It's exactly like the Hunger Games

I entered a lottery.

Not a lottery where you have to kill everyone else in order to survive.

This isn't Real Housewives.

It happened like this:

In mid-December decide you need a little inspiration.
(Needing a break from all the holiday obligations will help with this.)

Get good and tired of dreaming about that one thing you've always wanted to do and finally do it.

You know, like moving to Rwanda to be accepted by gorillas in their natural habitat.

Which is probably way easier than being accepted in junior high.

OR, you could be like Roz Savage and row a boat across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving behind a marriage, job, home, and little red sports car after being inspired by writing two versions of your obituary: one where you live a conventional life, and another where you live the life you've always wanted to have.
(This paragraph has 253 characters, not counting spaces. Go with it.)

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Charles Goodwin already discovered vulcanization and led the way to the effective use of rubber. I'm sure there are other things you can discover.

Read the qualifying standards and lottery rules for the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

Realize if you enter and are selected you will have even less time than you do now to meet family obligations.

Download the entry questionnaire for the lottery.

Realize that 250 characters or less is not that many words. See?

As you fill out the questionnaire, realize you've referenced your older sister a lot.

Be reminded of how thankful you are not to be in the same age group as your older sister in case they decide to pick both of you.

Remember to use that as your "I am thankful for" in two years when you are back at your mother's house for Thanksgiving.

Realize in two years when you are back at your mother's house for Thanksgiving, you'll be in the same age group as your older sister.

Silently curse your mother for making you write what you are thankful for.

Really put that you "brush your teeth in the shower because it's efficient" as the interesting fact about yourself.

Submit your lottery application.

Look at your calendar in case you have a conflict with the race dates.

Realize you have a work conflict with the race dates.

Pray.

The Ironman World Championship is considered the Super Bowl for triathletes. The race field is limited to 1,800 athletes. Only 100 are selected through the lottery. Another 100 are selected through a Legacy program. Beginning in 2012, athletes were given an increased chance of being selected based on the number of years they have entered. For each year an athlete registers, their chances increase accordingly. By 2022, I might get in...

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. - Martin Luther King

Follow your dream, whatever that may be.