I’ve had a lot of crazy aspirations throughout my life. Some dreams I’ve 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…looking 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’m 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 ‘star struck’ 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’t 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’ve 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 “A paranormal evening with Alice Cooper” tour, and I was lucky enough to be picked to interview the rock god himself, check another dream off the list.
I’ve spent the last week binge watching anything Alice related, from interviews and documentaries to Wayne’s World. After all, the last thing I want to do is disappoint one of rock’s greatest legends.
Although the title of my favourite band has to go the undeniably amazing Led Zeppelin, you can’t deny the impact that Alice Cooper had and still continues to have on rock music.
I’ve had a million thoughts racing through my mind since I was told I would be conducting the interview. “What if I ask the wrong question and offend him?” “What if I can’t think of any good interview questions?” “What if I impress him, can I tell people that I’m friends with Alice Cooper?” But the one thing I’ve known, throughout all the questions, is that this interview is a dream come true.
I’m almost certain that in Alice’s books, this interview will mean nothing, just another 15 minutes out of a busy day. But for me, it’s a gateway. I’m at the beginning of my career and I’m interviewing Alice Cooper, imagine what I’ll be doing in 20 years.
I don’t know if its acceptable to put “ I interviewed Alice Cooper” 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’m talking about.
Although I’m 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’t a single dream that this career path I’ve chosen can’t 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…that 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’ll find myself sitting across from a Prime Minister, or a President, maybe even a King or Queen. Maybe one day I’ll call up Alice Cooper and say, “Hey Alice, how’s it going, you remember me?” 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.
