People you look up to outside of racing

Anyone who you look up to, or inspires you outside of racing?

Walt Disney: That man was a genius. Just wanted to create cartoons and became the single most known name in the world. Everyone in the world knows of Walt Disney. He created the best animated movies, created the best vacation spots in the world, weathered the great depression and gave people jobs, supported WWII with creating animated shorts dedicated to the war. He created something that no one else will ever be able to duplicate. There are films, and there are Disney Films.

Jim Henson: Another genius. Grew up in Maryland and graduated from the University of Maryland. He turned puppets into an art from creating the muppets. There are puppeteers and there are muppeteers. Even went outside the U.S to produce the Muppet show, which became the most watched T.V show of all time with 120 million viewers.

Charles Schulz- Showed what life can be like if you never give up. Was made fun of all his life and called a loser, and created Peanuts and became the most successful cartoonist ever.

Tom Brady: His work ethic is amazing. Great role for anyone.

Dr. Ziv Haskal - the man saved my life, outside of that he showed me, that people do care and want to help......

Meher Baba - spiritual influence...

Pete Townshend - pure musical genius, misunderstood man, tortured soul like myself...

Mr. & Mrs. Bill Gates...They have put several million dollars out in the universe.
President Truman....He had to take over the presidental duties at a very tough time in America when he had never been involved in any of the things going on. Rosevelt never gave him the time of day.
He surely didn't inspire me but I would loved to have asked Nixon "what were you thinking?".
There have been so many inspirational people out there it would be difficult to name them.

Norman Rockwell: His view of life never gets boring. Love all his moments in time.
George Gershwin: His music ranks up with the "greats" IMO. His music soothes my soul.
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens): His stories have so much depth. Movies are enjoyable, but can't depict the whole story.
Tom Selleck: The Hollywood good guy. Besides, he is a hunk.
Pocahontas and Sacagawea: My heroins.

Dr. Ziv Haskal - the man saved my life, outside of that he showed me, that people do care and want to help......

Meher Baba - spiritual influence...

Pete Townshend - pure musical genius, misunderstood man, tortured soul like myself...

Michael your post prompted me to think of Meher Baba. I plan to get his books out and start reading and as for Pete Townsend he is a given also. I have played his CD with "I have a heart ache following me" until it is in shreds.

Thanks MJ for the post.

sure ND, glad i was able to assist ya

My Dad. He was an Air Force pilot, who flew P 38' s during WWII. He was shot down over South Africa and captured by Italians, then turned over to the Germans. They put him in a prisoner of war camp called Stalag Luft III. If any of you have ever seen the movie "the Great Escape" with Steve Mc Queen, that was the movie was about life inside the camp. The producers of the movie used my Dad's diary to recreate the story. The fact that they survived, is incredible, but they not only survived but they were able to use their Yankee ingenuity to dig tunnels, called Tom,Dick and Harry. The tunnels made it easy to pass information through the German lines that gave our troops the advantage and turned the tide of WWII. His birthday is in a couple of days and I miss him very much.

sure ND, glad i was able to assist ya

Your welcome MJ. Between the two men the difference is huge but anyone interested knows what they are for. As for Pete Townsend I never knew who he was until you posted something ages ago. I ended up buying the cd and I have to say this man's voice goes straight to the soul. One can't say that about every singer but Pete stands right on top.

Since my father passed on in 1994,spiritual is all i have left to look to guidance for.

Dr. Ziv Haskal - the man saved my life, outside of that he showed me, that people do care and want to help......

Meher Baba - spiritual influence...

Pete Townshend - pure musical genius, misunderstood man, tortured soul like myself...

Thou i don't look up to Pete Townshend,i do agree with you about his music,especially "Give Blood".
The Dr.i can recall we had a discussion about that awhile back and i guess there still are some people out there who still care over money,which also tells me there's still hope for all of us.

My children above all, every day of their lives. They are my heart and soul. I never in my life thought I come love anyone as much as I love them. They are loving, caring, generous, understanding and strong. They both have beautiful hearts and souls. My Grandmother, who raised me and instilled morals that have lasted my whole life. My faith in God, that has gotten me through the darkest of days. My friends who support me through all I do. That have been through so much with me the last two years. They love me when I am at my worst and regardless of all my flaws. I never thought a music influence would ever have a impact on my life, but it has. Blue October and Justin Furstenfeld , for the lyrics that are so honest and so inspiring. To see all of the obstacles he as over come and how he has shared them with all of us. He has help me through a very difficult two years. His lyrics inspire me to be strong and push on no matter how dark some days are. Lastly, myself because no matter how bad things get I know I will come through it. I may be a bit tattered and bruised but I am on two feet and breathing. The one person who is a friend, who has encouraged me so to write, and see how far I can go with it. With out a name, you have given me a confidence I had been missing for so long. To me that is a gift.

My maternal grandad

My Uncle Chuck, a veteran who worked as a 1-on-1 drug & alcohol counselor for over 25 years. It was AMAZING how many people he helped....he used the power of music as part of his therapy to help them (and himself).

My buddy Scott who joined the Army to help support his family during these tough economic times. He's on his R&R right now from Afghanistan.

My hero's have always been cowboys... oh wait, that's a song....

People I look up to - Abraham Lincoln - had the worlds toughest job ever, I think and not only kept the union in tact, but saved it and set so many free....

So many comedians, too many to name. Pat Benatar & Lita Ford, rocking with the boys ( back then )

Jacques Cousteau who showed me the underwater world and always encouraged me to learn something new and to take a chance.

Everybody who does the right thing when no one is looking,

everybody who falls and gets back up

and everyone who has a dream that they follow.

Both of my grandfathers are who I looked up to very much in my early life growing up. I hope to one day do the same with my kids & grandkids some day in life!

My mother...Leonor Serna...her mother passed away when she was 18months old. She was raised by her sisters ages 9 and 10 at the time. She over came that and when she was 18yrs old went to work for the Police Deptment. Unheard of at the time to dispatched. A few years after that she went to the Law Enforecemet Acadamy. She went on to become the First Certified Female office of this county, and one of the few in the state. She was a single parent who did everything she could do for me, I was her only child. This past Oct 8, she had a major heart attack (she had battled CHF and diabetes for over 11 years and was even delcared legaly blind) and passed away. Her 69 birthday will be this comming 11th. It has been rough cause I not only lost my mother I lost my best friend. But she was something else she would make fun of me for my love of Nascar, and would tell me that Jeff Gordon was her boy only cause he drank pepsi and not coke like Tony. She would Chase Haulers with me....dig thru all the Nascar stuff at the stores to find Tony stuff and even Tell everyone who would listen why my son who was born in 2005 middle name was Anthony... RIP Mom.