When you love to read and you revere the written word as much as I do, you never forget the first time you see your name in print. I had never aspired to be a writer, never realized I could write anything but radio news when I was presented with the opportunity to write my own opinion column. Since I had lots of opinions, I figured I would take a swing at being a columnist and it turned out really well. I’ve actually won awards from Women in Communications for my writing in Metro Beat and I was honored to have had the opportunity to write on a regular basis and hone my skills. When the last incarnation of Metro Beat-The Beat folded I bade good-bye to my brief foray into writing for print.

Then along game Skirt. I’ve loved Skirt Magazine since the first time I laid eyes on it while on vacation in Charleston, South Carolina. The oversized tabloid was pretty edgy even back then for conservative South Carolina and I liked it’s sass and personality. I aspired to write something that would be printed in Skirt but somehow never managed to get around to submitting anything. I’ll admit the wide variety and extremely talented free lancers that were featured in every issue intimidated me. I found the magazine inspirational but not sappy and kicky but not juvenile.

And then…Skirt arrived in Greenville. I think I told everyone I knew that Skirt was going to be published in Greenville and eagerly awaited the first issue. It didn’t disappoint. In one of those early editions there was a solicitation for a short essay on why you were a feminist and I tore it out and spent some time thinking how best to use my allotted 50 words. I liked what I came up with and submitted my mini masterpiece to Greenville editor Laura Blume. She responded almost immediately and said she wanted to interview me for their 24-7 feature. Needless to say I was thrilled, I’m still thrilled. The questions were great fun and I wrote my answers using my very first impulse instead of playing it safe. I also had the opportunity to work with photographer Susie Wallace and what a treat that was. Susie dreamed up a re-make of the classic Rosie the Riveter poster from WW II. I gamely donned my kerchief and rolled up my sleeve and hoped for the best. Damn, it turned out great! Just sitting and talking to both Laura and Susie for the hour we spent together was a hoot and I so hope we get to do that again some day soon.

It’s funny, for so many years after I left my career in radio I felt lost. While trying to reinvent myself I tried hard to make a number of things work for me professionally without success. I cursed the darkness for a long while, nursed some grudges then gave up those dreams and learned to be happy with the simpler more attainable goals like creating a warm home and maintaining a happy family. It’s funny, that when I let go, some of those dreams came back to me and the satisfaction of having waited for them made them all the sweeter.

God bless the mother of Skirt, publisher and editor Nikki Hardin for making her dream come true and letting me be a small part of it.

To see my feature in this month’s Skirt, click on http://greenville.skirt.com/node/7603