Dreams are Wonderful Things

A year ago, it was my dream to share my work with the world. After trying the conventional channels, I made a complete break from the past. I felt like Adam Lambert—whom music executive Simon Cowell called a “world-class talent” and whom the country discovered on American Idol. Adam held a string of odd jobs to support himself while trying to make it as a breakthrough music artist…even though Adam came in second to Arkansas homeboy Kris Allen, Adam was the one who landed the coveted cover on Rolling Stone and who is collaborating with the best production talent in the business. When a reporter asked why he wasn’t discovered earlier, despite his stupefying talent, Adam said maybe it was because he had not gone through the conventional channels.

Essentially, I had to become my own publisher, create a healing and convivial space on the web, and invite the entire world to the party. My husband Joseph, who has seen my spirit crushed when I worked in monolithic environments, told me he would offer tech support, but that I would have to fund Strange Tango out of my own income—he was testing my resolve and depth of commitment. People don’t move to southwest Oklahoma to further their careers, and the only job I was offered was to be the producer of the evening news at a local tv station—a job which paid a fraction of my previous salary. Clearly, it was not a cost-effective option for me. This meant I would have no budget for the personal website.

But, time and time again, I make things happen by force of goodwill, resourcefulness, and on occasion, charisma. It’s a lot like creating a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, a skill I have pulled out time and time again working in academia. The idea—the concept—would have to carry the day, and I had a repository of vetted work that I knew would pass muster. So, I reached out to my world, and then the magic began to happen.