Wish They All Could Be . . .

Everything Changes

by

Matthew T. Lipson

2.2 : Wish They All Could Be . . .

When a person starts dating they learn a lot about themselves.  For each of us it's different.  We are a synthesis of many things coupled with preconceived notions of how reality is supposed to be.  This leads us to a misguided way of  thinking dictating our motivations.  Our culture leads us to believe dating is primarily about sex.  For me, I quickly learned I was motivated by a deeper connection.  Connection includes many things which sex is just a part and not the most important.  I learned this from my first girlfriend where the connection was only sex.  My second girlfriend, we made an overly rational decision to work on the connection of personality, shared interests, looking at our differences.  Discussing who we were as individuals and how that influences us was most important.  By my fourth girlfriend I had learned how to compromise, but not in a healthy way.  My own interests became secondary to my partner.  By the end of my marriage this led to me becoming nonexistent and ultimately fearing and distrusting emotional intimacy.

Summer of Love

Everything Changes

by

Matthew T. Lipson

2.1 : Summer of Love

Moving to the San Francisco Bay Area at four was the greatest influence on my life.  My eyes widened, as my family walked around Ghirardelli Square, Aquatic Park, The Cannery.  San Francisco was still expressing the values of the Summer of Love.  People were dressed colorfully.  The borders of Aquatic Park were lined with puppet theaters, people selling artwork, clothing, jewelry, and other handmade arts.  Groups of people were just hanging out on the grass enjoying life.  To my young mind, this was normal.  San Francisco was the home of free expression.  All the arts were represented and for all ages.  This awed me.  The energy was palpable.  I thought this must be normal.  Little did I know this was just a moment in time.  History would soon correct itself and go back to a more conservative, middle ground.  I would watch the 1960s fade in San Francisco, while holding in my heart and soul the love, colors, creativity that had impressed itself on me when I was four.

Dreams

Everything Changes

by

Matthew T. Lipson

Aside 1.1 : Dreams

We all have dreams.  Starting in Junior High, I dreamt of being a comic book artist, cartoonist, animator.  I found myself copying the likes of Jack Kirby, Gene Colan, Charles Schulz, Garry Trudeau.  My parents supported me by supplying me with various anatomy and art books including How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way.  Eventually I would discover the joy of india ink and dip pens.  I moved from following pencillers to following inkers like Joe Sinnott, who was the only person able ink Kirby correctly in my humble opinion.  Then I found Bob Layton during his initial run on Iron Man, which included the defining "Demon in a Bottle" story line.  This was a time for inkers, including Terry Austin and Klaus Janson, but Layton held my unwavering attention.