Sharing in a Hotel Room with a Friend. Again.

She's on her bed, over there.
I'm on my bed, over here.

She's reading.
This is what her bed looks like.

I just checked my work email.
And now I'm blogging.
And maybe I'll open my snail mail later. (I brought it along.)
Or do some work... (I brought my calendars and notebooks along.)
Or maybe I'll read.

This is what my bed looks like:

... which is what any bed I sleep on looks like.


We are in Vancouver for the night.
At the Sandman.
(Yes, I am on vacation again. Just one and a half days. I have a sweet job... I'm still using up my 2015 vacation time.)

We stayed here in the Spring, and my computer totally hooked itself up to the wifi, remembering the password LIKE WE ARE AT HOME.


And just like the last time, we are here to attend The Public Salon. Which, admittedly, was better the first time. But still of value, regardless.

It's a forum that allows 8 people, (handpicked by Sam Sullivan (former mayor of Vancouver) and his wife), to share something they are passionate about. They are given 7 minutes.

It's kinda like a TedTalk -Lite.

Tonight's presenters included:

• Cory Ashworth (Peak radio DJ)
• Nicole Bridger (Fashion Designer)
• Kevin Chong (Author)
• Judy Graves (Homeless Advocate)
• Daniel Kalla (ER Doctor and Author)
• Dale McClanaghan (Granville Island planner)
• Bob Rennie (Realtor)
• Alexander Weimann (Conductor and Harpsicordist)

And some? Were fascinating. 

Others? haha. Not. So. Much. 

But, still, we're both glad we chose to attend this over the FREE ADVANCE SCREENING TICKETS I won (on twitter) for the new Sandra Bullock movie (Our Brand is Crisis). We can see that any old time...

The best part of the evening? 

Is after the event, we both were looking forward to getting back to our hotel room to sit on our beds and talk about each presentation and discuss what we learned. What inspired us. What our number one take away was. 

For me?

It was Daniella Kalla. He's an emergency room doctor - the head of the department at St. Paul's Hospital. And he's written a bunch of novels:

He talked about life. 

And how there's more time to do things if we stop being a slave to keeping up with the Kardashians. Or updating one's Facebook page with selfies. 

He has managed to be a physician and write books and be a dad and and and... 

That was inspiring to me. 

To not waste time. 

To live a rich, full, intentional life. 

To not spend hours a day doing meaningless things. 

For so many of us, our jobs 'take it all' out of us, so there's nothing more to give at the end of the day. 

I don't want to be like that. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been a great week. 

On Monday night, I had a few of the friends that I worked with twenty years ago (from Billie's Country days of old) over for a catch up. Haha. We visited and talked and shared and encouraged and hugged and we'll do that again real soon. Next time, though, we will do it sitting around a table, crafting something. 

SO much freakin creative talent in the living room that night. 

And on Tuesday, right after work, I do a photo shoot with a friend who needed some head shots done. I LOVE TAKING PICS OF HAPPY PEOPLE.

She? Was happy.

These are the goofy ones.

So. Much. Fun.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Inspiring people.

2. Friends with free hotel coupons.

3. This city.

Shalom,

xo