Category: chit and chat

My Current Situation Part IV

The season of Fall happened about 3 weeks ago in the state of Connecticut and with it comes decreasing temperatures, lots of fallen leaves on the ground, dark skies and squirrels running amok.   Soon I will be packing up my golf clubs in advance of the next season:  Winter.  But for now I am still managing to hit golf balls despite the broken twigs, crispy leaves and tree debris.

 

 

Fall for me also means it’s time to head back to the kitchen.  Anyone who knows me knows cooking is not my thing however I do enjoy cooking when Autumn arrives…

 

 

We have also finally entered Phase 3 in the state of Connecticut which means that restaurants can serve folks indoors at 75% instead of 50%  capacity…

 

 

personal services, hair salons, barber shops and nail salons can also operate at 75% percent capacity, indoor performing art venues at 50% capacity, and churches and other places of worship can have 50% capacity, capped at 200 people.  All, of course, with masks and social distancing…

 

 

Working hybrid continues for me and my colleagues on the News 8 sales team.  What this means is we are split into 2 teams and half the team works from the office on one day and the other half of the team works from the office on the following day.  The managers all go into the office each and every day.  It has been like this since mid-March when Covid 19 totally changed our world.

 

On every other day

 

The Presidential election is quite literally right around the corner so I encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote.   It’s more critical now more than ever…

 

 

My Current Situation – Part III

We are now entering the 6th month of living in a pandemic and needless to say, things have changed for me in Connecticut… here’s what I’m noticing:

Masks are still required when you walk into any workplace/school/retail store/restaurant/bank etc. (which, by the way, is not a problem to me…)

 

 

Gyms continue to operate at 50% capacity which forces me to work out from home on an online app 3 days out of the 5…and go to my gym I Love Kickboxing (at 5am) the other 2 days..

 

 

We Local Account Executives at News 8 continue to work from home every other day in a team hybrid fashion and to be honest, I’m not mad about it (smile).

 

 

Zoom calls (the way we now converse with each other and with our clients) are beginning to feel “natural” and “the norm.”

 

 

And I just returned from an actual vacay in Delaware where we drove to visit family and because I brought my latop with me, I did not miss a beat on my work load…

 

 

Virtual church is becoming “a thing” now, I can hear ‘The Word” from Pastor King at Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church right from the safety of my living room…

 

 

As far as golf goes, social distancing was already in place so other than having an electric cart all to myself, not much has changed there…

 

 

Self Care is becoming extremely important during this anxiety-ridden time…I am not feeling guilt at all about taking out quality time for myself as often as I need it…

 

 

And finally, my father and sibs mean the world to me so catching up with them via consistent family Facetime chats has become the best part of my week (smile).

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Current Situation – Part II

About 3 1/2 months ago (mid-March 2020) CO19 happened and turned my world inside out and upside down.

 

 

To try and sort everything out, I blogged about the unfolding of these unusual events in My Current Situation: My current situation…

 

 

Here’s where I’m at today:  during the first 10 weeks of Covid 19 me and my fellow Account Executives in the News 8 local sales department were asked to work 100% of the time from home on our laptop computers.   Daily zoom sales meetings and zoom  calls with our clients and prospective clients became the the new norm.  To make it work at home, my dining room quickly became my new office, the table now completely covered with client files and client notebooks.  Lucky for me I already owned a computer desk and office chair and now it was finally getting full use.  At the office I was used to working  off of dual monitors so to simulate this I connected my Dell home computer monitor to my HP work computer and as luck would have it, they were compatible (smile).

 

 

When Week 11arrived we Account Executives were told we were heading back to work but in a checkerboard fashion.  Meaning that we were to be split into two teams.  Team  A would go into work the first week back  on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and work from home on Tuesday and Thursday and Team B would do the complete opposite.  In this way only half the staff would be in the office on any given day.   We still were not sure how long this new arrangement would go on but as it turned out for me it worked out just fine (smile).   I’m happy because I get the best of both worlds: a break from the monotony of working from home 100 percent of the time and the chance to get out of the house, work in my familiar cubicle and connect face to face with my co-workers (smile).

 

 

I’m not gonna lie:  Being back in my cubicle was strange that first week back because in this new Covid world we now had to wear face masks and practice social distancing.  No more water cooler chit chat (smile).  Plus we did not have access to certain areas or departments in the TV station as they were now considered off limits…

 

 

And sanitizer seemed to be everywhere so my hands felt like they were in a perpetual state of dryness.

 

 

But the best part of week 11 was that we entered phase II of back to normalcy in the state of Connecticut.  In this phase Hair and Nail Salons were now allowed to open back up.  Yay!  Finally some relief for my neglected head of hair and bitten down nails.

 

 

Also my gym I love kickboxing opened back up – so I had to quickly get used to working out real hard again (smile).

 

 

During phase II I was also able to go back to my favorite dentist in North Haven to get my teeth cleaned.

 

 

But phase II did not include vacations (at least not in our world).  Vacations for now were a distant memory…we are not looking to fly anywhere for a long while nor were we even remotely interested in taking super long car trips so Staycations in Connecticut were going to become our new option.

 

 

Here’s what I think:  suddenly in this CO19 world the little things that we used to take for granted have become big things…spending quality time with family members, heading to a performance at a live theater or concert hall, meeting up with my girlfriends for dinner, etc.

 

 

But despite everything I still commit to remaining positive, optimistic and focused as we are truly all in this together.  And because of that, I choose to wear my mask in public.

 

 

 

 

 

20 Things I do not want to give up in 2020

With the arrival of Lent it got me thinking of what I would like to give up this year.  But before I get to that, here are 20 things I do not want to give up in 2020 (in no particular order):

 

 

Kombucha – I discovered this delish drink during Dry January at the beginning of the year when I was purposely seeking out cool refreshing drinks with a kick (smile).  Kombucha hit the spot and the fact that it is Gluten Free and Dairy Free is an added bonus.

 

Red Wine – It’s no surprise that this one made my list before:  9 things I do not want to give up in 2019.     My new favorite reds are Pinots and my new favorite Pinot (discovered on my recent trip to Fort Lauderdale, FL) is Meiomi.

 

 

Kickboxing – I joined the specialty gym I Love Kickboxing this month because I needed something that was going to challenge me and kick my butt all at the same time (smile).  So far…so good.

 

Golf – It’s still cold here in New England (at least for another month or so) but once it warms up I will be back with my ladies hitting the links in Golf Fore Women 401.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Green Tea – I like to order hot green tea when I eat in or out of a Japanese restaurant.  It not only tastes good but it’s extremely good for you.

 

 

Speaking of Japanese, I def do not want to give up Sushi this year, it’s become a regular part of my bi-monthly cuisine and just thinking of it makes me want to call in an order or two (smile).

 

 

Staycations – what a novel idea – discovering fun things to do in your own state.  I feel like when we staycate in Connecticut the time to go back to work moves slower (smile).

 

 

Bikini Waxes – Summer is not the only time to get a bikini wax (Vacays count too!) and Tommy K’s Wax Center offers your first bikini line for free, if you are a first time customer.

 

 

Blueberry Ale – I’ve never been a big beer drinker but Elm City Market in New Haven has this delish brand from Wachusett Brewing Company that tastes more like something you eat than drink.

 

 

Oysters – I can eat this delicacy any season of the year but I have to admit that they taste infinitely better in the Summer than they do in the Winter.

 

Homemade Soups – I love soups made from scratch especially in the Winter so I’m truly enjoying the likes of homemade Lentil, Split Green Pea, Red Kidney Bean, 16 Bean Soup and more~

 

 

Candles –  I like burning things in a safe way (smile) so scented candles are high on the list Put your slippers on….

 

Bananas – I buy and eat bananas on a daily basis as the potassium and fiber help me out during super intense workouts  – and I buy organic so I don’t have to worry about pesticides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salad – This was on my list before because it is also something I can eat any time of the year (as long as it contains protein).  Cafe Java in New Haven has my all time fave Bosco Salad which I probably eat at least once a week…

 

 

Spinach and Mozzarella Pie  – Bar Pizza in New Haven has the best Spinach and Mozzarella Pizza I have ever eaten – I love veggie pizza and this place gets it done!

 

Edamame –  Steamed lightly salted soybeans are my favorite appetizer before a japanese meal.   They are high in protein and fiber and relatively low in calories so for me they are an obvious snacking choice.

 

Trail Mix – I might have hiked maybe once, maybe twice in my lifetime but if you saw me eating raw trail mix you might think I was an avid hiker (smile).

 

 

Sirius (XM) radio – I love listening to music and happen to have eclectic tastes so my satellite radio (at just $6.99 a month) puts Terrestrial radio to shame and keeps me entertained (smile).

 

Netflix TV and Movies  – I just love the original content of the re-occuring Series on this channel as well as the Movies.  It takes binge watching to a whole ‘nother level for me…

 

 

My Iphone  – I won’t leave the house without it, I won’t sit still anywhere without it nearby, I won’t rest knowing that it needs re-charging, am I addicted (the answer is a resounding Yes!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Shoveling Sunshine

Me and my man just returned from a 6 day 5 night vacay to the sunshine state of Florida.  We chose Pompano Beach in Fort Lauderdale on the East Coast for this  trip because we had most recently (back in May of 2019) traveled to the West Coast and stayed on St. Pete’s Beach in Clearwater.

My 58th birthday was another reason why we chose this destination.  Instead of taking turns shoveling snow with our teeth chattering in the wind and/or  dealing with the super drab Winter blahs,  we opted instead to celebrate my Valentines Day Birthday in 80 degree weather along with the cool breezes of the Atlantic ocean.

Besides, there’s no shoveling sunshine right (smile).

Our travel agent Karen made all of the arrangements once she learned of our needs: namely warm sunny weather, cool ocean breezes, nearby golf courses,  outdoor music, a decent nightlife, good restaurants, sightseeing and shopping.

We stayed at the Marriott Pompano Beach Resort and Spa in a standard King room with ocean views.

 

 

You could literally see the ocean from our small balcony…

 

And the concierge James truly lived up to the reputation of his position…

 

Pompano Beach time – Day 1- soaking up the Sun is one of my fave things to do at the beach

Nice and hot  – 80s – perfect beach weather

 

Since it was also windy the waves were awesome!

 

On our first night (of Day 1) we dined at And Fish Kitchen and Bar (the Marriott Hotel Restaurant and Bar)

 

 

Our waiter Chris at And Fish Kitchen and Bar was spectacular!

 

 

Day 2 – Carlucci’s Trattoria – a Pompano Beach Restaurant  – I was famished after walking a couple of miles and this place hit the spot!

 

 

Seaside Grill – a Pompano Beach restaurant (night of Day 2)

 

The concierge James recommended this restaurant which was literally up the street from our hotel

 

We were not disappointed as the ambience was comfy cool and the food and wine – delish!

Day 3 – 9Face Sushi – another Pompano Beach restaurant – dining al fresco – out here it seems as if everyone and their grandmother owns a dog (smile)

 

 

By the way, even though we were on vacay we still took the time every day to work out in the hotel gym

 

The hotel gym also faced the ocean

 

And it’s truly not hard to work out when you have a beautiful view

 

On Day 4 we Uber’d over to Nauti Dawg Marina Cafe in Lighthouse Point – a restaurant my friend Terri recommended

 

Couldn’t go all the way to Fort Lauderdale without meeting up with my former News 8 co-worker and good friend Terri G. and her hubby Paul for a pre-Bday lunch

 

Sun Surf Sand (S3)  – Fort Lauderdale Beach (night of Day 4)

 

My gf Jamie Taylor recommended this restaurant – the ambience was beautiful and the neighborhood very trendy

 

Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course – on Day 5 it was not as windy as the first half of the week so we decided to borrow clubs, buy balls and tees and go golfing up the street at the municipal course

 

Rusty but ready to play…

 

Borrowed clubs
Decent course- played 13 out of 18 holes due to being out of “golf shape” (smile)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of weather – It was in the mid 70’s the first half of the week with strong winds and the early 80s the second half…

 

This is what “Weather” looks like in South Florida (smile)

 

Traffic – It wasn’t really a concern for us as we Uber’d everywhere (smile)

 

And this is what “Traffic” looks like in South Florida (double smile)

 

Day 5 – Delray Beach  – this town was highly recommended by Karen our travel agent because it offered up the type of vacation lifestyle we were seeking – so we ended up spending the entire day here…

 

Who knew that Coco Gauff and family lived in Delray Beach?!? We left one day before Coco came to town to compete

 

One of the many boat cruises on Delray

 

Delray’s beautiful beach…

 

Palm tree lined streets

 

We love love love oysters so City Oyster was an obvious choice for drinks and apps

 

Dinner a the italian restaurant Vic and Angelo’s was pretty good

 

Our last night in Pompano Beach…

 

Cocktails outside on the moonlit deck of the Marriott hotel bar…

 

And an inviting hot tub…

The End (sigh…)