An interview with Dr. Darryl – Part 2

HJDS – You have had quite an interesting career and a successful business. What do you attribute that to?

DrD – Hard work and clean living. Seriously, the hard work is for sure. I believe that you give as much as possible to anything that you are doing and that you should always do it well. I have never been much a clean “liver” though. I have smoked, drank, and every other vice you can imagine except drugs. I did smoke pot twice and I did inhale. And yes, the Feds know all about it. I always disclosed on my security clearances. More importantly though, I attribute the “success” if you want to call it that to my staffs, associates and friends. They all teamed with me or inspired me to be the best I could be. And I would attribute the "success" of our firm to my wife, Jim Knipe and Tommy Miller. The last two especially inspired and believed in me when I didn't believe sometimes in myself.

HJDS – Okay, enough about work. Let’s talk about life. Do you have any regrets?

DrD – Yes.

HJDS – And they would be...

DrD – Well, suffice it to say that if I could live my life over from day one I would be kinder to people and I would try my best to be a better person.

HJDS – Do you feel you have not been a good person?

DrD – I know I have not been a good person. That is something that I will have to come to grips with when I meet my Maker. I try like all people to be better and live better but like so many folks I fall short. I suppose that is what our lives are all about though. It is simply a process of living life.

HJDS – That sounds pretty dark.

DrD – Well, it is. There are always two cycles in every day --- the light and the dark. All people have dark sides even the greatest among us. Some of us simply acknowledge it and try to bring some light to it when we can.

HJDS – What’s happiness for you?

DrD – That has changed a lot over the years. These days happiness is having one more day with Stimpy, walking with all three boys and my wife in the mornings and evenings, grilling and cooking dinner for friends, enjoying a good Bourbon or Scotch, taking some really awesome photographs, completing a project and knowing you really did a bang up job, and being able to get up each day with not too much pain --- physical or mental.

HJDS – So describe beauty for me...

DrD – The smile of my dogs when I enter the room --- it’s hard to describe. I also see beauty in women --- all women --- I have always been amazed at how if you look closely enough you can find something beautiful about any woman. I find beauty in places as well --- I love the ocean and the redwoods of California for example. But then beauty can be right in my front yard as well.

HJDS – You mentioned photography --- do you still do quite a bit of photography?

DrD – Well, as you know I used to make part of my living out of doing photography. These days I do some for my clients but I do a lot more for myself. I love digital photography I just wish I had had access to such equipment when I was growing up. I love to capture the beauty of what I see differently than others and then see their reaction to my interpretations of light, color and texture.

HJDS – Aren’t you profoundly color-blind?

DrD – Yes. Long story but I see colors differently than most people they are many thousands shades of light and darks and grays. This is one of my favorite photographs here because of the many shades of color...

To be continued...


Until next time.
Dr. Darryl
L. Darryl Armstrong
http://www.armstrongandassociates.org/