My First Blog: I hope this is the first step in climbing my mountain

Well, I guess this is it! I'm starting this blog with the hopes of someday having it develop into a powerful tool that will help change peoples lives for the better. My ultimate goal is two-fold. I would like to create a website were addicts can go any time of the day to search for advice and encouragement from recovering addicts and other support systems. This will be accomplished through various forums and maybe a chat room. I would also like this to be a place where information about addiction and resources for recovery and prevention will be provided. I would like for it to be a place were people can come when they are feeling lost or need help dealing with their addiction or need something to do to get their mind on recovery and off using. I also want it to be a place were people in recovery can come and share their stories and offer up encouragement and support and perhaps most importantly: hope! The next part of my plan is to get involved with legislation and the legal system to try and change drug laws so that they are more effective. I firmly believe that the drug war, as it is being fought today is nothing short of a failure. There are other strategies out there that will be more effective not only in rehabilitating drug offenders but it preventing drug use and abuse in the first place. So, my plan is to start this blog and find people of like mind. This is my starting point. I would like to get my paralegal certificate and then practice as a litigation paralegal in attempts to get my foot in the door of the legal system and gain experience in the criminal court (and make a living hopefully.) Then I would then like to get a degree in addictionology. This should give me a good base for this addictions side of my goal. Then eventually I would like get my Masters in either Criminal Justice or Psychology, whichever seems more advantages or necessary. And then hopefully the culmination of all my schooling and work and life experiences: my website!