long story short
I'm about ten years into an x-year plan. It's not so much about planning all the specific steps, but about moving in a general direction and taking advantage of opportunities as they arise. Ultimately, I want to attain fame and fortune so I can be absurdly philanthropic and effect change by directing attention to good causes (think a cross between Bill Gates and Bono, from U2). In the meantime, I'm trying my hand at self-employment. This web site serves as a symbol of my quest and the tool that will (hopefully) support my hopes and dreams.
Thanks for being a part of that.
a more detailed version
Some time ago, circa 1996, I was appearing in a summer melodrama in Gillette, WY. I was 15 and had just finished up my freshman year at Sage Valley Junior High School. In less than a month, I would be moving to Canandaigua, NY and starting a new life. I had a whopping total of three stage productions on my performance rèsumè and, in my teenage pomp and arrogance, I went around telling my fellow cast members that I would be making the leap to superstardom roughly two months after the move. It was fairly inevitable, I said. Naturally, I was in for a bit of a shock when I didn't even get a part in my new high school's fall play. I sort of gave up on acting as a possible profession. Then my senior year, I decided to give it another go...
As the end of high school approached, I made the decision to go to college based on three primary reasons: 1) it seemed like the "proper" thing to do; 2) I wanted to continue my wrestling career; and 3) I wanted to develop a backup plan because I thought acting was a poor career choice to make. And so I went off to college...
In searching for my backup plan, I tried a few things and dabbled with the idea of going into "Corporate America." But after a summer internship program with a private company that would be a Fortune 300 company if public, I decided that climbing the corporate ladder wasn't in my future. Then I went to a forum on public service. I had an epiphany. I knew that I should be doing things to help the common good. The question then became, "How can I make the biggest impact?" After tinkering with a number of possible angles, I realized that personal wealth and renown were avenues that offered the most flexibility and leverage. If only I were rich and famous...
And that brings me back to my original love of acting. Certainly, there are some actors who are both rich and famous. And there are even some who use their fame and fortune to promote for causes they support (and subsequently serve as routine targets for those in opposition, I'm aware). I'm prepared to do what it takes and accept the bad with the good, because, ultimately, I just wouldn't be satisfied if I didn't go for it all.
It's been a long road since I declared my intention to be a superstar — and, indeed, has taken longer than two months. But I've certainly learned a bit about what it takes and how hard it really is to get what I want — and yet, I'm still probably underestimating what it takes and how hard it really is. But that's ok. Few ever achieve great things without fully intending on doing so. And so it will be with me.
So, here we go... :o)
