The Bold Road

-By Jaime Willis

Yesterday, I finished a triathlon. A half-mile swim, a seventeen mile bike ride, and a three mile run. I covered over 20 miles of land yesterday with my body as the only fuel.

I was afraid I wouldn't finish.

Matt and I started this triathlon training business several months ago at the urging of one of our close friends. I already had (have!) a huge physical challenge goal for 2011 (50 10k runs), so I wasn't initially too keen on signing up for another challenge, but decided to play along.

After we decided to "go all in" and do it, I was a flurry of planning & action. Just like many people who are excited to start out a big goal, I was geared up for this race. I bought a bike and bike gear, I found out where I could practice swimming, I changed my running lengths, I bought swim gear. I began practicing the swim distance, I started riding my bike to work.

Like many other people, though, this goal fell by the wayside as life got in the way. Matt and I talk about using your core values as your guide, and the other things I was occupied by during my days ranked higher in my core values than this race. We even had a discussion a few months before the race where we both acknowledged that we weren't training as much as we should be and concluded that we were on the right track in life, if not on the "best" track for this triathlon.

In the month before the triathlon, I swam once. I rode my bike twice. I ran twice. That's all the training I fit in. I was afraid I wouldn't finish this race because I *know* what it takes to prepare for the race, and I didn't do it.

Two weeks before the race started, one person, then another dropped out. I thought about doing the same. I didn't need to do this triathlon. In the end, I decided that I needed to stick to my word more than I needed to buy into my fears.

My biggest fear was 'being swept.' The race director decides what the maximum time is for each leg of the race -- and I knew I had to be out of the water in 40 minutes, and done with the bike within 2 hours of the race start. (Turns out I read wrong, and athletes had 2.5 hours to start the run). That was going to be a challenge for me -- I knew I could do the distances, as I'd done them all before, but I wouldn't be fast. Would I be fast enough to beat the sweeper?

The night before the race, Matt, his wife Yu Jin, and I drove the course. It was beautiful, but challenging. The entire course was hills. Steep hills. Rolling hills. No flat land -- either you were cruising down a hill or working your way up a hill.

Added to that, thunderstorms were rolling through the Shenandoah Valley. The race director was rapidly responding to increasingly frantic messages from athletes wondering if the "race was still on." He started out telling people it would be a "game time decision," but when that didn't suffice, he let athletes know that if thunderstorms prevented us from swimming (lightening and water don't mix), we'd attempt a dualathlon (biking/running), even in the rain. Racing through the hills on a road bike in the rain made me a little anxious.

When I got back to my hotel room, I spent some time visualizing my whole race. What I was wearing, what I was doing, how I felt. I also spent a fair amount of time requesting the weather hold off until 11am so we could finish the race without rain. I tossed and turned all night, finally calling it quits to sleep at 5:00 am, and started packing and preparing for the race.

Matt and Jaime before the race

We arrived at 6:30am at the course -- it was bustling with activity. Matt took a moment to pump up his tires and mine, and then we walked our bikes to the transition area. Right before entering the transition area, I heard a loud BANG. I was startled a bit, and looked around for the culprit -- who was setting off fireworks this early in the morning? Then a fellow triathlete pointed to my front tire, which had just popped. Oh Boy.

This is where Matt's colleague, Brian, saved the day. An early riser, Brian arrived at 5:50am and was completely ready to race before we even got there. When he saw my tire, he took my bike, told me to finish setting up and went over to the bike shop and began repairs.

I got marked for the race, got and put on my ID chip, and set up my gear, all the while wondering if my tire was fixable, and if I'd really be running this race today. After all, I think I held the record for the most inappropriate bike for racing -- a 1976 Schwinn Varsity -- the original 10-speed bike. The bike itself weighs 42 pounds, compared to a modern racing bike, which weighs around 20 pounds or less.

Luckily, Brian and the Bonzai bike team really hooked me up and my trusty steed was ready to go back to the transition area. I was the only racer that had a kickstand to use in my bike set up -- both useful and comical, under the circumstances. Brian commented that maybe next time I do a tri, I would consider removing the kickstand and LIGHTS in order to reduce my bike's weight.

Kickstand for the win!

Before I knew it, it was time to make our way to the beach for the swim. Matt was in wave 1, Brian in wave 2, and I was in wave 3. We chatted on the beach for a minute, being thankful that the weather was in our favor before we separated and lined up to start. I got to the back of my wave, because I knew swimming wasn't my strong suit and didn't want to be run over by my wave-mates.

The horn sounded. The race began.

The first twenty or so meters, I flat out sprinted in the water -- coming up for air shortly down the course completely spent and nowhere near finished. "Wow," I thought, "I really need to pace myself." I used Sam's tip and flipped onto my back and began backstroking through the water, alternating occasionally between that and the breast stroke to ensure I was headed in the right direction. After an eternity, I finally made it to the first buoy.

I flipped on my back, and began backstroking with a vengeance, surprised that no one was hitting me as I swam. Then I heard someone yell, "Where are you going?" I flipped around, and there was one of the lifeguards next to me on a surfboard. She asked again, "Where are you going?" I said, "I don't know, where am I?" She said, "You are back at the first buoy. Turn around and you'll see the second buoy." My face must have displayed my defeat, because she said, "Hey, you're fine. Just flip over every few strokes to make sure you are pointed in the right direction. You can do this."

The only bonus to swimming the wrong way was that I was now in a "lane" in the lake almost to myself for most of the rest of the race. By this time, everyone in my wave had passed me, as well as many folks in the waves behind me. But I just kept swimming.

I looked at my watch and realized I would still make the cut off, if only by 10 minutes, so I kept swimming. As I switched from backstroke to breast stroke and back, I noticed one other light blue cap in the water slightly behind me. Someone else from my wave was still in the water! My mission for the rest of the swim was just to stay in front of that person. If I could get through the swim before them, I wouldn't be dead last in my age group!

Twenty-seven long minutes after I started, I ran out of the lake and up onto the beach to the yelling and cheers of the crowd. I did a slow jog through the beach area, up the stairs and to my bike. My bike had no water bottle rack, and I never did anything about that before the race, so I was going into the seventeen mile bike ride with no access to water. I spent a minute in the transition area chugging a whole bottle of water so I wouldn't get too dehydrated on the bike.

The first hill wasn't so bad, and the first downhill was so fast, I braked a lot -- I was nervous I'd wipe out and disqualify myself from the race. Much of the race I did by myself -- I didn't have a lot of racers near me. In the first half hour on the bike, I saw all the elite athletes whip by me in the opposite direction. It was funny, because they sounded different -- their bikes whooshed by, while mine creaked through the course.

Without any navigation aids or mileage clocks, just a watch, I really didn't know how far I was into the race. I did the first turn and then the second, and just plodded through the course. About a half hour into the bike, I thought to myself, I am actually going to finish this. This is hard, but doable, and I'll finish this race. I passed a few people as I was riding, and to every one I said, "We're doing this!"

A hour and thirty-two minutes after I started, I was back in the transition area, kick-standing my bike, throwing off my helmet and running on to the course. My legs were beat from the bike, but I kept plodding along at a slow and steady pace. A woman came up from behind and before passing me said, "You are my inspiration -- you are a work horse -- I know you'll finish this race." That comment literally got me through the next three miles.

I saw Brian heading into the finish line as I was heading out onto the course and shouted a "Great Job!" to him. A mile into the course, I saw Matt -- we did our exploding fist pound, which made me smile like a loon for the next stretch of road. I yelled out "Great Job!" to everyone I passed and to those who passed me. I made a goal when I started the run to finish in forty minutes, and I kept track on my watch as I hit the 1 mile, the half way point, and the 2 mile to see if I was staying on target. The last mile was brutal -- the sun had come out, so it was finally hot out. My legs were spent and the hills just didn't stop. I alternated between a fast walk and a slow jog.

I looked down at my watch and saw that I had 4 minutes to make it to the finish line to make my time and started jogging again. As I hit the final stretch almost three hours before I began, the cowbells and shouts began.

Forty minutes after I started the run, and two hours and forty eight minutes after the starting horn went off, I crossed the finish line.

At a birthday dinner I was at last Friday, the guest of honor shared a story she learned from her father. His advice was, "If you are at a crossroads and can't decide which option to take, go with the bolder one. You'll never regret it."

I am so glad that I overcame my fears and chose to run this race. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you are, how prepared, or even how good your gear is. We are all greater, stronger, better, and wiser than we think we are.

Take a chance. Take the bold road. You won't regret it.

Triathlon Training: Origin Story

-By Jaime Willis

No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.

As many good things do, our story begins through the intervention of Sam Horn. In addition to being an incredibly talented writer and successful entrepreneur, Sam is a Connector in the true Malcolm Gladwell sense of the world. She has the gift of bringing people together to accomplish amazing things.

When Sam began thinking about what to do to honor an upcoming "big" birthday, she was inspired to DO something. Something BIG. Something BOLD. An experience that, on reflection, would stick a metaphorical flag into the ground, saying with gusto, "I did that!" She decided to complete a triathlon.

Sam, being the connector that she is, immediately glommed on the idea of having her friends and family join her in her birthday quest. As you can probably guess, shortly thereafter Matt and I got the call to join her.

I'll be honest, when Sam first called and asked Matt and I to join her in completing a mini-triathlon, my answer was no. I was already working on a big physical challenge of my own. I was so busy already adding another weekly item to my schedule was a lot to ask. I didn't own a bike and the last time I'd swam a lap was to cool off in a hotel pool. No one would fault me if I chose to pass on this opportunity, I thought.

So, the problem with being the Chief Inspiration Officer at a company focused on getting people to achieve their goals, no matter how audacious, means I know what a string of excuses sounds like when I hear them. Even when they are coming out of my own mouth.

My "new" bike - a Schwinn Varsity -
the original "Ten Speed" Bike.

What really sold me on this program, though, was Sam's approach. I always thought that completing a triathlon meant competing in a triathlon -- I needed to be the fastest runner, the strongest biker, and the slickest swimmer in order to be a triathlete. As you may know from my running posts, I am the antithesis of 'speedy.'

Sam's focus was not on competing, but on COMPLETING this event. What a great reminder of why we achieve goals. If winning was our only goal, we'd spend much of our life disappointed. But when we open ourselves to being a part of a great new experience, we all win just by participating.

If you just got a little zing by the thought of being a Triathlon Completer, join us! We welcome everyone, regardless of age or experience! We are committed to ensuring that everyone finishes the race and has fun in the process.

TGIF: Sam Horn

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week of achievement this week. If this is your first time reading our blog, Welcome! You can read more about Velocity in the tabs above this post. If you'd like a daily dose of inspiration, like us on facebook or add us on twitter.

Our Achiever this week is the amazing Sam Horn. A six-time published author, public speaker, and a business dynamo, Sam is also an enthusiastic giver and a warm friend. Having met Sam personally, if you have a chance to see her speak or an opportunity to read her books, TAKE IT. Without further ado, Sam Horn!
Sam Horn, The Intrigue Expert, is an award-winning communication strategist with a 20 year track record of results with an international clientele including Intel, Cisco, Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Fortune 500 Forum, NASA, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, KPMG and Capital One.

A couple other notes about Sam:

She is the author of 6 books from major publishers (Tongue Fu!®, POP!, ConZentrate, What’s Holding You Back? and the upcoming SerenDestiny) which have been translated into 17 languages, endorsed by Seth Godin, Stephen Covey, Tony Robbins, John Gray, Susan Jeffers, Jeffrey Gitomer and Ken Blanchard and featured in NY Times, Investors Business Daily, Boston Globe, and the Washington Post.

She's a 17-time Emcee (and former Executive Director) of the Maui Writers Conference, who has worked alongside Hollywood Directors and bestselling authors including Frank McCourt, Ron Howard, Mitch Albom, Garry Marshall and top agents and editors in the publishing industry.
In 2009, I made a commitment to compete in and complete the Waikiki Rough Water Swim. This is a 2.35 mile swim in the open waters of the Pacific Ocean along Waikiki Beach in Oahu, Hawaii.
I’m reminded of two quotes:

Johnny Depp – “Nobody wants to go out mid-sentence.”

Frank Sinatra – “You gotta live every day like it’s your last because one day you’ll be right.”

It’s amazing how we can lose velocity in our life and get caught up in commitments and responsibilities. Swimming once defined me. But this thing that I loved so much got lost in the midst of my busy life as a business owner who’s often on the road speaking. I chose this goal because of something I saw one morning in my home town of Reston, VA. I live on a lovely lake, and every Memorial Day Weekend, we host a national open water swimming competition. From my porch, I could see the swimmers gathering near the starting line. The different age groups wore colored swim caps that indicated their age group and predicted finishing time.

BANG!

The starter’s pistol fires and the first group jumps in the lake – a group of young, athletic swimmers competing to win.

BANG!

The second group dives into the water – this time a group that is a few years older or not quite as fast.

This continued a number of times until the last group entered the race.

BANG!

The 80 and above age group jumped in and cut through the water. I thought to myself, “80 year olds?! What am I doing sitting on my porch?”

What many people don’t know about me is that I used to swim competitively in college. In fact, I studied and majored in Recreation Administration, and paid my way through college by running recreation programs and coaching tennis and swim teams. I lived in Hawaii for 17 years and was in the ocean at least 4 times per week. Swimming was a big part of my life.

When you see 80-somethings out there being physically active, it reminds you of your own mortality. Not in a morbid way but in an “Am I taking advantage of my freedom and health or taking it for granted and wasting it?” kind of way.

I realized there were no barriers to entry to getting back into swimming. It’s not hard on your knees. It doesn’t matter how much you weigh or how out-of-shape you are. No expensive equipment. No excuses. Anyone can do it anytime they want.

Committing to a public event, race or competition and putting it on your calendar is the best way to get out of inertia and into motion.

Once you’ve literally and figuratively “signed up” and “paid up”, you’ve emotionally “signed on.” The goal becomes a given. Now, all you have to do is figure out how to reverse engineer from there how you plan to achieve it.

The best intentions of getting back into something you love (or starting something new) can fall by the wayside when dealing with the daily pressures of an obligation-packed life. Unless you have something tangible on your calendar you’re working towards that helps hold you accountable.

The Japanese have a strategic planning process known as Hoshin Kanri (which is literally translated to “shining metal, pointing direction” – or in other words, a compass). Part of the theory is that if you start with a problem and try to fix it, your mind will always remain focused on the problem which is a way of anchoring you in what was wrong.

But if you think of perfection (the future) vs. the problem (the past), you stay focused on your outcome, which means it’s no longer in question or in doubt. It’s assumed. Instead of getting distracted or detoured by daily “Should I – Shouldn’t I?” decisions, you’ve made up your mind to do this – all you have to do is stay on track.
I don’t look like a swimmer or an athlete right now (or then). If I let this be an obstacle, competing in and completing that race never would have happened.

Malcolm Gladwell once said, “All I ever see at gyms are fit people getting fitter.”

There are a lot of people who won’t train for a swim because they don’t like how they look in a bathing suit. Some people are discouraged from running a 10K or a half-marathon because they don’t look like the hyper-fit runners they see on the trail. Some people don’t go to the gym because they don’t want to look in the mirror or work out next to lean, hard bodies in spandex.

For those who may think, “I’m not an athlete,” I recommend Mariah Burton Nelson’s insightful and inspiring book, We Are All Athletes.

Doing it is its own best reward. For me, powering through the water is one of life’s great joys. It’s hard to believe something so rewarding - something that once defined you - is no longer a part of your life. Once you start swimming again, it’s as if nothing’s changed. When I’m swimming, I don’t want to be doing anything else. It’s its own best incentive.

My sons. Andrew volunteered to swim the race with me (see picture above). My other son, Tom, served as support crew. They both value their health, keep themselves fit and are wonderful role models for me to get up and get moving.

I celebrated with my sons and family friends after the race. I remember as if it were yesterday sitting at an ocean-side restaurant, debriefing the event and drinking iced-tea after iced-tea to rehydrate. It was such a perfect, blessed day. When you achieve something you’re proud of and get to share it with people you love, you are just lit up. What could be better?

BUT…

Once it’s over, it’s important to put a new event goal on your calendar again.
The 1st thing you should do is sign up with Velocity! The 2nd best thing to do is to seek out an accountability partner to help you along the way. Find a buddy so on the days you’re little light on commitment, they will be there to get you in gear. And when they’re feeling a little lazy or unmotivated, you’ll be there.

Next, realize there is always somebody out there who wants to achieve a similar goal as much as you do – whether that’s participating in the Susan B. Koman Breast Cancer Walk, writing a book, or starting a business. You’re not alone. There are resources and networks available waiting for you to reach out.

On any given day, we have the freedom to get off the couch, pick a tangible goal and work toward it. And I am not using the word “work” casually. The benefits that come from establishing something meaningful and investing “sweat equity” to pull it off – no matter what - provides a recurring momentum in our lives. It provides velocity.

As test pilot Chuck Yeager said, “At the moment of truth; there are either reasons or results.” At the end of my life, I want results, not reasons for why I didn’t do what I knew was right and wanted to do.My mantra for this year is “contrast.” My goal is to do the opposite of my “always.”

It means looking at routines and habits and asking if they’re serving me or sabotaging me. So, if I normally focus on pragmatic ideas people can instantly use in their professional lives; I now include personal stories to balance that “neck up” intellect with embodied, heartfelt emotion.
I’ve spoken primarily in the U.S. (more than 30 states) so this year, I’m going on a speaking tour through Europe – to Russia, Germany, England, France, Spain Netherlands and beyond, and already have a relationship with British Airways.

As an entrepreneur, we often end up working solo; so I’ve become involved in a mastermind group and I’ve sought out strategic partnerships which have already enriched my life in ways better than I could have imagined.

I have always been grateful to do work I love that matters with people I enjoy and respect. Changing up patterns and committing to “Do the New” has made my personal and professional life even more fulfilling.

TGIF: Jackie Cantwell

Happy Friday everyone! We are really excited to introduce you to this week's achiever, Jackie Cantwell. Jackie is the energetic founder of Curating for a Cause, which brings artists, performers, non-profits, food, drink, and the public together to do good. I know--excellent, right? Read on and get inspired to make your life's passion happen!

My Name is Jackie Cantwell and I am 24 years old. I am the president and founder of Curating for a Cause. I love food, art and music… so it’s a good thing that our events have all three.

Curating for a Cause creates and executes art oriented fundraising events, primarily in the form of art exhibitions and auctions, for non-profit organizations. In all cases, a majority of the proceeds go directly to the featured organization. Not only do our events benefit the organization monetarily, they also serve as a forum to promote artistic talent, connect with various networks and provide marketing opportunity for all parties involved. They are FUN, and you do not have to be quiet.

Furthermore, participating artists’ benefit from an established exhibition and installation opportunity, connection with patrons and promotion of their name. The commission from sold works is always substantially less than a commercial gallery fee.
My goal was to produce fun, interactive art events where everyone (artists, patrons, and the community) can come together to support a great cause while taking something away for themselves.
I grew up tip- toeing around the stacks of hundreds of paintings inhabiting my home. I even fondly remember at the age of six biting the toes of a performance artist at an exhibition, becoming part of their piece. There was no question that whatever I was going to do would be centered in the arts.

When I realized that I wanted to put on arts events to benefit non profits, events that were accessible to the public, affordable without taking away from the quality of the art, had music, a great venue, and a fun and interesting crowd of patrons I asked myself if it had already been done. Was there a company dedicated to this? I had to fill that void.
A friend of mine, Andrew Horn, is the executive director of Dreams for Kids. We spoke about my goal over Japanese rice crackers and he suggested I come on as the Art Director for DFK. He allowed me to create something out of nothing.

With DFK as a cover I was able to reach out to artists with a purpose to back me up. I was amazed at the response I got. With no budget, and very little experience, I planned their first arts fundraiser in the form of an 84 piece art show and auction. It was an opportunity for high schoolers, college students, and professionals from around the area to show work. Nationally renowned artists Theo Wujcik, Reid McIntyre, and Pat Obrien were among those I convinced to donate. Not only was there amazing art work, but the venue, Paolo's Ristoronte in Georgetown donated the space for free along with an extremely delicious spread of free eats. One Big Woo, one of my favorite groove bands from the area signed on to perform as a donation to top it off. I had never worked so hard at something nor felt better. It filled my mind with ideas and motivation for my next steps.
The term “starving artists” rings very true. At the time, I was living in Reston and commuting to DC almost every day. DFK was a volunteer position and art lessons were put on many family’s back burners as money was, and still is tight. I was broke. I wanted to continue putting on events, but gas, materials and time were becoming an issue.

I began to take on many projects. After the success of DFK art benefit at Paolo’s in Georgetown I was signed on as their curator. They wanted an art show up every month after realizing what the art added to their atmosphere. Dreams for Kids wanted to do more events and opportunities for partnerships were becoming available. I never said no.

Eventually, I had way too much on my plate and realized I could not do it all. I had to let go in order to perform at the level that I wanted to. It was here where the idea of cutting out the gallery and inserting curating for a cause came in. I began work on a business plan that would later become the backbone for what I am doing now.

I had to put all of my energy towards one goal.
One of the biggest parts of putting on an exhibition is meeting with artists. Each artist I meet re-motivates me to continue with research and stay on my game. Artists are some of the most self-motivated people and it is truly inspiring.
My Dad, Mike Cantwell, is the man. Not only has his house acted as a storage space for many shows, he is also who taught me how to cut, mount, frame, ship, pack, and hang work. He has taught me how to be patient.

Josh Phelps was our first partner. He taught me that two heads are better than one, and to never be afraid to ask for help. He made me realize that a lot of resources were available as long as you aren’t afraid to reach out to them.

The killer duo of Sam and her son Andrew Horn has helped in more ways than one. Andrew, executive director of Dreams for Kids gave me the opportunity that grew into something more. His Mother, author Sam Horn took me into her home and mentored me through the process. She instilled in me the importance of goals and the reflection projects that have been finished.

Berit & Joey Coleman, (staples in the crowds at our auctions) have showed me the importance of building relationships with the people who attend our events.
Curating for a Cause’s first art auction took place at the Affinity Lab on U Street. After setting up food from the 6 Arlington restaurants that donated, setting up speakers for Matt Hemerlein and One Big Woo, and stacking the 500 drinks donated by PBR I looked at the door and there was a line.

I walked around the space and made sure all the work tags were in place and time seemed to rush by. It was 8 and time for the auction. I reached for the first piece of work and paraded it around the room. It was filled. The bidding began, and I had goose bumps. I did it.
If you are unhappy at your job… quit it. Find something you love and go after it and never stop. Set goals for yourself and achieve them.

My friend Andrew and I decided on the 6-week rule. If you can look back 6 weeks from now and your life was the exact same, you were unhappy about something and it has not changed… then you need to act on it. If you look back 6 weeks from now and you can’t imagine being where you are, and you are excited for what’s to come. You’re doin’ fine.

Shake what your momma gave ya and don’t stop ‘til you get enough.
Curating for a Cause just wrapped up its last show of 2010 at L2 to benefit Dreams for Kids. It was such as success, we have signed-on to put on a show there every two months. We are currently looking for a new non-profit to support in March 2011. We hope to continue to provide arts experiences for those who love them and for those who’d like to learn more. This year will be about reaching out to people who would like to incorporate art into their lives.

Your blank wall will thank you.

Inspiration is Perishable

- by Matt Leedham

In the book Rework, which we have previously referenced, the final chapter is called “Inspiration is Perishable.” The founders of 37signals go on to say, “We all have ideas. Ideas are immortal. They last forever. What doesn’t last forever is inspiration. Inspiration is like milk. It has an expiration date.”

This week is all about gratitude.

I’m thankful for inspiration. I’m thankful for all that inspires us. I’m thankful for both the people that inspire us and the people that fuel our inspiration through support and encouragement.

But really, I’m most thankful for that moment when inspiration first occurs. That moment when it first hits you and you either decide to act on it or tuck it away. That’s a critical time in our lives and sometimes we don’t even know it. Speaking from experience, you must act immediately. That inspiration most definitely has an expiration date.

At the very least, furiously scribble down notes about what has you so pumped up at that moment. As Sam Horn (author and intrigue expert) says, “ink when you think” and “jot it while it’s hot.”

You must get that inspiration out of your head and down on paper. I liken it to dreams. Have you ever noticed how quickly and easily a dream can slip out the window of your mind? When you first wake up, you remember a thought or a place, but a moment later…it’s gone.

Rework goes on to say, “Inspiration is a now thing. If it grabs you, grab it right back and put it to work.”

So, during this season of thanks and giving, what has you inspired? Are you thankful for it? Have you supported or encouraged someone that seems inspired? Have you inspired someone to take action today?

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends, family, and followers in the U.S. Have a very safe and happy holiday!