Last week I went to hear Fran Drescher speak.

Not only that, but I also got to shake her hand and say hello. Oh, and get my picture snapped with her.

She was in Minneapolis as part of the Smart Talk lecture series and her message, basically, was be optimistic and take chances.

I got my picture taken with her exactly because I had taken a chance.

Back in January, when I was at the first of the Smart Talk series events, I saw a call out in the program that said the organization was looking for “artists” who might be interested in working with Smart Talk.

Hey – I thought – isn’t a writer an ar-TEEST?

I took a chance and sent an email to the address listed, said I was a writer and a blogger, included some links to my work and … well, I managed to get myself and a friend backstage to meet The Nanny.

Smart Talk and I haven’t quite figured out where exactly our relationship is going, but…

But now they me. I know them. And I got to meet Fran Drescher.