I'm coming out!

No, I'm not gay. But this is my first public blog (outside of the one devoted to baseball). I'm a little nervous about this prospect, but I'm also feeling a bit liberated. That could be the Bud Light talking. Or maybe that's what happens when you're about to turn 30.

I heard that collective gasp. Maybe even a few groans. Yes, I'm about to celebrate the completion of three decades in this world. I'll be honest -- I'm not completely dreading it. That surprises me. When I was just turning twenty, thirty sounded so old. It seemed so far away. I wasn't even sure what my life might look like at that point. Sure, I had some daydreams (which certainly included a handsome husband, a kid or two and a house in a town near a metro area), but nothing was set in stone. And boy am I glad, because there is certainly no husband in my life (not even a boyfriend), the only two kids I have are of the four-legged, furry variety (and they're all I can handle at this point) and I am in a two bedroom duplex in a town near a metro area. Hey -- that's not too bad. At least I got one small thing out of it right.

Oh, and I also figured I'd be working in newspapers at this point too, and, what do you know, I am. I have loved writing for as long as I can remember, but I didn't discover a love for newspapers until college. That's when I decided I wanted to be an entertainment writer -- reviewing movies/concerts/cds and pontificating on the latest pop culture events. There aren't many jobs like that, and I haven't always been comfortable sharing my opinions (I don't like to rock the boat if I can help it), so I tried news and features. That worked ok for me, and I quickly discovered I love small town journalism. Despite the long hours, it is truly enjoyable to immerse myself in a community and tell their stories. I've met so many neat people that way, and, truth be told, it's cured some of my shy tendencies. It's impossible to be a hermit when you're a reporter -- you have to get out and meet people and make conversation with complete strangers. My job can be pretty cool at times and exhausting at times too, but that's not the point right now.

My life is far from the portrait I might have painted for myself at this point, but it's still pretty awesome. I may not be married or a mother, but I've accomplished so many other great things.

I've published two romance novels (a third is slowly in the works).

I've interviewed presidential candidates (including the current guy in the Oval Office).

I lived in Texas for four years (but returned home when I realized how much I missed my family).

I have road tripped to several states to feed my live music and baseball addictions --- and met some really interesting people along the way.

I didn't picture any of these things for myself a decade ago, but I'm so grateful for all of them. It just illustrates John Lennon's famous quote -- "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." Life has, indeed, happened to me, and sometimes I'm blown away when I take time to reflect on it.

What's something that's happened in your life that you never would have seen coming?