Last Sunday, we got to the museum a little early and found our way to the room. The leader of the workshop asked each of us to introduce ourselves and say what we expected from the workshop. “I’m Ben and I’m here to escape outside of my comfort zone.” It was a workshop in tie-dying at the Jewish Museum in New York and was given in conjunction wit …
Last Sunday, Flo and I were at a hardware store in Huntington, Long Island, just picking up a few things. As we got to the counter, the cashier informed us that he had to charge us 5 cents for a bag to pack our purchases. It was our first encounter with the new “bag law” that went into effect in Suffolk County on January 1st. “No, thank you. We …
It’s cold, really cold, and one of the absolute necessities are gloves. But what’s it like from the viewpoint of a glove? “I like being needed, especially when the weather gets really cold. I feel appreciated. But one of the great occupational hazards of being a glove is being lost. I hate being taken for granted, neglected and lost. The worst is b …
Last Saturday, the Mediterranean Snack Bar in Huntington closed its doors - for good. It had been an institution for 43 years and, I can safely say that Flo and I have been eating at “Mediterranean” for a majority of those years. It was a safe place, good food, always welcoming and comforting. It’s the end of an era. I think back on other “in …
Reflections from the subway. I am an occasional subway rider. However, I was on the subway yesterday. Walking in the tunnels connecting the Times Square stations. I could not help but think about the incident on Monday. The planned bomb that, thankfully, did not cause the intended result. I am confident that I will continue to take subways. I’m l …
Yesterday, the morning after Gotham announced its Networkers of the Year and recipient of the revered Red Bandana Award, Time magazine announced its Person of the Year — the Silence Breakers — the women who came forward to hold Harvey Weinstein accountable and bring him down. Inspiring, and inspired by, #MeToo, the Silence Breakers began a conversa …
I’m not one who pedals conspiracy theories but I do marvel at some coincidences. We live in stressful times. Cable news attests to that. Is it any wonder that the standards for hypertension have been lowered? More blood pressure medication will flow. And the new head of Health and Human Services comes from Big Pharma. And all this came in one …
I attended a talk among glass artists who were discussing their approach to their craft. One artist mentioned that he never went to college and observed that he was not enamored of formal education. As he explained further, he clarified his observation that teachers only taught what they knew and that students are acknowledged for repeating what t …
As I watched the coverage of Tuesday’s terrorist attack and the reality set in, two recurring thoughts came to mind. I remembered our walks along that stretch of the path along West Street and I remembered an off-Broadway play that we saw many years ago. I don’t remember the name. The play, set in Israel, depicted scenes of everyday life — a visit …
Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing and speaking to Dan Clayman. Dan is a glass artist who has a significant installation at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey. I strongly recommend both the Grounds and Dan’s installation. While speaking about his works, Dan mentioned the three most influential men in his life: his father, the hea …
Recently we have been witness to the incredible strength of nature. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the wild fires of California. Nature at its strongest....and worse. Last week, we were walking in the Town of Huntington and saw nature at its strongest. Against a barren brick wall, in the crack between the wall and the concrete sidewalk, a wh …
The flight had open seating. As we settled into the seats we had chosen, we heard coughing nearby. It was the young man in the seat in front of us. The young man with the eye patch. As he continued to cough, one of his colleagues asked how he was feeling. “Not so great. The medicine hasn’t kicked in yet...and the doctor isn’t sure whether it’s bac …
I gazed at the half-full coffee mug on my desk as I stood up. I had to walk down the halls to another attorney's office to discuss a case. I thought about taking the mug with me. Nice to be able to sip the rest of my morning coffee. But something made me think twice. I took the mug anyway. As I was walking back to my office someone came rushing aro …
Last weekend, we were at a family wedding in Schroon Lake, New York in the Adirondack foothills. Many of the festivities were in the town of Lake George. Being there for a few days caused me to rethink my life-long voiced preference for beach over mountains. I love the beach. However, I have come to accept that looking o …
As I tore myself away from CNN to write this blog, a zipper across the screen reported that power would be restored in eastern Florida by this weekend and in western Florida by September 22nd. I reflected. That's about the length of time that it took to restore electricity to our home after Sandy. Empathy. "The capacity to understand or feel wh …
