My son Jackson plays on a spring intramural ice hockey team. He has practice twice a week and a game or two each weekend. We have instilled in him that no matter what time or how often the games or practices are held, he must show up. That’s it -- no questions asked.

Jackson happily abides by this rule, never complaining about being dragged out of his warm bed on an icy February morning ... More >>

I am off to Italy on Tuesday. It is a trip I planned months ago. I thought, back then, wouldn't it be nice to learn a little Italian before I go.

Languages and I don't get along. My first experiment started in first grade when they tried to teach us French. I hated it and didn't remember a word, except for "la plume," which I think means pen, or pencil, or maybe I am confusing it with an ... More >>

In Philadelphia at the Penn Relays. The mecca for high school athletes from the entire country, even Jamaica. I'm amazed at the quality of these athletes. Yesterday, in the final leg of the DMR (Distance Medley Relay) one of them ran a 3:57 mile!

I never thought a track meet could be so enthralling. Seeing my son amongst these athletes gives me a tremendous sense of pride. He ran yesterday in a... More >>

Gotham is a wonderful world unto itself! How do I know? Because I am the head nut and we encourage individuality. We even have a way of monitoring or measuring it, i.e., our Poll. We have some 500 members of which an opinionated minority (less than 100) chime in weekly in response to our stimulating and provocative poll questions (suggestions are welcome).

The most popular poll ... More >>

At some point during the course of negotiations, I usually advise a client that the success of the negotiations will ultimately depend upon two things: The good faith of the parties and the ability and resolve of my client to "walk away from the deal" if necessary.

Clients leave the details to the lawyers; but the deal is made by the clients. After the lawyers file away the papers and move ... More >>

I have to admit that, like millions of other addicts, I watch American Idol almost every week. Although I think that this year’s contestants aren’t always exciting and that Ryan Seacrest is no longer the cute announcer with highlighted hair that he started out to be, I still watch. I have never voted, and I never will vote, but I still watch. Sometimes I find the judges to be gratuitously c... More >>

I admit that I am an overprotective parent. I wear the label with pride. When my daughter (age 11) wants to walk around the corner to a friend or ride her bicycle by herself, I say no. Nonetheless, I have let her play basketball on my driveway without an adult – and sometimes I have even let her watch her younger brother playing on the driveway for a few minutes. They say I have made great pr... More >>

I am having difficulty focusing on a blog topic today. Usually thoughts stream out on to the page (the screen) and the result is something that some of you choose to read and hopefully enjoy to some extent. But today is different.

I had planned to use as my blog content my younger sister’s written email rant about the administration at her New York City public school teaching job. She is... More >>

I mispell words in my blogs, for which I get a lot of criticism from my son Joshua. Well, he is right, I have to admit, even though there is technically a fine line between mispelling and a typographical error.

The fact is that I think very fast. And I also know how to type correctly with nine fingers that fly across the keyboard. Anyway, what is more important, speed or accuracy? Come to t... More >>

I was in Home Depot this morning and the lady at the checkout counter didn't know. I asked my son and he didn't know. My wife knew. I didn't. Tomorrow is Earth Day.

Is this just another day to sell more stuff?

I woulld like to think not. We (humans) are doing a great job of killing ourselves and the planet we live on. I hope the recent surge in envrionmental concern brought on in large p... More >>

Let me start by saying that, on behalf of all 8 Gotham bloggers, we all greatly appreciate your comments and encourage greater Gotham to continue, and those who are shy to start. Your comments are nector to the bloggers!

Additionally, comments are an added spice to the blog roll. Have you ever taken the time to sample them? In some cases they are as good, if not better than the blog they a... More >>

When I woke up Monday morning, I wasn’t particularly concerned about the kids. As far as I knew, they were each in their respective place, healthy, safe and sound. Since Charles was born twenty-six years ago, I have learned that being a parent means worrying about the kids all the time but in a very special – parental way. When Mea was born, and later, Jeremy and Jason became my “kids”, I ... More >>

I am not an activist or a politically involved person, but I could not, in good conscience, publish my previously written blog without acknowledging this latest act of violence. While a storm devastated much of the east coast, another violent act has devastated the entire country.

The last time I addressed this issue was when some madman shot up an Amish schoolhouse. That was months ago. N... More >>

Last Tuesday, I was on vacation. I spent part of the day at the Doubleday Babcock Senior Center in Oyster Bay with my daughter, two of her friends and another mother. We were all participating in a fifth grade program, “Acts of Kindness”.

The entire 5th grade class was assigned to perform an “act of kindness” and then report back to the class. These three girls decided that they want... More >>

Is it me, or have the Sopranos become the long-distance relatives who no one speaks to or sees but on family reunions every 15 years?

Yes, the series finale opener last Sunday night was packed with subtle suspense and quiet panic as Carm, Tony, Bobby and Janice sat around a vacation lake house where the nagging water lapping against the small motorboat seemed to be a portent of horrifying thi... More >>

This weekend was high school nastalgia weekend. First, we went out to dinner with some couples Friday night and the topics of qualudes came up sending one woman into nastalgia eurphoria. Then we watched "A Walk On The Moon," a wonderful movie set in the summer of 1969. Oh, and last night was also my 35th high school reunion. (Teaneck '72)

I have been to two reunions, one ten and another f... More >>

We are such emotional beasts. As rational as we think we are we make decisions, even if it's a huge purchase, based on emotions.

I'll prove it to you....what kind of car do you drive?

If it's not a hybrid, then you most likely purchased the car because it represents the perception you have of yourself. (unless you take public transporation)

Ask anybody why they purchased (fill in the cat... More >>

My dad was old school tough and not a communicator. He passed away 11 years ago and to be honest it was a relief. He was a "Damon Runyon" ("Guys and Dolls") character, emphasis on character, to the outside world.

Lately, however, I've started to miss him and the opportunity to talk to him and learn all his amazing experiences.

Then I received a call from his long-ago "best friend", Alan ... More >>

Occasionally, I have the distinct pleasure of watching a woman apply make-up during the morning commute on the Long Island Railroad. I'm not talking about a little lip-stick…I am referring to a full-blown "put on my face for the day"… a "complete transformation". I don't know all of the proper terms and references, but there's the base, foundation, blush, eye-liner, and sometimes even an eye-l... More >>

The latest book generating press about the question of stay at home mothering is “The Feminine Mistake,” by Leslie Bennetts. Her theme is that women should make work a top priority, retaining their earning power and self-sufficiency for life. Although I have made my own choices and my daughters will make theirs, the issue is still confusing. In the late 90’s, after ten years as a full and ... More >>

Jacqui Atcheson (with an assist from Madelyn Sussman) sent a fredslist email today about a former member of NY Women, Joan Wallach. About two years ago, Joan was diagnosed with lung cancer and we no longer saw her at the Gotham table. We understood that she was fighting this terrible disease but heard little after that. By Jacqui’s email today, tragically it seems that Joan is on the verge of... More >>

With all of the recent press attention paid to the Islanders' Ice Girls and the incident with Rangers' goalie, Henrik Lundqvist, I decided to post as my blog an excerpt from an opinion article that I tried to get published in Newsday a few months ago.

In case you haven’t been to an Islanders home game recently, I will describe the role of the Syosset Ford Ice Girls, at least as I see it. F... More >>

Julie's blog last week stirred up all sorts of thoughts, too many for just a comment.

I thought of my own experiences as a camper, from a kid's point of view. I was only six years old when my parents first sent me away to a camp in the Pocono's for eight weeks in 1961. I hated it. If missing my parents was not painful enough, every Sunday night was Golden Gloves. I was a small, skinny kid... More >>

Let me share two instances that showed me how influential (perceived or real) fredslist it.

One: Overheard at a recent board meeting for a large regional business group, "Let's get something going like fredslist. You know, that email system from that group Gotham. I heard it works like magic."

Two: Overheard at a bar, "I realize I can't join (Gotham) this group because I compete with several... More >>

On Monday, Julie wrote one of her patently wonderful blogs about her approaching anxiety re her son going to summer camp.

The mere mention of summer and camp inspired me to comment on her blog with the following rant:

"Summer camp is great, but what about those families that can not afford it? In my town (Roslyn) the School Board, in their ultimate sagacity, has voted to eliminate the summ... More >>

After our family's Passover Seder on Monday night, my son Charles asked me who will conduct the Seder…in the future. I remember wondering the same thing when I was even younger than Charles (who is 25) and continued to ask the question until I was much older.

Sitting around the Seder table is one time of the year that I am keenly reminded of my place in history. As we read through th... More >>

Today, the driver in front of me signalled left and turned right. Simple error? Maybe. More likely the driver was caught up in the pre Passover/Easter vacation week frenzy that is sweeping the roads of Long Island. Yesterday, a large white truck cut me off to enter Glen Cove Road and then proceeded to travel at 40 miles per hour when everyone was going 60. This happens again and again. I thi... More >>

Did you ever wonder how Gotham works behind the scenes? With approximately 500 members in 30 or so groups, managing the administrative aspects of our every growing family is not an easy organizational task. Just keeping track of our growth and making sure that every new group has the information it needs, could be a mind boggling endeavor – not to mention, moderating the many fredslist emails ... More >>

My 8 year-old son is approaching the ripe old age of 9, at which most of the kids he knows from school and day camp begin to think about going to sleepaway camp for the ENTIRE summer.  I have tried many times to comprehend the concept: my little boy will be spending 7 weeks at least 3 hours away from home, supervised by people he doesn't know (nor do I), playing and eating and sleeping -- all fa... More >>

I would like your help. I asked before, and a few Gothamites stepped up. Many thanks to each of you. But I am asking again. I need more.

On the night of June 9-10, I will be walking out of the darkness to help bring suicide and mood disorders into the light, and in doing so will be raising money and hopefully saving lives. The walk begins at dusk, and twenty miles later will end at dawn. ... More >>