Rss Feed

‘Daily Life’ Category

  1. A Fine Line

    April 24, 2010 by Leanne

    I’ll be brief today.  My thoughts this morning:

    It’s a fine line…

    Between being arrogant to being confident.

    Between being too personal to being social in a business world.

    Between being polite and non-intrusive to appear uncaring.

    What are your fine lines?

    Category Daily Life | Tags: | 1 Comment

  2. It’s “Working Out”

    April 18, 2010 by Leanne

    I’ve been very busy the past month creating my new workout room in my home.  My gym closed down last November with no notice. One morning I went to workout and the doors were locked with a sign stating they were closed for repairs.  Then a week later I received a phone call that they indeed were permanently closed.   This was a big loss for me. This was a boutique gym that was easy to get to, only 2 miles from my home and a place where everyone was familiar and comfortable with each other.  It had every strength machine you could want and plenty of cardio equipment. For goodness sakes, even Tiger Woods worked out there. OK, maybe that’s not such a good endorsement. LOL.
    Anyway, the club didn’t leave us high and dry.  They worked out an arrangement with the YMCA to transfer all our memberships there. I was ecstatic about this and immediately went to the nearest Y to sign up. Did I mention that in October before they closed I had just renewed for an entire year? This news meant I have a year’s membership at the Y! While as exciting as this sounds, it turned out to not be so great. The closet YMCA is 6.5 miles from home, 3 times as far as the old gym. With the extra miles and stoplights to get there it would have added an additional 30 minutes in the morning to go there (round trip). Even worse, the Y was constantly packed with people at all hours of the day.  This place was very popular.  And I was also surprised to see how much less  fitness equipment they had.  The Y is great for families – it offers so much for them.  Plus it has great amenities that I would probably never use.  After about 6 or 7 visits to the Y, I gave up. :(   All I want is a true hard-core gym with enough equipment that I don’t have to wait in line to workout.

    So, after gaining a few pounds back I determined I needed to get things under control.  I have a room in my house that is totally under-used.  I call it my piano room. It also served as Mikita’s playpen when she was a puppy. I’ve turned this extra room into my new home gym. This is what I’ve been spending the past few weeks working on:

    It has a treadmill, ab crunch machine, 5# 10# and 20# weights.  A bench to do flies and chest press.  A step machine.  A TV and stereo.  And of course, my piano should I just get the urge to sit down and belt out a tune or two.

    I worked hard, too, to make it appealing to me to go in there.  I’ve decorated it with a black and white theme. I got the beautiful rug from Overstock.com at a great price with $2.50 shipping.  It’s one of the thick rugs, not the cheap kind you see at discount stores. I found the gorgeous curtains at an outlet store near the Florida Mall. And the photos on the wall above the bench are pictures of the ocean in Cozumel, taken during our 7-night cruise on the Disney Magic last December.

    How’s it going so far?  It has only been fully put together for about a month but I’ve been faithful.  I miss the variety of equipment found at a normal gym, but this is serving a good purpose.  It’s really all about commitment.  The mirror is my motivator.

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,,,, | 3 Comments

  3. Flower Power

    March 28, 2010 by Leanne

    This morning while walking the dogs I came across a flower sticking through a brick wall that took me back in time a few decades.

    I don’t know what this flower is but I remember it growing along the fence at the daycare center my mom took my brother and me. It was located at the hospital where she worked as an emergency room nurse.  The smell of the flower is distinct. The small buds blossom into a variety of colors. And they attract bees. I remember the daycare play yard located right next to the hospital and alongside a railroad track. The yard was made of mulch and smelled like sawdust.  There were several huge tires we played in plus a sandbox with very gritty sand and a swing set.  I was around 4 – 6 years old.  Isn’t it funny how this flood of memories comes back  just by seeing a flower?

    The rest of the photos are some other flowers we found today on our walk:

    A wall of azaleas in full bloom.

    I think these are pansies.

    This bed lines an entire block – it really is beautiful in person.

    And I proudly display the one LONE flower in my yard. :)

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,,,, | 6 Comments

  4. DC in March

    March 22, 2010 by Leanne

    I just got back from visiting Mike in DC this weekend.  The weather couldn’t have been more spectacular.  We headed to DuPont Circle on Saturday and walked around the White House that night.

    Sunday was the perfect day to be outside so we made the most of it by heading over to the National Mall to check out the happenings.  And happenings are what we found!  At the Mall was a huge march and rally for Immigration Reform.

    There were thousands of people waving flags, holding up posters, chanting and speaking their minds. It was all well organized.

    It was very interesting to watch “live” since my only experiences with anything like this has been via the television news channels. I’ve never seen a protest march in person.  Orlando is not exactly the most outspoken city.

    We wandered from the National Mall over to the Capitol to see what was going on there with the Health Care Reform.  At first it looked like a very sad showing of people.  We saw just a handful of protesters with signs.  Then  we heard a loud roar coming from the other side of the building. As we made our way up the hill and around the trees we found the big anti-health care reform protesters doing their thing.

    It was very cool to be there on that historic day, whether you believe in the bill or not. And we didn’t see any of the mean protesters that made the news – no spitters at this location.

    Lastly, I couldn’t help but snap this photo at the Capitol and consider it for an entry into Glamour magazine’s “Do or Don’t” section or send it to “What Not To Wear”.  Low-rise jeans and low-sitting chairs are not a good mix.

    Have a great week everyone!

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,,,,, | 1 Comment

  5. Most Awesome Dog Video Ever

    March 3, 2010 by Leanne

    This has to be one of the most awesome dog videos I’ve ever seen. It was shot for a Pedigree commercial. I may just have to reconsider dog food brands after seeing this.

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,,, | 2 Comments

  6. Sunday, Icy Sunday

    January 10, 2010 by Leanne

    Temperatures in the 20′s this morning across Central Florida. This has been a cold weather record-breaking week in the Sunshine state. And in my life-long Florida resident memory, I don’t recall as long a stretch of cold weather as we’ve had so far in 2010! Whodathunk I would actually need my near-floor length, quilted long coat that I bought for my trip to snowy Paris 3 years ago. It sure came in handy these last few mornings.

    Tree Ice 3

    Ice droplets formed on my trees and bushes Sunday morning. I woke up at 2:00am remembering I forgot to turn off the sprinkler system which runs every Sunday morning at 4:00am. 

    Tree Ice 2

    Dead Tree

    I am actually very “ok” with this palm tree biting the dust.  I’ve wanted to get rid of it for years because it grows faster than weeds and takes over the yard.  Maybe, hopefully, the freeze got to most of it and I can finally yank it out of the ground.

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,,,, | 2 Comments

  7. Book Ban

    December 2, 2009 by Leanne

    Someone needs to ban me from purchasing any  more books until I catch up reading the ones I already have.

    Books

    Two more books just arrived on my doorstep this week from Amazon.com.  I’ve been very fortunate to meet some wonderful people recently who just happen to be authors as well and I can’t wait to read their books.  I met Gary Vaynerchuk in September at Disney and found him very engaging and interesting.  His new book, Crush It, was just about to hit the shelves.  Gary is nicknamed the “social media sommelier” for building his empire on wine tasting and his wine library by using social media skills and platforms. 

    And then in October I was speaking at BlogWorld Expo where I happened upon Guy Kawasaki.  I had been following Guy for a while (as in following on Twitter and alltop.com) and couldn’t believe that I was actually sitting a table with him having breakfast.  He is an amazing wealth of knowledge and so down to earth. He’s also authored numerous books with the most recent “Reality Check“.  So I had to buy that, too.

    Then there are the Carl Hiaasen books my friend Mike has loaned me. I’ve read two of those and love Carl’s writing!  I’ve got about 4 more to read.

    And then I read on someone’s blog – can’t remember who – about how wonderful the book is about Steve Job’s presentation style. Had to get that, too.

    Bottom line is – I’ve got so many books to read and so little time to read them all. I must be banned from buying any more books until I catch up with these. The great thing is, I am so excited about what I can learn from all of them!

    I’ve got a 5-hour flight to LA coming up soon, maybe I can use that time to get going.

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,,,,, | No Comments

  8. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

    November 26, 2009 by Leanne

    There is so much to be thankful for this year. 

    765e_turkey1

    The beginning of the year definitely had a rocky start given the economy and all that surrounded it.  I am so thankful for my job with Disney and all my friends I’ve made from co-workers to new friends made online to friends made through projects I’ve worked on (Hello Moms Panelists!).  It truly has been an amazing year getting to know such wonderful people. 

    I’m thankful for my friends and family in my personal life. Although my family numbers are very low – in fact you can almost count them on one hand (mom, Uncle Jack, Aunt Betty and some cousins scattered around the country) they still mean the world to me. I wish I saw more of them in person. Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays make me reminisce for the old days when we were kids and the celebrations were huge with 20 or more of us cramming into Grandma’s little 2-bedroom house for the holiday meals. The kids were segregated to the living room eating off card tables while the grown-ups sat at the dining room table. Do they even sell card tables any more?  Card tables and TV trays were staples in every house back then.

    I’m thankful for my best friends (and boyfriend!) The last year and half with Mike has been so much fun. I miss my friend Mike in California and his family – who at one time adopted me into their family circle. I wish we had more hours in the day to talk and catch up like we used to do.  And I’m thankful for my long-time friend Randie who never forgets me on the holidays.  Our friendship is going on 25 years.

    I’m thankful for all my friends from my past I’ve reconnected with through Facebook.  While I hardly ever see any of them in person it is rewarding to see what they’re all doing throughout the year and how their lives have changed over time. I enjoy reading their status updates and smile to see the fun their having with their families.  And if it wasn’t for Facebook I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to attend my high school band’s reunion gathering this summer. Oh yes, that made me cry! I loved band and the comradery it brought. Those were priceless and special friendships.

    And of course I’m thankful for my dogs. They bring such joy to my life despite the 2:00 am bathroom calls.  When Mikita takes a nap with me and lays her head on my shoulder to sleep – it just warms my heart. And poor Jefferson, who’s aging so rapidly in his elderly years – he’s so darn cute with his constant tail wagging just for glancing his way.

    I’m also thankful for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.  What would Thanksgiving Day be without it?

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,,,, | No Comments

  9. Seamstress Leanne

    October 26, 2009 by Leanne

    Ring… Ring…

    Me:  “Hello”

    Caller:  “Hi. I’d like to know if my 3 suits and curtains are ready yet?”

    Me:  “Yes. Come pick them up tonight”

    Ha!! Now those were the kinds of phone calls my grandmother used to get. I would answer her phone in the afternoons. But I can say it’s very doubtful that I will ever be talented enough to get those kinds of calls.

    I decided to revisit my sewing talents.  I used to sew quite a bit back in the 80′s.  I made blouses, skirts, dresses for me and my mom.  The garments were never award winning, but I had the honor of telling everyone that I made them myself.  As time went on, my life got busier and I let go of the hobby. I remember selling my old sewing machine at a garage sale and wondering as the new owner walked away with it if I had made a mistake or not.

    Sewing Machine

    But worry no more.  I lucked out in getting my new machine.  I purchased it through an airline mileage reward program.  It arrived last week and I couldn’t be more excited!  I picked up the sewing table for it at our neighborhood garage sale this weekend for $10 bucks.  What a deal.

    I went to Joanne’s Fabrics this weekend to browse around for fabrics, patterns and ideas.  Oh my – the price of patterns have definitely skyrocketed since the 80′s.  I remember the average price being around $3 each. Not anymore.  The going rate per pattern was $15 – 17! Yikes!   Fortunately, the store was having a huge sale with all the McCall’s patterns on sale for $.99 each.  I purchased the maximum allowed – 10 patterns.  Note to self – keep an eye out for those kinds of sales.  Whoa!

    I’m ready to start my first project.  I bought three different fabrics – all really pretty in the violet/fuchsia/blue color family.  You can be sure I’ll post something here on the outcome.

    Mikita Pattern

    Mikita insists on being part of my new hobby.

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,, | 2 Comments

  10. My Emotional Connection with Coke

    September 18, 2009 by Leanne

     I was involved in an impromptu conversation this week about brand loyalty.  Someone brought up Coca Cola and couldn’t understand why that brand has such a huge following. And not just a huge following but very passionate, too. The company has nearly 4-Million fans on Facebook!     

    ice-cold-coca-colaCoca Cola has been in my life since childhood.  The refreshing soft drink was often used as a reward to say “good job”.  If we got good grades in school or did something extraordinary my mom would take my brother and me to McDonald’s to get us a “Coke” and French fries. Or she’d let us have a Coke with our dinner on special occasions.  My teachers did it, too. I remember in 4th grade I won a contest in my classroom and the teacher walked me down to the teacher’s lounge and rewarded me with an ice-cold Coca Cola from the soda machine. I was on top of the world. You have to remember, school was much stricter back then – no students were allowed to have any kind of soft drink. Only milk and water were available in the lunchroom.  But that day I was lucky enough to have a Coca-Cola.
    I also remember saving my pennies and begging my mom to let me and my best friend ride our bikes up to the convenience store to buy a Coke.  We were often told no, but when we did get a yes – it was cloud nine for us!
    In high school, Coke was in the vending machines. And we drank a lot of it because it was finally available to us without our parent’s permission. Freedom to drink soft drinks. Freedom to have a Coke whenever we wanted. It was all good.  Coke was also prominent at all the high school football games. Coca Cola was everywhere in my childhood.

    And adding to those memories, how could we ever forget one of the most memorable commercials of our time.  Who doesn’t think of Coca Cola whenever they hear “I’d like to teach the world to sing”?

    That is why there is such brand loyalty for Coca Cola. I have an emotional connection with Coke.  It’s part of my life, part of my history.

    Over the years, I’ve drank them all – Coke, Tab, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and overseas – Coke Light.
    My refrigerator today may be filled with Diet Dr. Pepper, but my heart is with Coca Cola.

    Category Daily Life | Tags: ,,, | No Comments

Older Entries
Newer Entries