Follow Your Dreams

I hate it when people say "follow your dreams" because it's like, I've had dreams and have been trying to follow them, but nothing's happened to me yet.
I've been trying to decide what to study in college, and what to do with my life.

Dream: Stay at home mom/writer.
Reality: Teacher or lawyer or therapist

Because let's be real, I won't get anywhere in life following my dreams.
Then I took Nelson's class and one day I was sitting in the back, by myself (as per usual) and I was just doodling about the future and I realized that I have a dream to follow and decided then and there that I wanted to do what I'd been only daring to dream about my whole life.

Then I had to enter a writing contest, and I was picked to be in the newspaper.

I've been working with the editor, and Thursday I'll be in the online version of the paper (hopefully print too, but she's not sure)

She has a grant so each writer gets $10... it's not a lot but it's a quarter tank of gas or lunch or something.

This is the email that inspired this post.
"I like "Through the Years"

His name is generic enough that we can use the full name.

The article should go online on Thursday, but the editor isn't always consistent. Once in a while they will print in the print edition, but I don't know if yours will be or not.

I've attached the final copy unless you want changes made.  I just had my 20 year old daughter read it and she laughed in three different places.  Notice, I made some verb changes, but I think that's about it.--I also deleted the part about times tables not necessary--this column sends out an RSS feed and it guarantees that everything is "Mom friendly." Mom's wouldn't want children to read that.

Again, it's your piece, so make sure you like it.

Also...I received a small grant to pay the writers--

 

you're a paid writer now.

 

 It's only $10 but hey...I'll need your address to send you your ten."

 

And that right there, "you're a paid writer now" is what made that dream come true...

 

My craziest dream came true in $10 and one email.

And I couldn't be happier!!

 

DREAMS DO COME TRUE!!

 

PS. um... I'M A FREAKING PAID WRITER NOW WHAT THE FLIP?!