New York, New York

I had a great flight across the country and sat next to a very interesting lady who was on her way to NY for a final interview as a marketing director for some Italian design house. We commiserated with each other on how  life's ambitions sometimes force you out of LA, a city -especially if you live on the West side - as close to an urban paradise as possible . She may end up moving to the East Coast and splitting her life between NY and Rome. Her life, like mine, was changing atom by atom as we flew across America.

I woke up this morning feeling very anxious and realized that for the first time in my life, I've embarked on work that is only (primarily) pleasing to myself. Unlike my consulting, in which I had external agents to please so as to get paid etc., here the only boss (to be disappointed or made happy by my performance), is myself. This responsibility or awareness of this responsibility is making me quake with a mix of nervousness and excitement. I feel strangely "grown-up".

I'm going to take today to draw up a schedule, write out my goals a bit more clearly,  re-read what has already been written, and clean up the outline. I have to be honest about who I am to decide if I'm a morning, afternoon or evening writer. I'd really like to be one of those early morning birds, already typing away as the streets come alive. But, I suspect my best hours are nearer lunch. I have to keep reminding myself to "be true to thyself" - authenticity will carry this project forward!