Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter Two
“All for one and one for all.”
—Alexandre Dumas
I
don't remember if it was just one particular Monday or a series of Mondays that led to
the rock bottom of my life in London. All I do remember is that I was sitting there, in my
oak-wood office, with my oak-wood desk. Metal bookcases spanned across one wall, and
on the other hung an antique hunting painting you would expect to find in an old law office.
The white walls stood out in stark contrast against the gray skies of London just beyond my
windows. I blinked hard at the flashing cursor on my computer and reached out to pick up
the ringing phone. And I wanted everything to change. Literally, everything.
Sure, I worked in Mayfair, the Beverly Hills of London. And sure, I made money, but
to me, it was all meaningless. Because for years, I thought that if I could only make more,
if I could only achieve more, that somehow I would
be
more. More of what, I had no idea.
Because no matter how many zeroes I put in my bank account, I always felt bankrupt inside.
After landing in Los Angeles I worked hard to eradicate that part of my life. I traveled. I
spent time connecting with people, and spent as little time in an office as possible. But then
slowly, things began to change.
I started working on a new project in the TV business. My days in the office got longer;
my nights at home got shorter. If I wasn't at work, I was thinking about work. I lived on my
laptop, and when not on my laptop, I lived on my phone. I thought for sure if I could just get
this one TV show off the ground, everything would be right with the world. I had replaced
one superficial gig for another, but I couldn't see that. Instead, I simply believed I was fol-
lowing a dream. I was making things happen. And I was becoming an annoying coworker,
friend, and partner in the process.
Lina would ask me to do something on the weekend, and I would invariably be an hour
late. She would be upset, but I would explain, “Babe, this project is about to happen. I swear.
And then it will all be over.”
