KEVIN KLEIN
- Guest Author -
G'day folks,
Welcome to an interview conducted with an aspiring author and US Marine.
Welcome, Kevin ...
1. Tell
us about you and what you do.
My
name is Kevin Klein, I am from Long Island, New York and I am a United States
Marine and aspiring author/journalist.
2. What
was the happiest moment of your life?
I’d
have to say playing a game that my father named “Onco Bronco” when we were
small children which consisted of my two older brothers and I, wrestling him to
his back. We’d get carried away every time guaranteed, but being playful with
my siblings seeing how happy it made my dad, that nostalgic feeling thinking
back to playing Onco Bronco wraps up the feeling of my childhood. The good
times.
3. What
was the saddest moment?
The saddest moment, which was also a happy
moment, was humping to the field on Boot Camp for our last training event
before we were handed our Eagle, Globe and Anchor. On the hike, it was very
quiet. We weren’t allowed to talk, and were carrying a lot of weight. It made
me think of how close I was to coming home, and the lyric “got some things to
talk about, here beside the rising tide” which is a Grateful Dead lyric that my
father would always say to me. I was so excited to finish boot camp, because I
knew me and my father had ‘some things to talk about’.
4. What
surprised you most?
One huge surprise in my life, was the
resilience of friendship. While in Tokyo with a close buddy of mine, we were
out late as the sun was rising. We ended up getting into a scuffle over
something very trivial and I thought then our friendship was over. I woke up
three hours later to meet up with my local friends, and woke him up as well to
come with me. We laughed about our fight as soon as we got to the subway and
were more excited to hang out together in that moment than we were with our
local friends. True friendship never wades, but only grows.
Me and my brothers as kids
5. What
was your greatest disappointment?
Being a child with adult ideas, and being
underestimated because of my age at the time. The lack of faith in younger
adults and children to be inspiring is one function of our worldview is
something I’d love to see evolve. Having to wait to be older to voice the same
opinions and ideas I had years earlier was very disheartening to me.
6. Who
did you misjudge? Why?
I misjudged myself, in terms of what I
could accomplish during my late teens. I always compared myself to those around
me, and not those I did not know. I didn’t know how else to gauge myself. By
growing up in such a diverse area, it was hard to feel that I stood out, or how
to. But by leaving my home, I realized how blessed I was from school and my
environment that nurtured my character and inhibitions.
7. What or
who was your biggest challenge?
My own temper. I normally had bouts with a
bad temper, and with my pride. Especially by being in the military and being
tested for years straight by people completely unlike me, and the challenge to
overcome pride and anger was the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do.
8. What
has been your biggest regret?
Not taking school more seriously at a
young age. Due to the thought of graduating high school being so far away when
my attention started going in other directions, I didn’t realize how my efforts
would slowball into the next year, and the one after that. By the time I took
school seriously in 11th grade, it was too late to make a
turn-around. I made up for this by joining the military, and taking college
classes online and on base to revitalize my GPA so that I can attend a
respectable University once I leave Active Duty.
9. What
would be your dying comment? Why?
I’d say to be happy when times are tough,
because whether you’re happy or sad in those times, the environment in which
you suffer through those times won’t change. But your perspective can open new
doors, whereas a poor attitude cannot change something that already happened.
So, people might as well be happy, because it’s between that and feeling sorry
for themselves which is no fun.
10. Who or
what stunned you the most?
I was stunned to realize how easy Boot
Camp was. I joined the Marine Corps partially to prove to myself that I could
do it. My first day I realized how easy it was going to be, which made the rest
of it easier because I knew that I’d be okay.
My sister with Malala Yousafzai
11. What
would you like written on your tombstone? Why?
“Died a person”, because I believe being
alive doesn’t constitute for being a person. Some people are disappointing,
hateful, and unhelpful. It takes a lot of courage to be a person, and a lot of
effort to be cruel.
12. Who
would you rather have not met? Why?
There is no one that I wish that I had not
have met, because life is a series of circumstances that lead us ultimately to
where we need to be, or where we end up whether good or bad. And it’s on us to
manipulate our situations to our benefit, because we’re our own biggest
supporter. Had I not met the terrible people in my life, I would not have
realized how strong my will to survive and succeed is. I’m rather thankful to
everyone, whether good or bad.
13. Who
were you most envious of? Why?
My cousin Zach. He was good at everything.
He played the drums, bass, electric guitar, ran fast, got ‘the girl’, and was excelled
in any sport, in music, he was strong and people respected him right off the
bat. I envied those things in him and learned most of who I am now from having
him in my life as a child.
14. Who
did you forgive – for doing something you never thought you’d forgive?
Myself, for being an awful child to my
parents when I was 14-16. I was evil, and caused my mother the greatest pain.
But by knowing that I have the rest of her years to repay her, I learned to
forgive myself because I had a lifetime to show gratefulness to her.
15. What
was your greatest moment in your life?
When my sister got back from college her
first summer. I drew a calendar on my wall with a crayon and made an X for
every day that passed until she got home. It marked the day that my family
returned to being complete. I will always hold on to that feeling, of being
complete.
16. What
is your greatest achievement?
Beating my dad in one match of tennis.
Boot Camp and finishing my first novel by the age of 15 was easy compared to
that. I haven’t beaten him since. It’s been 5 years.
17. What
personal traits would you like to have in your next life?
To be a slick-talker. My opinions and
convictions don’t allow me most often to smooth over people to get them to do
what I wish them to do without sounding demanding or rude. I always envied that
business man that could sway an opponent to something without them realizing
what they were actually agreeing to.
18. What
advice would you give to world leaders?
To do away with pride. It is the strongest
ill of mankind. The ability to reason enables the capability to progress. Once
we understand that facts, compassion, and reason integrated into a single
conviction, we can do away with greed, inequality, and misrepresentation
because we will have evolved into greater leaders.
Me and my oldest brother
19. What
advice would you give to parents today?
To always know that their kid loves them,
no matter the circumstance. Even if they lost contact with their kid, above
all, they are still loved even if they do not know how to or refuse to show it.
Because of this, never lose hope in your children by losing hope in yourself if
you think you have failed.
20. Who
would you choose to be stuck on a desert island with?
Regina Spektor. She’s an incredible
artist, and seems like she is very fun and uplifting. I can tell through her
music what kind of person she is, and she’s hilarious. I’d cross my fingers out
of fear of the possibility that she’s not very cool at all. Then I’d probably
wish to hang out with my buddy Josh instead and make fun of each other until we
run out of fish and coconuts.
21. Have
any heroes? Why? Who?
My sister. She’s always been a role model
to me and has never wavered. By always bettering herself, it pushes me further
to better myself to keep up and to impress her. I’m the youngest and she’s the
oldest, (wisest) between us four siblings, so there’s always a gap to catch up
with. She keeps me motivated to always do better and to strive for more.
22. What
are the greatest legacies you will leave behind?
Hopefully my imprint on media and
journalism one day. I want to do so many things, I also don’t want to limit
myself to just that. Like my sister was to me, I wish for my legacy to inspire
others to lead in their own ways through my example. I suppose that would be
swell.
23. What’s
lacking in the world today?
Manors and education. Call me old-fashioned,
but these two together can get a person far in life. It seems every generation
people lose manors or respect for others. This is terrible, because it rolls
into our leaders’ values and character. If we can respect each other, and be
educated, we can build a better cohesive society.
24. Any
pearls of wisdom for the rest of us?
To never second guess yourself. If you
feel passionate about something, pursue it- because it’s probably something
you’re meant to do. Never waver, and always continue to move forward. Never
back.
25. What
would be the last sentence you ever write?
“And it all continues”. Because life after
my last piece of literature will definitely continue after, and everything in
life is certain in the fact that “it goes on”. – Robert Frost.
26. What inspired
you most?
Experiencing how friendly and kind
Okinawans are. Though they live with little, they have such big hearts. This
inspired me to think on a more worldly scale, and how our attitudes effect
people’s actions.
27. Who or
what made you laugh the most?
My oldest brother. Every time I see him, I
end up crying from laughing so hard to that point that I can’t breathe. He’s
the funniest person I know. Sorry to my buddies, my other brother and sister,
it was a close call.
28. What
would be your top three chosen careers in your next life?
Astronomy, Law, and Physics.
29. What
is your prime focus in life today?
Finishing my book, getting out of the
military and moving to Europe to study abroad.
30. Do you have any fear of doing something wrong?
No, because the only way we
are able to grow is by doing the wrong thing. If we succeed every time, we will
never attain our true potential.
31. If or
when you reflect on your past, can you identify any world events that you
believe had a significant impact on you?
Not an event in my lifetime, but
learning about the monks that burned themselves in Tiananmen Square out of
protest of Communist rule in Beijing. To believe so much in something to
sacrifice your life out of activism is something that I hold dear going into journalism.
I think that if you’re not ready to give your life to a cause that you
wholeheartedly believe in, than it might not be worth fighting for.
32. Do you think one can live a purposeful life without knowing the meaning
of life?
Yes. I think the meaning of life is
irrelevant in terms of relative success and happiness. We are already here, so
there shouldn’t be a reason to discredit our significance within our own world
out of ignorance of what made us or why we’re here. I think because we’re here,
nothing else matters. Since our world exists, we have a responsibility to our
planet and to our communities.
33. From your
perspective - what is the way forward for the world?
Doing away
with greed, because that is truly the cause of a deteriorating world. Man made
pollution is harming our environments, along with keeping practices or
businesses afloat for the sake of profit even though they may very well be
causing inequality and suffrage. We need to find purpose again in leadership
and revitalize the say of the people and listen more closely to what scholars
and scientists advise.
34. Imagine
that you were given a chance to live again, what will you do first and what
will you do differently?
Jump
straight into reading more, and taking more academic opportunities. I would
take school more seriously, and I would also live more freely in my personal
life and loosen up earlier on. I learned recently that life isn’t all that
serious, and people tend to make things a bigger deal than they need to be. Go
for the first kiss, sing when you want to, and go for your goals. Be bold.
That’s what I’d tell myself to do differently.
35. Do you have a bucket list? Tell us more.
Visit Machu Picchu, hike Mt. Everest, see
all my favorite artists in concert, become an Oxford man, and to have made a
great example to my kids I will have in the future.
36. Any
great claims to fame?
It’s
my unrelenting determination and hopeless will to change the world one day.
37. Anything
you’d like to add?
I’d like to add how grateful I am to
Clancy Tucker for giving me this opportunity to reach his following and share
my insight. This even helped me better appreciate how far I’ve come by looking
back and looking to the future. I’m always interested in further getting in
touch with the writing community, and welcome any networking from other writers
and feedback from readers. Thank you for having me, and please, follow your
goals!
Clancy's comment: Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed in your busy schedule, Kevin. Keep writing. Finish that book and keep going.
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