SabbaticalScapes

WOW!!!  We really got a great deal aboard the beautiful brand new Celebrity Equinox cruise ship.  Thank you Aunt Thelma.  Here are the details of our adventure…

We landed in Rome and quickly found the train route that would take us to the port city of Civitavecchia.  From there, we boarded the ship for a 12 relaxing days around the Mediterranean Sea.  These days were filled with taking advantage of learning new languages, eating, relaxing in the hot tub, meeting our fellow cruisers, listening to great jazz music, and dressing up for exquisite dinners. 

Oh, I must mention, aside from the exotic ports of call, one of the most exciting part of the cruise was the broadway style show after dinner. In Cirque style, there were aerial performers (which I LOVE) and other dancers in flamboyant costumes.  This show was world-class!  This voyage was definitely off to a great start.

First Stop – Athens

The weather was slated to be clear and hot for our  first stop – Athens, Greece.  Boy, was the weatherman ever wrong!! On our way to the Acropolis, it started to drizzle.  But that didn’t stop our adventure.  The taxi dropped us off and we were headed up the steep pathway to see this ancient wonder of the world. Finally making it to the top, we also treated to a spectacular overview of Athens and the Parthenon. At this point, it started to POUR!!!  There was no place to take cover.  Luckily, we saw friends with umbrellas who gladly escorted us down the hill.  From there, we got a taxi and went back to the ship…So much for a day in Athens.

Next stop??  Onward to Ancient Empires

Words cannot express the awe I felt traveling through the Holy Land and following in the footsteps of St. Paul in Ephesus, Turkey.  Imagine my excitement seeing the magnificent Pyramids of Giza and standing right next to the Sphinx.  I actually envisioned the baby Moses sailing down the Nile River in his basket.  Definitely an impressive journey!  

Here is a challenge – Can you name the site/locations captured in the photos below? (hint – mouse over the pic for the location).

I am sitting here thinking about the crystal blue waters of the Sea of Cortez. So very relaxing!! Cabo really was a great luxurious getaway. I stayed at the beautiful Riu Palace and one thing for sure – the food was AWESOME! I couldn’t stop eating and didn’t want to either.  This trip was a great experience not only because of the destination. But, because of the adventure and the people I met along the way. 

New Friends

Allow me to introduce some new friends. The scene – downtown Cabo. The place – Starbucks (go figure). While shopping around, I happened to meet a very motivated and handsome young man, Modu. This highly educated, finely sculpted and interesting man recently took a step of faith and moved to Cabo to pursue his dream of fitness training, modeling, and launching a clothing line.  He does it all! Check out his site and see for yourself http://www.moduvatedtobefit.com/.  In his own words, he gave me some great advice for this season of my life “Never look back. Do what you love because we only live once. It will pay off soon or later.” Modu is indeed very wise. 

Ziplining – While mustering up enough courage to zipline for the first time, I also met a very inspirational family from Arizona. Rebecca, Jeff, Gabby and JJ. Especially brave JJ!  With his beautiful big sister Gabby watching over him, he was such a trooper as we climbed high in the canyons of Cabo. Check out the pictures from our adventure. Although it was fun, Lord knows I probably won’t be doing any more ziplining again!!

Inspiration – A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles. – Tim Cahill

I love the quote “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  This truth perfectly illustrates my journey. It has been approximately 3 months since I stepped into my sabbatical  journey and I am still so excited and thankful to God for the opportunity.  One thing for sure is that my sabbatical is definitely teaching me to trust Him more. I mean it is one thing to have a steady paycheck being deposited every two weeks. But to not have that, is a totally different animal.  Talk about a change of habits…I now have to keep an eagle eye watch over everything I do.  But, it is all good!

My sabbatical is also teaching me that life is so much bigger than what goes on in my world.  It is so easy to get caught up in a daily routine that we hardly ever take time to really live and experience life. For me, traveling, being active at church, trying new things, and connecting with others challenges me to step out of my small world and become more engaged with life.  So, my journey continues… 

Inspiration – “Every man dies. Not every man truly lives.”  Braveheart

Ciao!

For the past two weeks, I have been –ahhhh — a couch potato. Friends call me and they know what I am doing –absolutely nothing.  But alas, there is only so much daytime tv one can take. So, I moved on to house projects.  I pulled out old clothes, rummaged through my closets, and have a list of other things that I want to clean up and clear out. However, can you guess what will interrupt my organizational tasks? That’s right – a TRIP!!! I am leaving for Cabo this weekend. So, the excitement continues to bubble up in my spirit again.

Inspiration – “Maintaining a complicated life is a great way to avoid changing it.” Elaine St. James

Be Blessed!

-A

Hi All,

It has been just over a month since my sabbatical started…and I have no regrets! You might be wondering how the finances are coming along. Well, it has been interesting not having an actual check being automatically deposited into my account. My main concern lately has been ensuring that I am getting the most for my money. For example, my homeowners insurance was up for renewal and the policy increased. This was unacceptable.  So, I started to rate search and found a better policy for far less money. It pays to shop around.

Other bills are pretty much the same. I did have some unexpected purchases to help my nephew out with his college expenses. Thank God I set aside a little for events such as this from the beginning.  One thing for sure is that I wish I could find a better option for tv. Seems like out of all the channels, there is never anything on worth watching! Bummer. They need to have an “a-la-carte” option. In any case, I am still watching what I buy and monitoring my accounts accordingly. So, planning is still key.

Oh – I forgot to mention that Cabo is back on for October. WOO HOO!!!!

Last week was busy as well. I spent it preparing for my Wall of Honor induction ceremony.   In addition to being inducted, I was also selected to give a speech at the ceremony.  Being pretty shy and quiet, this was a huge step out of my comfort zone.  But, I believed God gave me the right words to share with those present.

As it turned out, everyone loved the speech! I was so excited.  Having my friends and family there made the night so special. Several friends even placed notes of congratulations in the ceremony booklet – making the event even more spectacular and memorable. Thank you all! I love and appreciate each and every one of you.

Here is a picture from the ceremony.

 Inspiration – “It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined.”  Henry James

Be blessed beyond measure!

-A

Last night, I was glued to the tv watching Michael Jackson’s funeral.  He was such an awesome entertainer. I  remember hearing that he wrote down a goal to sell over 25 million records with Thriller and posted the note on his mirror so that he could see it daily. True or not, this really inspired me. We know that Thriller went on to be the best selling album in history and launched Michael into Super Stardom!! 

A mentor and friend of mine, Darlene, was laid off from her job as an engineer with an MBA several years ago.  She was introduced to a business a few months prior, but didn’t really take it seriously. When she got laid off, things changed. With only a little in savings, this smart classy woman decided to make the business work. It had to work! She stepped out, never looked back, and became a very successful insurance entrepreneur.  This week, Darlene passed away.

After high school, my younger brother Kevin, took a job as a night security guard. But he knew that he loved big trucks as a child and that God had a plan for his life. Kevin did something radical. With no money, he gathered his stereo equipment and sold it all to get tuition money for truck driving school. He graduated the top driver in his class, with many accolades and kudos from the instructors! Furthermore, God used his time on the road as a venue to inspire and encourage many people he met along the way. Kevin also became an ordained minister.  He passed away at the young age of 30.

As I sit here and think about these wonderful inspirational people, I just wanted to spotlight each of them as an example to illustrate that life is precious and can be so short. They were each faced with a decision that propelled them to the next level in their lives.

Being on sabbatical is giving me an opportunity to really focus and gain clarity on things that are really important to me. Not that I didn’t know before, but to really take some time to be free of stress and the daily grind. Some people have a balance without leaving their jobs. I applaud them. For a long while, I would be at work dreaming that I was somewhere else. Finally, I was at a point wherein I was virtually compelled inside to leave. So, I left. This is so out of my comfort zone, but I know this is a defining moment in my life.

Inspiration– “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven…What do people get for all their hard work? God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end…And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God…God’s purpose in this is that people should fear him.” Ecclesiates 3:1-14

Be blessed!

-A

Well thanks to hurricane Jemina, we won’t be going to Cabo. Last night a friend mentioned that Cabo was having bad weather. I checked a few sites that only mentioned rain. However, I went to tripadvisor.com to see if I could find any info on their forums. Sure enough, the hurricane information was there. To make a worse impact, the hurricane was rated a category 4 AND this time I didn’t get the travel insurance. What were we to do?? Luckily there was a hurricane policy that was in effect and we had options. We woke up early this morning to be first on the phones to see what other destinations were available. Bermuda, Costa Rica, Bahamas, and etc. were all either too expensive, not worth it, or booked. Our best option was to cancel and get a travel certificate to use later. I am so glad that we didn’t lose our money.

Inspiration – “Stay committed to your decision, but stay flexible in your approach.” Tony Robbins.

Be Blessed,

-A

Hi Everyone!

I thought this week would be kind of quiet after my Italian adventure.  However, that was certainly not the case. I have been so very busy. First, I was so excited and pleased to see my interview featured on http://yoursabbatical.com/blog/. Good stuff!!! Check it out if you haven’t dropped by yet.  Then, I had the pleasure of getting a quick introduction to volunteering at the food pantry. They do everything from giving food to providing job leads.  Prayer is even available if the individual wants it — truly an amazing place! I must say that another highlight of my week was helping my nephew get settled into the college dorms. He is attending school about an hour away. So, we have been busy getting things together. I must tell you that I am not much of a shopper. But, I have never been in Walmart so much in my life!!!  We were there at least 4 times this weekend!

Moving on to more news…I am packing for my trip to Cabo!!! We leave in the morning. I can’t wait. All I want to do is sit by the beach, relax, and see beautiful scenery. I am so ready to go. I will check in later for an update.

Inspiration – “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Be Blessed!

-A

By Elizabeth Pagano (Aug. 27, 2009 yoursabbatical.com)  http://blog.yoursabbatical.com/2009/08/27/itll-be-no-small-sabbatical-for-angela-petitt/

It began in Italy a week ago. What’s to come: more travel; volunteer work, both locally and abroad; church mission work; and, possibly, starting up a business. At 41, Angela Petitt left her job as a business systems analyst with Waste Management’s corporate office in Houston, TX, to embark on a sabbatical. “I felt it was time to step out, take control, and do something different for a change,” she says. She had been with the company almost four years.

I remind her that we’re living in hard times, with the end (if you believe it) of the recession just a few days old. “Many of my colleagues and friends think I am crazy for resigning right now. I still have bills and a mortgage, and I help support my college-aged nephew,” Angela says. “But I don’t want to look back on my life and have regrets in the future. I like the saying ‘If not now, when?’ Thoughts of taking a sabbatical kept coming up in my mind so much that I had to take the leap to see what all is out there.”

She began saving a year ago for her sabbatical. “This was huge for me. I’ve very conservative and frugal.”

After six months, she intends to return to work, either to a new business or to another company. “I believe that the sabbatical will give me a different perspective on things and that new perspective will make me a better person,” Angela says. To follow Angela on her sabbatical, visit her blog on our site. We hope her time off creates new thinking and unexpected opportunities!

Here we go… 

Although we were running a few minutes behind schedule to the airport, we pumped up the tunes and jammed to BOOM-BOOM-POW to get us into high gear.  Kerri, Elaine, and yours truly (aka Team BOOM-BOOM-POW) were ready for Italy.  But, was Italy ready for Team BOOM-BOOM-POW??? 

After landing in  Roma, the Italian men were upon me. Italy loves Angie and Angie loves Italy!  Several guys quickly deemed themselves as my “boyfriend”.  We managed to sneak away from them and make it outside the terminal only to be greeted by Elaine’s handsome “young and fresh” friend, Nicola. He was every bit of an Italian that one could imagine. He gave us a tour of the stomping grounds near his job, took us to a cute coffee shop for a snack, and then generously drove us the train station. Thank you Nicola!!

Once again we were en route and on the go. We went from Roma to Positano via the trains — some with no air and it was hotter than Houston!! Finally making it to Positano and settling into our beautiful cliffside hotel, we couldn’t wait to explore the island and get some food. As we walked along the way to the boardwalk to the beach area, there were many boutiques for our shopping pleasure. I managed to keep my spending to only food and essentials. The Euro was still pounding at the USD, making things pretty expensive from our perspective. Okay – I did buy a cute swimsuit coverup that I couldn’t resist.

Positano

Positano turned out to be the highlight of this fabulous trip for me. One night while we were having dinner, a guy totally surprised me with the biggest most beautiful bouquet of flowers ever!!! They even matched my outfit!  Apparently, he saw me the day before and waved to me, but I didn’t think anything of it. He then saw us having dinner on the boardwalk, passed by a few times, and then returned with the flowers…Now that’s ITALY!!! 

Our love for Positano continued by dancing the night away at Music on the Rocks, lounging on the beach, meeting wonderful people, eating great pasta, and hitching scooter rides. Kerri broke some guys heart and left him standing on the porch and Elaine –well, she just had a grand ole time.

Next, the star treatment continued as we ferried to the beautiful isle of Capri.  We were trying to go up to the top deck of the boat, but the Captain and his team beckoned us to come up to the command center for the remainder of the ride!!! It was great! We had a blast.

Capri

In Capri, we met up with a Billie and Ryan, Elaine’s friends. (As a travel aficionado, she has friends all over the world -LOL!!). Although we had the worst pizza ever in Capri, the day was salvaged by visiting the infamous Blue Grotto and taking the chairlift in Anacapri up to the highest point on the island for spectacular views of the Bay of Naples. AWESOME!!!!

Back to ROMA

Team BOOM-BOOM-POW was now in Naples. We waited a few minutes at the bus station, but realized we needed a cab in order to get to the train station before dark. Kerri and Elaine were a bit apprehensive at the cab that stopped for us because it wasn’t in the best condition.  But, I was getting in the first thing moving…LOL!!!

We made it to the train station and back to Roma. Seems like we went from one questionable situation to another. The hotel was in a remote area of town and we had to walk under freeways and back streets to get there. I dare not mention the things we saw along the way. Here, we added Nicole, a model from Milan to our team. So now, we were BOOM-BOOM-POW plus One!! She was full of energy and being fluent in Italian was our “tour guide” for the must see sites of Rome.

It was sooo unbelieveably HOT in Rome! But we hydrated with water from the ancient Roman aquaduct fountains and cooled off with gelato and limoncello slushies–mmmmm good stuff! 

We actually did a lot in the short time we were in Rome. We were in awe of the Vatican, Coloseum, the Trevi Fountain, and all the ancient ruins. We marvelled at the magnificient works of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel….ahh ROMA!!! The only thing we missed were the catacombs. We got there too late to tour them. Oh well, just have to go back.

Inspiration – The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams (Eleanor Roosevelt).

Be Blessed,

-A