What Happened To Customer Service

What is customer service in 2015?

Sad to say, I think customer service is a thing of the past.  In many industries, automation has replaced the human worker.  Kind of like what the Apple iPod did to the Sony Walkman.  Replaced.  Made obsolete.  Destined to be a really bad meme one day. 

Banks and credit unions have automatic teller machines (ATM).  The focus is on keeping the machines working and strategically placed.  The focus is not on improving teller’s customer service interactions with customers. 

I frequent a credit union branch where there is ample parking and usually three tellers working to keep the lines running smoothly.  The office is fairly quiet, the employees speak in low tones to the customers.  The overall feel was nice and the tellers used to be pleasant.  Over the last three years, I have seen new tellers cycle in to replace the tellers that were working when I first became a member.  The mood of the office has changed as well.  There was a time when customers were greeted at the front door with a smile and a “good morning”.  I was impressed by this.  This small credit union made a point to give personal service. 

Now, it is difficult to find the customer service person or a teller that looks me in the eyes and greets me.  When I wait in line to receive service from a teller, I may or may not be greeted.  There is little eye contact from the teller.  Often, I have to repeat my transaction request to the teller while she is punching keys on her computer.  When the transaction is complete, the cash back is placed on the counter, the teller says, “here you go”, and her eyes have not left the computer screen.  No thank you, come again.

The branch has a drive thru ATM, an ATM in the front of the branch, and now a new ATM inside the branch lobby.

When I have used the ATM, I placed the card into the slot.  The screen greets me each time, allows me to punch in a transaction or two, and prints out a receipt to go with the “thank you for visiting the credit union” message on the screen.  It is a fast and pleasant experience.

As automation continues to improve and take the place of human workers, I have to wonder.  Is it better to use the ATM so my expectation of good customer service will always be met?  Will the feedback I provide to the credit union branch manager be used to help tellers understand what makes their jobs important?  Will the machines cost tellers their jobs?  Do the tellers care if the machines cost them jobs?  Sometimes I feel like tellers do not care to improve the customer service they provide.  They may be preoccupied with their own thoughts of being replaced by machines to care.

Don't Be So Sensitive...

Seems like nowadays, there is an increased sensitivity people have when reading online comments.  The post can be innocent enough, but there is the chance someone will find offense to a word written or a perceived tone to what was written.  I am conscious of the ability to offend even when I do not intend to offend.   I do not expect others to agree with me.  There is a part of me that believes that anyone can respectively post comments online and be respected in agreement or disagreement.  Reciprocity.  The pin that burst my bubble was a response to a comment I wrote on an online support group page.

Earlier this month I joined an online support group for healthcare workers.  I read the website articles and found them useful.  I clicked on tabs and found that the website offers community resources, referrals to local agencies, and an online support group.  I thought it was a great idea to join the online support group.  A place to share what we do, how we do it, tricks of the trade, and a place to safely vent.  That was the vision I had in my head of what the online support group would be like.

An anonymous profile person wrote a post about how he was going to travel with a loved one who was incontinent.  The person asked for tips from the support group.  I responded first.  I thought I provided good tips and ended the small paragraph with “happy travels”.  My day went on.  One notification later and I was being scolded for using a term that was deemed offensive.  The person scolding me was not the anonymous profile person, she was someone in the online support group.  She used caps and exclamation points.  I thought she went too far by writing a paragraph to correct me.  The post was asking for travel tips, not attack a word day.  Even when I stood by my word, acknowledging the offense and maintaining my use of a medical term, I felt like this person took it too far.

After the experience of unintentionally offending someone online, I learned that I should always feel comfortable posting online, I have no control over how other people read my post, and ultimately it is up to me to be respectful, thoughtful, and stand by my words.

I have to feel comfortable with how I express myself online.  There are words that I use from my background in healthcare.  There are words that I use when expressing happiness over a television show, Netflix series, and music artist.  There are times when the words are a serious tone, a lighthearted tone, a silly tone, and so many more tones.  Don’t get me started on emoticons.  Love em.  If someone finds offense with what I wrote, I have to be able to trust that I was appropriate to the topic when I expressed myself.  I have to know what my intention was and be comfortable with the tone in which I commented.  Most importantly, I  have to know when to apologize.

The people who read my posts will interpret the post with their own thought processes.  So many factors go into how someone can read a comment.  If the person has a great experience with the topic you post, they will likely have a great feeling after reading the comment.  Sometimes they will even give it a like.  If the person has a negative experience with the topic you post, they can reply with a rant about how what you said is wrong, stupid, or otherwise unlike.   There is no way I may plan on how to write a post that does not offend anyone.  How people read the post is out of my control.  I can control me.

When I post online, I try to use words and a tone that is respectful.  That is what I do.  I am not the type of person to just go in on a rude rant free for all, using words meant to hurt.  That is just not what I do in person or online.   With the online support group post, I wrote what I thought was helpful.  I wanted to let the anonymous profile person know there are products to buy and take along with him to make his trip as enjoyable as possible.  I stand by my words, my intention, and my ability to help a fellow healthcare worker.

I enjoy reading posts, comments, and replying with my thoughts. 

Workplace Friendships

Does friendship happen in the workplace?   My answer is based on what I know to be true, from reading about workplace friendships and experiencing workplace friendships.  My answer is no.

A few years ago, I found a temporary, part time job to supplement my income. Before my first day on the job, I began planning how I would deal with co-workers.  The history I have had with co-workers focusing on personal issues rather than work issues made me anticipate that it would happen yet again.  So, I decided that I would begin this new job with a specific and calculated way of interacting with co-workers.  I would not get into personal conversations, I would not link up right away with any one coworkers, and I would not gossip with co-workers about the boss.

On the first day of work, I introduced myself to coworkers.  I made a point to smile, extend my hand, and speak about my background in the business.  If someone began to get personal, I did not answer the question.  I hoped that it would set the tone that I was about getting to work and not getting personal.  I was there to make money, not friends.  There is truth to that statement, even if you are a super friendly person who goes with the flow and answers every question asked of you.  Eventually, it is revealed which coworkers are truly a friend, just friendly, or are not friendly at all to you.   I made a conscious choice to be in control of placing coworkers in a clearly defined box.  You are a coworker.  We will interact during work hours for work purposes. 

Although I was assigned to shadow a coworker, I did not want to blur lines between learning the business from the coworker and being friends with the coworker.  There would be personal chats.  I kept it about business, using friendly tones to discuss what the policies and procedures were and how they made sense in the everyday work flow.

It was tempting to listen to gossip about people on the job, but I had to walk away when I heard the gossiping commence.  I did not want the reputation of being a gossip and find my name involved in some office scandal.  One type of gossip that was to be avoided at all costs was gossip about the boss.  I did not want my name to be attached to malicious, ugly words that were meant to belittle the boss.  Even if I sat around and listened, my name could be mentioned along with the gossip.  As most gossip gets back to the person spoken about, the boss would not care if I was the one speaking the gossip or listening to the gossip.  Either way, I would seem like a bad employee. 

My experiment in office friendships ended well.  I learned about the industry and had a great relationship with the boss.  He asked me to return after the assignment was completed.  The coworkers who seemed to be genuinely decent people, I kept in touch with.  After some time, I felt comfortable getting personal with one person.  I found no joy in gossiping about other coworkers, we were busy enjoying the discovery of things we had in common.  We discovered that we both had common life experiences in July, having to do with a sibling, in the same year.  I do not believe that we would have been able to maintain a healthy friendship while working together.  What do you think about workplace friendships?

Confrontation Part II: Don't Talk About My Natural Hair

Confrontation Part II

Funny how life can be.  You can plan, plan, and plan some more.  That does not mean that your works, your efforts, will eventually lead to a happy ending.  You can work your ass off.  You can study, research, and ask mentors for the right thing to do.  All of that hard work does not necessarily mean that you will see the desired result.

When I planned on confronting a person it did not happen.

Boom.  Nothing.

It felt anticlimactic.  I read about forgiveness, read about communication techniques to engage the respondent, asked people I trust about how to ask questions without sounding like I have already made up my mind in judgement of the respondent.  I did some work about how to tackle a situation so that everyone involved would feel heard and respected.

The person has greeted me with insults.  He said things like “You need to comb your hair” “I’m going to give you some money so you can go to the beauty supply” and “I’m calling the beauty shop to make you an appointment”.  Now, I am quite familiar with capping, ranking, bagging, playing the dozens, and throwing shade.  I grew up in urban San Francisco with a gang load of boys around me who liked to sit around and cap on each other.  Insulting the person, usually beginning with “yo momma” was common.  I have absolutely no problem tossing it back with a “no homie, yo momma…”.  No big deal.  The problem starts when you do not know if you are capping or if you are in a capping situation.  If someone keeps greeting me with some sort of cap, I question that ish.  Does he want to cap?  Does he want to keep a running ass cap every time he sees me?  Like a text thread where you keep adding to it every day.  The backdrop of the caps can occur in my home, my church (!), in a public gathering, in front of mutual friends, in front of his friend but not a friend to me, and other countless places, situations, days. 

From what I can remember, the insults are hurled at me when I am wearing my hair in its natural state.  Wavy, curly, frizzy hair in its natural state.  The way the hair grows out of my scalp.  I’ve always worn my hair natural, before it became called wearing natural hair.  It was just my hair.  I also flat iron my hair, wearing it straight, pin curled, curled with an iron, you name it.  Like I told someone before, I’m versatile like that.  For someone to keep speaking about my natural hair, I want to know the origin of his words.  Are you not liking my natural hair?  Is it a way of expressing what you want to say, which is a critique of my natural hair?  I want to know so I can then let you know.

If it is indeed a cap, well hell, let the capping games begin.  I will let you know why I am a champ.  Don’t get mad when I go in, either.

Natural Hair

Curly, wavy natural hair

Straightened hair

Poufy natural hair

Confrontation and Finding My Voice

Confrontation.

Merriam-Webster defines confrontation as “a situation in which people, groups, etc. fight, oppose, or challenge each other in an angry way” (www.Merriam-Webster.com/dictionary/confrontation).   I used to think a confrontation was a negative thing, something that was supposed to be avoided at all costs, something that I did not want to ever do.  The reality is that confrontation is necessary sometimes.  It does not have to be a negative thing.  The experience of confrontation can be therapeutic for the person who confronts another.  It is therapeutic for me.  I am planning to confront someone.

I can remember about five years ago when I was told a truth about myself that no one had ever told me, in the way that it was told to me.  There was a summer revival at my church.  The energetic guest pastor had given us a week long program, each night seemingly more inspiring than the previous.  On the last evening, the pastor took a few minutes to speak individually to everyone in attendance.  There was a huge circle of people in the sanctuary.  I was in the last half of the circle, so I had plenty of time before the pastor made his way to where I stood.  Waiting in the circle, I became impatient.  I joked with the church member next to me.  She is a fellow Aquarian so we get along well, it is a pleasure to see her and speak with her.  We laughed so loud at one point, someone shot us a stern look that made us sober up.  I was reminded that we were waiting to hear a personalized message and that it was a serious matter.  I can be so immature at times.  By the time the pastor stood before me, I felt his disciplined concentration and he emanated spiritual strength.  He looked me in the eyes and told me “You have to find your voice”.  Those words resonated in my spirit.  Energy flowed throughout my body and I felt good about how I would begin the journey to find my voice.

Today, I decided that I would confront a person who has been saying negative words to me.  He has been repeating the same type of words each time I have seen him over the past (at least) seven times.  That is how many times I could count and specific situations I could remember.  There is no way I am going to speak for him and assume that what he is saying is a joke, is in fun, is a friendly put down (we called it capping back in the day), or a mean spirited attack (fighting words…ahh shoot!).  I decided that when I confront him, I am going to use words that allow him the opportunity to explain himself.  Then I will go from there.  The plan is that I am going to confront him with calmness, with firmness, and with an open mind. 

The confrontation is going to help me find my voice.  I have decided that I am not willing to listen to him say these negative words and not know what he means by them.  I have responded in different ways but have not been satisfied with his response and the continuity of the negative words.  I do not like it when a person is saying negative things to me on a regular basis and I do not know what his intention is.  Once I know, I will deal with him accordingly.

I consider it a confrontation.  It is not a discussion, a talk, or a question and answer session.  It feels more like a confrontation.  There is no negative feeling towards him, just an absolute firmness in my need to address his behavior and hopefully get clarity to what he means.  To find my voice and use it.  Confrontation.

Making a List, Checking it Twice

I feel better after Wednesday, when I was frustrated at myself for not being able to complete a goal list for the first of the month.  After writing about what I thought was bothering me, I took a hot shower from head to toe, and unblocked my mind.  Before the clock struck midnight, I was able to produce a list.

Sometimes, we have to take a moment and focus on what we are doing.  It sounds so easy to do yet it is a difficult thing to do.  To really sit down in silence.  Unplug the laptop, power down the iPhone, music off, refusal to speak to friends, and even ignoring the carrier pigeon that is pecking on the window. Tap tap.  Tap tap.   Fly away, son.  Some people will keep trying to reach you when you do not immediately answer the text they sent.  They will escalate the methods to reach you.  When you finally respond, asking what the heck (I said something not so PG-13) they want, they say something totally stupid like “I didn’t hear from you so I didn’t know what was up”…with what?...”nothing really”…so why did you blow my phone up?...”chill”…no, you chill.  Power off for real, stink face optional.

To figure out what is bothering me, I sit quietly.  All electronics off, no sounds from anything.  I even bribed the pigeons to put the tapping on hold.

I take deep breaths.  I began to relax with some stretches.  I stretched by looking up to the ceiling, chin up and then looking down, chin to chest.  I then rotated my head slowly to the left and right.  Then a shoulder roll forward, a shoulder roll backward.  I kept going until I had stretched and loosened up my muscles.

I cleared my mind of all thoughts.  The desire was to have no concern about how I would word my feelings, I just wanted to know what the feelings were.  I had confidence that I could take a raw emotion and process it down to a business decision.  Like finding a piece of compressed carbon and polishing it until it is a sparkly, clear diamond.

When I felt ready, I let the feelings come out.  How did  I feel about what I was currently doing, where was it taking me, where did I want it to take me, what was an expected discomfort versus what was toxic on the job.  After the rough draft of my feelings poured out, I had something to work with.

My habit is to counter negative feelings with positive reinforcement.  What I mean by that is when I have something that is making me feel bad, down, tired, or any other negative feeling I like to do something to counter it.  For example, I was experiencing stress from feeling like I was not being heard so I decided to counter that feeling with speaking to colleagues in a support group.  To bounce ideas off of people who do the same work as you does wonders for your feelings.  It gives you clarity, you are not harshly judged because these people deal with the same situations that you do, and you feel lifted up.  You can speak freely and you can speak often.  You can find a shoulder to lean on and you can strengthen yourself for when you will be the shoulder to someone else.

After letting off the steam, I was ready to get myself stronger.  I called a friend that I trust to tell every dirty detail and we had a nice dinner.  She listened and let me speak uninterrupted.  She laughed with me.  She asked questions and provided me with wisdom from her own experiences. 

Needless to say, I am brand new after making my list, relaxing my mind, and speaking to my support group.  I will continue on the road to finding ways to bring myself closer to my goals. There is no way I want to let stress defeat me.  I am encouraged and I hope that I was able to encourage someone else.

Making Goals

Did you ever have the kind of day where you question what you are doing?  Where you are going in life, career or personal life?

Today was that kind of day for me.  I felt so down, trying to manage my career and find something to focus on as a goal. I could not think of one goal.  On the first of each month, I try to sit down and make a list of goals.  Today, I failed.  There was not one thing I could think of to write down.  It could be that I was too busy to sit down and make the list, or it could be that today just is not the day that I should be thinking of goals.

When I was a small girl, I used to think of all these fabulous scenarios that I would find myself in as a grown up.  Maybe it's because I had Barbie dolls.  Barbie had everything.  She had a camper, an airplane, a kitchen that had a light up microwave and rotisserie with a browned plastic chicken in it.  My Barbie dressed better than me, with her high heeled pumps and pink plaid mini skirt with jacket.  I wore my sister's hand me downs, even though we had different body styles.  I also had rainbow jeans and my favorite graphic tees, but still, Barbie was coordinated where I was just wearing clothes.  There's a difference.  I wanted to be more like Barbie.  She was always smiling.  She worked wherever she wanted, be it as an airline pilot or the flight attendant.  She had sports cars, a faithful boyfriend, and friends that smiled the same frozen plastic grin.  The child that was me would imagine working wherever I wanted and whatever I wanted to be just like Barbie.  Real life would dictate what I was doing and where I was going in my career and personal life.

So I am downshifting gears right now, ending the work day and giving attention to my goals list.  Before I go to sleep, I want to at least start a list.  I do not want to have a day that I give up on myself.  Even if it says "to be continued".

Barbie would never give up.  Hell, that's why she drives a red Corvette.

Savings for Everyday Items

We all need toiletries, food, over the counter medications, pharmacy prescriptions, and other everyday items.  Where to get those items and feel like you are getting a good deal can be a challenge.  There are so many stores that advertise weekly sales, rewards programs, and buy one get one offers that I wonder what is a good deal?

In my area, there are two Targets, two CVS stores, plenty of Walgreen's, a Safeway, Whole Foods, Costco, and two Trader Joe's store.  Every week, a circular promotes the deals and specials for each store.  There is no way I want to visit each store to hunt for sale items.  The driving around is a waste of gas, time, and energy.  I like to plan my shopping so that I know what I need, plan the trip so I am conserving energy, and make lists so I keep track of items I want to buy.

I usually get circulars in the mail.  When I have the papers in front of me, I can review them and note what I need.  If for some reason I do not have a paper ad, most stores have online access to their weekly deals.  The tricky part is that I often see a lot of things that I do not need but are on sale.  Target has gift card offers where you buy three of the same items (like Aussie hair care) and receive a 5 dollar gift card.  I frequent Target enough to use gift cards there, so I like to take advantage of the products that offer the gift cards.  I once bought three Aussie products, one shampoo and one conditioner in 29 fluid ounce bottles, and an 8 ounce 3 Minute Miracle Conditioning Treatment.  The purchase came out to about 15 dollars, and I received a 5 dollar gift card.  I thought that was a good deal.  My only concern with Target's gift card deals is that I should not purchase items that I do not need just to receive a gift card or I would be stockpiling shampoo.  There is only so much shampoo I can use.  I try to be reasonable so I make sure that I am going to use the items fairly soon and not just put them on a storage shelf in the garage.  The sales rotate so I am not going to miss much.  I can use available cash for other needs like gas. I am better disciplined  to buy only what I need for the month.  I figure that in the end, it will be more cost effective way to shop.

When I am planning a shopping trip to Target for my necessities, I shop on a day when I am driving near a Target.  There is no need to drive just to the store, that wastes fuel (after I saved money for the gas by resisting Target gift card temptation).  When I know I will be in the vicinity of my favorite Target location, I make plans to stop there.  I like to keep reusable shopping bags in the car because Target gives you a 5 cent credit for using your own bags.  Checking items on the Target Cartwheel app saves even more money when the items I need have additional mobile coupons.  Last week, I saved 8 dollars by scanning the items I had in my cart with the app.

The best way I can keep a running list of my shopping needs is on my Buy Me A Pie! app.  I freaking love this app.  There are multiple lists that I manage, such as the grocery list, the produce market list, and the list for Target.  The app helps me add items that I may have forgotten when I first created the list, it is simple to update.  Recently, I received an upgraded PRO subscription to BMAP so I can make up to 20 lists, can share the lists with up to 20 accounts, and best of all (drum roll please) no ads!  I don't like ads that come with free apps, sometimes they interrupt the flow of what I am doing.  The ads are annoying because I am not interested in playing Clash of the Clan no matter how many times the banner pops up.  Since I am so organized with my list, I am able to remember to use my Cartwheel app at Target for even more savings.

Even with a list, there are great items and prices at Target so I usually buy extra items.  I am not alone in that I can visit Target for five items and come out with ten items.  It's like Target math or some kind of weird multiplication formula they do to shoppers.  Try sticking to your list when there is a bin of markdowns on Dove deodorant.  I want to smell good while I'm pumping gas with all the money I've saved.

Walking on Sunshine!

I am so proud of myself this week.  Not only did I heal from an allergy problem, but I did not eat dessert all week and I got in some good exercise.

This is my third week of no desserts during the week and I feel good.  My pants fit a little looser and I feel lighter.  On the weekends I did not go overboard like I thought I would.  Even though I had two slices of pie last Saturday, it still did not have the same impact that five days’ worth of pie servings would have had.

The weather has been warm but windy, so it was perfect for getting outside to exercise.  I laced up my shoes, grabbed a sweatshirt, and hit the neighborhood parks.  I also took my allergy medication and washed my face afterwards to avoid getting sick from exposure to all the pollen blowing around.  What really kept me going was knowing that I was getting some fresh air, burning calories from a brisk walk, and getting some sunshine.   All of those things are good for me, but what felt the best was having lots of sunshine on my skin.  It was a welcoming feeling after having some overcast weather.

The park has lots of benches and bleacher seats that I use to stretch and balance on for some squats.  The beauty of going out to parks like Lake Merced is that not only is there lots of green grass and trees, there are also lots of wildlife.  Ducks swim in the lake and are so cute to watch, especially when they have baby ducklings swimming in a line after them.  There are lots of birds at the lake.  I have seen owls there, graceful herons, and those crazy mallards that like to fight each other for bread (feeding ducks is such a great pastime).  Getting out helps me clear my mind of any stresses that threaten to manifest into sleeplessness, overeating, and other self-destructive habits.

Lake Merced, San Francisco, CA

Having a playlist for working out helps me so much.  I listen to fast paced, dance-able music to keep me on a good stride.  Songs like “Push It” by Salt N Pepa, “Rock Your Body” by Justin Timberlake, “Bad Romance” and “Applause” by Lady Gaga, and some BBD, Bobby Brown, J Lo, Chris Brown, and Ghost Town DJ s (“My Boo” is the jam, I break out in dance when I hear it).

After my walk, I stopped by the produce market and got a bagful of vegetables.  Over the weekend I will be making some salads and fresh corn to supplement my diet.  Those salads will come in handy because I am free to have dessert this weekend, and I have my eye on a slice of German chocolate cake!

One slice of cake at a time

Now that I am feeling better, I am on a roll.

Wish I could have a roll, like a cinnamon or sweet roll today. One of those large, buttery, spiral rolls where you can unravel them and eat them slowly to savor the flavors.  I recently gave up sweets and desserts during the week.  Only on the weekend can I allow myself to indulge in sweet treats.  I decided to place myself on this dietary restriction because it will work best for me.  I am healthy and want to stay healthy and know that I tend to overindulge.

Three weeks ago, I went to the doctor and had a complete physical.  The doctor I saw is fairly new to me, as my previous physician left the clinic and I needed to find a replacement.  I had only seen the current doctor for drop in visits, but I chose him for my new primary physician because he took time to listen to my concerns and helped me make a plan to improve my health.  When the medical assistant had me step on the scale, fear temporarily paralyzed me.  I knew that my pants were tight and I had picked up a bad habit of frequenting drive-thru fast food restaurants for a large sweet tea.  When the weather’s warm, a sweet tea hits the spot.  Anyway, I knew that those drive-thru runs were not calorie free and that sometimes I got something to snack on (what good is a sweet tea if you can’t use it to wash down a French fry?!).  The scale is a lie.  My shoes are heavy, the belt I have on has a metal buckle that must weigh like a pound, or perhaps my jeans are heavy because the denim is sturdy.  Truth be told, I needed to lose some weight.

The bright spot in having the complete physical was when I received the lab report that I was healthy.  No anemia, no diabetes, no high cholesterol.  I was shocked, because I prefer Applewood smoked pork bacon to turkey bacon.  The premium ice cream I ate was full of saturated fat.  Reading labels did not stop me from having a bowl of that ice cream with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies as ornaments.  But, even with my dietary negatives, I had a great lab report.  The only thing that was keeping me from getting healthy was me.

To stay healthy, I decided right then and there sitting in the hard plastic examining room chair, I would make some changes.  One big change was to decrease certain foods in my diet, one dessert at a time.

In my world, the bigger the slice of cake the better.  My concept of serving sizes is three times bigger than suggested serving sizes.  The bigger the bag of potato chips, more power to me.  People that know me well know that I keep a bag of Lay’s.  They also know not to dig all up in my bag like they bought it.  That will infuriate me fast, zero to a hundred fast.  There is not a cake, pie, cookie, ice cream, or tart that I do not like.  After cooking a good meal, I try to pair a good dessert with it.  When making spaghetti, which I make spicy, I like to cool off the heat with a bowl of ice cream.  After chicken Caesar salad, I feel entitled to indulge with a hunk of German chocolate cake. 

After the physical, I discussed weight loss with the doctor.   Confessing to him out loud that I ate dessert almost every evening, I heard myself clearly state how much I was eating sweets.  Flashbacks of ginormous bowls of rich vanilla ice cream, pretty but deadly petite bakery cupcakes in flavors like key lime pie and banana split, and my favorite huge raisin studded breakfast rolls.  I made the decision right then and there that I would not eat dessert during the week.  To fight the temptation, I would not buy the sugary treats during the week.  I decided that was where I would start in my diet overhaul.  The doctor nodded and agreed with me that I could do it.  That made me like the guy even more!

Already, I notice a difference in my weight.  I do not own a scale.  I noticed how my clothing fits a little looser.  So I keep denying myself desserts during the week.

Next stop, Lay’s potato chips anonymous.  Who am I kidding?  That will not happen any time soon.

What foods tempt you and you have to fight off because you know eating them if bad for you?

Garlic helps the medicine go down

Being sick forces me to reflect on what I can do to make myself better.

This past Friday, I was feeling like absolute crap.  After a week of windy weather, I had been exposed to enough allergens to knock me off my feet for a few days.  There was so much pollen, tree, and grass allergens floating around that my daily use of Claritin was outnumbered. Three against one is not a fair fight.   I needed something more.

After being told by my regular doctor that Claritin was the strongest medication for me, I took it into my own hands to figure out how to treat my severe allergy reactions. Armed with the information the doctor provided, I also read about other remedies and figured out what combination of treatments was best for me.   I was the one being kept up at night because I was so congested, head-achy, and the sinus pressure was building back to my ears.  I was feverish and could not find a comfortable position to rest.  It was ultimately up to me to figure out a solution.

I took a clove of fresh garlic, peeled it, and stuck the smaller end of the clove into my ear.  The size of the glove was big enough to fit in the outer external area right before the meatus.  Garlic has natural antibiotic properties.  I have used garlic in the past and noticed how quickly it healed scrapes and wounds.  Bear in mind I am not saying that I used garlic instead of using an antibiotic.  I am saying that after consulting with a physician, I was cleared of needing a prescription for antibiotics so I used garlic for the allergy symptoms that I experienced in my ear.

My ear was clogged, hot, and tender.  The days leading up to the clog, it itched like crazy.  Upon reflection, I had to admit that it is true that nothing smaller than your elbow should be placed in your ear.  I had used Q-tips and hairpins to scratch the outer ear canal when I could no longer stand the intense itching.  The scratching had caused inflammation and fluid drainage.  I had to leave the ear alone and not disturb its healing process.  Distraction helped me not mess with the ear.  I would read about treatments for itching rather than satisfy the need one minute (Q-tips feel soo good) then have it throbbing with pain from scratching the next. 

I then stopped taking Claritin and tried over the counter Zyrtec for the congestion/allergy symptoms.  Zyrtec seemed to clear up the congestion within the first twenty four hour period after taking it.  Using a nasal spray and warm compresses sped the decongestant process up.  For the pain, I took Motrin.

The congestion in my sinuses began to clear and drain down into my throat.  I felt the colorless and odorless fluid in my ear drain while I was laying down on the affected side.  The feverish feeling was relieved with the Motrin and lots of water/fluids.  For a good sick day drink, I take a lemon, squeeze it into a mug, fill with warm water, and stir in a few teaspoons of honey.  Tea and honey feels good going down a scratchy throat also.

Hot water, lemon, honey, and sometimes a pinch of cayenne pepper can help clear up congestion!

If my symptoms worsened I had a plan to get to the emergency room.  I was relieved that I began to feel better after twenty four hours.

Although I value the input from a doctor, I also recognize the need to be proactive in my daily maintenance and care.  Using common sense, my knowledge of natural remedies, and the information from trusted health websites, I was able to get myself on the road to feeling better.  And no more Q-tips!

Chef René

It’s Wednesday!  Let’s cook something really good today.  Welcome to the kitchen of Chef René.

I bought a ten pack of chicken thighs for $4.00 at Smart and Final earlier in the week.  Such a good deal since chicken is so versatile. The thighs are juicy and meaty, and when properly stored the meat can be frozen for about six months.  Personally, I do not freeze meat this long.  I wash it, pat it dry, and place it in zipper freezer storage bags, squeezing out the air as I zip the bag closed.  It is a process that is well worth the efforts.  I keep meat in the freezer for about two months, and rotate the kinds of meat I cook with so I do not get tired of chicken, which is so easy to do.  There were those times I swore feathers were growing out my…anyway.  You get it.

One way I like to cook chicken is by making a one pot meal of chicken and rice.  It’s something most cultures have in common.  We all know how to make chicken and rice taste good together!  My Mom would smother chicken and serve it on top of a fluffy bed of white rice (all hail Louisiana spices).  That made a satisfying and very tasty dinner, but sometimes I want to make chicken and rice slightly different. 

The dish I’m making is based off of arroz con pollo, a chicken and rice dish found in Puerto Rican cultures.  I gave it my own interpretation, as I do not use Latin seasonings like sofrito.  Sofrito is a mixture of green and red bell peppers, garlic, onions, and spices.  I walk to my local Latino market to buy Goya Food’s SazÓn, Adobo seasoning, cilantro, and lots of garlic.  I like chicken and rice in just about any cultural dish, but arroz con pollo is a standout because of the saltiness of olives, the rich flavors of sautéed garlic and onions, and the tender chicken that has a robust color from the sazÓn seasoning.  The seasoning comes in different varieties.  I use the “con cilantro y achiote” (orange box) and the “con azafran” (yellow box).  The rice has so much flavor, I eat it by itself sometimes.

Over time, I have adjusted the use of salty seasonings in the dish so it does not come out too salty for my taste.  Each seasoning has sodium in it, so I do not add white salt.  In the past, I experimented with low sodium chicken broth.   I found that the low sodium broth did not have much flavor at all, it was like adding water.  So I use Knorr chicken bouillon cubes, cut in half.  I sprinkle the adobo seasoning carefully, and use half a packet of sazÓn.  Other times, I say damn the sodium content, and use the full packet of seasoning.  I live. 

For this dish, you will need:

Ingredients!

Skillet with tight fitting lid

Chicken thighs

Olive oil

Butter

SazÓn (1 packet)

Adobo seasoning

Black pepper

White onion (1 medium)

Garlic cloves (3)

Bay leaves (2)

Spanish olives (pimento stuffed)

Cilantro

Chicken bouillon (one cube Knorr’s)

Water (1 cup)

Medium grain rice (1/2 cup)

Chopped onions

finely chopped garlic/knife skillz

To make this dish, lightly drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil and a half teaspoon of butter into a skillet.   Put the burner on medium heat.  I cook on a Frigidaire gas burner stove top.  The medium heat is at three.  Place chicken into the skillet, skin side up, do not crowd.  Turn the chicken over when it has browned on the bottom.  Add your chopped white onion, garlic, sliced olives, and cilantro to the pan with the chicken.  Lightly sauté.  Sprinkle the packet of sazÓn over the chicken and vegetable.  Add the rice to the vegetables, stir.  Allow the rice mixture to lightly brown for five to seven minutes.  Add your bay leaves.  Add chicken bouillon and water, just covering the rice.  Put a lid on the skillet, turn the heat down to a simmer, which is a “lo” for me.

Frigidaire gas burner rangetop & Martha Stewart Cookware

This aromatic dish I let simmer for about an hour.  I cook it low and slow, watching through the glass lid making sure there is enough liquid present in the skillet to cook the rice and steam the chicken tender.  I adjust seasonings and water/rice ratio as needed.  Look at your food and if it looks like the rice is dry, add a small amount of water.  Adjust the heat, sometimes I go from lo to 2, depending on how fast or slow the food is cooking.  When you cook, notice how food looks and be confident to adjust ingredients to make it right for you.  Even when following a recipe, I have to make adjustments. 

After that hour is up, I add freshly ground black pepper.  By this time, the kitchen smells so freakin good.  The olive oil and garlic are so fragrant.  The richness of the smothered chicken makes you want to dive right in and eat, but you have to be patient and make sure it is ready!  The hour went by fast since Chef René had half a glass of wine.  It’s done when the chicken is firm, tender, and does not have pink meat near the bone (use a knife to pull the meat from the bone and take a look).  The rice should be tender, it has soaked up all the liquid.  Give the rice a fluff with a fork.  The flavor will be so savory, as the rice has taken on the garlic, onions, butter, and olive oil.  It’s an OMG moment the first time you taste it.  So freaking good!

Squeeze lime over the rice OMG!

Serve with lime wedges and a lettuce and tomato salad.  If you want, buy some Spanish crusty bread rolls to serve with the chicken.  Lots of carbs, but so worth it.  Live.  Also, drink something like aguas frescas, which is a fruit drink sort of like a lemonade or limeade.  Of course, beer and wine are good.  My wine of choice is a Moscato, but I think Moscato goes with everything, so…

Add-Ins: I add in green peas or bell peppers if the mood suits me.  Next, I want to try adding a Louisiana hot link.  Now that would transform the dish into a Chef René dish!

Signature Colors

Happy Friday!

I hope everyone has had a productive and positive work week.  Enjoy the weekend knowing that you have done your best work, no matter what you do.  If you are looking for work, as long as you have planted the seeds for landing a job, I wish you the best.  Rest and revive over the weekend.

Happy Friday!

As a grown ass woman, pink is my signature color.  When I was a child, my mother painted my bedroom walls pink, put a pink canopy on the bed, and had pink shelves in the room.  I hated pink.  I even told my mother to please take the Pepto Bismol pink shelves out of the room but she ignored me.  As soon as I could make my own decisions, I experimented with other colors and went through phases.  I liked purple and made it my signature color when I was in my Prince fan phase.  Then it was black when I was in my cool, hip, phase.  Then it was beige when I was in a neutral position, loving the natural, nude tones.  One day I saw the calm, charm, femininity, and cuteness in pink.  I began buying clothing and accessories that were pink.  Hot pink, fuchsia, reddish pink, blue toned pink, there were so many hues to choose.  Mom was on to something back in the day.  I like pink, can even say I love pink.  There are so many pink things in my life, it can be too much.  I had to learn to scale it down a bit and critique my life so that I am not a walking-talking, pink panther looking somebody.

Having a signature color can be a way to uplift my mood.  When I am feeling a little blah, woke up with allergy symptoms, a headache, cramps, whatever, I need something to make me feel good enough where I can get through the day.  All I need is to function.  I can dress in a rather plain outfit, jeans, t-shirt, and flats.  Adding a pink jacket will add some punch to my look.  I find myself walking a little taller, head up, shoulders back, and more self-esteem.  Suddenly, my day is looking better because the pink makes me feel happy.  If someone compliments my jacket, I am even happier.  Before I know it, I am feeling well enough to get through the day.  There is no way I am suggesting that a signature color cures the allergy symptoms, I have medicine for that.  I am saying that for me, pink cures my low moods.

https://youtu.be/05lgBOyya0U

How To Create A Basic, Go-To Outfit

I'm so glad it's Wednesday, I feel like the camel in the  Geico commercial saying "guess what day it is...guess what day it is?  Hump Day!"  Yeah, like that!

So Monday I discussed how to organize clothes for the work week.  Hope it was helpful to you.  I did receive some feedback from Chris, that she enjoyed the tips.  Thank you Chris, your feedback is much appreciated!

Today, I was hoping to help with putting together a basic, go-to outfit. When you are going somewhere casual, like the movies or out for pizza, and have a hard time deciding what to wear.  The concept of an easy outfit can get misunderstood and over thought.   Having an easy outfit ready will take the stress out of getting dressed.  It can actually be fun.  I make getting dressed fun by playing some music (Pandora Usher station) and adding some personal touches to my outfits.  Sometimes I do something different, wear something colorful, add some new touches to a plain article of clothing, and try a new twist on something that is considered classic.  I let my personality out with my accessories and make up.  If I am feeling playful, for example, I will wear a bright pink lipstick or put on my bling Hello Kitty necklace.  A small touch goes a long way!

Things you will need for a basic, go-to outfit: tops, bottoms, shoes.

Have on stock some good quality t-shirts.  I found some well made cotton t-shirts at H&M.  The first shopping trip I bought two.  When I discovered that I liked the fit, I returned and bought a few more.  Colors like black, white, and tan can be worn with many different bright colors like purple, blue, and green.  Mix, match, and rotate all the color combinations.  I find that I can wear these t-shirts in any season, under blazers and jackets as well as under a light cardigan sweater.  Uniqlo also makes nicely constructed t-shirts.  There was a promotion a while ago where the t-shirts were around 5 dollars.  I tried a crew neck black tee and loved it.  It felt soft, washed well, had no shrinking.  So I returned to Uniqlo and got a few more tees.  Knowing that I like to wear black t-shirts, I made sure I had a collection of v-neck, crew, and cami black tees.  The black tees go with jeans, leggings, under a denim jacket.  I like a good black tee.

Sometimes I tie the t-shirt in a knot at the back or on the side.  It fits snug, adding shape for a more feminine fit.  Add pins, necklaces, and scarves to the tee to switch it up.  Put on a colorful bracelet or bangle, large watches, or cuffs.

Bottoms are your jeans, leggings, twill pants, cotton pull on pants, skirts, and shorts.  When you try on clothing, be aware of how the jeans fit at your waist, how they shape or flatten your rear, and how long they are (the inseam).  I am 5'9" tall, so I am always looking for the right length on pants.  Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor, JC Penney, and  New York & Company make long cut jeans and pants.  For any budget, you can seek out long pants that fit you properly.  I dislike when my pants shrink after washing and I am flooding like the levee broke.  Girl.  The flooded pants have to be taken out of rotation and either cut into shorts or just worn around the house.  Please tap me on the shoulder and let me know if I'm flooding.  It's a pet peeve of mine.

To switch it up, you can cuff the bottom of your pants (non-flooding style ankle pants) or put on a belt.  No belt?  Tie a scarf around your waist.  I have worn a gold chain with charms around my jeans as a belt.  Have fun with it!

Shoes can be found everywhere now.  Stores, boutiques, and online, free shipping and easy returns.  There is no reason that you cannot find a pair of shoes nowadays.  I have been going to DSW for years now.  I like DSW because they send coupons through the DSW Rewards program.  Can you say: save an additional twenty percent on already reduced priced shoes? Five dollars off?  Score.  DSW carries so many great brands, like Anne Klein, Jessica Simpson, Me Too, and Reebok.  Every type of shoe from flats, sandals, boots, and heels can be found there.  Love love love the downtown San Francisco location.  Fun to browse the three levels and try on different shoe styles.  

Shoes can be worn in basic black, dark brown, and grey.  When looking for a pop of color, experiment with purple, bright blue, white, yellow.  Currently, I have my eyes on a pair of Lime green flats by Bootsi Tootsi that I found on Amazon.  I would totally wear them for spring going into summer with a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

Once you have your basics, experiment with putting an outfit together.  I paired a white tee with grey pants to be worn with black flats.  To deck it out, I put on a colorful Echo purple, navy blue, and lavender scarf with some gold hoop earrings.  Get the idea?

So when you are going out for a casual day or evening, there is no excuse to panic over an outfit.  Have a few basic go-to outfits ready, and you will be ready to look good while having a good time.   Be your own stylist and keep track of what works and what does not (like my flooded jeans).   Have fun!

Organizing clothes for a work week!

After a busy and fun filled weekend, it helps me transition into the work week by organizing my clothing.  The time organizing saves in the morning can mean an extra cup of coffee, a peek at the morning news broadcast, or having time to start the commute early.  No more stress about having other drivers cut me off or swerve into my lane with a fraction of an inch between our bumpers.  It sounds like an easier said than done kinda thing, but really, if you invest some time preparing outfits Sunday evening, your Monday morning will be a happy joy.

To organize your weekday clothing, plan your purchases to have a stock of basics, plan on doing regular laundry, and have a clothing rack or hooks available.

When clothes shopping, plan to set aside some of your clothing budget for work clothing.  No matter what type of work you do, make sure that you have a week's worth of pants, skirts, blouses, sweaters, and jackets.  Adding jewelry and accessories like scarves can make your outfits different and fresh.  If you choose colors like black, grey, and brown for your basic pants and tops, make sure your accessories are colorful.  A black outfit with an animal print scarf is chic one day.  That same black outfit with red lipstick and gold jewelry is classically beautiful.  Spring flowers add some pink punch to a black and white jacket.

Pink flower, white cami, black leggings, hounds-tooth jacket

Gold sequin cami, gold hoops, denim jacket

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Keep clothes clean by scheduling laundry day.  No matter what else happens, make sure to get that laundry done.  If you cannot wash it yourself, make sure you have a trusted cleaners nearby that takes laundry by the pound.  Plan it in your leather day planner or phone reminder.  Keep that regular schedule!  When your clothes are clean, you have access to wearing them and avoid that disappointment when you are looking to wear that cream colored blouse, but it is found dirty at the bottom of the hamper (I hate that!).  Do you really want to sniff the blouse and take a chance on wearing it as is?  Probably not.  You will be reminded of why you tossed it into the hamper in the first place.  Oh yeah, I see why.  Coffee stain at five o'clock, deodorant marks á la galore.

Hooks to store scarves & bags

Pink jeweled hooks

Using a clothing rack will help you organize an outfit and have it accessible quickly.  Just grab the hanger and get dressed.  I organize my clothing by type.  Jackets are on the left, followed by sweaters, followed by blouses and tops, then pants and skirts.  Sometimes I add the entire outfit to a hanger, folding the pants on the hanger and slipping the blouse over that.  Adding a scarf and necklace to the hanger ensures that I have the accessories I want the next morning.  No more hunting around in a rush, usually skipping right over the earrings I am searching for because the stress of getting out the door overrides my vision.  Hey, it happens.  I also use hooks to keep purses and totes easy to grab.  Everything I need should be in plain sight.  The mornings run so smoothly, I have time for a second cup of coffee and a peek at Twitter.  Knowing what is next on the Young and the Restless is a cool thing to know, because I really do not want Devon to marry Hilary.  Have a good mornings!

Costco Shopping!

I am planning a trip to Costco.  I love shopping at Costco so much, it is like an event.  Shoppers, start your carts! Balance that hot dog and soda in one hand and steer the cart with the other!

To plan my trip, I arm myself with a list, plan to share bulk items, and prepare to properly store perishable items like meat.

At the end of each month, I make a list of necessities I need to stock up on.  Toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, dish detergent, bottled water, coffee, rice, vegetables, and any other item that is manageable in bulk sizes.Costco is a great place to get those items.    I like when there is a coupon for these items, it feels like such a score.

I share my Costco account and purchases so that the larger quantities of paper towels or meat are not wasted.  Waste is not my thing.  I like to use everything up, share things, or donate things rather than toss good products into the trash can.  It hurts me to throw out wilted lettuce or freezer burned meats. I have learned in addition to having a list of what I need to buy, I also plan meals around the food and freeze items immediately after getting them home.

Costco had good prices on New York strip steaks last month.  After opening the package of about six steaks, I washed the meat off and put two steaks into gallon sized, zipper sealed freezer bags.  I was careful to push the air out of the bag and seal it tight.  Some steak was broiled, some was smothered with mushroom and onion, some was pan fried.  The meat was so tender, down to the last steak used.  This month I will focus on fish and chicken for meal planning, using the same zipper sealed freezer bags to keep the food fresh.

I try not to be overzealous with Costco shopping.  There are so many good products advertised that it can be too much for me.  I like shopping like Fred Flintstone liked to gamble ( https://youtu.be/-D50bjRjwHc).  Only I would substitute his "bet" for "shop" and my eyes would probably get wild like his do, bells ringing, sirens blaring.

If it was up to me, I would impulse buy my way from the entrance to the margarita mix to the King's Hawaiian rolls to the women's maxi dresses.  Making a list helps me keep impulse buys in check though.  There is a good app I have on my iPhone called Buy Me a Pie! that I downloaded a few months ago that helps me remain on track.  I type in items that I need before I make it to the store.  I share the items with family so I do not have unnecessary space wasted with stockpiles.  Freezer bags help with the storage of meat and other perishable items that can be kept frozen until ready for use.

Shopping Star Chronicles

My name is René and I like to shop.

I get such a huge rush of adrenaline when I am planning a shopping trip.  I can be shopping for myself, such as purchasing a few new pieces for a seasonal wardrobe, or I can be shopping for someone else, such as a family member graduating from school or celebrating a birthday.  It does not matter, I will find the enjoyment and thrill in shopping.  I'm the type who will always find something for myself at any store.  Usually, I will debate if I want to stand in line for that one thing out of the entire store that I found and liked.  

I got it from my mama.  My mother was a model who liked to look fashionable.  She shopped downtown San Francisco and selected beautifully made garments in some fancy department stores.  As a child, I would gaze at the chandeliers that sparkled like freshly polished jewels and the crystal clear mirrors that reflected every detail about how you looked in the clothing you were trying on.  I found it exciting just to look at the clothes.  The dresses had shiny gold buttons, cleverly hidden zippers, embroidery at the hemline, and pops of color.  Clothes look one way on the hanger and another way when you try them on.  The harsh dressing room lighting combined with the flaw magnifying mirrors could make you look really good or really bad.  Mom looked really good in the dresses she slid into.  I wanted to look around at all the new clothes, try things on, and buy them. 

My father was the complete opposite.  He did not like shopping.  When I needed a birthday outfit for my thirteenth birthday party, he took me to the mall and complained from the time we pulled into a parking space to the time we made it out the store.  He hated shopping.   I mentioned that I liked an outfit a mannequin wore.  Cute patchwork denim overalls, tee shirt, and matching cap.  My father quickly located the items and found my size.  He rushed me out of the store so fast, I did not have the pleasure of feeling the fabric, holding it against my frame so I can get a sense for the fit, and then trying it on in front of the criticizing glare of the overhead lights in the fitting room.  

So I got both the shopping gene and the anti shopping gene.  That probably explains why I will like an item one minute then debate if I should buy the item the next minute.

I try to be an effective shopper.  When I am in the market for a birthday outfit, I try to browse sales ads and online deals before I make up my mind.  
I try to shop smart.  Sometimes it is not a good idea to open up a store credit card just because the store offers coupons.  I admit to sometimes making not so smart decisions, and try to learn from them.
I like to try new things because there are so many great products out there, I could find my next favorite thing.  Product reviews!
Shopping for clothes, makeup, skin care, health care, and home goods enriches life.  Finding the right items to look and feel your best can boost your self esteem.  Stick with me, I'll show you how!