I was 11 years old when my cousin Molly and I decided that we were going to New York to live with her actress aunt and make it big in the Big Apple. We combined our resources and saved $79 in a shoebox in my closet, excited because that seemed like enough money to start our lives in New York.
But sadly, we were mistaken and never made the leap into the acting world of New York City. We also finally agreed that acting probably wasn't for us. I was pursuing teaching, and Molly was convinced she should be an astronaut.
What amazes me today is that there are thousands of people who don't give up on this dream. They pack up their lives with the hope that one day they will be discovered and make it big.
Most don't make it - but some do - and staff writer Erika Wurst looks at both sides of the coin in "Hollywood highway" on page 6.
It's amazing how painfully bitter some of these people can be - and how others are so self-assured. So what have I learned from this story? The lights of Hollywood can be blinding.
And I can understand why. The country is inundated with movies and television: I've heard that the average American watches more than five hours of television per day. While it's somewhat sickening, it also can be inspiring. We see so many people on these shows and in these movies that becoming a star doesn't seem so far-fetched.
Aside from that, we have magazines and shows that delve into the personal lives of some of our favorite stars, which I think convinces hopefuls they can make it. I know when I heard Jim Carey's story - poor, happy family, followed by homelessness and then stardom - I was inspired.
Either way, I'm not about to sit here and tell people what to or not to pursue. I think that if you really want something - if you're really meant to do something - then you can find any way to do it. And then it will be done.
Besides, I want to be a writer one day, and I know my odds. But like the people in this week's cover story, I also know that it's my passion. And I think that anyone who's got the guts to pack up his or her life and take a chance on that passion is someone to admire. So good luck to all those people in Erika's story. Maybe one day they'll make it big and be able to tell their stories of struggle and fame to thousands of others looking for encouragement. And maybe they won't. But for me that's not the important part of the story. They don't have to be on TV or in some movie to be inspiring. Just knowing that they are taking a chance is enough for me.
Reach the editor at emily.murphy@asu.edu.
