Define "Diversity"

This afternoon I had an interview for the Duke EMBA program. The questions were fairly standard: why do I want to do this, what are my career aspirations, how will this particular program help me, etc. But there was one question that stood out to me. The interviewer asked me to define diversity. I was stumped, at first. But I talked my way through it and I ended up feeling fairly comfortable with my answer (although it's still up for debate). I decided to focus on how an individual can be diverse in a group or team environment. I defined individual diversity as having three elements:

• Cultural Diversity: What your upbringing and background gives to you. Are you from a farm or a city? Hong Kong or or Montreal? Are you from a "upper", "working" or "lower" class family?
• Emotional/Personality diversity: How your personality and nature makes you diverse. Are you introverted or extroverted, aggressive or passive, creative or analytical?
• Experience Diversity: How have the choices you've made in your life led to your current state? Have you traveled very much? Decided to follow a career in finance, philosophy, medicine or movie production? How do your hobbies add to your experiences?

Obviously, two of these are a bit more out of your control and the other one you have quite a bit of control over. When I think through putting together a professional working team, I would want to ensure you have diversity in all three of the above areas. Then I run the greatest chance of having an effective team- under the right leadership, of course. But that's a whole other area of conversation... for another day.

Sunset of the Year

It's just me and Mike again this evening. Our guests are gone. I drove them to the Milan airport this morning- 7 hours of driving before 1:30 PM. I arrived home, exhausted, for a quick nap. While I was sleeping the storm swept in. Not a rain storm, but clouds and wind. Strong wind. The cleansing summer storm that sweeps through to polish the earth's surface of ugly debris and sweep away heat and humidity. I woke up to a quiet and beautifully empty home. Wind howling through the open windows of the house as if it were not only cleaning the earth, but our home of any negativity present in the last several weeks- months. Clean.


Mike arrived home shortly after and we snuck up to the roof to watch the the brilliant sunset with it's intense array of colors. Mike called it the "sunset of the year". I agree.

Month of VINO

Ciao! It's "Wine Month" in Italy. There's one way that differs from all the other months. There are quite a few wine festivals in Tuscany and a few other regions. Mike, his Mom, Cheryl and I went to one in Montespertoli last night. You can tell it was one of the down nights as it was quite and easy to navigate... booths were elaborately decorated and set up with the vineyard's displaying and providing tasting of their wines for a small price. We plan on going to another festival this weekend with a few friends (the festival is yet to be decided), as well as participate in the Cantine aperte (Open wine cellars).

Italy is not like California with regards to it's Wine Tasting. The vineyards are not as open to tastings. Usually, you are expected to call and schedule a visit. The Cantine aperte is a rare example of a day when many vinyards will be open with no appointment necessary. All gates, doors and cellars open! Wooohoooo! Yay for "wine month" in Italy! Although for me and Mike, every month will be our "wine month".

Two vinyards we recommend from last night's tasting:

Frescobaldi
Particular Bottle we loved: 2006 Tenuta Di Castiglioni (Cabernet Savignon, Sangiovese and Merlot blend)

Tenuta Maiano
Particular Bottle we loved:: 2006 Ruscato (Chanti Blend)

Kick As- Banana Date Bread

Low gluten. No additional lard. Low sugar and yummmmmmmmmmmm.

Date-y Banana Bread

½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup buckwheat or Spelt flour
½ cup rice flour (or “Mix It” mix)
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup Milk + ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
Mashed overly ripe banana (3-4 bananas)
1 egg
4 oz (1 individual size cup) unsweetened applesauce
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
About 6-12 whole dates

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8″ x 4″ bread pan.
2. Combine apple cider vinegar and Milk and set aside.
3. Sift together flours, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. Add sugar, applesauce, mashed bananas, egg, milk mixture, and vanilla.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix well.
6. Chop dates in to 1/2 and mix to combine.
7. Pour batter into pan. and bake for 1 hour - 1 hour and 10 minutes.
   
   

Cinna-Chocolaty Banana Bread

Oh yum. Today I threw together a VERY quick and easy banana bread. This whole thing takes 1 hour from start to cook. Plus, no extra lard added- just wholesome deleciousness (ok, minus the chocolate and sugar)

Cinnamony Chocolaty Banana Bread

3-4 very ripe bananas (the size doesn’t much matter; medium to large works)
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large chocolate bar well chopped in to small pieces
For topping:
2 Tbsp. Coursely Chopped Cane Sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Butter or spray an 8-inch square pan.In a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas well with a fork or potato masher. Add the eggs, and stir well to combine.
3. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and vanilla, and stir to mix
4. Add ¾ of the chocolate bar and stir briefly until just mixed
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and set aside.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan, and top with the remaining chocolate
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
8. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving

New Efforts

Here goes. I will use this site as a diary, of sorts. A way to keep my brain moving and sharp. A way to think through things and keep my mind clean. Thoughts on computer, not muddled up in head making me insane.

This morning while making my handsome husband (he did look very handsome this morning, by the way in his blue work shirt, sparkling blue eyes and tan slacks) breakfast and coffee (a daily ritual for me now- how domestic), I was listening to a few NPR stories. Two struck me as worth briefly mentioning:

1) The Recession Diary
A clip on a couple who choose to follow their artistic passions to make a living: one as a freelance commercial photographer, and the other a writer/publisher for public radio stations. They moved to Los Angeles from Maine to make a go at it and had a child. Now, with the child two months old, they were forced to return to Maine (via car with a baby, 90 lb dog and what few belongings they could take with them) to live with the wife's mother. They needed to get their feet back on the ground. They were broke and not able to get work. The story struck me because of the wife's ability to keep the writing and the article light and positive despite the dire circumstances. She was able to focus on the important things- their health, their new beautiful child, and what the situation was bringing them. It was giving them a new sense of family and values. They were becoming more dependent on and very close to one another... and to their parents who were so happy to have them back in Maine and in their lives again. It made me think about me and Mike's situation right now: it is tough. It's a lot of transition and change for both of us. I can't work here. My career is put on hold and it's a lot of stress for us. But in reality, what an amazing opportunity. We live in ITALY. I have time to THINK about what I want. I am blessed with an unbelievable man who loves me and whom I have a spectacular connection with. Who is smart and loving and thoughtful. We are blessed, lucky and so much better off than most. Positivity and keeping the sunny outlook on things is the key, I think. And it's my new initiative.

Here's the story:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104131481

Their actual blog:
http://caitdangowest.squarespace.com/

2) Behavioral Economics
I had never heard this term before this morning, but I like it. Last night at dinner (Mike's Mom is visiting so he made us some DELICIOUS pasta for dinner last night and we were chatting over the meal with his Mom and Sheryl, her friend also visiting). We were discussing economic responsibility. What can be done to change people's responsibility level when it comes to making fiscal decisions: consumer spending, debt, credit cards, and loans. The piece on NPR referenced the Obama administration and it's emphasis on "Behavioral Economics": enforcing regulations that will help to change people's economic behavior as opposed to just enforcing laws to limit/restrict spending. "Behavioral economics is one of the most important fields to help us understand what motivates people to do what they do when they buy, sell, or otherwise interact with one another in both social and market environments."
For example, the Obama administration is enforcing a new rule for credit card companies: Included in monthly statements, the credit companies must also print how long it would take consumers to pay off their debt if they paid only the minimum balance due ever month. Mike made a good point this morning, this implies that the problem with the consumer is lack of information/education as opposed to deeper routed social problem with wanting too much. I think it is both. I think people aren't given the tools they need to truly understand financial instruments such as loans and credit card debt, but I also think it is society reconfirming that "more is better" and "more is happiness". The administration can enforce regulations to help with the first fix: give the tools!. But how do we fix the second problem? Do you really NEED that car you can't afford? Or should you be investing the $300 month extra you pay on that super nice BMW to a college fund for your child and paying off the 8k you have in credit card debt so your interest payments come down and you're able to be more fiscally responsible to yourself, your family and your community? How do we balance the want and the need? How do we change THIS mindset? I guess I can start with myself. Additional new effort: buy what I NEED, not what I WANT.