I鈥檝e had a lot of crazy aspirations throughout my life. Some dreams I鈥檝e had are things that were never meant to be, like when I was nine and told my mom for months that my dream was to become Jewish鈥ooking back, that one might have been a little bit outside of my wheelhouse. Other dreams, however; are much more possible.
For example, I always dreamed growing up, of becoming a published writer, something that I鈥檓 now very proud to say I made a reality.
Becoming a writer has come with its fair share of privileges, the most substantial of which has been the people that my job has allowed me to interview.
I got my first taste of being 鈥榮tar struck鈥� when I was given the opportunity to interview and write a story on Dr. Kenneth Broad, professor of anthropology at the University of Miami. When he isn鈥檛 instructing students, Broad lives what I think of as a substantially amazing life, a life underwater. Broad is a world renowned cave-diver, who has had several of his expeditions funded by the one and only National Geographic.
Several weeks after my phone interview with Kenneth, I was informed he had left me two tickets to a presentation he was giving in Calgary on his life and expeditions he had been on. I can still remember how much I was shaking when I got to meet him, someone that most people will never even hear of, had become something of an idol to me.
Fast-forward two years, and I鈥檝e been given another amazing opportunity, to talk to another amazing person.
Alice Cooper has been a household name in rock and roll since long before I was born, and although there may be a large generational gap between us, I still find myself idolizing the rock legend.
Cooper is making a stop in Estevan in late August to perform at the Affinity Centre as part of the 鈥淎 paranormal evening with Alice Cooper鈥� tour, and I was lucky enough to be picked to interview the rock god himself, check another dream off the list.
I鈥檝e spent the last week binge watching anything Alice related, from interviews and documentaries to Wayne鈥檚 World. After all, the last thing I want to do is disappoint one of rock鈥檚 greatest legends.
Although the title of my favourite band has to go the undeniably amazing Led Zeppelin, you can鈥檛 deny the impact that Alice Cooper had and still continues to have on rock music.
I鈥檝e had a million thoughts racing through my mind since I was told I would be conducting the interview. 鈥淲hat if I ask the wrong question and offend him?鈥� 鈥淲hat if I can鈥檛 think of any good interview questions?鈥� 鈥淲hat if I impress him, can I tell people that I鈥檓 friends with Alice Cooper?鈥� But the one thing I鈥檝e known, throughout all the questions, is that this interview is a dream come true.
I鈥檓 almost certain that in Alice鈥檚 books, this interview will mean nothing, just another 15 minutes out of a busy day. But for me, it鈥檚 a gateway. I鈥檓 at the beginning of my career and I鈥檓 interviewing Alice Cooper, imagine what I鈥檒l be doing in 20 years.
I don鈥檛 know if its acceptable to put 鈥� I interviewed Alice Cooper鈥� on your resume, but I know that this opportunity will be I tell my kids about, even if they have no idea who the heck I鈥檓 talking about.
Although I鈥檓 still in the infancy stage of my journalism career I can already see my dreams becoming realities. I can see that with perseverance and the right state of mind, there isn鈥檛 a single dream that this career path I鈥檝e chosen can鈥檛 make a reality.
I suppose that to some people interviewing someone over the phone may not seem like realizing a dream, but to me, its life-changing.
If you were to ask me five years ago where I thought I would be at 22, my answer definitely would not have been working at a newspaper waiting for a call from a rock and roll hall of fame inductee, its funny how life can throw curve balls at you like that.
I may never become a world-renowned journalist鈥hat one is still up in the air. But what I do know is that I will always be excited for the next twist in the journey of my life and career. Maybe one day I鈥檒l find myself sitting across from a Prime Minister, or a President, maybe even a King or Queen. Maybe one day I鈥檒l call up Alice Cooper and say, 鈥淗ey Alice, how鈥檚 it going, you remember me?鈥� Who knows?
The only certainty at this point is that dreams are nothing but a wish that your heart makes, and if your heart truly wishes those things enough, that nothing in this world can stop you from achieving your dreams.
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