Sunday update: Amazon really meant it... it was a one-day sale, and all of the prices below have gone back up. I will tell you, though, that even at $23 ($19.55 with Subscribe & Save), Amazon's price beats the one I see in the grocery stores.
From time to time, I've posted about my Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker, and lamented that they still don't have one at my office. This week, I noticed that I'm down to my last few K-cups and coincidentally received my very first payout from Amazon Associates (see the Golden Snitch widget in my sidebar) as a gift card in the amount of $11.04 for a year of hard work. This morning I received an e-mail alert from Amazon that they're having a Friday only sale on the ones I like. Hit the link for big savings on:
Gloria Jean's K-Cup Flavor Variety: This variety pack included several of my favorite flavors, including Butter Toffee, Cappucino, Hazelnut, French Vanilla and Swiss Chocolate Almond. 48-count package on sale today only for $19.00, and you can get them for only $16.15 (about 33 cents per cup) if you "subscribe" to receive them every 1 t0 6 months (hint hint, you can cancel your subscription at any time).
Coffee People K-Cups Extra Bold Donut Shop Coffee: I've never tried this one but it sounds incredibly good, and with a 48-count package on sale today for only $18.00 ($15.30 or 32 cents per cup with Subscribe and Save) it's irresistable.
Those are my Friday picks, but check out the Friday Sale for yourself! And if you don't mind, please use my links in this post and my sidebar... it won't cost you anything and I can try to earn more than $11.04 from Amazon over the next year.
When Rex returned home from his San Francisco trip earlier this month, he brought me Jay McInerney's new collection of short stories, How It Ended, for Mother's Day. I've been hooked ever since and have a story to tell... but the train is about to go into a tunnel and I will lose my Internet connection before I finish... more later!
Later, back on the train... I've always had a strange connection to Jay McInerney... it feels like we live strangely parallel lives, or that he lives my life before I do, from Syracuse University to the Meatpacking District in the Far West Village to The Good Life, his September 11th novel. Though as I read the story that turned into his first novel, Bright Lights, Big City, I remarked to Rex that I'm no closer to Bolivian Marching Powder today than I was when I first read the novel in the 12th grade... and while the last of the transvestite hookers hadn't left the West Village by the time Rex and I moved into a little apartment on Bethune Street in 1996, they had all been replaced by the Hudson River Park playground and pricey boutiques by the time we left our West 12th Street loft for the Roxiticus Valley in 2003.
Saturday, May 23, 2009 I'm reading the first of the short stories, "It's Six A.M. Do You Know Where You Are?" in the early light of day on the porch in Bay Head. I'm reminded what an amazing writer he is, how his words come together to make me feel like I'm there in the moment. "You were the boy and she was the girl, your college sweetheart. You weren't famous yet, but you had the rent covered, you had your favorite restaurant where the waitresses knew your name and you could bring your own bottle of wine... You didn't know how soon it would be over, that within a year she would go back to Michigan to file for divorce."
Ah, The Dance... "Our lives are better left to chance, I could have missed the pain, but I'd've had to miss the dance."
Rex and I just dropped the girls off a little late for school after driving back from our beach house in Bay Head, NJ. We had such a perfect weekend that I missed Music Monday and didn't even turn on my computer for three days... but now we're back, with lots to report on our favorite Bay Head and Roxiticus Valley summer fun. I'm energized for a busy work week, and will hope to catch up on my posting in the midnight hour. Hope all of you had a terrific weekend!
I'm really just getting started on this post, as I'm sneaking it in from work on a very busy day. However, as you might guess from the title and my state of mind over the past couple of weeks, I'm intrigued by the concept of emotion and the human brain.
When I was growing up, I was a tomboy who never cried... and that was the case at least through my college years. These days, and I'm not sure when it started, I can find myself in tears over serious real life issues, or a Disney movie. I think all of this emotion makes me a better, more real, person.
I found myself sympathizing with another mom in the ladies room on a break from the Alvin Ailey performance on Mother's Day at NJPAC. When her 7-to-10 year old daughter asked her why she was crying during the first act, the mom told her she was moved to tears by the performance. The young daughter just shook her head and laughed at her in that "oh, mom" way my girls do.
If I try to understand whether emotion comes to us via "nature" or "nurture," I don't get very far, either. While both of my parents had much better reasons than I've ever had to cry, they never once broke down in front of me when I was growing up.
I find that in my predominantly male investment banking business environment, I tend to get mad rather than sad, which makes me a much more successful professional -- better to be seen as a pit bull than as a stereotypical member of the weaker sex.
This week's Music Monday on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives is dedicated to London's beloved second grade teacher, who is moving away at the end of the school year. I've had a huge hole in my heart for the past two weeks, but "The Dance" is a song that reminds me to focus on how London has been blessed with the once in a lifetime experience of spending a year with an amazing teacher who changes your life, shows you how much fun learning can be, encourages you to soak it all up like a sponge, and lives on in your memory long after you reach adulthood.
I was first introduced to The Dance about 17 years ago by a long distance romance, a country music disc jockey in Boise, Idaho, who was trying to tell me goodbye. I used the song a few years later to explain to Rex how I felt when I thought he wasn't strong enough to stay with me... thankfully, that "Dance" had a surprise happy ending.
I'm leading with the lyrics instead of the video this week, since the video I found on YouTube doesn't really fit, but I hope you'll turn it on and listen to the words:
"Looking back on the memory of The dance we shared beneath the stars above For a moment all the world was right How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye? And now I'm glad I didn't know The way it all would end, the way it all would go Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain But I'd've had to miss the dance Holding you I held everything For a moment wasn't I the king If I'd only known how the king would fall Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all And now I'm glad I didn't know The way it all would end the way it all would go Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain But I'd've had to miss the dance Yes my life is better left to chance I could have missed the pain but I'd've had to miss the dance"
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
Another great shot from Maddie's class trip to the Bronx Zoo... the kids called this a "piggy back ride" and none of the chaperones set 'em straight, they're only in first grade after all...
Now all of my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives know that I love it here in Mendham, New Jersey, so I'm not really claiming to be "stuck." However, given my frequent complaints about my not so high speed Comcastic Internet service and frequent cable issues, both here and at our beach house in Bay Head NJ, my title had a nice ring to it. Meanwhile, out there in St. Louis, Charter Cable’s Ultra60 Mbps service has proven to be one of the fastest in the United States. Currently available to those lucky subscribers in St. Louis, Ultra60, along with other Charter high speed products, will be rolled out to other areas of the United States throughout the year 2009. I'm headed over to the Ultra60 Information Page to find out when I'll have a high speed Internet choice here in the Roxiticus Valley.
Charter’s Ultra60 Mbps service is part of the company’s strategy to provide their customers with the fastest Internet speed available at a time when it is critical to have a high-speed connection for blogging, EntreCard dropping at friends' sites, uploading and sharing photos, and accessing multimedia sites. The Ultra60 speed will enable Charter subscribers to use the Internet in lots of new ways for work and play, such as watching movies, gaming, and skipping the train trip in to NYC by telecommuting with mega-files and much more at super high speeds. At 60 Mbps, I know I'll find the Internet to be a completely different experience – instead of creeping along from one blog to the next, while waiting for large e-mails to upload or download, I'll be able to multi-task the way I do in real life.
And just for my blogosphere buddy, Phatalera, Charter has nicknamed their new high speed services "the Phatband" and they're planning to take broadband to the next level this year, rolling out more super-fast Phatband speeds that will make DSL look like the new dial-up Internet service. Join Charter’s Twitter Feed to find out when the Phatband is coming to your town!
The weather was a little iffy yesterday, but that didn't stop Maddie and her class from having a great time on the First Grade class trip to the Bronx Zoo. I was lucky enough to chaperone, and I'll be sharing some more photos as soon as I get a chance to upload them. On your right you'll see Norma the Tiger.
Below, Maddie and her girlfriends agreed that the Polar Bear was their absolute favorite. They all wanted to bring him home to the Roxiticus Valley, but there wasn't enough room on the bus.
Other bloggers have been posting prom pictures (their own, their kids', their grandkids'), making me nostalgic for the good time I never had (and perhaps no one ever has, except on the Disney Channel). When I was a high school junior, my boyfriend was away at college; when I was a senior, my boyfriend was older yet, and the prom couldn't have been further from my mind.
I heard our prom's theme song on Sirius Satellite Eighties on 8 the other day and it reminded me of a good friend's date who had a little too much to drink from a flask at the prom, stripped naked and ran off through the woods. My 25th high school reunion is coming up this summer, and I look forward to reminiscing now that those experiences are safely in our collective past.
Now that London has already attended her first school dance (The Mendham Township Elementary School Lemon Ball, put on by the Tiger Leaders for 2nd through 4th graders, with proceeds benefitting Alex's Lemonade Stand), I know it is just a matter of time before I'll be [standing on the front porch with my shotgun and] seeing my two daughters off to their proms. I know I've been corny lately, including a post of Miley Cyrus singing The Climb over on my Bay Head Blog, but I couldn't resist this video from Disney's High School Musical 3.
London and Maddie love to sing along, pretending they are Troy and Gabriella:
[Gabriella] Take my hand, take a breath Pull me close and take one step Keep your eyes locked on mine, And let the music be your guide.
[Troy, Gabriella] Won't you promise me (now won't you promise me, that you'll never forget) We'll keep dancing (to keep dancing) wherever we go next
(chorus) It's like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do And with every step together, we just keep on getting better So can I have this dance (can I have this dance) Can I have this dance?
[Troy] Take my hand, I'll take the lead At every turn you'll be safe with me Don't be afraid, afraid to fall You know I'll catch you through it all
[Troy, Gabriella] And you can't keep us apart (even a thousand miles, can't keep us apart) 'Cause my heart is (cause my heart is) wherever you are
(chorus) It's like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do And with every step together, we just keep on getting better So can I have this dance (can I have this dance) Can I have this dance
[Gabriella And Troy] Oh no mountain's too high, no ocean's too wide 'Cause together or not, our dance won't stop Let it rain, let it pour What we have is worth fighting for You know I believe, that we were meant to be
(chorus) It's like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you (like you) It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do (way we do) And with every step together, we just keep on getting better So can I have this dance (can I have this dance) Can I have this dance?
Can I have this dance? Can I have this dance?
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be DELETED without prejudice.
It’s official… as I posted over on Roxy's Best Of... Peapack-Gladstone, NJ, I’ve decided on a complete repeat of last year, also known as a second annual Mother’s Day tradition. After an amazing Mother’s Day 2008 with Alvin Ailey at NJPAC, we practically bought our tickets for the 2009 Mother’s Day performance on the spot. The start to last year’s Mother’s Day celebration was the perfect brunch at Limestone Cafe in Peapack, NJ. Tonight, as we were driving over to my mom’s house to deliver an early Mother’s Day dinner, Rex stopped at the Limestone Cafe, made our reservations for tomorrow morning, and brought me this year’s scrumptious brunch menu.
Weird, huh? I'm afraid our swimming pool looks and smells like a pond at the moment, but it was cute to see a mom and dad duck paddling around, maybe looking for a place to nest and raise their ducklings?
Scotty, I'll do my best to keep the crows away, though they already stole nine (9!!!!!) of Maddie & London's 36 hard boiled Easter eggs from the Easter Bunny's hiding spots in our backyard.
I'm getting an early start on my Mother's Day weekend with a re-post of the special gift I received from London last year... both London and Maddie have promised me special Mother's Day surprises this weekend, so we'll see if I have what it takes to be Mother of the Year two years running??!!
In the meantime, we'd like to wish a Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there... enjoy your special day!
Over the past few days, I've read quite a few posts by my fellow bloggers reminding us that it is Be Kind to Animals Week. My daughter Maddie wants a dog more than anything in the world, and would probably invite all the dogs from St. Huberts Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ, over to our house in the Roxiticus Valley so she could be kind to each and every one of them. Unfortunately, her sister London still suffers from dog allergies, so the closest we'll get right now is BringPetsHome, a fundraising Web site specifically created to help shelter animals, where you can shop online at a collection of highly popular retailers, with a portion of the purchases on the site going to animal shelters for food and medical care.
This week, at the Home Again Web Site, they supporting the American Humane Association's Be Kind to Animals Week by donating a dollar to bringpetshome.com for every pet registered to the HomeAgain program from May 3 through May 9, 2009. HomeAgain encourages pet owners to “be kind” to their animal friends through microchipping -- outfitting them with a permanent form of proper identification that cannot fall off or become impossible to read -- and in the process contribute to the care of shelter animals. HomeAgain is a comprehensive national pet recovery service that goes beyond microchipping and has helped recover more than 500,000 lost pets. For an annual subscription fee, HomeAgain members have telephone access to pet recovery specialists and 24/7 emergency medical assistance at 1-888-HomeAgain. The program also includes up to $3,000 (less a $50 deductible) in medical pet insurance for lost pets and up to $500 in reimbursable travel expenses for pets found more than 500 miles from home. So if you have a dog, cat, or special pet friend, send Maddie a picture and visit HomeAgain to give your pet the best chance of being reunited with you when lost.
I know it is either early or late for Music Monday, but I'm bluer than blueover some news I've received about a friend and wanted to post this Bon Jovi song as a tribute. While it is not my place to share any details, I have been in tears all morning about her imminent departure. I have never been good at goodbyes, but sometimes there is nothing you can do or say, it's just the way it is.
As I sit in this smoky room The night about to end I pass my time with strangers But this bottle's my only friend
Remember when we used to park On Butler Street out in the dark Remember when we lost the keys And you lost more than that in my backseat
Remember when we used to talk About busting out - we'd break their hearts Together - forever
Never say goodbye, never say goodbye You and me and my old friends Hoping it would never end Never say goodbye, never say goodbye Holdin' on - we got to try Holdin' on to never say goodbye
Remember days of skipping school Racing cars and being cool With a six pack and the radio We didn't need no place to go
Remember at the prom that night You and me we had a fight But the band they played our favorite song And I held you in my arms so strong
We danced so close We danced so slow And I swore Id never let you go Together - forever
Never say goodbye, never say goodbye You and me and my old friends Hoping it would never end Never say goodbye, never say goodbye Holdin' on - we got to try Holdin' on to never say goodbye
I guess you'd say we used to talk About busting out Wed break their hearts Together - forever
I used this song back in college to write an essay that I sure wish I could find right now. Unfortunately, back in the day, we had typewriters and cave drawings rather than computers, so I will have to sort through my boxes in the basement for a hard copy.
I'm starting to feel like a lovesick teenager with a mix tape, but just like those mix tapes and journal entries back in the '80s, writing it down makes me feel better.
After you go I can catch up on my reading After you go I'll have a lot more time for sleeping And when you're gone Looks like things are gonna be a lot easier Life will be a breeze you know I really should be glad
But I'm bluer than blue Sadder than sad You're the only light This empty room has ever had Life without you is gonna be Bluer than blue
After you go I'll have a lot more room in my closet After you go I'll stay out all night long if I feel like it And when you're gone I can run through the house screaming And no one will ever hear me I really should be glad
But I'm bluer than blue Sadder than sad You're the only light This empty room has ever had Life without you is gonna be Bluer than blue
I don't have to miss no TV shows I can start my whole life over Change the numbers on my telephone But the nights will sure be colder
And I'm bluer than blue Sadder than sad You're the only light This empty room has ever had Life without you is gonna be Bluer than blue
One good turn deserves another... my good blogosphere buddy, Mariuca, was gracious enough to pass along her Over the Top blogging award, and since she posted about B's little kitchen sink incident, we've been ribbing her quite a bit about her plumbing abilities, so I've created an award just for Genie Princess... and for anyone who has a funny plumbing story to tell. If you're Over the Top in either category, please help yourself to one of these awards.
Over the Top Blog Award:
To receive this award your blog must be exceptional in design and content; presenting us with new knowledge, a sense of style, or at times just giving us a smile!
Each recipient of the award will acknowledge the person who honored them with the award and then go to http://overthetopaprons.blogspot.com to copy/paste the award : Your Blog is Over The Top. (located on the right sidebar, scroll down)
Over the Top Plunger Award:
To receive this award all it takes is a sense of humor
Thankfully, I have friends like Susan and Mike to assure me that it's just not true... but today I came home from the office wailing, "I've got Thomas Jefferson hair!" And I'm not talking about young Tom's natural head of strong red hair, I am speaking of the powdered wig.
Back in March, I came home from jury duty, crawled into my bed, ate a whole box of Girl Scout thin mints and declared that my hair had gone grey due to the (unwarranted) fear of being called to do my civic duty just weeks after starting a new job... do any of you remember Twin Peaks, when the dead girl's (Laura Palmer) father realizes what he's done and his hair goes white?
Well, it turns out that it's all about my new office, and the hideous fluorescent lighting in the ladies' room. I probably do need to step up my special two color Victory Hair highlight treatment from Madeline, and maybe try a little root touch-up to hide the TJ-grey in the interim.
Thanks to First Commenter Mariuca, who assures me she doesn't believe my tall tales about my bad hair day.
Rex is away tonight, traveling on business, so my two sweet little girls are curled up fast asleep in my king size bed with me, reminding me just how much I have to be grateful for this and every Mother's Day. Even though they will probably kick me all night long and steal the covers, London and Maddie are so easy to live with and always bring a smile to my face.
As we look ahead to this weekend, my best friend forever Melissa, whom I have known since we were raising hell as sixth graders at Branchburg Central middle school, is about to receive one of the best Mother's Day gifts ever... a brand new baby girl. Melissa and her husband moved out to California at the end of 2001, so I won't get to see her new baby right away, but Melissa's mom still lives down the street from my mom where we both grew up, so I know it won't be long before Melissa comes east to visit with her three year old son and newborn baby girl.
One of the most meaningful Mother's Day gifts for a mom to be like Melissa is a once in a lifetime opportunity that lasts a lifetime... a truly heartfelt and life changing gift of cord blood banking through Cryo-Cell U-Cord. Rex and I banked both London and Maddie's umblical cord blood when they were born, and it was an easy decision to make. Since 1992, Cryo-Cell has helped over 175,000 families worldwide preserve their newborn's umbilical cord blood for potential use against many diseases. If there's a mom-to-be in your life, why not break with tradition and consider this unique Mother's Day gift?
I haven't really written anything in months, too busy to slow down and sort it all out. Sometimes I think it may be best not to think too much, as if going too far below the surface might cause me to find something that's better left in a locked box. The winter months were dark, but the cherry blossoms and warm weather, combined with "soaring consumer confidence" in April and what feels like an economy that is slowly turning around, have me feeling the same hope that comes with the start of every summer at the beach.
After ten years on our own, Rex and I have landed on our feet, joining our small independent mergers & acquisitions practice with another investment bank run by a former colleague from The Firm and his two partners. I've just been busier professionally than I have in many years, and I hope the level of activity will correspond with productivity. As one of the partners at The Firm once cautioned, "Do not confuse motion with progress." Anyway, I have high hopes and great expectations that we've found the right home for our next ten year run.
As much as I have needed to focus on my "real work" and my family for the past three months, I feel the need to turn back to writing/blogging now as a part of my identity, who I am. While being a wife and a mother may be enough for other women (and please do not doubt that I respect that choice), I have always needed my high-powered investment banking career as an important part of my identity and self-esteem. For the ten years when it was just Rex and me and our nine-year-colleague, Brent, I felt terrific about myself. There were moments of fear and doubt, particularly around September 11th and when our business struggled, but it was all a part of me.
Now, as a part of someone else's firm, while I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to continue my career on Wall Street, I am definitely not as important, so I think about ways to rebuild my self-esteem... a side of me who not only does my time but excels in my career, but another side who finds strength (and fifteen minutes of fame?) in writing and blogging.
This week's Music Monday is a pure Jersey Girl song by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Southside's album, Better Days, came out in 1991, when I was going through a lot of changes, but 18 years later, it is still just as much a part of me. Check out the lyrics to "Coming Back" as my promise to myself and to all of you to be back in the blogosphere in earnest this summer.
Sing along with Roxy:
I still remember, baby Those wild, desperate times Making love in crazy places While the town around us died
I played on broken stages I watched the lonely cry You danced in iron cages For the boys with hungry eyes All those wasted lives
Little by little, baby, we were going down I swore I'd come back for you Come back and buy this town
I'm coming back Back for what's mine I ain't gonna let nobody stop me this time No more running baby, I paid for my crime I'm coming back, baby Back for what's mine
You were standing at the station That rainy night I left You looked so fine, baby I couldn't catch my breath
Once I started running I never asked the cost Too many years and miles To find out what I'd lost Some things can't be bought
Everybody's colder now lt's everywhere I go I'm getting tired of living In a world that's got no soul
I'm coming back Back for what's mine I ain't gonna let nobody stop me this time No more running, baby, I paid for my crime I'm coming back, baby Back for what's mine
I don't want to confuse you If you found something else But I don't want to lose you Just when I found myself
Everybody's colder now lt's everywhere I go I just don't want to live In a world that's got no soul
I'm coming back Back for what's mine I ain't gonna let nobody stop me this time No more running, baby, I paid for my crime I'm coming back, baby Back for what's mine
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
Tomorrow (Sunday, May 3, 2009) following the 9:30 am service at Hilltop Presbyterian Church in Mendham, NJ, a Special Meeting of the Congregation will be held to receive a report from the Pastor Nominating Committee nominating Reverend Robert Bob Heppenstall III for pastor and head of staff. Reverend Heppenstall will be preaching at the 9:30 am service. Following the service a meeting will be held to vote on the nominee and the terms of the pastoral call.
Rex, London, Maddie and I met the new pastor at a "meet and greet" at Hilltop House this afternoon, and hope that the vote tomorrow morning will be a positive one.
Awww.... the jockey, Calvin Burrell, is crying... what a beautiful horse and an amazing ride! 50-to-freakin-one-odds! And in answer to "how surprised were you?" the owner says, "not at all, that was our plan." Good for him.
Our horse, Mr. Hot Stuff, came in 15th out of 19, but the favorite, Friesan Fire, came in second to last.
Getting ready for the Kentucky Derby... London and I like Mr. Hot Stuff, though the odds are not in his favor. In case you don't own a television, we'll let you know how it turns out.
Too thin, too rich, or Have too many pairs of shoes "Never!" Imelda
Who was it that said, "You can never be too thin, too rich, or have too many pairs of shoes?" I don't actually know the answer, maybe Imelda Marcos? London Tipton? Anyway, I was inspired by the combination of this online find and last night's Art and Poetry Night at Mendham Township Elementary School to write the quickie haiku and share it with all of you.
Anyway, you can find some crazy things online... check out these pink snake peep toe sling back platform heels. The description on the Ami Clubwear web site promises me a faux snake skin (When's the last time you saw a snake that color? Certainly not in the Somerset County 4-H reptile club!) upper in a platform heel style with a peep toe, crisscross vamp strap, and sling back strap with elastic band. 1 1/4 inch two tone platform, 5 1/2 inch wood like heel. Five and one half inch heels... ladies, that would take Roxy well over six feet tall and I would fall on my sweet, pear shaped a** (I feel another haiku coming on) if I ever tried to wear five and a half inch heels, even for a minute.
Fell on my sweet a** In a pair of pink snake heels Still shaped like a pear
It's Friday night, and we're kicking back in the Roxiticus Valley with some family poetry and five star songs on the iPod, staying up north this rainy weekend. What are your plans?
Sooooo close... but I don't think we'll finish our jigsaw puzzle before bedtime. Maddie got a really cool 300-piece jigsaw puzzle for her birthday back in March. What's unique about it is that the pieces are two sizes... little ones and medium size ones. The bigger pieces take up half the puzzle and connect in the middle to the little ones. We'll post a photo of the completed puzzle tomorrow, when we may have the perfect weather for a rainy day project.
It's Friday night in the Roxiticus Valley, and London, Maddie and I are happy to have Rex back for the weekend after he spent almost the whole week at a private company Board meeting down in the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC area. Although we miss Rex when he's away, he sits on two Boards and really enjoys the work.
DO YOU WANT A BOARD SEAT?
According to Lightship Research Co. www.lightshipresearch.com. There are approximately 60,000 publicly traded companies and an additional 20,000 private companies with boards of directors in the United States. This results in a total of 80,000 boards nationwide. Experts estimate that the average board tenure lasts approximately eight years, meaning that in any given year, up to 10,000 board seats must be filled.
The board is responsible for planning the long-term future of a corporation and work side by side with management. Together, the board and the management strive to align long-term goals and the company’s vision with attainable short-term objectives. The board will often work closely with the CEO - the relationship between board members and the CEO/management team is complex and very important. Before even considering accepting a board seat, you may want to ask yourself:
• Do I believe in the cause/vision of this organization? Am I at the particular stage of my life to add the responsibilities of board membership? • What can I personally contribute to the board? • What do I hope to gain from being a member of the board?
If you are interested in learning more or would like to become a board member you may want to consider LIGHTSHIP RESEARCH.
, and lamented that they still don't have one at my office. This week, I noticed that I'm down to my last few K-cups and coincidentally received my very first payout from Amazon Associates (see the Golden Snitch widget in my sidebar) as a gift card in the amount of $11.04 for a year of hard work. This morning I received an e-mail alert from Amazon that they're having a Friday only sale on the ones I like. Hit the link for big savings on:
