Last night Friend Will called me to let me know that the pictures were all up at the gallery. For a minute, I was so embroiled in our latest financial crisis that I didn't know what he was talking about.

I had forgotten all about it.

So ingrained in my mind is the idea that my photographs are not worth the paper they're printed on, that my role at this gallery show is to support the other artists, make a cheese tray, and act as lively hostess that I forgot all about it.

"How come you didn't sign your work?" Friend Will asked.

"It never entered my mind. I thought...I don't know...it might detract from picture."

"Tea! You always sign your work! You wouldn't write a book and not put your name on it, would you?"

"Well...yeah, probably. It's the work that's important."

He just sighed. My friends have done everything they can for me. I may be a hopeless case. Or not.

Because this is really going to Happen! Tomorrow night ( today is Wednesday isn't it?) My work is going to be featured at a gallery where people with household names shop. It's in the same room with work of an artist I really admire: art I'd snap up if I had the money. This isn't the high school gymn, this is an actual, freaking, ART GALLERY. It's an actual, freaking OPENING NIGHT. It's real. I didn't just imagine it, or dream about it. Somebody might like my stuff. Somebody might buy it. Heck, they might even ask me to sign it, since I'm there.

Sure, I'll be unsteady, and nervous and scared in the crowd. But my auxilary personality, ever dependable, will kick in. And I can talk about my work. Heck, I took all those pictures. I lined them up, I looked at the lighting, the color, the lines. This really is a dream come true. When I started with the guild, my goal was to be able to share the way I see the world with other people. At least I am convinced that I have a unique perspective...so convinced that I bought that digital camera, humble and limited as it is, learned how to use it, went to all those meetings, took notes, went out, did the shoots, agonized over what was the very best of my work to put in this show. These images represent my best effort. Just because I'm in the habit of thinking "Making 100% effort is only what's expected of you. You're nothing special, so you'd better work hard to keep up" doesn't mean the rest of the world is going to see it that way.

And tomorrow night, I'll get a chance to find out. Like Miss Kitty, I don't have high expectations, so I can't be disappointed. But I could be happily surprised.