Another Guest Columnist, Dean Schmitz, (Hey, I can get used to this!) , that is one of my oldest friends. Without further ado:
Top 10 Things I’ve learned from Tommy Clarke in the 25 years I have known him:
Lists are for geeks, so here is mine.
10. Well, the very first thing I learned about Tom was that he was smarter than me. Learned that right away when I met him. And not just book smart, but wise to the world smart. He knew things that I hadn’t ever thought about. Heck, still haven’t thought about them. He opened my eyes to many things beyond which I was aware.
9. Even smart people can be wrong. See Tom’s thoughts on the Hawkeyes vs. the Cyclones. Go CLONES!
8. I learned a lot about music. I have always considered myself a music geek, but learned about a lot of good music through Tom. Joe Walsh/James Gang, Creedence, Cougar, Jackson Browne, etc.
7. Treat people right. I think he learned this from his parents. Tommy has always been good to people. I really don’t remember him ever treating anyone badly. Unless they deserved it of course. But, in general, Tom is very thoughtful, caring and interested in others. Sounds like that continued into his career, which is a wonderful thing.
6. Let’s just say that Tommy “improved” my drinking skills. He also taught me to like beer - the hard way (we got way too drunk on vodka and I have never felt worse the next day). Don’t drink before a Physics final with Tom – he will pass and you will not.
5. Humor. Tom is funny as all get out. I still have multiple letters that I received from Tom during our college years, before the Internet made writing physical letters on paper a thing of the past. I still get them out every once in a while and read them. Sarcastic, cynical, whatever. Laughing is a good thing and Tom always makes me laugh.
4. The importance of good conversation. Tom is always ready for a good conversation. This is probably connected to #6 above. I don’t believe I am a very good conversationalist, but with the right people and the right topic, I can get going. I need to get better at this, because as Tom has shown me, there is a lot to learn from others, just by joining them in conversation.
3. Surround yourself with good people. Tom has been lucky like a lot of us to be born into a good family. But he also surrounded himself with good people who he calls friends. Then he met Melissa and realized he had another good person that he needed in his life. I am also lucky to have a good people in my life (especially my wife) and am very thankful for it.
2. There is always time to say hello (again). I spent a decent amount of time hanging out with Tommy in high school and somewhat kept in touch in college. From there, we lost touch as friends do. I hadn’t seen Tom in a long while and then talked to him at our 20th year high school reunion. Since then, I have been back in contact with Tom, trading emails and CDs. It has been great as I always enjoy his company. You can always say hello to a friend, no matter how long it has been since you last talked.
1. New things right up until today. From this blog alone, perseverance & inner strength. To enjoy life. To love the people in your life with all your heart. The importance of making a positive difference in people’s lives. To “shock” people by using common courtesy. Be thankful for the small things and don’t forget to read the bible.
4 comments:
This top ten list is going onto my top ten top ten lists...seriously though, nice job, Dean-O!
I couldn't agree more with most of what Dean said. (I did not join them in getting drunk before the Physics final.) Thanks Dean for saying what many of us are thinking and thanks Tom for the insights both twenty some years ago and today.
Couldn’t have said it better myself Dean-O. I especially like the “Go Clones” part. I go back a little further with Tommy, to the 6th grade to be exact. That’s when he invaded my school (Holy Trinity). Tom turned me onto the same music that you described, but I would like to think that my brother Pat and myself, turned Tom onto The Beatles, The Who, and The Kinks. I also turned Tom onto hip hop music (my favorite). Groups such as The Beastie Boys, The Sugar Hill Gang, and Run DMC. And that reminds me: as I was reading Tom’s top 25 album list I was a little confused. You see Tom wrote a paper in college for his History of Rock and Roll class(basket weaving had already filled up with the football players), and he described the Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band as the greatest album of all-time. Somehow it only made number 21 on Tom’s current list however. What gives? As for item number 6, I agree with you, but let it be known that I’m one of the few people that could drink Tom “under the table”(nothing to be proud of). After all, I was a 3rd degree black belt in all of our favorite beer games. Games such as Quarters, Speed Quarters, Mexican, Zoom, Thumper, The Vegetable Game, The Name Game, Shit on Your Neighbor etc. “Good Talk”. -Clark Griswold to his son Rusty in the movie Vacation.
Definitely got a solid foundation with the Beatles, Stones and Who from your brother Pat. If you hadn't noticed, the Albums are not listed in a particular order (Jeez, it's hard enough getting down to 25).
It's certainly fair to say that you helped introduce me to rap along with Tom Challender, although certainly by the early 90's I thought it all pretty much sounded the same except for maybe Jay-Z and NWA.
You were better than me in the games, but as far as flat out drinking, I got you anytime, anywhere. I even spot you a morphine :-)
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