If I won the lottery (or how not to work in Corporate America)

Whenever I see an ad or a billboard announcing the latest Lotto Jackpot, I fantasize about what it would be like to have or win a lot of money. I don't feel I need to win $175 million. I figure $5 or 6 million after taxes would be enough to buy and furnish a nice home, travel, be generous with family and friends, indulge in all my favorite pastimes, and -- best of all -- quit my job in Corporate America.

Then I usually have a fantasy about how I would quit. My favorite one is I'd stand up during a meeting and say "Oh, silly me. I don't have to do this anymore. I won the Jackpot." The vindicative side of me sometimes -- okay, often -- imagines this would happen right in the middle of an important project. (Maybe I should focus on using my power for good, not evil.) Anyway, I never buy a lottery ticket so the point is moot.

While setting up my Google Reader feeds today, I found Chocolate & Zucchini, a food blog by 27-year-old Clotilde Dusoulier from Paris, France. I haven't read much of the blog yet, but I like the looks of it. This is what took my fancy:

The blog was created in September of 2003 . . .. One thing led to another, a bit of media attention was received, articles were submitted to and published by newspapers and magazines, a book deal was signed, a dayjob was quit, and a new life as a full-time food writer began.

I don't aspire to be a food writer -- and I'm not 27 years old -- but working at what you love is very appealing to me. I admire people who have managed to do that. Although I write and edit a magazine for a living, which I enjoy, it's for a large financial company. That's the Corporate America part -- with all the politics, bureaucracy and sometimes soul-draining experiences that term holds for me. It's not all bad, of course. And working at what you love, I realize, is work and has negatives as well as positives. So to keep the dreary corporate life in perspective, I stitch, read, cook, and am now writing here for pleasure. I may not be working at what I love, but it's never to late to do what I love.