I saw the sign....

Hey everyone!  Another raw, genuine, thought streaming blog for you to dive into....

First, Im quite honored to have helped raise $5,000 for Save the Children at last week's Movement for Japan fundraiser at Life Time Fitness. Thank you so much to all who participated and donated, as well as those that simply prayed and sent healing thoughts as your donations.  :o)

Let's dive in, shall we...

 The title of this blog was created with a conversation I had with a friend and one of my dad's loyal co-workers for years.  Yes, we were thinking of the Ace of Base song, The Sign. I know some of you are singing it right now, admit it!!!!

The lyrics go...

  "I saw the sign and it open up my eyes

   I saw the sign

   Life is demanding without understanding. 

   No one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong

   But where do you belong? "

Although this song is referenced to a relationship between a woman and a man, it relates to me with the relationship between myself and an earthquake.  I am personifying the earthquake, but i figure that is what a disney girl does!

After the earthquake in Japan, I was home for exactly three weeks.  It was a very long, trying journey deciding where the next step in life should take me. I kept running the question through my mind,  " Do I go back and finish what I started in Japan?  or do I take the earthquake as a sign that perhaps I need to re-route my current plan?"  For those that are close to me and have known me for quite some time, I am a woman who likes to complete a project, assignment, task, event and see it through to the end.  I am not one that likes unfinished business, whether in work, relationship, yoga practice, or cycle of life.  Everything in life has a begin, middle, and end and i never want to be left hanging and wondering...what if?  

With this being said, after long discussions with my family and friends, research, soul-searching, meditating and journaling I decided last sunday that I would go back to Japan and complete the contract. There was a lot of fear and risk involved with going back, between the unsolved nuclear plant meltdown, possible radiation in food/water which was constantly changing, more after-shocks, etc.  After a few days of constantly waking up at 4 am to see the latest article from the US embassy and IAEA website, i decided, "yes," im going back to japan because it is a wonderful opportunity and i started to make solid friendships, enjoying the beautiful costumes and parade floats, rehearsals for Fantasmic...all very very exciting to a performer!  The yogini in me still questioned the health risk, but i put my headphones on when she started talking because I wanted to complete this journey in my life.  Why would the divine spirit want me to leave my happy life in florida, uproot to tokyo, experience an earthquake just to bring me back to long island?  I couldnt justify that answer so my decision was made so i could justify it to myself that Tokyo was the plan, and i must stick to the plan!  

My mom likes to cheerfully remind me of the John Lennon quote, "Life is what happens to you while your busy making other plans."  She likes this quote so much that a few years ago I ordered one of those "design it yourself" sweatshirts with this quote on it.  Well, this quote is a true reminder of how living in the present moment is the plan...because you cant plan the next step.  

There I was yesterday at 12pm sitting in the airport lounge after just saying goodbye to my parents and feeling slightly uneasy still about journeying to tokyo, when i look at my phone and see a bunch of missed calls from close friends, and a text from one of my best friends saying, " Have you left yet?  I think the world is giving you a sign!!!!"  Thinking on the positive side i thought ohhh they must have permanently sealed all of the nuclear reactors and they are saying on the news that radiation problem is solved!  Little did I know my friend was speaking of the 7.1 earthquake that hit northeast japan.  After seeing this I listened to my voice mail with three messages all telling me, "did i hear about the news...dont get on the plane...this isnt safe."  Then i check facebook and see posts of the same sort.  First thing i do is call my parents and tell them (my mind was so much in shock and my hands were shaking so much that i couldnt even think of what to touch on my phone to dial them).  It turns out my parents didnt hear of the news and thought i was playing an april fools joke that i wasnt getting on that plane....

It felt like my own mind was having an earthquake of its own with thoughts pummeling, the tokyo disney path violently shaking, and decisions/panic mounting.  I got in touch with a long time yoga student of mine who said to me, "i know this is a dream of yours, but it can wait, its your life."  That really hit home for me and the next moment my feet walked to the desk for me and my mouth spoke for me and said, "Please pull my bags from this flight!"  They said let me check if they closed out the flight yet and I was told they will be closing it in the next few moments, so should we pull them?  I said, "yes."  One of my favorite songs to listen to/play for yoga is "Just say yes" by Snow Patrol...there is was for me...just say yes!  

There i was thinking that I had life all planned when life was making other plans for me (thank you john lennon).  Nothing like making a life changing decision 2 hours before your flight was supposed to bring you overseas for a year!  Oy vey!  

So..once again heading back home (my mom never even took down the welcome home sign from when i returned a few weeks ago actually).  At the moment i didnt feel very welcome, as my own little self contained earthquake left me shattered and in tears.  The yogini in me was speaking again, but this time I listened to her!  Just like i survived the 9.0, i will survive and move forward from this event.  There is so much brightness behind the darkness and it is destined to shine through.  

Like i said earlier, i am a woman who doesnt like to leave situations without closure...well this sign from mother nature was my closure for this tokyo contract.  Who knows if tokyo disney is a plan for the future?  I'm not locking the door with a deadbolt, but just closing it for now until things on the other side calm down a bit.  This life cycle wave has crashed to the shore and now its time to start a new..."every ending has a new beginning" (im full of quotes today)!!!

In order to start fresh, I sent my email to tokyo disney yesterday sending my apologies and ending my contract for now.  Slate clean!  Then contacted the team in walt disney world to be officially employed again as a full time cast member.  So thankful that WDW has welcomed a few of my fellow tokyo performers back with sincerely open hearts!  I will be heading back there at the end of april and feel illuminated to be returning to a place that feels like a second home..after all it is the "happiest place on earth."  What a great place to call home!  Hopefully heading back to teaching yoga classes again soon in FL too :o) Mucho importante!

For my friends in NY, i will subbing some classes in the next few weeks so keep your ears opened. Another welcome home class yet again!  

To have complete closure I will be ending this blog with this email, to begin a new blog for the next cycle of life.  Thank you for reading my story and sharing your thoughts, insights, and hey maybe even a quote that you like too!

The Life Lesson from this Journey:

Live Presently

Appreciate Fully

Listen Whole-Heartedly 

Feel Intuitively

Surrender Willingly

And Finally....

Open up your eyes, and see the sign!!! 

Love, love, love,

Julie :o)

Movement for Japan Fundraiser

Please join us for a fundraiser to support the earthquake and tsunami victims of Japan. It will be held at the new Life Time Athletic in Syosset (see address below) next Thursday March 31 from 6-9pm. There will be a gathering from 6-6:30 including keynote speeches by Lifetime General Manager Bryan Smith and myself followed by a variety of yoga and fitness classes to choose from from 6:30-9 . Raffles and other fun donation based activities will go on throughout the night. Classes include level 1 and 2 vinyasa flow classes, spin, and dance classes.

Donations are $25 for non-members of Lifetime and $10 for members. All proceeds will be donated to Save the Children:

Save the Children Mission Statement:
Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. For more than 75 years, Save the Children has been helping children survive and thrive by improving their health, education and economic opportunities and, in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life- saving assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.

Please stay tuned for more info to come as the date gets closer. Start spreading the word to as many people that you can. Thank you for your efforts in helping to heal Japan!

LifeTime Fitness:
300 Robbins Lane
Syosset 516-822-1777


Much love and gratitude,
Julie

HOME SWEET HOME!

Hello dear friends!  A very quick blog here to stay that I arrived home in NY safely today after a very long 15 hour flight.  Home has never felt so good before and it was quite a splendid moment when I saw my parents at the terminal waiting to give me a huge hug hello.  (I hope to have many more of those from all of you on long island that I will see).  For those that are not on long island I will send you virtual hugs or we can always skype and hug.

I took one of the greatest showers ever tonight...wow its the simple things like hot running water and flushing toilets that I am so appreciative for right now.  I think all of us at tokyo disney are washing our hands extra long now (hand sanitizer for 6 days just doesnt cut it).  Oh the little things in life...one of the many lessons i will embody from this experience.

Please stay tuned in the next few days for pictures, quotes, experiences, and the Pray for Japan Yoga Fundraiser I will be organizing very soon.

As for now..the earth still feels like it is moving but i can be rest assured that the ground is quiet back on Long Island.  Oh sweet sleep is calling....

Hope to have some gatherings with all of you that are around.  Wait, didnt i just have a going away party?  Well, i can always have a Earthquake Survival/Celebrating Life Party..what do you think? :o)

Sweet Dreams,
Julie

Ready to come home...thank goodness!

Well its 4;33 am here and i just cant sleep.  We found out good news today that we are being sent home for a few weeks to see our families and will be coming back when the environmental hazards have calmed down a bit.  This was the greatest news! Liaisons from the Disney Corporation came to e-village to speak to us and reassured us that the disney company has us on their minds...including Bog Iger the CEO of Disney.  They addressed that we are part of the disney family and will be taken care of, which was a very tender message to hear.  It is comforting to know that all of the performers health and safety have been considered and concerned about over the past few days.

 I cannot begin to tell everyone how anxious i am to come home.  Each day we have been living on the edge of our seats wondering what the next step will be.  At the same time we are experiencing aftershocks several times a day.  Tonight around midnight there was a 6.0 aftershock which once again surfaced some of our emotional distress.  Most of the performers are more than ready to come home, as we are all just mentally and emotionally exhausted.  There are a few who chose to stay here at e-village...we were given the choice to stay if we so desired...i think they are brave souls for sticking around here.  To each his own.

I still do not know when my flight is going to be tomorrow, which is why i have not been able to sleep.  We should be receiving an email tomorrow morning as to when our flight is...i did stress that i would like to fly home as soon as possible...crossing my fingers for a flight wed night, but i have feeling i will be flying home thursday.

It will be wonderful, wonderful, wonderful to be home again...even if its just for a few weeks while japan and tokyo gets itself back on its feet and mother earth relaxes a bit from all of her shaking.  On a humorous note i find it ironic how in my yoga classes before i left i played two songs with "shaking" in it..."Shake it Up" by the Cars and "Shake it, shake it, shake it" by  michael franti.  My intention for the class at the time was just to shake our booties a bit while in a challenging yoga pose and to have fun...i didnt mean for the earth to shake!  Haha, i learned my lesson about choosing play list songs wisely :o). Lets just say when i come back for a a few weeks, i wont be adding "shake your groove thing" into a playlist!

Well my dear friends it is time for me to fall asleep..well hopefully as it is almost 5am.  I will keep you posted as to when i will be home and would love to give anyone who is around long island or ny a super huge hug!  Miss you all and cant wait to see as many friendly faces as i can.

Love and smiles,
Julie

Update

Hi friends.  I am writing to you after just sitting through a 4.9 aftershock here..apparently it was 6.2 up north.  Eternally grateful for power and being able to connect via skype and the internet.  In order to save energy, we will be having blackouts daily until the end of april.  At the moment it is from 4-7pm....sounds like a good time for meditation!

You would never know right now (besides the look of the aftermath) that there is a disaster going on, as it is a gorgeous sunny spring like day outside.  Every day there are a handful of announcements that come up on a loudspeaker that spreads across the city and of course being in all japanese it leads us to wonder what they are saying.  The announcement starts with a chime that sounds kind of like the nbc chime and everytime i hear it i get frightened.  speaking of which here is another one.  Ughhh heart racing.  Okay luckily the superintendent of e-village keeps us rather informed and sometimes translates these announcments.  We were just told that the 3rd nuclear reactor that exploded will not be causing further evacuation and we are safe according to the government.  Each minute there seems to be new news that arises.  I feel like there are hundreds of voices in my head and i dont know which source to listen to.  My heart teacher and intuition are being drained out by multiple opinions of both positivity, fear, doubt, hope, quite a mixed bag of emotions.

Lots has been going through my mind about staying here or not during this crisis.  A part of me knows how much i worked for this amazing opportunity to live and perform in tokyo, but the logical/maternal side of me just wants to be safe at home with my family and friends and carry on life in a non-earthquake/nuclear reactor prone environment.  Each moment my mind changes.  Do i leave this opportunity to know that i will be safe at home?  Will i regret leaving here or is my destined path to be teaching yoga in NY or going back to perform for disney in florida?  So many questions and i feel like i am on a time clock as to answering them.  I know that you could walk out your door any day and fear that you will get into a car accident or you could trip and break your leg....when something this catostrophic is swirling around you like a tornado it is quite hard to not live in fear of the impending future.

Well that is my bleak update for now.  The orlando girls and i have been quite a family and are now walking to the junior highschool to fill up water buckets to create a shower..yeah its been a few days and all of us princesses are feeling quite less than beautiful.  I kind of see the rawness like i am on a yoga retreat in the desert somewhere....well that would be a lot nicer but where the mind goes energy flows.  Okay well then its time for a walking meditation class across the mudd.  So happy that i have friends here and knowing that you all know i am safe.

Please post your opinions on the situation.  Im not really asking for what you think i should do as far as staying or leaving..but i do like to hear everyone's voices.  Please share your feedback.

Lots of love, light, prayers, and peace,
Julie

Tokyo Earthquake

Hi everyone!  Wow i never thought my first official blog i would have time to write would have any news of living through the largest earthquake in japan's history.  First things first, all of the performers are safe and right now we are all in our apartments which is at a place called e-village.  So fortunate to have electricity, heat, and good company.

FYI i am not doing any spell check so this is just a big free write journal...

I will update you more on the tokyo journey so far once emotions and everything has settled here, but i definitely would like to dedicate this first blog to sharing this crazy experience with you.

Where was I when the first earthquake happened?  Well i shall tell you.  Yesterday was the first day i took the train by myself as i had some free time in between rehearsals, but had to go back separately from the other girls in my rehearsal group because I was going to the conditioning room to get my shoulder checked out.  I've been having some serious pains in my shoulder blade that started before i left and it is getting worse so i wanted to see what exactly this pain is.  Right now i am not too concerned about my shoulder lets just say that.  So here i am walking to the conditioning room outside when all of a sudden i felt really naseous and weak...like i was about to faint (little did i know the earth was moving underneath my feet). A few japanese cast members came out of a building and were screaming in japanese and motioning to get down and stay close to the ground (body language is definitely a universal language thats for sure).  What was scary is that i was by myself with only a few japanese men and women around me, who i thought were very used to this type of thing.  Then i saw a bus started to tip from side to side and water come out of the sewer drain and the buildings started to shake around me.  I had a few thoughts going through my head like, "how long is this going to last for, i wonder how often this happens in japan, i wish i was with other people, and of course a yogic thought if i could meditate in this craziness.  On a humorous note i also thought of hte earthquake episode on saved by the bell. Silly, but comic relief for myself.

After what felt like minutes, but probably only about 90 seconds we were told it was okay to walk so i went on my way and then saw a crowd of my fellow performers who were rehearsaing for the easter parade.  They were all gathered outside and i was so grateful to see other people i knew.  So we waited outside for them to give us safety clearance and i headed to the trainers office.  Two japanese cast membetrs were in there who barely spoke english just crossed their arms in a big X and said no more appointments...too dangerous..reschedule.  So i went back outside and the second wave of the earthquake began.  We were told to duck and stay close to the ground again.  The day parade was half way out there and all the floats were shaking...poor blue fairy out in the parade high up in the air in a float and had to keep performing to frightened guests (she made it down safetly after the shaking subsided).

The time was about 3pm and then all of the performers waited outside for about an hour or so...it was getting quite cold so we were brought towels and blankets and pillows, as well as heat packs.  The cast members and talent team could not have been more helpful.  Then of course the rain cloud came and we had a bit of a rain shower...but we were thankfully brought umbrellas.  Finally they said they still needed to check some of hte buildings but the main wardrobe building was cleared for inspection so we sat in there for about four hours or so not knowing hte extent of hte earthquake.  Some performers had cell phones who were gettig bits of the devasting news and contacting home.  Never have i ever wanted a cell phone so badly!  Every hour or so a member of hte talent team came in to give us news about other performers who were not rehearsal and evacuated out of e-village to a nearby junior high...but they told us they were all safe.  They brought us some food to hold us over, which was very kind and made sure to ask if we were all okay.  Someone had some cards so we played uno, which i am embarrassed to say i never played before..but it was a good way to pass the time.  Haha we also played never have i ever and love it or hate it!  It was a nice distraction but all i wanted to do was contact home and let the family know i was okay.

Finally we were all brought into a big room (i felt like american idol when they break up into 4 rooms and let 2 of the rooms know if they were through to the next round..only this held the question of "what will the next step of my earthquake experience be?").  The president of entertainment spoke in japanese and the translator told us the 8.9 magnitude of the earthquake and the state of the areas around us, but at least gave us the news that e-village was finally safe to go back to.  Authorities gave the go ahead for  anyone who lived locally to journey back home...which was our choice whether or not we wanted to stay the night in the main building or walk back to e-village, which is an hour and a half walk about.  There were buses and cars still on the roads so they knew travel was safe and they even went down to e-village themselves to make sure that the travel would be okay for all of us.  All of us (about 60 plus) went as a big group back to e-village and walked a very  muddy and bumpy path.  I dont think it was as bad as we all thought, however the damage was still shocking between the breaks in the roads, the street lamps tilted over, water rising and pretty much mud everywhere.

So around 10:30 we made it back to e-village and reunited with some of the others that were here.  It felt so good to see my apartment was pretty much in tact with only a few things tumbled over.  We were told by the super that water and gas would be turned off, but all eletricity works (thankgoodness for heat and being able to connect back home via the internet)!  The girls here from orlando and i had a little sleepover so we could keep eacother company.  We of course were digesting all of the information and just so happy to be protected and with eacother.

We woke up this morning to an announcement that entertainment has provided us with "emergency vegetable flavored rice" and water for lunch/breakfast.  So we all met in the community room for a little rice and connecting with everyone.  we were told that there is not too much damage to the parks, but they are not opening them until it is completely safe.  Then the orlando girls and i went for a walk down to the sea wall (we live about 1/2 mile from the bay) and it was a suprisingly beautiful sunny day outside.   We saw lots more street damage and i have some pictures to share so u can see too.  The super market called "Ito yokado" was open, which is a huge huge store kind of like a target..it felt like a big party in the super market wiht everyone buying food that we need for a few days because we dont know how long we will be without water and there is rumor they may have to shut off our power because of the nucelar plants nearby.  I was shocked to see how much was still on the shelves, as we went later in the day..but we are fully prepared and now are stocked up.  We are having a movie night tonight with lot of snacks and a few drinks too cause we definitely need it!  Natural disasters have quite a way of creating bonding experiences.

Well, i am going to get going cause i feel i have written quite a bunch...I am going to post this and then add the pictures later.  I am not going to lie i really want to fly home right now and be back in NY with my family.  Its really quite scary not knowing if we will have power/water or if there will be trecherous after shocks.  Talk about living in the moment!  Ahhhh...anyway.  Please keep all of japan in your prayers and thoughts.  at the moment i still have power and skype so i hope it stays on (fingers crossed).  Love to everyone and big big big hugs!

With all  my heart,
Julie

Connect and Share

Hi everyone!  I just created this blog and hope that you stay connected with me as I venture off to Tokyo Disneyland in a week or so.  I will get fancier with my photos and uploads as I settle in, but for now its off to organizing and packing.

Please share this blog with friends that we share. 

If you are on Long Island I hope to see you before I go.  I will be having a going away party next saturday somewhere locally (time and place tba..suggetions)? 

If you are a Disney/Florida friend...i miss you already and hope you are keeping the magic everyday and whistling while you work of course :o). 


Much love my friends!

With happiness and love,

Julie