My giant Gwish (goal/wish) right now is to go to Denver for roller derby Championships in November and teach there.
I’m going to need your help, but first I have to figure out what I want so that I can ask for it.
And to do that, I’m using the OOD (Object of Desire) technique. Let’s do this.
State the OOD.
I want to have a marvelous time in Denver at Championships, stay in a lovely and supportive place, and teach the most badass awesome Shiva Nata class that ever was.
And for everything to get set up in the smoothest and easiest way possible, with lots of support.
Is that what I really want?
Yeah! And I notice that I used the word support twice. So that seems like it’s a really important component.
This whole experience is going to be very challenging (travel! not a lot of time! giant crowds! high pressure!) for a Highly Sensitive Person like myself.
So if it’s going to happen, it’s imperative that it happens in such a way that I feel comfortable, grounded and taken care of every step of the way.
Qualities?
Play. Comfort. Support. Radiance. Light-heartedness. Ease. Experimentation. Inspiration. Creativity. Belonging. Welcoming. Harmoniousness. Flow. Excitement. Anticipation. Happiness. Sanctuary. Grounding. Sovereignty. Trust. Silliness.
Why I want this.
This is our year!!!!
There is no way I’m missing Championships the first year that Rose City has made it all the way. We’re going to sweep this thing. Or, at the very least, we’ll duke it out for third place.
I need to be a part of this. And Shiva Nata needs to be a part of this.
If the only thing that a roller-derby-shivanauttery class delivers is ONE hit that sticks or ONE block at the right time or ONE juke or jump that gets our jammer ahead, that’s the difference between win or lose.
And really, only one thing?! Preposterous. The results are drastic and dramatic when you can see them in a physical practice.
This is the next step. We’re planting seeds for the day when no athlete anywhere does anything without doing Shiva Nata first. And I’ll know exactly when it started.
THIS NOVEMBER in Denver!
Needed! A hotel in Denver or Boulder, preferably Denver.
It needs to be relatively quiet. Or at least my room does.
Here are the Absolutely Absolutelies, aka the dealbreaker bits:
- It absolutely absolutely has to have complimentary wifi. Emphasis on the wireless part.
- I am not okay with having to pay for parking. The hotel needs to provide parking at no charge. It’s annoying enough that I have to rent a car…
Living in cities (Portland, Berlin, Tel Aviv) where you can take public transportation everywhere has made me extremely antsy and impatient. What is this crap where I can’t just take a bus to get where I need to go?!?!
Budget? I’m not sure. I would like to not go higher than $165 a night.
Bonus: if I can get a good massage in the hotel or nearby.
Needed! A teaching space for the madcap shivanauttery.
We need a space that can hold 50-60 people.
And each person will need about 5×6 feet of space.
Plus room for me and the stage.
The Absolutely Absolutelies:
- It absolutely absolutely has to have a stage for me so that people can actually see me. The stage needs to be at least 2 feet high.
- I do not want to rent a stage/riser. We’ve done this before and it’s a gigantic pain.
- It needs to be quiet enough so I can speak and people can hear me. There cannot be an African Drumming class or a disastrous trumpet lesson happening next door. Yes, both of those things have actually happened.
- I need to be able to play music. I can bring my own system if necessary but would rather not have to.
- The space needs to be relatively visually quiet. So: not covered in giant chaotic murals or anything like that. .
Helpful but not dealbreakers: it’s pretty much always useful to have a flip chart.
Tizmun (messing about with timing)
Tizmuni is a Hebrew word which has elements of timing, arranging, schedule, itineraries and so on, but doesn’t actually terrify me.
Okay! Obviously we can’t teach over the weekend because that’s when the bouts are. Especially since we won’t know what the brackets will be until after the South Central & North Central regions have their playoffs.
It makes no sense to do it Sunday evening or Monday because a) that kind of defeats the point, and b) I will have completely lost my voice due to three straight days of yelling.
It really has to happen Thursday evening. It could maybe-maybe happen Friday morning, but that is distinctly less good.
I might need to talk to H and find out when people are flying in and arriving.
But say Thursday from 5-6:30 pm. Or 5:30-7. We really can’t do it later than that.
So if we open this to people who aren’t skaters, they’ll have to get off work early.
Fly out Wednesday, teach Thursday, derby over the weekend and done?
Disadvantages/what-ifs/monster-objections
Renting a space without knowing that you can fill it = stupid.
But renting a space that can only accommodate 20 when we already know there’s a much bigger interest is also stupid.
There’s not a lot of time to set this up.
What will help
Starting small.
Finding ways to make this less stressful. Specifically asking: What would make this easier?
Using the fractal flowers so that doing this solves other problems, and working on other parts of my business help with this too.
Slightly future me says…
Slightly future me: You don’t need my help. You know how to do this.
Me: WHAT?!
Her: Make sure the wisest version of current you is at the front of the V. Find out what she thinks. You really don’t need me for this.
Me: So you’re telling me to consult with Slightly Wiser Me From Now instead of asking you?
Her: Yup! That’s because you’re ready for this. You’ve jumped a level, or whatever you want to call it.
Slightly wiser me says…
“Listen, sweetie. You know all kinds of amazing people in Colorado. They’ll all want to see you and have tea/dinner/etc, and you’ll really want to see them too.
“Please remember that you are here on a mission.
“And this mission requires you to be at full strength/capacity. Your force field needs to be extra strong: the most shining radiant force field you know how to configure.
“You won’t be able to do that if you’re putting your energy to staying grounded and centered for these meet-ups and teaching and derby. You will stretch yourself too thin, and get depleted and sick, which messes up the Great Ducking Out.
“You need to preserve your time, space and energy to give yourself the most supportive environment for this experience. You owe this to yourself, your friends, your students and the entire experience. And you owe it to the Wheels of Justice. So commit to this.”
Allies, resources and helper mice! Who can help me with this?
I can ask my blog readers and the Kitchen Table program if they have ideas (or know people who have ideas) about a possible right hotel and/or teaching space.
My Guns N Rollers, of course. My friend Tootie who’s a ref in Denver. Juno, who skates for Rocky Mountain and is awesome and was at Rally (Rally!) with me.
And of course I can use destuckification, stone skippings, and talking to slightly wiser me some more. Checking in to make sure I’m asking the right questions.
I don’t have to do this alone. Support is the key to all of this.
Receiving support, figuring out how to be okay with support, making conscious, loving decisions that support (hee!) a supportive environment. That’s what’s next.
Comment zen in the comment blanket fort for today…
Help and more suggestions for accommodations and teaching spaces appreciated!
You can also bring your own Object of Desire and play with it here, using this format or any other format.
I would also love cheering for this big adventure. Thank you!
Love, as always, to the commenter mice, the Beloved Lurkers and everyone who reads.
Follow
A huge light bulb has gone off for me about talking to Slightly Wiser Me instead of Slightly Future Me (who never seems to say much). Even if it’s possibly cheating just to try talking directly to Slightly Wiser Me without getting Slightly Future Me’s blessing/permission/whatever, I am going to try it. Thank you!
Big cheering for you and your adventure. I was so excited that I even checked how long the drive is from Cleveland to Denver. It’s prohibitive, but you know, that’s how excited I am about it all. Yay!
Havi’s coming to Denver! Yay!
And I already live here! Yay!
We (my artistic genius Mom and I) are going to be in the middle of a move out of our house to Somewhere Else and my mind is struggling with that, so I can’t (responsibly) offer much help in finding the perfect spot for you to stay and teach Shiva Nata BUT I can totally commit to assisting with transportation (if necessary) and/or any other organization of things right before/after class that need to be done. And I’m going to be in class with bells on and at least 3 buddies who are DYING to see what I’ve been blabbering about re: Havi and Shiva Nata.
Having this to look forward to makes the whole moving thing a little less sucky, somehow….
Yay! and More Yay!
Yaaaaaaaaaay and cheering and clapping for the project 🙂
I particularly like the lightheartedness and tizmun and getting to read along on how to oodle.
Off to some oodling!
Denver hotel & transportation info…
Free wifi + free parking might put you out in the boonies, so here are a couple of things to consider:
* If you stay downtown, you can take the RTD SkyRide from the airport to downtown. (Route: AF, http://bit.ly/r53fWe, @ridertd)
* The Oxford Hotel (theoxfordhotel.com, @theoxfordhotel) is downtown (about 2 blocks from the AF bus stop) and is supposed to be pretty nice. They have a free wifi and a spa and it should be on the quieter end of downtown – although I’d check with the hotel on that. Other downtown options: Hotel Monaco (monaco-denver.com, @hotelmonacodenv, free wi-fi w/free Kimpton membership), The Curtis (thecurtis.com, @thecurtishotel, free wi-fi). There’s a free RTD shuttle that takes you from one end of downtown to the other, so once you’re downtown it’s pretty easy to get around.
* From downtown, you can take RTD BV/BF/BX (http://bit.ly/npHKdt) to the Derby. Seriously, it’s just across the pedestrian bridge and you’re there. Plus, they use nicer buses for these routes since they’re “regional” vs “local”.
Hope this is helpful!
I’m a Denverite, and I’m happy to help is whatever way I can!
Hotel suggestions are tough for me since…well, I live here, so I don’t need to get a hotel very often, you know? Also, Denver is a huge, sprawling city, so I’m not sure what area you’re looking for. The only one that comes to mind is The Brown Palace (which has its own spa.) It’s a gorgeous historical hotel downtown, though it’s pushing the upper end of your price range.
Finding space for a class? Hmm. My usual yoga studio is itty-bitty. How would you feel about renting space at a religious facility of some sort? I know it can be weird/offputting for some, but you can also get some pretty good rates. Depending on the facility you pick, they can be pretty non-overt with the religious trappings – a Unitarian Universalist church, for example, is explicitly open to any and all religious (and non-religious) backgrounds, and would probably be interested in learning about Shiva Nata.
I feel like I’m not being very helpful. If there’s anything else you need (rides, directions, suggestions for vegetarian restaurants, errands done, set up, etc.) let me know! I’m so excited that you’re coming to Denver!
Shiva Nata at Nationals!! Or Championships, or whatever it’s called… The BIG one! The one that gets the ripples going wider and faster and across the whole country. I’ve had this dream! The one where it starts getting incorporated into super progressive sports training and starts being noted as the key that is giving X the edge and then because of the general fascination with sports it starts going mainstream and being incorporated into all sorts of training/coaching/therapy/curriculum from business coaching to psychotherapy to college and high school sports psych studies and by this stage ut’s going GLOBAL and then the entire world is having ORGASMS of bing! and we DO end up not JUST winning championships but also ending the carbon/energy conundrum and curing disease and ending poverty and creating world peace and being nice to our mothers!!!!!!!! YES!!!! GO HAVI!!!!!!! Yaaaaay!!!!
Yay for shivanautical adventure! Wishing you ease and play and fabulousness for your trip! <3
Thank you for the reminder about the OOD. I'm incubating my living-in-Portland gwish at the moment while I focus on my trip to New Hampshire, but I think I may tack up that post inside the door of the tiny-cozy-warm-safe hut where it sleeps.
Cheers for the Denver adventure!
Hotels often have their own ballrooms or meeting spaces… If you google “Denver hotels with meeting rooms” you get several options. That’s all I’ve got. Except crinkly eyes and secret smiles and wishing for smooth sailing for you.
I’ve had amazing experiences using AirBnB as an awesome inexpensive soulful travel option. Here’s the Denver link: http://www.airbnb.com/denver
I’m glad that Imbrium suggested religious organizations’ facilities. I wouldn’t have thought of it even though I have been involved with organizations who have done it in the past (not often though, which is probably why it isn’t on the tip of my tongue). If a group has a free standing facility, not attached to the church building in anyway, they may be more open to renting it out to other organizations (pretty much just to support that extra building’s set of utility bills).
You could also try dance studios in the area. Or the YMCA (or another community building). A dance studio, over a yoga studio, for example, I think would generally be a larger stage, and have mirrors. The downside is they wouldn’t have a stage but if they are a studio that does tumbling for little kids, they should have lots of mats you can pile on top of each other and stand on, that should give you at least a foot (if not 2-3 feet) of height.
Good luck on this journey! It sounds so exciting!
OMG I was just thinking, Dang I wish Havi could EVER come to Denver.
My yoga studio is closing this week. Yoga Veda 303-799-1116. It’s a nice space, with 2 studios and free parking south of town in the Tech Center. There are hotels nearby.
Also check intot he Metaphysical Research center (nice space, tricky parking, in a beautiful neighborhood).
Also the Masonic Temples (we have 2) The one on Federal and Federal is HUGE and has a stage, and plenty of parking, but far from downtown.
I want to help bring you to Denver. Let me know what I can do.
Magnolia Hotel in downtown Denver is lovely. Free wifi. Not sure about the parking, and might be out of budget, but I always feel very well-cared for there.
priceline.com is a good place to look for hotels b/c it lets you filter results by price, amenities, etc.
Good luck! And I enjoyed reading your OOD process.
Hi Havi
Fellow ex forum HOBbit passed this to me; we’ve talked there once or twice. I’m a Boulder resident. Should you decide to teach / stay here, there’s a pretty good bus system to Denver (but would need to verify it would work), and I could help with airport transport etc., should you wish to avoid the car rental. This zone is not really comparable to the rose city system though.
Depending on the size of the playshop, there are lovely studio spots in Boulder. Depending on the timing, Boulder’s a great portal to the mountains and I’d be happy to escort for any down time recreation. Hotel Boulderado is $225.
(studio example: http://www.302pearl.com/)
Haven’t listened to the entire discussion here so may be missing details – but love the invite, and I know Denver zone would love to provide the SS (super support) services.
Best wishes!
Denise
If I’m not mistaken, the Roller Derby is at the 1st Bank events center… which is not really near downtown Denver at all. You might like the Westin hotel in Westminster: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1173 It is right off Highway 36, which is the highway that the 1st Bank events center is also on – about 10 minutes away. The Westin also has a spa and ample meeting rooms/spaces.
Another Boulderite here. I would love very much to take your Shiva Nata class when you come out here!
As others have pointed out, the bus system is adequate to get you from the airport to Denver, Boulder, or anywhere along Highway 36 in between (such as the 1st Bank Events Center in Broomfield), such that you may not need to rent a car. Though renting a car does make travel a lot more convenient, and makes luggage and other equipment easier to cart around.
If I recall correctly from my parents’ recent stay, the Best Western in Boulder, near 28th and Canyon, has both free wi-fi and free parking. It is small and inexpensive and not very fancy, but it seemed quiet and comfortable. I heard no complaints from my parents. It’s one connection away from the bus that would get you to the 1st Bank Events Center.
All the cheering!