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Being Unflappable

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  • October 11, 2021
  • in: Humorous, Positive Work Attitudes, Travel, Uncategorized

Perhaps it’s out-of-sight, out-of-mind thinking. Perhaps it’s getting older. Perhaps it’s the joys of traveling during Covid times which have added all kinds of hitherto unknown restraints and additional costs, but it feels like our annual travels in the past were a whole lot easier.

During the past five weeks Tom and I having been traveling in Spain, but we have found ourselves crankier and more on edge than ever before. It’s not the challenges of getting by in another language – we’ve done that many times before, and my Spanish is passable, but from the very beginning there have been hurdles and obstacles that have brought out the worst in us.

After several days of snapping nastily and constantly at each other, we knew something had to change. Not only was it making our trip miserable, but it was not the way we wished to treat each other, nor was it the way we wished to be in life. So, we sat down as we often do when things get out of alignment. We acknowledged that sometimes life brings irritations, that sometimes stuff just happens – but we also reminded each other that we have the tools to be more than just automatic reaction-machines. We knew that by making a conscious decision we could effect an inner shift so that we could be calmer, happier, and fully enjoy our travels with each other.

Taking the time to stop, we did some deep breathing and a few moments of meditation. We made the decision that we would no longer let petty irritations get to us and then we stated our intention to be “unflappable”.

But once uttered, it seemed that fate was doing everything it could to put our oath to the test. From the seemingly simple task of printing boarding passes because Ryanair will ding you ridiculous charges if you miss even one of their requirements…and finding that all the print shops showing on Google are no longer in business…requiring us to walk back and forth across town during the heat with a sore knee just to find out that it’s now siesta time and everything is closed…to having a phone stolen right out of your hand in Barcelona…to foolishly pouring wiper washing fluid into the radiator tank of the rented car…to being unable to access your bank account because they seem to have decided to change everything on their website at the exact time you have chosen to travel and the only way to confirm your account is via the Canadian sim card from the phone that was stolen!!!

All in all, it started to become a cluster f*ck of amazing proportions.

And, of course, just when you thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse: Google maps takes you to the wrong side of a mountain and with a mere half hour before your hotel reception closes, just as you make a u-turn to head back through the maze of narrow streets with throngs of people walking higglety, pigglety all over the road, you feel a sudden sharp, burning sensation in your leg. It seems some creature has decided that you need even one more challenge in order to observe your inability to remain unflappable.

Finally settled into the hotel room with cream from the pharmacia to ease the massive red swelling on your inner thigh, you discover that it’s a bank holiday throughout Spain and there are no tickets left for the very attraction you are booked into this extremely expensive hotel to attend!!!

More deep breathing. More meditation.

Getting online, we book tickets for two days hence which requires two more nights in the uber expensive (for us) hotel. Thanks, oh mighty tester of human intentions. We hear you loud and clear. We intend to slow down and savor whatever life has to offer. With Tom’s reminder that ‘we are so blessed and that every day contains magic’, we resolve to try again. This time we invite in some magic with the delightful incantation I first heard from the whimsical artist/writer Sark, “serendipity find me!” and we make our intention again to remain – somehow, against all odds – unflappable, with a side order of playfulness thrown in. Stay tuned…we’ll keep you posted.

– written by Michele Hall (aka Mrs. Transit) 2021

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Support Your Bus Driver

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  • November 5, 2019
  • in: Positive Work Attitudes, Simple Ways to Change the World, Tommy Transit News, Uncategorized

There are lots of reasons that being a bus driver is one of the hardest jobs out there. Impossible computer generated bus schedules that don’t take into account what’s happening in the real world like weather, construction, heavy traffic, wheelchair and stroller passengers, etc. means that drivers are being pushed harder and harder. Coast Mountain bus company who I drove for over 21 years is facing strike action by the drivers just so they can have actual bathroom and meal breaks. Not a lot to ask for, is it? Where else would you get into trouble from customers and the company for answering nature’s call?

Taking Action

So I decided to create a #wearpink campaign. As the drivers are taking to their jobs not in uniform but wearing pink in protest, I thought, “Why not all the passengers as well?” Let’s show solidarity. If you ride a Coast Mountain bus in your commute, head out there wearing pink and let the driver know you appreciate how hard they work.

If you want an great overview of how hard a job it is to be a driver, this blog by the daughter of a driver has really managed to capture it.

And, of course, I wanted to get out on the streets and support my former coworkers.

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On Letting It Go

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  • March 8, 2017
  • in: Uncategorized

The Personal Growth industry has a million different takes on how to experience peace and happiness, how to find inner balance and how to “let it go”. And while we might feel transformed and inspired in a workshop, it’s often tough to remember in the heat of the moment to use the tools we spent thousands of dollars on. Which is why it’s an enormous benefit to have a partner on the same page as yourself. Not simply someone who agrees with you all the time, but an intelligent, individual who graciously reminds you of the tools we have learned and that are available at any time.

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Hogmanay in Edinburgh

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  • January 4, 2017
  • in: Uncategorized

We are in Edinburgh, drawn here by Michele’s research on the Hogmanay celebrations that go back into the mists of time. In the heart of the city, under the brooding hills topped with ancient castles and grand fortified houses, tens of thousands of people gather.

As the clock ticks down and people jostle for a view, an unmistakable sound penetrates to your core:

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Anything is Possible

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  • December 7, 2016
  • in: Uncategorized

UK customsI suspect that one of the strongest preconceived notions most people have when travelling is that crossing borders is going to be tense, unpleasant and basically not a lot of fun. I actively work at not having negative expectations, because experience has shown me that if I expect something and it does not happen, disappointment ensues. So instead, I intend that everything will be good, that I do my best and so will others. The result is that my vibration is higher…and lo and behold magic breaks through.

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Butterknives and Toothpaste

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  • December 2, 2016
  • in: Connections, Humorous, Travel

Airport Security Check We love to travel and for the past four years we’ve been doing just that – enjoying winters abroad and exploring the far flung bits of the world. Life is amazing and miraculously fresh when you travel. There are ancient sites, new wonders and remarkable people to meet all over the globe. There are fascinating new foods, the delicious tingle of other languages you almost understand and the puzzles, the confusions and the fine art of getting lost – all of which must be savored with patience and a dash of fun if you are to enjoy traveling. Yet in all my years of globe trotting I can honestly say there us one part of traveling that I absolutely abhor.

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This has got my head spinning…‏

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  • March 25, 2015
  • in: Positive Work Attitudes, Simple Ways to Change the World

Spring has officially sprung and so it seemed about time to be in touch with a (very) occasional blog posting.

As many of you know, my mission is to share what I call The Art of Acknowledgement with as many people as possible. I’ve seen for myself, and have received many testimonials to the fact, that this creates an amazing positive change for people. Acknowledgement is an extension of both gratitude and appreciation. When we acknowledge something about another person – be it the cool tie they are wearing or the sparkle in their eye – we are telling them (to their face and not behind their back) how we’ve noticed them. We all want to be seen, yet it’s easy to feel invisible in our big, bustling cities.

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A Lesson from Bali

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  • March 23, 2014
  • in: Simple Ways to Change the World, Tommy Transit News

The altars at our hotel – every home and business has one.

Traveling is a wonderful teacher if only the student is ready to show up for the lesson. My latest classroom has been the amazing magical island of Bali. Even if I were deaf, dumb and blind it would be difficult not to notice the reverence for life that the Balinese show us daily. We are staying at a charming guest house called Ala’s Green Lagoon, a hideaway in the rice fields, just off the busy streets of Ubud. It has been a gateway into another world. There are two altars on this tiny property, one for the family and the other for the hotel. Every room is carefully decorated and built with care and detailed attention. Houses here are not so much built as they are created as masterpieces of constructive ingenuity.

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Are You Pulling Your Weight in the World?

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  • February 5, 2014
  • in: Humorous, Simple Ways to Change the World

There are many images of India that I will carry away with me, but one of the most outstanding is of the thin, sinewy, obviously strong women walking along the side of the road carrying enormous bundles of wood on their heads. These bundles consist of 30 to 50 lbs. of 2″ to 3″ thick sticks of between 10′ to 14′ in length.

How do I know?

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Around the World with Tommy T

2 Comments
  • January 16, 2014
  • in: Humorous, Tommy Transit News

I’m off on a big adventure: spending the winter months on the far side of the globe. I have several intentions: 1) to get away from the rain and cold of Vancouver, 2) to travel to places I’ve always dreamed of going to and 3) to spend some downtime writing a new book. Michele and I flew from Canada on New Year’s Eve and it took 2 full days before we arrived at our destination: the tropical beaches of Goa, India. We felt it would be an easier intro to a land of hugely different cultures and languages.

The following video is a compilation of impressions within the first few days where the friendly Goan people mix with the millions of foreigners who arrive every winter to bask in the sun and enjoy a bit of hedonism before heading back to their own cold countries and the daily grind.  Traveler’s often keep a dairy or take notes and nowadays we blog. I am particularly blessed by the intricate talents of my partner with her tenacity, patience and ingenuity with web creation, writing and video production. Thank you so much Michele for bringing this alive for everyone back home. Great job. Here’s Michele’s take on what we thought we’d find, and what, in fact showed up for us.

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Got that Sinking Feeling

  • Being Unflappable
    Being Unflappable1 year ago

  • Support Your Bus Driver
    Support Your Bus Driver3 years ago

    There are lots of reasons that being a bus driver is one of the hardest

  • On Letting It Go
    On Letting It Go6 years ago

    The Personal Growth industry has a million different takes

  • Hogmanay in Edinburgh
    Hogmanay in Edinburgh6 years ago

    We are in Edinburgh, drawn here by Michele's research on the Hogmanay celebrations

  • Anything is Possible
    Anything is Possible6 years ago

  • Butterknives and Toothpaste
    Butterknives and Toothpaste6 years ago

  • This has got my head spinning…‏
    This has got my head spinning…‏8 years ago

    Spring has officially sprung and so it seemed about

  • A Lesson from Bali
    A Lesson from Bali9 years ago

    [caption id="attachment_701" align="alignleft" width="300"]
  • Are You Pulling Your Weight in the World?
    Are You Pulling Your Weight in the World?9 years ago

    There are many images of India that I will carry away with me, but one

  • Around the World with Tommy T
    Around the World with Tommy T9 years ago

    I'm off on a big adventure: spending the winter months on the far side

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Recent Posts

  • Being Unflappable
  • Support Your Bus Driver
  • On Letting It Go
  • Hogmanay in Edinburgh
  • Anything is Possible
  • Butterknives and Toothpaste
  • This has got my head spinning…‏
  • A Lesson from Bali
  • Are You Pulling Your Weight in the World?
  • Around the World with Tommy T
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