How to stop stress from spoiling your eggnogmore

Seminar sheds light on SAHA policiesmore

Article source: Bistro MDmore

Give thanks for the holidays
Continue the Turkey Day tradition this season

By Henry A. Alvarez III
SAHA President and CEO

   I can’t believe 2007 is already coming to a close. In just a few weeks, we’ll be ringing in the arrival of 2008 with streamers and confettii. We will wave goodbye to a truly fantastic year and happily greet the next year with the hope that it will prove even better a year than the one before it. This New Year’s Eve will likely be a bittersweet time for me, as well as for many of us here at SAHA.
     We made a lot of impressive progress in 2007. From the establishment of formal training programs in our HR department to the completion of the construction or purchase of over 1,900 multi-family rental units, we truly had a ton of things to be thankful for last    Thanksgiving. But I don’t believe we should let our thanks stop with the final bite of pumpkin pie and the final sip of cider at Thanksgiving dinner. We have a lot more reason to celebrate because although we took the vital steps in 2007, we will begin to see their positive effects in 2008. If for no other reason, this should certainly inspire holiday cheer.
    We’ll start our celebrations at the annual employee holiday luncheon on Dec. 7. I’m already excited about indulging in a delectable and delicious meal and enjoying the coming of the season with my colleagues and my friends at SAHA. It’s all of you who truly make the holidays the season to be jolly.
     Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanza or some other religious holiday, I sincerely hope you have a fantastic season filled with fun, fellowship and of course, food. I look forward to seeing you all in 2008: the year of opportunity. Until then, as the song goes, “May your days be merry and bright.”

Food, fellowship and fun
Employee holiday luncheon promises good tidings

    The holidays are finally here, and many of us can already taste the delicious meals we will enjoy throughout the season. One meal of note is the annual SAHA employee holiday luncheon on Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
     This annual event is free to SAHA employees, as our way of saying “thank you” for a great year!  This year, you have an opportunity to put an extra smile on your family’s face.  Thanks to the Education Investment Foundation, you have the chance to win a 50” Hitachi Plasma 1080i television, as well as a number of other exciting door prizes.  Tickets for the drawing are $10 each or three for $20.
     This lavish celebration at Pueblo Hall on 3315 Northwestern St. is open to all SAHA employees, so don’t miss out! Don’t forget to stop by the Human Resources Department to purchase your raffle tickets today!

Holly jolly holidays
How to stop stress from spoiling your eggnog

   When it comes to the holidays, stress is more common than lighted reindeer, Santa Claus figurines and plastic mistletoes. Whether we’re fighting a mob to get to the mall, squinting our eyes to read the tiny cooking instructions on the back of the box or desperately rummaging through the sale bins for the perfect gift, we’re bound to suffer a migraine or a backache at some point during December. Although stress is common, excessive amounts of it can have dire effects on your health, according to Humana. To ensure that your stress stays in check, learn to identify and reduce stress levels; when you do so, you will get one step closer to enjoying a holly jolly holiday season.
     We’ve all experienced at least one of the symptoms of stress due to a tight deadline, a woeful bank balance or a plummeting personal relationship. A bit of stress is healthy and manageable (nothing that a dose of Advil won’t cure), but when you experience prolonged symptoms, such as sustained headaches, shoulder cricks, sweaty palms, sleep disturbances and stomach aches, you could be on the verge of a health crisis. For example, WebMD.com has linked excessive stress levels to cancer, heart disease, lung ailments, cirrhosis of the liver, accidents and suicide, all of which are leading causes of death in the United States. Although stress can rear its ugly head at any point during the year, the holidays, with their hustle and bustle, often prove to be one of the most commonly stressful periods.
     But the good news is that holiday stress can easily be lessened with a bit of self-discipline and proper planning. To prevent or alleviate your stress this December, make a list of stress-dissolving techniques and check it twice. Here are some tips to get you started.
     Plan everything early. Designate a day to go shopping, a day to cook the holiday turkey and a day to decorate the house. Start at least thinking about your holiday preparations as soon as possible. When it comes to gift buying, don’t wait until Christmas Eve to head to the mall because the parking lot alone will be enough to drive your stress level through the roof! Start shopping now and you will be more likely not only to find what you’re looking for, but also to get into the store. And better yet, order your gifts online. This way, you don’t have to worry about going out at all. Talk about a stress reliever!
      Follow good habits. Although the wine, the pie and the candy accompany most holiday parties, overindulgence will get you nowhere. For one, if you eat too much early in the month, your party outfit may be a bit too tight to fasten come New Year’s Eve. Also, overeating induces sleepiness, which slows down your entire routine. And obviously, drinking too much can result in not only a hangover and beer belly, but also a fatal accident. If you follow a steady exercise regimen, stick to it; you’ll be glad you did. If you don’t exercise, don’t wait until New Year’s Day to start; New Year’s resolutions are overrated and largely forgotten come February. As the cliché goes, why do it tomorrow when you can get it over with today? If you do so, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress in the long run.
      Get some help. Don’t feel like you have to cram your schedule to its breaking point with shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, gift-wrapping and party hopping. Get a friend or relative to split some of the duties with you. Wrap half the gifts yourself and give the other half to your spouse to wrap, for example. And if something, such as cousin Mary’s tea party, just won’t fit into your schedule, don’t force it. Keep everything in perspective and know your limits. As long as you’re honest (don’t say you’re going when you’re not), those who matter most to you will understand. (Just make sure to give Mary a really nice present.)
      For a holiday season as sparkling as New Year’s Eve champagne, keep your stress level as low as possible. If you do so, you can deck the halls, rock around the Christmas tree and properly enjoy yourself all season long.

Preparing for PIPS and CARS
Seminar sheds light on SAHA policies                       

   The San Antonio Housing Authority Training Department will team up with Legal and Disaster Preparedness to host an in-depth training seminar for you on Dec. 13, 2007. The training will answer any “how-to” questions you may have when completing Performance Appraisals, Corrective Action Reviews (CARS) and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPS). Learn the processes for legal evictions and find out just how prepared you are for disasters! The seminar runs from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Central Office in the boardroom. We hope to see all of you there!

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Low-fat pumpkin pie recipe
Article source: Bistro MD

      Enjoy a piece of pumpkin pie without feeling guilty!
Most of the calories in Pumpkin Pie come from the crust, so here is a crust-less, low fat recipe to enjoy!
Ingredients:
¼ cup water
2 1 oz. envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups fat-free evaporated milk, divided
¾ cup packed brown sugar (or 1/3 cup packed Splenda, Brown Sugar)
1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:
Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, sprinkle gelatin in water. Leave to stand for 5 minutes. Pour 1 cup of fat-free evaporated milk into a small saucepan, and heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat, and whisk into gelatin. Don’t worry if the gelatin has hardened; the hot milk will liquefy it. Stir in the remaining cup of evaporated milk, sugar, canned pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla extract. Stir until well-blended. Pour pumpkin mixture into the pie plate. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Serves 8.
Per Serving: Calories 152, Calories from Fat 2, Total Fat 0.2g (Sat. 0.2g), Cholesterol 2mg, Sodium 85mg, Carbohydrate 32.1g, Fiber 1.7g, Protein 5.4g.