Plan, Road Map, and Courage - All Good But Enough?

Category: A Little Bit from Elaine A Little Bit from Elaine
Published: 06 July 2022 06 July 2022

By Elaine Carlson

"All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination."

Earl Nightingale said that. He was a radio personality from the early 1950s until he died in 1989. He acted as a Life Coach – before that occupational title was even used. On the radio and in books (The Strangest Secret and Lead the Field are just two) he told people how to live their lives. I am sure Dale Carnegie and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale are better known but Nightingale also had a lot to say.

I don't know if his statement is all that true but I am going to proceed as if it were correct. I already have a plan and a destination. Now I am working on developing the road map. I guess I will only find out if I have the proper amount of courage if everything works out. .

My plan (and yes my destination) is to go to Texas in October to go to a convention on "The Law and Religion in America." It will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Riverwalk San Antonio. I will go to the convention for two days but will stay longer to see a little bit of San Antonio.

The first thing I did was book a place for five nights through AirBnB at $60 a night. The company gives me a long stay discount of $80 and charges me a cleaning fee of $90 and a service charge of $57.86.

I feel good my lodging will cost less than what I would have to pay to stay at the Hyatt. I don't know much about them except that they are offering a Special Convention Rate of $205 a night --- and that the hotel has 630 rooms and a fitness center guests can use for free.

Where I will be staying does not have a fitness center but maybe I will be able to get a similar benefit by walking to the convention.

I was surprised to see in the listing that the AirBnB host boasts that one of the amenities they offer is a 70 inch TV. I don't see why I would want to travel so far and spend so much money just to watch TV. But I think if maybe someone important dies while I am on my trip I will be able to watch the official (or royal) funeral on a 70 inch TV.

Now I know one thing for sure --- I am not going to order any of the convention meals. The Hyatt is charging $60 for a simple packed lunch. $100 for a Banquet Dinner, $90 for Breakfast. And I am going to skip the Opening Reception --- that costs $65.

But I would really love to go to that reception. It would really be fun to stand back and watch all (or a lot) of the Convention Attendees grab all the Brie Covered Crudites and other goodies they can at the serving table just so they will be sure they are getting the most for the money they paid. People interested in"The Law and Religion in America" are just like that.

Soon I will make the reservation to take Amtrak to San Antonio and then I will have all of the practical details out of the way. I guess I have already spent ten hours looking online for attractions in San Antonio. San Antonio is most famous for the Alamo but there are a lot of other things to do and see there. I am sure I will have a good time.

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