My office has been back up and running for over a week now. It's feels somewhat normal because we are all there...of course with appropriate physical distancing, masks, wipes, sanitizer and a cool looking sign on our front door stating you must wear a mask when entering.   I missed the interaction, impromptu meetings between staff to discuss marketing issues The colloboration is priceless. Although, it is wierd to to have a company meeting on Zoom while we are all in the offi...

One the easiest, yet most positive things a person can do is just say Thank You!Not “no problem”,  just a heart felt expression of appreciation and gratitude. Say it.  It rolls off your tongue easily: Thank You!I recently was the beneficiary of 2 such expressions of gratitude and they felt SO good.  I did not expect them and they really were not necessary, but they felt SO good!“You’re welcome“ just doesn’t measure up as a response.  Does one say Thank You for your Thank you?...

In the midst of everything that is going on, we strive for a few moments of calm. Over the years, I’ve tried to adopt various forms of relaxation - unfortunately most efforts have not been successful.Recently, we came across the app “Calm” and have been using it every morning.Five minutes of guided meditation.Recognizing the need for calm was the first, and perhaps, biggest, step. Commitment is next. Happily, in the midst of all this chaos, it seems to be working.How do you f...

Creating stabilization in an unstable situation, can be helpful to ourselves, our friends and family. Especially now. Placing ourselves back at the helm of life, can be difficult, but it is very important to try and reframe our thoughts. Our social situation reminds me of being tossed at sea, in the middle of a storm; wondering when, or if its going to be over. My gal pals and I were discussing the top traits that independent people share. After listing 15 people that were to...

  Yes, it has arrived. Phase 2 on Long Island. Truth is that I had started to enjoy referring to my husband and my son as Fluffy and Puffy. Lots and lots of hair growing in this house. Very much the “quarantine effect” for the men. But haircuts became legal this week on Long Island and both Fluffy and Puffy were able to get appointments with the barber. Just the fact that they now had to make an appointment made it different to start. But the barber shop was clean, ...

  In a blog published a few weeks ago Mitch wrote, “Without looking online, I try to guess what's in the Amazon box that's delivered to my front porch seemingly every day.” Mitch’s words resonated with me as there seems to be a box from Amazon on my doorstep almost every day. And, like Mitch, I usually try to guess what is in the box without looking at the alert on my phone. Almost as if I were getting a present, even though I am paying for the “present.”     I decided to ...

Friday’s blogger opined this past Friday how politics unintentionally crept into the comments to his blog that ran the week before. Bloggers on this platform agree not to cross into politics when the opine. Though I worked in government, advise many affected by its actions, serving in it or seeking to serve I find comfort in my ability to muse about topics not involving politics. BUT that does not mean that blogs posted here – including mine – need to avoid being political. ...

A client asked me if we could plan out the next 4 weeks of content for social media. The question actually stopped me in my tracks. With the pace of change running at lightning speed and emotions flowing in all directions I couldn't.   I told him that I felt comfortable only doing 1 maybe 2 weeks at a time right now. Although it's a bit more stressful, the amount of work we would need to do for 4 weeks; planning, creating and developing would most certainly be wasted because ...

It seems that this is the season for the expression of very strong opinions about everything that swirls around us.   A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about Typhoid Mary because she was asymptomatic and compared her to those today who are asymptomatic for Covid19 and used this as a set up to implore folks to wear masks.   I was taken aback by the vigorous opposition comments to my blog. I realized far too late that I had stumbled into a symbolic political mine field.  One of ou...

I’m still angry when I think about it — angry at myself.Several years ago, I was at a small wedding reception dinner and found myself at the bar with the father of the groom (I was from the bride’s side). I don’t remember much of the conversation except that he was talking about his background and used the Yiddish term (the “S” word) for a black person.I was appalled. But I didn’t say anything. Didn’t tell him how offensive the use of that term was to me.I should have called ...

I’m obsessed with my new Peloton! As soon as our power came back on, I hit the bike. The instructors are from all over the USA and the UK. Streaming from California to New York, Canada and London. I can ride LIVE, or hit a virtual trail. New friends, sending High-Fives through each intense breath. Today, my girl Robyn from Brooklyn, lined up some Lady Gaga, my girl Madonna and some songs from Rent! Positive and full of life. Each ride reminds me of how precious and enjoya...

  When my children were young, we didn’t use the word “hate” in my house. Instead, when a particularly strong emotion moved us, we said “disliked with a hot burning passion”. I really disliked my blog last week with a hot burning passion. I had hesitated to write about what was really on my mind and so I wrote a silly piece about my change in shopping habits. I hesitated because I couldn’t formulate the words that I wanted to use. I’ve been working on them all week. Her...

  Prior to the pandemic, I rarely, if ever, gave out my cell phone number professionally. I only gave it to clients  in limited cases. I never felt it necessary as my voicemail at my office is automatically sent to me via email. And I am constantly checking my email.         Covid-19 changed that for me. Since the NY Pause Order went into effect, my cell number appears everywhere, on my automatic signature on my email, my letterhead, and on my website. I have also freely give...

The week just past I got to enjoy my outside office a bit more. Interestingly an important component failed midweek. My external monitor just went kaput. Fortunately, I had a temporary backup at hand. The week before Marisa asked me if I had an extra external monitor. I did but not on site. I was able to retrieve it before last weekend; I kept it deployed elsewhere (the photo upper left suggests it location) for when set up shop at client’s office nearby. It turned out the ne...

I have noticed that many a Covid Conversation ends up with the question-What are you watching to help pass the time?   The availability of streamed movies, TV shows, plays, and lectures is great, but I have found that for me, the most consistent form of comforting entertainment has been listening to Music.   Since JFK’s assassination, music has played a major role in helping Americans heal, hope, vent, and escape. The Beatles music brought joy in the winter of 1964 ...