2 weeks ago, I circulated an email on Fredslist, looking to make a meaningful connection with Sharon Kline.   Sharon Kline is the President of Family Wealth for Wilmington Trust in New York. I could easily connect with her internally, but I thought I’d give the opportunity for an introduction to Gotham, in the BIG APPLE. Just to see what would happen…maybe test the waters.   How deep does the proverbial net--work go? NY is a big place....well, SHAZAM! I attended Susan Zind...

I remember when my daughter left for sleep away camp. We all stressed about the limits on phone calls. I remember (like it was yesterday) the day of the “first” camp phone call. We were all anxious, and it went so fast. Hardly enough time to even catch a breath.   Now, Jaclyn is a world traveler. Over the last few years she has spent months at a time in countries half way across the world. Last week, she left for India to spend close to four months working at an NGO i...

As I write this blog I am, once again, filled with incredible sadness over a senseless act of mass violence, this time in New Zealand. I am also struck by the political posturing that is already taking place on both sides of the aisle, with respect to issues such as gun control, restraints on rhetoric, and regulations on the use of social media.   Anyone who knows me well, knows where I stand politically as to these issues. So, this blog is not about politics. When I think a...

I enjoy recognizing those who make a difference in our communities and the world. This explains my involvement in the Gotham Green Awards® – established by Gotham City Networking, Inc.® and Gotham Green® – which recognize people, businesses and organizations that work on environmentally sustainable initiatives and projects.   Indeed, as co-chair of Gotham Green®, I get to participate in this celebration of people and organizations, who work in ways big and small to make our ...

I recently pulled into the parking lot of my local 7/11 to grab a cup of coffee. There's always a spot up front at 7AM but I parked three rows out and walked up to the store. It was a beautiful sunny day.   As I made my way, I noticed that 6 out of the 10 cars parked in the lot were idling without a single soul inside any of them. They were all running with smoke coming out of their tailpipes.    I was surprised. It was about 50 degrees and sunny so there was no reason to kee...

In Key West there is a practice called the “Local Discount” of 10% for “Locals”.   We somehow qualify and appreciate it.  Usually we are noticed as “Locals” and automatically receive it.  When we are not, I sometimes request it.   A discount is certain amount or percentage deducted from the usual or posted price (a whole blog could be written on what is the actual price) of something.   Discounts are given, for instance, to Senior citizens, active military members, students, ...

This blog had to be rewritten. My blog asked the question “would you fly on a 737 Max 8?” The question has been rendered moot by the grounding of the planes in the U.S. yesterday afternoon. However, the issues remain and the question can be simply rephrased: “Would you have flown on a 737 Max?” Two accidents seemingly of very similar circumstances. Almost immediate action by several countries with an ever-increasing number joining. Yet, as I wrote the original blog, the ...

  Remember when you were a little person and you’d get a scratch or boo-boo and your mom would clean it, kiss it, put a band-aid on it and the wound would simply go away in a few days? Turns out, there is something magical about this little recipe.   Recently, I learned a lesson in modern medicine. While medicine continues to make great strides in treating disease, I believe we could do a much better job in dis-ease prevention. It amazes me that our doctors quickly dispense d...

I’m taking a survey. There are so many viewing options today. Netflix? Amazon Prime? Hulu? And how about streaming sticks like Roku or Amazon Fire Stick? To be honest, I don’t even really know what those are. That said, my current options seem limited. Netflix just isn’t what it used to be. What is your favorite mode of streaming? I’m ready to explore. ...

I was on the phone, with my sister-in-law this week, discussing an issue I that was having with a colleague at work. I loved something she said to me and chose to share it in my blogspace. In response to one of my complaints she told me, “Perhaps you should tell that person that their head should be where their feet are.”   In other words, try to take a moment to appreciate where you are before worrying about what is going to happen next. Wise advice.   Is your head where y...

When I wrote my then regular The Public Ought to Know column (on which my book of the same name), I routinely scoped out topics I planned to cover. Sometimes, current events or experiences changed the order or pushed back or supplanted topics; indeed sometimes entire columns as drafted faced delay or re-write, or both. My approach to this regular Gotham Sunday blog sometimes follow a similar vein; what I planned to write about a week or several days ahead easily changed when ...

I admit, I've been enthralled with SpaceX's Demo 1 mission - launching the Dragon space capsule, dock with the ISS and safely reutrn it to earth. It's a prelude to sending astronauts to the space station from American soil for the first time since 2011.   If you didn't know, we been hitching rides for the past 8 years on Russian rockets for about $75 million/trip.   The Dragon space capsule safely splashed down yesterday morning and they are saying that real live astronauts w...

In the sports world, being benched is not a good thing as you are taken off the playing field and assigned to “riding the pine” and hopefully motivated to think “Put me in Coach I’m ready to play!”  However, in real life, a lot can go on while one is sitting on a bench (even, I suppose, in sports).   As pictured, the center of Key West society sits at a bench across from the prime live rock and roll venue Green Parrot Bar on Friday nights at 5:30 for “Sound Check”.  For those...

It was one of those tough decisions. We were in Aruba and scheduled to fly back to New York last Sunday. The weather forecast in New York was for a snow storm and the prediction was ominous. We called the airline. The flight had not yet been cancelled but the airline would change our reservations to a flight on Monday. Thoughts of being stuck at the airport raced. Then, a telephone call from my brother-in-law with the ever-increasing predicted accumulation. Followed by ...

  Have you ever been sailing in the British Virgin Islands? I’ve been preparing for a couple of months. Learning the glossary of terms these salty sailors use, is a language all on its own. If you know me, even just a little, you’re confident I’m comfortable with the proficient use of swear words. Why do terms suddenly change when one steps on a water vessel? Why does left suddenly become Port, or right become Starboard? My husband asked “have you taken care of our provision...