Life on the Road

For the better part of the two years of 2002 and 2003, I traveled for work and lived on the road.  What does that mean?  It means we worked 80 and sometimes 100 hour weeks and traveled from city to city throughout the country and worked and lived in hotels.  Sometimes we stayed in the same city for a week or maybe two and more often it was two or three cities in one week.  We slept little.

I joined the subcontractor to the TSA in April 2002 just as the organization was taking shape.  It was a very chaotic, stressful, confusing development.  The SOPs were being written and revised daily.  Our roles were changing by the minute.  The instruction was to tell no one in each city who we were working for or what we did, which was sort of silly when a group of 50 of us descended upon the bush in Alaska for example; they knew who we were before we arrived.  We worked and slept under secured floors.  We ate when we could steal the time.

It was an extraordinary experience, both professionally and personally.  It challenged every logical process in our brains and every emotional thread of our beings.

With all the traveling, my packing, airport navigation and hotel comfort skills were tightly honed.  And my bank account and mileage accounts were aplenty.  This was back in the day when an upgrade to business or first was often a handful of miles or another $50-$75.  This is how I traveled, taking advantage of any additional comfort available to me.

Once I left the project for the second time, I needed to travel for myself.  I took a few shorter trips and returned to Argentina each year for the next three years.  All the while accumulating miles and upgrading.  Then I cut way back on travel and used up my miles on the next handful of trips and gave my parents a couple of flights out to visit.

Here it is, several years later and I am traveling, albeit a short trip.  As I move through the airports, I notice I lack urgency.  I listen to those whisking past me, "I'll reach out to an architect on the team," "The program needs some modifications for the client."  The conversations overheard on the hotel shuttle bus are tense and curt.  I climb the bus with spring in my steps and song on my voice and they look at me with a cocked inquisitive head.  There is nothing about what I see that intrigues me or that tempts me back.  In fact, quite the contrary.  It affirms that I am doing what I love just where I am.

What do I miss about that lifestyle?  The upgrades.  Economy is rough.

Good Wishes

My day was so full of ranch productivity--it felt great!  I have another couple of hours of stamina to conquer more, but the alarm tomorrow morning will chime regardless of how much sleep I have had.  Despite waking up this morning at 6am to discover a broken water pipe, I have had this outpouring of drive.

I felt light.  I felt peace.  I felt space and freedom.

When I stop and look at events, thoughts and vibes leading up to something, I cannot help but acknowledge that that is exactly what was happening: leading.  So I follow willingly.

This evening a conversation took place that will have a very significant impact on me.  It will present major challenges, a curveball or two, and considerable adjustments.

Here's the thing.  Rather than feeling stressed about the potential for weighty struggles, I still feel all those things I felt this morning and throughout the day.  Rather than feeling helpless and overwhelmed, I feel fresh and empowered.

The Sound of Music is one of my all time favorite movies and I do have to steal a line that "The Reverend Mother used to say, 'When one door closes a window opens.'" (I've seen that movie countless times yet I can't be sure I quoted it correctly!)

I have faith in my abilities.  I am confident.  I am resourceful and creative.

While those statements are true, I call upon my friends and family to help me focus these qualities to forge ahead, clearing the next steps on my path.  I ask you to gift me good wishes in your thoughts, prayers, dreams and meditations.

Sometimes my independence takes the lead.  This time, I'm inviting my vulnerabilities to show up and allowing my heart to be open to all positive energy coming my way.

Peace.  Light. Love. Thank you.

Chill Factor

Now, I understand how you might be thinking this is in reference to the weather, but it is not.

Chill Factor is a 48 count line dance that has very few repeating steps.  I used to dance it years ago with my friends in Long Beach and I've been itching to dance it again up here.  After a few frustrating starts of getting reacquainted, it came back to me.

Tonight, I taught a class strictly on Chill Factor.  It is a challenge.  It can make you stomp your feet--not part of the choreography.  It can get your head turned around so much that you have no idea which way you're going.  And when you get it, it can make your legs fly and your heart sing!

The dance floor was crowded tonight.  The dancing was on.

I like my Friday nights.