Well done Whirlybird,
i think you are a very good writer, without questions a very interesting woman and i'm shure you will go your own way. But sometimes i agree with OMR. To prepare your own website or newsgroup could be a nice trial. All interested ppruners could visit the page and read your steps into the biz.
Don't misunderstand me, but what's the next? A diary about your first student? The daily real questions and problems with customers, the weather, the boss, the helo's, maintenance, environment, next ratings and of course all the good and beautiful moments, shortly the alldays live of thousends of ppruners? Your way is a hard way, but you will go above all the steps, like all the others before.
You could have enough advices from the friends around you and you don't need the whole world to spot you.