It's NOT too late to follow your Dream...

Back in 2008, i travelled over to Los Angeles to study at the Margie Haber Studio.  There had been a TV show in Ireland called Hollywood Trials that i had applied for but sadly my application only got me as far as the 'Phone Interview' stage.

I was full sure i was actually going to get it.  Not because i'm the next Brando but in a bizarre coincidence, a cousin of mine from Chicago (https://twitter.com/#!/CEgglesfield)  had been studying with Margie right around that time.  I practically had a shoe in the door!!  Turns out, it wasn't even a flip-flop.  I didn't get the all expenses trip to LA with cameras following my every move.  That privilege went to the guy from the that Guinness Ad, your man who's on Hollyoaks now, Mikey Graham from Boyzone, bizarrely enough. And a few others.

I did, however, make the trip myself a few months later.  I saved my ass off and upon recommendation from Colin (my twin cousin!), i made the trip over to Hollywood.  There was 2 reasons for that trip.  One, was obviously to learn what i could from the good people at the Margie Haber Studio.  The second reason, was to see if i liked Los Angeles.  Could i see myself living there.  This, probably, being the main reason.

Over the years, i've worked with and have been (and still am) friends with many actors/singers/dancers, some who think they're all 3! who have left Ireland in pursuit of their dream in London or LA.  Mostly the former.  I've talked about it.  And when i got back from LA in 2008, i still talked about it.  I took a couple of trips over to London to see if i liked the vibe over there.  Not as much as i did with LA.  But with every week, month, year that passed by - all i did was talk about 'making the move.'

It's a cliché but in most cases it's true: Talk is cheap.

I was 29 when i made that trip to LA.  I'm on the brink of 33 and at this very moment, i am in the midst of my Visa application for the U.S.

There's 2 ways i could have approached this entire decision.  1)  Last Summer, when i was living in a beautiful apartment, having just got engaged, i could have looked at my life and thought: "You know what?  I'm 32.  I'm living with my soon to be wife and work wise, i'm getting by.  It's time to get the head down and start building my future here.

"NOOOOOO!!! AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!  PLEEEASE, NO!!  What the hell are you doing????  MY EARS ARE BLEEDING!!!  Please tell me there's a second option...PLEEEEASE!!!!!"

Sorry, that's what my Conscience screamed at me when i was mulling over 'Life' in my head.

ME:  "Yes, there is a second option.  Relax!"

CONSCIENCE:  "PHEW!!"

Deep.  Yet Meaningful!

Sooo, the second option "I'm so excited about this"..."okay, shut up Conscience!  You know what happens.  Now let me tell the story!"..."oh, yeah.  Sorry!" ...The second option was to get in touch with a lawyer in the States and get the ball rolling with my Visa Application.  After some discussion with my better half, it was decided that this was the way to go - WOHOOO!!

Wohoo, indeed.  That was last September.  This is April.  I'm still in Ireland.  This Visa process is Looooooong! The initial timeframe was 3 months.  This would get me up to just before Christmas.  I would enjoy this time with family and friends and then come the end of January/start of Feb, i'd be leaving on that Jet Plane.  Of course, this is in the world of 'Ideal.'  Let's be honest, who the hell lives there?  So 8 months later, i'm still waiting. Remember that beautiful apartment i mentioned?  It's now the upstairs of the In-Laws lovely house!  God help them.  We said we'd be here, at most, 6 months!  Oops!  But there has been progress made with the Visa in the last few weeks, so hopefully they'll be rid of us soon!

My point is this - Yes, i look back at my 20's and ask myself. "Why didn't you do this back then?"  And if i dwell on that question too long, it annoys me.  I'm annoyed now for just typing the bloody thing! So I tend not to ask myself that question.  Instead I ask myself another question, "Is it better to have done this at 33 or to never have done it at all?" - Oh, how i like that one better.  It gives a two fingers up to my inner 20-something year old!

You always hear successful people talking about how they followed  their dreams and that if you work hard enough it will happen.  Well, let's be honest.  That mightn't happen all the time.  For every one of those "follow your dream" success stories, i'm sure there are a thousand that tried and it didn't quite work out.  But do you know what?  Atleast they tried.  And that to me is a success.