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Editor's Note: This text was written at the ripe old age of 16 and expresses my desire (at that time) to move to California and make a life there. I never actually made that dream come true, only because I eventually realised that my California Dream was a symptom of a bigger ambition, which is to be happy, healthy and successful. Not to mention wanting to live in a warm climate! At that age, that's what California meant for me and below I explain why I think California was the best place to achieve all of that. I've posted this article here to show the ferocity of the dreams and desires I've had since a very young age. Never be afraid to dream. At any age. big. wild. crazy dreams. Never be afraid to chase them and make them come true, and never be afraid to think that they might. Even though in my case it didn't, I use it as a learning experience... And so, let's begin ...
The following are several quotes that keep me going when I'm down. Welcome to Hollywood! What's your dream? Everybody comes here. This is Hollywood, land of dreams. Some dreams come true, some don't. But keep on dreaming, this is Hollywood, always time to dream, so keep on dreamin'... -Pretty Woman Open your heart Open your eyes Be sure of where Your dreamin lies -j.mcCoy We can love completely without complete understanding. Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams. -No Fear I can if I think I can. -Catie Curtis Dream it... then DO IT! -Pog Begin somewhere; you cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do. -Unknown How many of you truly understand my California Dream? Some of you have met me before, a lot have had conversations with me, whether over the telephone or via modem. Almost everyone that knows me, knows about my goal to move to California. But very few individuals know of the seriousness and reality of this dream. I wrote this text for the cynics out there who think I am some sort of immature teenager who really has nothing better to do than follow the footsteps of the many other people who have wanted to move to California. Consider this: How many of these have actually followed through? The majority of them assume that moving to California is some- thing that could only happen in a fairy tale, but I feel that if you set your mind to do something, it is never impossible. I also wrote this for the people who want to know what I plan to do to become successful in California, and what I'm going to do when I get there, how I will get the money, etc, etc. My dream is not as cut-and-dry as you may assume it is. I didn't simply wake up one day and say, "I want to move to California." However, I'll admit that it was after seeing the movie "Speed" that I decided to go for it. I think about California every day. Some days more than others, some days almost none at all. There are even days when I *almost* give up on the thought of it. Sometimes I wonder about my dream. I think to myself and say, "What if my love for California is just something that I am doing to give myself something to do?" Perhaps California isn't what I really think it is. After all, I only went there in Christmas of 1992 and I wasn't even dreaming of moving there back then. I decided after- wards. As well, I was only there for two weeks. So, in order to know more accurately if moving to California is really what I want to do, I decided to go back! I am going now, in the summer of 1996 (August to be more precise). I'll be staying with some family there and researching job and educational oppurtunities. I think that this trip will give me the chance to know if this is really what I want to do, and if I really love Cali- fornia. A good way to think about it is that the money for the trip will be a LOT less than it will cost me to move there, if I decide not to go. Sort of an insurance, I suppose. When I think of all the money that I have saved up, I realize the power of what I could do with this ca$h. I can buy a lot of the things I want... but my willpower is stronger than that. Lots of things inspire me. Most of all, music. There are certain songs that when I listen to them, just make me think of California... My two favorites are "With or Without You" by U2, and "Dreams" by The Cranberries.. I call them my California songs... the way that I know if a song is inspiring (in any way, whether it is inspiring me to become an IronMan triathlete [another goal of mine] or whether it is inspiring my dream of California) is if I can imagine myself driving down a highway in my van southwestwards. I have a lot of these types of songs. Pretty much any song that I like is a California song! "Why?" you ask? There are a few reasons. For one, I am totally and completely in love with the state of mind, and the mentality which a lot of people have down there. They are very friendly, and sociable. I went for a jog or two while I was visiting the second time around, and other runners I saw were always waving and smiling. You don't get that much in Montreal. The lifestyle of Californians intrigues me as well. While it may not be true, I happen to view California as the healthiest and most active (sportwise) state in the nation. These are two of the things that I like best. When I was but a wee lad, the only thing I ever wanted in life was to live in California. It was my dream at that tender young age where your mind is very impressionable. It was the only thing I thought of. California. :) However, I have always been extremely frightened of death, and the afterlife, if there is one. So, after the earthquake of 1989, I dropped the idea. I figured that I would rather stay in Montreal and freeze rather than be buried alive under beach sand. So I forgot about California for a few years, but after I visited the state during Christmas of 1992, I had different feelings. But I was still apprehensive about going there. Like I mentioned earlier, when I saw the movie "Speed", it totally changed my course of direction, and I didn't care about the earthquakes, fires, floods and other natural disasters anymore. Maybe it seems trivial to you, but I guess the movie was the straw that broke the camel's back, and now I'm planning everything! :) The two questions I hear most often are: "What is the signifi- cance of July 15th, 1998?" and "What does 'T-XXX days until I move to California...' mean?". You don't need to be a rocket scientist to put the two together. July 15th, 1998 is the day I selected to leave. Why? Because it is approximately two months after my graduation from the Computer Sci- ence Program at Vanier College, and it gives me the next 635 (at the time of this writing) days to prepare. Yes, I could leave right away, but consider the fact that I would not have the resources to support myself there and give myself the education I need/want to achieve my other goals in life. I am adamant about not accepting financial help from my parents (they would not offer it anyways). I want to be able to owe the success of the goals I have held for so long to myself and myself only. To coin a term, I want to be a self-made man.I started planning my dream on December 7th, 1994 and I started my countdown at 1225 days, it has been about a year and a half (or more) since I have begun looking towards July 15th, 1998. Every day I remember that it is one less, the days go very quickly and I know that I must use the time I have left here to my full advantage to prepare for a good life in California. These include financial plans, educational plans, and living plans. There's a lot to be thought of in my situation. I am not going with my parents. I am going with my best friend. He's probably just as hyped about California as I am, and if he truly is serious about moving there, and he is not ready to leave when July 15th, 1998 rolls around, I would wait for him. At this point in time, he is the only person in my life that I would put off leaving for California. There are things that could possibly stall my departure. Due to the fact that I want the best possible life (which essentially means a good education), there is a chance that I will stay here for a university education when the time comes because it is much cheaper. Right now I am planning to finish the technology program at Vanier. However, I will only be staying in Montreal if I *cannot* find a university here that is sub- stantially cheaper than one of the same quality in California. Taking into account the exchange rate, I am willing to sacrifice 2000$ or 3000$ CDN (per year) if it means I can go to California up to 4 years earlier. Afterwards would most likely be when I would move to California. I'm interested in entering a field where I would be enforcing the laws governing electronic communication. I've also been thinking about applying for the FBI once I get my American citizenship. However, 5 years of residency in the U.S. is needed before you can become a citizen, so I'm also thinking about going for my Chartered Accounting degree and spending my first few years in that career. I'm interested in taking a course or two in networking as well. *EVERYTHING* I do is done for California, when I work now, I just keep thinking that the money I make now will go towards my move there later. The schoolwork I do now is done in the knowledge that if I learn the material well now, I have a better chance to succeed in California later. Some say, "What about the crime, the cost of living, all of the natural disasters?". Maybe it's suicidal (in a way) to think like this, but if I die in California, at least I will die knowing I fulfilled my ultimate goal in life. I'll die happy. Besides, a person simply cannot go around thinking that they should stay away from dangerous places because they *might* die. That's pessimistic thinking, and I won't let my life be ruled like that. Then there is the love factor, many people have asked me, "What if you meet the love of your life?" I had answered that question to myself a long time. I simply told myself that I would not fall in love, and so, in effect just played the field. It became my style. But, destiny obviously didn't agree, and I DID fall in love. I was ready to give up California for her. People who know ME know about this woman. They were incredulous about the fact that I was ready to give it all up for her, since when I asked her, she told me she would want me to stay... However, things did not work out between us, and I am still actively mapping everything out. I know now however, that she really was not the woman that I am/was destined to meet because if she asked me to give up the one thing I love more than anything else in the world, then she couldn't possibly love me the way I would want her to. Sort of like the old adage, "When you love something, set it free, if it returns to you, it was always yours." I know that planning is key, and that is what I am doing. I am already working on getting a student visa, for university study in the States. I was on the Internet for about a year, getting information on things of this sort, finding information out about each and every edu- cational facility that suits my tastes. I'm not totally sure which part of California that I want to live in. I know that it is definitely not Los Angeles itself. It's way too dirty and crime-ridden. Considering the opportunities for advancement in the field of computers in Silicon Valley, that region seems like a good choice, but it all remains to be seen. I have gotten information on how to find the cheapest apartments in certain areas of California, I have made personal contacts in different regions of the state. I have even made the decision that if there were a place that I could go to that I was able to afford and would offer me a better educ- ation, that I would attend there, and wait to go to California. As you can see, I don't want to go to California as SOON as possible, but I DO want to get there in the most affluent way I can. One of the biggest things that I need to leave is cash. Serious cash is needed for a move to the States, it cannot be done without hard, cold American currency. That is why I have been stockpiling it all up for a year now. I have invested financially in bonds, and mutual funds and even an American bank account. Presently, the money I have will go first to buy a van which I will use to travel to California in. After I buy the van, the money I save will be for my education. I know that I need about 6000$ to get a decent enough vehicle, so I am approximately halfway there. The van will serve two main purposes, to carry mine and my friend's belongings, and to give us a place to sleep should we tumble into a financial crisis, and find ourselves without the money for an apartment. This is very possible, and a very real threat, which is precisely why I am planning it all now! I would also need a van to carry my surfboard! Surfing is a sport that I really like, even though I haven't done it that much. Camping is another thing I like to do, and having a van makes them all easier to do. YOU can help in your own little way. If you come across ANYTHING that you think might even REMOTELY help me out in my dream, then PLEASE send it to me. I will not laugh at you if it is something trivial, I will really be grateful, no matter *what* it is. Anything related to:
Thanks for the support! *** FACE YOUR FEARS. LIVE YOUR DREAMS.
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