“What if today, we were just grateful for everything”?
(Charlie Brown)
Here’s to a great day for everyone who reads this! Hope you take time to enjoy your family, friends, and great food.
Continue to Walk into the Future!
Calvin
“Be present in all things and thankful for all things”.
(Maya Angelou)
“Paisley Park is in your heart”
This is a lyric from the song titled Paisley Park on Prince’s Around the World in a Day album. It’s not one of his most well-known songs but the title was translated by the artist to name his artistic palace in Chanhassen, a suburb of Minneapolis.
Paisley Park is a combination of residence, recording studios, sound stage, video editing and party spot (concerts, DJ’s, etc.) designed by Prince in the late 1980s. This is a place where he churned out hit after hit from his own recording platforms. It afforded him the opportunity to create new music and concepts right where he lived. Simply, come downstairs and walk into a recording studio to lay down some tracks that would one day become a #1 hit.
Paisley Park is a place I always wanted to visit to experience the place responsible for the soundtrack of my life. I grew up listening to Prince from the very early stages of his career and wanted to Walk into the Future and see Paisley Park first hand.
Wow…what an experience! I decided to make a visit to Minneapolis and then venture over to Chanhassen to tour Paisley Park. They have multiple tour formats to select but I decided to reserve my spot for the General Admission (70-minute tour) and was not disappointed. There were roughly 20 other Prince fans along for my tour timeframe. We’re talking people from all over the world who decided to make the Paisley Park journey to reconnect with Prince, his music and the place where he created magic.
The tour started with a brief history of his music, why he wanted Paisley Park and what happens there now. The tour’s most emotional moment for me was when we stepped into the foyer at Paisley Park. Prince’s ashes are encased under glass overlooking the foyer. Didn’t expect the ashes to be there but it was a goose bump moment for a lot of us on the tour.
We were provided free time to explore multiple rooms dedicated to specific albums/tours (LoveSexy, 1999, For You, etc.) and his personal office. The tour guide identified the office was intact just as Prince left it. Of course, it was a very cool set-up to include video, music and a sitting area to entertain visitors.
The tour then took us directly into Studio A where most of his hits from the 1990s were recorded. Very cool place to see and experience the sound system and unreleased music that will be coming out soon! Sounds great and you will love the concepts! LOL.
His numerous awards (Grammys, BET, MTV, etc.) were displayed in hallway cases. The effect of seeing these awards put a smile on most of our faces as we remembered watching Prince receive these awards on TV over the years. Fantastic opportunity to actually see history.
Prince’s movies/soundtracks had separate areas at Paisley Park. The Purple Rain display included the motorcycle from the movie, his iconic purple trench coat and the Grammy awarded for the soundtrack.
Under the Cherry Moon with the black and white theme provided a unique contrast to his other movies. Graffiti Bridge, Sign ‘O the Times and RAVE were displayed, and all were shot on the sound stage at Paisley Park.
Speaking of the sound stage, our tour took us into the enormous space used by Prince and others for tour preparation, make videos and shoot movies. Prince allowed other musicians to use this area to help them get ready for national tour dates.
The tour ended in the New Power Generation (NPG) club which is still used to host dance parties for Prince fans. This area was used by Prince to host fans and sometimes play live shows for the few lucky folks in attendance. It was noted Prince normally didn’t start playing until 2 am in the morning so you would have to be an extreme night owl to catch one of these impromptu shows.
Cameras are not allowed at Paisley Park so the memories from this experience must be lived and not streamed out. I believe this enhanced the overall experience for me.
Very happy my Walk into the Future led me to Paisley Park!
Where have you always wanted to go but never made the time? How can you leverage a trip to help you decide to walk into the future?
FYI–I plan a return trip to Paisley Park in 2022. Who is going to meet me there? 🙂
“Don’t die without embracing the daring adventure your life was meant to be”.
(Steve Pavlina)
My Walk into the Future has allowed me to experience some great adventures.
My adventures prior to COVID-19 took me to places that required a bit of planning. Planes, trains, and automobile (not really the train) got me from place to place so I could enjoy new places. We are slowly getting back to being able to travel again with more and more people getting vaccinated. I am excited about the possibilities of becoming a running tourist again. Please note, I signed up for the early bird special to run the 2022 New Orleans Rock n Roll Running Series Half Marathon next February. Yes, the Rock n Roll folks changed their name!
The newest adventure for me only took me 35 miles from Fort Pierce. I have traveled to the town of Okeechobee multiple times because we have a campus there. I drive over and take care of my work and then drive back to the main campus in Fort Pierce. A very routine process but realized I had never taken the time to go to Lake Okeechobee. Imagine being about 10 miles away from the largest freshwater lake in Florida but never visiting. Decided to fix this issue and get over to the lake for a little adventure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Okeechobee
My day started with the prospect of severe thunderstorms approaching the area. Luckily, I did not let this deter me from my adventure. The skies remained sunny and clear, so I took a chance (Walk into the Future) and packed a backpack and headed over to see the big lake. The drive over was around 40 minutes, so it did not take long to begin the adventure. There was not much traffic on the road, so the drive was easy. It is a farming community so not many sights to see on the drive except orange groves, farms, and cows.
I did not create a travel plan for my visit so just decided to make it up as I went. Parked at the Welcome Center and took in Lake Okeechobee from the walking bridge. This was my first view of the lake and it did not disappoint. The massiveness of Lake Okeechobee is probably the most impressive part of being there. I knew going over it was going to be a large body of water but being there and not seeing a bank on the other side was amazing. Finally got a chance to break out my new camera with my 80x zoom lens for this trip—it was needed to zoom in on objects in the distance.
I decided to go further down the road and see what other adventures Lake Okeechobee had for me. Pulled over when I saw a sign for the Lake Okeechobee Historic Trail—seemed like a great place to explore a bit more. The trail is paved so made my way east and took in the sights. There were several people at this point fishing, and they were pulling them in. Guess I will return to this spot IF I ever get into fishing—never been high on my list of hobbies to pick up. Got a 3 mile walk in on this portion of the trip and got more pictures of the lake and surrounding area. A couple riding their bikes shared they saw bald eagles a little further down the trail so decided to get back in the vehicle and drive down more to where they mentioned seeing eagles. Would love to get pictures of bald eagles in the wild! I was also racing time because the skies were getting dark—the rain was coming!
Drove another 5 miles or so down the road and pulled into another segment of the Lake Okeechobee Historic Trail. There were more people fishing here so the theme of the day is Lake Okeechobee is great if you like to fish. 😊 Again, walked on the trail heading east looking for perches eagles would populate—funny to read that last sentence—how would I know where eagles hang out???
Got a good walk in on this portion of the trail. I saw birds but nothing as interesting as bald eagle so took more pictures of the lake. I got lucky and spotted an alligator swimming in water close to Lake Okeechobee. This allowed me to utilize my zoom lens to get a good shot of a 6-foot alligator—my camera on my phone would not have allowed me to get this shot so happy to have the zoom available now. Cannot wait to take some pictures in Negril, Jamaica with a real zoom lens!
The skies got extremely dark because of the incoming bad weather so decided to cut my losses and get back on the road to head home. No need to get caught in a thunderstorm on Lake Okeechobee. This was a short trip but worth the time to drive over and explore Lake Okeechobee. May venture back over soon and experience the lake via an airboat ride. The adventures continue! 😊
“I thought it was an adventure but actually, it was life”.
(Image by Sergei Tokmakov, Esq. from Pixabay)
“Choose to be optimistic. It feels better”.
(Dalai Lama)
I do not know if we have truly turned the corner on COVID-19 but it does feel like we have made some progress.
The rollout of the vaccine has been moving forward the past three months and my excitement is firmly rooted in the fact I have family and friends who are fully vaccinated. Happy to report I got my first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Friday and should be fully vaccinated by the time you read this article.
I realize there is more work to be done before we get to herd immunity but there are positive signs daily. We need to maintain a level of caution and not get too far ahead to ensure these positive vibes remains.
My excitement for turning the corner is because I was able to visit my family in northern Florida and did not feel like I was putting them at risk. My mom, aunts and uncles are completely vaccinated and this was the first visit where I did not have the same concerns about possibly bringing the virus into their homes. Please note, we still maintained physcial distancing and masks wearing but mentally it felt like we were safe again. I have not hugged my mom in months so a simple side hug this time was a welcomed aspect of the visit.
My goal is to have my second shot completed before I head back up to visit with family and friends again. The peace of mind knowing everyone has been vaccinated will allow us to spend a bit more time together and not worry about passing a virus on to a family member.
The concept of physical distancing and how we fellowship will probably be changed forever. Simple things we did around the holidays will most likely change—I do not know if I will ever be comfortable again with our large Thanksgiving gatherings again. We set up tables and chairs outside for Thanksgiving 2020 and this process went better than I expected. The weather was great and family was able to spend time together but not in a closed environment. I see this being the new tradition as long as the weather cooperates.
I hope the Walk into the Future blog readers are in the process of getting vaccinated.
I questioned the rapid pace of the vaccine creation and deployment but put those concerns aside in order to ensure I was protected. This protection extends to my family, friends and coworkers—getting the vaccine is my way to get closer to normal again. I would like to get back to being a running tourist again in 2021. This will only happen when more and more people get the vaccine—here’s hoping herd immunity is a real thing!
Note: I got sent home from work the day after I wrote this article due to contact tracing. COVID-19 is still alive and well—stay safe!
When are you getting the vaccine? What are you looking forward to once herd immunity is gained?
“The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength”.
(Marcus Aurelius)
(Image by Thank you for your support Donations welcome to support from Pixabay)
“Go where the wifi is weak and the sun is strong”.
(Unknown)
Spring break 2021 has been circled on my calendar for awhile. I did not have visions of a Jamaica getaway as I have in past years. COVID-19 has adjusted the things we look forward to now. I am hoping with the multiple vaccines available we will be able to get back to travel again soon. I routinely scheduled my Jamaica trip around spring break but will continue to display patience as I wait my turn to get the vaccine.
Happy to report my mom, aunts, uncles and multiple friends are fully vaccinated!
I decided not to overbook myself for spring break and just unwind a bit. My 2020 was overshadowed by COVID-19 and my move from Tallahassee to Fort Pierce. Relocating during the height of a pandemic proved a bit harder than I ever imagined. The physical process was simple to pull off—the mental and emotional aspects of adjusting to a new location, new work environment and new people while staying safe in a pandemic was challenging. Proud of my efforts so far and look forward to continued growth with this process.
Spring break was my chance to reset a bit, kick back and enjoy life.
Decided to head north and spend most of my break in my home town, Jasper, Florida. I did not load my schedule so I took my time as I drove north. Made my way to the Daytona Beach Outlets for some shopping on my drive. The Daytona outlets are fairly new and I am always looking for some good deals. I visited this same outlet back in November on my drive to the Smokey Mountains. I did not find any deals I liked in the Nike or Van Heusen stores so I got back on the road.
Made my way to Jasper before sunset and caught up with my mom for my first day of spring break. She is a traditional southern mom so yes, I had a large dinner waiting for me when I got home. 😊
I normally pressure wash my mom’s house yearly and decided to tackle the project while I was in town on break. The weather in North Florida during March is very nice—no heat or humidity. Pulled my pressure washer out of the shed and began the process of knocking a year’s worth of grime off the house. My pressure washer began coughing halfway through the house cleaning process—thought it was just a spark plug issue so changed it and I was back in business—for awhile. I have had this pressure washer for some time and it just would not go any longer. Jasper is a small town and there is not a local small engine shop available to help with this issue. Almost called it quits but wanted to finish this project since I started. Made my way to Lowe’s in Live Oak to see what they had available. Ended up purchasing a new pressure washer with 2800 PSI (pounds per square inch) which gave me additional power—equals less time pressure washing.
Got the new washer setup and cranked out the rest of the house cleaning. The only drag when pressure washing my mom’s house is the two story aspect. Yes, I have to get up and down a ladder to reach the portion of the house directly above her porch. This happens to be the most visible part of the house and I cannot neglect it and still claim I cleaned the house. Going up and down the ladder with a pressure washing wand in my hand was fun a few years ago. Now, it feels like work but I got it done.
I decided to get away from my manual labor the following day. Made a point to visit with friends and go see my favortie aunt in Live Oak. I have not been able to visit with her in a long time due to COVID-19 but felt comfortable sitting with her for a bit since she is fully vaccinated. We were able to catch up and share a few laughs again—felt good! 😊
My last spring break project was to pressure wash my grandmother’s house. I normally have both houses scheduled to pressure wash during the same visit so kept the tradition alive. The second house is not as large as my mom’s so it does not take me as long to complete. This was a great aspect this year since severe weather was expected later in the day. I was able to get the house washed and avoid getting caught in the rain that made it to Jasper in the afternoon.
I am happy to report I was able to complete a few projects while in Jasper, see family and sleep in daily on my spring break. The time away from career related activities was needed considering the COVID-19 world we live in. It was nice to disconnect from my work email and computer—not thinking about substantial activities was refreshing.
I know this does not sound like a typical spring break but it was exactly what I needed. Now it is time to find a beach and work on my tan! 😊
Irie!
What activities help you to unwind? What are you looking forward to doing again?
“If traveling was free, you would never see me again”.
(Unknown)
“The beach…the only place where salt lowers your blood pressure”.
(Pinterest)
The new year has renewed my sense of adventure again. Nothing too wild but decided to make a trek west over to Clearwater Beach. I have friends who have been telling me how great Clearwater Beach is, but I never made the drive to see for myself.
That all changed this past weekend. Decided to take a weekend flyer and just book a hotel and then drive over. Seemed simple enough and it was! 😊
My day started with an impromptu 5k in Fort Pierce. A colleague from work casually mentioned he belongs to the local Kiwanis organization and they were hosting a 5k the next day (Saturday). I normally do my long runs on Saturdays but told him to send me the registration instructions so I can research the race. He sent me everything I needed to research and register for the race. Turns out the 5k course covers most of my normal Tuesday and Thursday training route so I was already familiar with the course. Decided to register Friday afternoon for the race on Saturday morning—did not figure I needed to do much mental or physical preparation since I was running the area anyway.
Happy to report I was able to run a respectable (for me) 28:04 official time for the 5k. I am especially happy with this time since we had to cross (over and back) the Seaway Drive bridge which has steep inclines. First mile was 8:38, second mile 9:18 and third mile 9:20. The second and third miles had bridge inclines so happy I was able to hold it together on both. NOTE: I felt good throughout and see faster times with a flatter course in my future.
I found out online I placed second in my age group. I did not stick around for the awards presentation since I had to get on the road to drive over to Clearwater beach.
Left Fort Pierce heading for my destination soon after I completed the 5k. Wanted to maximize much of the day to explore and walk on the famed beach. I had already booked my hotel and completed early check-in using the Marriott Bonvoy application.
The drive over to the west coast of Florida was simple. Just needed to follow directions provided by Google maps and I did not have issues with traffic. Made good time without having to speed—enjoyed the route and seeing new scenery on the trip.
Arrived in Clearwater Beach early afternoon and made my way to my hotel. Check-in was a breeze considering I did early check-in before arrival. Got myself settled in my room and added another layer of clothing on because it turns out I picked the coldest day of 2021 to go to the beach—oh well, it was still a great experience. 😊
My hotel was one block away from the beach so made the short walk over and made my way onto the famed Clearwater Beach. My plan was to walk the beach and take in the scenery while getting some pictures. Mission accomplished.
Explored a few shops on the main drag, Mandalay Avenue. Most of the shops catered to the tourists who pour onto Clearwater Beach daily. There are plenty of restaurants, hotels, bars, and shopping options within walking distance to the beach.
Made my way to the Salt Cracker Fish Camp for a late lunch. Nice little spot located in the marina district. I was able to eat and watch the charter boats come in and out of the harbor. The Salt Cracker Fish Camp has a great menu to select from, but I decided to go with the Jumbo Fried Shrimp dinner. Will try the Shrimp and Grits on my next visit. Recommend visiting this spot for the views and food.
The only Clearwater beach spot I found live music was the Salty Crab North Beach. Small little place the locals prefer but the food options are unlimited. There were only 10 people there when I visited so decided to grab a beer and check out the food menu. They have a huge selection, but I decided to build my own pizza. It was a great decision—the pizza was outstanding! Visited the Salty Crab the following morning for breakfast. Again, had a fantastic meal there and the coffee was amazing. Will try a crab dish on my next visit to the Salty Crab North Beach.
Did a little more beach walking after breakfast prior to driving back to Fort Pierce. This was a short weekend trip, but I was able to maximize my time on Clearwater beach. I will make a point to get back over there so I can get more time to explore—may even take a dolphin sightseeing tour for a new adventure.
Great weekend trip! 😊
Where have you wanted to visit? When will you make the trip? Thanks!
Irie!
“Bucket list: #1 beach, #2 more beach”.
(Pinterest.co.uk)
(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)
“A podcast is a great way to develop relationships with hard-to-reach people”.
(Tim Paige)
The Walk into the Future blog has provided me with multiple opportunities to share my words, thoughts, and experiences with others.
I started this journey in 2018 with an idea of the direction I wanted to go but had no idea the process would be so much fun for me. The ability to be creative and explore adventures are two key elements that allow me to continue to produce content for the blog. I love the comments, texts, and emails I receive when something I write speaks to others—I guess you can say I am finding my voice as I develop content.
One area that puts a huge smile on my face is when one of my tree branches reaches out and want to produce content with me. My smile gets even bigger when the request comes from TWO tree branches! 😊
My tree branches, Darryl and April Lovett have a successful platform: Success in Black and White.
Proud of these two as they tackle issues others may shy away from, but they have fun as they do it. Love the fact they move forward as a POWER couple; their energy is contagious and makes you want to get up and make a difference in the world.
They asked me to join them for a podcast episode and I immediately said yes. Saw this as a perfect way to catch up with them and share a little bit of Walk into the Future with their growing audience. Please note, recording the episode was more fun than I ever imagined—well done Darryl and April!
We were able to catch up during the podcast and cover a lot of content in the one-hour timeframe. They asked great questions and were not afraid to follow-up for clarity. The question that really got me energized was: What is your calling and why are you passionate about it?
I have been asked this question in multiple ways but really enjoy the opportunity to continue to share my WHY. My why is to leave everyone better than when I met them. It took me a few years to put this down into a simple statement, but it has been with me for some time now.
I was able to dive a bit deeper while speaking with Darryl and April during the podcast. My desire to help others started for me in high school. I had a Guidance Counselor who did not even try to help me plan my life after high school. I had several friends who got excellent advice from this same counselor, but she only told me to join the military. We never discussed how to apply to colleges, how to apply for financial aid or anything about further education and the doors it would open. Fast forward and I hold three degrees without ever having a student loan—so maybe it was a good thing my high school guidance counselor did not help me with the process. 😊
My why is driven by the lack of support I received from my guidance counselor. I provide mentorship to everyone that crosses my path because I do not want them to have to struggle because I would not take the time to help them. I wanted to make sure Darryl, April and their audience understood how important this is for me. The passion I display when working with my tree branches and potential branches is because I want to help them grow. Sounds cliché but it is something I live every day.
A funny but true aspect of how I developed my why is I do not remember the name of my high school guidance counselor. Imagine, this lady fueled my passion with her lack of attention to my future and I do not remember her name, but she has allowed me to touch so many lives in a positive way. Good things come out of bad situations. Please note, I would not change a thing—I seem to be doing okay with this Walk into the Future journey.
Discovered during the podcast episode April also considers herself a running tourist! We got a chance to discuss why I run and the positive impacts it has on my daily journey. Hoping we can all get back to running, exploring, and traveling soon—there are still races out there to run.
So, I repeat the question Darryl and April asked me:
What is your calling and why are you passionate about it?
Thank you, Darryl and April for allowing me to come on your podcast! It was fun! 😊 Irie!
“Podcasting is great. Total freedom”.
(Bill Burr)
“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right”.
(Oprah Winfrey)
How do you celebrate the end of the COVID-19 impacted 2020?
Wait, do not answer that! It was a trick question.
2020 was a year like none of us have ever experienced. The year started off with a lot of us using the clever (so we thought) 2020 Vision moniker but that quickly dissipated as we saw how much the pandemic would change our daily lives.
So, the answer to my trick question above is the beach—Indialantic beach to be precise.
Decided to head to my favorite beach in Melbourne, Florida to spend the last day of 2020 on the beach so I could celebrate the first day of 2021 on that same beach.
I have written about the Indialantic beach before and how I enjoy the Tiki bar at the Crowne Plaza. I have stayed there in the past but mostly just hang out there when I need a beach getaway. I was happily surprised the Crowne Plaza still had rooms available so went ahead and booked so I did not have to worry about driving around on New Year’s Eve. There were other hotels available in the area, but they did not provide the comfort of staying right on the beach.
I wanted to send 2020 out with a bang so made sure to tackle the last day of the year and enjoy it as much as possible. Of course, this meant I needed to get a great run in to celebrate the end of 2020! 😊 I got in a fast 5 mile run along Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce prior to leaving for Melbourne. Love this route because I can stop at the halfway point and recharge while on the beach. This is a great way for me to enjoy my run and take in the beach views. Yes, I made a beach stop prior to going to the beach.
Made my way north on I95 to check into the Crowne Plaza and celebrate NYE on the beach. My plan was to simply make it to the beach to relax, reflect and make some 2021 plans. It appears a lot of other folks had the same idea for a NYE beach escape since people were everywhere. I had to walk further down the beach to get away from the crowds to find a spot for me to work on my napping skills. Happy to report I found that perfect spot. Did a little reading, napping, and walking on the beach—the temperature was in the low 80s, so it was a perfect day to enjoy the beach. The water was too cold for me but there were surfers and swimmers enjoying the waves.
Got a late lunch and fruity drinks at the Tiki bar. The area was spaced out to ensure we had proper physical distancing while enjoying the atmosphere and great food. I was able to catch a couple college football bowl games while at the Tiki bar and still enjoy the sound of the waves. Great place to visit if you have never been to the Crowne Plaza in Melbourne.
The hotel had a live band scheduled to perform in the ballroom to ring in the new year. This is a Crowne Plaza tradition, but I did not drive up to be inside when there was a beach so close. My plan was to be on the beach when the clock struck midnight so I could bring in the new year with waves close by.
My timing was off a bit and I had to watch a couple episodes of the A&E show The First 48 to get me closer to midnight. I did not want to head down to the beach too early because there is not much to see when seating on the beach in the dark. FYI—I highly recommend The First 48—it is highly addictive. 😊
Made my way back down to the beach at 11:30 pm to count down the end of 2020 and ring in 2021. I love the beach and reggae so decided to combine the two while I waited to celebrate the arrival of 2021. I took a slight detour to listen to my favorite artist, Prince before switching over to Bob Marley for the rest of the night. Here is one of my favorite Prince live performances on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-0VbNXafDc
I went straight to my Bob Marley YouTube playlist to finish off 2020 and ring in 2021 with roots, rock, and reggae! Luckily, we had a full moon on NYE and it really produced great images over the water. I bounced around several Bob Marly classics as I waited for 2021 to arrive. Decided to play this classic as 2020 ended and 2021 began: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USQsp_hI3Tw
Had my own little party right there on the beach as I enjoyed the full moon, beach, reggae, and my beer. Could not think of a better way to say goodbye 2020 and hello 2021 than hanging out on my favorite beach.
Started 2021 on a positive note and plan to leverage this Irie energy to make 2021 a fantastic year.
How did you celebrate the end of 2020? How will you make 2021 a great year? Thanks!
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year”.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
“To escape and sit quietly on the beach—that’s my idea of paradise”.
(Emily Wiskstead)
My Walk into the Future continues to provide unlimited adventures for me daily.
The beach is a major adventure for me, and some would say my happy place. Love to sit on the beach to relax, read and just enjoy the sound of the waves. My move to Fort Pierce puts me closer to beaches and I try to take advantage of this proximity as much as possible.
One of my favorite places to sit on the beach happens to be Melbourne, Florida. There are multiple beach towns in this area but the one I prefer is Indialantic Beach. Small area but it provides the best beach experience for me.
Made the 55-minute trek north on I-95 last weekend for a day at the beach. Did not realize it has been 3 years since I have been in the Melbourne area. A lot of my beach travel while in Tallahassee was a drive over to Jacksonville or Neptune beaches. Love that area too and it was a shorter drive than venturing all the way down to Melbourne. Decided to take a day trip and get back to an area I love to visit and hangout.
Outlet mall
COVID-19 has caused a lot of life disruptions. One of these for me was not being able to get to outlet malls. I know my outlet mall shopping is not a huge deal considering the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic, but I had to drive by the Vero Beach outlet mall on my way to Melbourne. Many of the stores were still closed when I visited but was able to get some nice deals at the Van Heusen store. Yes, I wore a mask while shopping.
The Van Heusen outlet store had some great mark downs and I may have purchased more than I need. The in-store prices are a lot less than what they were selling for on-line. I have never been a fan of buying clothes on-line since different brands have their own unique cuts. My normal size in one store does not translate all the time to another. Buying pants online is a major headache for me since I need clothes for an athletic body. Also, needed to restock my work wardrobe since I have a day job again. 😊
Patrick AFB
Always make a point to visit Patrick Air Force Base when I am in Melbourne. Did not need anything but it always feels like going home when I am on the base. Spent 20 years in the Air Force and love being back on the base. Ended up just rambling around the Base Exchange and Commissary looking around and enjoying being back around the Air Force family. Got a few things but nothing major at either stop.
Crowne Plaza
The major attraction for me to visit the Indialantic beach is the Crowne Plaza hotel. Yes, I went up for a day trip, but the Crowne Plaza has a huge beach deck with a Tiki vibe and outside bar.
They allow beachgoers to utilize the deck, bar, and restrooms without being a hotel guest. Always thought that was a great feature and it keeps people coming back. I bring my own water and beer but routinely get a cold tropical drink (or two) at the bar. They have a great food menu so really do not need to go anywhere else once you get there.
There is live music most Saturdays and Sundays and that draws a decent crowd too. I normally walk further down the beach to get away from crowds but the music travels well. My day on the beach was spent reading, listening to music, and taking a bunch a naps. Nothing strenuous but wanted to visit the beach and relax—mission accomplished.
Took the scenic route back to Fort Pierce on A1A. Normally go I-95 but did not have to rush back so took in the sights and enjoyed the views. Will try to get to Melbourne monthly for a beach getaway—may stay overnight next time since there are a lot of new shopping options in the area. Always looking for a good deal! 😊
What is your favorite beach or place? When will you visit again?
“The waves on the sea help me get back to me”.
(Jill Davis)
(Image by Florante Valdez from Pixabay)
“Life is a blank canvas and you need to throw all the paint on it you can”.
(Danny Kaye)
Ventured back down to the Orlando area for the 2020 Winter Park 10k. This race has been on my running calendar the past two years because it allows me to hang out with great friends and family while running a unique course in Winter Park.
Track Shack promotes this race as a fantastic course to run a 10k personal best (PB) and it does not disappoint. There were several runners ringing the PB Bell strategically placed in the runner’s village after the race. Always exciting to see the joy a PB time brings to runners.
Mastering College to Career podcast
Coordinated with an Orlando tree branch to stop on the way down for the race to catch up a bit and record another episode on his Mastering College to Career podcast.
The podcast is Daniel Botero’s way to Walk into the Future and he has added on-line courses, videos and workbooks to go along with the weekly podcast episode. Very proud of his efforts and the difference he’s making with college students transitioning into the workplace.
Daniel provides me with the topic of discussion prior to the podcast and then we get to work. I’ve known Daniel since 2011 so we have a great working relationship and energize each other when we are in the same room. He wanted his students to understand the behind the scenes interactions between on-campus recruiters and career centers. The goal was to provide students with a better understanding how/why employers recruit on their campuses and the work involved to get them there. Was very happy to share my career center and employer relations knowledge with Daniel for the podcast and helping his students.
Found out I’m the first person on Daniel’s podcast to return for a third time. This put a smile on my face, but the smile got bigger because Daniel asked me to cut another podcast episode before I left his recording studio. So, it turns out I’m the only four-time guest on the podcast now. The additional podcast episode was to highlight the recruiting calendar employers utilize when deciding which campuses to visit. What a great way to start my race weekend! Got a chance to catch up with Daniel and cut two podcast episodes to help his students continue to move forward in life. (Both episodes should be live in April 2020).
Left Daniel’s recording studio and headed straight to Track Shack to pick up my race packet. Always exciting to see the Track Shack staff engaging with runners buying new gear. Love they host a spring sale the entire week of the Winter Park 10k race. Always can find some new gear and the sale prices are fantastic. Got a chance to chat with one of the Track Shack owners who I met one morning while running in Tom Brown Park in Tallahassee. Turns out her daughter lives in Tallahassee and works at FSU—small world!
Carb loading
Headed to my favorite Italian restaurant, Café Panuzzo’s with Jayla to carb load and catch up. We normally dine at Café Panuzzo’s or Buffalo Wild Wings prior to my races and Italian dining won this round. Café Panuzzo’s never disappoints when we visit. I stuck to my normal selection of chicken parmesan with pasta and Jayla got adventurous with the calzone. Got a double order of bread since my goal was to get as many carbs as possible prior to the 10k. Most got burned off the next morning, so no harm and their bread is fantastic!
Winter Park 10k
The morning started out cooler than expected but was great once we got started. Told several tree branches prior my goal was to run fast this year and wanted to record a good time. Happy to report I ran a 10k PB of 56:41 and felt good during and after the race.
Track Shack does not use the corral format for races so the first mile was crowded with runners of all levels and time expectations. Decided to patiently work my way through the crowd and then pick up my pace once the runners thinned a bit. Made up most of my slow start once the course flattened and went about my plan to go faster this year. Knew my time was going to be good (for me) at the 4-mile mark and got comfortable with my pace and breathing. Decided to pick up my pace at the 5-mile mark to see how much improvements I’ve made in the past year. Was able to pass several other runners and get to the finish line with a smile on my face. Learned to smile crossing the finish line since everyone with a camera is snapping away.
Got my medal, checked my time and rang the PB bell too. Great race, people and after party! Can’t beat drinking a beer and eating donuts at 9 am in the morning. Running is the best way to stay in shape and overindulge at the same time.
Will keep this race on my calendar because it’s fun and they will always have beer at the end! 😊
What podcasts do you listen to? How have the podcasts helped you Walk into the Future?
“Oh, the places you’ll go”.
(Dr. Seuss)
Follow Daniel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedanielbotero/
Follow Track Shack here: https://www.trackshack.com/
INSTAGRAM: @jayla_brianna
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