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filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″]http://consciousdancer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Monday-Loves-to-your-Visits-and-Visitors-min.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_separator style_type=”shadow” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”30″ bottom_margin=”30″ border_size=”” icon=”” icon_size=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_title title_type=”text” rotation_effect=”bounceIn” display_time=”1200″ highlight_effect=”circle” loop_animation=”off” highlight_width=”9″ highlight_top_margin=”0″ before_text=”” rotation_text=”” highlight_text=”” after_text=”” title_link=”off” link_url=”” link_target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” content_align_medium=”” 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“ The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.”
[/fusion_title][fusion_title title_type=”text” rotation_effect=”bounceIn” display_time=”1200″ highlight_effect=”circle” loop_animation=”off” highlight_width=”9″ highlight_top_margin=”0″ before_text=”” rotation_text=”” highlight_text=”” after_text=”” title_link=”off” link_url=”” link_target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” content_align_medium=”” content_align_small=”” content_align=”left” size=”1″ animated_font_size=”” fusion_font_family_title_font=”Montserrat” fusion_font_variant_title_font=”700″ font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_transform=”” text_color=”” hue=”” saturation=”” lightness=”” alpha=”” animated_text_color=”” text_shadow=”no” text_shadow_vertical=”” text_shadow_horizontal=”” text_shadow_blur=”0″ text_shadow_color=”” text_stroke=”no” text_stroke_size=”1″ text_stroke_color=”” text_overflow=”none” margin_top_medium=”” margin_right_medium=”” margin_bottom_medium=”” margin_left_medium=”” margin_top_small=”” margin_right_small=”” margin_bottom_small=”” margin_left_small=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” margin_top_mobile=”” margin_bottom_mobile=”” gradient_font=”no” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ highlight_color=”” style_type=”default” sep_color=”” link_color=”” link_hover_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_color=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ animation_offset=””] ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson[/fusion_title][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hue=”” saturation=”” lightness=”” alpha=”” content_alignment_medium=”” content_alignment_small=”” content_alignment=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” fusion_font_family_text_font=”” fusion_font_variant_text_font=”” font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_transform=”” text_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_color=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ animation_offset=”” logics=””]
Do you like to roll out the red carpet? Swing around the welcome wagon? Pull out all the stops? (Just where do all these old clichés come from anyway?)
It’s getting to be that time of year, where if you’re not the one doing the traveling and being well received you might be making your home ready for company. It’s really the flipside of travel, sort of the inverse array of activities that come along with having company.
When you’re the traveler, you’re paring everything down to the bare minimum, and only bringing along that the stuff that you can carry. You might be packing some gifts or souvenirs, but regardless, it’s a highly edited version of yourself that you take on the road.
Having company is another kettle of fish altogether. You’re making plans, clearing out the clutter, and preparing to put your best foot forward. It’s time to show off, break out your best recipes, and unearth your special artifacts. Folks from afar get a peek under your hood!
Having company is an opportunity to see your living environment with new eyes. So much of what we see every day slips beneath our notice. Have you ever walked into someone’s house and encountered an odor that they are entirely unaware of? Yeah, well, let’s not be that house, ok?
Being a good host and giving your best as a guest are two sides of the same coin. Social animals that we are, there are few things that express our humanity better than getting together with far-flung friends, family, and loved ones.
With my family spread out all over the world, it’s been a while since we’ve had the opportunity to be the host. With my brothers in Alaska and Thailand, and Isabelle‘s family in France, Boston, and Hawaii, we are not exactly neighbors with much of our kin.
So it was with great excitement that we got the news that my older daughter Izzy would be coming to town with her partner Hana. They live in Melbourne, Australia, and Izzy joined a global team for Adobe last year, which is the reason they are all congregating here in San Francisco after Thanksgiving, giving them a chance to holiday beforehand and make a trip to the Hot Springs.
So we’ve been on a whirlwind of tidying up, stocking the fridge, and making Bay Area tourist plans, including The Dickens Fair! (see below). Hana, a New Zealand native having never been to the US is especially excited about all things American and Mexican food in particular.
I’m especially looking forward to hosting and preparing an authentic Thanksgiving feast next week, which is something of a novelty for my extended French and Kiwi fam. It’s all one big dance of balance, and a huge opportunity to share the love!
May your visits or visitors bring you an equal measure of joy, and be sure to take care of yourself as the holiday season arrives!
With you till next Monday, much love till then!
Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine
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