Manage your stress * Enliven your passions, projects and relationships
Manage your stress * Enliven your passions, projects and relationships

Winter Getaway

The architecture. The skyscrapers, the spires…The sheer volume of  people almost guarantees a very quick response from your own energy field in NYC. It’s a power spot.
You can notice in a crowded space that you magnetize to you the very things that your mind and emotions start radiating out…..quickly.  This works especially well when you’ve got a purpose. And as much as I like being home in my own space, there’s an exhilarating frequency of being in a crowd (of ideally like-minded people) that I love. Concerts, museums, movies, dance & fitness classes are some of my favorites…but marching purposefully around the city is fun.

A few years back, I planned on attending a workshop that supported a business program that I participated in over the holiday season. I had a goal to make my business more cohesive with my family life and incorporating more of my interests into my work. I had no idea how to do that.  So I resisted going. Like, really really resisted..I had a hundred excuses for why I couldn’t.. shouldn’t.. and probably.. wouldn’t go.

Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus says; “Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into practice – now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You aren’t a child anymore. The sooner you set yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be. The longer you wait, the more you’ll be vulnerable to mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you know you are capable of better. From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do – now.”

Have you ever just flat out denied that you really wanted something?… Like it felt selfish…to have it? Like someone you care about won’t be happy if you go there, do that, say that, be that….or it’d be so inconvenient for everyone else, or that no one could manage it without you?And if you tried to do it, something else would be doomed to fall apart?… Know that head mess? The opposite is true.

Anyway, one of my wise-blood sons, said, “So, you’re going right?” and that pretty much sealed the deal for me. Then my man goes, “you were thinking about NOT going?” I can’t believe I considered telling them some jackass excuse like..‘It’s sooo cold.. It sucks to travel alone into the city..Tomorrow’s gonna to be the coldest day of the year ..what if I don’t get a ride right away?’ ..delivered with some whiny voice that I wouldn’t even recognize..
I almost laughed because I actually heard the inner dialogue with the whiner-voice.

I wondered, who is this woman going to commute from her cozy hearth fire on Long Island to NYC for a workshop,.. alone, on this bitter winter day?

I am she.
I made the decision to go. I saw myself being easily visible to my ride, I envisioned protective large wings..emanating from my long woolen coat. 

I told myself:
I would receive a car with grace… and quickly.
I’d be meeting like-minded interesting people..
The workshop content will be great, I’ll be inspired.
It’ll be wonderful to meet the woman whose program I so enjoyed this winter. I’ll enjoy myself. Yes..enJoy myself. I finally felt confident and was completely at peace with my commitment to go.

And then the plans changed.

For the better. My guy got the day off. (The kids were off already for the winter break.) He says, “Let’s all go. I’ll drive you. We’ll get a room, with a view.” I gasped a big breath in….”Yes!” (You know the full body kind of ‘yes’?) I wondered if the beautiful Court hotel, where the workshop was held, had a room?
Yes. 
A gorgeous suite was available. Did we want it?
Yes.
IS it big enough for my whole gang?
Yes.

the little guys on the pullout couch, pillows strewn about immediately

Howabout a view of the skyline?
Yes.….would be an understatement.
…..with a balcony. I pretended I was a mogul, a tycoon from the 20s.

I’m fortunate. I felt so supported in every way..
The husband, the kids, the concierge…. After the wonderful workshop, (which was illuminating, inspiring and filled with like-minded women) I enjoyed the ease of riding the elevator right back up to my guys .. They were relaxing at the suite after an all-day top-of-the-skyscrapers sightseeing experience..

Then we walked around the corner to Black shack Burger for a fast, hot, fresh and good dinner and a few cold beers ..and my Sonny notices a signed picture of Kerry King from Slayer on the wall.

Which in itself was a “coincidence” because we just went as a family to the Slayer show at the Sands in Bethlehem PA, just a few months before. We got VIP box seating (to keep the kids from getting caught in a mosh), and a room at the venue as well. So convenient. The kids got to meet Kerry King in the elevator and mentioned to him that we came all the way to PA from Long island to see them. He said he didn’t realize that they weren’t playing in NY at all on the tour. (they then added 2 dates on Long island at the Paramount in Huntington, right after that..you’re welcome Long Island Metal fans!)

The supercool restaurant owner hears us talking about this and wants to show us his autographed Kerry King guitar.

OMGosh. Seeing my kids take turns playing Kerry King’s guitar was surreal.

We were all so psyched.
Best day ever. A short walk back to the hotel for our own personal Chrysler Building view from the room.

right from our silky bed while listening to Metalshop with Eddie Trunk on the hotel radio

In the morning the guys all went out for a walk to get some bagels, and I got a little bit of alone time to write.

Weekend getaway Success.
Better than I had imagined.
No stressful commute, no cold-girl woes.
Better than I could have ever micromanaged it.
Whole family adventure.

Mixing Business with Pleasure..
It’s all possible.

Life is good.

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