A Weekend Trip to Fill the Hug Tank....

Today's world is kind of crazy, especially for those of us who grew up with the expectations of the 80s and 90s.  Believe it or not, insanity and instability allowed me to hatch whole new life!  In the past year I have started a new job, moved to a place that actually feels like home, reignited my passions for creating art, and simplified my life in so many ways.  I didn't realize how heavy the emotional suitcases I tote around were until I was forced to purge them.  Its amazing how a bit of editing can free your spirit up for new experiences.

I am currently embracing the concept of weekend travel.  I used to think that the only way to use my vacation time was a week at a beach with a good book.  This is still on the list of my favorite things to do, but not always feasible with my schedule--I'm a bit of a professional schedule juggler these days.  I spent the last year taking advantage of the wonderful world of 3 day weekends, and traveling to see friends in other cities.  Quick trips can be stressful if you have big plans for them, but they can be just what the doctor ordered if you simply want to spend time with a long lost friend.  For instance, I recently flew out west just to take drive through the desert and visit the art fair.  All the while reconnecting with an old friend as we talked about finding our places as artists in this economy.  Last Spring I spent two days in my old stomping grounds wandering around the streets of New York.  I ate my favorite cupcakes at Billy's, wandered through the Barnes and Noble in Union Square, stopped for a birthday pedicure, and dined at my favorite Mexican restaurant Arriba, Arriba!   The best part was just walking through the city without a game plan flanked on each sided by great company..oh, and the guacamole in my tummy didn't hurt!

I have known for years that I am equipped with a hug tank....a gas tank for my soul.  I think we all are in some ways, but my mileage is directly related to what goes in it.  When I am low on hugs, I'm just not on top of my game.  It effects my mood, personality, creativity and productivity.  Bottom line--hugs are like oxygen for my soul.  Does this make me needy?  Maybe, but a hug is a two way street and its the exchange that fuels me.  I am grateful for the many close friends who have recently stepped up in order to fill up, and hope they appreciate the return on their investment.  The benefit to moving around a bit in life and working with the traveling spirits of the theatre world is that I have huggers in many places, and its a joy to visit them all. 

So--take a moment and make a hug investment in your local peeps today, or plan a trip to visit and invest in one of your "life-path twins."  We all have them, those people who are in the same place at the same time along life's road map.  The ones who you solve the puzzles of life along side.  In a world where financial investments are rocky and intimidating--take comfort that a hug investment will pay you back at an amazing rate.