Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 291

“My mother was a housekeeper and my father was a janitor. They...

“My mother was a housekeeper and my father was a janitor. They told me that as long as I made good grades, I’d have everything they didn’t have. But I’m having trouble finding something that will interest me and satisfy them. So right now I’m undeclared.”

“When you first come out of the gate, you feel like a young rock...

“When you first come out of the gate, you feel like a young rock star. You look at the work of other people and think: ‘I can do it better.’ But the more you learn, the more your ego plummets, because you realize that those people had their reasons for everything, and you realize how much work it takes to be great. I was looking through some of my old portfolios, and the execution wasn’t nearly as great as I believed at the time. But there were some pure ideas in there. I had a fearlessness back then that I’d love to rediscover.”

"What’s your biggest fear?""Growing old alone. Or being...

"What’s your biggest fear?"
"Growing old alone. Or being covered by insects."

"He leaves electrical equipment on all over the house."

"He leaves electrical equipment on all over the house."

“I’ve watched a lot of people who did worse than me in art...

“I’ve watched a lot of people who did worse than me in art school go on to have their own shows, and I’ve decided that some people just know how to make moves. I always hoped that after I graduated, someone would discover me, but it doesn’t really work that way. You have to network and create opportunities, but I’m not good at that, because I get nervous and overly quiet in social situations. I normally end up getting discouraged, and going back to my basement to paint.”

"What’s been your greatest accomplishment in life?""Well,...

"What’s been your greatest accomplishment in life?"
"Well, I haven’t done any big things, but I’ve done a bunch of small things. I grew my junior college speech club from four members to twenty two members, I got to see Yosemite in the snowfall, I got my first dog four years ago— he’s a beautiful beagle named Buddy. Let’s see… I built a house two miles from my job, I sang in a show tunes choir, and I just finished directing a stage version of Charlie Brown’s Christmas, but with drag queens."

"I kind of miss the pressure that I used to put on myself."

"I kind of miss the pressure that I used to put on myself."

“I’m trying to figure out how to control magnetic ferrofluids...

“I’m trying to figure out how to control magnetic ferrofluids more precisely. They could potentially be used to direct drugs in the body, resulting in more targeted and less harmful chemotherapy.”

"My name’s Kayhan, but I go by ‘Lefty.’"

"My name’s Kayhan, but I go by ‘Lefty.’"

"I want to be the biggest graphic designer in New York. But...

"I want to be the biggest graphic designer in New York. But first I’ve got to figure out how I can afford to live here."