Draining Energy

Some people are vampires. Now, I don't mean in the Count Dracula style, although there is something that hits the human psyche with Nosferatu, the Count, and the various other vampires that have caught the imagation in literature and screen over the years. No, I mean they are vampires in real life. Spiritual vampires, artistic vampires, crafting vampires, energy vampires - I've run into most of them over my years. Why bring vampires up today? No special reason except that my energies are really drained from two intensive days in a row. But I also bring this up so that the question of what really makes a vampire can be posed.

A vampire is one who will attach themselves to a teacher or mentor and wants to suck their knowledge dry, pulling all of it into themselves. They don't really want to learn anything, they want to acquire that knowledge through direct transferrence, osmosis, or imbibing. They are unwilling to put the work into actually accomplishing the task themselves. They would much rather have you do it for them so that they can "learn" it, and then they will have it to display and promote afterwards. Watch out for these vampires because they steal far more than just projects and knowledge, they begin to steal your soul. Every student should be able to move on after a class. They should be able to take the knowledge that was given and move past that point, applying the skills to other projects in the future. If they cannot do this, they were not instructed well. If they will not do this, they are a vampire who will continue to make whatever good will or money they are able to off of your work. Try your best to kick these vampires out of your personal circle, they contaminate everything that they touch. Focus on the students who will take the wings that you have handed them, jump off the cliff trusting in the instructions you have given them, and fly out on their own to explore new territory. That's what teaching is all about.