I work out across the street from Zabars. Not even across Broadway. Across 80th. It’s right there. Their tofutti cream of mushroom soup was calling me. I was astounded when I found out there is no cream, none at all. It’s amazing and I swear I feel the protein zing.
Today I rewarded my workout with a quick stop at Zabars. Haven’t done this in a while, I’d almost given up, I looked for a jam or jelly with no sugar. I bought a Zabar’s labeled raspberry fruit spread with little hope. It’s perfectly tart, really mouth scrunching tart. I could feel it as well as taste it. Sweetened by their own sugar released when they’re cooked. Seeds and all, I truly enjoyed my croissant this morning.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
the new Edith Piaf movie is amazing
her life was incredibly tragic, it's astounding that she was able to make such beautiful music despite that.
this new yorker article made me want to see the movie and i was not disappointed.
just go!!
this new yorker article made me want to see the movie and i was not disappointed.
just go!!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Mayor Mike gets risk
Mike Bloomberg, the CEO mayor of NYC who got us out of $4 billion in debt after 9-11 really understands risk and failure, in a way that most at his level simply don't.
"In business, you reward people for taking risks," he said in Business Week recently. "When it doesn't work out, you promote them because they were willing to try new things." Yes, promote, not make the fall-guy. He adds, "If people tell me they skied all day and never fell down, I tell them to try a different mountain."
I've been realizing lately, as much as I hate it, it is in my discomfort zone that I learn, am challenged, and quite frankly, feel most alive.
"In business, you reward people for taking risks," he said in Business Week recently. "When it doesn't work out, you promote them because they were willing to try new things." Yes, promote, not make the fall-guy. He adds, "If people tell me they skied all day and never fell down, I tell them to try a different mountain."
I've been realizing lately, as much as I hate it, it is in my discomfort zone that I learn, am challenged, and quite frankly, feel most alive.
Friday, June 15, 2007
the self-confidence roller coaster
Once I got to a certain point career-wise, I thought I would always be as self-confident as the situation required. One of the things I'm learning is that as I try different things and stretch myself, my confidence needs to catch up. And the process is scary, annoying, frustrating, and a big ego downer most of the time.
I wanted to pass along a few things that have helped me deal with the uncertainty.
The Artist’s Way—Just because I work in business does not mean I’m not creative. I wept recognizing the symptoms of blocked creativity. Trying to do something differently is a creative process and learning to turn off my inner critic is, well, critical. I find myself constantly mumbling “don’t think, just do.” In fact, I’ve been drawing lately and it’s become my mantra. When I write a document, instead of rethinking, reworking and letting it sit, waiting to be perfect, I try really hard to DO not THINK. As soon as I start thinking, I’m done. I can find a 1000 reasons why it’s not right.
Not only is it important for individuals to stop second-guessing everything we do, it’s even more critical that organizations are more open to risk and even failure. It’s how we learn.
In this constantly changing, quarterly-results-oriented business world, how are we to bridge this gap?
“Teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do
that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”
—Patrick Lencioni
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
We’re going to make mistakes. We can’t avoid them. We can decide how we’re going to learn from them and move on.
I wanted to pass along a few things that have helped me deal with the uncertainty.
The Artist’s Way—Just because I work in business does not mean I’m not creative. I wept recognizing the symptoms of blocked creativity. Trying to do something differently is a creative process and learning to turn off my inner critic is, well, critical. I find myself constantly mumbling “don’t think, just do.” In fact, I’ve been drawing lately and it’s become my mantra. When I write a document, instead of rethinking, reworking and letting it sit, waiting to be perfect, I try really hard to DO not THINK. As soon as I start thinking, I’m done. I can find a 1000 reasons why it’s not right.
Not only is it important for individuals to stop second-guessing everything we do, it’s even more critical that organizations are more open to risk and even failure. It’s how we learn.
In this constantly changing, quarterly-results-oriented business world, how are we to bridge this gap?
“Teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do
that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”
—Patrick Lencioni
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
We’re going to make mistakes. We can’t avoid them. We can decide how we’re going to learn from them and move on.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
next is now . . . really
I rarely recommend business books because their prose is unwieldy and they can be boringly specific. Next Now, by Marian Salzman, the chief marketing officer at J. Walter Thomson, and Ira Matathia is definitely an exception.
The book covers a broad range of trends, though I concentrated on their new workplace predictions:
• definitely more of the same working anytime anywhere
• office hubs where individuals from many different organizations get services and work
(I really like working in spaces with people who do nothing like what I do, especially artists. On-demand camaraderie when you need it, quiet when you don’t.)
• office design will be more human/eco-friendly (I believe the cos who don’t get this, will find themselves out of business in the next 10-15 years.)
• “balance” finally gets substance behind the rhetoric
• real, true downtime, where we’re not connected
• learning how to create and innovate better.
The companies and individuals that are embracing these trends already have staying power, IMHO.
The book covers a broad range of trends, though I concentrated on their new workplace predictions:
• definitely more of the same working anytime anywhere
• office hubs where individuals from many different organizations get services and work
(I really like working in spaces with people who do nothing like what I do, especially artists. On-demand camaraderie when you need it, quiet when you don’t.)
• office design will be more human/eco-friendly (I believe the cos who don’t get this, will find themselves out of business in the next 10-15 years.)
• “balance” finally gets substance behind the rhetoric
• real, true downtime, where we’re not connected
• learning how to create and innovate better.
The companies and individuals that are embracing these trends already have staying power, IMHO.
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