An interview with Dr. Darryl Part 5

HJDS - What's on your mind these days?

DrD - Well, I drove to Florida the last two days. I like to drive and think and listen to the radio and meet people on the road. I always get an education about human nature. The driving time allows me alone time.Sadly this trip --- well, my intuition tells me that the days with Stimpy are getting shorter. The ole man is getting harder to get up and walk. He grows skinnier it seems to me each day. Being away from him bothers me since I believe we are now in the downward spiral. Yet, even so he continues to teach me about life and death and the circle that we all complete.

This evening in Florida the weather looks bad and is turning worse. we have tornado warnings out and everyone seems to be tense.

Otherwise what's on my mind?

Well, I fear for the future of our country. I simply don't see how anyone could believe either of the two Democrat candidates have enough experience to even run my business let alone the country. I find John McCain to be any angry old Republican establishment kind of guy and Romney can't get any traction. And Ron Paul is the equivalent of a caricature of George McGovern warpped in a Republican blanket. What are we to do with such a sad selection of leaders?

Sometimes I feel depressed thinking how hard we have worked to be able to retire and enjoy our remaining years only to see my government suck my retirement investments away in taxes and bloated budgets to run the government!

And that Mr. Stimpson is what I think about these days ;-)

Dr. Darryl

L. Darryl Armstrong

http://www.armstrongandassociates.org/

An interview with Dr. Darryl Part 4

HJDS – What do you think about these days?

DrD – I spend a lot of times these days realizing that what my parents and elders told me about the world is probably true --- that is that each generation looks back on the previous and realizes they were a lot smarter and wiser than we gave them credit. I have come to realize that politicians rank lower in my book than even used car salesmen and that's pretty low! That if we are to ever regain the principles upon which this country was founded that we will have to go through another American Revolution. And all this saddens me because I don't believe it will happen in my life time but that it will have to happen.

HJDS - Do you think democracy and our Republic will survive?

DrD - Honestly at times I doubt it. I see creeping socialism and I feel very bad for all of us who have worked hard to establish our businesses and lives only to see them destroyed for a "greater good." I believe that the strength in America lies in the individual.

HJDS - Are you not a benevolent and charitable person?

DrD - I would say that I am quite benevolent and charitable, as most Americans are, we help our fellow man not because we are told to by government but because we choose to. We help those that will help themselves. We teach people to fish not give them the fish. I carry that over in my business. I want my clients to be self-sufficient when we have completed our consultations not dependent on me. That is what we must be doing to help our fellow man. We must teach them to become self-sufficient, to rebuild their self-respect and to seek out their ambitions and passions and go for them with our full support and assistance.

HJDS - I know that at one time in your life you lost a child and almost lost your wife. What impact did that have on you?

DrD - Well, it had significant impact on me and the way I look at life.

It was a strange and difficult time in our lives.

I don't believe in coincidences. The day my wife was rushed to the hospital was the same day that a former lover of mine (probably the first person I ever truly loved and the relationship didn't develop) left the hospital with her first child.

It was terribly ironic and emotionally upsetting for my wife and I to witness all this. Yet, we survived.

I found that men don't discuss such issues and that women rally around their women friends during these times.

I came to view the sacredness of life differently and I realized that life is very precious and too short. I also could have lost my wife because of this emergency surgery. I was fortunate and blessed.

By the way, I had already named my daughter Sirah Illyana and was reading her stories and playing her music. She lives in my heart to this day and I talk to her now and then just as I talk to my dogs about my life and my feelings.

HJDS - I understand that you have "adopted" daughters?

DrD - You betcha. Three. Danielle, Sandra and Penelope and we love and care for each of them. I will share their stories with you later.

To be continued ...

Until next time.

Dr. Darryl

L. Darryl Armstrong

http://www.armstrongandassociates.org/

An interview with Dr. Darryl Part 3

HJDS – Who are some of the people in your life that have made significant impacts on you and your philosophy?

DrD – Women? My first grade teacher Mrs. Crenshaw, my third grade teachers Mrs. Jones and my fourth grade teacher Mrs. Cunningham. I was very blessed that each of them inspired me to be a life-long learner. In college Mrs. Bradley contributed a great deal to that inspiration as well. Ms. Bowling, Ms Driskill, Ms Horne, Ms Bourne and Ms Eaton-Miller also greatly contributed to my understanding of life, love and self.

Men? Bill Brown, my high school principal; Gid Shelby Pool, the publisher and editor of the newspaper where I worked through high school; Joe Tom Erwin, my mentor and employer in college; Bert Ballard, my long-time best friend; Bob Maxwell, a dear friend and colleague; and Jim Knipe, my adopted father at Tybee Island and finally I would say President Ronald Reagan, who returned my dignity and made me feel a part of America once again.

Perhaps in some way each of these folks helped me see something a little different and that reflects even today in my writing and photography. Speaking of which the following photo is one of those that has haunted me every since I took it June 13, 2005. I think it is the light and shadows, remember I believe that we all have a light and dark side and this photo depicts it the best of any I have ever taken. This was in Yosemite somewhere in the redwoods.



To be continued...

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

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/