Living and following dreams.

What could I live off of, if everyone I know is having such a hard time finding jobs why not just do what you actually want to do in life instead of settling for decent jobs that have nothing to do with what you actually majored in or dream about? It seems awful to think lots people I know go to school spending hundreds of thousands and will never actually use their BA in what they actually majored in and will take what they can get. It was making me think if i'm so broke when did I stop letting that get in my way? When it got cold? When I got hungry? That's happened when I had money too. In reality the things I have always wanted to do are the more "unrealistic" idea's and not an actual career, but I think if makes me happy that's what matters the most. I want to pursue traveling for the rest of my life, continue acting and entertaining, while meeting well known people or at least someone that has accomplished their dreams and connecting a friendship with them. I think the people who accomplish what they wanted to do in life are most likely to be the happiest, and if that's what the key is I feel more people should pull for it no matter how hard or non career oriented it is even if it's a "hobby" I say go for it. There is so many ways around money and to get it without actually having to get a job from my past experience. I've used Couch Surfers which is a great tool for a place to crash plus you meet fellow travelers who have been in the same situation as you before or will be and usually are very understanding and gracious guest, likewise to Hostels except the main difference is their is a small fee of usually only $20 a night. I've also stayed in plenty of hostels in many states, they're also in places you least expect it even Baltimore has one which I feel a lot of people aren't even aware of. That's all subjected to shelter. Now for how to get around, and first comes to mind is Ride Sharing among other names and websites that do it. Craigslist ride share essentially can get you anywhere in America for a decent to low price depending where you are. In one of my more recent blogs I spoke about how a man actually gave my best friend and I his 2005 Scion to drive from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to New Orleans to drop off to his daughter, who was to say we weren't going to steal it? No one! It's all based off of trust for one another, if you can still believe in strangers, you can still hitchhike and go a long way.There is also always cheap deals and promotional codes you may have to search for bus deals that I personally have found and how taking a Greyhound across America can be cheaper sometimes then taking a last minute plane ride, and most trains from my own person experience. This all subjects to traveling opportunities, and now as far as making money without actually having to find a job isn't as hard as it seems! Especially while living in a metropolitan area. There are always Clinical Trials which is basically testing experimental drugs on you but first they have to have you screen which basically they just check you out and drawl blood and you receive anywhere between $20-$50 and if you actually get into the trial after looking through the side affects and the paperwork and seeing if it's right for you, you can make thousands upon thousands of dollars. I have a friend who stayed in a trial for less then two weeks and made over 25 hundred without any side affects till this day. There is also Focus Groups which essentially you're in a group that talks about a certain topic for over an hour or two on anything! Candy bars, beer, soap, clothes, etc. and you get paid anywhere between $100-$150, which honestly isn't bad for an hour. Depending what type of skill and work you've previously done you should be able to always find something relevant to you that you're interested in even if it's a small internship, acting, instructing, group volunteers in someway you'll most likely benefit from it! My last example is during my drive from New Orleans to New York in October the girl I was ride sharing with up the coast told me a story about how she is originally from Bethesda and how she went to college but she didn't see any point because it wasn't actually what she wanted to do so she saved up and drove out to New Mexico to try to set up her own community outreach recreational team. I think mainly to get kids off the streets, and learn more about art, and I guess life besides crime. Anyway she would have meetings in a local school to kids and lived in her car with a friend till one day an old woman asked her where she was staying and how she could come stay at her house for awhile as long as she would do some house work, the moral is their are people out there wanting to help and you could join or help a local group in something that interest you and you never know what you could actually run into. One day I plan to pick up my things and leave again, to explore, and do what I want in life without actually having to worry about financial funds. Go to just to go even if i'm unemployed and hating some of the times any trip like that could turn out to be an amazing experience with lots of incredible learning on humanity and how their are still many, many open minded, arms open people willing to help. Thank you for reading.

- James Lane