Yesterday I stopped by the grocery store and started to pick up some of the items I need for Saturday's family dinner - was I shocked!
I spent over $110.00 at the grocery store and this did not include any of the meats/poultry that I need for the dinner - I was in shock. I also did not pick up milk which is $4.39 for a half gallon - I was totally surprised at how high the prices were and there was nothing of substance in my basket.
Today I will pick up all my salad items, ground pork, veal and beef for meatballs, chicken wings and chips. I am guessing it will be another $100 - when did the prices go up so exorbitantly?
I can't imagine what most people spend on a weekly basis to feed their families - I do this once a month and am always horrified at the cost; but, I enjoy doing this for my family.
If you think I spelled "eventfull" wrong in the title - I didn't; I meant to write it that way.
"Eventfull" is the only way to describe our day yesterday. We had several events throughout the Health System and we each had meetings that we also needed to be on. We had our "All Hands" meeting to support which was attended by over 800 people, two Grand Rounds, a meeting at one of our Queens hospitals and a program celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.
I ordered lunch for my team and then picked it up on my way to Headquarters - needless, to say that it was cold by the time two of us got to eat it which was an hour after I had picked it up so that we could attend a meeting.
We are getting busy and we are enjoying everything that we are doing - could use a couple of more people on the team.
I sometimes wonder if people think that just because you are working remotely that you are not doing anything. HOW WRONG!!!
I get more work done when I am at home than when I am in the office. Yesterday I was literally on the phone with clients, on conference calls, staff meetings and responding to email messages for 10 hours. The most exercise I got was from walking from my seat to the bathroom or the kitchen to get something to eat or drink.
Because I am at home alone I have no distractions. My team knows they can get a hold of me because my IM gives them an account of my calendar either I am available or in a meeting.
Are there some advantages to this - YES. I try to sleep a little later than I would if going into the office, I only need a 1/2 tank of gas each week and my EZ Pass has now advised me that they are only going to replenish my pass for $35 rather than the $50 I had set it up for.
The one thing you need to be to work from home is disciplined - and boy I have plenty of that.
This year it is one of those winters where you need to take the car to get washed every week.
Not only is the car filthy from all the snow and slush it also has icicles hanging from the underside, by the windshield wipers and anywhere else there was water and it froze with these polar vortex temperatures.
In the winter I always opt for the undercarriage cleaning - it is where all the sand and salt from the roads collects and it is best to get rid of it and ensure that it is nice and clean. Right now I am not especially worried with the inside as I have WeatherTech liners in the car for both the front and the back - and they are as good as they advertise and capture all the salt, snow and water.
I know that I am doing a good thing for my car by cleaning off all the residue of the weather; but, it also makes me feel good to approach and get into a clean car.
The Superbowl is being held at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey next Sunday or Saturday or Monday depending upon the weather.
I am grateful that this week I do not have to go into New York City. There are many streets that will be closed to be able to accommodate the various activities. Times Square is going to be mayhem so anyone who travels into Penn Station and needs to go either uptown or crosstown will be caught in the various mob scenes.
Don't get me wrong - I appreciate the business that this brings to New York; but, living here and having to deal with it is a totally different story.
Like I said this week I am in the Long Island office for two days and working from home for three - missing the mayhem, NOT!!!
I live in a neighborhood that exists on 3 way stop signs; but, most of the drivers don't seem to know the rules.
There is not a day that goes by that I do not get "ticked off" at the drivers in my community who must have failed the section on 3 way Stops for their permit. Most times I need to make sure that even though it is my time to go that I wait and make sure that one of the other drivers doesn't move forward.
Today was one of those days where I was raising my hands to an individual who clearly was not following the rules - it is at these times that I want to do a citizen's arrest or write them a ticket.
I know that we are just able to renew our licenses and not have to review the rules; but, maybe every 10 years we should have to take a written test to review the basic driving rules.
Fridays are a day where my entire afternoon is full with meetings - I literally go from one to the other.
I am always trying to figure out when I can go to the restroom; needless to say many times I have to put my phone on mute, run to the restroom and hope that no one is calling my name for a status during those few minutes. I have also had to change my phone because the charge has died on the unit so upstairs I go to get the bedroom unit and charge the one from the living room.
Yesterday I lucked out. Every meeting I had ended early. That doesn't mean we weren't efficient or covered every item; in fact, quite the opposite.
Each meeting had an agenda, we went through each item and set the topics for next Friday's meeting. I am most happy when we are the most efficient with our time.
