My Trapeze Family Dinner - SOHO NYC April 12, 2008

Catherine, Dino, Kathy, Colleen, Tatiana, Joni, Judy, Lidia, me & Danielle

"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our spirits have trouble remembering how to fly" - anon

Judy, Lidia, me & Danielle

Me & "D"

Joni, me & Judy

Catherine, me & Dino (my Lucky Charm)

Dino, Kathy, me & Hal

Me & Tatiana

Lidia & me

Lids & me (after much wine!)

Forget raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

...these are a few of my favorite things ~

Taxi cabs

When colleagues become real friends; supporting each other, sharing stories & making memories

Maya Margaritas ~ on the rocks with Salt

Window displays on Fifth & Madison

Working out with fitness friends at Club Beautiful

Getting my derriere kicked in Grasshopper's Saturday morning intense cardio sculpt class

15% off when purchased with your Bloomingdale's credit card (I saved hundreds $$$)

Knowing exactly how to get to wherever I wish to go

Eli's chicken salad on health bread, super thin chocolate chip cookies, Pellegrino & picnics in the Park

Discussing politics, the economy and mindfulness while Carlos works his magic

Shopping for blue jeans at SCOOP

SOHO on a warm Spring evening

Wearing a pretty dress

Wine & girl talk with Colleen & Lids

Enjoying great food and wine with my circus family well into the early morning hours and still wishing the night could last forever (it will in my heart)

Talking about boys with "D"; though we still can't figure them out

Chatting for hours in the Jeep with Judy, my sister by heart

Street Fair food

Recharging my postive energy battery (thanks to Kathy "yes you can")

Pole Fitness with Kyra @ Crunch

Being home...East coast AND West coast!

A reminder from my Lucky Charm...

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar & seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous & exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." - Alan Cohen

56 days off the Bar...

...and I'm "jonesin' for my fix". TSNY has it right - "Forget Fear. Worry about the Addiction." Or we came up with this good line last night - "Trapeze! Cheaper than cocaine and a much better high!"

Even though I still can't fly for another 4 whole weeks (Good Grief!)...it's Thursday night and I don't have too many more Thursday nights left in this town. So I went back...to be with my friends...at our little rig in Brooklyn. (The pics are repeats but fond memories of past Thursday classes.)

I've never been a very good spectator. I thought it was going to be too hard to bear - being so close and having to sit by and just watch; smelling the chalk, hearing the calls, the feel of the Bar and tasting the adrenaline. But the exact opposite was true...being there laughing with my friends, witnessing their progress, and making plans for the day we all can fly together again...elevated my mood like very few things can.

I learned something tonight...being with my circus family and just being around Trapeze - something that I absolutely love - is enough to refill my strength reserves and send my spirit soaring again!

Cinderella for a day...

It was a magical Saturday.

Celebrating together on happy occasions and supporting each other through life's difficulties is just what friends do.

This morning I had the great fortune to participate as a coach in another ZG flight out of LaGuardia. I know I say this EVERY flight but we had an awesome group of flyers today. And the ZG team once again rose to the occasion. It brings me great joy to contribute, in my small way, to this experience. My sincere thanks to those who make this possible.

Later in the day, I was tremendously honored to join dear friends Paul & Kathie in celebrating the wedding of their son Jordan to his beloved Robyn. The Bride and Groom looked blissfully happy. Kathie was stunning, absolutely radiant and Paul's beaming smile was a joy to witness. It was a beautiful ceremony, the reception was exquisite and it was wonderful to spend the evening catching up with dear Mercer friends, Mark, Sharon, Mindy and Roseann.

We took this special shot of Roseann, Paul and me; walking advertisements for Triple Impact Coaching. With Nordine's guidance, fit and mindful living has become a part of each of us. After seeing we three "Ambassadors of Fitness", Groom Jordan even commented he's "gotta get on the Nordine plan"...

A quick shot of me and Roseann...

I really enjoyed catching up with Mark and his wife Sharon. They were very surprised to hear of my relocation news but both were wonderfully supportive; as I knew they would be. You may recall, Mark was the Managing Director who hired me 15 years ago. And throughout the years he has been a tremendous advisor, mentor and friend to me (and to so many others). He is doing great; even danced a little. It is so nice to see Mark and Sharon together. Like Paul & Kathie and now Jordan & Robyn...these amazing couples are proof that the "great love story" really does exist. Here's Sharon, Mindy, me and Mark...

(Note the beautiful centerpieces.)

And here's the evening's "Power Shot"; Mindy, Paul & me...

This photo is one of my favorites, "Paulie's Girls"...

Mindy, Paul, me & Roseann

On this amazing Saturday, I got to spend my day wearing a flight suit; floating in microgravity with an incredible group of flyers and my wonderful ZG friends. As if that weren't enough, I got to spend my evening in a brand new pretty dress and "Bling" (don't tell Dr. C I took off my wrist guard for this event); sharing in the great joy of my dear friends. Throw in a trapeze bar and I'd swear I was in Heaven!

In days preceding and in all the hours of Saturday, I was profoundly aware of and grateful for the blessings bestowed on me today. I left the reception shortly before 12:00AM; quite certain that come midnight I would turn into a pumpkin.

It was a magical day...Living my Bliss with Laughter in my Heart!!!

My horoscope for Saturday, November 17, 2007

I've a full day ahead; surrounded by my friends and doing the things that I absolutely love. While I'm not one to take much stock in horoscopes, today's made me stop and take notice.

"A lot of changes are coming to your life very soon, so this is a day to take another long look at what you've got going on now -- and appreciate it! Living in the moment is a difficult thing to do in this age of fast-moving information and future plans. But you'd be cheating yourself big time if you didn't at least take an hour out of your day to reflect on your life and thank yourself for making the choices and efforts it took to get you where you are."

Starting this day off with Gratitude...

Girl Talk...

After nearly three months, my dear friend and "Sister by Heart" Judy and I FINALLY found ourselves with a free evening to catch up. So much has happened since we last saw each other and I've missed our Sunday night post-trapeze IFW chats terribly. I can tell her anything and she can do the same - unconditional support, no judgements and there's never a doubt that what is said between us, stays between us. She is an amazing spirit and survivor. I am so grateful to have her friendship bless my life.

We took an hour (and a glass of vino) for each of the three months apart to share the stories we'd both accumulated. Our successes and our disappointments. Our inspirations and our heartbreaks. Our humiliations and our moments touched by great kindness. The highs feel so much greater and the lows are somehow easier to accept when viewed through the eyes of a true friend.

By the end of the evening our cheeks were sore from smiling, our jaws were achy from gabbing and our eye makeup was a mess from laughing so hard we cried.

Another wonderful memory created...