I like to think I have a pretty thick skin. I also like to think that, no matter who is telling me that I won't succeed, or that I can't do something well, that I can shrug that off and be like the hundreds who use it as motivation to do better. But what I like to think and what is true are two incredibly different things. The truth is, my skin is thinner than tissue paper. I'm not a hardass, I'm not tough, and I'd rather just turn the other cheek as to really kick someone in the throat. I'm so easily influenced, by other people, especially.

When I was in Art 3, Ms. Rayburn's class, I was in the first and second trimesters of my pregnancy. I was constantly tired. I lacked motivation to do anything. I weighed 120 lbs at the beginning of my pregnancy and I still hid behind huge t-shirts. Was I ashamed? I don't know. I slept a lot during classes. Including art. I'm sure it ticked Ms. Rayburn off, but that class still haunts me.

Why?

Because I did what I could. I've been suffering from hardcore art block since I got pregnant. My creative juices drained and I haven't been able to get them back but in tiny spurts. But I did my best. I _tried_. Come the ending of the semester, Ms. Rayburn informed me that I needed to take Art 4 off of my schedule for the next semester. When I asked her why, she looked at me in disbelief and said, "Dani, you don't like art." I was stunned. I don't remember trying to succeed at anything else in that class. What was the point? I didn't like art.

To this day, when I sit down and start to draw, or do anything artistic, those words resonant in my head. "But you don't like art." People who used to know me in Junior High and High School remember me as creative, artistic. But I'm not.

Hell, I used to write like crazy. Writing a short story in two and a half days was nothing. Now I can barely get out three paragraphs.

I don't know why she came to the conclusion that I didn't like art. The only thing I stated that I didn't like was watercolors and perspective. Watercolors because I have absolutely no control over the paints, and perspective because I have been doing perspective pieces since I was 11 years old.

But obviously, I don't like art.

That's how _one_ statement can ruin me on something.

And I know that people will say, "Don't let that get to you." But it already has. It got to me the moment she said it. And that was over two years ago.