I write this month’s article from a place I don’t know how I arrived at or how long I will stay. Life has certainly thrown me into some rough waters, and I am trying to stay afloat, but the tides are strong, and I am getting tired of fighting a battle that can’t be won.
Anyway, let’s get into life at Bretton Woods and how the fall season is going. The golf course, upper tennis courts, shuffleboard, bocce, and pickleball courts remain open.
The Rangers will have concluded their season by the time you read this. So, if you go and play in November, services will not be offered. However, the grounds will continue to be maintained and staff will be on the property. If anyone is seen breaking the rules or not following golf etiquette, he/she will be asked to leave. If the offense continues, recreational privileges of the individual resident will be suspended, regardless if it’s the resident breaking the rules or their guest.
I am not anticipating any snow for the month of November, but the fall clean-up will be underway throughout the complex. Please drive carefully and be mindful that the wet leaves are very slippery. This is something that impacts all of us, whether we are walking, riding bikes, or driving. The days are now shorter and get very dark when most people return home from work. Please be mindful of all of the young kids in our community, many of whom get off the bus late from after-school programs.
Please make sure you read the newsletter and stay updated on the upcoming fall and winter events. The clubs and committees work very hard to set them up and we encourage your support for their success. I hope that everyone booked their tickets for the Murder Mystery event, as it looks like it is going to be a lot of fun.
I am always hesitant to write anything about Cablevision/Optimum, as they tend to cause me more issues than most. Please note the page that is in the Newsletter on how to proceed with the fiber upgrade. Things have improved drastically and many people have switched over at this time. Though many don’t like the way the new DVRs work or the size of the remotes, unfortunately, we can’t control that, as that is the new equipment they provide. For those of you who are hesitant to switch and want to wait, my answer to you is that you will have to switch eventually, so waiting for something that can’t be avoided tends to only make things harder. I don’t know when the exact date will be, but I will do everything in my power to make sure we have ample notice.
However, if I was you, knowing how things have been handled by Cablevision/Optimum, I would not wait too long. The reality is that cable is obsolete technology and it’s becoming cost prohibitive for them to fix it. So, if areas have issues and live fiber is working in that area, I anticipate that they will require those impacted to switch. I don’t want to speak for them, but as someone who works in the business world, that seems self-evident. For those who call to make arrangements to switch and have any issues at all, please call the contact info on the page provided in the Newsletter immediately. Additionally, please e-mail me so I can address it with them directly and provide specific examples of why people are still hesitant to switch over.
The gatehouse has been a big conversation for me lately. One of our main security guards took a well-deserved vacation. During his absence, the complaints increased tenfold regarding a multitude of issues. I had to laugh, as the main security guard has always received more complaints than anyone else due to his strictness. It turns out that people prefer strict and maybe a little curt over-friendly and incompetent. Yes, I know we should be able to find people who are friendly, efficient, personable, and charismatic to work. However, as someone who deals with the public more than most, I assure you that people who have a full skill set are a rare find. Competent people allow things to run much smoother than friendly incompetent people. I agree that every contractor and vendor working for us must be respectful and cordial at all times. However, keep in mind that it turns out that people prefer efficiency over friendliness. We all tend to make the mistake of focusing more on appearance and personality than work ethic and character.
I am not going to get into the sea of metaphors this month like I did not too long ago. I tend to always refer to water and currents, as nothing in life appears to be both so beautiful and serene, but also so powerful and destructive. I guess that’s why it reminds me so much of life and people. Many of us look one way on the surface but feel and are very different on the inside.
I spend a tremendous amount of time around water, whether it be a creek, river, stream, lake, waterfall, or ocean. I also spend much of my life on the phone, not by choice, but by necessity for the career I have. I make a conscious effort to take many of those calls at or near one of the above areas. I was just having this conversation with someone (this one is for you) about their life. We all believe that our circumstances are a product of our environment. That simply isn’t true at all! The harsh reality is that we are willing to pay the price and sacrifice certain things for others.
If you want to have a healthy body, you have to diet and exercise.
If you want to have a good family, you can’t just pick up and leave at the drop of a hat.
If you want to share your life with someone, you have to put their needs before your own.
We all know this, but very few are willing to pay the price or sacrifice one thing in lieu of another. The old expression goes, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” I have sacrificed a lot in my life and many innocent people were hurt because of that. The thing I am just realizing now in life is I don’t even know what I was or am sacrificing for. We believe something to be true because that’s what we were told all of our lives.
I guess I am fortunate that I have experienced many different things and have been exposed to many different people and beliefs. This issue is that after all of that exposure and experience, I find it difficult to know if I am blessed or cursed for the different beliefs and philosophies that I have seen.
November brings us the following holidays and days of significance: Veterans Day and Thanksgiving,
Craig Pessin, HOA Administrator
The more you see and the more you do, the more you will question everything about your life. Be careful of your experiences, as they may become your reality. Be more careful of your reality, as you may spend your life trying to escape it. Depending on our perspective, our lives can either be a dream or a nightmare.