Secret Lives: Gleaning tips from Our Imaginary Selves

Ha! I first read it as CLEANING tips, but that's not today's chapter topic

 gleaningpresent participle of glean (Verb)
Verb:  Extract (information) from various sources.
           Collect gradually and bit by bit.

Sarah asks "What are you going to be when you grow up?" She wants us to think about paths not yet taken, your secret imaginary self, like a mountain climber, film maker, potter or radio disc jockey! HA. I guess I can skip this chapter since I already discovered that when I was 34 years old.

I got a part in the chorus in My Fair Lady, an Acadia Theatre Company's production in Bangor Maine. My dance partner was a country music DJ at Q 106.5 in Brewer. After a tour of his radio station, I new EXACTLY what I wanted to be when I grew up. Even the director of the musical was an instructor at the New England School of Broadcasting, but the course there was 2 years and we were only going to be stationed in Maine for one more year. During that year I took a pre-college writing class and when we moved to Victoria, I got on the waiting list for the Applied Communications Program at Camosun College. After another English Course, I started the program while working part time and husband at sea 6 to 8 months out of the year. It was the most challenging and fulfilling time of my life. Even the kids pitched in to help, from my daughter being my subject for photography assignments and my son helping me with HTML or java script for desktop publishing class. After the first year, I got one of the jobs at the college radio station and the rest has been exhilarating! The fantasy became my reality and I am living my dream job! Middays and Music Director and even Assistant Program Director to boot! I love my life!