Hollywood's Biggest Night...the Oscars...and Many Viewers Confronted With Unfulfilled Dreams

Hello everyone,

Well, tonight is Hollywood's biggest night....the Oscars. Several celebrities will spend their day primping, preparing, and of course dressing for a night of glitz, glamour, and celebration. Some people will wake up wondering...will Kate Winslet win the gold or two golds....and will Angelina Jolie wear Oscar de la Renta or Versace?

This night will also bring millions of viewers worldwide to witness Hollywood's mirage moment of 2008 film accomplishments. Many of these viewers will watch with eager anticipation to see if their favorite actors and films will take the gold. Others viewers will watch with a deep sense of yearning, or even disappointment, as the award shows act as a reminder that they have not yet fulfilled a deep seated dream or desire they hold within their soul.

Once again, I can relate....can you? While you watch the Oscars, do you find yourself wishing it were you on the red carpet being interviewed by Entertainment Tonight's Rep regarding your academy nomination? Do you daydream that you are nominated for your work in front of the camera (e.g. actor), or perhaps behind the camera (e.g. directing, screenplay, art direction)?

Regardless of what kind of viewer you are, I want to point out a priceless fact that will help you to keep this night in a realistic, and more enjoyable perspective. I also want to challenge those of you who feel a sense of yearning, to entertain (no pun intended) a simple course of action that just may put you smack dab in the middle of the red carpet some day.

The priceless fact that I love to recall during moments of heightened popularity, is a simple scientific one; WE ARE 99.90% THE SAME. Yep, that is right folks. Scientists will confirm that as human beings, we are actually 99.90% the same. It is the .01% that distinguishes us from one another. Oh, how our eyes deceive us of this simple yet profound fact. So, when you are watching Brad Pitt or Penelope Cruz walk down the red carpet, just take a quick moment (or a long one) and smile knowing that in reality, you share 99.9% the same make-up as they do. Even if your eyes tell you that you are from two different worlds.

The challenge that I want to present to many of you who feel a sense of yearning, is a simple one. Take a turtle step or two, tonight if possible while watching the Oscars, and list those awards that sound interesting to you. Whether that be best actor, director, or editing. Then take just a little time, in the next week or two, and research each of those career paths. If you are feeling really inspired, sign up for a nearby acting workshop or an Intro to Film course. Just taking simple steps can start to pave a road for you that just might lead you to a red carpet. For others it may confirm that a future in the entertainment industry is not their true path after all, which will then quite the yearning voice that haunts you every time you are faced with an award show that leaves you feeling a sense of "what if".

So, for those of you who will be tuning in to the Oscars tonight....enjoy the show from these new perspectives, and who knows....you just might be the one on the big screen some day being watched by millions of viewers, accepting a golden award, and forgetting to thank those you meant too.

Cyber hugs,

Shannon