Ever since I was little I wanted to be famous. Not the Kim Kardashian kind of famous or even Steve Jobs kind of famous. OK who am I kidding? I wanted full on Meryl Streep Oscar nominated fame.   For years, as a chronic insomniac I’d lie at night and daydream about being on Dave Letterman talking about everything and anything (I was his favourite guest). Talking to Dave helped me fall asleep, as well as gave me a sense that someone cared about what I thought. Yea I know I was daydreaming. And yes I also know it’s a little pathetic but it comes from a place of wanting to feel important, wanting to matter. I wanted to be acknowledged for doing something awesome. As time went by and producers weren’t knocking down my door, I decided that if fame wasn’t going to find me I would choose to create my own in the smallest of gestures every day.

So I am famous in my own mind. I walk the red carpet every day, given my winning Oscar speech numerous times and I’ve won Survivor Muskoka with the most blindsides ever in Survivor history. Oh and did I tell you about my island. You know my island, where once I’m famous I bring every single person I love who has helped me along the way to live in absolute nirvana. We’ll all get to be and do whatever we want! There will be a surf shop, beach bar, petting zoo, crafts room, organic farm, disco and a barn filled with handsome lumberjacks or ladyjacks or whatever it is you fancy! I talk about my island every day and my peeps can’t wait to come. Somehow I believe they believe it will happen…and it probably will. I go on rants and raves about topics that can change the world or simply shift the mood of a single moment and just because it isn’t captured on Entertainment Tonight doesn’t make it any less valuable or real. I declare random holidays like Love your Co-Workers Day and Red Wine Friday (well it’s every Friday). I’m famous for my dramatic interpretive dancing, my passion for potato chips, wild weekends at my cottage, scaring the bleep out of people, sipping whisky, squirrel whispering, animal costumes and my junk food smorgasbords…to name just a few.

Being famous isn’t about getting a star on Hollywood Blvd – it’s about reaching on your tippy-toes for your own star and owning it. It’s also not about needing someone else to award it to you – you just need to claim it. So shine a spotlight on what makes you unique, quirky, talented or especially goofy, geeky or great and claim your fame.

Patty Lowry – Brownie of the Year, 1969.