My journey through text, page, and track

What’s a piece of media (book, movie, song) that changed how you see the world?

Man, this is a question I’ve answered a few times in a few different forms. I want to try something a little different today so I’m not beating a dead horse. Instead of choosing just one, I’m going to talk about the three pieces of media that act as pillars for my identity: a movie that defined my purpose, a book that defined my boundaries, and a song that defined my musical lens.

Dead Poets Society

This might sound corny, but it’s the absolute truth: this movie stoked the fire for a love I already had for language and literature, and it inspired me to become a teacher. While I’ve certainly adopted a “grittier” approach to my teaching over the years—both in Detroit and now at my alternative school—the core message remains the same. I still believe, down to my bones, that words and ideas have the power to change the world. Helping students find their own voices remains the absolute core of my identity as a professional.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

It is difficult to articulate the full impact this book had on my life. Aside from us both being from Michigan, Malcolm X was about as different from me as one man could be from another. Reading his story taught me about finding my own direction and the courage to speak my mind, no matter how unpopular the opinion or what the consequences might be. I’ve realized that the “100% Policy” I live by today didn’t happen in a vacuum; it’s built on that same foundation of being uncompromising. It also taught me a great deal about discipline; I’ve become a reluctant morning person, and I’ve learned that I love the feeling of getting a jump-start on the rest of the world. There’s a specific kind of power in being the first one to the party, or the first one in the building.

“One” – Metallica

“One” is the first Metallica song I ever heard—and fittingly, the first music video of theirs I ever saw. (In a stretch of irony, it was their first single and video, and they called it “One.” I digress.)

The inclusion of clips from the film Johnny Got His Gun was absolutely brilliant. As the story goes, the band hadn’t even read the book or seen the movie before writing the song, yet it captured that feeling of being lonely, scared, and isolated perfectly. They eventually bought the rights to the movie, which says a lot about how deeply that collaboration resonated with them.

The song resonates with anyone who has ever felt helpless, but there is also a distinct, human urge to fight back at the end. Even if the effort is ultimately futile, there is a strange satisfaction in the camaraderie of knowing we all experience those feelings. That song took me down a musical rabbit hole that led me to the alternative rock of the 90s, and it’s a journey I see being passed down to my own sons now. The saga continues.

Rebuilding a life takes grit, consistency, and a lot of ‘Option C’ thinking. Having crossed the 1,000-day milestone, I’m now charting the territory beyond. The mission remains the same: No glitz. Just the work. New to the blog? Start your journey here to see the blueprint and the ‘Tricorder’ perspective behind the rebuild.

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The article “My journey through text, page, and track” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.

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