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 …
One of the highlights of our recent trip to northern California was a luxurious day spent in Sonoma. My daughter planned the whole excursion for the four of us – complete with door to door service and a scrumptious midday lunch. Next time I see you, I encourage you to ask to see pictures. One of the vineyards we visited was Loxton Cellars where …
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 …
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 …
One of our favorite restaurants is Ada’s on the River in Alexandria, Virginia. It is named and themed after Ada Lovelace, known for her revolutionary impact on mathematics and computing in the early nineteenth century. She is also referred to as the first computer hacker.My favorite cocktail at Ada’s was the Lord Byron, appropriately named after Ad …
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 …
