This year, I decided not to make any New Year's Resolutions. For me, in the past, a New Year's resolution has typically gone in one "year" and out the other. I always have the best of intentions on December 31st (sometimes, but not always, spurred along by several cocktails), but, without fail, a few days into the new year my resolve to eat better/exercise more/be more organized/work harder has disappeared quicker than the New Year's Day hangover.
New Year's resolutions are basically about goal setting. What is so special about January 1st and our ability to set goals for ourselves? What did we do with the other 364 days in the previous year that kept us from reaching our goals? January 1st is just an arbitrary day, no more special than today. A recent study of New Year's resolutions showed that only 12% of people that set a new year's goal for themselves actually achieved that goal. Why is that? I am sure that the other 88% of people didn't simply decide that their goal wasn't worth reaching for, so why is it that so many New Year's Resolutions fail?
(NOTE: Yes, I am aware that it is now the end of April and a very odd time to be talking about New Year's goal setting...I promise, I have a point.)
I think this is the first year that I didn't make any resolutions. At the beginning of the year, rather than make lofty aspirations and try to do a complete self-overhaul, I decided to spend the entire year just working on myself, one day at a time. (There is actually a half finished blog to that effect dated January 1st that never made it to "press") I think the biggest reason that most resolutions fail is that we try to change too many things all at once. I can remember years where I have said to myself "Come January 1st, I am going to give up junk food, exercise 4 times a week, be more organized, more patient with the kids, stop procrastinating with work and become better at managing my money". With a resolution as drastic as that, it is no wonder that I failed miserably at reaching my goals for that year!
Instead, I began the year with a list of areas that I felt needed work, including, but not limited to: improving my work habits, my fitness level, my diet and my spending habits as well as becoming more organized and stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new. I also began the year painfully aware of the fact that I couldn't make all of these things happen at once.
There is a reason why Addiction Recovery programs involve 12 steps and their motto is "One Day at a Time". They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Why is it that we think we can, in just one day, break a habit that we have likely spent years "perfecting"? I think the key to self-improvement is "baby steps". Setting small goals for yourself will not only seem less daunting, but will give you many more opportunities to reward yourself for a job well done. Someone that walks into their first Weight Watchers meeting thinking only about the 100+ pounds they have to lose is less likely to be successful than one who walks into that same meeting, needing to lose the same amount of weight, but is only thinking about the first 10 pounds.
I wanted to spend the first few months of the year focused solely on getting my business back to where it needed to be. I have been making several small changes over the past 4 months to improve my work habits and I believe I am now headed firmly in the right direction. I may have started the year with many areas of my life that I felt needed an overhaul, but I chose the one that I felt was the most important and ran with it. Now, it's time for step #2.
As a result of my increased work load, I feel like I haven't been taking the time to take care of ME. I have been eating poorly, keeping erratic hours and exercise has been non-existent. As a result, my energy levels resemble those of a hibernating polar bear. The old me would have said "Starting Monday I am cutting out all junk food and beginning a drastic diet and exercise program". Invariably, by Tuesday evening I'd be sitting on the couch with a diet Pepsi in one hand and something chocolate covered in the other.
Baby Steps.
Staring tomorrow, and for the next 21 days, I'm going to focus solely on eating better. Not a certain number of calories or points, just better. Each day I will write down what I ate, the good, the bad and the ugly. The next day, I will try to do "better"....and so on, and so on for 21 days, with the goal being to form a "habit" of making better choices when it comes to food. Once I have that under control, it will be easier for me to move on to Step # 3 ...
In addition to "baby steps", another key to self-improvement is to be happy with each positive change you make, no matter how small, and to remember not to let little setbacks throw you off your path entirely. Even the strongest among us stumble occasionally! Take it "one day at a time" and treat each day as single step. Just because you had a terrible Thursday, doesn't mean you can't have a fantastic Friday!
Now.....off to pillage the kitchen for that "Last Chance" chocolate chip cookie...
Baby Steps.
Jenn :)
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Winds of Change
"Your worst day can be your best day....if it changes you" - Richard Robbins
Richard Robbins is very well known in my industry. He is a renowned motivational speaker, a sales expert and an achievement coach. Even though he doesn't realize it (as we have never actually met), he is also partly responsible for my new, re-energized career path and goals. This was Richard's Facebook status one day last week. (I really hope he doesn't mind me borrowing it).
As often happens with Richard's quotes, this one really stuck with me. It brought to mind that so many of us often let the negative events in our lives form excuses for our failures , both personal and professional, instead of our motivation for success. I, myself, have been guilty of this very thing in the past.
How many times have we allowed a failed relationship to confirm, in our minds, that there is no true soul mate out there for us? How often have we failed to win a race, only to give up the sport entirely? Why does a less than successful business negotiation or project often convince us that we have made the wrong career choice? It seems that it is our nature to allow negative events to govern our life choices, and not in a positive way.
Truly successful people are able to take these negative experiences, find the life lesson and to allow that lesson to change them in a positive way. That negative experience is used, not as an excuse for self-pity and despair, but as a motivator for success. How many times have we seen an Olympic athlete, smiling on the podium with a medal around their neck, only to hear the story of their disappointing attempt, or even injury, at the previous games? If they had allowed that negative event to defeat them, surely they would not be standing proudly on the world stage today.
Of course, in my own life there have been several failures, both personal and professional. My tendency has always been to allow less than ideal outcomes to defeat me. Perhaps not for long, but I can easily say that I have not always been able to find the "lesson" and allow it to change me.
This past summer, our family experienced what I would consider to be its worst day. My husband was laid off from his job of 17 years. While this was particularly devastating for him, it really turned our entire family upside down. For the past 6 years or so, Marc was our primary breadwinner. I worked a little here and there, but I was really relying on him to keep the family going. Whatever money I made was basically "fun money".
I remember the teary-eyed conversation that I had with my Broker about how I was going to need to get a "real job" with a steady paycheck. Surely, I couldn't be the one to support my family in a career as unpredictable as real estate? Without pulling any punches, Nelson told me that Marc losing his job could very well be the best thing that has ever happened to me. He told me that I could allow this experience to knock me down for the count, or I could discover the very valuable lesson within and allow it to change me for the better. He told me "The world is telling you that you should no longer be a passenger in your own life! Now get out there and do something about it!"
Very wise words from a very wonderful leader. He knew that I was capable of so much more than I was achieving, but it took a real kick in the teeth for me to realize it. More than 6 months later, things are going better than I could have dreamed possible. Sure, it hasn't been smooth sailing, but with my new found perspective on things, I am always looking for the lesson in each of life's "road bumps".
I am sure that almost everyone can relate. Just think of how much better our lives would be if we allowed our worst day to become our best day, simply by learning something and allowing it to change us for the better.
J :)
Richard Robbins is very well known in my industry. He is a renowned motivational speaker, a sales expert and an achievement coach. Even though he doesn't realize it (as we have never actually met), he is also partly responsible for my new, re-energized career path and goals. This was Richard's Facebook status one day last week. (I really hope he doesn't mind me borrowing it).
As often happens with Richard's quotes, this one really stuck with me. It brought to mind that so many of us often let the negative events in our lives form excuses for our failures , both personal and professional, instead of our motivation for success. I, myself, have been guilty of this very thing in the past.
How many times have we allowed a failed relationship to confirm, in our minds, that there is no true soul mate out there for us? How often have we failed to win a race, only to give up the sport entirely? Why does a less than successful business negotiation or project often convince us that we have made the wrong career choice? It seems that it is our nature to allow negative events to govern our life choices, and not in a positive way.
Truly successful people are able to take these negative experiences, find the life lesson and to allow that lesson to change them in a positive way. That negative experience is used, not as an excuse for self-pity and despair, but as a motivator for success. How many times have we seen an Olympic athlete, smiling on the podium with a medal around their neck, only to hear the story of their disappointing attempt, or even injury, at the previous games? If they had allowed that negative event to defeat them, surely they would not be standing proudly on the world stage today.
Of course, in my own life there have been several failures, both personal and professional. My tendency has always been to allow less than ideal outcomes to defeat me. Perhaps not for long, but I can easily say that I have not always been able to find the "lesson" and allow it to change me.
This past summer, our family experienced what I would consider to be its worst day. My husband was laid off from his job of 17 years. While this was particularly devastating for him, it really turned our entire family upside down. For the past 6 years or so, Marc was our primary breadwinner. I worked a little here and there, but I was really relying on him to keep the family going. Whatever money I made was basically "fun money".
I remember the teary-eyed conversation that I had with my Broker about how I was going to need to get a "real job" with a steady paycheck. Surely, I couldn't be the one to support my family in a career as unpredictable as real estate? Without pulling any punches, Nelson told me that Marc losing his job could very well be the best thing that has ever happened to me. He told me that I could allow this experience to knock me down for the count, or I could discover the very valuable lesson within and allow it to change me for the better. He told me "The world is telling you that you should no longer be a passenger in your own life! Now get out there and do something about it!"
Very wise words from a very wonderful leader. He knew that I was capable of so much more than I was achieving, but it took a real kick in the teeth for me to realize it. More than 6 months later, things are going better than I could have dreamed possible. Sure, it hasn't been smooth sailing, but with my new found perspective on things, I am always looking for the lesson in each of life's "road bumps".
I am sure that almost everyone can relate. Just think of how much better our lives would be if we allowed our worst day to become our best day, simply by learning something and allowing it to change us for the better.
J :)
Monday, March 22, 2010
Innocence Lost
Well, well, well. A new blog entry two days in a ROW! Who knows, maybe someday I will write that novel.
This post was inspired by the Facebook status update of a friend with two teenage daughters. My friend was simply wondering what has happened to the young ladies of today. When did it become acceptable for them to dress, talk and act like women? When did the skirts get so short, the necklines get so low and the heels get so high? How does a parent of today try to guide their daughter in the direction of dressing and acting more appropriately for their age without becoming public enemy number one?
Although I, myself, do not yet have teen aged children, I can easily admit that this same thought has crossed my mind on many occasions. When I drive by the Catholic High School that is located just a couple of blocks from our house and I see the uniform skirts the girls are wearing that barely cover their behinds, I can't help but hope that baggy track suits and bulky sweaters are all the rage when my girls enter high school. And sadly, as much as everyone would like to point the finger at mom and dad, there is often not a lot that parents can do once their daughter is out of the house and on her way to school. When we were in high school there were rules about how short your skirts could be, and girls that didn't follow the rule were sent home to change.
I am quite certain that somewhere in the handbook of all schools, both public and separate, there is a dress code. What happened to the school boards of old that actually enforced these dress codes? Parents can't follow their kids to school every day, but if the school administration could pick up where parents left off, there might be a lot less pressure for young girls to dress in such a way. Let's face it, the reason they are dressing this way in the first place is because "everyone else is doing it". If no one was allowed to do it, at least not at school, then that would be a small step in the right direction towards helping these girls regain their lost innocence.
The truly scary thing is, that I am noticing this style of dressing is appealing to younger and younger girls. Thankfully, my 10 year old is still blissfully unaware of this sort of thing, but I am noticing that some of her other classmates are already looking, dressing and acting a little "old" for their age. Even the stores that cater to pre-teen and teen girls often carry clothing that belongs in a dance club, not a classroom.
Of course, we're also dealing with the media, TV, movies, Internet and music. These days, you are pretty hard pressed to find photos of celebrity ladies with all of their assets covered. Even the younger starlets who were often the picture of innocence, can now be seen in music videos dancing on the hood of their car in daisy duke shorts and heels. Heck, even the dolls that young girls play with are dressed in outfits that you wouldn't let your child wear on Halloween.
Of course, as kids get older, they want to assert their independence and develop their own style. As parents, we want to try to encourage this growth in a healthy and appropriate way. Simply barking out orders like a Drill Sargent may be what we would like to do, but will often have the end result of the child rebelling and heading full speed down the very path you wanted them to avoid. What to do, what to do?
At the end of the day, I guess that all we, as parents, can do is to try to lead by example. Showing our young girls that dressing and looking beautiful does not equal showing as much skin as possible. Praising celebrities and public figures that dress in an appropriate fashion. Steering kids towards wholesome activities, groups and clubs that stress positive body image and modesty. All of these things will hopefully have the desired effect of increasing our daughters' self-confidence, leading them to make choices that make them feel comfortable, rather than those that are made to simply keep up with the crowd.
I know that within a few short years, I will likely be dealing with these issues myself. It will make me long for the days when the biggest problem my girls had was a boy at school telling them they had the cooties! SIGH.
J :)
This post was inspired by the Facebook status update of a friend with two teenage daughters. My friend was simply wondering what has happened to the young ladies of today. When did it become acceptable for them to dress, talk and act like women? When did the skirts get so short, the necklines get so low and the heels get so high? How does a parent of today try to guide their daughter in the direction of dressing and acting more appropriately for their age without becoming public enemy number one?
Although I, myself, do not yet have teen aged children, I can easily admit that this same thought has crossed my mind on many occasions. When I drive by the Catholic High School that is located just a couple of blocks from our house and I see the uniform skirts the girls are wearing that barely cover their behinds, I can't help but hope that baggy track suits and bulky sweaters are all the rage when my girls enter high school. And sadly, as much as everyone would like to point the finger at mom and dad, there is often not a lot that parents can do once their daughter is out of the house and on her way to school. When we were in high school there were rules about how short your skirts could be, and girls that didn't follow the rule were sent home to change.
I am quite certain that somewhere in the handbook of all schools, both public and separate, there is a dress code. What happened to the school boards of old that actually enforced these dress codes? Parents can't follow their kids to school every day, but if the school administration could pick up where parents left off, there might be a lot less pressure for young girls to dress in such a way. Let's face it, the reason they are dressing this way in the first place is because "everyone else is doing it". If no one was allowed to do it, at least not at school, then that would be a small step in the right direction towards helping these girls regain their lost innocence.
The truly scary thing is, that I am noticing this style of dressing is appealing to younger and younger girls. Thankfully, my 10 year old is still blissfully unaware of this sort of thing, but I am noticing that some of her other classmates are already looking, dressing and acting a little "old" for their age. Even the stores that cater to pre-teen and teen girls often carry clothing that belongs in a dance club, not a classroom.
Of course, we're also dealing with the media, TV, movies, Internet and music. These days, you are pretty hard pressed to find photos of celebrity ladies with all of their assets covered. Even the younger starlets who were often the picture of innocence, can now be seen in music videos dancing on the hood of their car in daisy duke shorts and heels. Heck, even the dolls that young girls play with are dressed in outfits that you wouldn't let your child wear on Halloween.
Of course, as kids get older, they want to assert their independence and develop their own style. As parents, we want to try to encourage this growth in a healthy and appropriate way. Simply barking out orders like a Drill Sargent may be what we would like to do, but will often have the end result of the child rebelling and heading full speed down the very path you wanted them to avoid. What to do, what to do?
At the end of the day, I guess that all we, as parents, can do is to try to lead by example. Showing our young girls that dressing and looking beautiful does not equal showing as much skin as possible. Praising celebrities and public figures that dress in an appropriate fashion. Steering kids towards wholesome activities, groups and clubs that stress positive body image and modesty. All of these things will hopefully have the desired effect of increasing our daughters' self-confidence, leading them to make choices that make them feel comfortable, rather than those that are made to simply keep up with the crowd.
I know that within a few short years, I will likely be dealing with these issues myself. It will make me long for the days when the biggest problem my girls had was a boy at school telling them they had the cooties! SIGH.
J :)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
March Break - My @$$!
They may call the middle week of March a "break", but for most of us that are juggling work and a family, this week is usually the furthest thing from a break. Unless you forked out the big March Break dollars to head south for a family holiday, of course.
Actually, this might be the first year ever that I am very thankful we didn't do exactly that. What a week it was! The kids, playing outside without coats. Me, heading to the mall for a shopping trip in flip flops and capri pants. Driving around all week with the windows rolled down. When was the last time THAT happened in March?
All in all, it was a pretty good week. A little on the crazy side, but good nonetheless. On Monday we kicked the week off with a trip to the Reptile Show at Erin Mills Town Centre. My kids are big animal lovers, but Erin in particular is a fan of all things cold blooded. I don't think there is a reptile or amphibian on the planet that she can't identify at first sight. Marc is a big fan of the BBC "Earth" DVDs. We own every single boxed set and he and Erin watch them over and over. All that viewing has paid off because she really is a walking, talking nature encyclopedia. The kids got to hold a ball python, a giant tortoise, a Cayman (crocodile cousin, with its jaws safely taped shut) and various other little critters. Of course, I forgot my camera for this little adventure, but thankfully a friend snapped some shots with her trusty iPhone. We also got to visit with some friends in the afternoon that we hadn't seen in a while.
Tuesday we had booked tickets to see "The Stars of Pop" at the Stage West theatre along with 2 friends and their kids. Oddly, after not going to Stage West during the entire 25 years I have lived in Mississauga, this marked my second visit in 4 days. This show was definitely better than the "adult" show I had seen on Saturday evening, in spite of a few laughable moments throughout. The show featured tributes to Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift (my personal fave) and The Jonas Brothers (the source of the above mentioned laughable moments). The performers really tried hard and the kids enjoyed it, so I guess that is all that matters.
Wednesday, Erin had a friend over for the day and we headed to Jack Darling Park to enjoy the phenomenal weather. (Yes, it hit 20 degrees today!) Then a little shopping trip to pick up some leggings for my impossibly high maintenance child that is now refusing to wear pants. Yes, Erin, I am talking about you! What child has a total emotional breakdown at the thought of wearing jeans???? Sigh. I shudder to think about what I will have to deal with when she hits her teenage years.
Thursday was a total "work" day for me, much to the kids dismay. "What do you MEAN we aren't doing ANYTHING today Mom?????". That's right, kiddos, mom has to work! Amazingly, they tagged along with me for most of the day without too much complaint. A March Break Miracle! Makenna and I did make cookies in the evening, and I think they might be the best cookies I (we) have ever made. Makenna says it is because of her perfect cookie rolling (amazingly, each cookie was perfectly round and exactly the same size!), but really, it is just a great recipe. Milk Chocolate, skor bits and oats. How can you go wrong?
Friday was my personal favourite. After a working morning, we picked up a friend of Makenna's and headed to Roller Palace for some good old fashioned roller skating. Man does THAT bring back memories! The place hasn't changed in 25 years - I think the DJ is even the same guy from when I was a kid. It's a bit of a costly outing, in my opinion, but it's 4 hours of roller heaven. Makenna, while not the most co-ordinated child on the planet, did pretty well with her skating this time. I think with a little more practice she may be able to relax and have more fun. Erin, on the other hand, is a natural born skater. I was quite shocked to discover this the first time we had her on ice skates, and roller skating was no different. By the time we left, she was zooming around the rink passing kids twice her size. She fell quite a bit, but she's pretty close to the ground to start out with, so it didn't seem to faze her much. She said that she would like to be on the Canadian Roller Skating Team in the Olympics, and I didn't have the heart to tell her that there wasn't such a thing. Who knows, maybe it will be introduced at the 2020 summer games, just in time for her to win the first gold medal in the sport! haha
Saturday morning, we hit the theatres bright and early for the 10:30 am showing of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid". Did you know that all movies that start at AMC Theatre before noon are only $6? SCORE! (Sadly, it cost us more for popcorn and drinks than for admission...). The movie, while not as funny as I had expected, was actually pretty good. Some really good messages in there for adults and kids alike. I wouldn't say you should rush out and see it, but if you do find yourself accompanying your kids to the theatre, I think you will find it enjoyable.
After a hectic working afternoon, we had some friends over for dinner. A really great couple that we met while on vacation in Cuba last year. They have 2 kids around our kids' age and it doesn't matter how much time passes in between visits, these kids pick up exactly where they left off, as if they just saw each other yesterday. I think we adults can learn a lot from kids. Marc made the most fabulous chicken parm, completely from scratch, even pleasing the 4 toughest critics in the house. When was the last time you made dinner for 4 kids and all FOUR of them licked their plates clean? (Kraft dinner and hot dogs doesn't count!) It has never happened in our house before last night, that's for sure.
All in all, between the kids activities, work appointments and deadlines, the week didn't feel like much of a break. A break on the BANK ACCOUNT or my NERVES, maybe, but not overly relaxing. Sure, it was great not to have to get up with the kids every morning and rush them out the door, but there was definitely a lot of rushing around going on. I am really thankful that we had some great weather this week so the kids got a chance to remember what sunshine actually felt like. It is truly amazing what a little sun can do for your mood and energy levels. I think I might have gotten more accomplished this week than any other week in history. I also think that if the weather had been gloomy and cold, I might have been more inclined to sit around the house all week with rented movies and video games as our only source of entertainment.
So, while the week may have been a little hectic, it was probably the best March Break that I can remember. I'm glad that I got to spend some time having fun with the kids, but I'm equally glad that as of tomorrow at 9AM, my job as "Entertainment Co-ordinator" is over. At least until Summer Vacation, but let's not even THINK about that yet!
J :)
Actually, this might be the first year ever that I am very thankful we didn't do exactly that. What a week it was! The kids, playing outside without coats. Me, heading to the mall for a shopping trip in flip flops and capri pants. Driving around all week with the windows rolled down. When was the last time THAT happened in March?
All in all, it was a pretty good week. A little on the crazy side, but good nonetheless. On Monday we kicked the week off with a trip to the Reptile Show at Erin Mills Town Centre. My kids are big animal lovers, but Erin in particular is a fan of all things cold blooded. I don't think there is a reptile or amphibian on the planet that she can't identify at first sight. Marc is a big fan of the BBC "Earth" DVDs. We own every single boxed set and he and Erin watch them over and over. All that viewing has paid off because she really is a walking, talking nature encyclopedia. The kids got to hold a ball python, a giant tortoise, a Cayman (crocodile cousin, with its jaws safely taped shut) and various other little critters. Of course, I forgot my camera for this little adventure, but thankfully a friend snapped some shots with her trusty iPhone. We also got to visit with some friends in the afternoon that we hadn't seen in a while.
Tuesday we had booked tickets to see "The Stars of Pop" at the Stage West theatre along with 2 friends and their kids. Oddly, after not going to Stage West during the entire 25 years I have lived in Mississauga, this marked my second visit in 4 days. This show was definitely better than the "adult" show I had seen on Saturday evening, in spite of a few laughable moments throughout. The show featured tributes to Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift (my personal fave) and The Jonas Brothers (the source of the above mentioned laughable moments). The performers really tried hard and the kids enjoyed it, so I guess that is all that matters.
Wednesday, Erin had a friend over for the day and we headed to Jack Darling Park to enjoy the phenomenal weather. (Yes, it hit 20 degrees today!) Then a little shopping trip to pick up some leggings for my impossibly high maintenance child that is now refusing to wear pants. Yes, Erin, I am talking about you! What child has a total emotional breakdown at the thought of wearing jeans???? Sigh. I shudder to think about what I will have to deal with when she hits her teenage years.
Thursday was a total "work" day for me, much to the kids dismay. "What do you MEAN we aren't doing ANYTHING today Mom?????". That's right, kiddos, mom has to work! Amazingly, they tagged along with me for most of the day without too much complaint. A March Break Miracle! Makenna and I did make cookies in the evening, and I think they might be the best cookies I (we) have ever made. Makenna says it is because of her perfect cookie rolling (amazingly, each cookie was perfectly round and exactly the same size!), but really, it is just a great recipe. Milk Chocolate, skor bits and oats. How can you go wrong?
Friday was my personal favourite. After a working morning, we picked up a friend of Makenna's and headed to Roller Palace for some good old fashioned roller skating. Man does THAT bring back memories! The place hasn't changed in 25 years - I think the DJ is even the same guy from when I was a kid. It's a bit of a costly outing, in my opinion, but it's 4 hours of roller heaven. Makenna, while not the most co-ordinated child on the planet, did pretty well with her skating this time. I think with a little more practice she may be able to relax and have more fun. Erin, on the other hand, is a natural born skater. I was quite shocked to discover this the first time we had her on ice skates, and roller skating was no different. By the time we left, she was zooming around the rink passing kids twice her size. She fell quite a bit, but she's pretty close to the ground to start out with, so it didn't seem to faze her much. She said that she would like to be on the Canadian Roller Skating Team in the Olympics, and I didn't have the heart to tell her that there wasn't such a thing. Who knows, maybe it will be introduced at the 2020 summer games, just in time for her to win the first gold medal in the sport! haha
Saturday morning, we hit the theatres bright and early for the 10:30 am showing of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid". Did you know that all movies that start at AMC Theatre before noon are only $6? SCORE! (Sadly, it cost us more for popcorn and drinks than for admission...). The movie, while not as funny as I had expected, was actually pretty good. Some really good messages in there for adults and kids alike. I wouldn't say you should rush out and see it, but if you do find yourself accompanying your kids to the theatre, I think you will find it enjoyable.
After a hectic working afternoon, we had some friends over for dinner. A really great couple that we met while on vacation in Cuba last year. They have 2 kids around our kids' age and it doesn't matter how much time passes in between visits, these kids pick up exactly where they left off, as if they just saw each other yesterday. I think we adults can learn a lot from kids. Marc made the most fabulous chicken parm, completely from scratch, even pleasing the 4 toughest critics in the house. When was the last time you made dinner for 4 kids and all FOUR of them licked their plates clean? (Kraft dinner and hot dogs doesn't count!) It has never happened in our house before last night, that's for sure.
All in all, between the kids activities, work appointments and deadlines, the week didn't feel like much of a break. A break on the BANK ACCOUNT or my NERVES, maybe, but not overly relaxing. Sure, it was great not to have to get up with the kids every morning and rush them out the door, but there was definitely a lot of rushing around going on. I am really thankful that we had some great weather this week so the kids got a chance to remember what sunshine actually felt like. It is truly amazing what a little sun can do for your mood and energy levels. I think I might have gotten more accomplished this week than any other week in history. I also think that if the weather had been gloomy and cold, I might have been more inclined to sit around the house all week with rented movies and video games as our only source of entertainment.
So, while the week may have been a little hectic, it was probably the best March Break that I can remember. I'm glad that I got to spend some time having fun with the kids, but I'm equally glad that as of tomorrow at 9AM, my job as "Entertainment Co-ordinator" is over. At least until Summer Vacation, but let's not even THINK about that yet!
J :)
Saturday, December 19, 2009
T- minus 6 days, and counting!
Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted anything on this blog. I would like to think that is because I have been leading an extremely productive life for the last 4 weeks. I guess that depends entirely on your definition of the word "productive".
Of course, the majority of the past 4 or 5 weeks has been spent furiously preparing for Christmas - the "most wonderful time of the year" which can quickly become the most stressful, most expensive and most exhausting time of the year as well. So much is done in the weeks and days leading up to December the 25th, that when the day actually arrives, it is over before we know it and we are often so drained (both financially and physically) when it does arrive, that we barely get a chance to relax and enjoy the true meaning of the day.
Of course, I am a real sucker for Christmas. I love it - everything about it. I don't mind the shopping, the baking, the decorating and the endless visiting with family and friends. It is the one time of the year where everything just seems a little more magical. Of course, having kids definitely cranks the "magic" factor up a notch. I can still remember just how exciting Christmas was when I was a kid - my brother and I could barely sleep the night before because we couldn't wait for the morning. Usually one of us would wake up way too early, and lying in bed waiting for the clock to say 7:00 am (acceptable time to wake up mom and dad) was absolute torture!
It is hard to say whether my kids experience that same level of excitement and anticipation that we did when we were kids. For us, Christmas was the ONE time of the year when you actually got presents. Sure, you got a little something on your birthday, but for us, Christmas was the time that you got that one big thing that you had been wishing for. I don't think the same can be said for today's generation of kids, but is is still exciting to see their reactions on Christmas morning when they realize that Santa didn't forget about them.
So, as for my Christmas preparations, I think I am pretty much set. I would still like to do a little more baking since I seem to have given away pretty much everything I have baked so far. My husband has been rumaging around in the kitchen for the past couple of days looking for a sweet fix saying "didn't you keep ANYTHING????" So, I suppose I should bake the poor man a cookie or two.
Other than that, I am looking forward to spending some time with the family - just relaxing. This is going to be my parents last Christmas in Ontario, so it will be a little bittersweet to think that Christmases from now on will be a little bit different than I am used to.
Oddly enough, this is the first year in quite some time that work has been very busy for me in December. I am working with a great newlywed couple, shopping for their first house. Normally, this wouldn't be an exceptionally difficult process, but with the low inventory levels, we are struggling to find something that they truly love without having to fight off an angry horde of fellow homebuyers all bidding on the same home. I am feeling optimistic that we are closing in on their dream home, but if I could ask Santa for just one thing, it would be to find these folks the perfect home just in time for Christmas. I know it would make their holidays that much more joyful to know that their dream home has been found!
With only 6 sleeps left till the big day, I hope that all of you are finished with your Christmas preparations and that you can relax and enjoy all that is truly wonderful about the season - family, friends and a hint of magic.
Merry Christmas!
Jenn :)
Of course, the majority of the past 4 or 5 weeks has been spent furiously preparing for Christmas - the "most wonderful time of the year" which can quickly become the most stressful, most expensive and most exhausting time of the year as well. So much is done in the weeks and days leading up to December the 25th, that when the day actually arrives, it is over before we know it and we are often so drained (both financially and physically) when it does arrive, that we barely get a chance to relax and enjoy the true meaning of the day.
Of course, I am a real sucker for Christmas. I love it - everything about it. I don't mind the shopping, the baking, the decorating and the endless visiting with family and friends. It is the one time of the year where everything just seems a little more magical. Of course, having kids definitely cranks the "magic" factor up a notch. I can still remember just how exciting Christmas was when I was a kid - my brother and I could barely sleep the night before because we couldn't wait for the morning. Usually one of us would wake up way too early, and lying in bed waiting for the clock to say 7:00 am (acceptable time to wake up mom and dad) was absolute torture!
It is hard to say whether my kids experience that same level of excitement and anticipation that we did when we were kids. For us, Christmas was the ONE time of the year when you actually got presents. Sure, you got a little something on your birthday, but for us, Christmas was the time that you got that one big thing that you had been wishing for. I don't think the same can be said for today's generation of kids, but is is still exciting to see their reactions on Christmas morning when they realize that Santa didn't forget about them.
So, as for my Christmas preparations, I think I am pretty much set. I would still like to do a little more baking since I seem to have given away pretty much everything I have baked so far. My husband has been rumaging around in the kitchen for the past couple of days looking for a sweet fix saying "didn't you keep ANYTHING????" So, I suppose I should bake the poor man a cookie or two.
Other than that, I am looking forward to spending some time with the family - just relaxing. This is going to be my parents last Christmas in Ontario, so it will be a little bittersweet to think that Christmases from now on will be a little bit different than I am used to.
Oddly enough, this is the first year in quite some time that work has been very busy for me in December. I am working with a great newlywed couple, shopping for their first house. Normally, this wouldn't be an exceptionally difficult process, but with the low inventory levels, we are struggling to find something that they truly love without having to fight off an angry horde of fellow homebuyers all bidding on the same home. I am feeling optimistic that we are closing in on their dream home, but if I could ask Santa for just one thing, it would be to find these folks the perfect home just in time for Christmas. I know it would make their holidays that much more joyful to know that their dream home has been found!
With only 6 sleeps left till the big day, I hope that all of you are finished with your Christmas preparations and that you can relax and enjoy all that is truly wonderful about the season - family, friends and a hint of magic.
Merry Christmas!
Jenn :)
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Market Watch - October 2009
For the past several months, we have been reading many different things in the media about the state of our economy. By all accounts, it seems that the "recession" that many experts were predicting, never really came to fruition. While there is still a great deal of uncertainty with regards to interest rates, unemployment and market stability, as far as the "Real Estate Market" is concerned, it seems to be "All Systems Go".
The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has published their Market Watch report for the month of October 2009. The numbers that have been reported are truly astonishing. Not only has the market rebounded nicely, but there seems to be a dramatic upswing in process.
According to the Toronto Real Estate Board, 8476 sales were reported for October. This represents an increase of 64% over October 2008 and an increase of 3.4% over the 8196 sales reported for September 2009. The average sale price reported was $423,559 for October which represents an increase of 20% over the same month in 2008.
The most astounding statistics, however, are related to inventory levels. We are being told in the media that our inventory of homes for sale is low. How low, you ask? The actual numbers reported by TREB indicate that inventory levels are critically low. In October, 11,532 new homes were listed, compared with 14,530 in October 2009 (-21%). The number of active listings in October was 14,771 compared with 27,277 (-46%) for the same month one year ago.
Even though the sales numbers are astonishingly high, the buyers have a severely diminished bank of listings from which to choose. We are truly in a seller's market! Good news for those of you that are thinking about selling your home in the near future! How long will this market last? We cannot be sure, but experience tells me that we have 4-6 weeks left in 2009 before things start the inevitable year end slow-down for the holidays. Traditionally the market is flooded with new listings towards the end of January/beginning of February every year. As such, if you are thinking of selling, there is no time like to present to capitalize on the frenzied market conditions.
Please feel free to visit my website to contact me if you are thinking about making a move. As the old saying goes, "He who hesitates, is lost". If history has shown us anything, those who react to change first, reap the greatest rewards. I'd love to share my experience with you to help you make the most of this dynamic sellers market.
Jenn :)
The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has published their Market Watch report for the month of October 2009. The numbers that have been reported are truly astonishing. Not only has the market rebounded nicely, but there seems to be a dramatic upswing in process.
According to the Toronto Real Estate Board, 8476 sales were reported for October. This represents an increase of 64% over October 2008 and an increase of 3.4% over the 8196 sales reported for September 2009. The average sale price reported was $423,559 for October which represents an increase of 20% over the same month in 2008.
The most astounding statistics, however, are related to inventory levels. We are being told in the media that our inventory of homes for sale is low. How low, you ask? The actual numbers reported by TREB indicate that inventory levels are critically low. In October, 11,532 new homes were listed, compared with 14,530 in October 2009 (-21%). The number of active listings in October was 14,771 compared with 27,277 (-46%) for the same month one year ago.
Even though the sales numbers are astonishingly high, the buyers have a severely diminished bank of listings from which to choose. We are truly in a seller's market! Good news for those of you that are thinking about selling your home in the near future! How long will this market last? We cannot be sure, but experience tells me that we have 4-6 weeks left in 2009 before things start the inevitable year end slow-down for the holidays. Traditionally the market is flooded with new listings towards the end of January/beginning of February every year. As such, if you are thinking of selling, there is no time like to present to capitalize on the frenzied market conditions.
Please feel free to visit my website to contact me if you are thinking about making a move. As the old saying goes, "He who hesitates, is lost". If history has shown us anything, those who react to change first, reap the greatest rewards. I'd love to share my experience with you to help you make the most of this dynamic sellers market.
Jenn :)
Monday, November 9, 2009
Welcome to the Future!
There's a song that is currently playing on country radio called "Welcome to the Future" by Brad Paisley. The basic premise of the song is just how far the world has come in the last 25-30 years. The clever songwriting mentions various things that, these days, we probably take for granted. If someone had mentioned them back in the 70s or 80s, we would have thought they were crazy.
Brad talks about having to get a ride to the local arcade to play his favourite video game as a kid, to now having that very same game on his cell phone. He talks about a long car trip to Florida when he would have given anything to be able to watch TV. He talks about his grandfather in WWII mailing hundreds of letters home to his grandmother, to now being able to live video chat with soldiers overseas. He mentions going from "burning crosses" to having an African American President. How very far we have come, indeed!
I had one of these moments in the past week. I was finishing up a deal with another agent and I faxed him the final paperwork to complete the transaction. He called me and told me that the fax machine at his office was down and could I please deliver the paperwork to his office directly. GASP!!!! Deliver paperwork myself?? But that would take time and effort! I don't think so....
I ended up scanning and emailing the document to him (whew!) and all was good, but this sparked a discussion with my husband on just how much easier our lives are now, compared to 25 or 30 years ago.
I got my first job when I was 12 years old. I was working in the real estate office where my mother worked, stuffing envelopes for our monthly mailouts, which eventually graduated into the night receptionist job a few months later. It was 1987 and the real estate industry was a very different animal back then. One of my most time consuming jobs was taking the large boxes of "dailies" that came in and filing them into binders in order of price. We didn't have a computerized MLS system, we had boxes of printed listings (dailies) that arrived at our office every morning (except Sunday - some things were still sacred then) and the receptionist had to separate them by district, by home type (condo, detached, semi) and file them in order of price. If an agent was working with a buyer, they had to come into the office (!!!), grab these books, and flip through them to find some suitable homes to show them. The really "with it" agents ordered their own sets of dailies and carried these binders around with them.
Can you IMAGINE how long that took?????? Not to mention how many trees had to die to print out all of those dailies! If I am working with a buyer these days, with about 3 clicks of my mouse, I can generate a list of every possible home in his desired area and price range and email it to the buyer, without having to print a single page.
Back then, we didn't have a fax machine. Paperwork DID have to be delivered by the agent themselves. There were no pagers. We receptionists wrote down messages and waited for the agent to call into the office to get them. (But that could take HOURS you say? Yes! Especially since the agents didn't have cell phones then!!) Had to send a document? You either had to rely on good old Canada Post (they don't call it snail mail for nothing) or spend the big bucks and send a courier, both of which take a whole lot longer than the 5 seconds it takes to send an email.
I could go on and on, all to arrive at the same conclusion. The world as we know it is changing at a lightening fast pace. We have to change with it or be doomed to be left behind in the dust. This is not only true in our business world, but also in our personal lives as well. I'm sure everyone out there has at least one relative that doesn't have email. While the rest of the family is catching up on Facebook - seeing pictures of each others kids, family vacations and new puppies - that one little old auntie without email is relegated to receiving your Christmas card at the end of the year with one family photo in it.
Every year, one of the areas of my business that I focus on is technology. What is the "latest and greatest" and how can I use it to make my job easier and to make myself appear more "connected" to potential customers? Because of the rapidly changing nature of technology, this is an area that you can never be fully on-top-of. Just when you have bought into something, something even better is already making its way to the marketplace. I am fortunate to work for a company that always seems to be the Leader when it comes to technology, as opposed to the Follower. This helps me be as "on-top-of-it" as possible when it comes to being able to provide the absolute best service possible to my clients with all of the latest and greatest in technology.
Just think, without all of the wonders of technology, you wouldn't have been able to take a couple of minutes out of your busy day to read my thoughts. Yes, maybe the world was a simpler place 30 years ago, but imagine just how crazy your day would be if you had to sit down and hand write a letter to a relative, call all of your child's friends and invite them to a birthday party, go to the library to research statistics for that business presentation or help your child type out their book report on the good old fashioned typewriter! Life as we know it today may not be "simple", but we've definitely got it easier than the previous generations.
Hopefully, all this wonderful technology leaves us with more time at the end of the day to enjoy those "simple" things - relaxing and spending time with family and good friends. Because really, that IS the future.
Jenn :)
Brad talks about having to get a ride to the local arcade to play his favourite video game as a kid, to now having that very same game on his cell phone. He talks about a long car trip to Florida when he would have given anything to be able to watch TV. He talks about his grandfather in WWII mailing hundreds of letters home to his grandmother, to now being able to live video chat with soldiers overseas. He mentions going from "burning crosses" to having an African American President. How very far we have come, indeed!
I had one of these moments in the past week. I was finishing up a deal with another agent and I faxed him the final paperwork to complete the transaction. He called me and told me that the fax machine at his office was down and could I please deliver the paperwork to his office directly. GASP!!!! Deliver paperwork myself?? But that would take time and effort! I don't think so....
I ended up scanning and emailing the document to him (whew!) and all was good, but this sparked a discussion with my husband on just how much easier our lives are now, compared to 25 or 30 years ago.
I got my first job when I was 12 years old. I was working in the real estate office where my mother worked, stuffing envelopes for our monthly mailouts, which eventually graduated into the night receptionist job a few months later. It was 1987 and the real estate industry was a very different animal back then. One of my most time consuming jobs was taking the large boxes of "dailies" that came in and filing them into binders in order of price. We didn't have a computerized MLS system, we had boxes of printed listings (dailies) that arrived at our office every morning (except Sunday - some things were still sacred then) and the receptionist had to separate them by district, by home type (condo, detached, semi) and file them in order of price. If an agent was working with a buyer, they had to come into the office (!!!), grab these books, and flip through them to find some suitable homes to show them. The really "with it" agents ordered their own sets of dailies and carried these binders around with them.
Can you IMAGINE how long that took?????? Not to mention how many trees had to die to print out all of those dailies! If I am working with a buyer these days, with about 3 clicks of my mouse, I can generate a list of every possible home in his desired area and price range and email it to the buyer, without having to print a single page.
Back then, we didn't have a fax machine. Paperwork DID have to be delivered by the agent themselves. There were no pagers. We receptionists wrote down messages and waited for the agent to call into the office to get them. (But that could take HOURS you say? Yes! Especially since the agents didn't have cell phones then!!) Had to send a document? You either had to rely on good old Canada Post (they don't call it snail mail for nothing) or spend the big bucks and send a courier, both of which take a whole lot longer than the 5 seconds it takes to send an email.
I could go on and on, all to arrive at the same conclusion. The world as we know it is changing at a lightening fast pace. We have to change with it or be doomed to be left behind in the dust. This is not only true in our business world, but also in our personal lives as well. I'm sure everyone out there has at least one relative that doesn't have email. While the rest of the family is catching up on Facebook - seeing pictures of each others kids, family vacations and new puppies - that one little old auntie without email is relegated to receiving your Christmas card at the end of the year with one family photo in it.
Every year, one of the areas of my business that I focus on is technology. What is the "latest and greatest" and how can I use it to make my job easier and to make myself appear more "connected" to potential customers? Because of the rapidly changing nature of technology, this is an area that you can never be fully on-top-of. Just when you have bought into something, something even better is already making its way to the marketplace. I am fortunate to work for a company that always seems to be the Leader when it comes to technology, as opposed to the Follower. This helps me be as "on-top-of-it" as possible when it comes to being able to provide the absolute best service possible to my clients with all of the latest and greatest in technology.
Just think, without all of the wonders of technology, you wouldn't have been able to take a couple of minutes out of your busy day to read my thoughts. Yes, maybe the world was a simpler place 30 years ago, but imagine just how crazy your day would be if you had to sit down and hand write a letter to a relative, call all of your child's friends and invite them to a birthday party, go to the library to research statistics for that business presentation or help your child type out their book report on the good old fashioned typewriter! Life as we know it today may not be "simple", but we've definitely got it easier than the previous generations.
Hopefully, all this wonderful technology leaves us with more time at the end of the day to enjoy those "simple" things - relaxing and spending time with family and good friends. Because really, that IS the future.
Jenn :)
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