Was It the Week or Am I Getting Older!?!

What a week? I am one who always enjoys going to new places and trying new things; but, I think I am getting old or maybe just more mature?!?

Last week I was in New Orleans for the annual Visual Communications Industry Group (VCI-Group) conference. I have always known New Orleans to be called “The Big Easy”, the bayou and many other terms; but, it is now known as “NOLA” for New Orleans, Louisiana. I almost felt I was in New York with our SOHO and NOHO areas of the city.

We decided to go out to Bourbon Street our first night and experience it – can I say this: I only need to experience it once!!! It was early Saturday evening and there were two (2) college football games going on in town. Do I need to say much more?? Bourbon Street was full of young adults showing off their school colors, drinking in the street; and, not showing any pain at least for the moment.

This I think is the only town in the entire United States that allows you to take an exposed drink and drink it as you walk the streets. We wanted to go to Pat O’Brien’s for their famous hurricanes. We each ordered one – they were large at least 12 inches in height. They were potent and sweet; I could only take three (3) sips as I could feel the liquor quickly making me lightheaded for lack of food. We then moved on to the Palace Café where I enjoyed a great spinach salad and a shrimp etoufee. You should know that no matter what you eat there is always a little bit of spice so everything has a “kick” to it.

Sunday was a day to get everything in order and I have to admit that I never stepped out of the hotel – that is what happens at these type of events or when you go traveling on business; most of the time the only thing you see of the city you are in is the way to and from the airport. We hosted the Volunteer dinner to thank those individuals who would be performing various duties the next few days.

Monday was our first official conference day and there were education courses and the getting together of the Special Interest Groups (SIGs). We also opened the Exhibit Hall with the tradition of New Orleans and Mardi Gras with mask wearing and jazz playing – I also had outstanding jambalaya. Although the Exhibit Hall closed at 7PM a couple of us went up to the President’s suite to work on the Opening Speech to ensure that it encapsulated what our organization is about and what the conference was focusing on the next few days, “It’s the Experience”. I finally went off to bed that evening at 10PM.

Tuesday we began with a BANG!! Opening remarks, keynote presentations, the Exhibit Hall and concurrent speeches. What a wonderful day – we could hear the buzz of people as we moved from session to session or as we entered the Exhibit Hall. Everyone was talking about the conference, the words coined most often were: mobility, iPad2 and security. We all had the same requests and requirements whether we were in enterprise, healthcare or education – each of us had the same challenges and wanted to know how to mitigate them. What a great opportunity to network with others and see how they were solving the issues. The evening ended with a Special Event at the Mayfield Jazz Playhouse located at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. I ate so many bourbon meatballs and shrimp which I topped off with a small bananas foster that I was not interested in dinner.

We had a full day on Wednesday – this was the first time that on the last day the conference went until 5PM. Again the buzz was good; and, although the sessions were of great content some were not as well attended as we would have liked. Those individuals that stayed for the whole day realized how much more they were able to learn and share with their conferencing/collaboration peers. And, of course, some of them also were recipients of the gift card giveaways.

As a Board we went to NOLA for dinner – it is Emeril’s latest restaurant in New Orleans. All of the food was good and we were all in good spirits. At the end of the evening there was a contingency hitting the casino and then a few of us who choose to end our experience by having a chicory coffee and beignet at the legendary Café DuMonde. It brought back memories of when I first went to New Orleans with my aunt, Irma. We enjoyed a chicory coffee and a beignet every day. There I was at Jackson Square more than 15 years ago buying my nephew, Gerard a t-shirt from the Hard Rock Café, while my Aunt Irma bought her granddaughter a book on a bayou alligator. I saw the Cathedral, the market where I bought a pin that I recently received compliments on when I wore with a suit to work and taking a paddleboat ride.

All in all, this was a productive week for the conference, for the job and to bring back memories of when I was first in New Orleans. New Orleans has made a comeback and I urge everyone to go to this city at least once. It has a rich culture of French, Spanish and Creole – the food is to die for and there is much culture in the town. On the other hand it is still a scary town and we urged everyone to use the buddy system and to drink responsibly.

What I am most excited about is that the question asked by all attendees was, “where is the conference next year”; and, not “are you having a conference”. We have made our mark in the industry and we will continue to capitalize on that.

Pursue those things that you believe in and you will be successful.

What is Volunteering?

This week I want to focus on volunteerism – and do you volunteer? I think there are many forms of volunteering and each one should be applauded and the people who are part of it.

As you can see this has gone out to you a couple of days early – no; I am not changing the date of when I send this to you; but, instead I will be in New Orleans at the annual Visual Communications Industry Group (VCI-G) conference when this would normally post.

This is my volunteer group and it may not be the traditional volunteer program that you are used to; but, it is within my industry and as a Board Member we are all volunteers who have a respect and interest in where our industry is going and how it helps our customers/clients be more productive at their jobs.

Most volunteer positions are very different. I look at my niece who fosters greyhound dogs for the local greyhound rescue chapter until they are adopted. She is on her third foster and has three (3) greyhounds herself. It is a time consuming and tough job for many of these dogs have been raced and need love and attention. They also may have issues, like her dog Belle who has neurological issues or Cooper who is having problems in unmentionable areas – but, she loves them and to support the organization she does the walks and the “meet & greets” for the adoption process.

My cousin, Gerry for a long time was Santa Claus with Metro-North’s “Toys for Tots” campaign and would spend an entire weekend going from hospital to hospital giving out toys to young children. He would always come home with the best stories. Last weekend he did the three (3) mile walk for Alzheimer’s despite having two (2) knee surgeries and one just done this past April. We were all proud of him.

I haven’t been that generous in a long time – I have done things like Junior Achievement teaching – where every week for a few months I would teach for an hour at a New York Public school. Talk about heart breaking – most of these children did not have money for crayons or lived with their grandmother or another relative because one or both of their parents were in jail. I also used to participate in the Junior Achievement bowl-a-thon to raise money for that organization.

Today I end up writing a check to those organizations/charities I am most connected to due to a relative or a friend who may have had or has the disease. Would it be great if I could do a walk and raise the money, yes, it would – do I have the time – I don’t; but, I do have the means to give.

Soon Barnes & Noble will start doing a program where you can buy books for a local school (this is their holiday program), I totally believe in this program and through November and December each time I go to Barnes & Noble I will buy a book for each age category. I am a firm believer in reading and enabling a child to expand their knowledge through books.

On to my non-traditional volunteer position, I very much enjoy introducing people and educating them on what I do, what the technology is capable of and how to maximize it within their organizations. As a volunteer for VCI-G there is much networking with my peers and with manufacturers and providers who support or develop the technology. I also have an opportunity to write about what we do through marketing materials, flyers, etc. Since there is an annual conference much goes on to coordinate this program from selecting a venue, deciding on the conference event, the meals (that is the fun part); but, then there is also the educational sessions, the keynote speeches and the exhibit hall. There is a need to be fair to every vendor, to ensure that all topics that are highlighted are of an interest to the attendees and there is the requirement to fill the conference with End Users so that it is a financial investment to our sponsors and exhibitors.

That is where all the work is focused prior to the meeting – I liken this event to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Are you aware that on the Friday after the Parade that Macy’s begins planning next year’s parade? That is the way we are in VCI-G. We sit and review what succeeded and what did not, what needed more time, what should be eliminated and most importantly was the conference a success for our Members?

We immediately look to secure our good/great speakers for next year. We look at what were the hot topics which might have come up during panel discussions and see how that can be incorporated into education sessions for the following year. And the hardest part is getting the Membership to understand the value of this conference and the membership to our organization.

Most of us are very fortunate with our lives, jobs, homes and families – we are bright, educated individuals. We should be sharing whether it is time, money or knowledge. So, however you give of your time and money is up to you; but GIVE.

There is that old favorite adage: You Reap What You Sow – let’s SOW.

Love What You Do

The past couple of weeks have been a time of reflection as you will see. This past Tuesday I completed three (3) months in my new position at North Shore LIJ. I now have 50 hours of vacation time accumulated although I haven’t thought of when I will take it off or where I will go.

But what I want to be able to reflect on is the experience I have had over the past three (3) months. It starts with adjusting my internal alarm clock a little bit. After many months of waking up between 6:30 and 7AM; I now wake up at 4:45 and am out the door by 5:45. I have to admit that I usually stay in bed until 4:50 something about stealing those extra five (5) minutes.

The commute or drive to work is no longer an ordeal – I know that I can make it into the office before 7AM even with my usual stop at the Starbuck’s for my venti skim latte. Those of you who have worked for me or know my routine; yes, I still multi-task in the morning by reading my three (3) newspapers, looking at my emails and having my breakfast of a piece of cheese and my latte. That has not changed and I very much enjoy the routine. What I am getting used to is being the first one in the office and having to walk down a long hallway in the dark to get to my office and then turn on the lights for the entire area.

I have gotten into a routine with my office eating. If I know I will be able to leave my office between 2 and 2:30; then I generally have a piece of fruit and a cup of hot chocolate around 11:30 and eat my dinner when I get home between 3:30 and 4. If it is a day when meetings will run a little late and I may not leave until 4PM or later then I will have a sandwich or a salad with a lemonade drink from the truck that delivers food to our building. This has worked out well for me and as you saw last week I am maintaining my weight; although, like most folks I wouldn’t mind dropping a few more pounds.

I am able to work two (2) to three (3) days a week from home letting me sleep a little bit longer – until 6AM and to hit the gym for a workout. It also lets me get some errands done (like the laundry) while I am on calls or drafting proposals or messages.

But this wasn’t to give you a rundown of my day; but, instead to discuss what I have submitted to my Management over the last couple of months and the outcome of it.

I was hired to run the Enterprise Video Infrastructure for North Shore LIJ. In that capacity I would be responsible for managing the current infrastructure and technology, making recommendations and making this a seamless service to the Health System as currently anyone from a Janitor to a Chief Resident was responsible for the video equipment at their respective hospital.

After a few weeks of understanding how meetings were reserved (via an email with a request form) and hearing that people had been waiting for over four (4) weeks to get their meeting scheduled I knew there had to be a better way and a need for human interaction.

The solution would be to implement a “Managed Service” process which would take all our reservations, launch our calls, and provide Help Desk and onsite support for complex or Executive meetings. The task was to now get Management to buy into this program and financially fund it. That was problem #1.

On to the next was that there was no web conferencing standard within the health system and there was a major need for doctors and the administration to collaborate and communicate with each other. In that respect we are piloting a web conferencing application which we look to roll out to 1000 doctors. To ensure that we can get the best price, support, training and materials I wrote an RFP (Request for Proposal) which is now with our Procurement department for sending to three (3) vendors. I expect that by the end of October we will have selected a vendor and will start the implementation process.

Lastly, in reviewing our bridging infrastructure to put all of our endpoints in conference calls we realized we had a single point of failure in this environment. There was only one (1) of every piece of hardware meaning should any one (1) piece go down we could not have a meeting. Through a couple of weeks of design and meetings we were able to put together a design for a redundant, resilient and scalable bridging backbone – now I had to sell it to Management.

So why am I so happy??? Management saw the need for all of the proposals and after a few weeks of meetings and “gentle” reminders I have received approval and funding for all of my projects. NOW the fun begins as we start the project management of these initiatives.

I guess my real focus was that I don’t think that it has taken that long to present and obtain approval and funding for three (3) major programs. More importantly, I know that each of these programs will provide all Health System employees with the tools that will make them more productive and bring a better balance to their lives. No longer will they need to drive from one hospital to another for a meeting or consultation; but, will be able to do it from their offices.

The best part of my job is seeing the transformation of how people work. How people are realizing that these tools will bring information to them and will hopefully make the patient experience a good one – as that is our ultimate goal.

In the end I am passionate about my industry and what I do – that is what work should be – not just a job; but, as my CEO said we have an obligation and a responsibility.

We spend anywhere from 8 to 14 hours a day working and we do it for 45 years of our lives.

With that in mind; love what you do and do what you love.

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.