Decision Time, Part Deux

In picking up where I left off with my very first entry, “Decision Time”, I will take a moment to give a little update.  So, recap, my Captain is leaving, and a new Captain is starting next week.  The crew is in upheaval; many have quit in this last week, leaving only 4 out of 10 crew remaining.  I am one of the four.

So, one of four remaining.  What will I do?  It’s hard to say.  It depends on what this new Captain is like, and the new crew.  Do I really have the energy to start all over again, staying on the same boat, but working and living with a whole new crew??  Eiy-yei-yei!  It’s a tall order, but thus is yachting.  Your entire life as you know it can be turned on its head on a moments notice.

Ok, time to consider the options:

One, stay aboard, and hope that the new crew is wonderful.  Because the crew makes or breaks a boat, and I have been so very fortunate these past few months to have had an amazing, beautiful crew. 

Two, hope and pray that the elusive purser position that I have been chasing after for ages, magically appears.  A purser is a position aboard a boat that is responsible for all accounts, documents, oversees the interior crew, etc., and it is an extremely rare position to find.  Actually sighting a purser position is quite rare, and many would have me believe a "Purser" is no more than a mythical creature, such as a leprechaun or centaur.  But I believe.  In fact, I just saw a posting last week, and I applied.  Fingers and toes crossed. 

I would LOVE to be a purser because I could still live my adventurous life, traveling by sea, while using my smarts, rather than my brawn ;)  And to make the deal even sweeter, I have applied for a rotation position- a few months on, a few months off.  That would be incredible, because then I could pursue my true dreams in my off months.

What are my true dreams?  That would be option three, and that is a whole other can of worms, which I promise I will open up for all of you soon (all two of you who read this ;)).  For now, I am not going to fret, because I know everything will happen as it should, when it should.  I patiently (actually quite impatiently, but outwardly trying my darndest to be patient) await the right opportunity for me.

For now, I am thankful that I still have my job, to have a cozy (cramped, some would say) place to call home, and to always be fortunate enough to be surrounded by friends wherever I go.  And I know that whatever does happen, I will be all right.   

Gratitude: Barbette

Simple and sweet:  While at home, I visited my favorite restaurant in Minneapolis, Barbette, located in my old stomp, Uptown neighborhood.  Barbette offers delicious French cuisine made with local, organic, and natural ingredients, and an amazing wine list.  The atmosphere is eclectic and charming, with mis-matched vintage glass light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, rotating local artwork, funky clientele, and live music.

My picks: warm olives, cheese plate, mussels, and wine- all their wine is divine ;)

My thanks today goes out to my lovely Barbette!!

Check out their website:  http://www.barbette.com

Gratitude: Acoustic Sunrise

Acoustic Sunrise!!!  Who doesn't love Sunday mornings' Acoustic Sunrise on Cities97?  This was one of my favorite activities when I lived in Minneapolis.  Sunday mornings, leisurely waking up, sipping some coffee, reading the paper, and tuning into Acoustic Sunrise.

For those who don't know what it is, I'll explain.  It's simple, I'm sure you can guess, but it's a radio program that plays acoustic version songs every Sunday morning (also an Acoustic Sunset on Sunday evenings), so the over-all feel is a more chilled-out, relaxed set of music.  Such a great way to start what should be a chilled-out, relaxing day.  Don't you think?

Continuing the love-fest for my hometown, as I listened to the tunes, I read the Sunday Life section highlighting all the music, theatre and arts present in the area.  Minneapolis really has an amazing creative scene.  I hope Minnesotans really appreciates the variety of arts available here. I know people do, but I guess, for me, having been many places as of late that really lack this kind of artistic culture, I am just so impressed that this Midwestern city, is so wonderfully cultured as it is.  And that's just one of the reasons why I love Minneapolis, and I am proud to tell people it is where I am from.


Thank you Minneapolis for your lovely art scene!  Long live music, theatre & art, galore!!

Gratitude: Scenic Byways

Last night I joined a couple of my friends in a very Wisconsinite activity.  We went Up North.  That's right.  For those of you not from the area, this term so often used here simply means going up to someone's cabin, usually situated on a a picturesque lake in northern WI.  The visit itself was all I could have asked for- good chats and laughs shared around a campfire with a beverage in hand.  Good times.

But today's thanks isn't dedicated to the actual time Up North, but rather the drive home.  My friends were staying at the cabin all weekend, and since I am only home for a few days, I drove home by myself on Saturday.  To leave the cabin on my own, the directions given to me were, "Take road Z to N and turn left, left, right, left, right."  What?!  Needless to say poor road markers and the left- right system added a few extra miles to my trip.  But I didn't mind too much as I was enjoying the gorgeous Wisconsin countryside, the sun was shining, and I was listening to my all-time favorite radio station, 89.3 The Current.

Upon reaching the MN/WI border, rather than take the Wisconsin side, as I had heading up, I decided to take another route, Hwy 95, along the Minnesota side.  Somehow, having lived 18 plus years of my life in this area, I have never driven 95 between St Croix Falls, WI and Stillwater, MN.  Oh my dear goodness, it was beautiful!  Again, as I had thought when I landed in MN, I was wishing I had someone new to the area with me to experience this and see just how beautiful this area is.  I was driving along, just as happy as could be.  I stopped a few times to take some pictures and I wandered through a sculpture park.  It reminded me of how much I love this place, and how I could possibly see myself living here again one day.  Some day, perhaps.

Once again, I marvel at the natural beauty the Midwest has to offer.  And I marvel at the way it makes me feel.  I couldn't have asked for a better day.  A fun road trip, good music, great sites.  Even though I am a huge advocate of RT's with friends, this short trip by myself was perfect.  Working and living on a boat doesn't afford me much alone time, so when I get it, I cherish it.  Thanks for the wonderful day! 

Gratitude: Friends

My "Golden" Friends I got to see this weekend :)

Back in Minnesota I have been chatting with and seeing a few of my old friends.  Friends who I've known for 15-25 years (WOW!  Am I really that old?! Ha!).  It has been so refreshing to be with my old friends.  People who really know ME.  Inside and out.  They know what really matters to me, they know what my strengths are, and my weaknesses are no secret to them either.  And they love me just the same.  Probably even more so, really.

As much as I love traveling and constantly meeting new people, sometimes it is so nice to just "be."  To simply be present with someone whom you know so well, and they know you.  I don't have to explain who I am.  I don't have to tip-toe around any topics.  I can simply be me; the best and the worst of me, and no one minds. 

Simple and sweet, that is my gratitude for today.  "Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other gold."  Touche.  Thank you dear friends of mine.  I am very lucky to have you in my life.  :)

Gratitude: Home Sweet Home

Yesterday morning, sitting in Fort Lauderdale, I decided to take an impromptu trip home to Minnesota & Wisconsin for the Memorial Day weekend.  And now, here I sit in MN, typing this entry.  Hooray!  Thanks AirTran for the inexpensive and safe flight here.

My first impressions today as I walked out of the airport were how nice and cool the temperature was- high 60's, the beautiful cloudless blue sky, and most impressively, the lush green grass and trees.  So very lush.  I miss this kind of lush vegetation when I am in Florida.  Here, I feel like I can actually breathe the green in.  All that chlorophyll-boraphyll business, it's so fresh, so crisp, I love it!  It feels like I am truly getting a natural high off of it!

Although, I must tell you, I actually got the greatest natural high today before I even set foot in Minnesota. As the plane lowered for its decent into Minneapolis, I peered out my window just in time to see my small Wisconsin hometown passing underneath us.  From that point forward, until we reached the airport, I recognized every landmark along the way.  I was so excited, I kept thinking how I wished I was traveling with a friend who was coming to Minneapolis for the first time.  I thought about how I'd want to point out every single thing I saw out that window, and tell a story of this or that.  I thought about how I'd probably say it in an excited voice, speaking quickly, perhaps a little louder than normal airplane conversation level.  I know I would do this, because simply thinking about it, my thoughts were quickly bouncing all over the place, my emotions were getting all jazzed up as well.  I was just having one of those moments where I was feeling so happy and overwhelmed to be somewhere familiar, comforting, and special...to me.  Sometimes familiar is just what a person needs. 

So thank you Minnesota, thank you Wisconsin, for being just what I needed.  Thank you for welcoming me home today in such a lovely way.  You've made my day, and I have an inkling, my weekend as well. ;)

Gratitude: Oprah

Today I joined millions of people across the world and tuned in to watch Oprah's final show.  Even though I have only seen a handful of Oprah's shows over the years, I wanted to partake in and witness this, let's face it, historical event.  I found Oprah's final show to be humble, genuine, and deeply spiritual, much like Oprah herself.

I know nearly anything I could ever say about Oprah has probably already been said, and would only be but a small voice among the din of the massive amounts of followers and fans that she already has.  Although, I would not call myself a "fan", simply because that word focuses on what makes she and I different.  It focuses on her fame.  And this is what I like most about her, that it is not her intent to be idolized, but rather to be an example for a way of thinking and living that all of us can attain.  

So rather than be a "fan", I am simply an individual who is grateful that Oprah is here on this earth, in this lifetime, doing exactly what she is doing.  She is living her own Personal Legend (if I may borrow that phrase from one of my favorite authors, Paulo Coelho).  What Oprah has done and is continuing to do for the human race at large is simply phenomenal and irreplaceable.  By becoming her truest, strongest self, she has changed millions of lives across the world, including her own, for the better.  Who could ever ask to accomplish more than that?  To make others happy by doing something you love, something you are passionate about, and therefore discovering bliss for yourself.  Sounds like a wonderful and fulfilling life to me.

So today, on the day that closes a chapter of twenty-five years, I give my gratitude to Oprah.  I am grateful for her being such a strong and courageous leader.  I am grateful that she is shining so brightly by simply being the person she is meant to be.  I am grateful that she is positively impacting others' lives by being true to herself.  And I am grateful that we all have this same potential within us.  Thanks Oprah!

Gratitude: Godiva Biscuits

Oh yeah, it's been one of those days- ha!!  Today, my gratitude goes out to raiding the snack cupboard reserved for the yacht guests and finding a total score.  Craving chocolate and finding none in the crew cupboard was just not acceptable, so upstairs into the galley I went, in full snoop-mode.  And what did I find?....These lovelies...

That's right, Godiva Dark Chocolate Truffle Heart Biscuits.  Oh me oh my are they ever delicious (and so cute)!!  Buttery biscuit meets incredibly dark, smooth, amazing chocolate.  Yup.  Capital YUM- to-the-YYYYY!  :)  
Also noteworthy are the Hazelnut Praline Biscuits.  
Thank you Godiva, and thank you yacht guests who enjoy having chocolate treats on hand.  You really pulled through for me today. ;)

Gratitude: Red Pearl Yoga

Just another Manic Monday?  Actually, no, not so much.  Mondays happen to be one of my favorite days of the week.  After the happening weekend, I look forward to some well-needed relaxation and chill-out time.  Lucky for me, while in Fort Lauderdale, the Red Pearl Yoga (RPY) studio offers exactly that.

 

Every Monday night, RPY holds a beautiful Reiki-Meditation-Yoga class.  The class is held in a lovely dim-lit, Buddha-decorated, very Zen yoga studio.  The smell of burning incense drifts lightly in the room and the sound of soothing, relaxing music fills the air.  Karen, the instructor, guides the class with her soothing voice, encouraging us to relax our minds, gently stretch our bodies, and shares loving, positive energy and light with us.  Tonight, as I do most Monday nights, I laid there on my yoga mat, feeling so grateful to be attending this class.  

I used to be an avid meditator.  I practiced meditation daily and reaped many benefits from doing so.  A clear mind, freedom from petty stressors, and filled with happiness, the kind of happiness you can feel deep within. Peace.  

Over the past year or so, due to changes in work and living arrangements (joining a new boat), I have been unable to meditate...at all.  Not at all.  And it's been driving me a bit mad.  As hard as I try, I keep getting distracted, within my own mind, or literally distracted by a crewmate making noise in the neighboring room.  

To no fault of anyone, it is what it is, and this is why I cherish my Monday nights at RPY.  In that space, of tranquility, gathered among others seeking their own solace, I am able to welcome the inner peace back in.  I am able to remember, and feel a bit of my own spirit that was once so strong.  For that brief time, each Monday night, I am in touch with the whole and complete me again, and for this, I am so grateful.

http://www.redpearlyoga.com/index.php 

Gratitude- Intro

So I have been meaning to start this part of my blog for a while now, but have been procrastinating for no particular reason.  I'm simply procrastinating for the sake of procrastinating, because that's what I do.  It's how I roll.  So it is my intent to just do this already and begin making a daily entry, focusing on one thing I am grateful for each day.  I plan to allow this entry to go wherever it may choose.  But, today, I am making the commitment to make an entry, no matter how small, each and every day.  Whew, this will be a challenge, but I am up for it.  I do write in my journal almost daily, so this shouldn't be too different.  And the importance of finding something to feel gratitude for every day has profound benefits for the heart and mind.  So let the daily gratitude blogging begin!!! :)

Decision Time

Faced with change, once again…  I have never been one to shy away from change, in fact I welcome it.  I believe that change is always positive, if not immediately so, it usually proves itself to be for the greater good further down the road. 

For a while now, I have been contemplating a major career move (again!).  Over the past two and half years or so I have been travelling the world working as a yacht stewardess.  As of late, I have been humming and hawing over whether or not I am ready to give up this lifestyle and all the amazing experiences it provides. 

There are so many aspects of yachting that I love.  Travelling to exotic locales, living and working with an international crew, constantly meeting new interesting people with the same travelling spirit are just a few of the perks.  But as amazing as my yachting experience has been, it does have its share of down-sides; inability to make any plans in advance as the boat’s schedule changes on a whim (sorry Mom, I can’t make it home for Christmas this year), having little to no alone time living in tight quarters with 9 other individuals (buh-bye daily meditation and mental sanity- ha!), working many consecutive days in a row without a day off (our most recent trip lasted about 49 days give or take), and other miscellaneous items not worth getting into.   As with any job, there are positives and negatives, but I do have one more reason.

To be absolutely honest, the main reason I am contemplating a change is this; I am feeling restless, I want more.  To put it all out there, I deeply desire a new opportunity that will fully embrace who I am, and encompass what I am truly passionate about.  These past two plus years have been oh-so-wonderful, and absolutely irreplaceable, but I feel I have simply outgrown it, or at least this current job I have.  Perhaps this is the most difficult reason to accept, because it doesn’t provide a clear, cut and dry reason as to why it is time to go, but rather a feeling, a knowing.  We all have experienced this at one time or another, whether it was regarding a job, a relationship, etc.  It is easier to make a decision upon facts and figures, but when your desire for change is based on nothing more than your feelings, how do you decide?   Do you hang on to what is familiar because it “works”, or do you decide to stretch out your unused wings and soar? 

I know what my heart is telling me.  My head is utterly confused.  To add to my confusion, two days ago we were informed that our Captain will be leaving and a new one will be starting shortly.  All crew members need to decide immediately if we would like to stay on under the new Captain or leave.  And I say “decide” loosely because we are not actually guaranteed to keep our jobs if we opt to stay.  It is under the new Captain’s digression.

Surely, this latest circumstance is a blessing in disguise.  I am simply being pushed to make my decision quicker than I had anticipated and get this ball rolling already.  Perhaps it is time to head in the direction of my dreams.  I didn’t think I was quite ready to leave my warm cozy nest just yet, but life may just have other plans in store for me. 

It’s decision time, do I stay or do I go?  Head?  Heart?  I am listening…