Random observations about writing,food, travel,and celebrating life's precious moments.
RIDE THE WAVE- CABO AWAITS YOU.
I love the magic of sunrise and most particulary that of Cabo when the morning dew sparkles and all you can hear is the soft motion of waves and a few cheerful birds. It has an especially delightfully appeal when everyone back home in Vancouver is wining about the rain and dreary days of January( I admit that is wicked of me), and I am floating in my own little heaven and oblivious to everything but the smooth sand under my toes and the intoxicating smell of the Sea of Cortez.
Most of my freinds are envious I know and I would feel the same if I was in their gumboots right about now. So why do so many of us postpone vacations for years and make the feeble claim it's all about lack of money or we can't spare the time away from our life sucking jobs? Is it really that... or maybe we don't think we have suffered quite enough dreary routine or hard work to earn the right to enjoy ourselves and relax for awhile?
It was four years ago January that my husband and I had a real holiday and bathed in the warmth of that glorious Mexican gold called sunshine! When was the last time you gave yourselves permission to do absolutely nothing but read by a pool or stare out at the glistening sand and hear the crash of six foot waves? It's like music to your ears and nourishment to the soul and yet we deny ourselves. I challenge anyone out there who hasn't been on a real vacation to give yourself a mental headshake and figure out how and not when or if you will gift that to yourself. It's soul replenishment, glorious sunshine, frothy life giving "Lava flows," Rum punches and Margueritas and so much more. I don't give a damn what the excuse is for not doing this - because I am sure it's a load of horse poop! We will die with the music still in us my amigos and this comes straight from the mouth of a raging workaholic. If I can do this then anyone can.
If my Dad was alive he would have likely chimed in with comments like "are you sure you should go right now - you are launching your business after all" or "why not wait till you have some more business and money in the bank" or the one that would really get my goat ..."didn't you just go to Santa Fe last summer?" Well all of that is true, though Santa Fe was a three day wedding with a million relatives and though it was fun, it was hardly relaxing.
I can't tell you how many people over the past few years I have heard mention that their mother always wanted to go to Hawaii and dreamed of it for so long but never went, then they got cancer and died. I know of many others who think that "some day" is actually real. I am here to remind you that it is not. If there is one thing I could pass on to anyone who still beleives in that fairytale, it would be to reccommend they do a survey of thier own that will reveal some very sad truths. Just go and ask a few elders you know if they hit all their dream spots on their bucket lists and then observe their solemn faces, desperately wishing that they could somehow turn back the clock and recapture those days.
Although it is true we must be responsible to a degree, the fact is if you make a plan and do this for yourself you will always find a way to pay for it. I just landed a gig a week before I left for Cabo that paid all my bills and gave me a bit of play money too. It came out of no where but I believe it was because we had already committed to Cabo and the Universe sent me a thank you reward . You might laugh but I know magic things happen every time I take a leap of faith and this time was no different. Even when we allowed a smooth talking salesmen at the airport talk us into one of those painfully long timeshare presentations, we earned ourselves $300. worth of vouchers for two of the finest five diamond resaturants in Cabo. So if I thought I was in heaven before - that was nothing in comparison to the delectable menus we were able to experience compliments of Hacienda Del Mar. The first meal at Pithaya's we were served by a dark and handsome team of Mexicans with starched white uniforms and lovely smiles. They were so delighted to bring us the complimentary ceviche (that was to die for) along with roasted papaya and coconut prawns and a lobster risotto that I will never forget . The other meal was right by the ocean in De Cortez famous for Mesquite gilled meats and seafood and once again a rack of lamb, and a filet mignon done to absolute perfection. Then to put the icing on the cake - my timeshare tour guy Lorne, (from Chase BC of all places) has been living in Cabo over 20 years and introduced us to his lovely wife Janet, who's an event planner just like me. We sat at Solomons Landing at the Marina in Cabo San Lucas and indulged in Pacifica Lights and yummy crabcakes while we proceeded to discuss how we can work together to bring groups here from all parts of NorthAmerica to indulge in all the amazing delights of Baja. I had pretty much completed the planning details for a Writers and Culinary Retreat this coming May before I'd even digested those terrific crabcakes!
We also met some incredible new freinds at the resort who became our daily snorkel team. One couple from Langley BC and the other from Wisconsin. In fact on our last night there we were already talking about doing this all over again next January. Oh Joy!
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| HACIENDA DEL MAR AT SUNRISE |
I am also most passionate about four things - connecting with good people, enjoying great food and travel experiences and appreciation of art and culture. Cabo has once again inpsired me to reach for what I know I can and will create. So if you are still stuck in the excuses merry-go round, then let me be your tour guide and show you how to do this. Come ride the waves with us and trust that you will not be swept out to sea and you wil not look back and wonder where time went because you wil have invested it very well. Anything is possible if you commit to yourself and your dreams. Once again, life is short, savour every moment.
Magic Moments
What consitutes a magic moment in your life? Is it when you first fall in love? Is it the awesome 4am sunrise over Mount Haleakela in Maui? The moment you see your child take a first step. Yes it is all of these of course and many more. But I have some thoughts on this and I am willing to share if you care to travel down this road with me a while. I really do believe it is possible to have a magic moment every single day and in fact several times a day if one focusses some energy there.
My siblings and I along with two other Schacters by marriage( 6 of us in all) just returned this week from spreading my father's ashes off the Peak to Peak Gondola at Whistler. At 1400 ft up we witnessed the last physical reminder of his being blown out the tiniest opening of our Gondola and exploding with a rush into the cool mountain air. I cannot describe the emotion but let's just say it was "magic." I watched with love and exilaration as this plume of whitish gray ash collided with the intense air currents at the highest point between these two incredible mountains and marveled at the man that was now leaving us for good though he is in all of our thoughts every single day. I felt a sudden peacefulness and joy for what we all had and how he brought us to this very moment to be together as a family. We skied together all our lives and if we had nothing else in common with one another it was he who taught us all to love and revere these mountains. We shared many magic moments in the pursuit of that perfect set of tracks in powdery white heaven. In fact he was so passionate about skiing with us he proclaimed to an ex boyfreind of mine several months before he died that his proudest accomplishment in life was that he had "Six Schacters skiing!"
But it was his love and total devotion to his family and most especially his wife and my mother that a true indication of his capacity to love. This passion for family and having us all ski together is probably the reason we are all on the West coast in the first place. Dad seized a moment back in 1970 and moved us all from Montreal to live closer to the Rocky mountains. So I don't know if it has to take a milestone jolt like a death or some other serious knock to the noggin to put this " Magic Moment " exercise into high gear, but perhaps becoming aware that life is a finite thing does brings some urgency to find more of these moments and not merely to find them but to attract many more.
I went to a friends 70th bithday ( yes I am that old now that I have friend turning 70!) and he was talking about how precious the moments were becoming and just how much freinds mattered to him now and in truth mattered more than just about everything except for family perhaps. He looks amazing, fit healthy and full of life as does his wife who is in her mid 60's. If only when we were young with all that youthful passion and energy to communicate this idea to the world! But it seems to be a hard earned secret amongt those of us hitting middle age. Let's face it,most of the under 20 ipod junkies are too busy texting each other to pay any attention to what some old farts have to share about seizing and savoring moments. But what a shame I think because again I begin to ponder... if only my 14 year old niece knew what we know now she might not stress so much about her morning hairdo as she readies herself for a grueling day of academic torture ( more or less how she describes highschool). I look back at my awkward and ugly years photos that reveal to me I was insane to worry! I was seriously gorgeous then! So I must have been on some other planet because now all I see in those photos is a beautiful, innocent being full of hopes and dreams .
Magic moment are like wine. You can easily miss them just like gulping down a plate of goumet delicacies or a fine wine. We need to develop more sensitive tastebuds for this thing called life. It calls for a holiday or something special in the way of celebration I am sure. I mean we have holidays for remembering Christ's good deeds and for thanking the earth for our bountiful harvest, and for the days we are born, christened, barmitzvahed, graduated, retired and then finally expired. Why not a weekly or even god forbid a celebration for every time we conquor a fear, or speak our truth and it is heard or maybe even just for waking up early and catching a sunrise. Little celebrations each day will mark these magic moments. We are all missing so much. It takes time and maturity to come to these conclusions I guess and perhaps there is no other way. However in the meanwhile I am going to toast this magic moment right now. I got my second blog done and now I am going to celebrate by having an early breakfast out with my best gal pal so there!
My siblings and I along with two other Schacters by marriage( 6 of us in all) just returned this week from spreading my father's ashes off the Peak to Peak Gondola at Whistler. At 1400 ft up we witnessed the last physical reminder of his being blown out the tiniest opening of our Gondola and exploding with a rush into the cool mountain air. I cannot describe the emotion but let's just say it was "magic." I watched with love and exilaration as this plume of whitish gray ash collided with the intense air currents at the highest point between these two incredible mountains and marveled at the man that was now leaving us for good though he is in all of our thoughts every single day. I felt a sudden peacefulness and joy for what we all had and how he brought us to this very moment to be together as a family. We skied together all our lives and if we had nothing else in common with one another it was he who taught us all to love and revere these mountains. We shared many magic moments in the pursuit of that perfect set of tracks in powdery white heaven. In fact he was so passionate about skiing with us he proclaimed to an ex boyfreind of mine several months before he died that his proudest accomplishment in life was that he had "Six Schacters skiing!"
But it was his love and total devotion to his family and most especially his wife and my mother that a true indication of his capacity to love. This passion for family and having us all ski together is probably the reason we are all on the West coast in the first place. Dad seized a moment back in 1970 and moved us all from Montreal to live closer to the Rocky mountains. So I don't know if it has to take a milestone jolt like a death or some other serious knock to the noggin to put this " Magic Moment " exercise into high gear, but perhaps becoming aware that life is a finite thing does brings some urgency to find more of these moments and not merely to find them but to attract many more.
I went to a friends 70th bithday ( yes I am that old now that I have friend turning 70!) and he was talking about how precious the moments were becoming and just how much freinds mattered to him now and in truth mattered more than just about everything except for family perhaps. He looks amazing, fit healthy and full of life as does his wife who is in her mid 60's. If only when we were young with all that youthful passion and energy to communicate this idea to the world! But it seems to be a hard earned secret amongt those of us hitting middle age. Let's face it,most of the under 20 ipod junkies are too busy texting each other to pay any attention to what some old farts have to share about seizing and savoring moments. But what a shame I think because again I begin to ponder... if only my 14 year old niece knew what we know now she might not stress so much about her morning hairdo as she readies herself for a grueling day of academic torture ( more or less how she describes highschool). I look back at my awkward and ugly years photos that reveal to me I was insane to worry! I was seriously gorgeous then! So I must have been on some other planet because now all I see in those photos is a beautiful, innocent being full of hopes and dreams .
Magic moment are like wine. You can easily miss them just like gulping down a plate of goumet delicacies or a fine wine. We need to develop more sensitive tastebuds for this thing called life. It calls for a holiday or something special in the way of celebration I am sure. I mean we have holidays for remembering Christ's good deeds and for thanking the earth for our bountiful harvest, and for the days we are born, christened, barmitzvahed, graduated, retired and then finally expired. Why not a weekly or even god forbid a celebration for every time we conquor a fear, or speak our truth and it is heard or maybe even just for waking up early and catching a sunrise. Little celebrations each day will mark these magic moments. We are all missing so much. It takes time and maturity to come to these conclusions I guess and perhaps there is no other way. However in the meanwhile I am going to toast this magic moment right now. I got my second blog done and now I am going to celebrate by having an early breakfast out with my best gal pal so there!
Awakening the Muse
Fearlessly go where you need to go! I wrote this phrase just over a year ago and did I ever go in 2010!. I also did a lot of letting go. I let go of my business, a series for television that I put aside developing and my dear father Clarke who passed away just a few months ago.
Last year I said it always astonished me how much easier it becomes to do fearless acts as I take more leaps. That is true but hopefully in the future the leaps are more calculated so that I don’t necessarily have to tumble into to the deepest abyss to learn my life lessons.
I have always had a huge appetite for adventure and personal growth and the "trial by fire" approach has worked well for me in some circumstances but there is a price to be paid. I paid that price many times over so now that debt has been handled it’s time to create with joy again! Just like when I used to paint as a child. It was fun! I took a York bar chocolate wrapper and drew a horse around it and apparently it was a brilliant enough work of art to be hung over the desk of my fourth grade teacher for all the class to see and appreciate.
So now to the reason for this blog. I am a writer of sorts and have been since 1994. Mostly having penned a few screenplays, plays and an original tv series. But it has been over a year since I have attempted any writing of a serious nature, So having just returned from an inspirational writers conference in Ojai, California with a few days of healing sun in Palm springs I am ready to get moving! I cheerfully reconnected with several of my dear writer friends ( “Dames at Sea”) from the Alaska Writers Cruise I organized last August and this was especially good for my soul. Many of these women have inspired me to continue on with my writing goals in spite of my fears and past let downs. Because I have also witnessed the immediate results of my clear focus over the past few months which was all about “Letting go,” this new self emerged and it was a self that could place my priorities first and for once be selfish about taking care of me and no one else. Did it take my father’s passing this past November to allow that luxurious indulgence into my life? Hell Yes! But who cares because that profound an experience is bound to stir the soup a bit and so now I am once again back to my own power to create. I feel ready to attach my thoughts on paper once again.
So…..I am now officially writing my first memoir and it is entitled “Feet off the Ground.” It follows the meandering and often chaotic journey of my life struggle with being an artist and of course coming from a workaholic Jewish heritage, this was no easy task, trust me! The book will illuminate the moments of joy, pain, grief, celebration and ultimately the lessons I learned on the pathway to accepting my gifts and becoming responsible and committed enough to share them. There were huge lessons that nearly put me in a hospital last year as well as many accomplishments, albeit never enough for my hungry ego. But these adventure rides had me freezing my face off in -60 below winds in the tundra of Nunavut, to “svitzing myself into a coma on the beaches of Costa Rica! But by far the best of these journeys put me into a wonderful position where my husband and a few family members (in short stints), managed the summer tourists coming to visit a 400 year old Chateau in the Southwest of France. This was a most interesting dual life as I was also a sales manager for an internet company out of Calgary at the same time and they didn’t have a clue! In fact one day I can write a novel on just that experience alone. I think I may call it “Under the French Umbrella!”
In spite of such great stories to share I am still terrified that I will be labeled a dilettante and a fraud! Who I am to write such a memoir? Yet the old phrase I coined over a year ago (when I went into development with my tv series “Empress of the North” ) has once again delivered me the encrypted password - " Have the fear but be fearless anyways!” So I urge you all who are reading this blog - Be bold and brazen and don’t rationalize away life’s greatest opportunities waiting for the “Some day” syndrome to be busted open. I will attempt to be more fearless and learn to savor each experience without judgment and with the least amount of pain. Because I really do finally get that creation is our obligation and we need not suffer to create our art. We must not sacrifice the call to do whatever it is we are called to do for any reason.
Keep posted to this blog for the updates on the development of my new business venture with my wonderful sister. Our company “Out of the Box Events” will be launching this April and it too is going to present some exciting new challenges that I hope will lead to some more great stories to share with you in the future.
For now…my message to my fellow food, travel and writing lovers is be bold and create. The clock is ticking and we are all anxious to see what you bring to the buffet this year!
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