Life Stories, Travel Adventures, Food Experiences, General Musings
Author: Melody
I am a crafter, artist and blogger/writer. My paintings can be found on www.MelodyErickson.com. My official blog site is www.MelErickson.com. I have several other things in the works as well. Great things are happening!
I sat at the beach a while, listening, watching, contemplating…then decided to explore a bit. I followed the walkway toward the point and discovered a swim club, which is apparently open to the public. The pool is filled with sea water and is refreshed each night when high tide comes in.
Dee Why Beach’s, Swim Club on the PointOcean side poolOcean side pool
On the far end of the swim club is a rocky area with tide pools and cliffs beautifully decorated with succulent plants. A small heron was fishing in one of the pools and didn’t mind that I came right up to him to get a picture!
Rocky area just beyond the swim clubWhite-faced HeronScenic CliffsScenic Cliffs
So I’ve really done it! I have traveled over 20 air hours from my home to another country where I know no one and am unfamiliar with customs and transportation systems and where to find what. Speaking of finding things, top on my list are: 1) Power converter, 2) nail file, 3) alcohol (not necessarily in that order).
I left my home 6 days ago (really 5, but I’ve crossed the International Date Line). I’m not gonna lie – there have been several times I’ve questioned my sanity for doing this. More than once I have momentarily wished myself back to the security of my home and community of friends – and my sweet puppies! But mostly I am amazed at the idea that I. did. this.
I am here right now, sitting on a park bench in Dee Why, Australia, listening to the sound of the surf, smelling the scents of the ocean, and people watching.
To get to the beach from where I’m staying, I walked up the street to the top of the hill, then followed it downhill about 8 – 10 city blocks. Across from the beach are coffee shops and restaurants, one after another. No touristy shops here, just lots of food! And all very busy on a Sunday morning!
Restaurants at Dee Why BeachAubergine Restaurant
I stopped for breakfast at Aubergine and had the best (to be honest, probably the first) Eggs Benedict ever! Meat options were ham, bacon or smoked salmon. Smoked salmon was the perfect choice! I thought it a little pricey at $17.90, but totally worth it!
Eggs Benedict with Smoked SalmonOh, yes – it was yummy!Decaf Latte – in a glass.
My day started with getting up at 4:00 a.m. for an 8:15 a.m. flight from Hawaii to Sydney. Of course I awoke at 3:30, just because. I was up extra early because I was concerned about my ability to get out of the building.
The day before, I almost lost a cab as I waited for the elevator. I would push the button, the button would light up and then turn off. I would push the button again. Same thing. I would hold the button to keep the light on. I would listen as the elevator buzzed by my floor. I finally called the owner of the unit and they called the building management. Fortunately, the cabbie who was waiting for me had been to this building before and new the game. He waited. How nice!
Thankfully, the elevator problem from the day before had been fixed. So – off to the airport! The shuttle arrived at the airport at the promised 6:15 a.m. I flew JetStar, which is an Australian airline. I had not been able to check in online because I purchased my ticket from a third party, but that didn’t matter. I had two bags to be checked, so I had to stand in line anyway.
The line was outrageously long – but – it moved very quickly! According to the website, you had to be through security by 7:00 a.m. for this flight, which seemed impossible, but I made it! The other thing I hadn’t done online was pay for my checked luggage. When I got to the counter, the Jetstar representative told me she would give me the online price ($70) for checking my bags because the standard price would have been over $300! Yikes! So I got lucky!
I’m going to make the rest of the flight story a bit shorter by providing bulleted points:
Flight was just under 10 hours (looooooong).
Each seat had a monitor at the back of the headrest for watching videos. $10 gets you all access pass to movies, TV shows and music. I watched I’ll See You In My Dreams and the Amy Winehouse movie.
Two hot meals were served – I had remembered to purchase those online. Food was not bad.
A can of coke costs $3.50.
My ankles have not been that swollen since the late stages of my pregnancy, 33 years ago!
Once off the plane, I stopped at the Foreign Exchange desk, and then needed to make my way to my Airbnb location. The property owners had given me some instructions:
Take the Train to the wharf at Circular Quay (pronounced “Key”)
Take the Ferry to Manly
Take the 136 bus to North Curl Curl. Tell the driver to let you off at the top of our road.
Sounded easy enough. First to find the train ticketing station. I got directions from three different people before I found it. The ticket agent then informed me the train no longer goes to Circular Quay. You must get off at Central Station and take a bus to Circular Quay. Okay. Navigate luggage through turnstile…then to elevator to get to platform.
I get off the train at Central Station. There are billions of people, and no signs to tell me where to get a bus, so again, I start asking around. I ask directions several times, and after going in the wrong direction, down hill for quite a way, I learn I will need to go back up the hill. Have I mentioned I’m dragging some very heavy bags behind me? (I really did try to pack light, but…I’ll be on a cruise for 13 days! I need me some fun clothes!)
Finally at the bus stand per instructions from the man at the information office, and I watch two buses drive by that say Circular Quay. I get up and move to the next bus stand, where the Circular Quay buses are actually stopping. Good news – it’s a free bus since the trains have been shut down beyond Central Station (I don’t know why and was too tired to care.)
Getting on the bus was challenging with luggage, but a nice transport agent helped me get settled, which was really nice. A couple stops later, the bus driver called out a passenger, accusing him of boarding from the back of the bus. He then continued to vent and swear for the remainder of the drive to CQ (he was not happy about the free bus situation). Once at CQ, the driver pulled off at the top of the hill, mumbling something about how it would take 20 minutes to drive down to the Quay because of all the other buses.
Off the bus, and it was all downhill to the Quay (thank goodness), and then I crossed the street and headed to the closest ticketing location, Wharf 3. Ticketing office was closed. Sign says you must purchase ticket at Wharf 4. Drag bags to Wharf 4. Where do I board? Wharf 3. Of course. Back at Wharf 3 and hear the announcement that the gates will close in one minute. Now fast-walking/dragging bags through turnstile and then to ferry. Made it!
Once on the ferry I was able to breath a bit. I bought a cold bottle of water from the ferry café. The man behind the counter said, “$3.00.” I held a handful of coins out to the man behind the counter and said, “I don’t know. Just take what you need.” The man was very kind. He gave me a lesson in Australian coins and then a warning.
“Don’t ever do that at the markets! They’ll take all your money!”
“I know. I’m just tired and I knew you would do the right thing.”
“Okay, but just don’t do that again!”
“I won’t. Thank you.”
I had wedged my bags between some seats inside the ferry and I wasn’t interested in moving them again, so I popped outside for just a minute to grab a couple photos and then back to my seat inside. I’ll get more photos on another trip.
Sydney Harbor Bridge
Once off the ferry, I just had to locate the correct stand for bus 136, which wasn’t difficult, but when I gave the driver instructions on where I needed to be dropped off, he looked at me like I was crazy. I obviously hadn’t relayed the information using the correct words. I hadn’t yet boarded the bus, so I stepped back from the door, saying “I’ll catch you on your next run.” Then I found a cab.
This cabbie was a very nice Australian man. He said I was lucky to have caught him because most cabbies are from India and they don’t know the area as well. As I was explaining where I needed to go, he asked all the right questions, then gave me a little guided tour as we traveled from one area of the city to the next. Once at my destination, he unloaded my bags from the cab and, as the street and sidewalk were very steep, made sure to place them on “the flat” in front of the garage. He then asked me if I was all set before heading off.
So at 7:30 p.m. I finally arrived at my destination, the Curly Surf Shack! (By the way, doing the math on the departure and arrival times doesn’t work because I crossed the international date line, so I actually left on Friday and arrived on Saturday!)
I got to meet the property owners and one of their sons (the other was in bed) and their dog Snoopy. And, OMG – the shack is super cute! Totally worth the extra trip to not be in the city with thousands of people milling around at all hours!
Curly Surf ShackKitchen and Wardrobe (located at foot of bed)BathroomPatio door entry and sitting area.
My only priorities for day 2 in Hawaii were to get to two recommended places; one for sushi and one for a Mai Tai. I elected to cab it around town today to give my knee a break. Charley’s Taxi had gotten me to the Urgent care with no trouble, so immediately after my x-ray, I called them again and had then take me over to Lewers Street.
At Teppan & Sushi KAIWA I ordered The Artists Palette (of course) and it was YUMMY! The photo in the menu was pretty accurate. The only challenge with this item is how to eat the end pieces gracefully!
Is This One Bite?The Real Deal!
After lunch I checked my GPS to locate Rum Fire, the location recommended for a Mai Tai. The tricky thing about Rum Fire is that you can’t just drive there. When I tried to map it on my phone there wasn’t a road directly to it, but I knew it was on the beach, so I decided to walk the beach to find it. Turns out it’s actually at the back of the Sheraton Waikiki complex – so you must be staying at the Sheraton to know about it – or walk the beach.
I did a walk-through to scope the place out, and explored the many shops in the open breezeway that runs through the center of the space. There’s also a Koi pond on the left side of the property, with a row of rocking chairs along the edge for people to take a calming break. (I hung there for a bit while waiting for Charley’s to pick me at the end of my visit.)
The Sheraton was so open that I walked in from the back at Rum Fire, through the shopping area and out to the front loading/unloading area, stopped at the coffee bar to get a latte, and then sat at a table in the front of the complex watching people coming and going…for about an hour…and nobody seemed to care! I was fascinated by the number of wedding parties coming through the lobby. Later, I noticed they have a marriage license registration office inside the Sheraton!
Couple Heading Toward Marriage License OfficeTurtle Sculpture in Front Lobby
Back at Rum Fire, I found a seat on the patio that had a tiny bit of shade. The inside (open air) seating was filled and I wanted a view of the ocean so I was willing to get a little warm. So I settled in…and ordered my Mai Tai! There are several versions to choose from – I went with the Signature version. It was very good!
Mai Tai OptionsSignature Mai Tai
From my seat on the patio I had a great view of the water where there was no beach, so the water came right up to the walkway in front of the restaurant. As I enjoyed the view, I noticed two turtles swimming in the area right in front of where I was seated! I tried to get a good photo, but they were quick! They’d come up for just a second and then – right back under!
Green Sea Turtle, far awayGreen Sea Turtle, closer
The decor at Rum Fire is really pretty cool. There are lots of areas that are just a little different, like this sitting area near the front entrance:
Rum Fire Flaming Chairs
And then there’s the patio…
Patio AreaPatio Seating
I managed to kill enough time to be hungry again, and I really wanted a burger. I also decided to move to a shadier place while eating – I can’t enjoy a meal when I’m blazing hot! Based on my waitress Teresa’s recommendation, I ordered the Truffle Burger – excellent choice! Teresa was a sweetheart. She was covering too many tables, but she remained pleasant and even let me take her picture before I left!
Burger MenuLive Version of BurgerUninvited dinner guestMy Waitress, Teresa
I have arrived! Longest flight I’ve ever not enjoyed, I must say that! For the next leg of my trip I will be using a motion sickness patch! Nothing devastating (or embarrassing) happened. It was just an uncomfortable flight with lots of deep breathing and carbonated drinks. And the “good drugs” I got just before the trip so I could sleep on the flight…didn’t work. I was awake. The. Entire. Flight.
But. Other than that, everything went very well and everyone I encountered was very pleasant!For example, at DFW, I was standing in the sink area of the ladies room trying to place an icy hot patch on my back, carefully adjusting my clothing in a way to hopefully not stick the pad to itself or my clothing, but also to not bare my backside to all passers by. A nice Asian woman saw me struggling and asked if she could help. She put it on for me perfectly and went on her way! So nice!
The Shuttle
I decided to shuttle it to my Airbnb location, which is in Marina Tower in Waikiki. I’ve got some great views of the Yacht Marina and the beach from my room on the 32nd floor! The room isn’t ritzy – could use some upgrading – but I’m only here to sleep. And blog.
So…back to the shuttle. I sat next to an alcohol-breathing man in his 60’s. He was really quite pleasant. His wife was seated in the row in front of us. 60’s Guy said he and his wife travel here from Richmond, VA every year and stay about two months. They stay over in Oahu for one night and then catch a flight to the big island for the rest of their stay.
He told me the story of their first visit. He said it was back in the 80’s, and he and his wife stayed on Oahu for the whole trip. Shortly after they arrived they noticed everyone rushing to the shopping centers buying up all the food. Turns out there was a hurricane coming. 60’s and his wife had no idea – had not paid attention to any weather reports. But he said they were stayed on the other side of the island from Waikiki, so it didn’t affect them, except that the entire island was out of power for several days. He said the Navy eventually sent over a nuclear submarine and they powered the entire island from this submarine! That’s quite a story! (We’ll come back to this one again further down the page.)
“Late” Night Snack
By the time I was settled in, my phone said it was 4:30 pm, but my body said it was 9:30(bedtime). Still, my stomach said, I want something good to eat and my heart said, it’s my first night in Hawaii, so let’s make it something cool! The restaurant choices directly across the street are Red Lobster and Outback. No.
The front desk was closed, so I went down to the valet and asked for recommendations for a place within walking distance that would be something a little more Hawaiian than my immediate choices. The valet pointed me away from the beach, which was disappointing,but I was tired, so willing to listen. He said there was a food court just over the bridge. Food court? Like a mall food court? Yes, but there are some Hawaiian and Japanese places there. He said if I went in the other direction the prices go way up. If I had been rested (and clean) I may have opted for the pricier options, but I was tired and travel-dirty, so I headed toward the mall.
First of all, OMG! I have never seen such a large, sprawling, open air mall in my life! The Ala Moana Shopping Center bills itself as the world’s largest open air shopping center, and I believe them. They have over 290 shops, a food court, and restaurants. I easily found a directory kiosk, and after trekking down to Hawaiian Blue Lifestyle (listed under cafes) and learning it was really a smoothie bar, I moved on. I wanted a sit down meal – and a beer. Back at the directory, I realized the restaurants were listed in their own, separate category. I also noticed that they were all on Level 4, which was accessed via the escalator to my right. Bingo!
There was a Japanese Steakhouse, which was fully enclosed and looked very expensive. As I browsed the menu posted at the door, I noticed the music, coming from just over -there. Right in the middle of Level 4 is an open air bar called Mai Tai Bar. There is a stage at one end, where a cute urban hippie couple was singing covers of…wish I could tell you, but it was good stuff. I had found my destination! I bellied up to the bar and was greeted by a very nice prematurely grey 30-something named Zach. As it was late for dinner (in my mind) I settled on the Firecracker Shrimp appetizer with a side of Edamame. And of course, a Blue Moon. So good!
Funny story: I was able to see Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. from my seat at the bar, and I thought, I’m glad I picked this place over Bubba’s, even though they do have an open airspace and I would still be able to hear the music. I like the atmosphere of this place better, and I’ll bet the food is better, too. Soon after my food arrived, I noticed a waiter coming out of Bubba’s carrying some plated food and bringing it into Mai Tai. I thought, that’s weird. I guess you can order from Bubba’s and they’ll let you eat it here.Then I looked around. Mai Tai has no kitchen. My bartender, Zach, confirmed that they use the same kitchen! Anyway, good shrimp and two beers later, I found my way out of the shopping center (I had my concerns about that after jet lag and two beers) and back to my room. The edamame came home with me and was my breakfast this morning – bonus!
Firecracker Shrimp at Mai Tai BarEdamame – or – Tomorrow’s Breakfast!
Dinner Guest
Oh, and while at the bar, I met and chatted with a very pleasant black Hawaiian man named Mike. When Mike was young, his father had been in the military and they traveled a lot, and when his father retired, he chose Oahu as the place to raise his family.Mike said he was six when they moved here and he’s never left. As I chatted with Mike I remembered 60’s Guy’s story about the submarine and decided to bounce it off of someone who had been living here at the time. When I got to the part about the submarine Mike raised his eyebrows.
“A submarine powered the entire island?”
“That’s what he said.”
“No, that didn’t happen. The power was out for a few days, but that was it.”
After returning to my room I decided to see what the internet had to say. According to Wikipedia, Hurricane Iwa hit the islands on November 23, 1982:
“The hurricane devastated the islands of Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, and Oʻahu with wind gusts exceeding 100 mph (160 km/h) and rough seas exceeding 30 feet (9 m) in height.”
Regarding the aftermath, Wikipedia says:
“The thousands of Hawaiians without power celebrated Thanksgiving by cooking turkeys on outdoor grills or smokers. Army and Air Force planes delivered 20,000 Thanksgiving rations to the thousands left in temporary shelters. The United States military also airlifted generators to Kauai due to several days of power outages.”
So. No magical submarine. Darn. I liked that story better!
I’ve stopped to visit with some friends at an open air restaurant. (In real life, they are my former colleagues at the job I just left.) I’m so excited to show them my new baby – she is the love of my life! I sit down with them and begin to show her off, then decide I need to use the ladies room. I leave my swaddled baby with my friends and head off. As I’m leaving the ladies room I realize I don’t have my purse. Did I leave it at the table? In the stall? After thinking about it, I’m sure I had it with me when I entered the restroom. I head back to the stall I used and a young lady is coming out. I don’t see her carrying my purse. I pass a couple others on my way back and I’m checking them each out to see if they could have it stuffed under a coat or shirt. I get back to the stall and it’s not there. Now I’m thinking – maybe it was on the counter at the sink and I just overlooked it. I return to the sink. No purse. I’m worried about the bag and my phone being lost. I’ve spent such a long time here and now I’m worried about leaving my baby for so long. I return to the table to find my friends have all gone. Where is my baby?
Now I’m on a bus with my swaddled baby and I’m holding her up against me. She is so precious! Suddenly there is someone – a blonde woman – who is after me. She wants my baby! I must protect her! The woman has brought men with guns and they are shooting at the bus and are going to board it and take my baby! I pass my baby to one of my older children (my real daughter) thinking the woman won’t go after her. I will get off the bus to safety and then retrieve my baby. I leave the bus through the back door and am hiding, trying to navigate to a place where I can have my daughter hand the baby to me through a window. I never get there before the dream moves on. (Interesting side note: At some point in all this drama my daughter says something to me about how attentive I am with this baby. I say to her, I want to get it right this time!)
Now I’m in a house and there are other people there with me. Friends? Family? I have my swaddled baby with me again, but I want to keep her safe and out of the way, so I put her in a small wooden crate – like the kind you would buy at a craft store to decorate your home. She fits perfectly inside the crate. In order to keep her disguised, I set a book on top of her. As I’m interacting with the other people in the house I keep thinking about how she is in this box and I’m worried that the book is too heavy. Am I suffocating my baby?
INTERPRETATION:
Wow – this one is full of metaphor, but one central message. The baby is my book! This represents all the distractions I allow to keep me from spending time on my book! The comment to my daughter in the bus scene has to do with this being the second time I have taken a break from my career, and this time I want to spend my time in the right way. The blonde woman wanting to take my baby represents how I tend to sabotage myself and my dreams. I believe the baby always being swaddled represents my fear of putting my book out there. What will people think?
If you haven’t been around the South Nashville much lately, you may want to head this way. Great food is happening here! Today I tried the Bangkokville Thai Restaurant located at 395 Haywood Lane. Not only did I have the pleasure of a tasty lunch there, but I also got to chat with the owner, “Dew” Vangsri.
Dew immigrated from Thailand with his family in the ’70s. He has a true passion for authentic Thai food, which he explained to me as my eyes and nose ran from the heat of the chili sauce! He also told me how his sisters and other family members have all contributed to his business in some way, from the cooking to the decor – it’s all authentic! The wait staff wears Thai clothing. Dew wears Thai clothing. Dew even designed the sign he recently had painted for the front of the restaurant to ensure it would be an authentic Thai style.
If your last visit to this restaurant was before Dew took over five months ago, you owe it to yourself to give it another try! I know you’ll love it!
Sometimes the Universe sends messages subtly, sometimes it wakes you up with a thump on the head. Early this morning I got a thump . Not an actual thump, of course, but a dream that contained a message that was meant for me and was said in very clear, specific words.
Yesterday had been very full with house cleaning and erranding, and ended in a soiree with several dear friends. It had been a lovely day and evening, and at 11:00 p.m. I was happily exhausted, so sleep came easily. Always appreciated!
Unfortunately, at 1:33 a.m., I was rudely awakened. I’ve been having issues lately with anxiety, and it was the familiar tingling in my chest that woke me. That, and the phrase spoken to me at the end of the dream.
Let’s start…at the beginning.
The supporting character in my dream is a tall, blonde, male actor – probably now in his 60’s – whose name I cannot come up with, even after several online searches. Moving on.
For the entire the dream I am in a house that is very non-descript. I do not see furniture. It is not a house from my real life. It is just a bunch of dark rooms connected by a single, dark hallway. I move back and forth between two rooms in the beginning and can’t seem to find focus, primarily due to a heavy sense of guilt.
The aforementioned actor is in the house with me, but I do not interact with him much. The feelings with which I’m struggling have to do with being in this house with my new actor friend, and not giving him the attention he deserves. At the same time I am struggling with some uncomfortable feelings about a former lover. This is someone I no longer have in my life, but for some reason I am holding onto feelings of sadness for how that person may be feeling or what they may be going through. I worry that I am spending too much time dwelling on the former relationship to the detriment of the new one.
Toward the end of the dream I stay mostly in the hallways, between rooms. In the final scene, I come to the room where the actor has been the entire time and he says to me, “I’m giving you time to write your story.”
I immediately experience a feeling of relief. He does not want to pressure me. He is giving me space to do what I need to do. There is no need for guilt here.
INTERPRETATION:
First, the obvious message: I need to write my story. Don’t worry about, don’t think too hard about it, just do it.
In the first week after leaving my corporate job I focused on some personal business as well as some administrative work related to my art business. I left writing at the end of my list – as always. Now I know I must be sure to factor in plenty of time for writing. I have a rough draft manuscript that desperately needs a final run-through. I must allow room for this work.
Next, symbolism in dreams fascinates me! The general consensus among dreamologists is that a house represents you. Different rooms have different meanings, but since none of the rooms in my house were distinct – I couldn’t tell if they were bedrooms, living rooms, etc. – I interpret this to mean the hallway was the only space of significance in this house. On the website Dreammoods.com, I found the following:
To see a hallway in your dream symbolizes self exploration. It is the beginning of the path that you are taking in life. You are going through a transitional phase and journeying into the unknown. It also signals spiritual enlightenment, emotional growth physical prowess, new opportunities and mental passages in your life.
Regarding the guilt and the “former lover.” A true former lover? Maybe. But there were also hints of work-related tasks in my dream. Nothing I can remember vividly, but they were there. So I believe the former lover in my dream represents the corporate job I recently left. A job that I loved. Over the months leading up to my departure – and apparently, even after leaving – I’ve struggled with whether the timing of my departure was appropriate for the colleagues who now own that body of work. Did I do enough before I left? Did I share enough information with them? My dream is telling me it doesn’t matter. It’s fine. Move on.
I recently left the (relative) security of a senior management position in corporate America to pursue my passion as an artist and writer. While my corporate job was creative and fulfilling to a degree, there was something missing. I needed something more. I made the decision last year (2014) that I would take the leap “some time next year.” In January of 2015 I once again said to someone “sometime next year.” That’s when it hit me. It is next year! So I had to put a real date on it. I decided July 31 would be a good one.
Last Friday, I packed up the last of my things, took a walk around the building, hugged some folks, and then left the building for the last time as a “colleague.”
In the days before my leap, several people had asked me, “What will you do on your first day?” My canned answered was, “Go to the passport office.” Not what they wanted to hear, but it was the truth. I’m going out of country later this year and I need a passport. So that’s all I had planned for my first day. Get that biggie out of the way, then I can think. Then I can focus.
I’ve been questioned and advised by many good intentioned supporters. “What’s the first thing you’re going to work on?” “Give yourself time to get organized.” “Take a little time off before you get started.” and “Do you have any events on your calendar yet?” The thing is, I’ve got so much on my mental “to do,” I need to take a minute and sort through it. Write it down. Organize it.
Here’s how day one really shook out:
Woke up at 6:30 (really? on my first day of self-employment?)
Arrived at 9:20 for my 10:00 passport meeting.
Realized I’d forgotten my checkbook. (The nice man processed everything and set it aside, advised me where to find a bank.)
Found said bank, obtained cashier’s check
Back to passport office. Task complete!
Back in my car. Now what?
Checked phone for anything exciting. Saw message from my writer friend, Susie, who sent me info on a “art collective” meeting that evening. Bonus!
Took a nostalgic drive to old neighborhoods, just because I could.
Stopped at Ruby Tuesday for lunch. Salad bar – good. Beer – because I could. Said yes to an upgrade to XL on the beer for only $2 more – maybe not so good. Three tiny (tasty) little cheesy biscuits that magically appeared on my table while at salad bar – evil!
Drove to The Global Mall. I’ve heard so much about it, I wanted to see. Nothing going on inside the mall on a weekday. Elected not to drive around back to see library and skating rink, as I was feeling the heat by then and also a little sleepy.
Home again. Nap.
Did some online research (seriously) along with some Facebooking.
Sent a couple of emails.
Made a couple of calls.
Made a sandwich for dinner.
Headed out for art collective meeting. Listened to a couple experts talk about branding. Good information. Some I’ve heard before, some not, but it was good to get out and do something related to my new career. (My friend Susie was so sweet to break away from her packing for a personal trip to make sure I knew someone at the meeting! )
Back in the car, heading home I returned a call from my friend Megan who had tried to reach me during the meeting. “So…how was your first day?” (My friends are really pretty awesome!)
I was reminded recently of the power of the law of attraction. It happened just last week. You see, as many of us do, I often find sayings and pictures on Facebook that I think are funny and repost them. Well last Tuesday evening, I stumbled across a drawing by someecards.com. It was of a woman with a wine glass. I had seen the same drawing before with another saying on it. The saying on this one was “Your dumb shit is what makes me want to get tanked at 11 am.”
I’m not gonna lie…it made me chuckle. And while there wasn’t anyone in particular who came to mind at that moment, I could think of several people who had the potential to cause me that level of frustration from time to time. So, even though it’s against my rule to post negative messages, I decided to share it.
Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. I had a training event scheduled, which I was to lead. I bet you can’t guess what happened? Yep – it blew up! The manager in attendance derailed it, challenged me in front of my team and completely undermined my authority to speak on my chosen topic. Nice.
I spent the next several days recovering from that incident, first getting over my anger with the manager and then forgiving myself for allow me to get so worked up about it, and finally, forgiving myself for allowing myself to fall into that particular situation. There were, after all, things I could have done differently that might have prevented or at least minimized the negative response of the manager.
It was last night that I remembered my posting of the ecard on Facebook. Lesson learned.
