Well, the time has finally come; I finally made my big move from the east coast to the west coast. This is something that I think most people dream about at least once or twice while growing up. The west coast folks are amused by the excitement and the history that is New York City and Boston, while the east coasters ponder what it would be like to live in southern California, where the weather is beautiful year round and they will never have to shovel snow again.

My first California dream came back in 2003. My football team flew cross country to San Diego. I remember getting to the luggage claim and looking out the windows at the palm trees and the bright sun. We boarded the bus and went off to the University of San Diego for a walk-through. Pulling up on the campus was like something out of a movie. There were palm trees, beautiful grass, and gardens. The architecture was so different from that on the east coast, and EVERY girl that we drove by was a bombshell. I was ready right then and there to trot my way to admissions and apply to transfer. Well, needless to say it was just a dream. I was afraid to leave my family and also afraid of making such a big move. I was always a little shy so the thought of starting over in a completely new environment gave me ulcers.

Two years later I returned to the campus for another game and it still had the same mysterious wonder. I made a pact with my best friend that at one point in our lives we would just make the move together and try it out, even if it was just for a year. Unfortunately, California kinda took a back seat after that. Then, in the early fall of last year, I realized that I could do something productive in the fitness industry. I was doing really well in NY, but I knew that most of the commercials and movie gigs were cast in LA. I knew that there was a possibility that the move would happen eventually, but I did not take too much stock in the plan. Then the invite to do the Excalibur came along.

I decided to do the show and set up some shoots to make my time out in LA more productive. When I got there I stayed in a house right near the beach and the gym; it was the ultimate location. It was within walking distance to everything I would need, except the grocery store. Well, after the show was over I had put some serious thought into making the move. However, it just didn’t seem financially achievable. Then, when I got back to the east coast I had a few good things go my way and I decided I would move out of Jersey City, NJ and back home with my parents for a bit to save money. I was very diligent with my finances, worked some extra odd and end jobs, and caught a few breaks. Finally in April, just before leaving for FIBO, a friend of mine decided he would move from San Diego up to Venice with me. So when I returned from FIBO I booked my one-way flight to Cali and I was ready to begin a new journey.

I packed up all my clothes that fit (sadly it was not much), took my supplements and my laptop, and flew to LA. My new roommate picked me up at the airport. We spent seven days shacked up in a hotel room until we finally landed an apartment. Those seven days were very stressful. We looked at so many places, most of which were shit holes. Finally we found two matching units on the same street, run by the same management company. We thought this would finally be it, until it came time for the application. We got denied for lack of proof of income. My roommate had been flipping cars he purchased through auctions and I had been doing personal training under the books, along with various other odd and end jobs that paid under the table. So, we had no proof of income. We even offered 6 month’s rent up front and they would not work with us. That night we thought our little dream was over, until I came across one last place. We checked it out. It was not as nice as the two we really wanted, but far and above the others we had seen. They were lenient on the application requirements and we got the place! So after losing 10 lb. from stress, not eating right, and several lethargic gym sessions, most of our issues were now solved.

We spent the next week scouring the internet for the best deals on furniture. We found some, and also found out that NOTHING comes assembled. So we spent days of frustration putting together dining room chairs, tables, entertainment centers, bedroom sets, and desks. Even our damn couch came in six pieces! The next step was to get me a car. I’ve always been a truck guy; I HATE cars with a passion. But, I knew that with the parking situation at my new place, and in LA itself, and the rising gas prices, I needed a car. I looked at Volkswagens, Subarus, you name it, I looked at it. Nothing caught my attention. Then I saw an ad about a black Caddy with beige leather. I fell in love, drove almost 2 hours to look at it, and to my dismay it was a shit box. Kid lied to me—the interior was a mess, and it needed brakes and wheel bearings. I was devastated. When I went home that night I changed my search features and another black beauty came to my attention. It was an Infinity coupe, black on black with dark grey rims. Plus it was in my price range. The owner lived close by. We met at a nearby store and I fell in love. The interior was immaculate (I have OCD so this is a must), the body was clean and in great shape, and it ran like a rocket. He had just had an offer 500 below his asking price and was about to show two others that night, so I took a leap and made the purchase.

So here I am 3 weeks into my move. I finally have some semblance of a normal life—I’m eating right, training, and I’m not stressing over a car or a place to live, or any of that. All of this happened just in time for the beginning of my prep for the 2011 IFBB North Americans. I will have 15 weeks to train in one of the best gyms in the country, and the chance to pick the minds of some of the best bodybuilders and trainers around as I’m getting ready for this show. I have a roof over my head, wheels and a good gym. I am living the dream!