idle advice.

the following is an email chain between myself and pamela parker. one of my biggest idles in life. i met her when i was a senior in high school. she and her husband had just opened the two bikram studios in reno and sparks. i had only taken a few yoga classes before i met her...and she completley changed my life. if it wasnt for pam...i wouldnt be into yoga and i woudlnt be interested in the business world. she is one of the smartest, powerful, most talented women i have ever met. she inspired me more i thought possible.
not only did she graduate from stanford top of her class but she has her MBA, CPA and has started a own world reknown shoe company, ariat international. her husband is one of the big names behind rebok shoes and the two of them are amazing. she has also worked for the country of england and wrote many books...just to name a few. she was diagnosed with cancer amidst her business success and sold her shoe company and went to a bikram yoga training to become a certified instructor. she since then opened yoga studios with her husband in reno, sparks, and boston. she ended up selling the yoga studios a few years back and now is back in the shoe industry.
i am forever grateful to have met pam and her husband. they took me in at such a young age and taught me so much about business and opened my eyes to the whole side of hoslistic healing and eastern practices such as yoga. i only hope to one day impact people...the way pam has impacted my life.
i havent heard from pam in a couple years...then just today i recieved an email from her. i was so excited....i want to share her advice and love.

Hello Pam!

It is sooo wonderful to hear from you!! I think about you often. How are you? Where are you and what are you up to?

I am well, I am getting to ready to graduate in December with a degree in business/marketing. My plan is to move...I was in NYC over spring break and fell in love with it back there. So I am heavily considering moving back east...to look for a job.

Reno is booming. Bikram is very popular...I havent been in awhile. I went and got certified in Hatha Yoga last year. Although I am still really wanting to get my Bikram certification....who knows...maybe after graduation? I hear its in Mexico now.

How is Steve and Jeff? Do you know what Katie is up to??? I miss all of you very much.

Hope to hear from you soon :)

Love and Light,

Jayne

her response:

Hi Jayne

Steve and I are back in the shoe business and will be living near Portland because it is too hard to travel to Asia from Reno and too expensive in California. I did a summer in New York but I could not live there - too cold and too many people. I suggest you read the books Atlas Shrugged, The World is Flat and Stay Mad for Life. I was consulting to a company that was at the base of the world trade center when it was attacked. That was why Steve and I did the yoga in the first place. Dan has a studio in New York so you might want to look him up as he loves New York.

I am in Kona right now trying to rest a little before we move. My mother, grandmother and god father all died within the last year or so. Life changes very fast.

Take a self defense class if you are going to live in New York, carry pepper spray and always carry two wallets so that when you are mugged you can give them the fake wallet (but make sure it has $20 in it or they will kill you for tricking them). Just prepare yourself and you will be fine.

I am starting another company that will be focused on some stories I am writing. Portland is a very artistic yet high tech place.

Be well and stay in touch

pam


(words cannot describe how much i love pam. she has been such a gift in my life.)