Pursuit of Happyness

OK, I usually try to avoid any Will Smith movie (and long e-mails),
but when my wife wanted to watch Pursuit of Happyness I joined her. It
wasn't a typical Will Smith movie.

Wow! Instead, I felt like I was watching a modified version of the
story of my own life. I couldn't believe it.

In early 2000 (the worst year of my life), I went through a nasty
divorce and was completely broke. This was made worse after an
investment that went sour.

Coincidences:

Like in the movie, I looked to getting my Series 7 brokerage license
as the only way to get my life back on track.

Like in the movie, I was also at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter (the
companies had merged since the '80s and then became just Morgan
Stanley).

Like in the movie, I was also a single dad. But I was a single dad of
three kids under 5 years old (not just one).

Not like in the movie, this was in Utah. I never became homeless. I
had a salary. And I had good family and friends, which made the
biggest difference of all.

Like in the movie, I studied every moment I could for the Series 7. I
played electronic music late at night to keep me awake to learn about
stocks and bonds.

Like in the movie, I had to take my kids to day care early each
morning and pick them up at night. I had a car. I commuted from Orem
to Sandy in a beat up, old station wagon that was given to me. Later I
bought an old Montero (the wagon died).

When I passed the test (the only one in my class to even take it), I
was ecstatic, moved offices and became a trader. Ryan and his friends
moved in with me. Then I moved into the basement of my parents and
finally got custody of my kids.

Then, I found Patricia and married her in 2004. We bought a house. I
finished school. I got another job. Happy ever after!

The movie tore me up. See this movie.

David