All by Myself

Today, not really.  I am joined by the company of the Verizon technician who is here to install my brand new Fios Internet access.  He drilled and installed, everything was going fine…until we had a glitch.  He ran his software updates and poof!  No more internet.  So, instead of doing what I’d really like to be doing right now, which is curled up on my couch taking a cat nap, I am entertaining myself by filing, sorting through papers, and otherwise looking busy while this poor gentleman sits on the phone with customer service trying to determine just where things went wrong.  And, I decided that I’ve had enough of filing, organizing, and cleaning, and that technician or no technician, I needed to get some writing in.

Last night was downright lonely for me.  I had had a rough day – my car battery, just shy of its six month birthday, died, and I spent all day hoping and praying that it was, in fact, just the battery which was still under warranty.  I came home to my apartment and made a few phone calls to my far-flung family and friends – had a hilarious conversation with my mom, in which she used the word “daguerreotype” while making a joke, chatted with my friend Susie Q in San Diego, and then took a long, rambling sunset walk on the beach.  Every once in a while I just wish I had someone to take that long walk on the beach with, someone to kvetch about my day in person with, and then after that long walk, would curl up on the couch with me as we fall asleep to the latest DVD of “Battlestar Galactica.”  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy being single – but every once and a while I’d like to have someone special to come home to instead of just another bad first date.  And I realize that the above admission is neither confident nor sexy but it’s honest and human.  I'm a single in a sea of couples and families and sometimes it bothers me a little bit.

The thought of being a full-time writer adds a level of intimidation.  At least I see my co-workers every day, but as a full-time writer, how am I going to handle not seeing anybody?  Just like everyone else, I have days where not seeing anyone is mighty appealing and darn right wonderful.  However, as anyone who knows me can attest, I am an extrovert and social butterfly by nature.  I worry about how I’ll combat being alone all of the time.  That was one of my biggest fears when I started this journey, and I have a few solutions:
    - Find office space where I can sit and work a few days a week
    - Network with other work at home freelancers, etc  and have a social working day
    - If I’m not going out every day, make sure I have something on my social calendar at least every night so I don’t wake up one day looking like Ellen  Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream (hello! excuse to go dancing more!)
     - Infiltrate the Los Angeles branch of the Yakuza and scream “Kawaii!” every time I complete an assassination.  I think I would look something like this:

See?  I told you I was scary.