Daring to Dream

[newsmanfan]

Congratulations to you!

Thanks!

 

[newsmanfan]

I was all set and ready to go out and start dating this guy that I really had a crush on. But it turns out that we broke up before we could even start doing anything in the first place because in the end, he was gay. His brother actually was responsible for the break-up in the first place. I'm so bummed out about it still a few years later and I haven't found another guy to date since then. My senior prom is coming up soon and I am kind of in a panic right now because I don't have a date to go out with just yet.

Senior prom isn't the world's end...it just feels that way!

Seriously though. It took me (and my fiance) decades and a failed marriage each before we decided just to be ourselves around others, and to find the person who best matched. Try not to worry overmuch about not having a date or a boyfriend. Don't settle, and don't try to be anything you're not. You're far more likely to find the right person that way.

 

[newsmanfan]

As you get older, dreams don't have to fade. Actually, the older you get, the more you want to see your dreams become reality. At 49, it's a fair assumption that over half my time on this earth has gone, so I can't afford to waste any time with regrets, sitting on fences, or giving up.

My one big dream is to finish my book. It's been in the making for over a decade now, it's been expanded, revised, gone through several drafts, but is finally in a stage I'm satisfied with. 120+ pages, each page with a full-page illustration, each illustration painstakingly hand-painted. Sure, I could get some hi-tech friends to Paintbox it in, get it done faster, but the results wouldn't be nearly the same. Each brushstroke is mine, and I wouldn't give that up for anything.
I have dreams of seeing the book being a big success, on the shelf of every WalMart, Target, Barnes and Noble, available through Amazon, etc. I expect a Nook and/or Kindle version someday too, but depending on the resolution of the pictures, I might pass on a downloadable version. I'd like you to be able to hold the book in your hands, and actually turn the pages, not just scroll down. If money was no object, I would also love to see it leather-bound, gold leaf letters, so you know you're getting something of real quality.
After a long run on the New York Times bestseller list, will come the inevitable movie, merchandising tie-ins. Lucky my cousin is a copyright lawyer, because I want to retain as much control over my baby as possible, otherwise all bets are off. I'd rather hold on to it than let Disney or some studio who may not really care about the book crank out some substandard piece of crap in the hope of just making a few bucks.

As you get older, you get more possessive of your dreams and seeing them arrive on your terms.

The saddest thing you can do is give up. Quit. Throw in the towel. Sometimes your dreams are all you have, so don't you dare let anyone take them from you.

Some people on here have mentioned dreams of going to New York or Hollywood, trying to break into show-biz. Fair enough. Following your dreams, especially when you're young enough to do so, can light a fire under your butt and drive you to achieve them. But the bigger your dreams are, the more you should be prepared to work for them. And it will be, no lie, a ton of tough, vicious, nauseating work. Rejections, competition, more rejections, every day something may come along to tell you to quit. If your dreams mean enough to you, you won't give them the satisfaction.

Drtooth, if you're still around and willing to give up the pity party for a second, read this. I've seen your stuff on DeviantArt, and it's quite good.
Sometimes quality or artistic integrity doesn't always translate into commercial dividends.
Not everybody gets to be a Muppeteer on Sesame Street. Not everybody ends up a Disney animator. Not everybody lands a lucrative voiceover gig.

When I was younger, playing in bands, each band had a dream of being the next Beatles/Van Halen/Yes/Pink Floyd/Led Zeppelin, etc. Never happened, but still enjoyed trying to get there. Wouldn't trade that for anything.

Don't give up on dreams, folks. Without them, what's the point of getting up every day? That's not living, it's barely existing.

Hear hear!
I assume you've already begun shopping your book to publishers?

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

Senior prom isn't the world's end...it just feels that way!

Seriously though. It took me (and my fiance) decades and a failed marriage each before we decided just to be ourselves around others, and to find the person who best matched. Try not to worry overmuch about not having a date or a boyfriend. Don't settle, and don't try to be anything you're not. You're far more likely to find the right person that way.

Thank you for the advice my friend. I do have a certain guy that I am crushing on right now, but am really nervous to ask him out to the prom.

 

[newsmanfan]

Thank you for the advice my friend. I do have a certain guy that I am crushing on right now, but am really nervous to ask him out to the prom.

Worst case scenario? He says no, you're sad for a while, you move on. You have nothing to lose by asking.

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

Worst case scenario? He says no, you're sad for a while, you move on. You have nothing to lose by asking.

I could just go by myself or with my friends (which I don't have a lot of right now at the moment unfortunately).

 

[newsmanfan]

I could just go by myself or with my friends (which I don't have a lot of right now at the moment unfortunately).

Absolutely! Go stag (doe?) with a friend or two.

 

[Katzi428]

Several years ago:
I was working on a story & had asked a (then ) friend of mine to co author it ( we were working on it Online together but lived in different states .) So once it was done ,I wanted to put it on a disc & put mini biographies about the 2 of us, . All of a sudden I stopped hearing from him! We'd been friends and me asking for a mini bio from him broke up our friendship?! What the hey? I mean it would have been nice if this book could have been published, you know!
I looked him up on Facebook & he's on there. I sent him a friend request .But either he doesn't remember me or I got him angry about wanting to publish this book.

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

Absolutely! Go stag (doe?) with a friend or two.

I will try and make sure to do that.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Welp, i'm gonna do what i've been wanting to do my whole life (and what I have been doing to a certain extent) and that's drawing, writing, puppeteering, and building puppets. Very recently, I started building the first puppets i've done since I was nine. I hope to start making puppet content on Youtube sometime this year, puppeteering, writing my own scripts, etc. It would be great to find another puppeteer to work with me though.

I also want to become a Muppeteer one day. Probably not a full time performer, but one of the guys they call once or twice a year whenever they need extra performers.

Another related goal I have in life is to one day be a Muppet writer, like @JimAndFrank said. I'd really love to write for a Muppet movie one day (Hey, maybe we can write it together, JimandFrank ). I also want to write for Sesame Street, as well as a SST movie (which i'm currently working on the plot for).

Also, i'm thinking about starting a blog soon- there really should be more Muppet related blogs out there. And hopefully i'll be submitting an article to JimandFrank's blog soon.

Meanwhile, i'm working on a web comic/ graphic novel about a twelve year old girl's encounter with aliens. Hopefully I can finish that within the next few months, if I ever get past this first chapter . I've got a lot of ideas for it, hopefully the plot doesn't end up being too unfocused. It's currently taking up much of my free time. I'm not exactly sure where I should post it when i'm done, but i'll cross that road when i'm actually done.

Storyboarding on an animated TV show would be nice too.

Basically, the only thing standing in my way of accomplishing these goals is the internet. I mean, it's helpful and all. You can learn almost anything and improve your writing skills, puppeteering skills, or any other skill you have or want to gain by using the internet. But it's also the most distracting place ever. Does this sound familiar?:"I'll finish writing this page, but first i'll watch just one more video" Five hours later, "Oh well, I guess it's time to go to bed...but first let me check my Facebook". It's a vicious cycle that never ceases to ruin my productivity.