach – There was a bit of a rivalry between Mrs. Roach and Mr. Moore when I went to Cyprus – although that conflict was pretty much engineered by the students. Still, I loved ‘em both. Roach pretty much picked up where Mrs Evans left off. Whether she knows it or not, I wound up majoring in English in college because of Mrs. Roach.

Star Coulbrooke – EVERY aspiring poet should have a teacher like Star. She saw something worth developing in ever single poem she read. Plus, she’s totally a hippie. Everyone should learn poetry from a hippie.

Michael Sowder – Michael used to be a lawyer. He gave that up so he could teach and write poetry at Utah State University. Absolutely classic. Plus, he’s totally a Buddhist. Everyone should learn poetry from a Buddhist.

Margaret Purser – With my scholarship money running out, I decided to sign up for voice lessons, just to remind myself why I liked singing so much in the first place (I hadn’t done any real performing in almost six years). Margaret took a real interest in me developing my talent. She encouraged me to keep singing, which led to my current involvement at the Empress Theatre and the Jesters Royale. That’s all MARGARET’S fault.

Bishop Hughes – Bishop Hughes was my church leader while I was a teenager. He pretty much set the standard for what a church leader should be like – patient, understanding, optimistic. He also had a great sense of humor. He lost his thumb to some heavy farming equipment, but he always told everyone he just sucked on it too hard as a kid.

Bishop Germany – Bishop Germany was my church leader when I was at college – which, honestly, was pretty much a second adolescence for me. He encouraged me when I felt down and kicked my butt when I felt apathetic… just what I needed at the time.

Wlastik Holik – I served a mission in the Czech Republic for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two mostly friendless years. Wlastik was one of the few I considered to be a real friend… well, the first one I was REALLY able to communicate with. Czech’s hard. Wlastik helped me learn the language and understand the people. He also punches pretty hard. Ouch.

Aaron Coombs – Aaron was a diligent missionary – the part in his hair probably went straight down through his skull. As much as I loved mocking him for his strict adherence to rules and standards, Aaron’s faith – which I saw really put into action during the time we served together in the Olomouc district in the CR – inspired me in a way most OTHER “nominal Christians” fail to do

*With thanks to Olaudah Equiano for the phrase “nominal Christians.”

Brady Flanagan – No matter how I try, I can’t seem to get away from this kid. We went to school together straight through junior high, met up in the Missionary Training Center in Provo as we were getting ready to go do the mission thing, and now we’re teammates in the Jesters Royale. Good times all around.

Bizzie Szilagyi – We don’t talk so much anymore, but Bizzie was probably the bestest friend I had in college, always good for a round of date-hating over some Aggie ice cream. Man, I miss that ice cream.

Torrie Fedor – We’ll just overlook the fact that I snogged Torrie… and that I probably don’t know what “snog” means. Torrie saw a couple of the poems I wrote and said, “Why don’t you try writing free-verse?” That may have been her kind way of saying my poems SUCKED, but, in the end, that may have been the best bit of advice I’ve ever gotten in poetry.

By the way, isn’t the word “snog” fun to say? Snog snog snog snog snog snog… hey, maybe it’s an onomatopoeia!

Emma Mellen – Emma’s perpetual optimism and sunny disposition disgusts me on a level I can’t fully expound upon using words alone. However, she’s always been there to listen to me if I need an ear. Plus she’s the best movie buddy in the world.

Garret Peterson – The biggest tragedy in my life is that I haven’t kept in touch with my best friend from high school – which is probably an indication of how unjustly fortunate I’ve been. Garret Peterson was and is a superstar.

Darian Oliphant – Here’s a real renaissance man – skilled woodworker, competent singer, adept scholar… plus he can kill you with his bare hands. I totally approve of that.

Michael Cox – We’ve been friends for almost our entire lives. Together we’ve beaten numerous video games, stolen countless raspberries from Mom’s garden, lost an unquantifiable amount of sleep… Oh, crap, and now he’s reproducing.

It’s just hit me exactly how lucky I am. I don’t know how many people get to keep the same friends from childhood on. I’m also not sure how many would want to… but in my case, it’s worked out all right.

So to these 25 individuals and everyone who’s influenced me for the better: Thank you. Sincerely, seriously, thank you.

And that’s as serious as I’d like to get today. Everyone go out and buy yourselves a thing of Ben and Jerry’s.