Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 249

“I got in trouble in Spanish class for humping the...

“I got in trouble in Spanish class for humping the wall.”

“I’ve got lots of ideas for inventions so I’m going to be a...

“I’ve got lots of ideas for inventions so I’m going to be a millionaire.”
“What sort of inventions?”
“Flying shoes. A Hoverboard. A freeze ray. A robot of Michael Jordan. A robot of me. And a big robot that’s two million feet tall that I can live in. That’s it for now.”

“I went to Coney Island and went on a ride that went...

“I went to Coney Island and went on a ride that went round and round and upside down and I wasn’t scared.”

“We met at one of those ‘woo woo’ New Age...

“We met at one of those ‘woo woo’ New Age conferences. I think it was during a workshop about communicating with animals. I mean, don’t get me wrong– I love animals. But this took it a little too far.”

“We met on a dating site twelve years ago. I sent her a...

“We met on a dating site twelve years ago. I sent her a message saying: ‘I want to let you know up front that I’m in a wheelchair, because I can’t hide it.’ And she wrote back: 'Why? Is it bright yellow?’”

“My grandparents started this restaurant in 1971 after coming...

“My grandparents started this restaurant in 1971 after coming over from Italy. I work as a hostess. My mom’s the manager. My grandmother still comes in every night and makes the sauce.”

“The word ‘poser’ hits me on a deep personal level. In high...

“The word ‘poser’ hits me on a deep personal level. In high school I was called a poser a lot. Like when I first rode a fixed gear bike, or tried to break dance, or dressed punk. Just because I’m interested and passionate about something new doesn’t mean I’m trying to fit in with a certain crowd. It just really bothers me when people try to tell me what I am and what I’m not.”

“I want to be a mailman so I can let people know when...

“I want to be a mailman so I can let people know when it’s their birthday.”

“I do maintenance in the housing projects. I replace fixtures,...

“I do maintenance in the housing projects. I replace fixtures, do carpentry work, and fix electrical problems. I get a lot of joy from it. I love seeing how happy people get when they see that something is being done. My favorite is when I’ve fixed up an apartment for a new tenant. Sometimes the people moving in have been homeless, and they are so excited to have a home. The kids walk around the apartment with really big eyes, like: ‘We get to live here?’”

“I’d always wanted to be a teacher, but when my son was born I...

“I’d always wanted to be a teacher, but when my son was born I had to drop out of college and enter the workforce. I was depressed about it for a little while. It felt like my life was in vain. I watched my best friend finish college and become a teacher and a coach, which is exactly what I’d wanted to do. I was stuck working as a carpenter and doing odd jobs. But once my kids began to develop, it started to feel like my life had meaning again. Both of them graduated from college. And both of them are teachers now.”