Seriously, I'll try to answer the question.

Well, my dreams were always centered around writing. And to some extent, I've followed them. Maybe not in the way I originally envisoned (I wanted to write books and shit), but I've always wanted to express myself creatively, and started actively pursuing it in high school. When I was in college I figured the best way to do it was go the journalism route. I had strong opinions and movies and music (for reviews) and I'm pretty good at talking to people and asking the right questions, especially in the realm of music, so it seemed like a good fit.

When I graduated college, I found that it was damn difficult getting a job as a journalist. I hooked up with what was at the time a fairly prominent hip-hop magazine, but I discovered they were shday as fuck. After spinning my wheels for a bit, I decided to go to grad school to get my master's, sharpen up my writing and editing skills and make some connections. I got out of grad school, and while I had learned a lot, it was still fricking impossible to find a full-time writing job, especially in the field I was interested in. Because they aren't many established paying music mags out there, and let's be real, lots of people know about music. So it was hard to work my way in.

So at that point I resolved that I was going to need more viable full-time hustle, and write about music on the side. Because most of the mags I got to write for didn't pay, and living full-time as a freelancer is a constant draining grind. And I've made it work. Sometimes it's been easier than others, and sometimes I've gone astray, but I'm in a pretty good place right now, as of this moment. And the full-time hustles I've always undertaken have in some ways utilized my talents: I've worked as editor/reporter for weekly small-city community newspapers, a grant-writer, and even in a record store. I've even sort of gotten back into writing books and shit, but I'm not making quite as much progress as you like.

So, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that unless you're indepently wealthy and you have someone who can support you, if you're entering the creative field like writing or directing or play-writing, you have to find ways to make it. And I'm not saying you got to compromise your dreams, but if you're going to hold down a full-time job until you have the oppotunity to use your creative talents on your own schedule, try to find something to do full-time that's within your skill set that you can enjoy doing every day. It makes things cosiderably easier.


>
>I want to hear from some of you who are actually out there
>working, using your talents (or holding down a job until you
>can). Tell me about where your mind was when you were in high
>school/college. Did you honestly think you could go achieve in
>the profession of your dreams? What have all the
>benefits/downfalls been that you've encountered since going
>out and doing it?
>
>For whatever reason, that quote above really has made me think
>recently that unless I give it a try, I'll never know if I
>could become something special and make movies/write or direct
>plays/do whatever that really matters. So I'm kind of really
>really excited about the future, how this program is going to
>train me further for theater, and what I can go out and do
>after this. And while I realize that in a decade I'll likely
>be a jaded industry type like some other OKPs (no snitchin'),
>I still can't help but be excited about what the future
>holds.
>
>So to those who are out there doing it: what were your dreams
>in high school/college? How did those dreams evolve? What
>obstacles have you faced/overcome/continued to face? Where do
>you see yourself ideally in 10 years? This is a positive post
>for those who are out there using their God-given talents
>doing something they love and to those like me who are
>planning on actually doing it.