A Glimpse of the Future?

The last 24 hours have been strange and wonderful. I've felt so much like who I want to be in a few years, and I guess I'm lucky that I've had the opportunity to experience it and confirm that this is the direction I want to head. Let me explain.

A few weeks ago I was invited to speak on a panel of young editors at FIT about the magazine industry and expectations versus reality. I love being on panels and I'm pretty good at it, so of course I said yes. The panel was yesterday, so three beauty/fashion editors and I spoke to 50 or so aspiring journalists and editors for an hour, bestowing advice on getting internships and jobs, the perks of magazines, the low salary, etc. It's nice to talk and have people listen, and sitting next to editors who had been in the industry for three to eight years but still holding my own felt good.

A gorgeous day at the Museum of Natural History and the park surrounding it.

After the panel I rushed off to a happy hour even sponsored by a PR firm I've worked with on a story for the magazine. There I was passed around and discussed new web sites, what big companies are up to, what's up at Fast Company and so on with industry folk and PR flack. The happy hour ended but the party had just begun, so eight or nine of us moved to a second bar. Again I was surrounded by people older and move experience than myself, and I still felt like I held my own.

This morning I attended a press event for a new product launch, yet again surrounded by people in the industry who had more experience than I. But each time I'm in a situation like this, it's less and less intimidating. I'm generally quiet because I'm one of those observant reporters who soaks everything in, processes and relays, not one of those who talks all the time, but the point is that I'm there doing it just as well as they are.

My favorite subway station. It's a cave and the core of the earth!

After the event, I went to a Starbucks to write my piece (see it here!) and send it in to the Web site. I wrote, sipped coffee, looked out the window at the Upper West Side. It was a beautiful day and I was next the the Museum of Natural History, one of my favorite places in the city, and I just kept thinking, yep, I could do this. This could be my life, and I would be happy.

So hopefully, in the coming years, this will be my life. Panels, cocktail parties full of interesting people, press events, writing, blogging, working outside the office, hanging out on the Upper West Side. It was a great 24 hours—one I hope I can look forward to living many, many more times in the future.