This past week has been epic for my grandson Shawn Atom. One could describe it as a "Hat Trick" as he culminated his 7 year quest to become an Eagle Scout (achieved by only 4% of all Boy Scouts), decided to attend the venerable engineering program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and and is attempting to find a vocalist so his band can enter Got …
There is a unique dive bar in Key West called The Chart Room. I learned of it reading Key West Lou's blog. It is hidden away in the bowels of The Pier House at the end of Duval Street. It has quite a storied history, including Mel Fisher, Jimmy Buffet and many other Key West characters and luminaries. To me The Chart Room is the closest approxim …
Recently my friend David Berger commented that I'm relentless. He said it almost as a throw away line, because it wasn't directly on point. I heard it and it got me thinking that he was right on. One of my Rules for Success is to never quit and to out work the competition. David's "relentless" comment resonated so much in my mind that I am now h …
Tomorrow is my birthday and over the last 10 years I have developed a tradition of memorializing it with a photo standing next to the applicable highway mile marker. We "Snow Bird" in Key West which is the southern most point in the continental United States and US Highway 1 begins there at mile marker Zero. Each year we venture up US 1 to the …
I am enamored by the word Puppy (and puppies too)! It is such a positive, loving, warm word, as in "Puppy Love" and all things sweet and adorable ❤️ By strict definition a Puppy is a young (less than 1 year) dog. Yet in my mind our Charcoal (an 11 year old Schnoodle pictured) is still a puppy and, yes, I am still in puppy love with her. She is swee …
Recently we bought a new mattress. The process was a complex one during which we were tested and we tested many mattress options. Price aside (inflation is real), it was a complicated trial and error process. Eventually we decided on a thick pillow top mattress with new (full) box springs. Then it happened, our new bed was delivered and assembl …
Have you ever been asked by a friend to make a donation to their cause? Do you dignify the request with a response? If you comply, what motivates you to do so? Also, what equation goes into the amount of the donation? Lastly, do you remember the amount? I'm not sure if there has been a scholarly study on this subject or that the answers to my above …
In addition to this blog appearing on the Gotham City Networking platform, it appears in the Key West on line newspaper KonkLife. As a consequence, there are a few more readers and, unexpectedly, I have engendered three new (Key West reader) friends. I call them The Three Wise Men. They are Larry, Rick and Lou. Each one smarter, more interestin …
The Stones famously sang (I can't get no) Satisfaction. Well, respectfully, I disagree. Satisfaction is defined as the fulfillment of one's wishes, expectations or needs. I, for one, feel that my striving, dreaming, working and doing have pretty much achieved it by. As someone once said "You get what you pay for"! How about you?
If you could choose between Fame, Money or Power, which one would you pick? All are extraordinary and out of the reach of most. To me the choice is obvious: Fame has so much hidden downside, Money has its negatives too, but Power, if wielded correctly for good, is my overwhelming choice. Imagine if you had The Power!
Fridays With Fred
A perfect way to send you into your weekend