Lisa Long on Vacation… Lake Powell with Captain Chuck.

In between Maui and our up coming Colorado trip this month, Anthony and I had a chance to visit the awesome Lake Powell a couple of times this summer.  The first time was just a day trip with Anthony’s dad and brother Adam, along with some of his nieces and nephews out on the family speed boat.  But our more recent time was a two day expedition with Captain Chuck Cross, a friend of Anthony’s.  So three of us set out from Wahweap marina in search of a beach to swim and set up camp.  We eventually headed toward the dam and onto Navajo Canyon.

Once we got to the mouth of this narrow canyon we knew we would be traveling along the water’s edge with nothing but steep rock walls.  We hoped that as we snaked along this passage we would eventually find some sand.  As you would guess we did find a beach a ways up the canyon.  We knew we would be safe there since there were a few houseboats parked there too.  So we landed in a nice cove with plenty of sand… and believe it or not also plenty of dried drift wood for a campfire.  We were set.  Anthony and Chuck got a campfire going in no time and we were cooking hotdogs for dinner.  We had all the food comforts of home including beer and wine.  Our night was special under the stars of the desert.  We went to bed to the sound of thunder but never got rained on.

The next morning we woke up to find out that the houseboat beached next to us were people that worked with Anthony and Chuck.  What a small world!  Imagine the whole Lake Powell and we camp right next to people we know.  This was cool.  Then we said goodbye and headed out to explore some open water.  We ran the boat till about noon and then found another nice beach.  We landed and had lunch.  Chuck also brought his sport kayak along and we paddled around the cove and swam a bit.  After that it was time to head back home to the marina to be picked up.

Anthony and myself feel lucky to be able to fit this short getaway to Lake Powell into our weekends and hope to go back real soon.  We had a marvelous time each time this summer.  This month Anthony and I will be visiting the Colorado mountains.  And this will also include a visit with his mom, dad and sister.  The highlights of this vacation will be posted here.  Check back soon!

One of those famous Sedona Jeep tours.

Many people who visit Sedona do so for the famous red rocks.  But even more famous are the various Jeep tours that take people back into the scenic National Forest.  And thanks to my work, last month Anthony and myself got to experience the famous Red Rock Jeep Tour into Soldiers Pass; with an extended trip up Schnebly Hill, also known as the “Old Bear Wallow.”

It was a bright morning when we met our Jeep tour guide, Ken, who like the rest of his posse dresses very authentically as a real wild west cowboy.  The first trail took us up canyon land that was traveled by the old west Calvary.   The Easterners found the land barren with scarce water;  unless they had the help from a Native American, a cowboy might not survive the beautiful, yet harsh desert.

Ken gave us some interesting stories and facts about the area.  I would highly recomend that tourists visiting Sedona take one of the amazing Jeep tours that Sedona has to offer.  Anthony and I enjoyed the tour with another family from Chicago.  All in all, not only was the morning a wonderful time to be outside bouncing around in a Jeep, but this trip was also a lot of cool information about Sedona that would come in handy later on.

This trip was a super reminder of how amazing the Sedona, Arizona back country is and how fun it is to get there in a modern day covered wagon!  And speaking of old time wagons, Anthony and I got to also pose with Red Rock Jeep Tours real stage coach.  If you are in Sedona and really want to ‘cowboy up’ ask for Ken at Red Rock Jeep Tours.

Lisa Long on Vacation: Maui 2009…

The middle of June marked our first major vacation together, for Anthony and myself.   My Kahana Falls timeshare was available this year in Maui,  so we wanted to see how we could do the island for a week as a loving couple.   Plus the company that Anthony works for needed him to train salespeople; he was also offered a job on Maui.  I must admit, I was a little scared that our first major vacation together as a couple also ended up as a decision to move over there too.  I knew it was going to be interesting.

As we got in late Sunday morning we got up to walk the beach holding hands. We walked the shore until we got to a farmers market where we bought the best organic corn on the cob.  Anthony and I ended up eating two ears each!

We got snorkel masks and went to Black Rock and spent the rest of the day at the beach.  Anthony had business for the resort he works for Tuesday morning in Ka’anapali.  When he was done with his training, he and I had lunch at Bubba Gump’s restaurant and then walked the shops on Front Street.  We drove toward Io valley and ended up at the botanic gardens.  We had the whole tropical wonderland to our selves.  We ended up having dinner in Whaler Village where we walked hand in hand on the beach at sunset.

Anthony and I spent the next day driving to the top of Haleakala where we went hiking.  We had fun hiking and taking pictures of the volcanic landscapes. I was surprised how easy it was to hike into the crater, but harder due to sudden altitude changes to leave.

The next day we planned for a guided bus tour to Hana. We had a delightful guide that was very knowledgeable in Hawaiian studies and a native to Maui and raised in Hana. The jungle coast line scenery was breathtaking. We came across a black sand beach, and several waterfalls. We arrived in Hana around noon time where we bought organic tomatoes and had a chicken lunch listening to a lady play Hawaiian music. Then we continued way beyond a standard road and traveled the back roads through cattle ranches with historic views of the ocean and Haleakala. We ended up at a winery where we tasted pineapple wine. All in all, Anthony and I where grateful that we had the time to relax together after our righteous hike the previous day.

The last day for us was a morning boat tour to Turtle Town with snorkeling. It was very nice to get out to sea! Anthony and I got to see the islands from the water. That night Anthony took me to the Hyatt Luau where we waited in line to get in. I had done it before, but not with Anthony. So we wore matching Aloha shirts that we bought together at Wal-Mart on Maui. It was a special night with Hawaiian drinks and food plus island entertainment. Anthony and myself had such a nice evening we became even closer in our relationship. It was an amazing last night to our very special vacation.

The next day we enjoyed the waterfall pool where I own at Kahana Falls. We then checked out to head toward the airport to leave for home. We spend our last hours visiting the Maui Ocean center aquarium.

For the very reason I tell all my clients to take vacations, Anthony and myself had many special moments. We experienced a week together 24/7. We made it through as lovers and friends. In other words, we had the time of our lives….

My Very Special Birthday Celebration 2009

This year my April 4th birthday was the first one with Anthony.  And as a special surprise my honey took me out to dinner to a nice Chinese restaurant in town.  We took our time ordering and in between Anthony presented me with a birthday gift.  I opened it to reveal a handmade book with a heartwarming story about the life of a butterfly;  Anthony had the artist customize it with his own words and his name and mine together.  The artist also made me a handmade glass butterfly bookmark.  I was in tears at such a thoughtful birthday present.  Thank you darling for really thinking of me on my birthday:)

As if our dinner out together was not enough, we continued on with the evening to the popular Martini Bar in Sedona.  This night the local band, “Professor Big Swinger,” was playing.  Anthony is friends with the drummer, Michael, so I guess they had something up their sleeve.  To my surprise, the band broke out a “Happy Birthday” song just for me.  I was surrounded by my honey and many other friends like JoAnnA, Chuck, Aubrey, Robert, Keri and many more.  I thank you all for such a wonderful birthday present.

Just when I thought my birthday part was over, Anthony and friends took myself and my mother to PJs Pub for another night out on the town.  Since Saturday the 4th was my actual birthday, and my mother missed out on all the fun Friday night at the Martini Bar, we decided to host another celebration so that my mom could be involved.  Anthony’s friend Chuck knows Sammy Davis another local entertainer, and I got another tribute from a band.  All in all we had a wonderful time.  I want to thank everyone in my life for such a wonderful birthday.

Mom’s Back To School.

My lovely Mom Vivian

Like a lot a people today, my mother has had difficulty finding work.  For many years she was a cashier at Walgreens, but left when she moved up to Sedona.  Unfortunately, Walgreens has not found placement for her in Sedona, or even in their Cottonwood  branch.

So my mom did something special; she went back to scho0l for some carreer curriculum classes to brush up on her computer skills.  She is attending Yavapai College in Clarkdale until she graduates on May 7th.  She is studying Word, Excell, and Power Point.  The school also offers job placement.  Her day begins at 7:00am and goes to about 3:00pm, definately keeping her out of trouble.  I am so proud of her, as I have suggested going back to school for many years.  And now she is really doing it!  All she ever really needed was just a plan.  “Yes SHE Can With A Plan!”

A Drive in the Country on a Beautiful Spring Day.

Compare to Anthony's Ducati Meditation shot posted last year

St. Patrick’s Day is the official kick off for Spring weather in Sedona, and so is the traffic in town.  So Anthony and I managed to escape the delays and head out on Hwy-260 towards Payson.  And this day was made even more exotic when we took Anthony’s  Lotus Elise.  Thanks to the ride, Anthony and I got to dress the part of the wanna be racer, with Puma Ferrari Track jacket for me; and nifty Puma Speed Cat driving shoes on both of us.  But of course we are only out for the day of fun and stuck to the speed limits… Really.

There was not a cloud in the sky, and the sun was shinning down on our faces.  We drove with the top off with only a slight chill in the air.  As we headed next toward Happy Jack, Arizona we were driving in a beautiful pine forest.  The air smelled so clean and fresh, there were small patches of snow still.  The Lotus has a race car like exhaust sound, that sang along with the changes in the countryside.   I can see why people would buy such a car for the raw experience.   So did Anthony’s entire Oasis collection on a 2 gig card add to the overture.   This British rock band is his favorite along with the Beatles.  I guess his choice in music this time was great company after all in a rare British car.

Thankfully, Anthony’s exotic car has an economical four cylinder engine, that gets something like 28 mpg!  So we didn’t have to waste much gas to enjoy a day carting along a beautiful stretch of Arizona highways.  But how fun it is at times to be so obvious with something that it just makes us both look like a couple of rock stars, when people look and take pictures of Anthony’s fantastic car.

Anthony and I had a delightful lunch at a Happy Jack, Arizona hometown greasy spoon.  The fried zucchini and mushrooms with ranch dressing was yummy, and served fresh and hot.  It was nice to have lunch is such a out of nowhere restaurant with my honey.  A nice lady volunteered to take a picture of us in the forested pick nick area there.  We then said goodbye to a pack of bikers and then moved on down the road.

But most of the time we seemed to be the only ones on the road.  We then drove past Lake Mary; as we came to a nice parking area Anthony pulled in for a pit stop.  Good thing these stops have bathrooms.  We took the opportunity to take a few pictures and enjoy the view of this lovely little lake in the mountains.  We then entered Flagstaff and drove Oak Creek Canyon (89-A) home, and enjoyed all the tourists settling into their campsites, with the smell of the fire and the meal.  Now why don’t we go camping in the canyon this year?  Look for our summer camping trip… coming soon.

My little sister’s 14th Birthday

Happy Birthday to Cailean! Wow – 14 years old! Watch out boys. Oh yes, Cailean and Alison are quite boy-crazy. I think we all are at 14. What do you think?
Cailean had a great party at an authentic ice-cream parlor – YUMMY! She got like totally cool gifts – jewelery, makeup, music. You know, all those things we liked at 14. I gave her lip gloss, a mirror (which may never leave her side) and a journal. I’m sure it’s full of my favorite boy of the week writings. Ahhhh to be 14 again….. NOT!

I do not have any children of my own, but Cailean has been my little sister in Big Brother Big Sisters of American for many years now.  I have helped and watched her grow into the young adult she is becoming.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be Cailean’s big sister.

Do you remember what you were doing at 14? How much trouble did you get into??? Write it in the comments….. remember truth or dare??!

Here’s a photo of me, Cailean and her friend Alison (left to right). What a motley crew – Aey.

me, Cailean and Alison

Our Visit to “Out of Africa” Wild Animal Park

Last week Anthony and I visited the “Out of Africa” wild animal park in Camp Verde, Arizona.  We had a nice sunny day all to ourselves, and the temperature was surprisingly warm, considering that the week before we had snow. The first part of our tour was to go into the Serengeti on an open-aired bus, armed with giraffe food (read: carrot strips).

As we pulled up to the gate to the habitat, the male giraffe knew it was feeding time. The food was gone in no time. And at one point the giraffe put his head inside the bus while our young tour guide fed him her last strips. As we moved the bus along the wilderness we encountered other herbivores like zebras, gazelles, and ostriches. Off into the distance we could see the big cats perching on the roof of their shelters, waiting to be fed. The whole adventure was just marvelous.

The next part of the “Out of Africa” experience was to enter the carnivore area and follow along with the meat truck. It was feeding time for the big cats, hyenas, wolves and bears… oh my! The workers threw frozen whole turkeys over the fences to the hungry animals. Our guide said the animals are only fed every other day. Gosh were we lucky that we picked today. I was especially grateful to see a rescued three legged young leopard; he lost his leg tragically in a feeding accident to a lion in the next door cage in another zoo.  The lions, tigers, leopards, and black panthers of this animal park all quickly grabbed their catch and then trotted off somewhere quiet to eat. All but one male lion that just stood his ground waiting for the crowd of people to move on so that he could eat in peace. He let out a sharp growl at Anthony, and the guide told the crowd to move on so the male could eat. Boy am I glad that my pet cat Mona does not growl, but she sure knows how to meow until she gets her special canned cat food each morning.

All in all, Anthony and I love animals. What better place to celebrate this passion but at a really neat wild animal park?

Do you want to get closer to your animals? How is your relationship with your pet? Is your animal feeling her best? Check out pet therapy at Center For The Self.  I can use ColorPuncture therapy to clear blockages with both the pet and pet owner.

Soaring to new heights…

Last week Anthony and I went flying. Not just any old airplane, but a glider at Turf Gliding School in Phoenix. Anthony’s brother, Adam, just got his pilots license for these types of planes. I have never flown in one of these things and was honestly trilled to get a chance to do it. It may seem daredevil to some, but these gliders are relatively safe. So I saw it as a great opportunity to expand my horizons.

It was a beautiful Arizona day with sunshine and no wind. Adam helped me climb into the front cockpit seat; and then he gave me a short lesson on safety, and showed me the instruments and controls. Adam then climbed into the back seat and buckled up; we were now ready to go. A small, motorized airplane towed us to 3,600 feet and then let us go.

There were absolutely beautiful views from the sky! I could see for miles on this clear day. And below we could see Lake Pleasant and a racetrack, and the surrounding desert terrain. It was very quiet gliding through the air. One might say the experience was very surreal. But since it was so calm, Adam could not find any thermals and the ride was short. We landed after about 20 minutes. But the whole experience was a real hoot!

Anthony was next, and got to go up after me. His ride was very similar, but of course he had to ham it up. I was talking with one of the school’s instructors and commented on how smooth the ride was. And the guy said glider pilots prefer to go fishing on a calm day like this. And that the longest rides are when there is more thermal action and a bumpier ride.

I had a wonderful time and look forward to my next flight. It is neat that Anthony’s brother is a glider pilot and can take us up any time.

Overcome blockages and limitations so that you can go flying!  Visit Center For The Self for details.  And “Yes YOU Can With A Plan!”

Lisa Long on Vacation

Jasper Alagna, Anthony's father, enjoys the Downtown Lights

Two weeks ago Anthony and I returned from visiting Las Vegas.  His parent live there and we sort of combined this vacation thing as meeting the parents and Anthony’s last fling before he goes back to work.  We managed to visit a few casinos, and mostly went dancing to live bands that had free shows.   We hardly did any gambling.  Until, geek, Anthony found a “Star Trek” slot machine.  Of course he had to play.  We both had no idea what was going on, but he managed to win. 

Anthony and I at the MGM Lion Habitat

 

I guess better to cash out early than give it all back.  For dinner we headed to a couple of different buffets over the ‘weekend.’  Of course it was easy to over-eat with all the fresh selections.  We managed to squeeze in visiting the lion habitat at the MGM hotel casino.  Anthony and I felt like we transported to Africa at one point. 

I enjoyed meeting Anthony’s parents and had fun doing things together.  I hope I get a chance to see his parents again soon.  A highlight for us is when we visited Downtown Las Vegas, or Freemont Street.  The laser light show was awesome and we enjoyed the outdoor festivities on a winter’s night.  We scored some jumbo margaritas in big flashing mugs.  Everybody in the casios, as we walked around, kept saying how neat our drinks were.

Our biggest thrill was when we won $1 million dollars.  We have the picture to prove it.  Just kidding!  We didn’t really win anything; but got our picture taken will the casinos $1 million dollar stack of cash.  I guess better luck next time.

Anyway you slice it, Las Vegas is a lot of fun to visit.  Anthony and myself had a chance to play the night life.  I’m so glad I had a chance to meet Anthony’s mom and dad.  They were both a couple of neat people.

We look forward to our next travel vacation.  We are planning on visiting Hawaii this summer.  We will keep everyone posted as to our holidays.

Everyone deserves a vacation.  Reward yourself with a trip to a destination.  Visit “Yes I Can With A Plan!” and new “YICWAP!” Blog and TV show to make your dream vacation come true.  If you are suffering blockages and can’t break away, “Center For The Self” can provide healing tools that can give people a fresh start.  Or check out the new “Center For The Self” Blog for additional stuff.

Back from coaching and relaxing in Tucson 11/6/08

The coaching session with Lisa Sasevich was great.  I learned so much and I now have really good direction to pull everything together in offers that will provide awesome benefit for my clients.

The first day with Lisa S. we focused on work.  The second day we played.  We spent the entire day at Canyon Ranch Resort and Spa.  It’s absolutely beautiful!  Our day started with live drummers that we danced to  - whew, this was a workout.  Then, we did a spin class followed by an Abs Express class.   After all that exercise, we treated ourselves to a gourmet lunch and shopping.  We also enjoyed the jacuzzi and steam rooms.  We ended the day with a Watsu session.  I highly recommend this.  It’s a massage in the water.  I could have stayed there all night!

 

Lisa Sasevich with Lisa Long after a day of intense coaching

This is my idea of combining work with play!

Talk with you soon,

Lisa

PS – I’ll soon be releasing upcoming holiday – gratitude specials.

Make sure to receive the announcement: lisa@centerfortheself.com

 

Lisa D. Long, MSW, CCP

 

http://www.centerfortheself.com

http://www.yesicanwithaplan.com

All Systems Launch

8:30 am

Wow, I can hardly believe it’s here.  My book (my baby) is finished and available to the public.  Actually, in the time it took me to write this book, I could have had two babies.  

Writing a book is a lot of work.  I really respect authors now!

Of course, I seldom do anything on a small scale.  So, for my first ever book, I created an entire system.  The “Yes I Can With a Plan! How To Be A Successful Entrepreneur”  Success System of time management > leads to > stress management > leads to > health improvement > leads to > ability and desire to achieve your dreams and goals.  I walk clients through each step with my simple proven system.

This endeavor came about at the request of my clients asking me to put the tools I use with them into a book they can read and re-read and use as a reference tool.

I admit, it’s pretty cool to see this dream become reality.

Here’s a photo of me at my first book signing for a Mammoth Marketing event in Phoenix, AZ.

Lisa

 

 

 

Also, just in case you’re interested, here is a recording of my very first virtual book tour: yesicanwithaplanbooktour.mp3

I have much to be thankful for this holiday season and I wish you

Happy Thanksgiving !!

Lisa

 

 

Lisa D. Long, MSW, CCP

http://www.centerfortheself.com

http://www.yesicanwithaplan.com

Strange Sedona Energy!

Under the Stars of Sedona

This week I took a bizarre trip into the night desert to capture some mysterious objects on film. My new boyfriend, Anthony, and I did not see anything out there; but we just snapped off some pics with a flash were we felt a presence.   Even though most of the pictures we took were blank (nothing strange)  – out of the two film cameras and digital we used, we did get some results.  Since both myself and Anthony are openminded people, with a positive outlook, this might have had something to do with our sightings.  To say the least, under the romantic moonlight, we had a ball!

Do you want to open your heart and mind to new possibilities?

Visit: Yes I Can With A Plan!

Spotted! Anthony and Lisa making out…

Sometimes the best things come when we least expect them. I had given up on meeting men and invited my mom to live with me. Then I met Anthony Alagna, a passionate Italian, with a wonderful sense of reality. He has been supportive of my efforts and an equal partner in love and business. I Know I have met a keeper! Stay tuned!

My Dearest Anthony

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!

 

All the "Reindeer" ladies - My dear friends!

Anthony and I just got back from my annual “Reindeer” Christmas get together with my long time friends in the Phoenix area this last Friday night.   My dear friends Sandy and John hosted the event in their beautiful home.   The place was decorated throughout with Christmas figures and stockings and a sparkling 9 foot tree to top it all off.   It really made us feel like we got to the holidays for 2008.   We had a fun gift exchange, and all surprised with the popularity of the sex manual book.   It was stolen twice, out of the other wrapped gifts to choose from.   Anthony and I were happy with our new Martini kit though.   We ended the night at a local German bar were we danced to a live band.

As always, it was a spectacular night; and Anthony really enjoyed his first get together with some of my old friends from SRP and such.

So far we are having a great time this season. For all your families out there: Happy Holidays!!!!

Anthony and I are Happy Together!

Lisa and Anthony with Santa!

Lisa and Anthony can with a plan!

Find your true love today with:  Yes I Can With A Plan!

Happy New Year 2009!

PJ's Pub 2009 New Year's Party

Anthony and Lisa Having Fun Ringing in the New Year

Anthony and I rang in the new year with friends at PJ’s Pub in Sedona.   Along for the celebration my mom, Vivian, joined us for the holiday fun.  We danced to an awesome live band and wore funny hats.   As much as we would have liked to have seen it, my mom never got to the dance floor.  She was interested in talking with old friends over a nice pitcher of XX beer.

Anthony and Mom Hamming it Up, er... Drinking it Up

At the party, Anthony and my mom met my dear friends Bob and Anne as well as Paul and Carol.   As the clock struck midnight we toasted with champagne and we blew party horns.   Needless to say, we had a wonderful time; and we hope everyone else had a great New Year’s Eve too.  Cheers!  And happy NEW YEAR!

 

Need help with your New Year’s Resolutions?

Visit: Yes I Can With A Plan!

Getting it on with New Year’s Resolutions

A lot of people have decided to be more fit this year. So Anthony and I have not only committed to more exercise, but we have been eating healthier. Most work weeks we eat a fresh salad, onions, tomatoes, olive oil with balsamic vinegar; as another portion we will eat some protein like a steak. This way we get balance. We of course like fruit as a snack or for breakfast.

Fortunately, Sedona has some of the most picturesque hiking trails, not to mention after about 10 miles round adventure, you have gotten a workout. Sure beats a treadmill indoors. This particular hike we had started off at red rock crossing and hiked along the river until we climbed out of the canyon. From there we hiked around this famous butte of cathedral rock that makes up the centerpiece to the crossing. We ended up at the start of the Village of Oak Creek and circled part of Courthouse butte and walked the neighborhood streets to my home. I feel lucky to live in this most beautiful red rock wilderness, especially when it is so close to my house.

I hope everyone is accomplishing their resolutions, if not check out “Yes I Can With A Plan!” website for some coaching. When we improve ourselves we have grown spiritually. And this is consciousness-related growth, that can make also make us better in the physical realm.

A beloved Pet… Mona Lisa

I love my cat Mona very much.  I remember the day I adopted her, she was so skinny and abandoned.  I just knew that I had some good to offer this cat, so I brought her home to be cared for.  Over the years, she has matured into a healthy queen of the house.  I have used ColorPucture on her to calm her and open pathways.  She is a very healthy pet; and member of my family.  She meows early each morning to let me know it is time for her canned cat food.  And then baths in the sun when I open the blinds for her.  She likes the treat.  This spoiled cat enjoys the balance, somewhat.  I love my cat very much.  She is very special to me and a part of my plan.  Visit “Center For The Self” for my pet therapy services.  I can help a loved one, mankind or animal.

But wait… Now a singing chihuahua?

Of course Anthony is happy to jump into the frenzy of beloved pets.  Only he should not talk.  Anthony is in love with a feisty chihuahua named Mr. Bean.  The dog belongs to his brother’s family and is cared for by Anthony’s niece, Geni.  The little buster likes to get into all sorts of trouble from what I’ve seen.  But here on video is this crazy Mr. Bean singing along to a piano.  Very cute!

“Yes I Can With A Plan!”
“YICWAP!” Blog  NEW
“Center For The Self”
“Center For The Self” Blog  NEW

And Anthony would like everybody to be sure and check out my brand new blogs created for my two businesses, “YICWAP!” Blog and “Center For The Self” Blog.  Check back often for state of the art training and offers, not to mention cool little stories.  And be sure to look for new episodes of “YICWAP!” TV Show coming in  February.