It’s been a hot minute since I have blogged. A lot has happened since I wrote about counting down for our holiday trip to see our girls and family in NZ. We got to NZ and basked in the familiarity of the laid back life style, old friends and the warmth of being together (all 5 of us) as a family. We were wooed by the charm that we had almost forgotten while being back in the states and realised that we were not where we wanted to be.
After our youngest daughter joined her sisters in NZ I felt lost and empty. Sure, our life in Naples was full. Paul had a wonderful job and was blessed with amazing opportunities to grow as a business leader, I had started a business that was beginning to take off and we were with friends that are chosen family and my loving sisters, but we missed the joy we get from being a part of our girls lives. All 3 of them were now 8,000 miles away. In the evenings and on weekends Paul and I would binge watch shows and movies and always ask each other what we were doing? We kept saying, “why aren’t we with our children?”
We both had a hole that could not be filled by work, diving into charity causes by volunteering, treating our dogs like people, making memories with old and new friends and being with family in Naples. When we arrive in NZ this past Christmas we had no idea it would change our lives, again!
The past months have been a whirlwind of closing down businesses, selling cars, packing, readying our home for showings, getting new jobs and me settling into the flat with our girls and nephew in Devonport. I travelled 8,000 miles home for a 23 day feverish clean out of stuff so that Paul wouldn’t once again be left tying up loose ends alone; once his time to join us arrived. I managed to do our taxes and said goodbye (see you later or see you never) to every single person I love in the states. Not one time during this mad dash have I questioned or doubted our decision to leave the US behind with its polarisation of politics, mass shootings, the sadly diminishing rights women and girls have regarding their body’s, burn out inducing work ethics or broken medical system.
I landed my dream job here in NZ at an amazing marketing firm that is a Google Premier Partner as a digital marketing consultant and SEO specialist and have the 10 month of online schooling I did through the University of Miami and my determination to thank for setting me on this new path (a story in itself). After all of these sudden changes I am close enough to see my girls smiling faces and have the ability to hug them. To me that is worth crossing a million miles of ocean for. Family, love, making memories, finding our happy place and realising peace. That is what we are moving toward, what we are here for and I adore and cherishing every moment of it. Paul has yet to join us, but when he does we will be complete . And after a night on the couch of watching Netflix we will no longer sit, lost in the silence of our home, we will be basking in the love that surrounds us.
I have had a wonderfully colorful life, rich with varied experiences. My ability as a singer and career as an administrative assistant/marketing communications manager; have presented me with a wide range of opportunities. I have been fortunate to work with and learn from some accomplished and intelligent business owners, executives and artists. I have explored the world, markets and non-profits I would have never dreamed of exploring.
I started out performing in community theater then professionally in night clubs and working as a studio vocalist at the age of 12 in Naples Florida, my home town. My vocal studies began at the age of 8 with my mother who gave me my first vocal lessons. I have had the opportunity to learn with some talented vocal coaches since those lessons with my mother. With them I developed the ability to sing Classical, Jazz and Pop; which allowed me to make a living in the music industry for over 30 years, in America, Europe and NZ. I became proficient in handling the business end of performing and teaching and developed administrative skills that would be used more prominently later on in my life, which I cover further down in this piece. I managed all my own performance bookings and began promoting myself as an up and coming singer, beating the pavement in Nashville TN and learned how to sell my talents in a place where everyone and their mother can sing. Performing in front of large audiences has forced me to be more than skilled at holding my own.
I have also been a studio singer and voice over artist, taught choir and private lessons and was the president of a local non-profit music school in NZ for 3 years.
Once my husband and I began a family, my career focus shifted more to assisting others in their businesses, along with marketing and often selling their products. I took on the roles of Sales, Marketing Communications and Administrative Assistant full time. Environments where I have worked in these capacities have varied. The most joy I find in my career is having the ability to tap into my creative side where I have been encouraged to indulge in my love for creative and copy writing, both personally and for professionally. I worked in our own residential and commercial playground company and for a Website development/social media management company and cherished watching the birth of our new products become known to the public and seeing our client base grow. I have developed the skill for marketing and promoting products and services through the written word, but I am also a strong and persuasive sales person face to face.
We moved from NZ where we had been for 12 yrs, back to Naples Florida in 2015. I took the position as the Administrative Assistant to the Pastor, at the church I grew up in. In my position there I used every skilled I had acquired over my lifetime, from administrative to performing as a vocalist/worship leader. I am a passionate employee and business woman and find it easy to fully immerse myself in my work while still finding joy in the day to day, what I do and the people in my life.
My passions are still singing, promoting, creative writing, encouraging others to pursue their dreams while achieve their goals and being outdoors. I love my hometown of Naples and take advantage of all the beauty and outdoor opportunities it has to offer on a regular basis. Being an active person I work best when on the move and busy, socializing and intellectually stimulated. I also thrive in a situation where I have the opportunity to continue learning new skills. I work on being the best version of myself and strive to give it my best shot every day.
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