This time of year always causes me to reflect. If you’re Christian maybe it’s Christmas but for me it’s the high holidays of Judaism. Brought up going to a Shule, a secular Jewish school, on Sundays I did not go to temple. I learned traditional folk dance, Yiddish (you need a lot of flegm), literature and songs. No Bible, no Hebrew, no Barmitzvah. I “graduated” Shule at 13. (wore a silve... More >>

Another day dawned.


Enola could feel his gnawing absence. It had been almost two years since he had volunteered, in a rush of patriotic fervor, to help save the free world. He had enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and had trained as a Bombardier Specialist.

At first he had written regularly and telephoned too. Then, nine months ago, they shared a weekend of passionate, but bit... More >>

In a few weeks, Flo and I will be at our favorite resort in the Berkshires for our annual weekend to rejoice in the beauty of Fall foliage. Last Spring as we watched the rebirth of the newly-formed buds on the trees we knew that we would be back to observe the inevitable changing of colors and falling of the leaves. The falling of the leaves is not only inevitable, it is vital.
A few days ago, I ... More >>

Don Bernstein complained that he had to write a blog, and then he complained that he had to write it on Sunday. Try Monday, Don. Added to my Monday morning chores is the responsibility to try and write something that some of you will read and hopefully find interesting.

At first I considered listing all of those items below, but realized that it may deter all of you from ever reading my blog... More >>

So why can't we talk on cell phones on the LIRR? I understand we are supposed to be considerate of our neighbors. I understand how annoying it can be to be subjected to the loud phone conversations of others riding with you to and from work.

But why is a quiet phonecall any different than a conversation between two commuters?

I admit it. I talk on my cell on the train. It is actually very ... More >>

My birthday is approaching and I’ve been thinking about birthdays in general. We all have them. We usually want to celebrate, no matter how old we are.
Looking back, I’ve realized that birthdays tend to cluster into categories. First, there were the low-tech, 1950’s type parties – all the kids in the neighborhood wore their party clothes and gathered in the basement to play pi... More >>

I recently received a lead from a business colleague who is not in any of my networking groups. His referral was to a firm which happens to be in Gotham!

How often to we forget what a resource Gotham can be. Sure, finding jobs, apartments for friends and family is a no brainer. I'm talking about real business leads. For instance, writing to fredslist about a company you're trying to do busines... More >>

Last week I blogged about Johnny Damon being a sort of connector and that got me to thinking about our National Pastime, Baseball. It is mostly a boy thing, but boy it sure is a great thing!

When I was young in the 50's, the salad days for New York Baseball with three teams (Yankees, Dodgers and Giants), I started collecting and "flipping" for baseball cards. Despite clipping many to... More >>

So, how was your year? Was it good? Did you do all the things you set out to do? Or was it a lazy year?
When you answer that, think back. Did you take a nap last Rosh Hashana? Try to remember.
"Huh?" you ask.
Well, I have news for you, and I just learned this today -- you are not supposed to nap on Rosh Hashana. That's right; no afternoon sleepy-time allowed.
This was not... More >>

Julie's recent blog about the Lost DVDs lead me on a stream of consciousness that ended in "Books are for Life". Without boring you with the strange mind progressions of that moment, in the end I realized that I am a book buyer and not a book borrower. When I make the investment of time to read a book I expect that it will leave a lasting impression, impact my perspective or view -- perhaps even m... More >>

Let me start by saying that I have been meditating more lately which always increases these type of events. On a recent Sunday morning I had a disturbing dream that I woke up and told David about. I dreamt that I had somehow met up with a woman with whom we used to socialize when our children were little. At the time she was married to a physician David worked with and we were frequently in... More >>

As I sat through a mediation yesterday, I had some time to think about how idiosyncratic mediation of employment disputes can be. These disputes are never without emotion and often result in tears, anger and every other emotion on the spectrum. The skills necessary to effectively negotiate (pointedly chosen word) the course of a mediation are not taught or learned in law school but probably shou... More >>

The television series LOST is now in its third season. My husband and I are just beginning season 2 on DVD. We are hooked. We spent last spring catching up on Season 1 by taking the DVDs (6 discs - 4 episodes each) out of our local library. What pressure! Since they were a "new release" at the time, I had to return each one after just 2 nights. That meant if we were both home on those two ni... More >>

I asked my daughter Hilary, the smart school teacher, to read my blog from last week for constructive criticism and also to see if she had any ideas what I could write about. The first one was good, she said, but "they can't all be complaining, can they?"

That made perfect sense to me. And I wasn't going to complain today. I was going to write something serious about the NY State Liquor Auth... More >>

I didn't know you did that...How many times has someone said that to you? In the past week, I've gotten that twice. Since my company provides quite a number of services I don't find that suprising but it is troubling. All of us, me included, fail miserably when telling people all of the services we provide to our customers.

On one hand it's hard, you have 30 seconds (maybe a bit more if Fred i... More >>

If you look at my photo on this Blog you see me proudly sporting my Yankee hat which I wear reverently as a life long Yankee fan. I got it this season on "Hat Day" when I took my 7 year old (Met fan) grandson Jackson to "The House That Ruth Built" (Thank you Alan Klein for the tickets). I'm pleased to report that since then I have "turned" Jackson sufficiently that he now tells me he is a Met/Yan... More >>

A doctor-client of mine was relocating to another city. He had purchased a new house, was selling his old house and had negotiated an employment agreement with his new employer in the new city. The date for the closing and his family's move was set.
After he gave notice to his soon-to-be-former employer, his entitlement to severance under his employment agreement was questioned. He too... More >>

1- Fred gets you to do things you would never do otherwise. There was the time he convinced me to come to the Long Island Gotham breakfast (although in typical Fred fashion he insisted it was my idea). While I felt like a fish out of water, or more appropriately a croissant out of the basket, I was impressed with the vitality and professionalism of the rest of the group.

2- Fred can be fun. ... More >>

With the anniversary of September 11 behind us, I can’t help but reflect on an awkward moment five years ago. We all have our memories of 9/11 and they are awful. It never ceases to amaze me how vivid those memories are five years later.

This memory is vivid also. On September 12, 2001, I made and received many phonecalls. With one exception, each call was checking in and asking if every... More >>

My six year-old daughter and I attended a memorial service this morning honoring September 11th. She didn't understand what it all meant, but she held three miniature American flags and smiled at all of the people, even at the women who gave her a pin that says, "We remember 9.11"

That is all I am equipped to write on this day.... More >>

For the past few weeks Fred has been pestering me to write a blog. And he said that I had to do it on Sundays. I said no, then maybe, then tried to ignore him. Fred can't be ignored for very long, so finally I lied and said that yes I would be happy to do it.
This is great. Just what I need, something else that I HAVE to do. And on the weekend.
It reminds me of my summer camp. ... More >>

I'm convinced most people don't know what they want from networking. I hear it all the time. The other day at one of my Gotham meetings (Long Island) you had to say what a good lead is for you. Most members said "anyone who needs (their service)." What a joke. I get angry because as business owners or salespeople we must know exactly who needs our service. Are they mostly female or male? Large, me... More >>

You all have heard the story of how Gotham was conceived ten years ago. A friend invited me to his network group. I attended and nervously gave my first elavator speach. Afterwards the facilitator came on too strong with his praise of my presentation and I figured out why when he told me (1996 price) the $2500 annual dues. He pursued me for weeks and when I finially broke down and said I'd join if... More >>

Regardless of what the calendar or my accountant says, September always feels like the beginning of the year to me. Do we ever outlive the vestigial response that Labor Day and the beginning of the school year bring new Crayolas, pencils and marble composition books ? Thus enabled, we are prepared to confront the challenges of the new year. The clean pages, unused crayons and sharpene... More >>

WEATHER/ Too much information!

Unlike many people who watch the news nightly, I have avoided tv news for years as I find it produces too much anxiety. As a result, I haven’t watched the news on a regular basis since Chuck Scarborough and Ernie Ernastos were young men.

So I take my news in smaller, nonaudible doses in the NY Times and on the AOL head-lines. Lately, that is getting to... More >>

Tomorrow is the first day of school. We have just completed our annual tradition of pre-school shopping for school supplies and clothes. Both of my kids have both spent hours on the phone over the last few days figuring out which of their friends by happenstance will be with them in the new class. They are both excited and a little nervous about a new school year – and I am already exhausted ... More >>

Has anyone been paying attention to John McEnroe’s commentating during the U.S Open Tennis Tournament this year? McEnroe’s appearance each August is usually half the fun of watching tennis. Typically, it is a treat to listen to McEnroe’s natural, sharp insight into the game and into each player’s strengths and weaknesses – a veteran of the court. This year, however, he seems bored. H... More >>

On this Labor Day weekend I find myself thinking of a strange but true networking story. I was stuck on the L.I.E. one fine evening. My car just stopped working. I called for help and a tow truck arrived to take me to my dealer so I could spend some more money. As I got into the cab of the tow truck the gentleman who was driving seemed unpretentious and friendly. Being a curious fellow I engaged h... More >>

If you know me at all you know that I'm never far from my Blackberry ("Crackberry" if you prefer). I am the first one to admit I am addicted to it, but, as in the case of exercise, I am convinced that it is a "positive addiction". The last thing I do at night and the first thing I do in the morning is to check my email. I have this insatiable need to be in contact, in the know and interactive. I... More >>