On Pins and Needles...

Well as some of you know, last week I managed to injure my SI joint (lower back & hip) - don't know how...just know that I could barely walk, And, of course the thought of a 20-hour plane ride had me searching for solutions. I started, of course, with positive thinking - which actually did some remarkable work! I went to bed with visions of dancing in Rio and woke up the next morning feeling much better. However, I was not 100%. So I continued to slowly recover but had told myself if I wasn't totally better by Monday, I would have to look into alternative therapy. Well, alternative indeed. Yesterday I went for my first acupuncture treatment. I could not believe the difference! It was truly amazing! I went again today and I feel basically healed. I have to say that I was a bit nervous about the whole idea - a series of needles sticking out of my spine for a period of time...But I barely felt them go in at all and although I wouldn't say I was totally relaxed, I did manage to close my eyes & take in the soothing music. I have to say that I am glad the needles were in my back so I could not see what was going on. On the first day, after taking the needles out, she told me what she was going to do next. However, I really had a hard time understanding her (she had a fairly strong accent). I didn't mind that I didn't know what was coming - I actually preferred it that way. But then she asked if I was going to be swimming in Brazil, if I would be wearing a swimsuit. I said yes and she said "Oh, then I won't do this because it wil leave a mark." At this point I lifted my head to see her holding a cotton ball in a long pair of tweezers in one hand and a lighter in the other! Maybe it's best I didn't understand her. All in all, though I am now a fan of acupuncture & will probably go back when I return if the pain returns.
But now I must go to bed. Tomorrow & Thursday will be long days. We fly out first thing tomorrow so I will post pictures & stories when we return. I am very excited - although fading fast at this somewhat late hour... That's what you get when you save everyone's packing until the night before.....and try to make arrangements for someone to buy you tickets to the Police while you're away...
Toodles for now!

The Final Countdown

Doo doo doo doo...Doo doo doo doo doo...Doo doo doo doo...Doo doo doo doo doo doo doooo do do doooo do do doooo do do doo doo doo doo doooo doo dooo...

So we leave a week from tomorrow. I am trying something different this time before we go - tanning! For any of you who saw our Mexico & Bahamas pictures, you might remember my classic white -to-pink-to-white-again tanning attempts! And I just burned in all the wrong places. The bottom of my belly was a strip of oh-so-agonizing red while the top of my belly remained white... So I am trying to develop a "base coat" to alleviate some of the pain. It would be nice to also come back from some place tropical & have people look at me and say "Wow - you must have gone somewhere warm" instead of the usual me saying "I just spent a week in Mexico" and them saying "Really?"
I also find it amusing that Stewie from the Family Guy also started tanning on this week's episode. So now when I come home Troy looks at me cheekily & says "It's not a look, Brian - it's a lifestyle!"
Anyways, I do actually have a tan line, which is actually quite sad when I look at how white my legs are and realize that they were whiter than that last week.
Troy and I also watched a travel video on Rio last night. I learned about many things, including Cachaca - a 40-proof drink made from distilled sugar cane....yowza. Think I'll stay away from that one. (On a side note, I couldn't remember the name of it so I googled it & found it on a website that sells not only alcohol, but also windows & doors, sports shoes and granite...)
Well, I have developed a terrible back ache this evening so I am going to nurse myself back to health and prepare for the 20-hour plane ride!

Dancing on the Sand

Well the countdown is on - only 20 days until we leave for Rio!! I am so excited! It was one of those things that I knew from the moment we found out, that we would be there. When I first saw the announcement on the webstie about the trip, I called Troy and said "We're going to Rio!!!" There was never any doubt. I didn't think "Ooo - that would be nice. Hope I can do that but I'm not sure..." Every year I strive to grow my business more & more. I recently adjusted my goals based on things that were happening around me. I have decided to push myself & I will be a Sales Director by convention this year (July). I've learned alot about visualization, both from Jim Fannin's book (S.C.O.R.E.) and from other books & people's stories. It is a powerful tool and right now I see myself walking across the stage being introduced as a new Sales Director. It's already happened in my mind. I read a great story in S.C.O.R.E. - it was the story of John Mackenroe & how when he was just starting out, he beat one of the top champions in the world. Years later, Fannin asked him how he did it & he said "I was number one in the world. My raing just hadn't caught up yet." I love that!!! So now I have been going around saying that I am a Diamond Sales Director & a millionaire - my rank & my bank account just haven't caught up yet! My goal with DT has always been to make enough money so that Troy could quit his job & pursue his dream. I forsee this happening in the next couple of years.

And on a much less serious note, check out these new shoes I got for Rio!!!!!