A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog about a question an author raised, through her characters, in a novel I recently read. Here’s another question one of the characters asked in the book that made me stop reading and think: Does your perception of a book change when and where we read them? I would have to answer that question yes. One of my favor …
This past weekend, we celebrated my mother-in-law’s, Marion’s, ninetieth year of life. It was an incredible celebration bringing together family, from near and far, as well as people with whom she has maintained friendships with for over eighty years. We asked each guest to speak for a moment or two about their favorite memories of Marion. I had …
Today is Labor Day. As always, I spend Labor Day by my pool with my family lamenting the end of summer. It’s important to remember, however, that Labor Day is more than just the unofficial end of summer; t’s a celebration of the hard work and dedication that keeps our world moving. It’s a reminder to pause, rest, and honor the contributions of w …
I love to read. Because I read so much in my professional life, I limit my recreational reading to novels and science fiction. When I am reading recreationally, I generally choose books that would be considered “light reading.” I recently finished the novel, “How to Read a Book.” While it was easy prose to read, the book raised a lot of question …
Late Friday afternoon, some colleagues and I were sitting together in the office talking and unwinding after a long week. As usual, the subject of our adult children came up. All of our adult children live on their own, have their own careers, and are self-sufficient. No participant in the conversation subsidizes their children’s lifestyles excep …
Last Wednesday was one of those nights that just remind us how special Gotham truly is. It was the annual Gotham Summer Quintuple Meeting held at Westbury Manor on Long Island. The best description for me would be that the evening was filled with longtime friends happy to see one another. It took me over a half hour to just make it into the main …
I remember how we used to remark that some brand names became so iconic, they replaced the actual product name—like calling petroleum jelly "Vaseline" or tissues "Kleenex” or bandages became “Band-Aids.” These brands blurred the line between the product and its identity. The rise in technology have now resulted in app names becoming verbs—sudde …
Before Covid I rarely, if ever, gave my clients my cell phone number. Covid quickly changed that policy, almost all of my clients have my cell phone number. The younger clients specifically ask for my cell phone number when they sign the retainer agreement. I am currently noticing that several clients prefer to text me rather than use email. And …
Is it just me, or does it feel like no one works on Fridays in the summer anymore? Emails go unanswered, office parking lots are three quarters empty (especially my office), and court appearances always seem to be adjourned. Has summer Friday off become an unspoken rule, or are we all just pretending to be "working remotely"? Maybe it's time to …
I need book recommendations. We have a pool in our backyard. Usually, on the weekends, our kids come to enjoy the pool. Those days are filled with family tumult. Always fun but, definitely, tiring. If we’re lucky, my husband and I would have one day over the weekend alone to enjoy the pool by ourselves and relax. My husband loves to putter arou …
We recently flew to Michigan overnight to attend a long-time friend’s son’s wedding. The wedding was beautiful and a reflection of the love and affection everyone who attended had for both families. Going to and from the airport and the venue from our hotel required a few Uber trips for us. I always try to strike up a conversation with our car …
I decided to do some spring (maybe now summer?) cleaning in my closet this week. Cleaning out my closets was long overdue, and I finally tackled the chaos head-on. I found clothes I hadn’t worn in years, mystery cords, and more than a few forgotten memories. Letting go of clutter felt surprisingly liberating—like making space for a lighter, clear …
I quite unexpectedly missed an event last week due to an unforeseen circumstance. I called the host the next day to more fully explain my absence and apologize. While on the phone we chatted about the event. In discussing the event he mentioned an off-color comment one of the guests made. I quickly responded, “That’s offensive.” His response was …
Our cable tv went out last Tuesday morning. We did not even notice it until 11:00 p.m. when we went to turn on the local network news. Our cable company’s response time was, surprisingly quick. They determined that it was probably the box and sent a new one via overnight mail. The cable, however, was still not working after we installed the new …
Both Nancy and Mitch wrote about AI this week. I just had to add my recent experience. I was following up with two mediation clients, both of whom are highly successful professionals. At the previous session we had ended with a discussion as to whether one of them would rather take part of their equitable distribution in the form of a credit towa …
It's Monday, Monday. Let me know what you think about. . .
