The Magic of Christmas

Christmas is for children. To see the joy in their faces and the astonishment in their eyes as either they have a wonderful time with you or they receive an unexpected Christmas gift.

This past week I had the joy of seeing this magic up close with my two great nephews, Ryan and Callum. They are of different ages; Ryan will be 10 in a week and Callum turned 3 in August so you can understand that it is a bit difficult to find things that is enjoyable to both boys.

On Monday we went to Rockefeller Center and had breakfast with Santa. Ryan had gone last year and he was looking forward to it again. He bought his skates so he could skate on the rink underneath the Christmas tree. There is always a bit of a line while we wait for them to open the doors to breakfast; but, once inside everything is very efficient and the servers are extremely pleasant. Ryan immediately went for the fruit; and, instead of having hot chocolate with whipped cream he opted for tea. Callum who is still deciding what he will eat had his cereal and played with his etch-a-sketch.

Next came the platter of scrambled eggs, French toast, sausage, bacon and hash browns and there was Ryan tucking into a good helping of scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns – he was trying to eat fast so he could go skating. But, he had to wait until Santa came. Before Santa there was his elf giving out stuffed elves and reindeers; Ryan was grateful and Callum was into his etch a sketch as he told the elf, “Me color” and turned down the gifts.

Then the BIG GUY came – Ryan will always ask if it is the “real” Santa. He still believes in Santa Claus and our response is that the real Santa is very busy getting ready to deliver presents on Christmas day; but, that many people help Santa and are his representatives on Earth. He was happy to let Santa know what he wanted and now to skate on the rink.

We put on his skates and onto the rink he went – happy to be skating on one of the most famous ice skating rinks in the world at the most magical time of the year. Meanwhile, Callum continued with his etch a sketch and being a very good boy at breakfast.

When we walked back to the train station Ryan wanted to know if we could go again next year – he thanked me for having a wonderful time and for my taking him. That is a Christmas gift in itself to me.

Do we know how to torture the boys for Christmas or what?? Both Gerard with the boys and I arrived at my cousin’s house at 10:30 for brunch – Ryan was told that we could not open the gifts until after brunch. Well we didn’t eat until 12 noon – we cleaned up the brunch dishes and then started giving out the gifts.

It was great to watch Ryan’s face as he opened gift after gift to see that everything he had put on his Christmas list he received, even a model of the Titanic. Callum liked ripping the paper and was most excited about seeing his “Blue’s Clues” shirt with his name on it and a Leap Pad. But that was it – he preferred being a boy and doing some rough housing and showing his personality.

Each of us received items that were on our list; as well as, things that were a total surprise. Our dinner was wonderful – it was a traditional Puerto Rican meal and we had a good time as a family playing a game, setting the table, eating together and then wishing each other well as we left for our respective homes.

Everyone said “thank you” for their gifts; including Callum, and I am always proud when the boys show their respect and manners.

I hope each of you enjoyed your holiday, carried the spirit of the season in your hearts; and, most importantly, captured the joy of the season like my great nephews did.

Is It Christmas Yet?

This time of year it is supposed to be frenetic – the malls are supposed to be packed, I should see Christmas trees on everyone’s car roof and tons of little kids lined up to see Santa.

According to all the newspapers and television reporters this is turning out to be a banner year for holiday shopping? Where???? I haven’t seen it here in New York? Or do I shop at the wrong time? Okay, granted I finished my Christmas shopping by Halloween and I did 99% of it on line so I would not have to deal with the crowds; but, there is the occasional item that you have to pick up at a store.

For example, we did “Adopt-a-Family” at work for the holidays. We received information regarding our family and what they needed. A couple of Fridays ago after my workout I went to Kohl’s – it was 9:15 in the morning and in the parking lot I could count the number of cars that were there. I quickly did my shopping running down the list of what each child needed in clothes and then I added a toy; for the mother bathrobe, pajamas, slippers and then a hat, glove and scarf set. Now to checkout – I usually dread checking out at Kohl’s because there is always a line; BUT, “what to my wondering eyes do I see” an empty checkout line. I was the only individual on the line. As my niece would say, “WOO HOO”.

But, this is what I mean – Kohl’s has decent prices, they were running a sale; AND, I also had coupons which were sent to everyone within this store’s radius to use. I have been there in previous years for holiday shopping and it has been a ZOO. The line is unbelievable and you can stand in it for 30 to 45 minutes to pay – which I do not think is worth it. So what is going on this year?

Last week I got a small sense of crowds and lines when I went to Pier 1 to pick up some holiday forest potpourri and candles that Siobhan wanted for the house, we were having the family and friends annual Holiday party. There was a small line (3 people ahead of me) at Pier 1 for checking out and the store clerks were quite busy with customer inquiries – that was the first that I had seen crowds and a line.

I was in Home Depot about 2 weeks ago and again I was able to find what I needed and to go to the Self Service checkout and walk out in minutes – but, once more I did this during the week and during the morning. I have noticed that as I drive by on Saturday and Sundays they seem pretty full.

Another parking lot that has been very full is Barnes & Noble. I have been there the last couple of Saturday and Sunday mornings. I usually do two (2) things while I am there – look for a book (James Patterson’s “The Christmas Wedding” was my latest purchase) and I will treat myself to a bagel and a venti non-fat latte after my hour workout. The parking lot there is a mess – then you have people cutting you off. Is everyone getting a Nook for Christmas? Since when have bookstores become so popular??

And finally what to me is a sign of the season is everyone who has gone to purchase or cut down their Christmas tree. Usually it starts on Thanksgiving weekend when I notice the tree on the roof of people’s cars; but, honestly this year I can count on one hand the amount of cars I have seen with trees. Are people no longer putting trees up for Christmas? Has it been too warm to think about cutting one down or selecting one from a lot to take home? With the temperature hovering around the high 50’s/low 60’s I can understand that a Christmas tree, hot chocolate with marshmallows and “A Christmas Story” on television just doesn’t feel right. We are supposed to have cooler weather for the weekend – I am just wondering if this last week before Christmas everyone will go into panic mode?

The weather should have nothing to do with how we feel for the season. This is a time of giving, of wishing each other well and of contemplating who we are and what we have done. I lived in Puerto Rico for six years and even without snow Christmas was a very sacred and celebrated holiday.

I hope that the Broadcasters and newspapers are correct and that people will enjoy a better time this holiday season. Perhaps we have come to realize that our actions and what we feel in our hearts is greater than any gift we can give. At the same time, don’t lose the traditions that make the holiday yours and your families.

To all of you who read this blog; Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa. May the riches of the season be yours.

The Power of Music

I love music – although I have to admit that I do not have a love of all kinds of music – I tend to stick to one type of genre but I do try to be accepting and willing to receive all types.

Why do I bring this up – I do so because there is POWER in music. Have you ever felt it – have you ever used it to give you that POWER? I know, you are thinking – “Toni has been hitting that eggnog a little too hard”; but, I haven’t - - hear me out. Last Sunday I left for Zumba at 8:45 and class begins at 9:15; I have to admit that I am not always motivated to get up, get ready, eat breakfast and all the other things I do before leaving the house for class in the morning. There are times when I just want to lay in – but, I don’t.

The first 5 to 10 minutes of class can be a bear; BUT, then the music kicks in and the beat challenges me to start moving, doing jumping jacks and TRXing. All of a sudden I am soaking wet and waiting for the next song that will have my heart pumping and me jumping. That is what I mean about the POWER of music – the ability for it to transform your mood, to get you moving and to transport you as a being to a time when you are capable of anything.

A couple of weeks ago there was an article in my local newspaper discussing ways to navigate through the mall while doing your holiday shopping. It gives all the rationale information like:
1. Have protein and fiber for breakfast
2. Dress in layers
3. Take cash, not credit cards and make it large bills (you hate breaking that $50 or $100 bill)
4. Shop for the lower priced items on your list first because once you buy that big ticket item the rest of the dollar signs have no significance

And the one that surprised me the most:
5. Listen to your own iPod and not the mall music.

Why you wonder? Well accordingly your iPod probably has very upbeat music that you probably use when you workout. The Mall is circulating Christmas Carols or Holiday Music which actually happens to be a little depressing – as it said, listen to the lyrics: (1) “I’ll be home for Christmas if only in your dreams” or (2) “All I want for Christmas is you”. And, as you listen to them you become melancholy, depressed and tend to spend more money while you shop. Now there are a few songs that are upbeat like, “Jingle Bell Rock” or “Here Comes Santa Claus”; but, they are somewhat the exception.

I use music to get me through things – I listen to the radio each morning as I drive to work; I like a local station Fresh 102.7 because there is nice banter between the two DJs, there is a trivia game (you know I am nuts about useless information) and they will talk about their everyday lives while playing the current hits. Currently on the way home I am listening to Holly Music on Sirius XM – yes, the music is a bit mellow; but, it enables me to relax and not get on my road rage as I drive home sometimes in traffic.

It is true Holiday music can evoke some melancholy feelings and it has you think of people you are missing or hard times that others are going through. There is one song that absolutely always has me sobbing when I hear it “The Red Shoes”, this is not just a song, but, it is also a book and a movie with Rob Lowe. The story revolves around a little boy whose mother is dying and he wants to buy her these red shoes for Christmas so that she wears them when she meets Jesus. My heart always breaks (as it is now) because I can remember my Mother during her last Christmas with us all of us knew that there would not be any other celebrations with her. So no matter how happy or angry I am when that song comes on tears are streaming down my face and I am hoping that the drivers near me can’t see.

At other times I like to listen to Broadway, Motown or Frank Sinatra era music all of it to ramp down my day and to have me enter my time at home – my haven. What do you do to help you re-enter your other life away from work? I know when I rode the train home from the city some folks would read the newspaper, book or fall asleep – each took them away from work; and, hopefully placed them in a calming mood. There is a need for us to transition from one aspect of our lives to another.

The key is what tricks or habits do we use to take us from our work persona to our home persona, or put you in a mood to face the world or to give you that bit of confidence – nothing like “I am Woman” to make you feel superhuman.

Use music to transport you, transform you and empower you.


1 I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Kim Gannon, Walter Kent and Buck Ram
2 All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey

Recapping the Year at Work

Recapping the year – that is what the majority of us are doing right now at our jobs. What did we accomplish? How did we spend the budget? Did we overspend – what was not delivered that was on our 2011 Objectives?

I would dread these next few weeks when I worked for enterprise organizations. To have not used up all your budget money was a “SIN” – I can remember the year that we bought $60,000 worth of projector light bulbs in $1,000 increments so that we had no extra money in the budget. Why couldn’t it be viewed as we successfully managed that year’s budget and the excess would go into next year’s pot?

And what if we had gone over the budget? There we sat writing explanations as to why we had exceeded it that year. Did it have to do with acquiring a new company and offering the same services to them that we had? Did it mean that we had to implement new infrastructure in order to communicate to every colleague throughout the world? That does not come cheap.

But, WAIT, what about those year end performance reviews? They would be done in December although raises were not effective until April 1st (yes, a Fool’s Joke); but, more importantly nothing was done with the review except to have it filed away by Human Resources to say that it was accomplished. I cannot tell you the hours that I have spent writing performance reviews that had some meaning and relevance to the individual so that they could grow from the experience. All to have someone say to you, “Okay, I agree – how much of a raise am I getting?”

Next would be documenting the department’s accomplishments. I would spend days doing a power point presentation listing all the accomplishments of the department per services offered – categorizing them as to savings, vendor management, customer service, new initiatives, etc. and giving success rates on all of our services. I sometimes wonder if any of that information went anywhere or did it get lost with the next incoming request?

I would much rather look at life in a period of time that is less than a year or view it through the life of a project. Why can’t we review the failures immediately and learn from them; and celebrate the successes as we finish and accomplish them? Think of this as an opportunity to train and coach; just like we do with our children – when they are small and do something wrong we speak and point it out to them immediately; likewise, when they do something good we acknowledge it right away. Feedback should be all the time and not just once or twice a year. How else would people know how they are doing?

Also, each project is different and there is a need to understand what individuals excel in and what they are a bit challenged with. I am not saying that people should not be given challenging tasks; what I am saying is put in place all the support mechanisms they need to be successful.

I bring this all up because on Monday my boss asked me what we accomplished this year in the video, collaboration and Unified Communication space. He was not looking for a major power point presentation or a long word document on every project, service, etc. He wanted just four (4) major bullet points that he was putting into an email message to our Management. How civilized – it was an email message and it was bullet pointed – much easier to read than power point presentations with graphs, numbers, etc.; and, more importantly only the most meaningful items were highlighted.

I have not been through a formal performance review process although I am sure that is coming up soon; but, I can tell you that I receive feedback constantly and not just from my Manager; but, also from his boss’. How wondrous to be told by my Senior Vice President that I did a good job or that the playbook was outstanding. It makes this not a job; but, as my CEO stated this is our responsibility and obligation. We would all be amazed at what great lengths people will work or perform with just some small praise and acknowledgment of what they do.

Next time someone does a good job – tell them so IMMEDIATELY!!!

Enjoy the Time

Well, the turkey is done and the real countdown to Christmas and the holidays has begun. BUT, first let me tell you how last Tuesday went. FLAWLESSLY. The meeting tested fine on Monday and Tuesday morning – don’t you usually want a bad dress rehearsal for a good show?? On Tuesday morning at 9AM we tested again and all went fine – then we finally connected at 12 noon and were staying up for the full program. The audio, the webcast and the video tape of our CEO all were transmitted and received well. We received many accolades from our Executives and the Board of Trustees – now it was easy to enjoy Thanksgiving.

I know the calendar always fills up quickly for this season – I already have a holiday party with family and friends, the work holiday party and Breakfast with Santa for the boys on my calendar. I also want to take a Saturday and just walk around the city and look at the decorated store windows and stop at the craft booths in Bryant Park and Grand Central Station. I know I have already completed my Christmas shopping; but, there are always birthdays and next year’s Christmas (yes, I can hear you all hissing at me)!!!

It was great to have Wednesday to relax although I did go to the lab to have my blood drawn; we (my obgyn and I) are trying to figure out when I will be totally finished with menopause given that last year I was only 10% into it. Yes, I am 56 – so why isn’t this over yet??? And I got my workout in with Jennifer – so I didn’t feel too guilty about Thanksgiving dinner.

On Friday I began decorating the house for Christmas – I do one room at a time and I aim to get the upstairs bathrooms and bedrooms done in a half a day. That usually isn’t too difficult. Next are the powder room downstairs and the kitchen as that can go fairly quickly. Oh and I took Liz’s “kick butt” Zumba class which is dancing with high aerobics intertwined – I always feel as if I have done an outstanding workout when I finish her class. Since it is on Friday at 10:15 – it isn’t very often I am able to take it since I workout with Jennifer at 8AM on Fridays; but, this Friday Jennifer couldn’t meet with me so it was an opportunity to take this class. And then I high tailed it home as I did not want to be out on the road with all those Black Friday shoppers. Do you realize that it has been determined that you really do not get that great a deal on Black Friday??!!

I decided that Saturday I would focus on the living and dining rooms as that required putting lights on both windows – but, first it was to Abby’s aqua aerobics class. I can tell you that Abby’s class is always difficult if she is looking to lose a few pounds or to reduce the jiggling of her arms - I don’t mind as I am always focused on parts of my body too. I want to feel as if I have earned the pain I feel the next day.

So Saturday afternoon I went through the lights and the various decorations and got them all set up. I had Christmas shows on television. Yes, I went through the TV Guide and am DVRing all those sappy Christmas movies and listening to HOLLY on SiriusXM in my car. I am the woman driving next to you singing at the top of her lungs and bobbing her head around as I zoom in and out of traffic.

Saturday evening I had the lights down low as the Christmas lights in my windows clicked on with the timer – it gives the house such a nice warm glow. I also have the Slatkin balsam candles which makes it smell like Christmas throughout the house. But, I have to admit that it is a little difficult to be decorating for Christmas when the temperature outside is over 60 degrees and people are running around with light jackets on.

There are lights in each of the upstairs bedroom windows which go on automatically at dusk and then turn off when the sun rises – it just makes everything warm and inviting; no there are no apple or pumpkin pies baking; but, I do indulge in a small glass of eggnog.

It is only during this time of the year that eggnog is available and I have always enjoyed drinking it. And being Puerto Rican we drink something called “coquito” which is Puerto Rican eggnog made with rum. Unfortunately, I cannot find it here in New York so I usually buy various types of eggnogs at the liquor store and take them to my cousin’s house to try them out. At home alone I only drink the non-alcoholic type. Can you believe that today I found one that is low fat – YEAH!!!

I enjoyed this weekend because after Thanksgiving Day the rest of the weekend was mine to do with as I wished. I was able to get three (3) good workouts in, decorate the house and pull out the Christmas cards to write next week.

I hope that each of you enjoyed your holiday with your family and friends. Find some time for yourself and enjoy the spirit of the season.

Waiting for Wednesday!!!!

Have you ever looked forward to a particular day because you knew it meant that things would slow down and you could rest a little? That is the way I feel right now and my target day is: Wednesday, November 23rd.

How did I come up with that random date – well first this past week has been quite hectic. I originally was going to work from home on Monday since I only had one conference call on my calendar. Well that didn’t work out as on Sunday evening I received a calendar invite from my boss for the presentation of our Unified Communications Strategy to our SVP and CIO for Monday at 2:30. Good thing I had already picked my clothes out for the week – I just had to pull out jewelry and shoes and I was set.

Without a doubt I had to be in on Tuesday as I had a few meetings and we had an “All Hands” open house that we needed to attend. No problem there – it was good to have met other individuals in the organization.

Wednesday – Hallelujah. I worked from home and caught up on some projects (aka laundry, post office), had a workout session with my trainer and was able to sleep an hour later than I normally do. It was a slow day with only two (2) meetings on my calendar so there was plenty of time for me to review projects and do updates.

Thank goodness because on Thursday I was up at 4AM as I had a meeting that began at 6:15 at the hospital to go over the audio visual requirements for the new West Wing. Thankfully, these meetings are few and far between; BUT, would it kill them to serve coffee and bagels? I don’t usually stop at Starbuck’s at that hour as I am too concerned about finding a parking spot and making it to the meeting on time; but I did this time. What a day – I was in meetings from 6:15AM until 3:00PM driving between the hospital and my office. The worst is trying to find parking spots – UGH – I sometimes lose up to 15 minutes looking for a place to park. Usually on days like this when I get home I am a blithering idiot and can not even stay awake through Jeopardy – it is one of those when I say, “Oh, it is 8:30 and I have been asleep on the couch for over 2 hours – I guess I should go up to bed.” Then of course I am awake at 11PM ready to start the day anew – raring to go. Not this time – I was wide awake until a little after 10; have no idea what I am doing to my body or how it is reacting.

Friday, Friday!!! Working from home again; although I did do my 8AM workout with Jennifer. I had to stop by the grocery store on my way home as I hosted a Cutco party that evening at my house to help my niece, Siobhan make her $6,000 goal so she can get her promotion. We made appetizers for those individuals who stopped by and then “anal retentive” me cleaned up before going to bed.

Saturday was jam packed with going to the gym in the morning – need to establish those routines again and stick to it. That is the only way that I can ensure that I do not gain weight with the holidays and the various birthday celebrations that began this weekend. Saturday I was off to my cousin’s to celebrate his son’s birthday; however, we were also celebrating his and he just didn’t know it. Before heading to their house I stopped by the bakery to pick up the cake and to place our pie order for Thanksgiving.

Although Sunday is a day of rest – it isn’t for me. I was off to Zumba this morning at 8:45, then to the cleaners, the salon for a manicure/pedicure and to the grocery store. Today I will put out my clothes for Monday and Tuesday and then try to relax watching the football games and screaming at the teams if they don’t make the point spread.

Monday and Tuesday of this coming week will be my first Executive event that I will have responsibility for delivering. There will be close to 100 people either in person, on the telephone, via video or watching the webcast and I need to make sure it works flawlessly.

So you can see how I approach this coming week with some trepidation and waiting to take the proverbial sigh when it is all over.

After having written this I need to relax – as you can see it was a whirlwind – but it was fun.

I want to wish each of you and your families a “Happy Thanksgiving”.

Getting Things Done

How do you keep track of everything you need to do; OR, more importantly everything that you did do in a day?

Given our lives it is very easy to think that we have accomplished NOTHING in an entire day. We can go around moaning and groaning that the day got by us, that we had too many interruptions and that “something came up” as it always does.

I hate the feeling of not having accomplished anything in an entire day and to counteract that feeling I make a list. Every evening or first thing in the morning I will make a list in my journal of all things I need to accomplish whether it is work related or personal. My list may read something like:

1. Update boss on web ex, bridging and shared tech
2. Message to Pat re: Saturday
3. Review Conference Room proposal
4. Get gas
5. Fold laundry
6. Call Dr. Haas for November appt
7. Message to Bart & Kim re: November Finance Meeting

And throughout the day I will update it as more things come to mind that I need to do.

Why do I make the lists? Well, for one thing I am 56 and with that age comes a certain amount of forgetfulness. We have all gone into another room to get something and then not remembered what it was we went in for. Making a list enables me to capture those things I need to do or inform others of that day and not have that feeling of “what did I forget”. Also, at the end of the day I want to feel that I finished something - my job can be very nebulous because it is project based and those things take time to come to fruition – so the one way I can feel that I have finished something is to document the small steps.

This may be childish but upon having completed something I then give it a red check mark – at the end of the day I can see if I have finished everything or if I need to carry it over to my list for the next day. Believe me there are days when it appears the whole list is being carried over – that is okay – they are few and far between and there are reasons for the grand interruption in what I consider to be either my very “anal” or “OCD” life.

I also will put time aside on my calendar to complete things – whether it is a project or message that I need to get done and would prefer to do without interruptions. I find that if I put aside time on my calendar to do something I am more likely to focus on it and do it. For example, my entire yearly workouts are in my calendar and propagated onto my Blackberry.

Now, those other things – even my weekends have a sense of purpose. I am one of those individuals who hates to go out again once I am home from completing errands. So Friday mornings once I am done at the gym, I will generally stop by the cleaners, bank and grocery store before coming home. Likewise, if I need to do errands on my way home I will do them all before heading home – on Wednesday, on my way home I got gas, went to the Post Office and stopped by the grocery store.

This past Sunday I blocked out time in my calendar to go to the gym for my Zumba class, and then to stop by the Mall to visit Hallmark’s to buy individual family Christmas cards. From there I will stopped by the Cleaners to pick up my clothes and to drop off some others, then to Barnes & Noble to buy calendars for Christmas gifts to the family and friends – and now home. I will be out of the house at 8AM and not back until about noon; but, everything will have been done and now I can relax for the remainder of the day.

Red check marks will appear on my journal and on my Christmas list as I mark off the calendars I have bought for individuals. Tonight as I send this out to you I am reviewing the tasks that I wanted to accomplish this weekend and I can feel a sense of peace that I got them all done.

Remember: Take Pride in Completing the Small Things.

Resurrect Things You Like

The other day I realized that I have stopped doing a lot of things that I enjoy. I don’t think that I ever consciously decided to do it – it just kind of happened.

This past weekend I went to a Broadway show (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) with my best friend, Pat. We decided that instead of giving each other presents for our respective birthdays that we would start a new tradition of getting together for a meal and seeing a Broadway show. This will be the first time I see a show in 11 months.

That is unheard of – I was an individual who would see a show every month. I could run my finger down a Playbill and list all the shows I had seen – the ones I had not were by choice. It was easy to do as I also belonged to the Roundabout Theatre and through them I would see seven (7) shows a year. This year I will only see one (1) of the Roundabout productions, it is “Anything Goes” with Sutton Foster and Joel Grey. Why did I not see the others? They were plays – most of them were a little depressing and I have to admit that when I go to the theatre I want to be entertained and to walk out happy. That is not to say that I am not interested in social commentary I am – but, I chose to determine what I want to hear people’s opinions of.

I have decided that I will begin to go to the theatre again. There are a list of shows I want to see: Sister Act, Billy Elliot, Follies How to Succeed In Business and I wouldn’t mind seeing Wicked for the fifth time as it has been several years since I have seen it. As you can see it isn’t necessarily a lot as this has been a pretty weak fall Broadway season. I know that they are looking to bring in quite a few shows at the beginning of the new year so that they are eligible for the Tony Awards. I can’t wait to see what they offer.

One (1) Saturday a month I will go into the City – head to the TKTS booth and buy a ticket for a show that I have not seen. I won’t feel guilty about the costs for a few reasons: (1) on the weekends I park for free at the train station, (2) train tickets are off peak pricing; and (3) I am buying the ticket for half price by going to the TKTS booth. Also, I believe in the Arts and our need to support them – so I will indulge myself once a month, support the Arts and get a little bit of culture all at the same time.

The other thing I haven’t done in a while is have a really great vacation. For many years I would take a week vacation with my family and we would go to either the North Carolina Outer Banks and then we started going to the Delaware shore; and, I would also then take a week alone and go some place I enjoyed for some sun like the Bahamas or to Cancun.

I have not done that in years – nor have I taken a tour of a European country in years. It is time to start taking that once a year vacation that I enjoy. For 2012 I am considering an Alaskan cruise. I have always wanted to go to Alaska to see the whales, glaciers and our 50th State. I know that a cruise will take me to the various parts of Alaska that I am interested in – so I have begun to investigate various cruise lines and the excursions they offer; and, into leaving from Seattle. I have never been to Seattle and I would like to be able to be there for a couple of days and just experience it.

I have 27 days each year that I can take as vacation, sick or personal days. Since we do not get the day after Thanksgiving off I will always use a vacation day for that (you don’t think I am going to get on the road on Black Friday)!!!! Then I will take some days off between Christmas and New Year’s just because that is a time when things are slow and it is nice to spend with the family. But, I am one who normally doesn’t get sick (0 sick days in over 10 years) and I am able to work my job around the personal things I need to do: doctor appointments, car servicing, etc. so I could say that as for being able to enjoy some travel I have 20 days a year to do so.

I will still look for some time with the family whether we reinstate going down to Delaware for a week or we do long weekends to the Jersey Shore, I will look to do something fun with the boys; but, I don’t want to regret not having gone somewhere.

So once more I am opening myself up and determining where I would like to travel, explore and become more familiar with in culture, food and countries. As I have been thinking this through I would like to go to Buenos Aires in Argentina – they have great beef, wine and the Tango. I have always loved Italy and would like to see the Sistine Chapel with no scaffolding (in 1984 when I was there it was being cleaned). Then there are places like Hungary, Prague which are supposed to be beautiful and full of great architecture and art that I would like to see.

The possibilities are endless – I am not getting any younger, I am in good health and physically fit, I am financially comfortable and as they always say, “there is no time like the present”. So perhaps subconsciously there were many reasons I put the things I enjoyed to the side; but, all is good now and it is time to resurrect them.

Are there things that you need to resurrect and bring back into your life? Ponder why you stopped doing them – decide to start them again; and, take the steps to incorporate them into your lifestyle again.

Remember: Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Connectivity - an Evil Necessity??

Have you ever realized how dependent we are on technology and being connected? I have now within the last three (3) weeks had panic attacks because I could not connect.

The first instance was while I was at the VCI-Group conference in New Orleans the middle of this month. During the conference I am most reliant on my Blackberry keeping me informed of what is going on at work and what I need to respond to right away. I generally only connect to my laptop for about an hour in the evening between the end of the conference and the start of the evening’s activities.

Wouldn’t you know that during that time RIM had a major melt down!!! There I was for hours not knowing if I needed to respond to an issue at work or even worse; my cousin who the previous week had been hospitalized for an infection and this was my quick way to communicate with my family throughout the day.

Also, I didn’t realize it at the time that it was a RIM problem – I am thinking that my Blackberry is on the “fritz”; that the Health system email application was working erratically; but, not RIM. When I went to my room that evening and logged on to my email there was a notification from the Health System that RIM was having global problems and that it was not known when they would be back on line. Thankfully, all was fine at the office and my cousin was getting better every day although staying in the hospital longer than expected.

This made me realize that I carry my Blackberry as if it were attached to my hip. It is the first thing I look at each morning and the last thing I look at each evening. I guess I am a “crackberry”; if I miss the football scores I use the web functionality to go to nfl.com for the scores; I have both my work and personal emails on it, my calendar is up to date on it and sounds to let me know of an appointment; and, now that my text feature is “on” it is most often the way my niece and I communicate with each other. Also, it is my watch to let me know what time it is or how long it has taken me to run an errand or two.

How did I handle life before this?

That was my first crisis. This past Monday when I arrived home from work I turned on my personal computer and plugged in my work computer – to my chagrin neither of them was picking up my router and IP address. Although I am in technology I am not a technologist and I can get flustered with my computer.

I do the normal things – let’s try to disconnect and connect to my wireless account. I can’t find it!! Why isn’t it there??!? I go through network and settings – there it is – let’s connect and it does. YEAH!! NO, NO, NO – it disconnects and again cannot find the IP address. Then it finds it connects and then disconnects – this goes on and on and on. Alright, think Toni, think. Let’s go ahead and reset the router – maybe it just lost connectivity, perhaps there was a slight electrical burst – who knows. Okay no luck. Well at this point I just give up – I have done everything I needed to do off my Blackberry.

On Tuesday I worked late and did not get home until after 7PM. I went ahead and turned on my personal laptop to see if maybe miraculously everything set itself properly while I was gone. I am thinking the technology leprechauns were finished playing their tricks on me. No such luck – I now realize I have a problem and I need to do something about it since I am working from home on Wednesday and I cannot continue this way.

I am very fortunate that one (1) mile from my home is a Best Buy and a counter with the Geek Squad. They have worked on things in my home before when I needed them. I stopped by as soon as the store opened at 10AM; I was originally told that I probably could not have anyone fix my issue that day because they were in the Bronx; but, that they would call him. Their response was that they could be at my home between 12 and 4; I said, “I’ll take it”. I needed to be up and running and I was going to be home the rest of the day working anyway.

Wouldn’t you know that the Geek Squad technician called me to ask if it was okay if he got there a little bit before 12 noon – ABSOFRICKINGLUTELY!!!! When he arrived he took one look at my router and stated that it was no longer working – he could tell because the lights were blinking like crazy. He has two (2) types in his car for me to choose – the high end one which I ended up selecting can have five (5) devices on it at once; since I already have three (3) devices on simultaneously it made total sense to purchase that one. Within the next 45 minutes all three (3) of my devices were configured and connected to my new router; as well as, my printer. I was back in working order and less than $200 poorer.

I cannot tell you the elation I felt to know that I would be able to respond to emails, surf the net, etc. from my laptops; most importantly, for me that I could work from home. I know that each of you who works from home can empathize with my pain – understand the anguish and the subsequent elation.

It is a sign of the times – to be connected always from anywhere and at any time. It is a sad reflection of the age that we live in and a harsh reality of it.

On the other hand being able to work from home let’s you be flexible with family obligations and to not miss out on certain things. Tomorrow is Halloween; and, although I have no children to take “trick or treating” I always work from home on this day. I live in a community where vans will drive in with 5 to 7 children and they can easily hit 60 houses for candy. I enjoy seeing all the children in their costumes and the little ones trying to climb the stairs to say “trick or treat” and to get their piece of candy.

So being connected gives me the opportunity to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like Halloween. Happy Halloween to each of you.

Say Good-bye to Summer

Well I guess we can say that summer is definitely gone and that autumn has decided to settle in.

The leaves have turned color and as I drive home on the Taconic the mountains are ablaze with the red, yellow and orange of the leaves. There is a chill in the air when I leave the house at 5:45 in the morning and when I take out the garbage in the evening as the sun starts to set.

What I dislike the most is driving in the morning in the dark and arriving at work with just a glimmer of the sun – that should change in two (2) weeks when we move our clocks backward for one (1) hour. I won’t mind that the sun will set earlier as I am usually home no later than 4PM even if I am doing errands on my way home.

It is time to prepare for the winter. I need to disconnect the garden hoses from the outside faucets, turn off the water and cover the faucets with these down gloves I purchased in a catalog to help them from freezing. The potted plants are all but dead and need to be thrown out. And the cushions on the patio furniture need to be put away, the patio furniture covered and the umbrella removed from the table. I don’t think I have much more to do for the outside of the house since we have a landscaping company that takes care of the leaves, etc. But, I do need to remember to place my ice scraper and portable shovel in the trunk of my car.

Next thing is to go through my draws and pulling out my long sleeve shirts and sweaters – time to put those t-shirts away. It will also time for me to do some soul-searching as to what stays and what needs to be given away. Do you find that to be a dilemma for you? It is for me; and, although I may not have worn something for years my thoughts are that it is in perfectly good condition and maybe I will wear it next year. I need that little voice in my head saying, “Get a reality grip – you haven’t done it so far what makes you think next year will be different??”

The same will happen with the closet. I have already moved my winter suits into my master closet, tried things on and decided what is donated and what is going to the tailor to have him take in the waist of my business pants. I don’t understand why I have no issues addressing my suits; but, am conflicted when it comes to my tops and my shoes?!?

Like I said I will agonize about my shoes. I have a lot of them – and as I change them for the season I have a hard time getting rid of a pair that I may not have worn in a couple of years. Well a gal never knows when she may need them. Anyone who knows me is aware that shoes are a great passion of mine – maybe it is because I have small feet; although, I think the real reason is no matter what I weigh I can always buy shoes that fit and look good on me. I really do have to think about the black microfiber boots with the 3 inch heel – do I have the heels cut down so I can walk in these all day or do I give them away?? Do you want to vote on this?

Lastly, I will go through my linen closet which houses my cosmetics, shower gels and lotions. Like most of you my skin gets very dry in the winter time and I am constantly looking for a shower gel and lotion that will keep it hydrated throughout the day and night. I can get so itchy from the dryness that I have been known to leave welts on my body after scratching. I know that we should exfoliate – but, have you seen some of those scrubs and how greasy they are? You could fall in your shower or tub from their greasiness – I certainly don’t want that hazard. Also, I want a cream that soaks in and does not stain my clothes as I don’t have the luxury; and, neither do most of you to let it soak in for a few minutes. I want to lather up and dress. So I will continue looking at various creams to find “the one”.

I use this opportunity to once more organize myself. The Christmas shopping with the exception of a few things is complete. But the closet that has all the items is a mish-mash of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine and birthday gifts. That closet needs to get organized with all gifts per holiday/occasion and gifts associated with individuals. With Halloween coming in the next week I want to be able to quickly put my hands on Ryan’s book and Callum’s DVD. Their Halloween chocolate pop that I picked up from Godiva on Wednesday is in my kitchen cabinet away from the warmth and the sun.

Next will be those items they will get for Thanksgiving. Every Thanksgiving I present the boys and Siobhan with an Advent calendar that they can put up and count down the days until Christmas. They will also receive a book on Thanksgiving with a card from me.

And now with the presents in piles per recipient it will be much easier for me to get to them to wrap.

That was my weekend – one of getting ready for the holidays and old man winter. To know that my home, my car and my body is prepared for the upcoming weather and that I have all the holidays taken care of.

Having accomplished this I can think of George Costanza’s father on Seinfeld saying, “Serenity Now”.