This first post is actually at the end of my 2nd week of P90x...so I guess I could say that choosing to write a blog isn't the greatest of ideas, but it seems to be a nice way to keep track of things and better yet to make sure I hold myself accountable for the path I am on.
To quickly summarize how I got to this point, allow me to explain....how...I got to this point.
I moved from Jacksonville, FL to Los Angeles, CA in August of 2004 with my best friend and brother, Ian. We initially came out to pursue acting, but quickly found out that it was ridiculously expensive, we didn't have as much money as we thought saved up, and we were in dire need of jobs. So, after getting the jobs were sought, and even taking some acting classes, the expenses were adding up. Just based on principle, I refused ( at least for the time being ) to pay $800 for ONE updated headshot.
No Thank You Sir.
In the meantime Ian had created this amazing fictional world which was relatively successful as an online written RPG. "Dream Quest" I fell in love with the world and the characters we had created and decided that while I was saving for those headshots, I would go back to school and learn how to program games and eventually create the Dream Quest game. So, I took out some serious loans and started programming at Devry University in Pomona, CA.
That sucked. I learned more from the students than I did from the "teachers" and after 2 years realized I wasn't getting anywhere and had less to show for it. A friend and classmate of mine, Abe, had also been fed up with Devry and chose to go to the Art Institute in Santa Monica instead. After hearing about how much he loved the change and how he had already gotten to make several flash-based games, I decided I would apply for Ai as well. One thing changed, however, and once I saw the art program that was offered, I changed my major from Computer & Game Programming to Game Art & Design, which actually was what I went to school for when I first graduated highschool (Art) more than ...geez...11 years ago.
Several additional loans and dozens of drawings later I found myself struggling in school with a full-time job and constantly having to drop classes because I just didn't have the time. I also got married in that time and needed to divide my time between school, work, family, self. Maybe that's ok for some, but I don't accept being a mediocre student, or mediocre anything for that matter.
After 10 years and 2 months of working for a fairly decent company which offered anything a hard working employee could ask for, I quit my full-time job in November of 2010 and became completely dedicated to school. My wife has been amazing, and we have had to make some changes, but she handles it well. I of course will be glad to work when I get out of school and let her take off to pursue her educational dreams.
So here I am, a full-time, almost 30-year-old student with no job and only my family and dreams to keep my going. I will chronicle 2 specific paths on this blog, that of getting into shape with the P90x program, and completing my school and hopefully improving my creative capabilities. Call it a diary or call it a self-pep talk, whatever it is, I hope to keep myself on track and without distraction. It's time for change and if I don't make it happen now, how can I ever truly be happy and confident in myself.
Here goes everything.
