Me? A published author?

I turned in ALL my english composition essays this past weekend! Yay! All done for a month! I even submitted an essay about my potty training adventures from last summer!Anyway, one of my essays had a comment from my professer. She asked my permission to submit one of my essays to a college literary magazine! Say what!? I was so shocked, but very honored. I'll paste the essay below! Beware, its not like the greatest essay ever, but someone thought it was good!



My Personal Black Hole

Whether it’s a Coach, Chanel, or Kavi, cotton, leather, or canvas, most women in America carry a purse with them wherever they go. According to Webster’s dictionary, a purse is a bag; a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories. This explanation does not do any justice to the purse; a purse is so much more than this. A purse is a vital, personal companion that acts as an essential survival kit, a representation of the owner’s life, and a portable black hole.
I always feel prepared when I tote my purse around, but it feels a bit like Mary Poppins’ bottomless bag. If ever hunger strikes at an inopportune moment, or if boredom attacks while stuck in the doctor’s office, a purse is always helpful. A purse is a survival kit for every situation. If stranded on a deserted island, a purse could keep you going for a few days. At any given time I have Tylenol, vitamins, crushed crackers, a smashed granola bar, half-empty water bottle, at least four pony-tail holders, a book, spare jar of baby food, two happy meal toys, band-aids, hand-sanitizer, enough change to buy a coke or two (if there happens to be a drink machine), and my husband’s pocket knife. These few items could help entertain, treat minor wounds, create a defense against the wild, ward off starvation and dehydration, and keep the hair out of my face. Everything I need to survive fits right into my purse.
In the movie Wizard of Oz, the fortune teller looks into Dorothy’s basket so he could adequately guess facts about her life. Every item in a purse represents an aspect of the owner’s life. Looking into a purse is like looking into a crystal ball; many secrets can be told with just a glimpse. A Jane Austin novel in a purse gives a snooper a picture of a hopeless romantic; one who likes to escape from the trials of life into an eighteenth-century adventure. Multiple medical bills show a history of illness, or a past, major medical event. An expired coupon for Oreos and a crumpled aerobics class schedule leaves an impression of a forgetful, frugal cookie-lover, who works hard to keep the Oreos away from her hips. Like it or not, a purse can give away some dirty little secrets.
It never fails that when I drop my keys into my purse, I will later spend ten minutes searching for them. My purse is a black hole, which sucks all things of importance into its depths. Contents disappear into oblivion and then mysteriously reappear in my purse. Every now and then I’ll discover things in my purse that I have no recollection of storing; apparently the purse black hole occasionally will reverse itself. The black hole is the only drawback to carrying a purse, but I continue to tote around my little black hole despite the risks.
No matter the brand or design, purses are important parts of most women’s lives. Women spend hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars on purses, but a purse is truly a priceless commodity. A purse is not just a void in which to carry around a wallet, cell phone, keys, and other essentials; it symbolizes the very essence of each individual woman. A life without a purse would be a depressing and inconvenient existence.