Try not to............

If someone said to you, “Don’t think about the color red for one minute”. Do you think that you could accomplish that task? What would be your strategy? How much would you be willing to wager on your success? Since you read the question written above, how many times has “red” popped into your head?

Well, perhaps with such a seemingly easy request, you may be feeling very confident about now. Of course, I’m not exactly sure how one could measure the pass/fail results. Is there some electronic gadget that we could be hooked up to? Could that gauge the activity of our brain? I thought that it would be an interesting science project. If, in fact, anyone wants to attempt to prove or disprove the answer to the question, I would be interested in just how they went about getting the answer.

Here is another much more difficult scenario. For the next 60 days or so, even 60 seconds, I want you to not think about your favorite resort in Jamaica. You can’t let any pictures of the beach or the dining areas or the rooms enter your conscious mind. Of course, we all know that all of those things plus hundreds of other images of your place in the sun, are constantly bombarding our unconscious nerve endings. I think that it is safe to say. Even if those oh so very pleasant, soothing, exciting, tantalizing thoughts aren’t causing us to get lost in their sublime maze, I think most of us would agree, it wouldn’t take much for those alleged “unconscious” actions to jump to the foreground.
There you are, at work, diligently focused on your particular task at hand, not at all thinking of anything to do with Jamaica. At least on the surface. But just below the whisper thin surface, there are a multitude of burning tropical desires clambering to overtake your mind and body and cause you to suddenly shout, something completely inappropriate while you are engaged at, say, a business meeting, or writing a report, or when you happened to glance at a calendar and suddenly realize you have X amount of days left until your vacation begins.

Then, the people around you would notice a particular half smile, half stupor kind of grin, and a very very far away demeanor that had overtaken your body. They would be calling your name, shaking you, trying to get you back to earth. “Are you alright”?, someone asks you. There is hardly a response. Someone else interviews and snaps their fingers and waves their hand in front of your face. “Hello!! Earth to (insert your name)” It’s at that moment when, with a sudden jerk forward in your chair, a slight drool leaking from your mouth, that you show some signs of knowing where you are and feeling very embarrassed. “Yah, yah I’m alright”, you mumble, as you try to reassure your co-workers that your mind and body haven’t been overtaken by some foreign entity.
Then you hurriedly excuse yourself, once again mumbling something completely inaudible, and make a mad dash for the restroom.

I know, from personal experience, that this has also happened to many of you as well. Thoughts of Jamaica are constantly buzzing around us, like some pesky fly. You keep waving your hand in the air, trying to refocus, trying to push that fly away. But it is persistent and just a little nerve racking. In a good way of course. I mean, it isn’t a scary or sad or fearful thought. It isn’t something that you would seek medical advise for or think that perhaps you need to see a physiatrist. No, it’s just another “Jamaica moment”. Another few seconds or minutes when your overworked brain shuts down and switches over to “your happy place”.
I think that anyone who has ever been to any Couples happy camp, or even if it is your first time to experience, in real terms, what you have been reading about and dreaming about and looking forward to what seems forever, actually getting on the plane and finally going to this somewhat mystical place we call Couples.

This is where I am today. I looked at the calendar and noticed that we will be leaving for our 33 visit to CTI in about 61 days. Give or take a few hours. Never mind that we have had this scene play out so many times before. It doesn’t matter. Every time is the first time. Every trip causes the reaction, much like Pavlov’s dogs. You ring the bell and the response is predictable and uncontrollable. You salivate, your eyes get all misty, you feel slightly dizzy and a very warm rush flows through your veins. We are conditioned and undeniably respond to that conditioning.

Our bags are not here in the room. We are not looking at our vacation outfits, or trying to figure out where we’re going to put Calmore’s sneakers or Damion’s cashews or the chocolate that Simone loves so much. We are nowhere near that stage. This was just a casual glance at the current picture on the Couples calendar that shows Couples Negril. But the automated response is inevitable and uncontrollable.

So now that I have vented and allowed some of those warm fuzzy emotions to come to the surface, how will it be possible to not think about Jamaica for the next 60 days. To not, once again, imagine ourselves on the island, in our favorite spot, in our favorite lounge chairs, facing our favorite swim-up bar with a smiling Damion mixing grand concoctions that help us float through another sun filled truly incredible day.

I don’t want you to think about Jamaica. Not for a minute, not for a week, not at all. Whoa!! That is a drastic situation. One that I am going to completely ignore. You can too. Just let whatever idle moments drift into and around and through your entire being. Yah. Just like that. Doesn’t that feel wonderful?If someone said to you, “Don’t think about the color red for one minute”. Do you think that you could accomplish that task? What would be your strategy? How much would you be willing to wager on your success? Since you read the question written above, how many times has “red” popped into your head?

Well, perhaps with such a seemingly easy request, you may be feeling very confident about now. Of course, I’m not exactly sure how one could measure the pass/fail results. Is there some electronic gadget that we could be hooked up to? Could that gauge the activity of our brain? I thought that it would be an interesting science project. If, in fact, anyone wants to attempt to prove or disprove the answer to the question, I would be interested in just how they went about getting the answer.

Here is another much more difficult scenario. For the next 60 days or so, even 60 seconds, I want you to not think about your favorite resort in Jamaica. You can’t let any pictures of the beach or the dining areas or the rooms enter your conscious mind. Of course, we all know that all of those things plus hundreds of other images of your place in the sun, are constantly bombarding our unconscious nerve endings. I think that it is safe to say. Even if those oh so very pleasant, soothing, exciting, tantalizing thoughts aren’t causing us to get lost in their sublime maze, I think most of us would agree, it wouldn’t take much for those alleged “unconscious” actions to jump to the foreground.
There you are, at work, diligently focused on your particular task at hand, not at all thinking of anything to do with Jamaica. At least on the surface. But just below the whisper thin surface, there are a multitude of burning tropical desires clambering to overtake your mind and body and cause you to suddenly shout, something completely inappropriate while you are engaged at, say, a business meeting, or writing a report, or when you happened to glance at a calendar and suddenly realize you have X amount of days left until your vacation begins.

Then, the people around you would notice a particular half smile, half stupor kind of grin, and a very very far away demeanor that had overtaken your body. They would be calling your name, shaking you, trying to get you back to earth. “Are you alright”?, someone asks you. There is hardly a response. Someone else interviews and snaps their fingers and waves their hand in front of your face. “Hello!! Earth to (insert your name)” It’s at that moment when, with a sudden jerk forward in your chair, a slight drool leaking from your mouth, that you show some signs of knowing where you are and feeling very embarrassed. “Yah, yah I’m alright”, you mumble, as you try to reassure your co-workers that your mind and body haven’t been overtaken by some foreign entity.
Then you hurriedly excuse yourself, once again mumbling something completely inaudible, and make a mad dash for the restroom.

I know, from personal experience, that this has also happened to many of you as well. Thoughts of Jamaica are constantly buzzing around us, like some pesky fly. You keep waving your hand in the air, trying to refocus, trying to push that fly away. But it is persistent and just a little nerve racking. In a good way of course. I mean, it isn’t a scary or sad or fearful thought. It isn’t something that you would seek medical advise for or think that perhaps you need to see a physiatrist. No, it’s just another “Jamaica moment”. Another few seconds or minutes when your overworked brain shuts down and switches over to “your happy place”.
I think that anyone who has ever been to any Couples happy camp, or even if it is your first time to experience, in real terms, what you have been reading about and dreaming about and looking forward to what seems forever, actually getting on the plane and finally going to this somewhat mystical place we call Couples.

This is where I am today. I looked at the calendar and noticed that we will be leaving for our 33 visit to CTI in about 61 days. Give or take a few hours. Never mind that we have had this scene play out so many times before. It doesn’t matter. Every time is the first time. Every trip causes the reaction, much like Pavlov’s dogs. You ring the bell and the response is predictable and uncontrollable. You salivate, your eyes get all misty, you feel slightly dizzy and a very warm rush flows through your veins. We are conditioned and undeniably respond to that conditioning.

Our bags are not here in the room. We are not looking at our vacation outfits, or trying to figure out where we’re going to put Calmore’s sneakers or Damion’s cashews or the chocolate that Simone loves so much. We are nowhere near that stage. This was just a casual glance at the current picture on the Couples calendar that shows Couples Negril. But the automated response is inevitable and uncontrollable.

So now that I have vented and allowed some of those warm fuzzy emotions to come to the surface, how will it be possible to not think about Jamaica for the next 60 days. To not, once again, imagine ourselves on the island, in our favorite spot, in our favorite lounge chairs, facing our favorite swim-up bar with a smiling Damion mixing grand concoctions that help us float through another sun filled truly incredible day.

I don’t want you to think about Jamaica. Not for a minute, not for a week, not at all. Whoa!! That is a drastic situation. One that I am going to completely ignore. You can too. Just let whatever idle moments drift into and around and through your entire being. Yah. Just like that. Doesn’t that feel wonderful?

Richie

Richie, you are my fave! Love your posts! One day, soon, but years from now, we will meet on the isle.

Sorry...can't do it! ;)

Funny thing. While working out at the gym I listen to a lot of Damien and Ziggy. I get really into it. When I'm doing my cardio thing I'm in Jamaica. I completely forget I'm there on the bike. So, I'm sure I look like a total goof moving my body to the music.

But, it's all good. Everyone else seems to be sweating and hurting and pumping...but I'm happily on the beach at CN. Makes working out actually fun!

And I love that "Thoughts are Things".

madtown mom---I look forward to meeting you.

Richie

Crabracer.Leaving in 2 weeks so nothing but Jamaica on my mind. Always enjoy reading your posts. you have a way with words.