On Wednesday, I had a talk scheduled in Las Vegas, and I decided to wait until that morning to leave the warmth of Phoenix. Yes, I realize the difference in temperature is subtle, but when you live in a poorly insulated vehicle, every degree matters!
Only a four hour trip from Surprise, AZ, the drive was comfortable, easy and scenic.
Yes, I've been to Vegas before, but never away from the main strip like I am this time. It's a totally different vibe, and even different than Phoenix or Albuquerque. I definitely feel like the city and suburbs are in a state of transition. There are a lot of businesses and buildings that have been torn down, or otherwise in disrepair. More so than I saw in either of the two cities I mentioned above. But, just like those cities, there are a lot of shopping centers with huge parking lots and plenty of shoppers here, as well.
I was able to meet up with my friend Ellyna Janell at her home before the event. It was great to see her again for the first time since we met in 2018 at the Awake and Empowered Expo. I was able to give her a ride to the event in my van, Samsāra.
The Enchanted Forest Reiki Center was as beautiful as you would have expected it to be based off of the name alone! A wonderful space, energy and sense of calm greets visitors when they walk in the door. There's a large retail space and multiple meeting rooms, including a large meeting space.
While my audience was small this time (8 as opposed to 20+ in Phoenix and 100+ in Detroit) it was impressive for a very last-minute event. Ellyna put it together with little warning and 5 of the attendees were people she had personally invited. Nice work, Ellyna! The other three were invites from a Facebook friend and follower who had seen my YouTube videos.
One of the best parts about giving two talks so close together was that I got to make some quick modifications to the way I told my stories and my overall organization of the material. I felt that this seminar was my best yet. Each time I do it, I get more comfortable and become more and more my true self. It's a wonderful process to observe (and obviously participate in!)
Overall, it was a great time where I got to meet some lovely people with whom I hope to remain in contact -- and call friends!
This was my last talk of 2019, and I couldn't have asked for a better sendoff. I'm excited about all of the communities, possibilities, and manifestations for the coming new year!
I have to give a great deal of thanks to Tim, who is a friend of Ellyna's and was also one of the eight in attendance. He helped me replace a burned-out headlight and even cooked me dinner while I gave his girlfriend a short private session! How cool of him!
I will spend a few more days here in Las Vegas, performing private sessions before heading southwest to San Diego where I have a meeting on Dec 23 with my friend, writer, and actress, Michelle Belmont. I met her in Albuquerque, where she lives, but synchronistically, we both discovered that we were going to be spending Christmas in San Diego when I accidentally sent her a text message that was actually intended for a different Michelle. Too weird! Anyway, we're going to do some comic book story brainstorming before I spend Christmas with my good friend, Norma, who actually lives in San Diego.
Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you next time!