When It IS Officially Winter

Some say it isĀ not officially winter until it snows. Well it may not be completely true because we know that winter begins onĀ the 21st of December. However, it is indeed true that snow is one of the most distinctive visible evidence of winter.

It is as if winter could have had a trademark, snow would be the right one to claim it. Just for the simple reason that it only snows during winter.Ā Many would notĀ appreciate winter the same way they do if it was only cold and windy. ThusĀ many people mostly appreciate it because snow makes winter beautiful and interesting. It could also be that because snow is the mostĀ enjoyableĀ and unique part of winter that many look forward to see and experience. Coming from a tropical island, I cannot hold myself from getting excited about seeing snowfall. It is one of those things I never get tired of seeingĀ because each snowfall is magical and itĀ has its own different story.


To reach your ideal destination, you must take the right journey.

a snowy city street

Photo taken in Brooklyn

 

Snowy days make everything beautiful.

a snowy city streetPhoto taken in Queens

 

You can take the easy roads in life, but the challenging ones are always the most interesting.

a snowy city streetPhoto taken in Queens

 

Waiting for the train to come after snowfall isĀ even more interesting.

a snowy city train trackPhoto taken at The Highline

 

The Art of Inexpensive Fine Dining

Image by: Simon Pielow

Image by: Simon Pielow

In the hustle and bustle of our tedious schedules with school, work, or personal responsibilities, we sometimes forget to treat ourselves to a splurge every now and then. We probably have all dreamt of having the chance to eat at a fine dining restaurant especially as New Yorkers as New York is prospering in terms of the culinary scene. But with holidays such as Valentineā€™s Day approaching, it puts an impending pressure to impress by way of expensive outings or gifts. But as Restaurant Week has now come to an end and is over before the Valentineā€™s festivities. Restaurant Week began January 18 and concluded on February 5, 2016. This week is devoted to reducing the normal pricing of fine dining restaurant for about three weeks to purchase a prix-fixe menu which varies in prices. Lunch costs only twenty-five dollars while dinners costs thirty-eight dollars, reservations are highly recommended as many restaurants will receive a high demand of customers. The best days to reserve is between Monday thru Wednesday as there is lower demand and will have more available reservations rather than Thursday and into the weekend.

A prix-fixe menu, literally means a fixed priced menu, which is a three-course meal that consists of an appetizer, entrƩe, and dessert as beverages, tip or tax are not included in that price. These menus have fewer options but are more cost efficient in the end. So even if you miss restaurant week, you can still choose this option to save on restaurant all year long but there will be another restaurant week in the summer. Although, the dates have not been released yet, it will most likely be in mid-July to the beginning of August.

The Chicken Kiev at Gotham Bar & Grill (Image by: Brianna Vasquez)

The Chicken Kiev at Gotham Bar & Grill
(Image by: Brianna Vasquez)

I understand that with the financial struggles of college or other financial burdens, it can be difficult to find not only the time but money to contribute to splurging on a culinary outing. Personally, I struggle with this notion as I never like to spend money only save it to eventually have plenty of savings. But recently, I was talking with my mom who explained to me that while savings are important to afford certain debts that need to be paid accordingly. It is also important to put some savings just for yourself to splurge on whether it be a CD youā€™ve been obsessed with or a candy bar youā€™ve been craving. You have to splurge on yourself every now and then because after all the hard work you endured, you deserve it. I am still trying to abide by this concept although it is hard, I find that I am more motivated and dedicated to completing certain tasks as I set personal goals for myself to achieve in order to be rewarded by way of something as simple as watching a movie on opening day.

Comment below to share items that you like to reward yourself with in the hectic madness of our lives.

Is That Any of Your Business?

There is an uprise in new buildings and you neighbors are being scammed and removed from their homes. You are in a stable home. Ā Is your surroundings any of your business?

It occurred to me that the younger generations aren’t as involved with their environment as they should be. I don’t mean knowing everyone in their building, knowing the name of the guy at the corner store or being at every “mix.” We…. yes I am only 24 so I sorta am considered to be apart of said generation… We need to know more about whatĀ is happening in our community as well as being more accountable for the actions of those who reside or try to take over it

Seeing my social responsibility and drive to help others, two elders of Linden Houses, on separate occasions, asked me to be apart of a few community events. Because I had a lot on my plate I declined. That was two years ago and I regret it. Now I am trying to be on my community board and help out the gentrifying east New York community. I want to save the essence of the neighborhood and keep my community looking the same and stop the several evictions, removals, scams, and making the neighborhood unaffordable. I am also looking to be part of my community board, where at lived most of my life, Brooklyn cb5.

I am telling all of you to find you local community board and to at least go to a few meetings per year. Get involved. Know what is happening, especially if it’s going to damage or enhance your current community. It may end up affecting you somehow.

Here is images from the last community meeting on public safety, rezoning, and more

speakers with an audience a speaker with an audience a speaker with an audience a speaker with an audience


QUESTION TO THE AUDIENCE:Ā Now I ask you….. Would you take responsibility or will you ignore what is going on around you?

 

Stay tuned next week to read 5 steps on How to Start a Business

The Softer Side

a stock image of a fuzzy fabric laptop and a fuzzy cup of coffee

Image Credit

A recent study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities reported that long-term career success comes from demonstrated proficiency in skills and knowledge that cut across all majors. Yet one of the major complaints by employers is that graduates do not have the soft skills needed to keep the job. Employers also say the skills that are lacking are more important to an individualā€™s success at their company than his or her undergraduate major. Ā A Career Builder Survey supports the claim that companies are looking for employees with people-oriented soft skills and are becoming more and more concerned about the ā€œskills gapā€ in todayā€™s workplace.

The fact is, far too many graduates do not know what soft skills are. Although itā€™s a common term, very few students have heard of it. I am not saying that colleges donā€™t teach any soft skills but there seems to be a void (or rather, a disconnect) between academic performance and job performance. While it is important to have knowledge and skills for specific fields, skills in critical thinking, writing and communication, and analytical reasoning are just as, if not more, important. Think about it! The most crucial skills needed for success and most graduates have never heard of them. But how can students develop and practice something that they have not been taught?

Well there is good news and all is not lost. In fact, there is so much opportunity to gain the skills we need and it starts with us. Instead of waiting for someone else to teach us, we can teach ourselves. The best place to start is by reading and engaging in professional learning activities that will result in long-term benefits. Whether you like e-books or paper books, its usefulness cannot be understated and will allow us to internalize and practice what we learn and advance our knowledge and soft skills.

I know that many of you will not have time to read beyond the required reading for school and it can be quite overwhelming with so much to do. Also being “creatures of habit”, we are used to having someone teach us. But, if we start by taking responsibility to change the way we think, our actions will also change. Thatā€™s why I am writing this blog. This will be my way of bringing to you just some of whatā€™s available out there to help you stand out from the crowd and give you the competitive advantage.softskillsImage Credit

What are the Most Important Soft Skills?

Free Activities

 

A few days ago a colleague and I were talking about how there are many free or inexpensive activities in New York City. However, the tourists are actually the ones who take advantage of them more than the locals. There’s even an “IDNYC” card you can sign for and get a free one-year membership for a curated list of cultural institutions in New York.

Last year was my first time taking the Staten Island ferry during sunset, believe it or not. Recently I went back again, but this time with a few friends which was an amazing experience as always.


“The irrationality of a thing is not an argument against its existence, rather a condition of it.”

-Nietzche

“Enjoy life today, yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.”

-Unknown

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“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”

-William Morris

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“We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.”

-George Bernard Shaw

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”

-H. Jackson Brown Jr

The Revolution

a card that says "And so begins the revolution"

“The funny thing about this is… My dad bought this Roku thing as soon it released and it was around the timeĀ I started finals in my Associate’s year. He unboxed it and out came this quote card right here. At the time IĀ had strong emotions towards changing the world, especially for the homeless.

So everytime IĀ look at it, I get motivated. I don’t know, I just kind of love how simply it’s phrased. It’s weird, but it spoke to me so IĀ choose to keep it around. I feel good about the future to come.”
Student Name: A. A.
Major: Computer Science
Age: N/A

Virtues from Motherhood: A Full Time Life

Everyone in life has goals, dreams or aspirations of what they aim to achieve in life. People make plans and timelines to accomplish these things with the hope that they wonā€™t be derailed or rerouted along the way. Reality however tells us that isnā€™t how things work and my life is testament to it. At 18 years old, in my very first semester of college I found out that I was pregnant. That was one of the most emotional days of my life; fear, anxiety, excitement and confusion overwhelmed me. How could I raise a baby? Would I be a good mom? What would happen to my goals and plans for myself?

Ultimately I decided to have the baby, a little girl I named Ava. After weighing my options and listening to the opinions and advice of my close friends and family I decided that I made an adult choice and I would just arrange my life goals around raising a daughter. To my surprise that was far easier said than done and I found myself overwhelmed with a newborn and a full time college schedule. I dropped out of John Jay College when Ava was 9 months old and didnā€™t return to college until 2013. Dropping out of college was a difficult and defeating choice for me and I felt lost and unmotivated after. I felt like Iā€™d failed myself and my family and most of all Ava. My biggest fear was that I wouldnā€™t be someone she looked up to or admired and that sheā€™d feel I was a quitter. So at 23 I rolled my sleeves up and went back to college, albeit no easy task while working full time but I was determined to finish what Iā€™d started.

In June of 2015 at 25 years old I finally earned a college degree, an Associates in Business Administration. I didnā€™t have plans to go on for my bachelors but my advisor and English professor encouraged me to keep going and recognize my own potential. I am so glad I continued onto City Tech because in one semester I have met such amazing people and made life long friends. I have met professors who believe in and encourage me and make me feel that my goals are possible.

That is why I am writing this blog I want other moms or even other parents who are working and going to school while raising a child that this is possible and you can do it. I want anyone whoā€™s been told to give up, go home or quit to read my experiences and feel inspired or reach out for support. My high school guidance counselor told me that I would never get any type of college degree being a teen mom that I should forget college and go find a full time job. Not only was she insanely unprofessional, she was wrong because I earned my degree and Iā€™m working on a second. So whoever you are, whatever youā€™re doing know that it is possible and you will succeed because we all have the power inside of us to do so despite the struggles that we have endured. Remember the word impossible itself says ā€œIā€™m possibleā€.

Comment Below and share your story. Have you ever faced adversity and triumphed? Are you a parent in school? Share your story Iā€™d love to hear and get to know my followers!