Dee Dee Jernigan of Xavier University
Jeanette Pohlen of Stanford University
Two young women who's lives took very distinct turns last night.

Two blown layups

I don't think anyone really needs to worry too much about Jeanette, she is now and will for t... More >>

There is so much of it this time of year. In my house, the traditions of Passover are very strong. They have always been, since I was a child. Honestly, the traditions are only loosely tied to religion but are closely attached to family. Our traditions are diverse, largely food based, and mostly just fun. Some have been with us for years while some new ones crop up every year. For example:

... More >>

Periodically, Nancy and Fred use their blogs to spotlight a member of Gotham. I thought I would switch things up a bit this week and write about one of them.

Nancy and I met as young lawyers, having started our careers at the same law firm. She was a year ahead of me at the firm, having skipped a grade in high school. Therefore, she was technically senior to me. Nancy was in the labor departm... More >>

My tax return came in the mail yesterday. I thought I ought to take a look at it. Not that I understand all of it, I don't, and just trying to read it gives me a massive headache. Woe to whoever makes a living filling those out!

The number of the form, 1040, confuses me right from the start. Are there 1039 other forms? And the Schedules -- there is a C, a C-EZ (is that EZ for "easy"?), a 8... More >>

One of my sweetest childhood memories was sitting next to my Grandmother, watching her make chopped liver in a wooden bowl. She used a single large blade with a red handle that was worn down from the many years of usage. And when she was chopping the ingredients, there was a distinct rhythm to it - chop, chop, swish, swish. The swishes were the sound of the blade pushing the ingredients to the mid... More >>

Did you ever hear of Tenzing Norgay? Sir Edmund Hillary? Yes? No? Well read on (this will not be an all question blog like last week).

Last Tuesday night I got into a cab and, as is my way, I asked the driver where he was from. He said he was from Nepal and asked if I was familiar with his country. I answered that it was where Mount Everest is located.

Then, being in an expansive mood, ... More >>

Although the focus this past weekend at the New York Botanical Garden was orchids, as we entered the Garden Shop there was a little display of oxali. It is a small clover leaf plant with triangular leaves and tiny purple flowers (if you're lucky). The plants were in abundance at the bed and breakfast in East Hampton where Flo and I were married. We hadn't seen them in many years and were naturall... More >>

A combination of medications and negative events over the last week or so leads me to believe that it would be wise to stick to writing something benign. It is difficult though. When President Obama was elected, I did everything I could to give him the benefit of the doubt. Unlike many others on the right, I liked him, reveled in the historic step taken by our country and wanted to see if he co... More >>

The nicest thing happened on Saturday.

My daughter and I were out shopping. (Is there something else to do on a beautiful afternoon with a teenage girl?). When we were finished with our first store, she asked if we could go to Starbucks. Having recently been introduced to a heavenly tea creation known as Earl Grey Latte, I quickly agreed.

Off she went into Starbucks, while I headed to g... More >>

Anyone who read my blog last week knows that, in last Saturday's storm, my neighbor's tree fell and took with it all of the wiring to my house. We lost electric, cable (which is also our internet provider), and telephone. As a result of the hard work of some LIPA workers, we were able to get temporary electric restored on the Tuesday following the storm. While the newspapers contained numerous acc... More >>

Strange things happen when just a few days ago the heat was on in the house, and yesterday we had air conditioning; when a few weeks ago the backyard was smothered in snow and yesterday I was doing push-ups without a shirt on the grass (41 of them); when last week I was walking around the house in the morning in a robe and now just boxers and a t-shirt. There was no time to adjust to the change i... More >>

Last Tuesday I attended a student networking evening at Hofstra. It was sponsored by their student marketing association which is affiliated with the American Marketing Association. Some questions were fascinating to me.
What is a typical day for you?
How did you start out?
What accounts do you have?

And then there was this question,
Should I go on to graduate school or look for a job?

M... More >>

Do you know anyone who is constitutionally incapable of getting from point A to point B in a straight (direct) line? Do you know anyone who is prone to circling and circling back and then going off course? Is this condition related in any way to my previously blogged "sense of direction"?

Did you ever have to get to a movie by a certain time and feel your blood pressure rising as you wait in ... More >>

This is not my first blog acknowledging the power of Mother Nature. This past weekend, we had yet another reminder of the place of mere mortals in nature.
Flo and I were in the City at the New York Theater Workshop performance of the Pentagon Papers on Saturday evening (along with several other Gothamites I have since learned). It rained, it poured. Messy, inconvenient, but tolerable. Li... More >>

Seriously, we've gotten so good at it we should even throw in a parade. Just think of the characters we could inflate in effigy as floats (please nobody chime in with any shots at Snoopy, all allegations against him have proven to be unsubstantiated and started by a despicable cat lovers association).

Yesterday we shifted into high gear as Tiger Woods announced his return to golf at the Mast... More >>

It is not only New York State that is considering adding a tax to sugary soft drinks. The Senate is now entertaining legislation with the same effect.

Proponents argue that the tax is directly related to Americans constant struggle with weight and that the sugary drinks have a distinct negative impact on health. I do not doubt those conclusions. Health advocates have rallied behind the le... More >>

Saturday night seemed like it was going to be one like any other. The kids all had friends over, the pizza had just been delivered, and my husband and I were on our way out to a party. Then it happened. The sound of the explosion shook the house and the light was blinding. Then all of the power went off in the house. When we looked outside, we could immediately see what had occurred, the tree next... More >>

Two Monday’s ago I left for a trip to Los Angeles. While on the flight I started feeling a little bad, but thought it was something I had eaten and also that it was due to some stress. When I got to LA, I was definitely not feeling well, but again, just thought it was something I had eaten. Later that night I had some excruciating stomach pains, and was now convinced I had eaten something tha... More >>

Life can be subtle. What would your life be if you changed only 1% of it. For instance; laughed 1% more, ate 1% less at every meal, danced 1% more, smiled 1% more.

I believe we live cumulatively. There are more things in this world that have a cumulative effect than immediate. Our bodies change just a little bit everyday. Our planet changes just a little bit everyday. It would seem that change... More >>

Some may know of my involvement in the Friends of The High School For Leadership & Public Service (HSLPS), an inner city high school populated by minority youth. As it happens, I will be honored in June by the Friends along with two other Founders Dick Adelman and Gothamite Lonnie Morrison.

At the same time, the Friends have enlisted the expertisse of Gail Koelln, Chair of GOtham Green and a... More >>

Following up on Nancy's blog on Tuesday, a personal account. We were also caught as innocent pawns in the power play of giants. Suffice it to say that missing the Academy Awards was not to be taken lightly in our home. A little background: Flo and her brothers have a tradition of predicting the various winners with the winner having bragging rights for the year. When first announced, we had ... More >>

Every once in a while, something happens. Something touches you, connects within you that allows you to see things a little bit clearer. When this happens, it isn't like holding a microscope up to everything around you, it's more like everything going from a grainy black and white to vivid color.

We go through life at 100 miles per hour, sometimes only slowing briefly to smell the roses, or t... More >>

Less than two months ago, it was HGTV and the Food Network. This past weekend, it was WABC. TimeWarner Cable recently had a "close call" with Fox. Cablevision says "sorry, we haven't reached a deal. Programming will stop" -- and then blames it all on the network.

All I want to do is watch television. Yet, I am being held blatantly hostage to an open and public negotiation between duelin... More >>

Our recent week blogging about family and Nancy’s blog about her grandmother’s cherished recipes made me think about grandparents. I never knew any of my grandparents as they all died before I was born. In fact, I was given my first name to honor my grandmother Rose and my middle name Lee, to honor my grandmother Lena. Similarly, my brother and sister are named for my grandfathers Jack and Mor... More >>

The blog today is a riddle. Here is something to tease your brain on a Sunday morning.

You are in a room that has three light switches. There is an adjoining second room, and the two rooms are connected by a door. In the second room there is a wire hanging all the way down from the ceiling with a light bulb in it. One of the switches, and only one, in the first room, can turn on that bu... More >>

Awhile ago I purchased a Roomba for the house. My thinking was that since no one in our house likes to vacuum, why not buy a vacuum that does it by itself.

After having it about two years I can tell you that it's a unique experience. The first time setting it up and turning it on was quite interesting. I watched it for a half hour as it randomly criss crossed the floor doing its thing. It was q... More >>

I’m obsessed. I’ve always been intrigued by personalized license plates, ever since I designed my own back in 1984: JEWEL-2 (in the old orange and blue). Back in 2006, “Newsday” even published a short piece I wrote depicting some of the more clever tags adorning Long Island’s automobile population.

Well, I’ve been busy. Armed with a crisp notepad, a handy pen and discerning eyes... More >>

It was early and we were on the beach in Aruba waiting by an available palapa for an attendant to assist us in setting up the beach chairs for the day. A woman nearby was doing the same as she looked into her purse for a dollar to tip the beach attendant. You know how you can watch someone looking for something that you know they will never find? When she realized that there was no dollar to be f... More >>

I don't know if this is a Gotham first, but Sydney's blog was so important (and my second attempt at a comment so long, lol) that I decided to roll it into Wednesday. These are very important topics and we should be able to discuss them like decent human beings, without the vitriol that we so commonly see on TV these days.

I don't know Uncle Mark but if he's related to those involved, surely h... More >>

When you are a kid, there is nothing better than a snow day. Kind of like an unexpected birthday present. A whole day to just, well, be a kid. No homework, no chores, no fuss. Just lots of fun and hot chocolate.

Two weeks ago, my son started a new tradition to let’s say encourage the snow. It goes like this. Before you go to sleep at night a) throw an ice cube in the toilet; b) put a... More >>

Anyone who has read my blog knows that my 14 year old daughter, Sydney Kaplan, is my most reliable commenter. When I offhandlishly mentioned the possibility of her writing a blog, she had one written for me the next day. These are her words:

I feel strongly about a lot of things, but what I feel strongest about is children with special needs. I started working with kids with special needs in 6t... More >>