​Weathering the Storm with the WP#108

Just got back and leaving again this week. Lot’s done upon my return and the usual jet lag experience, but knowing that there are deadlines and commitments, as Bob Seger sang in “Against the Wind”, that is the balance I have going on right now. February is ending now, and I have never been busier on both the personal and professional fronts and I am excited for both. I have my first clients of the year traveling in March, and it builds slowly into April and then goes crazy through September and beyond. I could not be happier, and I simply must continue to evolve and pace myself. I am balancing my own life with travel and my business life with travel and while 20/20 hindsight is always right, I wish I had built the last trip, the one just returned with the best return ever for me, to have been attached to the one forthcoming. Maybe it would have been easier to just add the week plus on, and then of course, be able to spend more time with Rosa, but I did have loose ends to tie up here. As the decision of the last trip, was made well after the one forthcoming had been set up, it really is a moot point. ​

Sometimes I overthink things as many of us do and I find myself again doing this, but thankfully, I continue to move forward with all of my plans for the future, both here in America and of course, with Rosa. I will see her less than 3 weeks’ time and of the 6 weeks forthcoming in Europe, I will be with her for almost half that time. Certainly, not enough, but then this summer, and hopefully beyond, we will be together as I plan on staying on all summer with her in, well first London and Brighton, and then Rome and other parts of Italy, depending on the how the visa goes. All roads lead to Rome for me and I am ready for this change of life. I have never felt stronger about this and will adjust to this change, I feel, without too much difficulty given I had a sampling of this last summer. How long I can stay will depend on the Italian government, but I will be prepared either way. Also, when I return stateside, as well and my status at that point. ​

As you all know, I have lived a very nomadic life and this year, will be no exception, as it has already been. The forthcoming trip, leaving this week, will bring me back to places I have been including Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest, among others and excited to share those experiences along the way with pictures and stories, as always. I will also be going to some places, I have not been before including Rotterdam and Antwerp and yes, the next leg of the European Hard Rock tour is about to begin. I was at 80 at year’s end, and so the count continues. Of course, there is more to this trip forthcoming and I will be attending several events along the way, in terms of business including ITB in Berlin, for the first time since Covid, which cancelled out the event in 2020, and just after I had met Rosa. I had been in Sicily at the time and received an email stating it was being cancelled, so I had to scramble to get off the continent. It was a crazy time, but I made and as the say, the rest is history. ​

I am excited to return to this event and re-connect with some business partners and meet potential new ones, as I did recently in Copenhagen and Iceland, so back to my old ways, in a way, but with a new lease on life, or twist as it were. I also will be attending the ASTA Cruise Expo for the 1st time and it 2nd go around, as I did not go last year, but am doing it for several reasons, one as I have not been to Budapest in many, many years, and I have ancestry in Hungary, but that is where the cruise originates and Rosa will be joining me in less than 3 weeks’ time. I also want to honor a friend and colleague of mine, whose vision this was, who we lost in 2021, Bob Duglin, I wanted to attend, at least this one time. I also will be attending an event in Sestri Levante at the end of March as well as an educational trip to Bergamo and Brescia before returning to Rome to be with Rosa for two weeks before coming back stateside.
After this 6 weeks in Europe, connecting and re-connecting, I will be returning stateside to tie up some loose ends, attend the ASTA Global Convention in San Juan, yes, I do handle more than Europe for my valued clientele and hopefully by then, have the interview set up with the Italian consulate to move forward on my re-location. Whatever happens, happens and I am prepared in my crazy life for what comes next, be it personal or business and many things will be happening over the course of this year. I know where I want to be and my goal is to be there and I will do what I have to do to make it happen and as I started this blog post, there will be many deadlines and commitments and I am sure more than I even know now, and nothing in life is simple and nothing goes in a straight line. There will always be curveballs thrown and monkey wrenches thrown into the best laid plans. And I will be ready and able to adjust if necessary!!!
Stay safe, stay healthy and always look for the best in a situation and be patient as the best things in life are worth waiting for. Thank you as always for your support of my crazy little world and my small business. As always, I look forward to your comments, questions, concerns and continuing the discourse through whichever means you read my posts!!!