Choices

I’m in Southern California today doing some work for Worthee. It’s nice to get out of New England, despite the need to test for Covid and quarantine for a bit when i get back. Travel was uneventful… the plane was pretty empty, I didn’t touch anything anywhere, wore my mask, kept the sanitizer handy, and generally made my way without any interaction.

This morning I woke up very early, and chose to head to an AA meeting in Newport Beach. A totally different kind of experience than expected. Usually I would imagine New England to be uptight, and Southern California to be laid-back. But in the meeting this morning, it was apparent that this particular group was uptight, especially relative to our laid-back groups ive come to know so well in the upper valley. The surfer dudes and the sun bleached blonde hair dominated the room, and I noticed that most were early in sobriety, as opposed to the many multi decade veterans we see in the upper valley. But there were a lot of rules and stipulations read aloud in the beginning about how to “properly” speak in an AA meeting, To a point where I worried that what I shared wasn’t even appropriate. And yet I knew it was. Regardless, it was the right way to start the day, and put me in the right mode for what lay ahead.

I chose to make 2 personal calls after that which felt like the balance I need.

My meeting with Andrew Cherng, founder of Panda Express was next and I was able to be as authentic as I can remember. He shares feedback and constructive criticism openly and I was grateful for his time today. We spent a lot of time on Worthee.

Four more calls from the Courtyard in concrete-laden Santa Ana before heading south to San Diego.

Chose to do another AA call while driving. Directly following that I had an investor update for Athletic Brewing Company – the beautification NA beer company that is doing so well.

And finally to Bikram yoga in La Jolla after checking into my hotel. I honestly forgot how hard and how hot the original hot yoga classes can be. Within 30 minutes I was begging time to pass more quickly so that I could get out of the room. And yet I knew if I just kept breathing, just like any other situation that makes me uncomfortable, it will pass. And in the end, make me stronger. And that’s exactly what happened.

All in all, a day of study, positive, balanced choices. Nothing extraordinary, nothing horrible, just a good day doing pretty good things.