Random Thoughts, Notes, & Incidents

So many things have happened by accident. Or, I suppose, you could call it fate - but really, they feel like accidents. Fortuitous accidents.

An example: In 1984 I was spending the summer in San Luis Obispo where a couple of my friends moved to from Los Angeles. I was scheduled to finally go to college (put off for several years) at San Francisco State that fall as a film production major, but there was a wait-list for the dormitories, so I needed to find housing.

As the summer wore on, I made a few short trips up to SF to look for an apartment and found nothing. Okay - I found places, but nothing affordable, and few without rats, roaches, and other un-paying roommates. I began to wonder if I would be a homeless student, living in a bus shelter.

On the way back from one such trip I stopped by Cuesta Community College just outside of SLO. A couple of people I knew had talked about their broadcasting program. They had a fully equipped TV studio and a radio station that had decent coverage. It turned out to be the last day of walk-in registration for the next semester. I signed up on the spot, figuring I could still transfer to SF State later.

The two years I spent in SLO, going to Cuesta, were two of the best and most important years of my development. I wound up working in production at the local NBC affiliate (KSBY), and eventually was directing the weekend and late-night newscasts. That period led me to forego SF State and eventually return to LA, where I worked as a production assistant on music videos.

As you've probably figured out, if you read my blog often, I tired of the Hollywood life and decided to change courses, again. The point of the story, however, was the series of accidents that kept me from my planned course of action (going to SF State), but sent me on other adventures that have helped to make me who I am.

Call it fate, if you like, but Shakespeare was right: The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. And, sometimes, it's just what we need.