Devon Hunter

Okay, so for those of you who are Judeo-Christian, perhaps this is no big deal for you; however, recently I have been healing from a neck/back injury that I sustained while working out several days ago. Almost “randomly” (I use aggressive quotes here, because I don’t believe anything is truly random – everything is a result of an interconnected cause/effect), I also got a message saying the following:

“To let in goodness, slow down. Relax. Unwind. Be calm. Let go. Now you are letting it in.”

I was supposed to be in Philadelphia this weekend, even though I normally take the weekend of July 4 off each year for my birthday. My experience over the years is that it’s pointless to work that weekend, whether it be the clubs or seeing clients, because EVERYONE is out doing something with friends/family/fireworks. Contrary to popular presumptions, holidays are generally NOT good weekends to be at the club or on-call. So, that Philly trip was going to pull a total goose egg (which reminded me why I stay home and celebrate my birthday). Then I injured myself two days before I turned 24 for the 13th time (I started being 24 when I was 22), and thought, “Well, I’ll go and see a historic city do a pyrotechnics show for my birthday.” But the real reason I was going to go, despite the injury and the slow weekend, was because I didn’t want to “lose” the nonrefundable plane ticket. Rest was not truly on my mind. But then I got that message, and I realized that what I really, really wanted for my birthday was to stay home (as I would have in any other year).

So, I stayed home.

And that has been the most amazing, healing time. Although I was in some intense pain for several days, it has gotten better BECAUSE I RESTED. This isn’t engineering or brain surgery; however, I made a realization about myself. I am a bit like my grandparents and the other Depression babies of that generation: I am so phobic of ever again being in a financial situation like the one I experienced after I left my last relationship that I have become obsessed with money that I don’t even need (in the hopes of staving off a crisis that hasn’t happened). Poverty is an ugly, wretched situation, and I don’t want to experience that type of stress ever again. But working myself half to death over the last five years has, from time to time, exacerbated the issue when I then had to spend money needlessly on hospital visits for exhaustion or injuries. It’s only in the last 6-12 months that I have really started implementing the idea of working smarter, not harder, and I cannot suggest it enough to others. Whatever you’re doing that’s so damn important, carve out some time to just rest. Find a way: It’s essential.

If I’d gone to Philly, I’m convinced I would have just sat in my hotel in pain from having traveled. By staying in Charlotte I got to lay IN MY BED for three days WITH KITTEH (I almost rested myself into insanity), I celebrated a low key birthday with some close friends, and I watched LOTS of nerdy History Channel videos about how Extra Terrestrials helped our ancestors build megalithic sites. And you know what? It’s exactly what I needed. The workaholic in me was given the shut-the-hell-up-thank-you-very-much eyebrow.

Before when I’ve said I wanted to rest more it was simply because of fatigue. But now I’m realizing that rest itself is what heals us at deeper levels, and if there is something sacred within us, then it makes sense that caring for it and caring for ourselves are completed interwoven. So I guess it’s not just a luxury, it’s a spiritual duty to give yourself adequate downtime. The Hebrews were right: A day of rest is sacrosanct. Sorry if I’m slow to realizing this, but that’s how I am.

After I did the three videos last week in Ft. Lauderdale I went up to Minneapolis for the weekend to visit Jen. It really is a beautiful city for the three-four months each spring/summer/fall that happens quickly between the long periods of winter. I hadn’t been since 1994, and I was very eager to see the place again.

I got two rooms at a downtown hotel, so that Jen and I could have our privacy if needed, and it was conveniently located to all sorts of restaurants and clubs. We had lunch at a nice little Thai place across the street, and we had all sorts of NOM NOM NOM. Very good food! We went to the Art Fair that was happening on one of the major thoroughfares (Jen doesn’t drive, so I got see the city at the leisurely pace of a bus ride, which was very cool in Minneapolis), and we spoke to some very talented painters, jewelers, sculptors, and artisans. One stall was dedicated to some very lovely textiles that I think had been dyed by hand and turned into some very impressive dresses. Very chic!

After that we went to Fogo de Chão, which was around the corner from the hotel. Some time ago, I went to the Fogo in D.C. with a friend, and it was such a nice lunch that I wanted to introduce Jen to the place. It was a pretty damn spectacular dinner feast, and the two of us had to roll down the street back to the hotel. It was fairly obscene how much we ate, but it was so worth it.

The next day we went out to St. Paul, so that Jen could show me around her FABULOUS neighborhood. OMG! I love Cathedral Hill – what a cozy enclave! It was just charming, and Jen’s house is beautiful. The trees in the Twin Cities are very impressive, especially given how short the warm season can be, and everything was so clean. The garden in the back yard was bursting with veggies, and Jen’s porch is perfect for sitting and reading. And that’s exactly what we did. Just enchanting – the houses are all so varied, and each has so much character. I just sat and sipped ice water while Jen perused my latest writing project.

It was such a good time. As with my July, 2010 break, I got home feeling tired from the travel but rewarded from the journey. I really am glad that I am taking time to spend with friends. Seeing places (which isn’t really a large part of my travels, since most of my time is spent in the hotels of various destinations) really makes these trips special. Just as with my friend in Houston who shows me something wonderful in his city each time we go, getting out of work mode and hotel rooms is really feeding my spirit.

I haven’t decided on what to do with my September, 2010 break yet. It might be nice to simply stay put… or it might be time for another adventure.

OMG! OMG OMG OMG

So… who knew that 48 hours in the mountains could fix almost everything in the world? It was just spectacular. I’d not been there in a full calendar year (since the July 2009 trip to Biltmore with Steve), and it was amazing. The weather was dynamic, going from calming showers to dramatic thunderstorms to bright sunshine all in the space of hours each day.

I went out on the lake at least four times, and got to go swimming (something I haven’t enjoyed in about 20 years). And I got to see so much wildlife, right there in my friend’s backyard! From smallest to largest, I saw a walking stick, a bossy humming bird, several funny ducks, a flock RAFTER of about 30 – 40 turkeys playing leap frog (is a group of turkeys a flock?? No, it’s called a RAFTER – thanks, Joe!), a blue heron, and deer all over the place.

What was particular impressive about the deer on the first evening: I got up to take pictures of the sunset, which was hot pink, purple, and peach, and the cicadas were really loud. The scent of rain and tree resin was on the air, and then, under the two apple trees under the balcony, I notice a doe. The moment she stepped into the glade hundreds of fireflies started sparkling all over the yard. It couldn’t have been any better choreographed. Utterly fabulous.

We grilled most of our meals, and it was a very relaxing and cleansing experience. Next time we go, my friend suggested taking my car, so that we could drive with the top down under the trees. If you have never seen the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the forests near Elizabethon, TN around Watauga Lake, you really should make the trip.

So, I have been saying I need to rest more. And I am going to commit to that. I also need to be more adventurous. What I want to do is take a weekend off each month and either really rest or go do something really fun. Just for me. I’m going to add a new category for Adventure and Rest. Perhaps it will grow into a travel journal? That’d be fun. For August, 2010 break I will be in Minneapolis with a friend, so I already have two entries!

Last month I took the weekend of my birthday and the weekend of July 4 off in a row. It had been my intent to take a real good rest, but it ended up not being restful at all (so it didn’t count as a vacation). Blog drama and family illnesses countered out the vacation factor. LOL

This weekend I am going to the mountains. I haven’t been since last July, and it’s been far too long. I will be going up with a friend who has a lake house and a boat. I don’t remember the last time I was on a boat. It’s been a while. I’m not scared of water. I’m scared of what’s in it. This will be fun though: A true getaway. When I get home I’ll update with details.

I hope you do something this weekend that replenishes you or gives you some sense of gratification. xoxo

So, I have often said that taking breaks is important, but if you have ever looked at my itinerary you will know that I don’t do this often enough. Burn out! OMG! One reason I blog is to hold myself accountable: If I put it out publically, I feel more obliged to stand up to my ideals. LOL

I am going to commit to taking a weekend off each month. It will either be the first or last weekend of each month. I have already published my travel plans through August, and I don’t want to mess with that anymore. I have a break in June and July, so I will fulfill August and start with Devon’s Sabbath in September. (Although I anticipate treating Minneapolis like a break, because I will be visiting one of my favorite girlfriends up there, so that almost counts as a vacation, rather than a bidnizz ventcha.) I should give the monthy rest a cute name, so that those of you who keep up with me will get the inside joke.

I’m open to suggestions. What should we call my weekend off? Does her majesty “take refreshment and retirement?” HA! What would be the overly formalized term for resting used by the high queens of Europe? I know getting out of bed and getting dressed is “Attending to the Queen’s grand toilet,” but how does one say poetically that I’m going to sit on my ass and eat bonbons while watching “Lord of the Rings?”