2-4-7 - Was that a sitcom...

... with Florence from the Jeffersons? Or was it 2-5-7? Either way, it's just another indicator of my age, past the 40 1/2 stage. But the best, or should I say worst, indicator of my age is the rapid influx of gray hairs!!! I can't take it. I can take a lot - the sagging of the you know whats, even a wrinkle or two, but the grays just feel like nails on a chalkboard. Everyday it's a new squatter on my head. So I bit the bullet, purchased a box of L'Oreal's Feria Natural Black, and went to town. I got 97% of the infiltrators and when I realized I missed a few, out came the tweezers. Yep. Pluck, Pluck, Pluck!

So enough about the bad stuff. This year has gotten off to a fabulous start. I really like my new job. Of course it is still the honeymoon period, but I see a lot of potential for my professional growth and development and upward mobility. Everyone has been wonderful. I miss many of the people from my old place, especially the students and my right hand TB, but we are still connected, so I am not worried about losing the strong friendships that I have formed there. I have absolutely no love loss for residence life. I am thankful for the valuable experience. There is no replacement for the skills you obtain in the field, but transitioning out was the right thing to do on so many levels. Where I am now, I am in charge of Orientation, Commencement and a wonderful student leadership program. OH, and lets not forget the commute. What's there to miss? NADA!

So, as I slowly ease out of my first year of 40 and ease into my second year, 40 is turning out to be a fabulous age, minus the grays of course!

Pictures of the Month:
Ethan is having a hard time adjusting to our new commute, especially that long walk from 7th to 10th Avenue. I personally love it. I walk a lot now. I don't have to pay gas and tolls. And I get to relax while I commute. It's hard to relax on the Whitestone Bridge or the Jackie Robinson Parkway. Ethan, however, has found a way to relax on the subway. I wasn't thrilled about half his face on the seat back, but isn't he the cutest little hobo you have ever seen? He was knocked out!

Ethan is an observer. I guess he noticed the biggest past time on the subway and decided to try it out. Too bad he can't read yet.

Focusing on Me

It's the 12th of the month and that means my blog post is about, you guessed it, me. I'm focusing on all the ways I can feel better about myself which is not always so easy. I invite you to photograph yourself each month and love yourself.

It's been 10 days since I started my new job and it's going great. Ethan is having a harder time. He went from being chauffeured in the lap of luxury every day to taking the subway and walking 3, very long city blocks to get to his school. Me? I love the change of pace. I'm not especially thrilled about taking the subway, but I do appreciate the fact that my commute doesn't require me to pay much attention to my fellow commuters or red lights. I don't have to worry about road rage, tolls, running on E, or obnoxious drivers.

I do appreciate that I walk 20 blocks roundtrip every day as a result of my commute. I'm starting to feel really good and while I haven't lost weight, yet, I know this is a good start to moving more. I'm actually wearing makeup and blowing up my fro more often - more put together. I was in a rut and that's over. Thank God!

Are you in a rut? Are you down on yourself? Don't be! Take a picture of yourelf and admire your best feature. Just like we have a feature we hate on our bodies, we all have a favorite feature. Focus on that for starters. We'll work on the other body parts later. I focused on my face with these pics with a little creative cropping. I actually like my face. It has it's flaws but they don't drive me too crazy. It's the neck down on I'm working hard on. The 2nd layout is a group of photos that my 4 year old took with my camera or iphone. He always cuts off a piece but overall, not bad!

Bring It 2012!

2:22 pm on Saturday, December 31st and I have absolutely nothing to do. I LOVE THAT. Ethan is fighting a fever and just lying down, quietly. Ron is working. I have a ton of errands to run (laundry, food shopping, staples, stockings....so I guess I do have a lot to do) but alas I can't very well leave my son all alone to battle his 101 degree temperature. So I have nothing to do.

I have done a lot of thinking about what 2012 is going to mean for me. I made a couple of resolutions for 2011, none of which I even remember but it was probably the usual fare - save money, lose weight, do more community service. I had a word for 2011 too - de-clutter - which I worked really hard at but was unable to accomplish fully. The fact of the matter is that my home is cluttered because it's too small. And until the renovations are complete, the clutter will continue.  My office was cluttered because I had not a moment in the day to just do some basic filing. So while de-cluttering as a goal is not going anywhere, I have moved on to a new word for the year - FOCUS. It will indirectly include de-cluttering, saving money, losing weight, blah, blah, blah. But yes, FOCUS is my word of the year. The common denominator is ME. I am going to FOCUS on ME, inside and out. I am well on my way.

1. New job - CHECK

2. New beauty regiment - CHECK

3. New exercise routine - CHECK

So while I will continue my 40 and Fabulous blog posts on the 17th of each month, I am adding a new component to my blog. On the 12th of each of month, from January to December 2012, I will be FOCUSing on ME and I invite you to join me and focus on yourself. On the 12th of each month I will be taking a photo of myself, or having someone else do it. No matter what state I am in, I am going to take that picture. I am going to look at that picture and appreciate myself for who I am regardless of what my hair is doing or where I am going. Focusing on myself will make me a better worker, a better mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend and a better person overall. I hope you will be inspired to join me on this journey and do the same for yourself.

So like the title of this post says, bring it, 2012! Because it's all about me.

Uniquely Unique, NY

What's not to love?

216 Days and Counting

$40          Trip to the hair salon
$25.00     1 hour in a midtown Manhattan parking lot
$300        New Interview Suit
New job closer to home making more money...PRICELESS!

WHAT
A
YEAR!

I am so glad that 2012 is only 2 weeks away. It cannot come fast enough. I am so excited to start a new job that my current colleagues have noted a new bounce in my step, as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. And it has.

Everyone says that change is good, including me. A quote about change has been part of my email signature for a long time.  But DAMN! The changes at work have been stressful and anxiety-ridden. I think I was the most excited for the changes that I knew were coming, but the changes went so over the top that morale has taken a huge dip even among the most optimistic among us. While I am going to miss most of the people I work with, that is all I will miss. I am happy to give up the one-hour plus commute, the huge gas and toll bill,  the early morning alarm and some of the unpleasant feelings that led me to leave my current place of employment. Those who have become important to me and who have developed a friendship with me, will not be lost to me. I am not moving out of state or going hours away. I"m just going into the county next door. I cherish my experiences and I have learned a ton, but alas, it was just...time to go.

So goodbye 2011. And good riddance. 2012, here I come...hitting the ground running and diving in head first. Can you hit the ground running and dive in head first at the same time? Probably not, but you get my point. So "say a little prayer for meeee."

By this time next month, I'll be reporting on how my first 2 weeks at the new job are going. And I have a great new series of posts starting January 12, 2012. So get your cameras ready and do your hair, or not. I am going to encourage those of you who read my blog to develop stronger self confidence and love of self and our imperfections. Trust me you'll love it. But more to come in a month. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

Picture of the Month

185 Days Later

Change doesn’t happen in the middle. It only happens when we venture over to the edge and take one small step after another.            -- Karen Sheridan

I’m 40 ½. 6 months into my 40s I find myself at a crossroads. The crossroads feel more like cross hairs, truth be told. This crossroads of mine has proven to be very taxing. But I have learned two things as a result of this time in my life. 

1. Life is too short to be miserable (anywhere).
2. If you are comfortable at work, it's time to go.

Man at the Crossroads, infamous 1934 mural by one of my favorite artists, Diego Rivera. The mural was painted at Rockefeller Center and quickly destroyed after its completion because of its communist viewpoint. Diego got comfortable!

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. Comfort is good at home. It’s not good at our places of employment. The moment something rocks that comfort level and takes you out of your groove, you’re in deep trouble. I have learned that the hard way (and so did Diego). But I’m perceptive and adaptable and those characteristics have proven helpful to me as I do all I can to learn all I can to make myself marketable. Do I sound overly cryptic or enigmatic? Well that is intentional. I have some major changes happening in the next month and I am very excited about it all. More to come.

In the meantime, I did a scrapbook page called "12 Things about Me Right Now." They are in no specific order and they are by no means comprehensive, but it’s always a good idea to take stock of you, even if it’s not about the profound stuff in life.

1. Scrapbooking, sleep, and watching TV relax me.
2. Michael’s Italian Restaurant on Nostrand and Avenue R in Brooklyn is my favorite local spot.
3. I shop at Target almost ever weekend.
4. My favorite color is red, but I love earth tones to decorate the house.
5. I worry about my money, my job and my weight.
6. I’m hooked on the Twilight Saga.
7. And I love any and every cop show on TV right now.
8. The trunk of my car is full of clothes that I need to give away.
9. My ideal Friday night is quiet.
10. My ideal Saturday is to run errands in the morning and be home to chill by the mid afternoon.
11. My ideal Sunday is to never step out of the house.
12. The new year is going to bring big and wonderful changes.

Definitely not a Diego mural and definitely not Communist.

Photo of the Month, wink wink:

150 days

Top 5 Things a Woman (i.e. ME) Should Know before Turning 40 (and didn't)!

1. Bra Fitting - Really? It took 40 years to get a proper bra fitting? It should be on the agenda with the birds and the bees conversation.
2. 5% chance of getting prego at age 40 - TMI you say? I feel it's important to educate my fellow 40 year olds. 5%? Well at 20 it only 25%. At least that's what the Today Show "experts" said. But at 20, the energy levels are at 100% and at 40 energy is barely at 25%. I'll leave it at that because I know you know what I'm talking about!
3. After you turn 40, it's harder to get a new job. And that is not necessarily due to do the economy. So make sure you moisturize. It keeps you looking young. If you look 30 when you interview, you should be fine because they aren't allowed to ask your age in an interview.
4. It's harder to walk in heels. At least in my case. Maybe that's just me and my larger posterior, but I just can't last in heels as long as I could have even 5 years ago. I love my heels and refuse to part with them for a new collection of Easy Spirit sensible shoes. I just can't do it. I already have a few pairs of Minnetonkas and that's bad enough!
5. I love TV. And I love sleep. How are these things related you ask? I can barely stay up past 10 pm and that's when some of my favorite shows are on. Thank you DVR inventor! I can't sleep past 7 or 8 am on the weekends.  So you see I can't fully enjoy my prime time TV shows and I can't get the proper rest on weekends. This, I believe, is a consequence of getting older (not old), just older!

So why is this important? I wasn't sure at first. But as I asked myself this question, I opened my new little book that I used to write my last post for inspiration and the first page to open said:

LOVE YOUR EXTRAORDINARY SELF.

My ladies over 40, be sure to drink to that. Toast your extraordinary selves. We were extraordinary at 20 and 30 so logic tells me, you are just (if not more) extraordinary at 40. CHEERS!

Picture of the Month

This kid is turning into quite the car guy.

He made a bee line right for the Mustang and struck a pose.

And YES, he's ONLY 4!