“I’ve been getting my haircut by the same barber for 50 years. No matter what I tell him to do, it always comes out the same.” -Tony Talarico

“There are two great rules of life: the one general and the other particular. The first is that everyone can, in the end, get what he wants if he only tries. This is the general rule. The particular rule is that every individual is more or less an exception to the general rule.” -Samuel Butler, English Author (1835-1902)

“There ain’t a lot you can do in this town/You just drive down to the lake and then you turn back around.” -Steve Earle, from his song “Someday”

“North Adams attracted me, because when times are tough, there are opportunities.” -Eric Rudd, North Adams artist

“SOMETIMS WE ARE LIMITED BY OUR SURROUNDINGS.” That was the graffiti I found in the alley next to Newberry’s (with the word “sometimes” misspelled), when I was taking photos for a window art installation. I quickly snapped a picture of it, and it wound up in the collection of photos at the exhibit.

Not only does the misspelling add to the poignancy of this surprisingly thoughtful graffiti, so does the tentative “sometimes” and the fact that it appears in an alley. After all, when the anonymous spray-paint philosopher wrote it, he (or she) would have had his back to the wall and only two ways out.

“Sometimes we are limited by our surroundings.” It stuck with me. So when I took Mrs. Bullett’s five seventh-grade social studies classes on their annual downtown field trip (one class at a time) this April, I made sure they saw the graffiti. As the first class entered the alley, I impulsively said:

“I’ve got a little homework assignment for you tonight. In one paragraph, tell me what the phrase means to you.”

It turned out to be an interesting exercise, and now the graffiti seems to have taken on a life of its own. In fact, I recently sold a blown-up photograph of it to a friend.

Fifty-five of the students handed in their little paragraphs, and Mrs. Bullett made copies for me. I soon came face to face with 55 different explanations, some probably revealing more about the student than the graffiti artist. One comment, “I think this phrase is a good conversation starter,” seems to sum it up.

What does it mean to you? Are we really limited by our surroundings? Are we limited only sometimes? Are North Adams residents limited by their surroundings?

Let’s see what some of our Conte Middle School students have to say:

“That saying means that sometimes, it depends on where you live that determines your future. For instance, if a person lived in the city until she was 18, and decided she was going to be a farmer, how do you think she’d get along? And not just that; if you grew up with abusive parents, it’s not very likely that you would be a better parent. I come to the conclusion that sometimes we are limited by our surroundings.” -Katie

“We are limited by our surroundings. When the weather is bad, you can‘t do or wear what you want. You can also be held back by people. People can tell you that you can’t do something. Then you would be limited by your surroundings.” -Kalie

“I think it means we can’t always have what we want and yer angry at yer surroundings/family. It makes you just wanna run away sometimes.” -Josh

“I think this means that the alley he wrote it in was very small. North Adams is pretty small, and it used to be a very busy city. But now that things have been closed, they had to move away. You can’t move around a lot in a small area. The title seems a little weird. The person that wrote it probably was thinking of the alley and the buildings surrounding him there.” -Amber

“I think the phrase means that you don’t always get to do or see the things that revolve around you. Sometimes you might see beautiful sculptures or pictures that are right in your neighborhood or city. Also, when I said that you don’t always get to do what you want to, I am saying that kids can’t gamble like they might want to, and we can’t drive because we aren’t old enough.” -Michele

“To me, sometimes there is nothing we can do about some things. It also could mean that there is no way of being able to move, and not only physically, but mentally also. The saying is almost impossible to figure, but everyone has a different opinion.” -Justin

“I think that the person who wrote the quote really thought about what him/her was writing. The quote to me means that we cannot always do what we want. If I was from a poor family, and I could not go places because I couldn’t afford them, then that would be limited by my surroundings. If I couldn’t wear what I wanted because of the weather, that would limit me. I think that when this person wrote this, they were mad because they couldn’t do something, because their surroundings limited them.” -Kelsey

“I think this person was trying to say that the environment we live in and our surroundings have an effect on what we can and can’t do. For example, we are limited by our surroundings in school. When we are outside school grounds, we don’t have certain rules, but once we get in the school, there are rules and people to enforce them. Some people live in certain places where they are limited to certain opportunities. The way they live determines what kind of jobs or education they might get. So in my opinion, the statement is true.” -Komal

The statement means that all around us, we have so many beautiful things to see. But sometimes we don’t have a lot to see. Sometimes we don’t discover things in our neighborhood that have been there for hundreds of years, so we have limited sightings.” -Devan

“I find it’s 100% true. For example, if we want to wear shorts and it’s snowing out is an example of being limited by our surroundings. The last is your job. Say you want to go to the movies, but your boss tells you to work is an example. Yes, I know we are always limited by our surroundings, because we’ll always have laws.” -Eric

“Sometimes we are limited by our surroundings like rules that we must follow every now and then. Rules are like no chewing gum in some schools, no weapons brought to school like guns, pocket knifes, knifes. Absolutely no smoking or any kind of drug that could start problems within your body like having cancer, black lungs from tobacco, heart attacks, maybe even breathing problems or asthma. Remember, try not to do any of the above ‘cause we all know that our world would be happy, clean, and a peaceful place to live.” -Joyce

“I think that the saying in the alley means that people don’t look at you for who you are. They look at you for what you look like or what you wear. Or if you don’t have a lot of money. It could also mean that you get caught up in what you have and you always want more. But you need to know that people are dying all over just because there isn’t enough food, clothing, or shelter.” -Jen

“To me, this phrase means that in some places there is too many things surrounding you, so you can’t do some things that you can do in a different place. This phrase is true for an alley. There is only two ways out.” -Zach

“Where you live determines what you can do for a job, and what you can do with your life.” -Jose

“This could probably mean that sometimes we don’t have or get everything we want. Or it could mean that whoever wrote this saying didn’t have much, or when they came up with the saying, they were somewhere that is small or closed in.” -Cassie

“It means to me that we have to work with God or what our town has given to us. Also, that we have to live here, and we would like everything we need so we wouldn’t have to leave. It would be like living underground and you’re not allowed back up for 25 years. You would take what you have already down there.” -Hannah

“I think this saying means that we look at people around us and limit ourselves to what they wear and do. We all try to be someone else. We take things for granted. You see two ways out and don’t even stop to take the road less traveled by. There’s always up.” -Meaghen

“We are limited by our surroundings depending on where one lives. One type of limitation could be that a person might live where you can’t have a garden. Another limitation could be not having airports or train stations nearby. Some other limitations could be water, sunlight and food.” -Brian

“I think that the quote is said because people feel as though they don’t have enough space. The people don’t have enough space because of all the buildings and technology that is coming into our world. I think all the buildings that are being built in places take up the open areas where people play and relax. In conclusion, I think the saying is said because of the limited area in the world.” -Mike

“I think it means that there’s only 2 or 3 ways out. So you are mostly surrounded by things or people, and they’re held back from the place they want to go.” -Manny

“Sometimes we are limited by our surroundings because of strict rules and emotions. We may be threatened at times that would limit us to where we can go.” -Ashley

“Sometimes we are limited by our surroundings, which means that some places are not big, and you are stuck in tight places. Nothing around you; nowhere to go. You can only go a short distance, not far. You can have big and small surroundings.” -Andrea

“We are limited by the things around us like buildings and stuff; but although we’re limited by the obvious things, you just have to look and you can be brought to a new place you never knew was there. So people who don’t take the time to open their eyes to the architecture are limited to what they’re used to seeing.” -Becky

“I think this saying means that we don’t always have what we need all the time. We need to use what we have around us and make the best of it. Because we may think we have more than we really got. So we are limited.” -Skweek

“I believe the term means we may have the talent or the drive to do something, but because of circumstances we can’t change, we are forced to give up on our hopes and dreams to deal with things around us.” -Katharine

“I think it means that sometimes we are afraid to take chances in life. We use life as an excuse or our family, home, and town as an excuse not to take chances in life. Then sometimes our family, home, or town stops us from taking chances.” -Courtney

“It means sometimes we don’t know lots of things that surround us. We only pay attention to the stores. We don’t take time to look at the structures, how they were built, and the different designs on the buildings.” -Chris

“Because, where this is written, it is in an alley way off of Main Street. An alley way is very small. Two buildings are usually close together to make an alley. Anyway, because it is in an alley, it is very smart to be written there. The alley way is very narrow, but long. Maybe it’s a mystery!” -Richie

“To me, it means that people take things for granted. Some people may not go out and smell the rose. Many people to me are lazy! Maybe it’s that people say there’s nothing to do; but there’s plenty. So there are many meanings.” -Chrissy

“I think the phrase means that there’s a lot of buildings, but a lot of them are not for kids. If there were something to do outside, there wouldn’t be anywhere with a lot of room. It could also mean that there is too much rules, so every time you start to have fun, you get in trouble with the police or get kicked out of somewhere.” -Tim

“We do take our surroundings for granted, because Mr. Manning showed me the things that I never even seen before. We should just think about the people who built North Adams. People say that the mayors make buildings, but it’s really the people who put them together piece by piece by hand.” -Anthony

“I think that means because of where someone lives, works, and hangs out, that they can’t do what other people do. Whether it’s because of not having enough money, or having no support from friends and family. People can judge you from where you live and say just because you’re from there, that you’re a bad person.” -Becky

“I think it means that we have to think of ourselves compared to the rest of the world, but we also have to deal with what we have around here in North Adams. In relation to North Adams, what I mean is that we can’t change North Adams into another place such as California, because we have to deal with our four seasons, all of the hills everywhere, and even the different time zone in North Adams. In relation to people, what I mean is that people have to deal with what they have and what is around them. If they know what is around them, they can become a better person. I think this phrase is a good conversation starter.” -Meagan

“I think the saying means that you can’t do everything you want. It means if you live in a big city, you can’t own a huge barn and livestock. The part in the saying, ‘limited by our surroundings,’ seems like you can only have what you have, but not what you really want. An example of what I mean is like say you live in an apartment building in the big city, you just can’t leave and go to a house in the country.” -Amanda

“I think the person who wrote this statement meant if you live somewhere where a lot of buildings aren’t, then most likely, you won’t have very much to do. If you live where there are many buildings, you can always come up with something to do like explore, research, and interview. Also, you may think it just means that you’re not trying hard enough to find something interesting in your town. So next time you’re bored, you can explore, research, and interview.” -Michaelia

“What I think that saying means is that our surroundings are limited. Our surroundings are only certain things, and that we should be careful by our surroundings.” -Keshia

“I think this means that if you are born to poor people, then your surroundings are going to be very poor. If you are born to a rich person, then your surroundings are not as limited.” -Heath

“I think this means we can’t always do what we want, because of what surrounds us. The boundaries here are like the mountains and hills.” -Jessica

“In my opinion, I think that the saying means that someone might want to try something new, and the town they live in is too small. Someone may want to expand their company, but there’s nowhere to expand. Maybe even someone who is trying to learn something new may not be able to, because something or some people are in the way. There really is no correct answer. In my opinion, whoever wrote it may have thought it could mean more things.” -Kaitlyn

“I think that sometimes we are limited by our surroundings because of the way our surroundings are. For example, if I lived in an area like New York, I would be limited to the way people in New York do things. Or if I lived in an area where people are generally poor, I would be poor, too.” -Craig

“It probably means that you can go so far in life. Once you hit that point, the best thing to do would be to make your life better, not worse. If you can’t make your life as good as you want, then make it as good as you can.” -Brett

“I think what it means is if you grow up in a certain part of the country, you are used to your surroundings. Going to another city with new people and new surroundings is like going to an alien town, and you’re not capable of living there until you adapt.” -Megan

“To me, it could probably mean that sometimes we have so little space, and we have to go somewhere to have our own space. It means that you could have so much going on in your home, that you just have to go somewhere to just let it all out.” -Whitney

“We are limited by our surroundings, because we think of North Adams as nothing but a dull city; but if you look closely, you see a lot of things that you can’t see normally. We also feel limited by not a lot of space around us.” -Melissa

“I think this statement means different things to different people. To me, it means we may not reach our full potential if our town, home, and people (surroundings) stop us. For example, a small town may have no interest and inspiration for people. People and family can limit us. Overprotective people won’t let you expand your horizons, stopping you from advancing. Surroundings can definitely limit you but…it all depends on how you look at it.” -Margaret

“The saying, in my opinion, means that even if you have your heart set on something, the places or even people among you could prevent it from happening. That could mean being held back from something that would change your life for better or worse.” -Samantha

“The saying means to me that what you see is not all that’s there. When Mr. Manning took our class downtown, we could see only four steeples, when there were actually five! One steeple was inside another steeple. The buildings next to Jack’s Hot Dogs look like just regular buildings, but if you look close enough, you can see different shapes in the buildings. I enjoyed taking a walk and learning more about North Adams. I love how I’m still learning about buildings that I’ve lived around for three and a half years.” -Melanie

“The quote may have many different meanings. I think the quote means sometimes we can not do certain things because of the surroundings. For example, my friends and I can’t play baseball, because the fields have snow on them. The snow limits us from doing a certain thing.” -Mike

“I think this means that sometimes we’re too crowded by things. When you’re in a alley or a city, there isn’t many places to go. Whereas, when you live in the country or on a mountain, you have a lot of room to explore and discover.” -Jason

“I think the phrase means sometimes we only see what is right in front of us or surrounds us. We can’t always look beyond what we know or see every day. Our surroundings limit us, because you get so used to seeing the same things every day, that you don’t look for anything too special or out of the ordinary. I think it is hard to look past the ordinary, everyday things to the things you don’t usually see.” -Britt

“I think that the saying means that you learn about what you can do or see; so if you don’t expand your knowledge and learn about things away from where you are, you will never be able to learn some things, and you will, mentally, be limited by your surroundings.” -Ross

“I think that this statement means that sometimes we can only do certain things or things that we are only allowed to do. The government controls the world and its laws. It controls us. If there is a gang chasing you, and you go into an alley, there are not many places that you can hide.” -Seth

“I think this means that sometimes people don’t realize what is around them. Instead, they just ignore it.” -David

“The writing meant that there are so many wonderful things around us that we never take the time to look at. We take our surroundings for granted. When we are walking down the street, we don’t think to look around us. We usually look where we are going. When you really take the time to stop and look around, you will be amazed by the things that you take for granted every day.” -Jocelyn

“I think the saying means that it depends where you are and where you are going to go. If you are in a small town without opportunities, you will probably move; but if you are in a big city with opportunities, you might stay in it and get a good job. So if you’re in different surroundings, it will affect you differently. That is what I think the saying means. Since North Adams is small, I think I will move and see more of the world.” -Andrew