Mother's Day 2016

What's a Mother's Day without a mother? A celebration of other mothers, people who are mothers to me and the mothers that have left this earth.

It's a nurturing and empowering situation, those who inspire and influence others. A true sense of selflessness, a feeling that a mother embraces.

A protector of her young, a conqueror of disaster, a teacher, a leader, a volunteer, a chef, an artist, a mentor.

It is the wisdom of "mother" that is given to her children and others                  that resonates on this day...

CELEBRATE & ENJOY!  HAPPY MOTHERS DAY 2016!

Think Music!

Music is the universal language and evokes many emotions, feelings, memories. It's magical, mystical, moving! It has the power to console, heal and induce happiness. It conveys passion, rage and love!

Where do we draw our creativity from? The creativity that causes us to do what we do each day. Stop doing to open up to awareness, be in the moment, be present. Use all senses to experience, to explore, to discover what our greatest potential is.

There are sources we are drawn to that inspire us to be our best. Is it music, art, nature, people, places, experiences???
Music...does it cause you to focus or is it a distraction?
Music has rhythm for synchronizing
Cadence for continuity
Tempo for pace
Harmony for progression
Syncopation for the off beat

You don't have to watch it and can listen to it all day
You can watch as you listen at a concert, at a show, on the internet
Its there when you need it, its evocative and engaging producing bouts of singing, dancing, tapping, snapping…
Fluid, insidious genres from the dawn of time to forever resonating in our brains. Many artists using sound to change the world.

"You better lose yourself in the music, the momentYou own it, you better never let it go (go)You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blowThis opportunity comes once in a lifetime (yo)You better lose yourself in the music, the momentYou own it, you better never let it go (go)You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blowThis opportunity comes once in a lifetime (yo)(You better)" Eminem

Music to my ears
Face the music
Stop the music
Music makes the world go round

Jazz
Blues
Rock
Pop
Rap
Grunge
Showtunes
Holiday music
Classic
Jazz
Hip hop
Disco
Country

Be the maestro of your business, collaborate with MUSIC !

The Week Before Christmas

This blog was written for Cafe Realty on 12/18/2015 and published on the blog
https://caferealtyny.wordpress.com/

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all thru the house,
Every creature was stirring, even the mouse!

Commitments were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that TRID soon would be here.

Buyers were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of closings danced in their heads.

And Carol in her kerchief and I in my cap,
Had rattled our brains
With all this real estate crap.

Out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
We sprang from our desks to see what was the matter.
Away to the window we flew like a flash,
Tore open the window and threw up the sash!

The signature on the doc of the contract you know,
Gave a luster of hope that the closing would go.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a clear to close and a bottle of cheer!
With a tall skinny driver so lively and true
I knew at that moment what he would do.

More rapid than AOs his agents they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name
Now Laura! now Doug! now Freddy! and Lisa!
On Jenny! on Ida! on Kathy! and Tanya!
To the top of your game, don’t stop at the wall,
Now prospect, prospect, prospect you all!

As transactions were mounting and conditions to buy,
We all dealt with the obstacles and knew it would fly.
So into the office the agents they flew,
With a boat load of leads
And Walter Sadowski too!

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof,
The dancing and shouting that certain was proof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
A clear to close was announced and a closing was found!

It was drawn on a doc and presented to boot,
And disclosures were in and so was the loot!
A bundle of checks were all in a stack,
And it looked like the closing wasn’t a hack.

The buyers they cheered, the sellers how merry,
The day is here so they don’t have to worry.
The walk thru was fine and it did not snow,
The sellers had left so there was nothing to go.
The lockbox was off, the sign it was down,
The sellers were ready to get out of town.
Smiles they had and hope it’d be quick,
They laughed and they closed and that was it!

We’re all happy and jolly this time of year,
Since more contracts and closings soon would appear!
In the blink of an eye the year it has passed,
And we knew Café Realty surely would last.

We spoke of our word,
And constantly worked.
Fulfilled all the needs,
Though sometimes were jerked.
And pushing on thru as everyone knows,
Is a miracle these days with all to disclose!

We sprang to the cause,
When there was someone in need,
And always delivered
Our promise we heed.
You will hear us exclaim
As we assist you next year…

Happy Christmas to all
And a Café Realty New Year!

An adaptation of “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C Moore

Cafe Realty is a real estate brokerage, consulting and valuation services company, educating for options, advocating for community and representing sellers, buyers and investors. Contact us for a complimentary lifestyle consultation to determine the type of community that best suits your needs. Connect@CafeRealtyNY.com | 914.230.0650

Stop Wanting...Start Living

The constant pressure of everyday life in business, play, and family 

causing worry and stress is all in the wanting

• Wanting your clients to respond
• Wanting your child to behave a certain way
• Wanting people to like you
• Wanting to get paid more
• Wanting your family to be safe

What about living

• Living respectfully
• Living to give
• Living to empower
• Living with gratitude
• Living in the moment

Simple...not easy. Enjoy every moment, you never know when it will be your last. 

In memory of my father Joe Bruno 5/27/1930 - 10/17/2015

Contingency Friendship

Is this a friendship  or a temporary means to an end? Does friendship have a personal agenda where it only applies in certain circumstances?

Where I come from, friendship is based on acceptance of others into your life and full understanding of who we are in the relationship. It is the highest form of love...

A friend confides without condition, selflessly

A friend is never a burden, imposition or a bother

A friend tells the truth even if you don't want to hear it

Friends are your lifeline, your connection, there when you need them, not when it's convenient. They are by your side and support you because they believe in you. They don't compare you to others, they defend you. They share and don't keep secrets. They don't make assumptions.

Third party friendship: When you  meet someone through a friend. Is that person now also a friend. Is there criteria to be met? Is this friendship conditional?

What would you do for a friend? Give them food, shelter, love? The basics to survive. Without friends we would not be able to see who we really are. When you look at a friend, your reflection stares back or not. The facade is lifted...

Here is a quote from the English poet David Whyte which sums it up succinctly...

"FRIENDSHIP is a mirror to presence and a testament to forgiveness. Friendship not only helps us see ourselves through another’s eyes, but can be sustained over the years only with someone who has repeatedly forgiven us for our trespasses as we must find it in ourselves to forgive them in turn. A friend knows our difficulties and shadows and remains in sight, a companion to our vulnerabilities more than our triumphs, when we are under the strange illusion we do not need them. An undercurrent of real friendship is a blessing exactly because its elemental form is rediscovered again and again through understanding and mercy. All friendships of any length are based on a continued, mutual forgiveness. Without tolerance and mercy all friendships die." 

My father the original networker…A Father’s Day Message

My Dad was an innovator of his time, he was my first business mentor. It’s awesome how things evolve and we learn from one another.

Joe Bruno was the original networker, in positions (sales/promotions) that required him to contact, communicate and retain a client base. Although Think and Grow Rich was around since the late 30s, I doubt many business people were aware of the writings as we are today. Networking in the 50s was without social media, the internet and every kind of device that assists us in business today. He developed these relationships initiated by his own desire and love for what he did (the way I perceived it as a young adult). I often accompanied him on various appointments/trade shows and observed how to be social and how to meet total strangers and connect. It’s a tough act to follow, but who’s acting…It was not something forced it was a genuine interest in supporting a company. I am not aware of a mission statement or value proposition that was in place, it was the fashion industry…very social and people wanted what he had because of him. SOCIAL…NETWORKING

Joe introduced me to many aspects of the sales world from people to process to promotion, He had fun with it so it did not seem like work. I often thought how great it would be to have such passion for what I  do that it does not seem like work. Here is where the real lesson is and I can proudly say that now I am an independent business owner…Café Realty.

Dad was a real influence on how to think differently.

Here’s to you DAD, Happy Father’s Day THANK YOU and may your light always shine upon all those in your life!
With love, gratitude and appreciation...

Yoga...return to bliss

The practice of yoga is personal, the true connection of mind body and spirit. Returning from a 2 year absence has brought a familiar awareness to the benefits of this ancient art and discipline. It is the softening, the lengthening, the surrendering to your inner peace via breath control, balance and awareness. It centers your thoughts, feelings and emotions and connects them.
It's a personal discipline drawing from your deepest sense of self which transforms the energy of the mind into control of the body. A bliss experienced when ego is forgotten and inner peace is realized.
This return also brought a keen awareness to the flexibility of the body, the asanas (postures), the mudras (hand gestures), the prana (life force/breath) are gathered within a session to awaken the spirit and bring it towards the body and mind. It is no easy feat to hold a posture, control the breath and soften the expression. There are 2 distinct styles of practice focusing on the yang or the yin. Yang being a more male. muscle oriented, energizing, flowing, intense style and yin a female, connective tissue focused, gentle, flowing style. The two are complementary and produce the same bliss dependent on your needs for your practice in any given day.
Balance asanas are my personal favorite, a true grounding to the earth, a letting go of emotions, a mindful expression. A center of gravity is found and the edges are explored...a fluid stability
The beauty of yoga is the opportunity to experience what is necessary for your body/mind/spirit at that moment. There is no competition...egoless exercise. Your practice is yours alone...an island in a sea.

Yin	Yang
Produces form	Produces energy
Grows	Generates
Substantial	Non-substantial
Matter	Energy
Contraction	Expansion
Descending	Rising
Below	Above
Water	Fire

namaste