Taxes schmaxes

I need to do my taxes today, seeing as how the tax deadline (for Canadians, anyway) is April 30. So what am I doing? Surfing track and field news sites, reading the newspaper, eating muffins, gluggling Diet Coke, watching the news, and writing on my blog. I'm pathetic.

I'll get to it soon, but first I'm reliving a fun weekend. I had a great visit with Mona Michaelson-Saunders, including some shopping on Bridge Road. I swear I didn't go with the intention of buying anything myself, but when you see a good bargain...ya gotta take the opportunity. Call me an opportunist : ) What else happened? We went to a great party on Sunday night with tons of other circus freaks, we caught up on the latest adventures in our lives, and we speculated about future paths. I think Mona's on the verge of making some very cool life decisions in the next 12 months, so I'm very excited for her.

Some people might think that Mona is a lucky woman to be able to chase her dreams. Luck and good fortune play a part, no doubt. After all, both she and I are incredibly fortunate to be in a position to have choices available to us. But it's not just about luck -- it's also waaaay about having the courage and fortitude to take a chance, follow your dreams, and make things happen.

On February 12, 1992 I started a new job with a company that turned into a near-12-year adventure. On that day, Day Number One, I was talking to my new boss Alicia about the fact that I had packed up my life in my car, took a chance, and moved out to Whistler. I was very stoked to be working for (at the time) Blackcomb, and told her that I'd been very lucky that things seemed to have worked out.

I can remember it clearly. Alicia leaned back, looked me up and down, smiled, looked me straight in the eye, and said something I've never, ever forgotten. A few simple words have shaped my life and my decision-making ever since then:

"I have a feeling that you're the kind of person who creates their own luck."

It was weird hearing that from someone I'd known for all of 10 seconds. But it was the first time I remember anyone other than my family showing such belief in me. The first time I remember anyone validating me as an adult, saying that my taking a huge risk and succeeding wasn't just about luck, but about my abilities to make things happen. My career had been a bit direction-less to that point, but I had embarked on a journey that changed my career and shaped my life profoundly. And it took Alicia's comments to help me realize that I was the contributor to my success. Sometimes you're so focused on just getting it done, making it happen -- whatever it happens to be at the time -- that you don't realize in the end everything that you've accomplished. And when someone points it out to you.....well holy validation, Batman! Did I do all that? Damn straight I did!

One of the reasons that Mona and I get along so well is that she's the kind of person who creates her own luck. I love that about her, and I'm excited about where her belief and commitment will take her.