An introductory into the life and madness of Will..

      Do you remember your first movie theater experience? I do, I remember it as if it was today. It was Friday the 23rd of June 1989, an anticipated day for most; this day was the release of Tim Burtons “Batman.” But to me it was much more than a movie release, it was a life defining moment. See, forty eight hours before, in my country it was different; as a Marxist country, Cuba’s government doesn’t allow citizens to have accommodations, such as theaters, video stores or game arenas. Luckily for my family, the government had employed my father at the local hospital as a Microbiologist. So we were privileged to an extent. We had a television and VCR; in my neighborhood 1 out of 100 homes had television, yet even with television only the dictators approved shows where to be seen, which were local news or political agendas. 

           I had a small collection of movies, about seven but the largest in my neighborhood. Steven Spielberg’s E.T. and Luca’s Star Wars were a few I would constantly watch everyday to immerse myself inside the picture and escape reality; I was no longer in that unknown small dull town but in this other world full of colors, ideas, imagination and filled with life. I sought after that dream desperately. Then, on this one particular day, not quite the average day, while I’m slowly eating our government’s approved portion of rice and egg, the phone rings, an unexpected call since not many people have phones, and from my mother’s face gesture, it seemed like the world had just shifted axis. From the moment she hung up, the night was full of chanting, excitement, and celebration. Turns out my parents had received an approval to relocate to Miami, Florida. That same week we took an immediate flight to Miami International Airport, where family and friends greeted my parents in their mid 20’s, my younger sister holding a rag doll made by our grandmother, and myself six years old, holding finger tight my precious valuables, my movies. The next couple of days were overwhelming, but yet even with so much happening, so much to absorb, I only had one thing in mind I wanted to visit the house where E.T. was filmed and see Elliot and Gertie in person. Of course my parents explained that would not happen, I was brought to a realization that I was close to my dream but not quite there, as a child I felt my life was over. But my parents had a plan, that weekend they surprised me by taking me somewhere I didn’t even know existed, upon arriving it was something from another realm, there where lights radiating everywhere, in every color imaginable, wall of traffic vehicles, stampede of kids, the screaming of laughter everywhere, I froze, I couldn’t move, it was an extraordinary moment. I was still uncertain what this was, as my parent’s tug me along to the theaters concession stand, just then I noticed I was surrounded by movies. Back home my TV was no bigger than 19” here I’m standing in front of a screen, the size of buildings. Now, I was certain, “this is a dream,” I uttered to myself. 

      A decade later, I had watched over 10,000 movies, read numerous comics and books. From 7th grade to graduation, my electives constantly included drama, art and journalism or any creative medium. At the age of 16 I was working part time at our local theater, and at 18 I was a floor manager for Blockbuster. But the time had come that my parents expected more, and they where not contempt on the career that I decided to pursue, I aspired to be a filmmaker, artist or photographer. They wanted something practical, an engineer, a doctor, or even a lawyer. I didn’t like any of it; but with college coming up I had to decide. I knew California was where I needed to be, but at 17 years old with no money, no experience and not a single facial hair, it dawned on me, reality was to become an Architect or Doctor or worse work with my father at the old steel refinery. My father worked for a local major structural steel plant, so he convinced me to venture into being a Steel Journeyman, which inevitably I would regret. I pursued Architecture at Miami Dade College, and was then employed by my father as Project Manager for the company. Satisfied, but yet not quite contempt, I had a great salary, great benefits, great health care and good friends but it wasn’t my dream, my films. I was lost in a maze with quicksand in most paths, but today I read an inspiring quote, which is going to change the course of events in my life; it was Steve Jobs, he said, **“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma which is living the results of other peoples thinking. Don’t let the noise of others opinions drown out your inner voice; and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”** This kept playing in my mind like a broken record player, consequently I took a cleansing breath and felt reborn, that Friday I quit my position as manager, grabbed my essential belongings and started driving west to fulfill my goals and dreams.

Ps. First time blogging and trying to get accustomed to Markdown, please bear with me as I go through this learning curve..