Take Stock & Celebrate

Have you ever taken a moment to take stock of changes you have made in your life and congratulate yourself on it? We tend not to do that; but, instead to look at what we have not accomplished or what else we need to do.

I want to focus this week’s blog on the changes that I made in my life three (3) years ago and to somewhat “take stock” of those accomplishments.

Three (3) years ago this month I joined a fitness club which is unlike other gyms (Bally’s, New York Sports Club, etc.) – Club Fit Jefferson Valley is owned by a family and they have only two (2) facilities the one I belong to and another in Briarcliff Manor, New York. They provide personal training, group training, classes and a women’s area. There are lockers, showers, a cafeteria and you can also book massages. To that effect, they are an all inclusive club which is only 15 minutes from my home and open 18 hours during the week.

I knew three (3) years ago that in November I would no longer be going to an office to work daily and that I would eventually look for a position that would enable me to work from home. I was overweight and had not been able to really get into a steady workout regimen; I thought it would also be good to invest in working out with a trainer.

I was the heaviest I had been in my entire life – the weight I had gained in the 21 months that I was getting my MBA had not come off; the last six (6) months of my job I had been traveling three (3) days a week. I know that many of you understand what is like to eat at airports or to have obligatory lunches/dinners with clients, customers and vendors. Being able to work from home would take away all those obligations and temptations I would be able to discipline my eating habits and focus on my health.

In the beginning I worked out six (6) to seven (7) days a week and I did begin to see some changes; but, like most individuals I wanted more. I decided that the same way I give my family and friends what they want for their birthdays or holidays – I would give myself what I wanted and needed: a personal trainer. Someone who could guide me, push and encourage me to work to my fullest extent. But, I also continued to take the classes that I enjoyed: kick boxing, aqua aerobics and Zumba.

It took me two (2) years to lose 35 pounds – now I know that was a long time given shows that we see on TV where people have lost over 150 pounds in 17 weeks. But I did not work out eight (8) hours a day every day; I worked out one (1) hour each day and I ate realistically. Having taken that time to lose the weight I am now able to manage and maintain my weight.

Having told you that instead of “patting myself on the back” I instead say, “You need to lose 15 more pounds”. Or I will say “why do I still have wings on my arms”? I should be congratulating myself on reducing my hips by 8 inches or that the clothes in my closet which did not fit a year or two ago are now too big and need to be taken in by the tailor.

Every time I look at my face I no longer see a round face with five (5) chins like my trainer, Jennifer said when she saw my MBA graduation picture. Yes, that was cruel; but, it was the reality check I needed. I do not have to wear long jackets because my hips and my butt are too big or dark clothing so that I appear thinner.

What I am trying to get at is CELEBRATE. Take each small accomplishment and relish in it – don’t think or look at what more you have to do. Embrace the moment. I now enjoy wearing dresses, showing my legs and my arms – I have muscles and when I have to point at something I like seeing that muscle or feeling it.

Today I enjoy the pain I feel the next day when I have been lifting weights. Nothing hurts more than your triceps – have you ever done a lot of tricep exercises with weights and then had to pick up something the next day? OUCH!!??! But all I can think of is maybe one day I will get rid of these wings or maybe they won’t be flapping as much.

It is a long and arduous route for many of us who have not always worked out; but, you can make it part a part of your life. They say it takes six (6) weeks for something to become a habit – and, once you develop that habit you will miss when you cannot do it. I know, for last week I was unable to make any of my personal training sessions due to some work commitments; nor could I go to my aqua aerobics or Zumba class because I had the boys two (2) weekends in a row. But, I went right back – this past week I got my two (2) training sessions in with Jennifer and I was at aqua on Saturday and Zumba on Sunday.

Do something good for yourself and then congratulate yourself. Look at all the positives you do every day; and, dismiss those negative thoughts.

Remember: Take Stock and Celebrate all the Good You Have Done.

Manage the Chaos

Okay it is the middle of September and can you believe that in one (1) week from now Christmas will be in 90 days. Alright I just heard your proverbial groan; but, I am going to ask you that question – are you ready? What are you going to do for yourself to make the holiday season stress free?

Let me give you my countdown and maybe you can incorporate some of this into your routine and be able to enjoy the holidays a bit more.

As I mentioned last week the entire house is decorated for autumn. On September 30th once my family leaves from apple picking and dinner I will bring out all the Halloween decorations. There are witches and goblins, etc. for the various nooks and crannies in the house and on the front door. This way as my neighbors wake up and pass my house on Saturday, October 1st they will realize it is Halloween month.

For Halloween I always buy something for the boys, cards for the family and Cheryl’s cookies. I have already bought the boys their trick or treat bags (Home Goods) and received the shirts I ordered for them from CWD Kids. Ryan’s shirt is skeletons playing hockey and Callum’s is just a Jack O’Lantern, I intend to put their shirts in their trick or treat bags and give it to them on September 30th when we go apple picking. My thoughts are that they can wear their shirts throughout the month of October. I bought all my Halloween cards over Labor Day weekend and I will send them out two (2) weeks before the holiday. I have also ordered Cheryl’s cookies which will arrive for our apple picking day. I don’t know if you have ever ordered from them; but, each of their cookies is individually wrapped and you can freeze them up to six (6) months and just take one (1) out to eat 30 minutes beforehand.

And right after the last Trick-or-Treater has rung my doorbell, away goes everything signifying Halloween and out comes all the Thanksgiving decorations. Yes, it is turkeys, pilgrims, Indians and cornucopias; so again, come November 1st everything will highlight this very American holiday. I get off easy in that I do not cook Thanksgiving dinner – that is done by my cousin, Gerry and my niece, Siobhan. For this holiday I also send out cards; and, yes I am part OCD I looked to buy them over Labor Day weekend but they weren’t out yet. In the next couple of weeks I will buy those cards. For the boys I will get them a book. I am responsible for buying the pies and wine. Also, I will do something like make pumpkin bread or muffins and take them to my cousin's for people to take home and have for breakfast the next day. My other contribution is to help clean up after the dinner.

Over Thanksgiving weekend I will put away all semblance of Autumn and now decorate for Christmas and Winter. I have a lot of snowmen which I will leave out for the entire winter season; and, once more every room will be reflective of the season.

By now all of the Christmas shopping is done and it is trying to figure out what social obligations I need to attend. You are asking me – what about Christmas shopping??!!? Well, it is all done. I am now just wrapping gifts and putting them away in piles for the family. How can that be?? You ask.

Well, we have already gone out to each family member and asked them what they want for Christmas. There are some things that I buy each year for different family members; the boys always get a set of pajamas as does my niece, Siobhan. Each person in the family will get a calendar or a date book; for example, my cousin Gerry likes the Manhattan date book from Barnes & Noble, Ryan will get a train or a hockey calendar, etc. Every year I buy my cousin Gerry his Yankee ticket subscription so it becomes easy. Since we already have the list for the boys we will begin shopping for them and I intend to have everything done by the end of October. I also have a list of everything I bought each individual since 2005 so there are no gift duplications especially in the case of Gerard who likes “The Simpsons” season DVDs. I also buy things throughout the year – if I see something and it reminds me of a family member or friend than I will buy it right then and put it away.

I have already received an invitation from Rockefeller Center to make my arrangements for “Breakfast with Santa”. Last year we took Ryan there and he absolutely loved it – you have a wonderful family style breakfast brought to your table, Santa comes to your table and talks to you, you get a bag of goodies to take home and the piece de resistance for Ryan was being able to skate on the Rockefeller Center skating ring. We will take him again this year – we are pushing the envelope that he will enjoy it and still believes in Santa as he will be 10 in January. The nice thing is that once you do something like this it begins a tradition; and, more importantly you have first dibs to these reservations before they go out to the public.

The first weekend in December I address and mail all my Christmas cards and then I begin to set up dates with friends to see each other and to exchange gifts. Again, Christmas dinner is held at my cousin Gerry’s; however, Christmas Eve dinner we traditionally go out as a family and it is my contribution for us to be together that evening. We also order some Puerto Rican specialties through a friend of mine that will become part of our Christmas dinner.

Lastly, I take down all my Christmas decorations (lights anything with Santa) on January 2nd and leave only Snowmen and Winter decorations up.

Since we are steeped in tradition it becomes easy to manage the holidays and all it entails. Some people may see this as monotonous and routine; but, all of it happens once a year and I get such joy when I see a new pumpkin or find the right gift for someone or when Ryan was skating at Rockefeller Center under the Christmas tree with this big smile on his face. That is what makes all the time and effort worthwhile.

I hope I have shared some tidbits on how to get through the next three months; or helped you reminisce about a particular item or holiday tradition. Look at this time with joy; and, not with a sense of dread for all that gets done.

Remember: The most important thing is family and friends - the rest is just gravy.

Fall is in the Air

Have you ever noticed that there are times when the weather just automatically changes? I never feel that way about winter, spring or summer – there is never a date that I can say I felt the change; BUT, I always do for autumn.

For some particular reason right after Labor Day weekend the air distinctly smells and feels like fall. What does that mean? you ask. It just means that the weather changes sufficiently for us to realize that summer is over despite what the calendar says. And, autumn brings to mind apples, pumpkins and the turning of leaves.

This past Labor Day weekend it rained in the Northeast and the temperatures dipped in the evening to the high 50’s – when you walked out in the morning there was a chill in the air and you needed to put on a light jacket. The coolness of the day and the wet smell of the earth let us know that the dog days of summer were over. Not only that but it was still dark as I drove to work in the morning and I noticed that by 7PM the sun was no longer out; but, it was twilight. The other thing I noticed was that some of the trees started to change their colors – they were now some red and gold peeking through the green.

The beginning of fall marks many beginnings for each of us. Many of you have children and they started school or were off to college. It is also when the summer vacation season is officially over and your jobs probably just got busier as new projects were started or finalizing what next year’s budget should look like.

With the start of Fall – it means it is time to remove the frogs, seashells and the light colored comforters from the house and to warm it up some with the golds, reds and oranges of the season. By now you know there are many traditions that I follow so it should not surprise you that I am in HIGH tradition mode right now. So, this past week saw me changing everything in my home to the autumn look and feel – the comforters are a bit darker as are the rugs in each of the bedrooms. The throw pillows are orange, rust and gold to reflect the turning trees and they beckon for you to come lay your head on them and relax.

I have a penchant for pumpkins and every single room in the house has a pumpkin or two or ten in them. They are all different colors, sizes and shapes and I like to think they enhance the overall décor of the house. I take pride in how I place each pumpkin on the coffee or dining room table and whether or not it is the correct shades of colors together to enhance the runner. I get especially excited when I find one that is unique or matches something just right. That is how I felt this week when I found a purple pumpkin!! You are probably asking yourself what do I need or want a purple pumpkin for? Well, my guest bedroom is painted lilac and the comforter that I have for the fall/winter is a cream background with lilac, purple, olive and brown flowers or leaves and a brown border – I have dark purple rugs on the floor and I thought the purple pumpkin was just the right touch in the room.

I am now looking for recipes that are just a bit heartier to feed my great nephews when I babysit them and I am looking forward to baking. This weekend since I had both boys I made Callum some banana chocolate chip muffins and Ryan and I baked a cake for dessert on Saturday. Also easy dishes like turkey meatloaf and a nice Puerto Rican pastelon (similar to lasagna but made with ripe plantains instead and no tomato sauce).

We have already set a date to go apple picking – the farm we go to Wilkens in Yorktown will also have pumpkins so the boys will be able to pick out their pumpkins and I will get mine to grace my front steps with the Mums I picked up this past weekend. Our apple picking isn’t planned until the end of the month; but, already my nephew was thinking about the apple cider donuts and hot chocolate we also get on this outing. We will make it a full afternoon and evening and also have dinner together.

I will be checking out recipes to make with apples and pumpkins for the next couple of months – we tend to enjoy having different breads (pumpkin bread, cranberry bread and banana nut bread) around to have with coffee or to take into the office.

I hope you embrace this season for the bounty it offers and as it leads us into the holiday season.

I cannot close this blog without making reference to today – the 10th anniversary of 9/11. For those of us who are New Yorkers this is a day that changed our lives as Americans. Each one of us can remember what a beautiful sunny clear day it was and how it tragically ended. Many of us know people who walked home that day or who lost their lives in the Twin Towers or trying to save people.

As Americans we are resilient and we have grown and accustomed to the additional security and heightened alerts which we live with.

Let us never forget; but, continue to triumph.

Surviving Mother Nature

Last weekend Mother Nature let us know that she was “alive and kicking” by giving the Northeast a wallop with Hurricane Irene. It has been a while since the Northeast has had such force and devastation affect us.

Throughout the week all the meteorologists and government agencies had been preparing for the worst and advising the public of what precautions to take. It is rare for us in New York to evacuate – but, evacuate is what we did: hospitals, the Jersey Shore, the Rockaways and many parts of Long Island.

On Friday evening as I was driving home for work I stopped to fill up my car with gas – there were long lines at the pumps similar to when gas was rationed in the early 1980’s, I stopped by the grocery store to stock up on staples: milk, eggs, fruit – it was mayhem and there was no bottled water left. When I got home I went to my patio and removed the umbrella from the middle of the table and took my bar stool patio chairs and laid them on their sides, my plants I put close to the house and hoped for the best.

I was quite surprised to wake up Saturday morning and see no rain or wind. I took advantage of the time and ran to get my haircut and then prepared myself to be housebound for awhile. It wasn’t until late Saturday night and Sunday that Hurricane Irene made her appearance into the tri-state area and she let us know she meant business.

I and my family were all fortunate to not have any damage – and the only thing issue was that my nephew lost power for a period of 24 hours; but, was fortunate to be able to plug his refrigerator into his landlord’s generator. Most of my East Coast friends also sustained very little damage with just some power outage, minor flooding; but, nothing that is totally devastating. The hardest thing for some of us was the inability to get to work on Monday; but, with telecommuting we were still productive.

This isn’t so for many individuals, stores and even towns. There are pictures of whole towns which are stranded as the roads leading to them have washed away. People who watched their houses just topple over because the ground was too wet and the foundation gave way, or those whose businesses lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory and structural damage.

A friend of mine said that her Aunt commented: “God is trying to tell us something”. Those of us in the Northeast had a week with a tornado, an earthquake and a hurricane – maybe she has a point. But, the real question is: “How do you prepare and do you know what to do?”

Hurricane
During a hurricane you want to have the following supplies on hand: bottled water, flashlights, non-perishable food, batteries and a transistor radio. Should the hurricane come towards you – seek shelter in a room with no windows that is somewhat in the interior of your home. Now that it is over consider having a tree company take a look at the remaining trees on your property; just because they are still standing does not mean that they are healthy and they can sustain the next set of winds. And, lastly, where is your home insurance policy? You want to make sure that you have that near and are able to contact your insurance company as soon as the storm is over.

Earthquake
When we had the earthquake early last week – many New Yorkers were stunned as to what to do, where to go and how to handle it. It is not something we generally have – I can remember a couple of earthquakes that occurred at night when I was sleeping and was woken up by the movement; but, this one happened during the day.

Many folks ran out of buildings – the smart thing to do especially if they are tall; but, given that New York City is a city of skyscrapers you do not want to stand in the street. The falling debris of glass, scaffolding, concrete, etc. will be what will hurt you. The best thing is to be in an open field like Central Park or to take cover under heavy furniture like a desk. The old adage of standing in a door frame is no longer valid either.

Tornado
And then there was the tornado – many Midwest homes have that basement like in “The Wizard of Oz”; some homes have them in the Northeast and then some don’t like mine. Again the best thing to do is to take cover in your bathtub in your bathroom especially if it does not have any windows. You want to be in a room that has no windows and will shelter you.

Finally, be responsible. Several people died or were hurt or put others in danger trying to save them because of their shenanigans. There was a father and his daughters deciding to jet ski on the Croton River, people who drive through puddles not realizing how deep they are and many more STUPID (for lack of a better word) actions that were taken during this catastrophe. If you do not value your life – then consider the lives of those individuals who will try to save you from your foolishness.

Remember: Heed the Warning and Prepare.