Lunch time

Lunch is an interesting meal without definition. You can Lunch.. You can Brunch. Eat leftovers, Eat a sandwich. Drink a Slimfast. There are "Liquid lunches". Lunch meetings. You can eat someone's lunch. Personally, my lunch is spent most days having a sandwich away from this computer. I take in a few minutes of TV .. The news, Paula Deen, Millionaire game show or ER depending on the time. Walk the dogs or get the mail. Sometimes, it is when I finally break free from the computer to take a shower (most Fridays because of the early meetings).

I used to be the person that "didn't take lunch". I would eat at my desk. Answer email, do database management, answer the phone, and generally ignore the concept as something that non committed employees did daily unless it was attached to a business lunch. Bill and Steve will agree that this was me.

I find that having this rest bit. Even if it is 20 minutes recharges me. I can pay attention to what I am eating doing and then focus on my tasks for the afternoon. Hold on the phone is ringing .... oh it is Mark.. be right back!

Okay.... Sorry about that .. How do you prefer to lunch?

Making Sour Grapes into a Fine Wine

This weekend we were invited to join our Great friends the Vara's to destroy a large gift certificate at a local bistro in Mahopac. We were all over it. Can't wait to meet up for a great night.

We had a great start to the evening with munchies (solid move by Madam Vara) and a drink at the Vara's and a death defying ride to the restaurant with Jim driving the G35 at a pace to terrify the ladies stuck in the back seat. There are times I am glad that my eyesight without my glasses is not the best at night. (Although, determined legal by the States of GA and CT)

The restaurant is very cute. It is one of those places you go to once or twice a year for a special occasion. It takes a while for the drink order to be taken and a while (30 minutes perhaps for the wine arrives- which in retro respect a good thing). About this time, a lady from a table in the corner stands up and loudly asks if she can have a ta-go box and the check. They have been finished for a 1/2 hour. Umm. hmm. There are about 5 empty tables.

Our reservations were for 8 PM. The waitress pours the wine and says she will be back to take our order. One delicious but slowly drank glass of wine later, we get an opportunity to place the order. Roughly 3o minutes later, a waiter comes out to apologize on the time the starters are taking. They burned ours. Starting over. Now, understand... in a professional oven the bay scallops (small ones) take under 10 minutes under the broiler.

Roll ahead to the second bottle of wine being finished and it is now somewhere between 10:15 and 10:30 PM (I think). The dinner hasn't arrived. The waitress comes over and says to Rob, "We are plating your dinners right now, we apologize for the delay.. we are just waiting for your steak to finish (medium well)" Rob replies, " Let me get this straight, we sat down at 8:15 Pm it is now 10:30 and you are waiting on me" - Classic!!! Darn that patron for wanting a medium well steak.. Wouldn't you put this on first and then put on the others?

I want to say the food was splendid, the service was pleasant and they made accommodations on the bill. Thank God the company was the exact right people we would both want to be eating a leisurely meal with at a great restaurant. If it was clients, I would have been pulling my hair out. We were all just starving. End result, after surviving the slow service and laughing about it. We are now trying to figure out someplace to vacation... Great Friends.. we turned potential sour grapes into fine wine and a wonderful memory. End Result - Fantastic weekend.. it gave me something to blog about. Thanks to the Vara's for a great time! (and birthday present)

Citgo Ban

Timing is always very amazing to me. As I have the UN press conference from the Iranian President on in the background on Fox News, I received an email from my best friend in College and fellow Harvard Model UN Delegate. Today, I want to call on everyone to join in the banning getting Citgo gas. It is a Venzulan government owned product. The station owners are good people. Want a diet coke or bag of chips.. go right ahead. Just don't fill up the tank. Jim and I have been avoiding them for the better part of a year after Chavez started his negative spewing about the United States. This is not a Republican or Democrat thing. Personally, he could offer to pay my mortgage and heating bills and I would tell him to keep his money.

This population boycotted Exxon for the supposed mistake of the crew of men. This is a much bigger reason. Find another station!

Endless fur

Are there days in your life you want to declare that the fur covering every inch of the floors, carpets, and bedspreads in your home a new decorating technique? Ahh Fall, it seems that it is again time for my "kids" to rid themselves of the undercoats in clumps, tumbleweed and general hair loss on a moment by moment basis. I could brush Annie every day and come away with a bag o'fur. Seamus hates to be brushed and shakes like a leaf when I am brushing him or giving him a bath at the silcock.

We (notice the collective we) try to keep up with the vacuuming, dusting and floor washing... However, it never seems to be enough. When the headlights shine in from the garage door across the entry into the dining room and living room, you would swear no one had cleaned in months. Yet - it was probably done less than 48 hours ago.... It is enough to send Martha Stewart or any of the Regan family shrieking at the top of their lungs.

We have invested (notice the word) in an Oreck. It does do a pretty good job granted. I wonder when I will resort to vacuuming the dogs and then the house?

I guess you chock it up to the joys of being a fur baby parent. At least there isn't college, a wedding, drivers ed / insurance, and a host of lessons to pay for... Just an extra trip to the groomer and to Oreck for more bags. BTW... Annie just groaned. I think she senses it is time to go outside and be brushed again.

Last Week - The Blur

I mentioned that I was flying on September 11th. I did! It was a bit stressful. The security was extra tight. The carry on bags searched twice. Once at Security and then again at the gate. This was fine in my opinnion. The flights were packed on all legs this trip. I wonder if they took flights off?

Seattle is a great city. I have to say, I have been there twice in the past two years. It hasn't rained at all while I have been there. It is a great walking city. They have a homeless problem but they are not aggressive like they are in San Francisco. The food is great. The traffic isn't a real problem in the city. People actually bike and take public transportation. The strangest thing is there is NO JAYWALKING. For those of you in Boston and New York.. read that again. People wait for the little white crossman. Even if there isn't a car anywhere in sight! I hear the cops hand out tickets. Interesting ...

Trip was good from the business perspective. I am a bit sorry this conference is going to San Diego next year. I like going to Seattle and it is the only one that has been there. I also have another event in San Diego. (I like San Diego too...)

Got back to Hartford sans my checked luggage. I understand this is happening more because of the number of bags being checked vs carry ons. They delivered it the next day to the house.

Friday was a quick trip to Boston to the office and to see a client. GREAT MEETING!!! Then to Melanie and Jim's for a wonderful birthday celebration with my parents. Woke up with a nasty cold and slight hangover. Some how drove home to Connecticut and went to bed for the next two days.

Annie had a medical issue on Sunday night and is recovering from an embarrassing reoccuring gland issue. Did I tell you I have been making what seems to be car payments to my vet in bills since July? Back to the grind this week. My company is on the verge of launching a huge new endeavor that is amazing and cutting edge. Check out www.wearesmarter.com ... This makes blogging seem sooo 2006.

Why does everyone think there is a magic pill?

Okay, I realize there is no magic pill to get rich or lose weight. There are no prince charmings or Daddy Warbucks in 99.9% of people's future. Yes, people hit the lottery and yes people can find the strength within themselves to lose weigh (or some just have that killer metabolism).

Jim keeps sending me links to articles on the ARM crazy in mortgages. I think he is thanking his lucky stars I spent five years earning pennies in a mortgage company. If you haven't bought a house, you are thinking about it, or thinking about refinancing, read this article....

http://biz.yahoo.com/weekend/mortgagepain_1.html

ARM mortgages are like putting your home on red on the roulette wheel. If a broker talks to you about a 5/1, 3/1, 7/1 or any term that will adjust. RUN AWAY! If you can't afford the following, you can't afford the home:

• Mortgage payment (principal and interest) - $1500
• Property Taxes (annual amount divided by 12) - $5000 / 12 = $416.66
• Home Owners policy (annual divide by 12) - $600/ 12 = $50.00
• association fees if applicable

____________________________________________________

Monthly PI &TI = $1966.66

Now take your Monthly Gross Income. For a couple or individual that grosses $95,000.00 a year, this would be: $7916.66

Take the Monthly PITI $1966.66 and divide it by the Gross Monthly income $7916.66
1966.66/7916.66 = .248 or 25%. If this number is higher than 28%, walk or run away(at least you will burn calories) . Personally, I like to have it less than 24%.

This means that 25% your gross income is going to pay for your home. Uncle Sam and Cousin State are going to take another 25% or more with income taxes. Hopefully, you are putting another at least 10% way into a 401K or similiar investment vehicle. So that is 60% of your gross income... with what is left ($38,000 or $3166 a month), please pay for:

• Electricity
• Heat or A/C
• Water/Sewer
• Telephone, Cell Phone, Internet
• Cable TV
• Cars- Payment, Insurance, Gas, garage bills
• Food - Grocery Store and meals on wheels (eating out or delivery)
• Medical Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Credit Card Bills - Major and Store cards (more than just the monthly minimum payment)
• Student Loans
• Vet Bills/ Animal food
• Vacations
• Misc - hair cuts, manicures, clothes, shoes (we know my thoughts on this), computers
• Repairs and improvements to said home including landscaping and lawn cutting.

Are you depressed yet? So the next time the mortgage officer tells you what you can afford... come with your own knowledge in hand ... they are going to make money off you. Read the fine print and the article attached first ...

September 11th - 5 years later

This day brought the world closer, a nation, and families. People changed their lives afterwards. Some by choice .. Some by force. Many of our friends and family lost jobs (me included) because of the economic down turn that was coming prior to the attack but intensified afterwards. We very lucky not to have lost any directly. Most of you know how panicked I was that one of the co-pilots might have been my cousin Eric. The initial reports were the man flying for American was from the same town in New Hampshire and the same age.

Two people have opened businesses and went to work for themselves as a result. They are both highly successful with them. Others got out of bad marriages.. Moved across the country (us included). 5 years later.. It seems like a life time ago and just yesterday...

There is a question on Yahoo about how you will remember or plans for September 11th. I would have never thought in a million years about my activities for that day... I am flying to Seattle for a competitive conference. I thought about flying out on the 10th but there isn't a good reason.. and flying is the best way to thumb my nose at bin laden and his thugs.

What are your plans? Click the pencil below and list your comments!

Stop and Shop Scam

I think I have discovered a scam by the Cashiers at Stop and Shop. Make sure that if you get "cash back" that you not only get it but that it is the right denomination.

The last two times I have put into the machine to get a $20 back. I have either had to:

1) Ask for it after they have closed the drawer. (the look on the cashier's face was "damn" rather than apologetic.
2) A smaller bill ie. I got a ten back rather than a twenty last night. Only I discovered it this morning.

This same cashier.. Crushed my flowers/ packed raw pork with produce / and cleaning supplies with other food. I didn't notice because I was busy trying to save the rest of my food from being crushed and bagging as fast as I could.

These cashiers seem to be Generation Y. Look for the senior citizen. You have less of a chance to get ripped off!

They are not doing anything about the missing "$10" as her draw was only off by 20 cents.. go figure. I will shop somewhere else for 10 weeks... that is about $1200 in business going somewhere else. That should get my $10 out of them!