Posts Tagged ‘Travel’
We have made the decision to take a week off in August but not go away. A list of day trips to take, new restaurants to try, movies to see, gives our staycation the facade of a good idea. But I am wondering how will this really play out? It seems inevitable that already some home improvement projects are writing themselves onto the list.
As a Life Coach I have learned how to manage having an office at home. I balance in-office clients with remote coaching by using virtually any available media at my disposal. And I like the added benefit that I can sometimes squeeze in a few minutes of The View’s Hot Topics between morning sessions. Although I will take the usual steps to close my practice for that week I am somewhat leary of the fact that my work will be surrounding me in some form or other.
Then there is a bigger picture, that I don’t particularly care for where we live. I am most myself on a bustling city street or by the ocean and the fact that for now I call a rather rural part of Alberta home is difficult for me at the best of times.
I grew up a city girl; the art of hailing taxis and reading French menus was learned at young age. I know the secret of finding community & friends in your own corner of London, Brussels or Toronto. I thrive in the world of bistros, museums & the theater, city parks at lunch time and knowing when & where the best bargains are in otherwise expensive stores.
Living among all these flat fields feels well, claustrophobic. A vacation should include walks by the sea; that takes me into my own personal nirvana. Therefore the sensible decision to stay home this year is also compounding my personal frustration that by midlife I would be living in a place which truly felt like home.
I know that a better attitude might allow for some modicum of success. Somehow though my psyche and midlife soul are just not feeling this turn of events. I don’t believe that a staycation can offer what a vacation does, I’ll let you know.
Posted in 
My new website is up and running, when you arrive at the main portal or home page you will see that we are now:
- Jill Crossland Coaching
- TimeFinders Magazine
- Create Your Team
- Fabulously Over 40
There will be more new & exciting things to come in 2009.
In TimeFinders Magazine, I want to attract advertisers who are compatible with the content. I am looking for wine, chocolate or luxuary food companies, magazines such as More Magazine, travel agencies that book great trips for women, and beauty products for women over 35. I would like to include more women’s stories plus writers from the US and over seas. The area that is Fabulously Over 40, will be expanded to include other social media outlets such as FaceBook. There will be podcasting in the coaching area.
So many plans, so little time!
- Your comments or suggestions
- About advertising in TimeFinders Magazine
- If you would like to write for us
- To inquire about joining the group of professional women on Create Your Team
On Jan 4th I wrote a post on my favorite and not so favorite things of ’07 and Elizabeth Gilbert’s “eat. pray, love” got a mention on both lists.
Pro: “I do like her sense of humor and she is honest about herself.”
Con: “Am I the only woman who finds Elizabeth Gilbert somewhat whiny and self-absorbed? I’ve been divorced and traveled alone without all that sobbing and need to please.”
Well, upon more thought the pro statement is a bit insipid and as for the con I seem to be holding back maybe because she had been Oprahized! Time has however revealed that I am not alone in my less than glowing review of her book and I not going to be asked to leave the midlife sisterhood….Whew!
Here is a link to one article in particular “Pray tell: Is Elizabeth Gilbert self-absorbed or truth seeker?” by Carol Memmott USA Today. There are also some interesting comments attached.
Why is this capturing our attention? Probably because it speaks to something larger. It makes us look at how we feel and who we are as women over 40. We are examining where we have been, where we are now and more importantly where we want the road to take us for the next 40 years.
I haven’t finished the book yet, which in itself tells me something because when I love a book I devour it quickly! So far there are two things I know for sure. One, like many of you out there I have a version of being on the bathroom floor. For me I sunk to the floor in my kitchen and it was many years ago. But it happened one time and then I stood up and said “You’ve made some mistakes Jill, rectify them and move forward.” Two, I cannot cling to things or people when it is over because it is over – move on. OK, there is a third thing – that while some of Richards advice is sound, to allow someone to continually refer to you as “Groceries” goes beyond cute, occasional nickname into the realm of complete lack of self-respect and (or) no ability to set healthy boundaries with people.
I hope to hear your thoughts and I promise that I will finish the book ASAP. Perhaps the ‘love’ part in Bali will bring it together for me or maybe not!
What I would buy me for Valentine’s Day?
1. No red roses, I would choose a bouquet of spring flowers with lots of daffodils and colorful tulips . Then buy myself some ripe, juicy strawberries and a really good bottle of Pouilly Fuisse. That should satisfy most of my senses.
2. Books are always a favorite gift for me but for this list, no business, self-help or generally mind expanding books. I would pick five well written, full bodied works of fiction.
3. A rich chocolate brown (not black) leather jacket
4. A new, sexy, sleek laptop
5. First class ticket for a trip home to England. Once there I would slowly travel from Dover to Scotland by train. stopping at historical hotels along the way. Of course I would be traveling with my leather jacket, five must read books and new laptop so that I could record my journey.
NB: No spouses’ feelings were hurt in the making of this post.
Least Favorite from ’07
1. Media obsession with silly, spoilt girls called Paris, Brittany, Lindsey. There are so many women out there who are actually making a difference in the world it is a shame there was no room left to write about them.
2. “eat, pray, love” - Am I the only woman who finds Elizabeth Gilbert somewhat whiny and self-absorbed? I’ve been divorced and traveled alone without all that sobbing and need to please.
3. Screw caps on good wine – I miss the sense of ritual when there is no cork to pull out of a bottle of wine. It speaks to the need for a quiet moment in a busy day. Such as the time we take to make a pot of tea or to grind coffee beans for a really good cup of coffee.
Favorites
1. Web 2.0 – I like the new networking opportunities that websites such as Facebook provide. If used properly & carefully they are a good way to connect with new people and re-connect with former acquaintances.
2. An old friend returns – There is another side to the tech loving me and that is the part of me that needs Austen, Bronte, Thackeray, Masterpiece Theater and all things from a different time in history . So I was pleased when I found Victoria Magazine back on the newsstands this November. Visit their website: Victoriamag.com
3. “eat, pray, love” – I do like her sense of humor and she is honest about herself.
4. Al Gore: He put the issues surrounding global warming out there in such a way that it can no longer be ignored on any level from governments to the person in the street.
5. Hillary Clinton - My coaching advice (I think all political campaigns could use a common sense life coach on staff). You didn’t win the Iowa Caucus but don’t counter with a negative campaign instead challenge the platforms of your opponents, put them in the position where they must be more specific about their campaign promises. You have done well positioning yourself within your roles now do the same by presenting a clear picture of your professional background and experiences.
6. Shopping:
Amazon – Their used books are well priced and good quality
Victoria’s Secret - Cotton panties 5@$25-. Wish that they hadn’t decided to make the waist band narrower however.
Starbucks – Starting to collect their mugs, they should sell them in sets for a reasonable(!) price
Candles – I love the growing availability of healthy candles made of soy or beeswax.
7. More Magazine – It continues to present articles, fashion, travel, everything with the 40+ woman in mind.
Friend and fellow Life Coach, Ellen Besso is currently on a journey through India.
Check out her blog, ‘A Midlife Woman’s Reflections on India’.
Well Valentine’s Day has come and gone and the question is did you get something that you really wanted or does your significant other just not get you? I made a list of the things that I really wanted; none of which I received by the way but I did realize two things, that I have expensive tastes and that I am really two people.
The Romantic Me
- Godiva Chocolates
- Leather bound early editions of two of my favorite books
- A beautiful shawl from some exotic land
- Courvoisier XO Cognac
- First class ticket to Italy
The 21st Century Me
- Apple iPhone
- Gift Certificate for amazon.com
- Taittinger Champagne
- La Pavoni Espresso Machine (for the record this is the only kitchen appliance that will ever be on my gift list)
- Two days in New York with theatre tickets
I suggest that you make your own list it is very therapeutic, you could even give it to your partner for next year, at best you may give them a good laugh.
I finally went into Amazon and reserved a paperback copy of the DaVinci Code. On my nieces’ advice I ordered the illustrated edition. As it has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for 155 weeks, Dan Brown didn’t need me to pay the price for the illustrated hardcover. Even though his recent legal woes must be getting costly.
As many readers know what book to read and when has very little to do with bestseller lists and everything to do with time of year and mood. Right now it is the end of winter in Alberta, there is still a lot of snow on the ground and everything seems grey and dirty.
I clearly need escapism! My choice?
Educating Alice: Adventures of a Curious Woman by Alice Steinbach, while it doesn’t have the same flow of story interwoven with travel of her first book “Without Reservations”, it is taking me into the Hotel Ritz cooking classes, behind the scenes of Havanna’s streets and allowing a glimpse at the lifestyle of Kyoto’s geisha.
The DaVinci Code will start the pile of books that I will choose from when I go away this summer. After all, picking just the right book for a vacation is as important as what clothes we decided to take.