Reverb11: Days 11 & 12

Day 11: Tradition

How is tradition important in your life? Holidays, special times, cultural...it can be any kind of tradition.

As the year comes to a close I'm thinking about new traditions that have come about in the past few years. 4th of July in Maine with friends and family. Two years in a row with 4th of July in Shapleigh. Much of it spent sitting by the water with loved ones. Beer in a cooler, home cooked meals, s'mores, campfires, boating, fireworks.

It's kind of interesting that as we are only a few days from Christmas and I'm thinking about summer holidays. I think it is because everyone this time of year is so busy, so rushed, and so frantic. In early July the biggest concern is "do we have enough wood for the fire?", "Where's the beer cooler?", and "I'm going out on the kayak...I'll be back by dinner."

What sort of traditions entered your life the past few years that you intend to keep? It could be that you got married and you're adopting a spouse's family traditions. It could be that you  had a child and you're creating traditions of your own.

Day 12: Unique

What was it about 2011 that was unique? Is there something that you are doing in 2012 that will be unique?

In 2011 we went back to Iceland on vacation. We hiked in Europe's Largest National Park. We saw a glacial lagoon for the first time (icebergs floating out to sea). We ate things we've never eaten before (reindeer meat pie). I enjoy traveling off the beaten path--almost like Anthony Bourdain without the camera crew. Even when I travel for work I try to find new places to eat and explore in my down time.

In 2012 I hope to add some unique adventures to trips that are already planned. We're going to Canada in June on a family vacation and I'll be exploring cities I've never been to (Quebec City, Halifax). I'm also heading to Minnesota in February for a work conference but I think it'll be too cold to really enjoy/explore. This year I went to Buffalo for the first time for work. Next time I'm hoping to check out some of the wineries on the lakes and perhaps arrange a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright house that is near to the city.

I'd love to hear from you about both traditions and unique aspects of this year and next.

Reverb 11: Day 6, Unique

I'm taking a break between client calls to type this in and it's a welcome break. My voice is a little raspy today (my husband has a nasty cold so I'm fighting it off on my end). It's just such a relief sometimes to type instead of talk.

Today's Reverb is the word unique. What was it about 2011 that makes it a unique year for you? Were there any experiences or people you met that changed your life?

I meet literally hundreds of new people in a year. I travel to conferences and trade shows for work so I shake a lot of hands (back to those pesky germs...). I was flying out of Pittsburgh this October trying to get home to Boston during a snow storm. (Yes, I said October and snowstorm in the same sentence. Those of you that live in the Northeast know what I'm talking about). I met this older guy (he was in his late 80s). He was waiting for a plane to NY and was eventually flying on to India for his final trip of his life. He called it his "last Hurrah." It turns out he was a professor back in the day and was quite brilliant. He was reading the paper and offered it to me when he was finished. He had a lot to say about politics and universal health care.

It turns out he was staying with friends in India. The guy in India got quite wealthy from this man helping him get his start in a business many years ago. He loves India as it turns out, and he was very excited about his trip because he was staying there a whole month. I'm not sure why this was his last trip (although I can picture someone in their late 80s having a rough time with two days of travel to get there). Maybe he was dying although he seemed pretty robust when I met him. It was clear to me that the man was quite brilliant. He was waiting in the Boston flight's terminal because his NY flight was delayed and he was not sure if he was leaving Pittsburgh that night. I luckily made it home 2 hours late (and landed in the snow without a winter jacket--that was fun since we had to go down the steps like it was the 1960s or something).

This man (I never got his name) really made me think. I talk to a lot of random people in airports (shout out to the wine bar in the Philly airport) but to meet someone taking their LAST trip just gives me chills. He for some reason knew he did not have a lot of time left and he was going to see his friend for a final goodbye.

I'd love to hear about someone unique you met in 2011 or a unique experience that really left a mark on your soul.