My Top 5 Things that Helped me Survive my Teen Years

My day trip to my hometown really got to me a couple a weeks ago. As I was driving down the same old streets and walking through certain neighborhoods, it hit me how rough my teen years were.

I mean, there were plenty of good times and I hung around the right people, but it was still rough. I was teased for my style and "oddness" (a.k.a GAYNESS). I was in love with my best friend and I was so conflicted about my true feelings, God and what my future would be. With all of the good times I had with my other friends, I was constantly carrying 200 pounds of despair on my shoulders.

But no matter what was happening, I knew things would change once I would finally leave that town. And thankfully, there were several things that kept me on the up and up. So here are my 5 main things that kept me sane in my teenage nightmare.

My secret comic book, Amaron-  I wrote and drew my own comic about super powered Amazons from a universe made by the Greek Gods. For many years, I created many characters and stories about this team of women. It was great to escape into my little world I made. I really got into it and I wrote over 200 stories about them. Maybe one day, I will try to make this a legit comic.

Deee-Lite- When I saw this group on MTV, I was convinced that NYC was the place for me. Their music and style spoke to me and I knew I had to make to New York in order to live. Later, I did in 1995.

A Different World- This show made college to be another world of fun and second chances. The characters were innovative and so wonderful. I was convinced that I would meet better people in college and hopefully, find a guy that would like me.

Uncanny X-Men 198- This comic changed my life. It was all about Storm and her road to finding herself again. This story made me realized that I had to be my own hero and if I wanted happiness, I had to start from within.

Comic Books- They were the best distraction the ho hum of Union City. The stories, the art and the characters were all I needed to get by. Although they were fiction, they more alive than most people around me. I would spends hours reading comics, finding solace in the colorful pages.

Funny, these things are still enjoyable parts in my life today.