Posted by Gary STUCKA on May 10, 1999 at 13:22:23:
In Reply to: Re: what's going on? posted by cheryl on May 10, 1999 at 04:22:05:
Dear Theo,
I'm sure that you will receive much good advice regarding your current dilemmas. If I may add my small voice (actually, it's a pretty loud voice in person) I'd like to comment on your feelings about your last name. I've received lots of "abuse" through my life, not only for enjoying and performing classical music in our sports-obsessed culture, but also for having a strange last name. My name is not pronounced "Stooka", it is pronounced just like it is spelled: Stuck-uh. This provided much hurtful fodder for classmates in school. Believe me, I've heard it all: Gary STUCK-UP, Gary STICK-IT, Gary STUCK, Gary F**k-a-duck-and get-Stuck-a etc., etc., etc.,.
In any case, if I may offer some advice from my 46-year-old vantage point, none of these taunts really matter. When you get older, you'll find out that the taunts reveal far more about the taunters than they do about you and when you really begin to believe THAT AND believe in yourself, your inner security will shine out from within and stifle the taunts of small minds.
Be patient, keep working, believe in yourself!
Gary S T U C K A