Thursday, December 15, 2016

Being passionate.....

This morning I introduced my weekly networking group to Ernest T. Smith. I first learned about Ernest in a podcast episode of The Productivity Show from Asian Efficiency. Ernest lives in your brain and is active in your "ernest" intentions to do something. With Ernest, you may not do the tasks on your to list, such as attend the PTA meeting or even take your friend to lunch. I intend in 2017, to evict Ernest from my brain, so I can focus on the tasks that I am passionate about and accomplish them. Thereby being more successful at my goals. To paraphrase the Dixie Chicks, "Goodbye Ernest."

Monday, November 21, 2016

Words today....Even celebrities struggle to pull it all together

“[I’m] trying to figure out time management, You know, you want to give every piece of your life — all of it. So, I want my kids to have all of me, I want my husband, I want my mom and dad, my brother, my friends and, of course, work. And so it’s just really hard for me to figure out time management.” —Jessica Alba

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Wise Words on Wednesday.....

"May you have hindsight to know where you've been, the foresight to know where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone to far." — Irish Saying

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Words on Wednesday: A children't poet reminds us that anything is possible

"Listen to the Mustn'ts, child. Listen to the Don't. Listen to the Shouldn'ts, the Impossibles, the Wont's. Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me...Anything can happen, child. Anything can be." —Shel Silverstein

Sunday, November 6, 2016

A good read....

Today I set down with the latest issue of Success Magazine and read it cover to cover. Normally, I do this at a coffee spot and treat myself to a decadent frothy coffee drink. This morning I read it in the "Grandmother arm chair" with a cup of Caffix. I have been going to a coffee to do it to avoid the distractions of home and my daughter. However, I learned this morning that  I find the magazine so engaging that I can tune out the distractions and make my daughter wait until I am done. In the future I'll save my money, make a latte and enjoy the magazine all in the comfort of my own arm chair.

www.success.com

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Wise Words on Wednesday......

"If you want to know your past, look at your present conditions. If you want to know your future, look into your present actions." — Buddhist Saying

Sunday, October 30, 2016

A weekend away........

I have spent this weekend away in a house by a lake. I have been coming to this place for over 40 years and it still holds the ability to quiet my mind, relax my body and help me find clarity. This weekend my clarity came in new understanding on my life moving forward, writing a first draft of a document for my business and looking deeper into my relationship with my already teenage at 11 y.o daughter. I am always grateful for these weekends of reflection. Even more grateful that my parents had the foresight to buy this place 40 years ago and see in it a respite from city life. I hope that future generations that come here will also see its beauty, find rest and gain clarity. And to boot, Marco (the dog) feels right at home in the house and by the lake.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Clothing quality—has it disappeared?

Tonight, I repaired holes in a brand name (think fashion icon) sweater. Luckily, they are at the color and therefore hard to see. Also, I repaired holes in a sweater of my dad's that is more than 30 years old. The other sweater I bought last year. Where has the quality of clothing gone? Brand name is no longer synonymous with quality. Too bad!

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Customer Service at its best

We all know there is good and bad customer services. Today, I experienced customer service that was out of this world. I went into to my local pharmacy to have a prescription refilled. At this pharmacy the pharmacist, knows who I am when I walk in the door. I told him what a I needed refilled and he said it was done. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes. My pharmacy had refilled my prescription before I asked for it and therefore it was ready when I came into ask. I take my hat off to Ballard Pharmacy. My oven overheated on self clean more than a month ago, and it has taken me this long with a back and forth to the appliance store where I bought it to get them to arrange service on it. Not to mention I reached out to the service company directly with no luck. The appliance store (which will remain nameless) should take a lesson from Sarge and his staff at Ballard Pharmacy.

Monday, October 10, 2016

Ice cream sundae

IAt my last Reiki session, my friend and practitioner, Cindy, asked, "What was your dad's favorite dessert?" My answer, "An ice cream sundae." So she told me to have one and I did so yesterday. It may not have been the best one I ever had, but it was the most meaningful. I felt an instant connection to my dad and my great uncle (his favorite flavor was cookies n' cream), who both died around this time of year. Just from the sundae, I understood how both of these men, who were integral part of my life, would view my life now. I even felt like they gave me so advice too. Often, I wish they were still here to talk with and learn from, so thank you Cindy for pointing out a way to connect to them in spirit and continue to learn. I learned that my favorite dessert is a simple sundae—vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Unlike my dad, I don't like a cherry on top.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Words on Wednesday

"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn." — Benjamin Franklin

Monday, September 26, 2016

Flexibility is key...

I work with my clients to build in flexibility to their daily and/or weekly schedules in case they get a last minute work assignment, the kid gets sick or their elderly parent falls and is rushed to the ER. Well, today it paid off for me. My daughter's school bus was running really late, so we and the other parents and kids waiting, hopped the subway to get o school on time. Since I was just headed to the gym after she got on the bus, I had the flexibility to do this. Having kids, makes flexibility a must.

Monday, September 5, 2016

Where's the quality?

Yesterday, I did three loads of laundry. Admittedly, one load was just sheets. I noticed as I put clothes in the washer some shirts had holes in them. It used to be you could buy a concert tee when you were in college and still be wearing it twenty years in its faded glory to relive your youth. I find now, that t-shirts only last a couple of years before they get holes. I have some that aren't even faded yet and because of holes need to be thrown out. So I ask, Where's the quality?

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

People you may know...

Every time I log into LinkedIn to make a connection, I land on the "people you may know" page. At this point, I have seen the pictures enough to think I know a person, when I really don't. The same can be said for Facebook. Facebook will tell you that you might know so and so, who is friends with your cousin and you've never even met the friend. After repeatedly seeing the photos, you may think you know them. For a while, I thought I was losing my mind and then I realized its not me its the site. Now I don't go to those "people you may know" pages, unless the site takes me there. This keeps my mind at peace and my sanity in tack.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

What we learn from others...

My mom had a childhood friend recently pass away. He was a radio sports jokey and I learned upon his death that he reported the news for several hours on 9/11. He didn't have to; he could have continued to report the sports. Instead he gave his listeners what they wanted and needed—the news of what was happening in the US. I learn from this that no matter who we are or what we do, sometimes we need to reach beyond this to give people what they need. Thank you, George, for teaching me this and being a true friend to my mom.

Monday, July 25, 2016

Family is what you make it....

After my daughter's 5th grade graduation, a set of her grandparents went out to lunch. They ran into the teachers and commented how nice graduations was. The teachers asked who they were their for and they told them. A teacher said that she the resemblance between Grandma and Sylvie. Only, they are not biologically related. These grandparents are very close friends that have been in Sylvie's life since she was in my tummy (in fact I meet Grandma when I was 13) and so they became grandparents. It is nice that I can teach my daughter that family is what you make it and not just biology. Sylvie is close to my mom and this grandma with no distinction between the two. This warms my heart.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

What a mountain today.

Today I did battle with a mountain and the mountain won. I was supposed to trek into some ruins, but some riding lessons, backpacking in my youth and gym workouts weren't enough preparation. I should have thoroughly researched the trek. Over 20 years ago I did battle with another mountain and lost. Today I learned as I did then to stop while I was ahead and head back to a bed. Today, I also learned that mountains and I aren't friends and that is all right. In life, it is important to be thoroughly prepared and know your limits. My limit is riding a horse down a winding narrow path. Tonight I will sleep in a bed. My traveling companion, more prepared then I, is still on the trek and I wish him a journey of health and good weather.

Postcard of reality

My daughter and I were talking recently and I said that I would send her a postcard from my upcoming trip that read, "Wish you were here. Opps! You weren't invited." She didn't take kindly to this. However as a single mom, it is important for my daughter and I to have time apart. Time apart is good for any relationship. It allows two or more people to regroup, recreate appreciation for the other(s) and recommit to the relationship. I know that I will miss my daughter when I am away and she will miss me. Also, I know each of us will be glad to be apart from the other since of late we have been on each other's cases a lot. A little peach goes along way!

Friday, July 15, 2016

The importance of downtime....

Having downtime is important. Why? Because it recharges our brains, increases our productivity and boost our creativity according to science. Down time can be as complex as a two week vacation to some exotic destination or as simple as an afternoon at a museum. I try to make a point of seeing museums exhibitions that interest me or museums that are to my liking. Ancient gold, modern jewelry and even mid century furniture inspire me and recharge my brain. So what is your next downtime.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

What Tinkerbell Taught me about authority...

I am not referring to the Tinkerbell of Disney or Peter Pan's fairy sidekick. I am referring to Tinkerbell, the Clydesdale at the stable where I take riding lessons. At my last lesson, she wanted to stop and occasionally stop and snack. To get her to move or keep moving, I had to use a stern voice and a swift hand on her side. Tinkerbell taught me that authority comes out of a stern voice and swift actions. As my daughter heads in to her teenage years and if she is like me, this lesson well be in use.

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Doing the unthinkable

Last nifgt I took my daughter and her BFF to a concert. This isn't the unthinkable. The seats were high up and I am afraid of heights. Despite my fear, I sat in my seat (after I got acclimated) and enjoyed the concert. I did the unthinkable by pushing aside my fear. The best part is that I taught my daughter and her friend that fears don't have to control you. I didn't wake up this morning with my fear gone, but woke up knowing that I can be up high despite my fear. However, I don't plan on walking a high wire anytime soon.

Monday, June 27, 2016

R&R

This traditionally means rest and relaxation. In my house I am teaching my 11 y.o. teenage daughter that it means respect and responsibility. Respect is for others and their belongings. Responsibility is for accepting her role in a situation and not to be quick to blame others. So far, my new travel coffee mug has been used twice without asking. I still have some teaching to do. Even though the school year ends tomorrow, my daughter still has some learning to do.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

A great quote.....

"Remember all things are possible for those who believe." --Gail Devers, Olympic Champion

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

What gives?

I spent yesterday in bed with a head cold and even made myself chicken soup. Today I had several meetings and worked on my newsletter article in between. With all that has been going on for the last two days, can someone explain why my house can't function with me at the helm? What's going to happen when I travel this summer and leave the house, kid and dog behind with adult supervision? I just hope the plants get watered and don't die.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

The magazine pile

It is gone, never to return. I looked at my weekly schedule and decided to allow time on Saturday mornings to read the newspaper (yes, I still get it delivered) and magazines. Over several Saturday's, I read through the pile and even had time for the new issues. The result, I have found more time for magazine reading and find myself with a magazine or two on a weeknight. 

Sunday, May 15, 2016

A beautiful weekend......

My daughter and I had a staycation using my aunt and uncle's apartment as home base. We walked the city, visited a museum, shopped and had high tea. It was an awesome belated Mother's Day gift to have this time my girl. Some days I feel she is growing up fast and it was just yesterday I was changing her diapers. Yet, she heads to middle school next fall. My mom and I had several mother/daughter trips that hold a special place in my heart. I hope this weekend will remain in my daughter's heart.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Tonight's dinner

Mexican Risotto

Dice half a medium onion, half a medium red pepper and 2-3 cloves of garlic. Add olive oil to a 10" skillet and sauté the veggies for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup Aborio rice and sauté for 2 minutes. Add 4 cups vegetable broth to the pan in 1/2 cup increments and cook down in between stirring continually. When the broth is done, turn the heat off and add 1 15oz. can of black beans drained and 1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese. Mix together and serve hot. Makes 4-5 servings

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Businessman?

"As the old expression goes, there's a difference between a "man in business" and a "businessman." A man in business goes through the motions; a business man is competitive, insightful,resourceful, nimble and driven." Which are you?

Quote from Business Mensch by Noah Alper

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Magazines galore....

How many of you get magazines that you  don't read, let alone page through? I do. After spending the last few Saturday mornings reading and paging through my back log, I decided not to renew some. It is not just because I don't read them, it is the fact that I ordered a subscription for a particular reason and the magazines don't meet it. This is why I don't read them. Now I just I need to figure out what to do about my daughter's back log.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Stress?

When it was time to get ready for bed, myvdaughter started to organize her room. Cleaning isn't necessary, since she keeps her room neat. I asked her why she was organizing and she said she was doing it to relieve stress. My room growing up was messy and I am sure my parents would have liked me to have my daughter's quality. My way to reduce stress is to bake. My daughter's way is less fattening and better for the mind. Sometimes it pays to learn from our children.

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Was it a fluke?

Two days after the scale dipped below 160, it was back up again showing an 8 lb. gain. Was this possible? Since I am resding The Oz Principke about being accountable, I looked at what I ate over the two days rather than blame the scale. While I have determined that I do better (less to no snacking) on a high protein diet, some proteins are healthier than others. So, I'll stick to almond butter and kefir and skip the peanut butter and cheese. This causes a dilemma since PB&J is my favorite sandwich and I regard cheese as a spice. Well, now I know what I need to work on in the coming weeks/months.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

The scale tipped

Finally! December 2014, I embarked on a  30-day nutritional cleanse with Isagenix and the help of a friend and health coach, Marie. I lost 5 lbs and my clothes fit better. This lead me to believe that I lost inches too. For over a year, my clothes have remained fitting better. My weight stayed between 160 and 165. Well, today it was below the 160 mark. In the past year I have learned that I need a high protein diet to fight off sugar cravings and snacking. Finally, three high protein meals is paying off. I am not at my goal weight yet, but now I am more hopeful that I can reach it. Awesome!

Sunday, March 27, 2016

What's in spirituality?

I have spent this weekend with my best friend and her family experiencing Easter. I went to church for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The services have been moving and reminded me of the services I attend at Synagogue. It has been wonderful to experience the spirituality of Easter and relate it to my Jewish upbringing and current practice as a Jew. And as always I love being with my friend and her family. It always reminds me of the importance of friendships and maintaining them.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

That sinking feeling....,

I went to get a manicure today. I sat down in the adjustable chair to dry my nails in the dryer and it felt like the chair was getting lower to the ground. The chair wasn't moving, the sensation was coming from me. It was the first time all week I have really set down--I am getting on a plane tomorrow to visit my best friend, have a reception to attend tonight, a client yesterday and a Tuesday that was super busy. I can't even remember Monday any more. Throw in the kid, the dog and packing and a few hours relaxing on a plane will be bliss. I spent the time drying my nails thinking about what's left to do before my taxi arrives. I didn't freak out, I simply planned and even if I stay up late (for a early morning flight) I will go to bed with a sense of accomplishment from today and the week. The relaxation on the plane will be a just reward for my hard work this week.

Monday, March 21, 2016

I don't get it....

Avacados and chickpeas are great sources of protein. There is always guacamole and hummus in the fridge. The packaged guacamole has less than 1 gram of protein per servings and the hummus has 2 grams. What happened? Where did all the protein go?

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Ok, here goes...

I decided to throw myself back in the pond online and start dating. It has been 18 years and 1 marriage ending in divorce since I had a date. II took a workshop, crafted a profile, identified pictures to use and even signed on to an online dating service and yet I can't bring myself to really do it. I even came designed a tracking system in Excel (I am a productivity coach) to track matches that reach out to me and the ones I reach out to. Still no go. Is it the 18 year hiatus that scares me? Is it the between the sheets that scares me? Is it the Single Mom homeowner with a dog descriptor that scares me? Well, it is all of them. It is no longer about me meeting a mate. It is also my kid, my dog, my home and my business meeting a mate. That is a lot to swallow and easily stomach turning. And to boot I am not a water girl, but I guess I just need to dive in and get swimming. Thanks for reading (and listening to) my rant.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Connected once again....

Today I had lunch with a friend that I lost touch with and we live in the same city. It was great to see him and catch-up. Especially, after the personal development seminar this weekend where I learned to let go and see him for him and not some perception in my mind. Now we can connect on an true and honest level. I am so glad to have my friend back.

Wise words....

"Time is a currency you can only spend once, so be careful how you spend it." —Harmon Okinyo

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Now I do it...

Today is March 8th and I just sat down to write out my personal, family and business goals for 2016. I used last years goals as my template and they were done on March 8th too. Freaky! As a personal productivity coach, I know first hand about setting goals and why it is important. I preach this to my clients. Yet, it took me this long to do mine. Why? Simple I hadn't made it a priority. Next year I am committing myself to having my goals done by January 8, 2017. I just ask my community to hold me accountable and email me on January 8th to make sure I have done it.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

What a week....

There was so much going on this week, that it got out-of-hand. I showed up on the wrong day for a networking event. I couldn't show up on the right day because I was leading my fist ever workshop. Only one person came (it was cold and wet out) and now I can say I did it. Lucky for me the one person is a friend, so it was easier (less never racking) than I anticipated. I put my profile up on an online dating site and to do so did some serious thinking about me as a person and my likes and dislikes. Now I know, I can't live without a good book, a cup of Caffix (all natural coffee substitute) and black and white cookies. By yesterday evening, I sank into a pew at Synagogue for Shabbat Services and was glad to be relaxing, calming the nerves and leaving the hectic week behind for a hectic weekend. Oh, well!

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Vacations epiphany

I am on vacation, luckily to a sunny destination, and I realized today that food is my downfall. Funny thing is food is needed to survive. So I how do I change my mindset from food, especially sugar, most of the time to food for sustenance only. I guess I just need to tell myself this repeatly--make an affirmation for it. Any ideas?

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Applying to MS, what gives?

I am in the throes of applying to public middle schools for my daughter. Where I live, each school has their own set of criteria to evaluate candidates--some interview, some do assessment tests, some just look at grades and some are by lottery. I feel sorry for my 11 y.o. having to go through all of this. Colleges and universities got it right--grades, SAT or ACT scores and an essay for all of them. What are we doing to our kids?!

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Opposites.....

Last night at 11:30 my daughter decided to stop working on her school project due today and finish it in the morning. She then said to me, "I'm a procrastinator." I thought, "how am I a time management coach and my daughter is a procrastinator." The I remembered the old adage--the cobbler's children have no shoes.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

I finally did it

I have wanted to learn to make Linzer cookies, so a few years ago my mom gave me the cookie cutters and I found a recipe in a vintage cookbook a friend gave me. Well, the phot below shows that I have learned. So my advice, keep learning and growing.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Banner Day....

Ok, so here is my banner day...
1. Great weekly networking meeting
2. Awesome meeting with my Life Insurance Broker—she aligned her company with a bigger outfit and the services she can offer are extraordinary. I can't wait to see her office next week.
3. Finally made it to the pottery studio to copy the plastic tray of my mom's, so she can have a ceramic version. It has a design to it, but since she reads my blog (thanks, mom), I will not share it now.
4. Got to work on my Personal Productivity workshop—with the aid of Google Docs and voice dictation.
5. Baked dessert for a dinner party Saturday night and made the dough for cookies for brunch on Saturday morning (I already made a batch of different cookies for the brunch).

Now you see why I call it a banner day. Was you day a banner day? If not, try and have one soon.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

High and low.....

Low: snacking on cold Chinese food before bed (rough evening)
High: completing 98% of a crossword puzzle on the across clues. The best I have done.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

After years.....

I attended a conference this weekend to unlock my full potential. The money I spent was beyond worth it because I have opened a line of communication with my sister. We have not had any relationship in over 13 years. Whatever happens is moot. What's important is that I put up a door where once stood a walk. I raise a glass to the future.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

For eternity

I just read Kevin Kruse's 15 secrets Successful People Know about Time Management and now I am reading a book of meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Both books, one ancient (literally) and one 21st century, state that time can't be rented, bought or borrowed meaning wasted time is lost time. If this idea/concept has been around for millenniums, then why do some of my clients not get it? I know-- they want to pretend that time is an unlimited resource, when in fact it is finite. There are only 24 hours in day. On this note, I head to bed for my 8 hours sleep. This is how long it takes to recharge my "battery."