Marching to the Beat of Your Own Drum

Photo by myself in Union Square.

These photogenic fellows were busy looking cool on a sunny day.

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I love collecting stories about creative people who find their way away from convention to their life path. I find their tales inspiring.

Today I listened a segment of Fresh Air on NPR. Demetri Martin was the guest, a young comedian who has his own show on Comedy Central and was a correspondent on the politically provocative Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

After graduating from Yale, Martin had a full scholarship to New York University's law school. After a very short time he wanted to quit. He eventually did, only to perform his first stand up routine at the comedy club down the street from the law school.

Martin's family protested his departure from school. Here's what he had to say:

'It’s weird to make a decision where everyone in your life disapproves, pretty vocally and directly. They said, 'You've got one year left. Just do it.' I had a full scholarship so I didn’t have to pay for it. I ignored them. They asked, 'Why don’t you just get the degree so you can have it?' And I said, 'You don’t understand. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do and now I know. I have the answer and it’s dumb to waste any more time.'

My boyfriend Mark and I watched part of his show tonight and thought much of it was funny and original. It's hard to believe that at one point, this quirky fellow was wondering what he wanted to do.

To hear the Martin's interview on Fresh Air, click here.

Related posts: On A Public Mugging, or a Gimmick Gone Wrong, Old Hands, New Beginnings and The Curse of the First Born.