I had a high school teacher tell me I'd never be anything, and a counselor advise me NOT to apply to universities but to consider manual labor. I ignored them all. For the teacher who called me "illiterate" I sent signed copies of my first publications and a dozen roses. I don't know if I could have envisioned then where I am today, but I know I refused to believe anyone who told me what I was NOT capable of doing. I knew better. I had to - mom insisted ;-).