Phin taking a long nap after our hike in Rock Creek Park
Phineas crossed a new threshold this weekend and taught me another big lesson in the healing process. It’s now been 2 months since his surgery. It was beautiful outside yesterday afternoon so we suited up and headed for Rock Creek Park. I wasn’t sure if or how Phin would navigate it. It’s been almost 6 months since we’ve been out on any trails and Rock Creek has some steep hills. I figured I would let him try it and if it was too much for him, then I could carry him.
I was skittish about approaching the hills, but Phin wasn’t phased by them one bit. He went after them with his usual gusto, bounding straight up without giving it a second thought. He’s not quite as agile as he used to be and he’s a little slower, but he did damn good. We arrived back home 2 and a half hours later. Phin was tired, though so was I.
I’ll be the first to admit that I still monitor Phin’s gait on a daily basis. There isn’t a moment that goes by when I’m not abundantly grateful that he’s with me. I remember all too well how close I came to losing him, and how close he came to losing his ability to walk.
The thing is that Phin doesn’t worry the way I do. He doesn’t get caught up in the psychology of injury, nor in the hard work of healing. To him, this is just life now and he’s happy. He knows he gets tired more easily and that he’s lost some flexibility in his spine. He knows he teeters over from time to time and that he can’t run quite as fast as he used to run. He loves and knows he is loved, and that’s his focus. To him, every walk, wonky or not, is a good walk. Every day is a good day. I’m not as zen as he is about all of it, but I’m trying and Phin is a patient and enthusiastic teacher.
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.
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Christa Avampato 