"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

Katherine and I are happily ensconced in our Venice Beach apartment. In the mornings we eat breakfast watching the Pacific Ocean crashing against the sand. In the evenings, tranquil, we watch the vibrant and spectacular sunsets listening to the waves break against the shore. I have no exciting news or interesting trips to tell you about. I go to the clinic, I hang out with friends, I watch the Super Bowl... It's a bit like living here only I don't.

I told you that I got myself a penpal buddy from the clinic when I was in South America. We wrote for 2 months while I was away and eventually met properly face to face when I got back to LA four weeks ago. Over the next few weeks I bumped into him a few times, in corridors, between meetings, etc. I went to the acupuncture college I was originally going to apply to last year to have an informal chat about studying there and as the admissions officer was showing me round the teaching rooms who was teaching but my old penpal buddy. I then bumped into him at lunch and again a few hours later as I came out of my acupuncture treatment. At this point he uttered the immortal words... "Are you stalking me?"

I have sinced explained to him just how unintentionally funny this was. I didn't recount the full Martina Navratilova and Nicolas Massu / Fernando Gonzalez story, and thought better of following up with the Viggo Mortensen Spain/New York double whammy as well. Just for the record he does understand that I am not a stalker. He was joking. OK! Then guess what I found out?

I discovered that one Mr.V.Mortensen lives in Venice and is one of many locals who donate to the clinic. If Nico turns up here I will be utterly spooked. This will be the climax, the culmination and honing of the finest observation, pursuit and stealth skills: my nirvana as the High Priestess of Stalking.

So...two roads...wasn't that what Robert Frost said?

So I came here to confirm my decision that studying in London was the most sensible thing to do. And obviously I was going to hate LA because I have stubbornly, and yet groundlessly known that for decades. I don't need to expand on this statement really, do I? You, all know that once I have that gut feeling, however difficult or turbulent the ensuing course of action may seem, that really is it and I will not be content until I am doing what feels right. My original, seemingly unfounded and surprising decision last year, was to come here to study. I talked myself out of it because every logical atom in my soul was crying out that I should stay in London. Fancy this! I was right first time.

So now I have to decide what I am going to do and that leaves me with quite a bit to deal with before I leave, kicking and screaming, in two weeks time. I am going to need an awful lot of friend stroking when I get back. Just warning you.