100th Post Spectacular

Today is the day for the 100th Post Spectacular. Why? Well, in typical J fashion, because of an obscure connection. I started this blog while in Cortland, New York-- wanting to keep my friends informed of what I was up to as my life kept me moving around this "little" planet at a faster and faster pace. It was setting the ground work for what I thought was a coming year-long stint in Las Vegas (working on a show for an emo magician and some bagette-eating producers) a time when I certainly would need a way to stay connected with all my friends.

Well, today I officially told the artistic director of that theater in Cortland that I could not return because of my coming internship in California. (For the record, I really liked working there, but the drive for bigger and better things compels me-- speaking of drive, for those that haven't already, be sure to read the "Splash Mountain" post from October). The emo magician show fell though quite a while ago, but it was this that opened the door for an internship which probably offers better long term prospects... the Splash Mountain comment was not entirely a non-sequitor.

So, as much as the purpose of this blog has changed, the more it stays the same. I'm sure the move to sunny California will bring with it a return to regular blogging-- to fill up time and keep a record for myself if nothing else. Hopefully it will keep a few of you feeling connected to me, as moving is a bit of a tough transition for me. But something else has happend since that first blog entry. I no longer plan on moving around much at all. Come the end of grad school in May of 2009, I will finally, definitively be moving to the Left Coast to start my career and my life. (ED- okay, my life has already started, but it sounds so much more powerful that way, don't you think?)

It's not just that I've always hated moving but more importantly I've discovered a world where I can do what I love while getting paid enough to sustain myself and have a life outside of work. Also incredibly important, I no longer only think about what gigantic company I can work my way towards. Don't get me wrong, I still would love to work for Imagineering, if only for a couple year stint. But the somewhat unrealistic end-goal of a lifetime career with the Circus or the Rat has been supplanted by the desire to start my own company and ultimately have it be something that people think of as "working towards." This is a radical departure from the way I think about what it would mean for me to be "successful" at the end of the day-- in terms of projects and process instead of the name above mine on the business card. And though I'm surprised it took this long to finally click in, I'm glad it did.

So there you have it, no list of things that have happend since the blog started, no list of things I'm looking forward to. Just a mindful assessment of both. At the end of the day, CMU had a few tricks up its sleeve that more than made up for the terribleness of the first semester, and the monotony of the average day.

In a few short minutes the Victory Wall comes down and the packing resumes. "What's the biggest 'r' I feel?" Well, excitement... seriously. I've got six months in San Francisco to look forward to, and I hope its as life-changing as possible. I've got a short eight months to plow through to earn a terminal degree... the first person in my family to ever get a degree after college. And I've got a coming trip to Hollywood, where I'll show up with so much more than a suitcase and a dream.

Make sure you come out to party with me once I get there.


[186]