I'm sorry. I've been slacking with this blog lately. I made a deal with myself last night that I didn't have to go to the gym if I wrote a few posts. Nice for you. Bad for my ass.
I need to make blogging a priority, which is true of anything that is important to you. It is all well and good to say that getting in shape, or learning a language, or even spending more time with friends and family is important to you, but until you are willing to carve out some regular time to work on those things, you won't see any major improvement. I mentioned that I wasn't sure what I hoped for PositivelyAnna, and I'm still not, but what I do know for sure is that until I make it a priority, my blog won't see much success.
Song of the Day
I heard this song this morning and I thought it was a good match for this post. Please enjoy Whitney Houston's Step by Step.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Different Stroke for Different Folks
One of the things that Matt and I don’t have in common is music. While we both love it, our preferences are about as different as night and day. He refers to my music as “pop country nonsense” and I call his “depressing indie crap." He heads for the hills when Kenny Chesney or the Dixie Chicks come on and I literally burst into tears when he made me listen to Arcade Fire (I had had a few glasses of wine). When we first started dating we used to bicker some over whose music sucked more, but what we came to agree on is that it doesn’t matter how original or poetic your music is, if it makes you feel good, then that is the only thing that is important. And luckily Matt and I have found some common musical ground with Spoon, Nina Simone and The Beatles.
Thinking of a Song of the Day everyday is surprisingly tough. I love to ask people what songs pick them up and turn their frowns upside down (how bad do you want to punch me for saying that?). I’ve gotten all sorts of suggestions, some that even would make me burst into tears if I had a few glasses of wine. But that is one of the great things about music, isn’t it? It can mean so many different things to people. Maybe the lyrics really speak to you or maybe the song brings back a really great memory. So keep ‘em coming! What song would you like to hear for the Song of the Day?
Song of the Day
Today's song was a suggestion from one of the best Song of the Day contributors. Please enjoy The Shins' Australia.
Thinking of a Song of the Day everyday is surprisingly tough. I love to ask people what songs pick them up and turn their frowns upside down (how bad do you want to punch me for saying that?). I’ve gotten all sorts of suggestions, some that even would make me burst into tears if I had a few glasses of wine. But that is one of the great things about music, isn’t it? It can mean so many different things to people. Maybe the lyrics really speak to you or maybe the song brings back a really great memory. So keep ‘em coming! What song would you like to hear for the Song of the Day?
Song of the Day
Today's song was a suggestion from one of the best Song of the Day contributors. Please enjoy The Shins' Australia.
Monday, April 6, 2009
A Little Surprise
I’ve mentioned my bagel guy knows my order: a cinnamon raisin bagel, toasted with plain cream cheese. I go to the local bagel place a few more times a week than I should to get my favorite breakfast. The other day I went in for my bagel and when I got to the front of the line, the bagel guy reported, apologetically, that they were all out of cinnamon raisin bagels. I frowned and said, “Oh, okay,” but what I was thinking was “WTF dude!” I admitted defeat and begrudgingly ordered a sesame bagel with scallion cream cheese. When I got back to my desk I was surprised to see that under the tinfoil wrapping was a cinnamon raisin bagel, toasted with plain cream cheese! I felt a little bit like Charlie when he found the golden ticket!
The next day, when I found myself back at the bagel place, I had forgotten about yesterday’s surprise. Before I was all the way in the door, the bagel guy threw up his arms and shouted, “Did you like my surprise?! I got you good!” The whole thing was even sweeter because he speaks in broken English.
So it is all about the little things. Getting the bagel I actually wanted made my morning and the bagel guy clearly got a kick out of planning the surprise. Plan a little surprise for someone you love, you will brighten their day and it will Positively brighten yours too.
Today's song is a repeat but it works so well for this post that I can't resist. Please enjoy India Arie's The Little Things.
The next day, when I found myself back at the bagel place, I had forgotten about yesterday’s surprise. Before I was all the way in the door, the bagel guy threw up his arms and shouted, “Did you like my surprise?! I got you good!” The whole thing was even sweeter because he speaks in broken English.
So it is all about the little things. Getting the bagel I actually wanted made my morning and the bagel guy clearly got a kick out of planning the surprise. Plan a little surprise for someone you love, you will brighten their day and it will Positively brighten yours too.
Today's song is a repeat but it works so well for this post that I can't resist. Please enjoy India Arie's The Little Things.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Dining for Women
Last week I went to a truly wonderful event, my first Dining for Women dinner. Dining for Women "empowers women living in extreme poverty by funding programs fostering good health, education, and economic self-sufficiency, and cultivates educational dinner circles inspiring individuals to make a difference through the power of collective giving." Each month, the organization chooses an international women's charity to sponsor. Women all over the US come together for their monthly dinner circle, where everyone brings a dish and the money they would have spent on dining out ($25) to give to the sponsored charity. A simple and wonderful idea.
In March, Dining for Women sponsored Bead for Life, in Uganda. The process of this organization starts with the Ugandan women making beautiful beads out of recycled paper. The beads are then sold in the US at events similar to Tupperware parties. The program helps these women make 5-7 times what they would make working in the local rock quarry, which makes it possible for their families to rise above poverty. It is an incredible program. Please go to the website www.beadforlife.com and watch the videos about these wonderful women. You can also buy jewelry or find out about hosting your own Bead for Life party.
Please also check out www.diningforwomen.org . There are chapters all over the country. If you live in New York and are interested in checking it out, please let me know, and I will invite you to the April Dining for Women event.
101 Things in 1001 Days
HA ZAA! = What I feel like saying every time I get to check off my list an item on my list. The Dining for Women event was in Brooklyn so I get to check off one borough. HA ZAA!
Song of the Day
I don't think I've ever played any Billy Joel! Shame on me. Today's song is Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, my FAVE Billy Joel song.
In March, Dining for Women sponsored Bead for Life, in Uganda. The process of this organization starts with the Ugandan women making beautiful beads out of recycled paper. The beads are then sold in the US at events similar to Tupperware parties. The program helps these women make 5-7 times what they would make working in the local rock quarry, which makes it possible for their families to rise above poverty. It is an incredible program. Please go to the website www.beadforlife.com and watch the videos about these wonderful women. You can also buy jewelry or find out about hosting your own Bead for Life party.
Please also check out www.diningforwomen.org . There are chapters all over the country. If you live in New York and are interested in checking it out, please let me know, and I will invite you to the April Dining for Women event.
101 Things in 1001 Days
HA ZAA! = What I feel like saying every time I get to check off my list an item on my list. The Dining for Women event was in Brooklyn so I get to check off one borough. HA ZAA!
Song of the Day
I don't think I've ever played any Billy Joel! Shame on me. Today's song is Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, my FAVE Billy Joel song.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Quest To Be On Time
Since my post the other day about habits I've been thinking a lot about them. And I think one of the worst habits there is, that almost everyone is guilty of, including myself, is being late. People are late all the time. And I get that sometimes there's traffic or your train gets stuck, but a lot of times there isn't and we are just plain late.
Have you seen the movie Pay It Forward? One of my favorite parts of that movie is when the mother, Arlene, is running late for a first date with her son's teacher, Mr Simonet. Her son frantically explains that when you are late, Mr. Simonet thinks you don't respect him, a lesson the teacher has clearly tried to impress upon his students. When Arlene finally makes it to meet Mr Simonet, she catches him right as he is about to leave. She runs in, almost losing a shoe, shouting, "I respect you! I respect you!"
This scene may seem a little dramatic, but Mr. Simonet is exactly right. Being late means you don't respect the person that you are making wait. You can argue that that is not what being late is about, but Ya-huh, it is too. When you are late you are sending a message to that person that says, "whatever I was doing was more important than your time." If you truly respected that person, you would understand that their time is just as valuable as yours. So why should they waste their time waiting for you?
Would you ever tell a friend, your boss, or a client that their time is not important? Heck no! But when you are late to a dinner or a meeting or even a conference call, what you are doing, even though you probably don't mean it or even realize it, is making the assumption that they don't have anything better to do than wait for you.
Think about the reasons you are usually late... you pressed snooze an extra time, you couldn't figure out what to wear, or you wanted to read just one more email. Well I'm sure the person you are going to meet would have loved an extra 8 minutes of sleep, a chance to put on a better outfit, or to read just one more email, but they chose to be on time. And when you are late you are saying that your 8 minutes is more valuable than theirs.
And being late is a tough habit to break. Believe me! I'm late for stuff all the time. But I was thinking about how pissed I get when people are late to meet me. You just have to make being on time a priority and they watch the punctuality flow into your life.
I have a great friend, a very sweet and considerate friend, but she is always late. She says her family was always late when she was a kid and now as an adult she is still late for everything. She is just in the HABIT of being late. I was meeting her for dinner the other night and of course, I assumed she would be late. But when I got there, guess what? She was early! I couldn't believe it. I know it sounds silly but I was so appreciative. She said that she felt bad that she was always late and that night had vowed to be on time. A simple gesture, but a very thoughtful one.
I don't mean to be pointing fingers. And as I said, I'm late all the time too. I just think that on our quest to be a Positively better people, the little things are just as important as the big ones. We need to give to charity, try to solve world hunger and cure cancer but we also need to just be good friends and be respectful of each others time. So I'm setting my alarm a little earlier, picking out my clothes in advance, and hey, if I don't get back to your email right away, it is just because I was on a quest to be on time.
Song of the Day:
And according to a surprisingly large number of songs, being late will get you dumped! Please enjoy Barenaked Ladies' Too Little Too Late.
Have you seen the movie Pay It Forward? One of my favorite parts of that movie is when the mother, Arlene, is running late for a first date with her son's teacher, Mr Simonet. Her son frantically explains that when you are late, Mr. Simonet thinks you don't respect him, a lesson the teacher has clearly tried to impress upon his students. When Arlene finally makes it to meet Mr Simonet, she catches him right as he is about to leave. She runs in, almost losing a shoe, shouting, "I respect you! I respect you!"
This scene may seem a little dramatic, but Mr. Simonet is exactly right. Being late means you don't respect the person that you are making wait. You can argue that that is not what being late is about, but Ya-huh, it is too. When you are late you are sending a message to that person that says, "whatever I was doing was more important than your time." If you truly respected that person, you would understand that their time is just as valuable as yours. So why should they waste their time waiting for you?
Would you ever tell a friend, your boss, or a client that their time is not important? Heck no! But when you are late to a dinner or a meeting or even a conference call, what you are doing, even though you probably don't mean it or even realize it, is making the assumption that they don't have anything better to do than wait for you.
Think about the reasons you are usually late... you pressed snooze an extra time, you couldn't figure out what to wear, or you wanted to read just one more email. Well I'm sure the person you are going to meet would have loved an extra 8 minutes of sleep, a chance to put on a better outfit, or to read just one more email, but they chose to be on time. And when you are late you are saying that your 8 minutes is more valuable than theirs.
And being late is a tough habit to break. Believe me! I'm late for stuff all the time. But I was thinking about how pissed I get when people are late to meet me. You just have to make being on time a priority and they watch the punctuality flow into your life.
I have a great friend, a very sweet and considerate friend, but she is always late. She says her family was always late when she was a kid and now as an adult she is still late for everything. She is just in the HABIT of being late. I was meeting her for dinner the other night and of course, I assumed she would be late. But when I got there, guess what? She was early! I couldn't believe it. I know it sounds silly but I was so appreciative. She said that she felt bad that she was always late and that night had vowed to be on time. A simple gesture, but a very thoughtful one.
I don't mean to be pointing fingers. And as I said, I'm late all the time too. I just think that on our quest to be a Positively better people, the little things are just as important as the big ones. We need to give to charity, try to solve world hunger and cure cancer but we also need to just be good friends and be respectful of each others time. So I'm setting my alarm a little earlier, picking out my clothes in advance, and hey, if I don't get back to your email right away, it is just because I was on a quest to be on time.
Song of the Day:
And according to a surprisingly large number of songs, being late will get you dumped! Please enjoy Barenaked Ladies' Too Little Too Late.
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