Carl Wagner was born nearly 60 years ago in Yonkers, New York, but has called the Hoosier state his home since 1968 when his father's promotion and transfer for Otis Elevator landed the New York family in Bloomington, Indiana, home of stone quarries, cows and corn, Indiana University, and quiet country roads for the family of eight. Though his first day of kindergarten at School 23 in Yonkers, and later his first day of 3rd grade 800 miles away at Ellettsville Elementary might have led young Carl to want to eventually settle into any occupation that didn't have to do with chalkboards and grade books and dunce caps, he knew from 5th grade on that he would be a teacher.
After high school, he went to Wabash College where he switched his college major only once, from biology to English, and upon graduating from Wabash, began a teaching and coaching career of 35 years, interrupted only by a two-year stint in graduate school at Louisiana State University. Since retiring from the classroom three years ago, Carl has been a college and career coach. He and his wife Bobbi have been married for 36 years.
Carl's all-time favorite book is The Little Prince, he plans on running a marathon this fall with a good friend who will be returning from military deployment in Saudi Arabia, and he hopes to someday write a book tentatively titled On Leaving Facebook. He is a self-described social activist, supporter of Children's Miracle Network hospitals, a proud contributor to foundations supporting research in MS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and autism, and, probably of great surprise to those who know him, a recent convert to unabashed and unapologetic advocacy of cannabis legalization. Lastly, Carl will tell you that age 40 meant nothing to him except a $5,000 hole in his pocket, but the impending 60th birthday just might be something entirely different.
I've known him since I was 8 years old when my oldest brother was running on his track and cross country teams.
He seemed larger than life to me then. He was an inspirational coach. I didn't know it at the time, but at that point he was barely out of college!
He was my high school English teacher. I loved his classes. I loved the debates. I remember debating little nuances of books in his class. I remember anticipating coming to his class and seeing his Quote of the Day on the board. He inspired me.
What I loved about this interview:
1. If you love books and literature, you will love this interview. Every few minutes Carl is quoting, referencing, or alluding to a line from a book.
2. We talked about the difference in two questions. The first, "What do you want to do?" The second, "Who do you want to be?" The second is more important.
3. Listen to all the advise. Then sift through it.
4. Carl doesn't give advise. He makes suggestions.
Lots of allusions to books, but a few that were more prominently discussed were Death of a Salesman (he also gave permission to watch the movie with Dustin Hoffman), A Raisin in the Sun, The Gift of Years, and Move Your Chair. Thoreau, Emerson, TS Elliott are other names that come up.