last time in NYC

The last time Jen and I were in New York together was part of the countdown until she relocated to Seattle. Since then (a year and a half ago) we've made the transition from friends who live ten blocks apart to friends who live on opposite coasts. This has meant a lot of time on the phone, and a lot of new endeavors for both of us.

Today's phone call touched on one of my new favorite subjects--money (or, more specifically, getting out of debt and in position to be financially powerful), which is something we've both struggled with for years before we became friends. I'd like to think that within the next two years we will both be debt-free and well on our way to good retirement saving plans and owning our own homes. Talk about coming a long way, baby. I can't convey how much I hated this topic two or three years ago, and Jen and I had our first fight about it (as she reminded me today), five years ago. How did we get from here to there? That's a long answer.

We've also been kicking around the idea of writing something to help other women who want to start their own businesses and work for themselves--the messier emotional and psychological stuff that comes up. We've both built our business over the past few years and have radically different working styles and careers given that we're both writers. I think those differences are part of what makes us an interesting pair.

A little about Jen: she's incredibly creative and industrious and playful and resourceful in all aspects of her life. She's the person you want in your corner if you're stuck in the middle of the desert, in a whitewater raft, in the wake of some guy, or at the makeup counter of a department store. She's open minded in that way where the rubber hits the road--she's put up with me and my opinions and my challenging her for years and responded with a good attitude, thoughful responses, tremendous loyalty, and (when merited) strong boundaries. She makes her own jewelry, knitwear, and scented lotion. She's also the best host and tour guide I've ever known.

Having said all this, I hope it becomes clear after reading a couple of entries how different we are and why we've both grown so much as a result of being friends.