Weathering the Storm with the WP#168

Where did the week go? It seems like just yesterday that I wrote my last post. Well, it was and time seems to be speeding up. I know that I want the time to be quick when I am with Rosa again and it will come, this I know, but I sit here in my hotel room in Dallas, the last domestic trip I take I cross the pond, and it is getting very, very real. I wish I had some exciting things to share with you this past week, but really, it was a week of simply cleaning house some more, a little more downsizing and getting ready for my D-Day, now less than 3 weeks away. As I mentioned last week, I am in a good place right now and know everything will come together as it should, and I just must be patient and continue to focus on what must be done. ​

Why you ask, am I in Dallas, of all places, especially, with the crazy weather this region of the country has been happening, well, really, everywhere. I am here for the newly named Travel Advisor Conference held in a different destination each year, and as I will be leaving, as everyone knows by now, I had to have one last hurrah, at an event stateside, although a few days ago, just before the Memorial Day weekend, went to an Iceland Roadshow in Boston. While I only live 40 miles away from where that event took place, it took almost 2 hours to get there with traffic etc. The flight yesterday was delayed about 1 ½ hours due to the weather here, but I arrived safely and looking forward to my time here, between the rains. Apparently, power was lost here yesterday, but my hotel, about a 5-minute walk away said they did not lose power. Actually, it did, at least for a short time, as the clock in the room was flashing a wrong time, but everything is good. ​

In the end, I am here, looking forward to connecting and re-connecting with friends and colleagues and hopefully, some potential new business at hand, but once this is done and I am back in New England, I will definitely be on the clock, with less than 3 weeks before departure for my new home. In the meantime, I hope everyone had a safe and fruitful Memorial Day holiday weekend past. I hunkered down, got some work done, binge watched, or continued to binge watch, now the 7th season of Blacklist, on Netflix, which I have become addicted to, even into the wee hours of the night sometimes. Not sure who else has seen this, but it is addicting. I think there are 10 seasons and some 22 episodes in each. I realize this had nothing to do with travel and my business, and really nothing to do with the general tenure of what I write about in these posts, but as I mentioned in the beginning of this post, where has the week gone, well maybe there to get away from life for a while. ​

I also, upon my arrival into Dallas, and the huge cost of the Lyft ride last night, with the delayed flight, arriving pretty late and fortunately, the world today does not start until 9:30 am/10:00 am and it is, but a 5 – 10 minute walk between hotels for my ASTA event, so, ordered some food last night, having a credit with the hotel, and settled in to watch the NBA Western Conference Finals. Why, again you ask? Well, as you all know, I lived in Minnesota for over 35 years, maybe more in total, and while I am not really a Wolves fan, or an NBA fan these days, and have not been in decades, what they have done, at least up to this series, which was here in Dallas, against the Mavericks last night, was drawn into the frenzy, I suppose, and the thought of the Wolves loosing 4 straight, given their season, just could not be possible and the Wolves did not disappoint. Well, the series was extended and while I am, I suppose, in this case, a fair-weather fan, do hope, they can somehow pull this out in the end.

It would be very cool to see them go up against the Celtics, a team of which I was a fan, decades ago, given that one Kevin McHale, who played college for the Minnesota Golden Gophers along side some other people, one named Larry Bird, among others, who you may have heard of. In any case, at the time, Minnesota did not have a team, so that is where my allegiance was. Do I think the Wolves can pull off 4 straight wins? Crazier things have happened, but Minnesota’s motto in any sporting event is there is always next year, and it has been since 1991, since a Minnesota franchise has won a championship. Whoops, I forgot about the Lynx. Sorry, but I did say I was a fair-weathered fan when it came to the NBA, and I suppose, the WNBA, as well.  We shall see and for what it is worth, this team is young and up and coming, so maybe, just maybe, the ghosts of the Minneapolis Lakers will rise and help these youngsters. ​

You do know that team left for the west coast and kept their name. Why? There are no lakes in LA and they, the Minneapolis Lakers, won several championships before their departure for Hollywood and Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, so their name made perfect sense, but not in LA, but they did have success in LA as well, but never was a fan of the Lakers in the modern era, but the showdowns between the Celtics and the Lakers were Magic, sorry, had to say it, bad play on words.  It is interesting to note that the Lakers were also not the Lakers originally. They were the Detroit Gems but were smart enough to change their name when they moved to Minneapolis, but not when they moved to Los Angeles, so what’s in a name. And the first time to the Minneapolis Lakers played the Boston Celtics in the NBA championship, I believe, they lost 4 straight, sometime back in the 50’s, not sure as I was not there and not even born yet, which started a Celtics dynasty, as well. If they get past the Mavs, somehow, we can broach the subject again. ​

I know this post has been all over the map, but so have I over the past few weeks and so a bit scattered in my thoughts and simply trying to stay ahead of all the tasks I must still attend to before I move across the pond to my new home and my new life there. Business will be as usual, just 6 to 9 hours ahead of y’all here in the states, sorry my Texas twang since I am here, but of course, only an hour or two ahead or behind my European brethren, or as Rome will be the center of my universe, 8 hours behind Asia, and 8 hours ahead of North America, give or take. The personal life, of course, will be very different, and my life’s focus will be very different, given, finally, I will be able to spend quality time with my wife, and know that the Carabinieri won’t be knocking on my door 6 months from now saying I have to leave as my visa has expired. I look forward to spending the time and being Rosa’s husband and sharing our lives together. I have not worked this hard and this long and given up most of my worldly possessions, for this not to happen. She has been the best thing to ever happen to me and that is where I will be, with her and enjoy life with her. ​

I am totally committed to my new life abroad and all that it will encompass and appreciate all the good wishes and support that Rosa and I have received as we have weathered all the storms, literally and figuratively over the years. Not locking the door and throwing away the key, just yet, but as I started this post, where has the time gone this week. It is speeding up when I was hoping for a balance. I will take each day, one at a time and get done what must be done, knowing that when I get on that airplane in 3 weeks, I will be ready, ready, or not!!! As always, I hope you have enjoyed my offerings each week and appreciate that you have read my blog posts and look forward to continuing with sharing. As always, thank you so much for your support of Rosa’s and my little world now that they have been merged into one. We truly appreciate your support and congratulations. Stay safe, healthy, and most importantly happy, and as always, your shared comments and thoughts are most welcome!!!