Story of a loser: How I became a columnist?

I really don’t know. But here I am, writing once a week since October 2012.  

How did I get here? I really don’t know that either. I only know it took a very long time. Unlike the other millions of literate, grown-up Turks who genuinely believe they can be exceptionally good columnists, I never imagined myself as a columnist. Call it low self-esteem or just being realistic, it was far from being a career goal. (What was my career goal is a good question at this point. I dare not say for the third time “I really don’t know.”)

I guess I had no career goal; working in the media was just a life-style: bringing home food, paying my rent, then later on –stupid parents we are – paying a tiny portion of the over expensive private school we sent our son to – well, it was my architect husband who paid the lion’s share of everything (and that last part is coming from a person who strictly believes in gender equality). But it is a fact that you don’t make decent money in journalism. -- Oops, I’m lost…  

Oh, my career goal. Having a social life, being a part of an office, fish for a boyfriend in my single years, then hating the office, torturing myself trying to keep my job, repeating to myself “I will never quit before I see that bitch leave,” (at some points, I really liked my job). Then years passed and retiring began looking increasingly better in my eyes.

Well, how did I end up being here? It is because of my blog on Hürriyet Daily News’ website, posted under another name – Belgin Tan. (Aha, self-esteem issues, again.) My boss said he enjoyed my posts, liked the way I wrote. He said I wrote like Dave Barry. Did I know who Dave Barry was? No, I did not... I...