I have been taking care of my nieces this week on my own, as the rest of my family is away. It has been great spending more quality time with them and seeing their lives and my family from a different perspective. I certainly prefer the life that I live, but I’m glad I have had this experience. We always think that we want what someone else has, until we have it. I have always been pretty sure about what I want and don’t want in life, and this has just reinforced that. I love my nieces more than anyone or anything in my life and would always do whatever was needed for them, and I have. I just know, in my heart, that I am a traveler and that I’m meant to walk alone in this life.
So, the winter season is still giving us some challenges, and I am hoping that we get through it sooner rather than later. Let’s see what happens with the groundhog this month, but that doesn’t seem to be very accurate. We have gone through a tremendous amount of salt at this point and are anticipating having to go through much more. The constant melting and refreezing present a multitude of obstacles and challenges. One is, of course, the ice, and despite all of our efforts to minimize it, we can’t beat Mother Nature. Please proceed with caution when walking on sidewalks and in the parking lots.
The HOA sends out blast calls when we have cleared the streets, and you’re able to move your car out of the lot. Several people have been electing to leave their cars in the parking lots after this blast call is sent out. This prevents the HOA from being able to clear the parking lots completely, which leads to several other issues, such as snow and ice in the parking lots, limited parking, issues entering and exiting the vehicles from the cleared spots, etc. Please be cognizant of your neighbors and move your vehicle after the snowstorm. If you’re unable to do so, please contact the desk for a list of available people who can assist you.
I am writing this article in January and have already had enough of this winter season. Let’s all try to work together and minimize the headaches and issues that the winters in NY already cause all of us. I do love the snow for making snowmen with the kids, snowball fights, and, of course, hiking. Nothing is more surreal than hiking a mountain covered in fresh snow and knowing no one has been out there yet. It makes you feel like you’re the first person to experience the magnificent beauty, and for that day, you are. Outside of the above, nothing is enjoyable about the snow to me.
Cleaning the car, shoveling out the car, driving, defrosting the car, and of course, dealing with other drivers. All of which is a nuisance and stressful, and something that we all have to experience. If we can try and just be considerate of one another and not blame each other for what we are dealing with, I think it will help. I am up and down all night when it snows, and in constant contact with the staff. Leading up to the storm is always very challenging, with laying out the plan and coordinating several different facets to keep the streets and parking lots clear of snow and ice. My stress and responsibility are a lot, but nowhere near what the staff goes through physically being onsite, either salting, shoveling, or plowing before, during, and after the storm. We all believe our lives or circumstances are the most challenging, because to us, they are. Let’s all try to remember that we’re all just doing what we believe is necessary for our jobs and our lives. I was going to say that we are all trying to do our best, but I simply don’t know if that is true. Thank you to the staff and to all of you who are doing your best to be good neighbors, friends, family, and members of society.
I said last month that I got rid of my last two vices. Well, it turns out I still have one left. Life has a way of testing us in a way that we can’t prepare ourselves for. I had major dental surgery last week and have been unable to exercise or eat solid foods. It has been a double-edged sword for me, as exercise is how I try to balance my mind. Not being able to eat solid food has led me to eat the wrong things. Now I am certain I could have found healthier choices that weren’t solid. Though having an excuse to revert back to bad habits is so much easier.
I failed and justified my failure with a BS excuse, and I should be better than that. Excuses always come, and some are legitimate, and others aren’t. All I know is that when we want to make changes, life will always throw more obstacles at us. Between having the kids, the surgery, work, and other personal things, I had my share of excuses. Though I still could have done it, so I failed myself, and I need to hold myself accountable for that failure. I don’t know what my punishment will be yet, but it must be harsh enough to ensure I don’t repeat the behavior.
Change is hard; excuses are easy. Pick the one that will improve your life, not the one that gives you an escape from it.
I don’t know what the future holds for me, and none of us do. Though when you know what isn’t working, that’s what you must change first. 2026 will be exactly what 2025 was if we don’t change our mindset and circumstances. The key to finding what holds us back is to track our lives and be brutally honest with ourselves. I write every day, and one day, I may share that with all of you and others. Though, for now, it’s for me to identify my triggers and the common denominator that activates them.
February brings us the following holidays and days of significance: Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, and Ash Wednesday.
Craig Pessin- HOA Administrator
Failure is part of growth and is necessary for change. Don’t be afraid of your failures, but be afraid of what happens when you stop trying. I am sick and tired of failing at life, but I am terrified and unwilling to find out what happens if I stop trying.
