Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "dreams"

It's official. I'm annoyed.
I'm somewhat annoyed because I'd spent more than an hour writing this post when it mysteriously vanished. Not that it was a great loss -- I didn't like how it was turning out anyway.
I'm mildly annoyed that I've sent out two dozen resumes in the past couple of days and I haven't gotten a single response.
But if you want to know the truth, I'm really annoyed about everything that transpired on this week's episode of Deadliest Catch.
It turns out that Captain Sig Hansen's 18-year-old daughter, Mandy, wants to follow in her father's footsteps. The only trouble is that he's a crab fisherman on the Bering Sea.
Now, those of you who have been living under a rock for the past decade may not know this, but crab fishing on the Bering Sea in the middle of winter ranks as one of the most dangerous jobs on the face of the earth. So plenty of people have plenty to say about whether young Mandy should chase her dreams.
I say, let her try. She should have the same opportunity to follow her passion that I did to follow mine.
You see, I spent my whole entire professional life working in male-dominated jobs -- so I know what they said to my face -- and what they said behind my back. My presence in male locker rooms made people uncomfortable. My presence at crime scenes threw some people for a loop. My penchant for risk-taking to get a story raised a few eyebrows.
I didn't care. I never listened to the people who said it was "too dangerous" or that I "didn't belong" or that I should have been doing something else.
If I'd listened to them, I never would have become a successful journalist. If I'd listened to the people who told me "you can't," or "you shouldn't" or "you're no good," or "you're not important," I never would have had the courage to write my memoir.
It's not about being a strong woman or being a feminist. It's not about "leaning in" or being all things to all people. It's about being true to yourself.
So if you have a dream, chase it. If you want a great life, live it. If you have a story, tell it. If you have fears, confront them. If you have demons, vanquish them. If you have adversity, embrace it. If you have triumphs, share them.
And if all else fails... Never give up. Never look down. Never look back. No matter what.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Author's/Blogger's Note: The following is dedicated to rabid sports fans around the world.
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Once upon a time, there was a little girl who grew up in the New York City suburbs. Although she was raised in a multicultural household, she quickly developed an appreciation for anything American... especially baseball.
She fell in love with the New York Yankees at the tender age of seven and by the time she finished elementary school, she had amassed a bigger baseball card collection than any of the boys had. She also had a crush on catcher Rick Cerone.
Sadly, one thing led to another and her passion for baseball waned. But all was not lost. As a teenager, she fell in love with ice hockey and developed a whole new passion -- this time for the New York Islanders. By the time she jumped on the bandwagon, the team was in its glory, having won the Stanley Cup three straight times. The teenage girl adored brash young goalie Billy Smith, and feisty Bobby Nystrom. But ultimately a big, rugged winger named Clark Gillies won her heart.
Around the same time, the girl realized she could write fairly well, and with the help of her freshman English teacher, started covering high school sports for the local newspaper. Her dream at the time was to become a beat writer for Newsday and -- you guessed it -- cover professional ice hockey.
In fact she was so vocal about her passion for the sport -- and her favorite team -- that her classmates named her "Class Islander" in the senior yearbook. Her classmates also decided that any girl who could write so well would be found working at Sports Illustrated within 10 years after graduation.
As it turned out, our heroine's dreams came true much sooner than anyone predicted. Soon after graduating from college, she started going to New York Islanders practices. There, she met her best friend, a young talented photographer. And together, they began covering minor league and professional ice hockey.
In their 20s, they were living every sports fan's dreams. They knew all the players and had locker room access. Life couldn't have possibly been any better. Or could it?
Along the way, something happened to our heroine. She no longer idolized the athletes she once adored. She realized that professional sports aren't all they're cracked up to be, and that the men who make a living playing games don't deserve the blind adulation society showers upon them.
Oh, some of the players she knew were phenomenal athletes. Some were even good people. Others weren't so good. For better or worse, all were human. Not gods. Not superheroes. Not even heroes. Just men blessed with skill, talent and good luck that allowed them to reach the highest level of their chosen profession. Nothing more, nothing less.
As soon as that reality set in, the "little girl" grew up, and the sports fan she once was disappeared for good.
Yes, you guessed it. I was that little girl. And I have no regrets.
Until next time, "That's life..."