August 24, 2012

#35: Finding Joy at Conventions

St. Louis Cathedral
New Orleans
From Weekly WCS Note #35: The Good Life (now Finding Joy at Conventions). Released August 6th 2012. 
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Dear Readers,
I hope everyone is enjoying the Olympics! They are such an excellent source for training and inspiration. I've written two posts about them already on my blogs. If you haven't read them yet, here they are: Get Your Training On and Olympic Torch Strikes Gold.

In the meantime, I have some great reports and some awesome reading to share with you! (Click here for Recommended Reading.)

ADVENTURING
BEYOND THE HALLS AND WALLS

Next week we may get back to my articles, but I thought you might like to hear what your peers are up to.

I don't know if it was Convention Mention or Life After Swing (Telling the Truth) or maybe even hearing about one of our crazy road trips for the millionth time that did it. But you guys are making me jealous.

Why? Because you're sending me all these emails about how, when attending the *a-hem* "West Coast Swing" events out there, you've been ditching them to see the ridiculously awesome cities they are being held in!

Oh yes, I've explored these cities too (I think Nick and I still have cramps in our legs from the DC Mall once upon a time), but the way you describe your own adventures... well, I want to be there too!

Lincoln Memorial
Washington D.C.

Yes, many of these emails include regrets or disappointments with the events themselves, but then again, most of you had already purchased the event tickets, the flights, the comp fees, etc months ago. And that's not to say you didn't get to dance either!

French Quarter
New Orleans

My favorite stories came from dancers who hit the town at night. Apparently, they found some awesome places to dance... clubs, bars, jazz clubs. Some said they fell in love with WCS all over again. How awesome is that?

The Capitol Building
Washington D.C.

So I count all of these as success stories. My husband shared a quote with me this week that really struck home for me:

"Curiosity only comes when joy is present."

How very true. If we could see the photos these dancers took, I bet joy was emanating from every face.

Joy. 

Our community could use a little more joy in our lives. It's about time. No matter what inspired you to leave your hotel lobbies behind and seek new frontiers... I hope you do it again. And again and again and again!

xoxo,
Katherine