All the other kids in ninth grade were drawing hot rods and cocker spaniels and getting blue ribbons in art class. I was getting rejection slips from the 'Saturday Evening Post.'

My 20s were a blizzard of rejection slips.

Kids get influenced by other kids.

I was the kid who was too geeky for the other kids.

Fifty years ago, it was the dream of every bohemian artist to be seen getting out of a limousine wearing blue jeans and sneakers. Today, it's the dream of probably half the people in the country.

Other kids had more talent, but I was the most focused.