As I’m whipping up some goodness from leftover Christmas feasts, my attention moves toward reflection. This year held so many surprises. I had no idea how it would unfold. I just knew that I wanted to focus on being true to myself by making something beautiful. I’ve been writing about his journey every day all year. I went out into the world to find beauty and I worked on creating it in my own life. It’s been a year of purpose and it feels amazing. The year coming up will hold a bit more structure and a bit more focus:
– I’ll produce the play I wrote, Sing After Storms, at the Thespis Theater Festival in New York in June.
– I’m working on my book, Your Second Step.
– I’ll run the New York City marathon in November.
– I hope to take two big international trips – one to Africa and one to China and Japan, both to visit friends who live there.
– I’m hopeful that I’ll add several new steady content development clients in January.
Just writing down these bullets shows me that 2014 will be an incredible year of transformation and growth. Much to learn, see, and do. I’m ready for the adventure.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
3 thoughts on “Beautiful: Here Comes the New Year. Time for Adventure.”
Could use your guidance, Michael. Assuming with only a week I should concentrate on a couple of big stops, or maybe just one. What do you think? Tokyo?
I’ll be like an overpaid consultant and say “it depends” ^_^ The tried and true approach for a first time visit is to just hit the major things in Tokyo, maybe take a day trip to somewhere close, like Mt Fuji, or spend a few days in Kyoto/Osaka if you have time. You could also totally buck the norm and go somewhere off the beaten path, either way west or way north. If you had a general idea for what you wanted to see (modern vs. historic vs. gritty vs. ?) I could give you some suggestions.
These days I’m more likely to end up in some dodgy bar street in a tier 2 city or trainspotting in Tokyo outskirts, but this is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Christa Avampato 
Where to in Japan?
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Could use your guidance, Michael. Assuming with only a week I should concentrate on a couple of big stops, or maybe just one. What do you think? Tokyo?
LikeLike
I’ll be like an overpaid consultant and say “it depends” ^_^ The tried and true approach for a first time visit is to just hit the major things in Tokyo, maybe take a day trip to somewhere close, like Mt Fuji, or spend a few days in Kyoto/Osaka if you have time. You could also totally buck the norm and go somewhere off the beaten path, either way west or way north. If you had a general idea for what you wanted to see (modern vs. historic vs. gritty vs. ?) I could give you some suggestions.
These days I’m more likely to end up in some dodgy bar street in a tier 2 city or trainspotting in Tokyo outskirts, but this is not everyone’s cup of tea.
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