I was reminded when writing about my #FaceForward and future goals that I never wanted to work in technology. Not really, anyway. I had dreams of going to New York and being a fashion designer. Mind you, this was before the Project Runway days so I truly had a very limited picture of what the grueling behind-the-scenes life of a fashion designer looked like, but still, that’s what I was convinced I wanted to do.

I wouldn’t say that my parents particularly discouraged it, but my mom definitely did not encourage me to move so far away. For most of my childhood, my mom was known as the “quilt lady.” To say that sewing was in my blood is an understatement. I spent most of my childhood either wrapped in a quilt my mom made, or someone else she met along the way had made. I learned to sew when I was about 5 or 6 and entered my first quilt in the local state fair. (Nerd alert!) I ended up taking home multiple ribbons, including Best in Show (for my age category… not the big leagues!), first place, and a few other awards.

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