Women’s Independent Press

Organizing For The Holidays~
 
by Carole Brecht
cebrecht@hotmail.com
www.organizeyourlifenow.net
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000740163230#!/pages/Organize-Your-Life-Now/167825409901347
 
** Focus on quality over quantity. Instead of buying lots of gifts, how about more personalized, more thoughtful, and more interesting gifts? Better yet, why not give experiences–dinner at a favorite restaurant, a night at the theater, a manicure and pedicure–instead of stuff? Gift certificates will bring lots of smiles! Often times we give gifts that we would want instead of really giving consideration to the one the gift is going to. 
 
** Budget, budget, budget–and I don’t just mean money. Budgeting can be apply to time, effort, and other limited resources. Is the fleeting pleasure of handing someone an exquisitely wrapped package really worth 30 minutes of your life? Budget what you’re able to give in terms of cash, effort, and time, and commit to honoring your plan. Keep a running list to work from, what a time saver!

** Keep yourself sane by calling in help. Even the supermen and women among us can’t do everything on their own. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of hiring a sitter for an evening so you can simply have some downtime, ordering some or all of your holiday meals from a local caterer to cut down on your time in the kitchen, or consider hiring a bartender for your party so you can focus on enjoying yourself and spending time with your guests. You deserve a break today!
 
Happy Holidays!
 
If you need assistance to organize, prepare or decorate for the holiday season, please call 412-418-4978.

by Suzy Fiori

 

* =  the asterisk    The asterisk is sometimes called a star or splat has a multitude of uses and when you                       see it you know that there is something else going on with whatever it is sitting beside.

 

/  =   a forward slash   The slash is a sign used as a punctuation mark and for a variety of other purposes.

-          used in some abbreviations  such as w/ (with) and w/o (without)

-          used to denote (often mutually exclusive) alternatives, such as in male/female

-          used between numbers it means division

-          used in computer language

-          Bunches of other names and use

@  =  the at sign     Universally used in most languages to mean at, each at, at  around .

 

#  =  the number sign or the pound sign    When it precedes a number, it is read as “number”, as in “a #2 pencil”.  However, when it follows a number it is read as “pounds” referring to the unit of weight, as in “5# of sugar”.

%  =  the percent sign    The symbol  is used to indicate a percentage (that the preceding number is divided by one hundred).

 

*/@#%  =  needs no explanation or definition

Proof that the sum is greater than the parts.

 

By Barbara Schwarck, PCC, MPIA

The end of a year can have an emotional pull in polarized directions.  To our left we see our accomplishments, celebrated victories, new friendships and relationships and to our right we see heartbreaks and incompletions.  Depending on your personal wiring you will tend to keep one side closer to your vest.  But regardless of your focus, I recommend you take five minutes and make a list of all your accomplishments including the areas of relationships, spirituality, recreation, wellness, family, health, etc.  All too often we forget to include these areas and instead focus on things such as raises, new cars, vacations and weight loss. 

 

Then take another piece of paper out or use you electronic device of choice to make another list citing the areas that are worthy of improvement.  What did get done but not in the way you would have like to have seen it?  What could you have done better?  Make a list of the important items using the same areas you used above and be creative in your approach to improvement.  Maybe you could have asked for assistance.  Maybe your goals were not realistic or you lost focus.  Last but not least, make a list of all those items that did not get done or were bumped off the list. 

 

The other emotional pull at the end of the year or end of a period or an era is naturally towards our future.  Be intentional and take some concerted time and think carefully about the goals you put on this list.  What do you want?  What is your vision for yourself, your family or your department?  Where are you headed in your life?  I know these are big questions but it is important to take time to think about it.  The only difference between us and our four legged friends is the fact that we can dream and create visions.  Let’s use this wonderful gift that we have.

 

It helps to break goals down into time periods.  What are you going to accomplish within the next two months, six months and 12 months?  Do you need to access any resources to be successful?  Do your wants and goals align with who you are and your values?

 

Be specific.  If you want to lose weight (and that is the most popular goal on Americans’ lists), be specific about the amount and the time period.  How are you going to do it?  Are you going to start exercising, eat sensibly, join a diet program, and work with a partner?

 

Whatever you do, it is not important to be perfect.  Just take a piece of paper and get started.  Pick something small, be specific and break the action steps into bite-size pieces and you can’t go wrong.

 

Global Executive Coach and President of Clear Intentions International (CII), Barbara Schwarck has coached hundreds of executives, leaders and entrepreneurs from around the globe to be truly exceptional through a unique methodology using Neuro Emotional Coaching™– executive coaching combined with neuroscience and its implications for change and leadership.  CII is a people development company offering executive coaching, leadership training and assessment services for professionals, public servants, global leaders and influencers who want to free themselves from emotional and behavioral patterns that prevent them from being truly exceptional.

 

By LeeAnn Stuever

Social Security Manager in Downtown Pittsburgh

 

The holiday season is, for many people the busiest time of year with gift lists and to-do lists, feast planning and party preparation. The busy schedule, like the gift lists, often can get out of hand.

 

If you’re planning on retiring sometime early in the new year, we suggest you wrap up your retirement application now before wrapping any holiday gifts. It’s so easy and can take as little as 15 minutes. Just go to www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline.

 

Our website makes the retirement application process quick, easy, and secure.  In most cases, once your application is submitted electronically, you’re done. There are no forms to sign and usually no documentation is required. Social Security will process your application and contact you if any further information is needed.

 

Before you start your application, you may want to spend a few minutes to get an estimate of your retirement benefit at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator. The Retirement Estimator uses your personal employment history to estimate your retirement benefit.

 

Then, jump right into the retirement application. You can use the online application to apply for Social Security retirement or spouses benefits if you:

·         Are at least 61 years and 9 months old;

·         Want to start your benefits in the next four months; and

·         Live in the United States.

 

 

 

 

 

Before filing online for retirement, we suggest you have the following information on hand:

·         Your date and place of birth and Social Security number;

·         Your bank or financial institution’s routing transit number and the account number, for direct deposit of your benefits;

·         The amount of money earned last year and this year. If you are filing for benefits in the months of September through December, you also will need to estimate next year’s earnings;

·         The name and address of your employer(s) for this year and last year;

·         The beginning and ending dates of any active U.S. military service you had before 1968;

·         The name, Social Security number, and date of birth or age of your current spouse and any former spouse. You also should know the dates and places of marriage and dates of divorce or death (if appropriate); and

·         A copy of your Social Security Statement.

 

Even if you don’t have all the information we need at your fingertips, you should go ahead and apply now.

Applying online means there is no need for you to go to a Social Security office or wait for a scheduled appointment with a Social Security representative. Besides, retiring online is so easy. You can apply in as little as 15 minutes. That translates to more time for holiday shopping and activities.

 

So beat the holiday rush and wrap up your retirement application today at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline.

 

Kooking For Katie

 

Well this December, Katie is turning 25 years old. Where did the time go? So for this  month’s column, it brought me back to when I first stated “kooking” for Katie.

 

 WhenKatie  first started eating “real” food, I would buy oatmeal and later those crackers that she could munch on and oh yes, those Honey Nut Cheerios.  But being a Buffalo girl that was a no brainer.  Yes, Cheerios are made in Buffalo.

 

But for fruits and veggies, it was much easier to  cook them, freeze them in small quantities and then heat them up when it was time for lunch or dinner.  To me this was easier, because I liked to cook and I liked to know what was going into Katie. It is  best to feed your child one specific food for a week to make sure they have no allergies or adverse reaction.

 

Baby Food*

 

Vegetables - Pick a vegetable….. peas, carrots, potatoes.  Veggies that are more mild

 

Fruits - apples, peaches, plums, bananas,  or pears

 

Wash the veggies or fruits, peel them, cut them in smaller pieces, steam them until they are soft and can be pureed in a food processor or blender.

 

 Place the pureed vegetables or fruit in ice cube trays.  Then place in freezer.

 

When meal time rolls around, pop out one or two veggie or fruit cubes.

Heat in the microwave or on the stove top.

 

Feed your child one veggie or fruit for a week. Then the next week try something different. When you know  that your child tolerates the fruit or veggies, you can mix different combinations  to make a new  taste.. Peas/Carrots,  Apples/Plums; Apples/Bananas.  Bananas tend to brown when frozen but they still taste good.

 

If you want to introduce your baby to meats  you can use the same procedure. Cook the meat, puree it in the food processor or blender, store and freeze in ice cube tray.  When meal time approaches, cook one of two cubes. 

 

Twenty five years later, I am still “Kooking for Katie” but proud to say that Katie has become a great cook too. This  past Thanksgiving, my husband and I were able to spend time with here at her homein Northern Virginia…. and the apple pie was delicious

December 1 - Pittsburgh Professional Women presents the 2011 Women of Integrity Awards - 1-3pm - Join us at the historic Pittsburgh Athletic Association as we recognize the 2011 Women of Integrity Award Winners with special guest hostess Jennifer Abney, WPXI AM News Anchor and Inspirational Singer Vida Malcanas. Register early, because this event always sells out.  Members Register for jut $35 until November 24th, then the price increases to $39.  Non members are $49.  - Women’s Yellow Pages Readers  can register at member prices…just put Women’s Yellow Pages in the Order Instructions. Valet Parking Available in the PAA lot.  To register visit www.PittsburghProfessionalWomen.com or call 412-202-6983.

 

December 1 - Performance artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña is coming back to Pittsburgh in an artful partnership between CMU, The Center for the Arts in Society, The Mattress Factory and ArtUp - The Center for the Arts in Society presents - Guillermo Gómez-Peña - ‘Multiple Journeys’- 5:00 PM - Kresge Theater, College of Fine Arts

 

December 2 - Got Interns? - 7:30 am -10:00 am - Penn State New Kensington - $35 (Includes breakfast, workshop and materials) - Please join us and learn how to develop a solid internship program and learn how you can utilize the untapped resource of internship seekers in this region to help maximize and strengthen your business and network with other local employers!
 

December 2 - Book Signing/Neuro Emotional Coaching demos - Mt. Lebanon Branch of First Commonwealth Bank - 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Author Barbara Schwarck - Call 412-242-3971 for additional information and to RSVP

 

December 2 - SOLO PERFORMANCE: GUILLERMO GÓMEZ PEÑA - PERFORMANCE: 7PM, DISCUSSION WITH PANELISTS: 8PM - $10 (MF MEMBERS FREE, PITT + CMU STUDENTS FREE WITH I.D.) - Guillermo Gomez-Pena is a performance artist, writer, activist, and educator. He has pioneered multiple media, including performance art, experimental radio, video, performance, photography, and installation art. Visit http://www.cmu.edu/cas/ for additional information

 

 

December 2 - Girls Coalition -Economic Empowerment Networking Breakfast - Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville - 8:30 AM - 10 AM - Registration fee is $10 (includes a light breakfast) - space is limited to 40 participants, so register early by emailing info@girlscoalitionswpa.org

 

December 4 - The Senator John Heinz History Center will host its eighth annual Holiday Book Fair Featuring More Than 50 Local Authors – 10 a.m. 2 p.m. – 1212 Smallman Street Pittsburgh – for more info visit www.heinzhistorycenter.org

 

December 4 – Free Christmas Benefit Concert!

 

Greater Harmony Chorus will present “Winter Wonderland of Music,” a free Christmas concert to benefit The Network of Hope Give-A-Gift Holiday Program and the Lighthouse Mission. The concert will be at 3:00 pm on Saturday, December 4, at North Hills Junior High School, 55 Rochester Road, Pittsburgh

 

A donation of an unwrapped toy for children 2-18 and/or canned goods is requested. Monetary donations will also be accepted. Join us for beautiful Christmas favorites sung in a cappella four-part harmony. Special guests include the Sounds of Pittsburgh Chorus, and chapter quartets. For more information about the concert or our chorus, please see www.greaterharmony.org, email greaterharmony@hotmail.com, or call 724-613-9800.

 

 

December 4 - New Voices Pittsburgh: Women of Color for Reproductive Justice

We’re having a Rent Party! 8 pm - 12 midnight - Come and party with New Voices Pittsburgh this Saturday and help us raise the roof and the RENT- Spades tournament, board games galore, great music, DANCING, and some good old debauchery right in our office! -Suggested donation is $5-$10 - Feel free to B.Y.O.B. Bring a dish, snacks anything to share with folks. We’ll have refreshments and a keg! - 18+ to attend, 21+ for libations. All are welcome -For more information, contact Bekezela Mguni @ 917.748.8116 or email bekezela.nvp@gmail.com.The Beatty Building. 5907 Penn Ave Suite 340. Pittsburgh

 

December 6 - Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship (CWE) Open House - 5:00 – 7:00 PM - James Laughlin Music Hall, Chatham University, Shadyside Campus - FREE and OPEN to the public - Register online: www.chatham.edu/cwe - Register for any of our programs on the day of the open house to receive 10% off

 

December 7 – Free Teleclass - Join Diana Fletcher, Stress Reducing Expert, as she shares easy strategies to make your holidays fun again - Register at www.dianafletcher.com/events/teleclasses - Class will be recorded. All registrants will receive recording. The teleclass  is free; long distance charges may apply.

 

December 8 - December Meetings at Volunteers of America

 

The monthly Brown Bag Lunch and Disability Resource Breakfast are both FREE and open to the public.

Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania

1650 Main Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15215

 

Brown Bag Lunch

12:00 – 1:00pm

 

Topic:  Creating a Publicity Plan for Your Business

 Speaker: Beth Caldwell, Publicity Specialist and Author of the Book 

“I Wish I’d Known THAT! Secrets to Success in Business”

 Most companies and organizations and entrepreneurs do not need to hire a full-time publicist, but they do need a plan.  Having a good publicity plan is essential to be able to take advantage of media opportunities. A publicity plan can be implemented by a staff member or volunteer, but first you need the plan. 

 

Beth will share industry secrets for: 

 

•  
  • Creating a custom media list
  • Creating a 12 month media plan
  • Understanding the steps of media coverage 
  • How to create an attention-getting press release

 

 

December 8 - Biz Chicks 5^th Annual Holiday Extravaganza - Regional Exterprise Tower 31^st Floor - 425 Sixth Avenue Pittsburgh - 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. - 40 female vendors - $7 for members, $10 non-members - RSVP by December 3: bas@muslaw.com or call 412-456-2587 - Cash & Checks only

 

December 8 – Toys for Tots Holiday Donation Party sponsored by The Musuneggi Financial Group & Single Steps Strategies – 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. - Manor Oak Two

Suite 520 1910 Cochran Road Pittsburgh - For more information or to RSVP please call 412-341-2888 or e-mail Sara at sdurzo@singlestepsstrategies.com

 

December 10 - Women’s Power Lunch Holiday Affair - 1:30pm – 3:00pm - Heinz Hall, Mozart Room, 5′th St. Downtown Pittsburgh - This is a celebration for all who attend and will get you into the holiday spirit while generating new business! We have grown significantly over the past 13 years and have over 1,600 women who are part of our email list. Come and join us for fun & food! RSVP: suzannef@zoominternet.net OR 724-452-5152

 

December 10 - Women Business Leaders Breakfast Series - Speaker: Mona Generett, PhD, Vice President Community Development, Dollar Bank - Topic: “Finding Opportunity in the Strangest Places – Business and Community Reinvestment.” - 7:30 am – 9:00 am - James Laughlin Music Hall, Chatham University, Shadyside Campus - Register Online: www.chatham.edu/cwe - Information: (412) 365-1253 Cost: $25 - (networking and a continental breakfast precede the presentation)

 

December 13 – SMC Headquarters, Churchill – Government Relations Meeting - Guest Speaker: Rep. Jason Altmire, U.S. House of Representatives SMC cordially invites you to join us for a lively discussion with Rep. Jason Altmire (D-4th). Altmire who serves on the U.S. House Small Business Committee will speak about the Affordable Care Act and legislation of interest to small businesses on the 2011-2012 Congressional agenda.  

 

After the sea-change election of 2010 it’s time to get to work and create jobs for the 15 million Americans looking for work. But how do we do it and what do we need? There are many issues that will impact small business and must be addressed from the extension of the Bush tax cuts, repeal of the Form 1099 provision, the Alternative Minimum Tax patch, the Estate Tax, the self-employed health care deduction as well as potential changes to the new health care law.  

 

Here’s your chance to speak with an elected official and tell him what it’s like to run a small business. Time will be allocated for “Q & A” so bring your business concerns as well as your ideas for solutions. Members and guests are welcome. Seating is limited. To register for Rep. Altmire Meeting visit http://www.smc.org/node/523  

 

For more information contact Eileen Anderson, Government Relations Manager, (412) 342-1606 or email eileenanderson@smc.org

 

　

 

 

December 16 –

.Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania

1650 Main Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15215

RSVP: 412.782.5344 X209 or volunteersofamerica@voapa.org

 

 

Disability Resource Breakfast

8:30 – 9:30 AM

 

Speaker: Diana Fletcher, Stress Reducing Expert

 

Topic: Choosing Stress Free “Happy Holidays”.

Learn simple tips that will help you and your loved ones celebrate the season, without extra stress and fatigue and with lots of love, laughter and delight - Let’s have some fun!

 

 

Save the Date

 

January 27 - Job & Career Fair – Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe, 1000 Corporate Drive Canonsburg – 11 am – 3 pm – Meet, interview and network with Pittsburgh area employers – bring copies of your resume! – admission is free – for more information, call Word Christian Talk 101.5 at 412- 937-1500

Business Program Calendar

 

November 2010

 

Programs are held on Thursdays at 12:15 pm at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Downtown & Business, 612 Smithfield Street, Downtown.  They are free and open to the public.

 

 

Thursday, November  4      Supercharge Your Career Planning  

                                           Jeffrey Fortescue, Manager of Business and Reference

                                           Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Downtown & Business

 

Did you know that Carnegie Library’s Resume Maker provides step-by-step instructions to help you create a professional-looking resume, or that our Testing & Education Reference Center includes practice tests and study guides to help you prepare for civil service, professional certification and licensing examinations, as well as tests for college entrance, graduate school and more?  Learn how you can access both of these tools in the library, or wherever you and your library card are located, at this informative program.

 

 

 

Thursday, November 11      Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate & Outnegotiate Your Competition

                                           (DVD-45 minutes)

 

Harvey Mackay, called “Mr. Make Things Happen” by Fortune Magazine, is the best-selling author of Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten.  In this DVD, he  shares his ideas on how to arm yourself with prospect, client and competitor information; how to see people who don’t want to see you, then make them glad they did, and how to develop and maintain relationships with customers.

 

 

Thursday, November 18        How to Start an Online Business

                                            Kate McGinley, CEO

                                            McGinley Media Limited

 

Ready to start working for yourself?  Thinking about starting a small business?  This session is a primer on how to start and build an online business.  Topics include: how turn your ideas into income; finding your first clients, setting your rates and marketing yourself.  Learn tactics and strategies to help you succeed, as well as what costly mistakes to avoid

 

 

Thursday, November 25         No Program – Happy Thanksgiving!      

Hi there! My name is Tommy. I’m a 6-year-old boxer mix, neutered, and up to date on all of my vaccines!

Another shelter brought me to Animal Friends in September, and boy am I glad they did! I love all of the volunteers here and am very affectionate. I especially love when they take me on car rides to the park! The perfect day for me would include a car ride to the park where I could romp and play with lots of other dogs and chase the occasional chipmunk.

I’m pretty strong though, so Animal Friends would like to see me go home with a family that has older children, ages nine and above. I also love toys, especially rope ones. I could occupy myself all day just gnawing on a rope toy. I’ll need to go home with a family that can provide me with lots of exercise and stimulation. I hope you will stop in to meet with me and an adoption counselor if I sound like the dog for you!

 

Matthew Buchholz
Communications Assistant
AnimalFriends
562 Camp Horne Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15237

p. 412.847.7039
f.  412.847.7001
e. mbuchholz@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org
w. www.ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org

 Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Labor expanded the Family and Medical Leave Act, making the definition of “parent” significantly more inclusive. The decision came from Nancy J. Leppink, the deputy administrator for the department’s Wage and Hour Division, who asserted that “neither the statute nor the regulations restrict the number of parents a child may have under FMLA.”

As a result of the ruling, the words “son and daughter” in the FMLA can now be interpreted as a “biological, adopted or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward or a child of a person standing in loco parentis.” This means that whoever cares for a child on a daily basis is eligible for unpaid medical leave, regardless of the person’s legal obligation to the child. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Leppink’s ruling acknowledges that more people care for children than just biological parents.

A win for non-traditional families in general, the ruling is especially important to same-sex partners who relationships are not federally recognized under the Defense of Marriage Act. The amended law also makes it possible for stepparents, grandparents, or other relatives or guardians who are otherwise responsible for a child’s daily well-being to be recognized as parents without engaging in a formal adoption procedure.

“What does this mean in the real world? It means children can get the support and care they need from the people who love them and are responsible for them,” said Hilda Solis, U.S. Secretary of Labor. “It means we recognize the importance of a partner who shares in the parenting of a child in a same-sex relationship.”

However, as Ms. Magazine wrote in June, same-sex parents still can’t take time off to care for one another when they are ill – the ruling just applies to taking care of a sick child. Representative Carolyn B. Maloney of New York wants to further expand FMLA regulations to allow medical leave to take care of a same-sex partner. She introduced a bill that would modify the definition of “spouse” to include “a same-sex spouse as determined under applicable state law” – an amendment that works within the confines of DOMA, but would improve conditions for same-sex couples with state-recognized unions.

Volunteers of America is seeking skilled professionals to implement its new Mentoring Children of Promise program in Allegheny County designed to serve children of incarcerated parents by matching them with caring mentors for one-to-one, friendship-oriented mentoring relationship.

 

Positions below offer competitive salary and benefits package.

 

Please send resume and cover letter to volunteersofamerica@voapa.org

Qualified candidates will be contacted.

 

Program Director (full-time) will oversee the day-to-day operations.

Qualifications:

o   Master’s degree preferred with emphasis in social work, psychology, and/or education

o   Five or more years experience in mentoring and youth development, working within community organizations and/or schools preferred

o   Extremely strong organizational, writing, verbal, and interpersonal skills

o   Creativity and flexibility are essential in assuming significant responsibility

o   Experience working in racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse urban communities preferred

 

Site Coordinator (full-time) supervises the day-to-day field operations. Coordinator will oversee program development and implementation at one or more community-based “mentoring sites” (e.g., churches, housing projects, other community-based sites where participants are identified and trained).

Qualifications:

o   Bachelor’s degree preferred

o   Strong community connections

o   Strong interpersonal skills

o   Excellent organizational skills

o   Two or more years experience working with youth, preferably in a mentoring program or positive youth development program

 

 MCP Navigator (part-time) will be responsible for ensuring that youth participating in the program have access to appropriate resources and supportive services, including mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and other health services, family counseling and family support services, crisis management services, educational and employment services, and assistance with basic needs (such as food, clothing and shelter).

Qualifications:

o   Master’s degree preferred with emphasis in social work or clinical psychology

o   Three or more years experience working with high risk youth, preferably in a mentoring program or positive youth development program

o   Proven experience in service coordination/working within a wraparound services framework

o   Extremely strong interpersonal skills

o   Experience working in racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse urban communities preferred

o    http://www.voapa.org/AboutUs/Careers/CurrentJobOpenings/tabid/7214/Default.aspx