Farewell 2009

As 2009 comes to a close, it's time for Lisa-Michelle's Year In Review. But, it's also the end of a decade and my thirties. Wow!

What happened in 2009?

The economic crisis effected everyone I knew. It made my already tight budget more challenging but, having learned to live within my means the year before, I weathered the storm easier than most.

In New York, we experienced major layoffs and joblessness. We watched prices drastically rise across the board as salaries were frozen and cut. We also witnessed a new age of smart shopping.

We all got a little older. My friends and I are feeling aches and pains more than before. Ailments of the older generations are now ours. We feel the after effects from shoveling snow, raking leaves, or moving furniture.

For those of us who are fortunate enough to still have our parents with us, we've watched them get older, too. Sometimes this is harder than what we go through ourselves. It's difficult to watch them go through these changes. Dad doesn't walk up stairs or eat anything green. Mom doesn't go too far from the house, because she's afraid to leave Dad home alone for too long. It all happens too soon, regardless of when it actually begins.

We were stricken with swine flu — H1N1. I actually was the first person where I work to have (or admit that I had) it. Throughout New York City and Long Island, Purell stations appeared everywhere, and we were all encouraged to wash our hands well and often. If it was only that simple . . .

Also on the health front, I found out the hard way that I'm allergic to sulfa medications and got myself a pretty new Medic Alert bracelet. I hope nothing else comes my way, because I've run out of room on it.

Although I didn't lose weight or go to the gym more often, I feel healthier than I have in a long time. I believe good health is a balance between mind, body, and spirit.

This year, I focused on fine tuning my life's balance, along with building positive relationships and weeding out the negative ones. I was able to hone in on all that was good in my life and grow personally and professionally. My achievements this year as a coach, on the Long Island Chapter of the International Coach Federation’s Executive Board, and as a volunteer will remain special memories for a long time to come.

It's not easy to say good-bye, but several people, practices, and activities that weren't good for me were sent packing.

I certainly didn’t want to say good-bye to baseball this year, which will be remembered by another championship for the boys in the Bronx.

With the social media explosion, we reconnected with distant relatives and lost friends, and we built our professional networks. Whether we're on LinkedIn, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, or other sites, we're connecting like never before.

I'm a Facebook junkie and love every minute of it.

Many people are making new friends online, too. I'm usually more cautious than most in this area. When I broke my “only accept people I know on Facebook” rule, I had a crash course in reality, the dangers of identity theft, and Lifelock. It turned out that the measures I already was taking to protect my identity sufficed, but the experience scared me enough to rule out entertaining any future requests.

Like never before, this was a great year for communicating. With family, friends, exes, and even current relationships, I expressed my thoughts, needs, and opinions. Sometimes with fear and other times without. The results were remarkable.

Maybe the venues available have helped many of us open up. We no longer have to confront all of our challenging situations face-to-face. We can comfortably communicate by e-mail, text messaging, instant message/chat, etc. I don’t think any of these should negate the value of looking into someone’s eyes when speaking, but they can help get a conversation started . . . or end others.

I’m not suggesting we give up on live, face-to-face conversations and moments. Some of my best memories from 2009 were times when I was too nervous to speak, when I blushed, when I looked into someone’s eyes and went weak in the knees, when I tripped over my words, and when I saw that I had a similar effect on someone special.

This year also will be remembered as a time when I was open to new experiences and allowed myself to go where my heart desired. I’m so grateful for every moment.

I’ve always lived my life with no regrets, and this holds very true for 2009, too. Every new experience I enjoyed and every door I opened or closed will be remembered well. Every smile, embrace, kiss, touch, laugh, hug, and even tear made this year a very special one for me.

As I reach the homestretch to the big 4 – 0 and beyond, I feel truly blessed to have wonderful people in my life, who make living each day worthwhile, enjoyable, and exciting.


Happy New Year

With Chanukah behind us and Christmas and New Year's around the corner, I'd like to take a moment to thank all of Countdown to 40's readers and followers for joining me in the second half of 2009. I've appreciated your opinions, support, and kind words.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas

Warm wishes to you and your families for a fantastic 2010 -- filled with good health, happiness, love, success, and prosperity.

Countdown to 40's Make a Difference Drive has raised more than $300 so far. Thank you to everyone who has joined me in the fight against hunger in America.


My Birthday Wish



Please join me in the fight against hunger.

One in every eight Americans face hunger each day, many of whom are hard-working adults, children, and seniors struggling to make ends meet. They’re turning to soup kitchens, food pantries, and emergency shelters for help.

Hunger and food insecurity exists across America and has unsurprisingly grown during the last year. Many middle class families who previously contributed to hunger-relief efforts are now in need, trying to find ways to put food on their tables and make sure their children don’t go to bed hungry.

Those who suffer from hunger aren’t too far from your door. I live near some of the most affluent neighborhoods in the country, and yet there was a 30 percent increase in Long Islanders seeking emergency food assistance this year.

You can fill both Yankee Stadium and Citi Field with the estimated number — 93,000 — of children at risk of hunger on Long Island.

With a drastic rise in the number of those in need and expected decline in corporate giving, it’s never been more important for us to help fight hunger.

For more than six months, I’ve been preparing for my 40th birthday or, as I call it, the big 4 – 0 and beyond. And, for more than a year, people have been asking me how I will celebrate this milestone.

I’ve been torn between my annual desire to get together with family and friends, and other meaningful ways to mark this occasion. Recognizing these do not have to be mutually exclusive, I’ve decided to still gather with those close to me and, at the same time, to help feed those in need.

There are many effective philanthropic organizations. Choosing one to benefit from my Countdown to 40 Make a Difference Drive was very challenging, but I’ve considered the options, especially organization effectiveness and impact, and made a decision.

Island Harvest, serves as a bridge between those who have surplus food and those who need it, supplying hundreds of community-based nonprofit organizations on Long Island with critical food support to help stem the advancing tide of hunger.

Since its inception in 1992, Island Harvest has delivered more than 60 million pounds of food. In support of its mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island, the organization is actively involved in programs to inform the public about the problem of hunger — even in one of the wealthiest regions of the country — and how individuals, businesses, schools, and commercial food establishments can make a difference.

Island Harvest is a member of Feeding America and is the largest hunger-relief organization on Long Island. By relying on volunteers, in-kind services, and donated food, it devotes 97 cents of every dollar contributed directly to its programs.

Please join me in the fight against hunger and make a donation to Island Harvest. Together, we can make a great difference in the lives of those in need. No donation is too small. Our collective gift will make a powerful impact. Whether you give $5 or $50, your contribution will be an integral part of the Countdown to 40 Make a Difference Drive’s success.

As I approach the big 4 – 0 and beyond, I’m focusing on all things 40. So . . . I’m thinking about all the amazing things that $40 can do, like feed a child for five weeks or a family for one week. Wow!

Contributions made in honor of my birthday will be grouped, but the amounts of your gifts will remain confidential. In other words, I will be informed of the names of individuals, companies, and organizations who contribute — without the gift amounts.

We’ll be able to see the total drive results, which I’ll regularly post on Countdown to 40 and on our Facebook Cause page.

Our gifts have the opportunity to make an even greater difference. For every $850 collected, we can sponsor a food rescue truck, which will bring approximately 40,000 pounds of perfectly good food to Long Island.

Making an online donation to the Countdown to 40 Make a Difference Drive is easy at Island Harvet’s donation page.

  • For “Purpose of Gift,” select “Other”
  • Leave the field that reads “Name & address of person donation is for” blank
  • For the field that requests “Event Name/Details,” enter: Lisa-Michelle’s CT40 Drive
  • Enter the gift amount, and click on “Donate” to continue

You can also mail a check or money order, made payable to Island Harvest, to: 199 Second Street, Mineola, New York, 11501. Please indicate your contribution is for Lisa-Michelle’s CT40 Drive.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For more information about Island Harvest, visit www.islandharvest.org or call 516-294-8528.

Information for those in need of resources — and food — is available on Island Harvest's website for Nassau County and Suffolk County.

Thank you all for being part of my journey to the big 4 – 0 and beyond, and for joining me in the fight against hunger.