Who?

I bought an O magazine tonight at the drug store. I blame Clare's teacher since Clare and I are required to find pictures in magazines that begin with letters of the alphabet for Clare to cut out and present to class each week. Not having many of these (Runner's World is surprisingly lame in the alphabet picture arena), I am forced to buy them. Magazine covers are temptresses. With the fabulous jeweled greens on the cover and cover story that read "Find Your True Calling: A Guide to Discovering Who You're Meant to Be," I quickly threw it into my basket and rushed to get out of the store. I was partly excited and partly ashamed. Neither emotion really mattered because for $4.50 I was about to be enlightened. After I put Clare to bed, I started my journey. I read the first article. I completed the first brainstorm. I asked my husband to describe me in three words. I took the motivational style test. I read the successful sidebar stories. What did I find, you ask?

I love to run (ok, come on Oprah. You can do better than that). I love photography - mine and other people's (Still a cheap parlor trick since everyone does). I love to sing (so what, who doesn't?) I want to play the piano again (You are right, O, I did really love that and I really have been thinking about taking up lessons again). Then she did it...her crafty little test produced one interesting result. I really love unique paper and want to learn to make my own paper art to combine with pressed flowers and poetry, mine and other people's (What? Hello crazy, where have you been hiding?).

The truth is that I didn't find out too much that I didn't know, but it also wasn't the worst way I'd ever spent an evening alone. The interesting thing is that I did very much feel the -

girl, you're amazing. Get out there and do what you love - you have our permission and encouragement to do so - vibe once I finished and was pretty excited about taking these talents or passions of mine a little more seriously. The experience also challenged me to sit down and not just figure out what I like, but to match it with situational goals that I am to discuss with a friend (Nice touch, O, accountability does help motivate people to do)

I'll give it to Oprah, it was worth $4.50 to get cracking on my personal to-do-list. I'm accountable to Oprah now so I have to do something. Someday soon I'm going to call about piano lessons, look for more updated camera equipment on craigslist, and pick up some flowers and homemade paper. Anyway, it all sounds like a really fun way to spend some time and to give me something useful to fill up the winter nights coming up. Oh, and If you get crappy hand-made gifts from me this Christmas, just understand that I've simply discovered "the me" I've always meant to be.