Elle’s Journey

Back in Seattle! Yep.

I’ve been back a couple of months from the ship life and I’m definitely settling in nicely to being back on land. It’s amazing how quickly you learn to appreciate the things that you truly value the moment they are taken away.

When I was on the ship the world spun so fast you didn’t have much time to think about what you missed, and probably a good thing at that. If you’re anything like me, its the simple things of life I missed: having brunch with friends on a Sunday afternoon, or going to the movies, or laying in the grass and simply watching the clouds roll by. These things were not options when aboard a vessel that never stops moving.

Why back in the saddle again? Our family lost our matriarch, my grandmother, in mid-December. It was such a joy to be with my family in Vermont to celebrate, and share stories about her life and impact with all of us. This event was my impetus to leave the ship life and return to Seattle. I had ‘clean-up’ to do with the biz and Seattle life that had basically been on-hold while I was on the high seas.

I’ll be moving into my first non-transitory home in 2 years at the end of May. So chez Linda’s guest space in Seattle will be open again. I’m excited to still be living in the city and have the space for some great dinner parties with a very nice view of the city. So stay tuned for that!

If you’d like to be in touch know that the 0000 phone # is cancelled but my old #’s from living in Seatle before have not changed. I’m still settling into the city so please be in touch if I haven’t had the chance yet. Hugs all the way round the world to my friends who now are spread from Romania, to Trinidad, from St Maarten to Ensenada, from South Africa to Australia. Such amazing people! I look forward to staying in touch.

Well Well Well. In looking at the blog today I realize I’ve missed a couple big factual chunks of my story over the past months and I’m sure many bemusing stories. I’ll have to share the bemusing stories in person, since some of them might be too ‘saucy’ for the internet ; )

As for the ‘big chunks’. . . .

When I left Seattle I thought I’d have the opportunity to assist and train with Dean, my connection to working on ships aboard the Jewel in the Caribbean for 4 to 5 months. My simple task was to test to see if this position was something I wanted to pursue; sell Eden while aboard the ship; and continue on with my own ship contract after my training if I so decided. But those months unexpectedly turned into 2 short weeks. Ha! How life twists and shifts so quickly!

That’s when the opportunity opened up for me to train for my own ship. With many thanks to Dean’s advocacy, I made it into a highly competitive training in Miami, ongoing training in New York’s diamond industry, some time off with friends in Vermont, and San Francisco, then at last to Los Angeles in February to board my first ship and first contract to SoCal and Baja aboard a Royal Caribbean ship as the Port and Shopping Guide.

For the moment, I want to let you know I won’t be leaving Seattle until at least September 5th for my next contract. Due to awesome feedback on contract #1, contract #2 will be the Caribbean contract I was aiming for. So yes, the news is, I am planning to take the contract, if all goes as planned here in Seattle. Right now I’m focused on ensuring I’m resting and playing plenty in Seattle and second, stabilizing Eden Landscapes through a major sales and hiring push.

I made a big move two months ago when I decided to pull my company from the market and out of a bad deal that I was in the midst of negotiating. I know, I’m a crazy girl to keep the company I’ve been working so hard to set up for sale. Well let’s raise the glass and toast to a shift of perspective that allowed me to see a better way to get away from the stress and move onto the next phase of life.

I’ve decided to hire a General Manager who will have the opportunity to purchase a part of the business or the entire business outright (sweat equity or standard cash buy-out) If you know any candidates, please have them email or call me. I am interviewing candidates currently. I’m also hiring for an administrative assistant (PT), sales consultant, designers, gardeners (PT or FT) and the General Manager. If you know an interested parties have them email me at my business address.

Onto the fun stuff – Travel recommendations.

I’ve been to St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Grand Cayman, Antigua, Cozumel, and Costa Maya in the Caribbean. For various reasons I would pick St. Maarten as my favorite so far. So taste a bit of paradise and definitely get to the Caribbean if you like the heat and ask me anything before you go!

In the Pacific, San Diego, Catalina, and Ensenada were my ports to call home. San Diego is beautiful, especially Balboa Park (highest concentration of museums in the nation I believe). Catalina is just a world unto itself, a throwback in time that you must go visit just because its so dang adorable, restful, and accessible right off the coast of Los Angeles. Ensenada is a couple hours drive south of Tijuana so its just beginning to clean up from that border town feel. The developed area downtown is quite small but I’ll tell you what! I’ve never met more kind and wonderful people than in that city. If you go to visit, I will let you know where the best taco stands are, the best pubs, and of course the best places to purchase jewelry since that was one of my expertises aboard the ships. So if you ever need recommendations or connections in any of these cities I would love to assist.

Give a call Seattlites while I’m here in the city!

Looking forward to it, Elle

San Diego Waterfront

Catalina Island Beaches

Old Town Puerto Rico

The Cloisters Museum, Upper Manhattan Island, New York City

I am back in Seattle since the Summer Solstice and my birthday in mid-June. The weather here in Seattle has been absolutely FABULOUS since I’ve returned. Some good magic must have followed me.

My first impulse after getting home off of the ship was to sleep a very, very long time, then to crawl out of bed late in the morning and walk out into my mother’s lovely garden. I laid my back down in the grass and let the sunshine envelop me. Then I became so aware of what I hadn’t had the chance to cherish for the past four and a half months – the beautiful sounds and smells of life on land. The wind blowing through the trees was exquisite. The fly buzzing around my head made me laugh. And the smell of the wind with so many stories that it carried to me was indescribable. All of this was so refreshing and intoxicating and down-right wonderful, I laughed until my belly was sore and laid there in silence afterward for quite some time. Bliss.

So indeed, I am here in Seattle and would love to share stories of my last quest before I leave again. There is a lot to sort through here in Seattle before I’m back aboard a ship around August 12th. I’m likely to be in Seattle until that time. If you are in the area please call me or email me so we can get together. I would love to see you.

AND. . . .SAVE THE DATE next Sunday, July 16th at 5:30 pm

I’ll be pulling pictures and stories together to share that evening. Let’s plan on finger food and drinks and good socializing. Location will be announced in the next couple days (someplace in Seattle). I’ll jump in with stories and pictures at around 6 pm.

The theme is QUEST. The past 8 months have been a quest for me and I would love to share some amazing experiences and stories from what feels like a world away. Come with a story about your own story of a QUEST and we’ll re-write the Grail Tales together!

Here’s some photos to share right now.

The Monarch of the Seas of the coast of Catalina

The Captain and Staff Captain pulling us out of harbor in Los Angeles

These seagulls gave me a good giggle!

The Cruise Staff on 70’s Night. Can you say “oh la la!”

Presenting Ms. Channel 22:

the Pro on Ports-of-Call and the Mistress of Shopping Therapy

Dear Friends and Family:

I just received a generic letter from a friend regarding a movie release this weekend. The movie is The Peaceful Warrior. I read this book 10 or so years ago. At that time it really shook me up and openned my eyes to how dynamic and amazing our lives can be if we choose to live them in a trully conscious manner.

I can not attend the openning weekend since I’ll be on ship. However, would you be willing to go if you are in one of the release cities? Inspirational movies like this are rarely made or distributed by Hollywood. So I’d love to do what I can to assist in casting a vote for more to be made. Profitability on openning weekend is one key determinant.

If you can help – many thanks.

Linda

From Peak Potentials:

Say “Yes!” with your presence!

“Moderation is for the bland, the apologetic, for the fence-sitters of the world afraid to take a stand. It’s for those afraid to laugh or cry, for those afraid to live or die. Moderation…is lukewarm tea, the devil’s own brew,” so says Dan Millman in his remarkable semiautobiographical novel “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior.”

Over 25 years ago Millman used the Warrior archetype to define a powerful, action-oriented, almost mystical attitude towards life that became a classic and inspired a whole generation to seek a deeper purpose in life. Now Millman’s book has finally been turned into a major Hollywood feature film: “The Peaceful Warrior” starring Nick Nolte, Scott Mechlowicz and Amy Smart.

“The Peaceful Warrior” is not just another movie—its popularity has the potential to literally change lives. However, feature films that address deep issues are often shunned by theatre owners and distributors for fear that there is not a sufficient audience. Like any business, the bottom line is what counts and the lenght of the run of a film is determined by the ticket sales at the box office on the first weekend following a movie’s release. For “The Peaceful Warrior” that weekend is June 2-4.

Yes, we can make a difference! Yes, we can say “This is the kind of film we want to see.” Yes, we can change the world simply by showing up! Plan to see “The Peaceful Warrior” during its West Coast premiere in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Monica, San Diego, Phoenix, Tempe, Portland and Seattle on the first weekend it opens.

Encourage at least 10 other people to do the same by forwarding this message to friends and family. Better still: Invite a group of friends to a “Peaceful Warrior Night” at the Movies sometime between June 2nd and 4th for a truly positive, inspiring and beautifully acted film.

Comments from advance screening:

“A beautifully crafted and enormously entertaining film. See it and it will impact the course of your life forever.”—Tony Robbins

“When you hear the truth, it sounds familiar. Like seeing a reflection of something you already possess. This film is that clear and simple reflection. I enjoyed every moment.”—Jim Carrey

“A stunning and extraordinary film. Watch it and be transformed.”—Eckhart Tolle (Author of “The Power of Now”)

Synopsis:

Dan, is a popular young man with a passion for athletics. Little does Dan realize that his world will be turned upside down after meeting an old man who runs the local service station and seems to possess unusual, almost magical powers. Stunned by his abilities, Dan begs the old man, whom he calls “Socrates,” to teach him his secrets.

Socrates guides Dan to a whole new ideology—one that values consciousness over intelligence, and strength in spirit over strength in body. In order to succeed, Dan must somehow let go of all of his expectations—and simply live in the now.

Nick Nolte gives a stellar performance as the gruff, spiritual warrior who turns adversity into life-affirming lessons—all with understated humor.

For theatrical previews and a list of participating theatres go to: www.thepeacefulwarriormovie.com

Change the world simply by showing up!

For your freedom,

T. Harv Eker and the entire team at Peak Potentials Training

from Gardener Girl

To Broadcast Personality

OK OK the pics are for dramatic effect. But I have to say, it is so fun to able to change roles and take my talents in one world (dirt) and put it to use in another (diamonds). (Giggle)

It’s been so long since I’ve written. And while the silence has been complete for my writing on-line, the activity and learning I’ve been living in my day-to-day life has been huge.

(A quick note, you may not have received notice of my last two postings on Vermont and New York from back in December due to the way I wrote and posted them. Scroll down and catch yourself up with those postings before reading on here. Cheers!)

After leaving New York and loving EVERY minute of it, I headed to San Francisco. My girlfriend Jen and cousins and nieces live in the city and across the SF Bay. They were to be my last major stop before boarding the ship to begin work again.

Yes indeed, towards the end of my stay in New York I finally got the call from the home office for my ship placement. I admit I was disappointed to find out that I wouldn’t be headed straight to the Caribbean. But also very happy I would be on a low-profile ship during my first placement. It also had the added benefit of being nearer to Seattle, and in the same time zone as Eden Landscapes in case something needed to be handled rapidly.

So knowing my days were numbered before I started my position, I jumped into the myriad details I needed to complete before I went ship-board in a few short weeks. Unfortunately, my time with family and friends was tucked in between the moments while I wasn’t working in San Francisco.

Happy to see so many of my family over the past two months, I packed up for the last time and headed to Los Angeles, though not without some funny and not-so-funny events.

Two days before leaving for Los Angeles I caught wind of a bad situation brewing with my new hire at Eden back in Seattle. It wasn’t so fun to have to fly back to Seattle at the last minute to deal with firing a key employee and salvaging the situation with the company. The silver lining in the situation? It gave me the opportunity to see a few friends while I was there for my little 48 hour whirlwind visit.

So I’ve now been ship-board for over a month. It is hard to believe, since a contract is only 6 months long. I’ve been adjusting well and taking to the work and life aboard like a fish to water, thanks to my chameleon like qualities as a person who loves life.

Giving you a taste of life aboard a ship is challenging to communicate, so I’ll just mention a few tidbits to give you a flavor of it and allow your imagination to paint you a picture:

• The ship sails out of its home-port, Los Angeles two times per week, Monday and Friday.

• Each time it leaves port we have approximately 2,500 new guests on board.

• My job is to reach as many of those guests as possible with the information and inspiriation about visiting and patronizing the businesses in our ports-of-call.

• To do that, I give live public lectures that are recorded for television, produce extra ‘shows’ that are aired on my ship’s channel, and maintain high visibility with all our guests by socializing, socializing, socializing. (If you can believe it, a bit more socializing than can actually enjoy.)

• The days are long and it literally is like living 2 or 3 days off-ship in one day on-board simply because so much activity happens aboard on a daily basis.

• There are approximately 800 crew with over 60 nationalities represented.

• It is a fish-bowl among the staff. Everything that’s done on-board before midnight will be seen and heard about by the entire staff by morning. Worse than any high school rumor mill, only now its done in over 60 languages.

So if you can get a flavor of it, it’s high-octane living in an artificial environment. I’m loving it as the scientist loves a well-designed experiment or as an adventurous woman loves travel in a new and exciting country.

On the professional side, the experience in broadcast I’m building and the business to business coaching I’m able to do with the the businesses that I represent is ace-in-the-hole.

On the personal side, I think it’s the most amazing opportunity to share stories from all around the world at the dinner table with my friends from South Africa who work in the casino, or the bartenders from the Philippines, or the waitress from Romania, or the Spa Manager from England, or or or. . . the list never ends. I am trully working inside of a ‘mini United Nations’.

It’s an interesting dichotomy for me to be the larger-than-life, glamorous ‘Lady of the Ship’ on TV counter-balanced by my desire to be the most real and kind person I can be in an environment that is plastic and harsh. It reminds me of the often quoted, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I will be that.

So my long-time dream of traveling the world to gather people’s stories is, in-part, being fulfilled by my job aboard ships. With one large difference, now the stories and people are coming to me instead of me coming to the stories. Interesting twist.

I leave you with many thoughts of well-wishes. I look forward to when you and I can sit down and I can listen to some of your stories for the past months. Until then, I’ll see you soon.

Linda

Hello All!

It was a wonderfully restful and quiet time in Vermont at the red house with the Long’s in Pomfret. So hilly and remote it was. Not even cell phones work in this region! (trully a stunning thought for an urban Seattle-ite!)

I had the opportunity to visit our nearly 200 y.o. Hazen family farm called Brookside in White River Junction, NH, owned and operated by my cousin Henry Hazen and family. He is running a successful equestrian facility on the land that is truly beautiful. One afternoon I had the chance to ride with his daughter in their HUGE new arena which was a great reminder how greatly I love and enjoy riding and training horses.

Though the rain washed away much of the snow while I was there, there was still plenty to make snowmen and have a few snowball fights.

So many thanks to cousins Ron and Betsy, Joanna and Norwood for extending such amazing hospitality. It touched me deeply to be a part of a family that lives close to each other, eats together, truly enjoys each other’s company, and takes the time to have endlessly fascinating intellectual and heart-felt conversations. Now I am proud to be, ‘the other daughter’ in the clan of unofficial daughters.

I was off to taste a bit of the Big City (New York) the night before New Year’s Eve. Though Times Square was tempting, I decided warm company, music, and a drink sounded far preferable to freezing cold, rainy weather, security checkpoints and 75,000 people crushed into 2 city blocks. So I found myself listening to the most outrageous Brazilian dance music and dancing the night away til 5 am to celebrate New Years. Jeesh that felt good, so very good!

Day after day it was another set of amazing adventures. Sometimes what I did was the adventure. But mostly, it was about the people I met and the stories that were created in the moment. Just to share a few snippets:

1st – There was Paul who just returned from China after studying Chinese medicine for the past 11 years. I met he and his brother and friends dancing to the Brazilian music New Year’s Eve. His work in body-mind healing modalities from the Eastern perspective is awesome and is preparing him to research and work on healing AIDS. But not only that, Paul is a native Long Islander, so I learned to pronounce New York names with a Long Island accent. That was much fun and laughter.

2nd – There’s the two gentleman sitting at the end of the bar where I was going to eat dinner one night. They were wearing lovely hand knitted sweaters, sipping their cocktails and knitting away at the first two seats of the Fish Restaurant of Restaurant Alley in Hell’s Kitchen. One of the gentleman Chris is currently working on his commissioned Broadway musical called “In High Heels and Backwards”. It’s all about the lovely Ginger Rogers. Now there’s a lady I’ve related to for years with my Ballroom dancing. So the saying goes, “Why was Ginger so much better than Fred Astaire?” Reply, “Because she did it all in high heels and backwards, of course!”

3rd – There’s Frankie Manning, the icon of the late 1920’s swing dance scene in Harlem’s Cotton Club, Savoy Swing Club and the films of 20’s dancing. Even closing in on 90 y.o. and 2 hip replacement surgeries that man can DANCE! Frankie bought me a glass of wine at his regular Monday night hangout and we sat and chatted about our mutual Seattle dance acquaintances and how they’re all doing. But when the 17 piece brass jazz band kicked in, all we could do was kick up our heels. All evening long those gentleman had me huffing and puffing. And the average age of the men I was Swinging with was around 74! Ahhh, how I wish all men understood what a gift it is to know how to dance and take a lady out on the floor and enjoy an evening of dancing and live music. I consider it the perfect combination of entertainment, exercise, and ecstasy. The world truly would be a better place if we all danced!

Cousins Molly and Scott with sons Tim and Jonathan were wonderful hosts and put up well with my energetic self, seeing every corner of New York I possibly could while I was there. And through it all, the people, the noise, the big-ness of the Big City, I fell totally in love with her. New York, you will always have a special place in my heart. There truly is nothing in the world like you!