My Happy Place...

I have often used visualization techniques to help calm my nerves while on a plane or lying on a gurney, or at the dentist. Especially at the dentist... I have an irrational fear of the dentists. I tend to panic and can not stand to be sitting in the chair with the paper bib around my neck and the tray of tools hovering over my body. My dentist is pretty understanding and works with me. I stand in the corner until the very last second, then hop in the chair, do some deep breathing, and go to my happy place.

Sidenote: One time I was lying on the beach in my happy place. I was happily lying there and realized I wasn't alone. Whoever I was with, was wearing great cologne and I happily burrowed into him. I was aware of a muffling voice, which sounded like the waiter asking me what I'd like to drink. I listened again and heard, "Would you mind moving your arm?" Whaaaat? Why would my waiter be asking me that? Oops.. turned out it was my dentist and I had wrapped my arm around him and was nuzzling him while he worked on my teeth. Looks like my visualization worked a little too well.

Back to my happy place... This is it. This house is in Montecito and I distinctly remember driving by it one day and thinking, this is the worlds best place to live. They are in the midst of construction, so it doesn't look the same and there were a lot more trees surrounding it, and they didn't have those pesky gates. In my happy place I'm lounging on a chaise in the backyard wearing a giant floppy hat.

Also, my other happy places that appear often in my dreams are:

Books West - a bookstore from my elementary school days. My parents were always very generous in buying books.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Knapps CastleMoab This beach in Wailea Maui... What are yours?