My 5-Minute Claim to Fame (Memoir, written 2017)

I cannot leave out an important moment in my life on this blog, even though it happened many many years ago. I was 57 years old and had decided to return to college. Bill had lost his vision by this time, but we didn't know he was going to develop Alzheimer's. Because of this, I decided it was time for me to add to the family income. 

Here is an article I wrote about "My Claim to Fame" back in 2017. 

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Claim to Fame – Cindy Downes

Marilyn Monroe once said, “Fame doesn't fulfill you. It warms you a bit, but that warmth is temporary.” I’ve never been famous like Marilyn Monroe, but judging from People magazine, this appears to be true.   

In my own life, I’ve tried to focus on achievement, rather than fame. And, as John Maxwell once said, “Without failure there is no achievement.” So fail I did! I was always trying something. It didn’t matter whether I succeeded or failed. It was the process that was the fun!

In school, I tried out and sometimes was selected for the lead in the school play. Other times, I ended up crying because all they wanted me to do was write a poem. I auditioned for and sometimes won the top spot in the high school band. Other times, I was lucky to have a seat at all. I competed in and won the American Legion’s National Oratorical contest three years in a row, but lost the 4^th time around.  

At the University of Delaware, I competed for the most dates! Although this is definitely not a claim to fame, it did land me a great husband!

As an adult, my achievements returned to the academic arena, and I was seldom satisfied to be “middle of the road.” I got a 4.0 in every class I took at Oklahoma State when I returned to college in 2007, I got a perfect score on my ham radio Extra exam (an exam that, I've been told, some engineers have trouble passing), and I won several Journalism awards when writing articles for local and national magazines.

In fact, writing became my passion – both in print and on the Internet. I wrote articles for magazines like iPhone Life, the Old Schoolhouse, and Oklahoma Living, but got paid very little. I wrote a picture book about “Garrett the Ferret, the White House Exterminator” and a children’s book called “Adventures at Spiro Mounds,” but even after landing a meeting with editors in NYC, neither one got published. Conversely, I wrote and self-published an educational resource book and two Oklahoma history manuals to help homeschool families. This effort provided me with nearly $100,000 in income; however, I’ve received very little fame from them. 

I also wrote about my everyday life and gave advice to moms using my websites and blogs. Most of it was ignored, but this online writing did land me a spot on OETA and another one on Good Morning America, my two biggest claims to fame. In my own family and circle of acquaintances, I am the “famous” one because I was on state and national TV; however, no one outside the family is begging me for my autograph! 

The bottom line is this: I’m not famous, but I keep trying to achieve something. Much of the time, it ends up a flop, but sometimes it’s worthwhile. It isn’t about fame; it’s the process. And to remind me to continue working the process, I keep a quotation on my wall that says, “Life is short. Run a marathon. Who cares if you come in last? Who cares? Just do it!” 

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Here is the video my brother, Dave, recorded on his TV. Without this, I would have no record of my 5-Minute Claim to Fame!