So now you know my history – but who am I today?

I’ve lived in Roxbury for 17 years now – my husband and I bought our first house here when we got married, and we live in that same house today (I tease my kids that I’ll probably still be living in this house when I die!). I have 3 children in the Roxbury school district – the High School, Eisenhower Middle School, and Jefferson Elementary. They are active kids – sports, Girl Scouts, dance, etc – but they know that school comes before everything else.

I’ve learned many lessons over the years, but much of it comes back to what my parents taught me. I am a strong researcher. I believe you don’t have to know everything – you just have to know where to find the information. Sort of like a good President – he doesn’t have to have all of the answers – he has to surround himself with people that can provide all of the answers. Part of my job at a software developer is third level Technical Support. When a Technical Support Manager cannot find the answer to the customer’s problem, it is my job to figure it out – whatever it takes. Research on the web, talk to developers, search our company databases – whatever I need to do to find the answer. I apply this to any decision I make in life – nothing is rubber stamped as far as I’m concerned. An open mind lends itself to learning and advancement. Being open to what others have to say – and then making a well thought out decision based on facts.

I am also a planner. Friends laugh at me – I have my summer vacation plans made before many have finished unwrapping their Christmas/Hannukah gifts! I think the best way to succeed is to always have a short and long term plan. Making a decision at the last minute means it is possible you missed out on a more effective or cost efficient way of doing something. Waiting until the last minute to book a vacation may mean you don’t get the place you want at the price you want.

I am frugal – but at the same time understand that money needs to be spent if you want to advance. If I never spent money on my home, it would fall in disarray very quickly. So I do spend – but I spend wisely. My husband and I prioritize where we want to spend our money (ie, I don’t see the cost benefit of something like TiVo – tv isn’t high on my priority list). After we make a decision on an improvement we want to make, I research to find the best person for the job at the best price. It may take time – but at the end I feel like I have spent my money wisely – and that’s a good feeling.

Lastly, my husband and children are everything to me. There is no battle I will not fight for them. If I feel they have been wronged – I will come to their defense quickly and fiercely. I am not one of the those parents who believe my kids can do no wrong – again, I always listen with an open mind – but at the end of the day I am always there for them – whether they are right or wrong to help them deal with the outcome. That’s my most important job – being a mom.