Goal #3: Send One Story/Article into be Published

Okay, I honestly didn't expect to be passing this goal off so soon. However, I feel I deserve to have it marked off.

I checked my school email, which I do every morning before class. I usually don't have anything interesting on that account I just need to make sure I haven't missed something from my professor, again.

Today was different, I had an email from someone saying I was recommended by my professor for a job. I've never had someone ask me if I wanted a job before, that and I haven't had a paying job since the mid to late 90's. I called the lady and we set up a time to meet after my last class.

I honest thought I was going in for an interview. I showed up and she introduced me to her crew and jumped right into what they were doing and what she needed me to do and when it needed to be done.

When I got home Big D was a little pissed when he started asking me questions like: Did you get the job? I think so but I'm not sure. How much does it pay? I have no idea we didn't discuss $$$. When do you work? I couldn't say for sure I just know I have to write a 200 word article for our university's alumni magazine. The article was to be on a guy who died (that I thought died a long time ago because we have a building named after him) and it is due the next day.

Needless to say we had a sit down discussion on proper business practices and what needs to be addressed before I start work. I'll get the hand of the particulars some day. For now I'm was just overwhelmed and stoked all at the same time.

I wrote my article and took it to my new boss. She hated it so bad she went in the other room and called another writer and asked if they would please write the article for her. My article looked like she slit her wrists across the paper. When it came time to leave I had to convince her to let me take the article home and rewrite it.

Yes, she hated it that bad.

After licking my wounds and wallowing in my self pity for a couple hours I got to work on the rewrite. In other words, I started completely over.

I turned in the final article by 11 a.m. the next day. I figured if she doesn't like it she won't ask me to write anything else. I didn't know if this was just a one time gig anyway. I am grateful for the opportunity and the experience it allotted me but I won't be heart broken if I missed the mark twice.

I got another email from my new boss saying she thought my new article was "wonderful!!!". She was sending it out to get the final stamp of approval and then off to the magazine.

Wow, my first published article. It feels great to finally say I've been published, even though it is just a college magazine. It's one step closer to being a real journalist. That is, of course, IF they publish my article.