loving art, science and creative kids

The Firmament

Order out of Chaos

Resilience in the Age of Bots

Last year I ran a booth at Shift Music Festival called “Do you need a Mother?” I was available for counseling and was visited by dozens of distraught party goers. One common theme revolved around employment. Recent college graduates, burdened by debt, found the only jobs offered  were as baristas or Amazon drivers. Those in their forties were either being laid off or were burnt out by repetition and six day work weeks.  Last newsletter talked about post secondary school training and the curriculums offered as paths to employment. Unfortunately they do not always lead to jobs. Packaged computer programs replace IT staffs, internet selling closes walk-in stores, and the world wide web makes it easy to hire accountants , legal assistants, and call center operators for low wages in distant lands. Automation and robots have replaced manual workers on assembly lines and self driving cars and drones will soon put millions of truck and taxi drivers out of work.

The next generation will need to be resilient and capable of reimagining themselves many times over in order to survive well. Educators and parents will have to rethink their children’s education to help them cope  in the age of bots. With resilience the goal, traits, such as curiosity, will need to be encouraged. Insuring that each child finds at least one activity that engages them passionately will help them learn to focus, be persistent in the face of failure, and be willing to learn. It will develop self-confidence and stimulate pleasure endorphins. Passionate engagement stays remembered in children’s psyche so, that as adults, they want to recreated the same feelings. Over the next several weeks, I will share stories of people raised in such a way that they adapted to today’s marketplace by following their passion.

Dan Stueber - Beginnings  

Dan, the eldest of three children, grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was raised by parents who were attentive to his personality and interests, but were strict in their assumption of how a young boy should act. They expected him to put effort into whatever task he undertook. Though supportive of their child’s interest in learning an instrument (piano at seven), they were not musically inclined. It was his aunt who inspired the fledgling musician with her beautiful voice.

  A neighboring family introduced Dan to drumming, the instrument that became his passion. He started playing at the age of ten and continued for sixty years. As a delightful young drummer he was rewarded with solos that helped build self-esteem.

  Dan was an adequate student unable to engage in sports due to asthma.  As a result, music occupied much of his life. Taking drum lessons and purchasing quality instruments was expensive. His parents said they would pay for the lessons, but he had to earn money for the instruments. That meant, becoming entrepreneurial while in elementary school. With his father’s help, Dan came up with a lucrative solution. He collected eggs from a local farmer, put them in containers, and sold them to housewives who liked having farm fresh eggs delivered to their homes. 

  The eight to ten dollars Dan earned each week enabled him to acquire the equipment he desired. The organizational skills acquired from running a small business and the experience gained fly talking to farmers and housewives built confidence.  He learned early that there are ways to accomplish goals if you are determined to succeed. Having an involved father helped. Dad not only taught him to use his head and hands, but how to fix cars. As a result he became a good mechanic. In high school Dan continued to shine as a musician. His love of history and science fed into his career in later life. 

  Dan graduated from Berkee College of Music in Boston, specializing in classical and jazz percussion and found work immediately. He loved playing gigs and traveling with bands on the road, performing with the Flying Karamazov Brothers on Broadway and traveling extensively with the Hager Brothers and the Ink Spots. He and one other player, the only white musicians in Jim Nabbie’s band, were lovingly referred to as the bleach spots. 

  Performing the same concert night after night while on the road eventually became stale. Ready to fall in love and settle down, he met Nancy, a biology student and educator. Several years after the couple were married they traveled west and became enchanted by Oregon’s beauty. They moved to Portland where Nancy joined OMIS's staff and Dan, an original member of the Trail Band, performed with them to sell out crowds. Today Dan drums for Jonny Dark and the Wondertones.

A New Passion Grows 

A short time before moving to Portland, a friend took Dan on an arrowhead hunting trip in western Pennsylvania. Walking through freshly turned cornfields Dan spotted an arrow point. Retrieving it was a life changing moment for it made him wonder how it was made. He had to find out.

  The next day Dan searched for information and tried unsuccessfully to teach himself stone knapping. It was after Nancy accepted a job at OMSI, and the couple moved  to Oregon, that he learned of the Archeological Society. There he met the speaker, Dr. John Fagan, who spent the following years mentoring the young enthusiast. Not only was Dan interested in making stone tools, but he was curious about why they were needed. Learning how to understand culture was as important as making tools.

  John Fagan, found Archeological Investigations Northwest and employed Dan part time as a Lithic Specialist for twenty-five years. Now independent, Dan is one of the nations’s leading experts in aboriginal tools. He gives workshops, teaches university and recreational classes throughout the country and Canada, and participates in archeological expeditions. Throughout his busy schedule as an archeologist, Dan stays committed to music, performing regularly.

  What made Dan successful? He says it was because his parents were always supportive, not pushing their ideas of what he should be. His Mom was strict, but open and honest. He was not distracted by an iPad nor was the television used as a baby sitter, but was instead sent outside to explore the neighborhood. Curiosity was encouraged and his interests turned into passionate pursuits.  Various drum teachers also helped him along by serving as mentors (life coaches) as well as music instructors. 

  Most of all, Dan learned early in life that you get further if you are a nice person. His advice? “Find the things you love to do,” and if that is not possible, “learn to love what you do do.”  Pursuing dreams sparked by your interest will make you happy. 

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The Firmament - Acrylic on Canvas - 18” 22”- Gold Frame - $ 695

  Comments about early education and its impact on career development are most welcome on my blog site.