Last Wednesday, my daughter graduated from high school. It was a memorable night in our family but even more memorable for another local family. The speeches had ended. The principal and school board members had started the process of announcing each (and every) name and personally handing each of the 580 graduates a well-earned diploma. Midway t …
Ponder this. In an attempt to assist the continuing quest to fund your child’s college education, a friend gives your graduating high school senior a lottery ticket as a gift. So, what if you hit the jackpot? Would you share the proceeds with your friend? Would you buy your friend a lavish gift? Conversely, would you do anything at all to acknowl …
Our Gotham family gatherings twice a year always bring out the best in Gotham. Last night’s cocktail party was no exception. Gotham members from different groups came together with their friends for an evening of great conversation with beautiful views at The Top of the Garden. (Thanks Ashley!) And, there were many new friends to meet last night …
We have a contract in our house. The subject is driving. Anyone with a license for less than one month – ok, you get the point – must agree to its terms and sign before being offered the privilege of car keys. The contract covers things like: a) cell phones in the car; b) who can and cannot be a passenger; c) in whose car the new driver may be a …
I want to. I recently decided to dust off my twitter account and see if I could figure out how it works. (My daughter figured that out when she asked me why I “liked” her tweet from over a year ago.) From what I have seen so far, I think I like Twitter. A whole lot of information can be conveyed in such a small number of characters. That said, I …
As the sedan pulled away, Dan fell over into Roberta’s lap. Confounded by a mix of emotions, Roberta looked down at Dan who now seemed peaceful, not the agitated man he had been just a little while before. She found herself stroking his hair, something she had only dreamed about. Of course, Roberta knew that this calm was false, or better put, d …
There is something special about the friends that know you from back when. Last weekend, we had dinner with friends I have had since just after I started practicing law. (You know who you are!) For perspective, I am coming up on thirty years. When you have known each other that long, everything that happens has context. You don’t have to explain …
That is what over 20,000 Long Island students said last week when it was time to take the standardized ELA tests for Grades 3 – 8. In a continuing attack on the Common Core standards, a movement spread largely through social media resulted in a dramatic refusal by students all over the island to sit for the test. It was interesting to watch real …
Baseball season started yesterday with the composition of the middle school team. This year, sixteen boys and one girl. The girl on the team has been playing since she was little and really, really wanted to play on the boys team. She had to pass a physical test that the boys did not but she didn’t care. She wanted to play. Last year, she tried b …
Last night, I had the good fortune to visit Gotham’s Young Professionals group led by Sarah Annese. Sitting around the conference room table at HUB International (the home of Gotham’s Michael Zeldes and Young Pro Member Gerald Stoll), I had the pleasure of meeting over 20 members and guests, an eclectic gathering of seasoned professionals, new prof …
A friend’s dad passed away last week. I didn’t really know him -- but just how special this man was in life was literally brought to life at his funeral. At the risk of sounding morbid, this was the nicest funeral service I have ever attended. It went on for close to 90 minutes with speeches starting from the smallest grandchildren up throug …
During rush hour, the commuters’ protocol is simple: head down, find your spot and hold on. Standing on a crowded subway platform, the goal is to make sure you are situated to get on the train and plant your spot. That protocol makes it almost impossible to absorb your surroundings until after the doors on the subway have closed. Last night, I wigg …
Remember the days when handwritten notes were just what you did? You didn’t really think about it. When there was a personal message to convey, it was sent through pen and paper. Think about how often you receive a handwritten note today. Can you count on one hand the number you have received in the last year? I can. I miss the personal touch …
Think of it as “Say Yes to the Dress” meets “Facebook”. Prom season is quickly approaching and hundreds, dare say thousands, of high school seniors are dress shopping. But unlike the days before social media, today the season starts with the creation of the “Prom Group” on Facebook for the solitary purpose of housing photos of the chosen dress wear …
Enough snow, really, enough snow. I don’t know about you but I have had it. Enough with snow boots, digging out cars (well, that’s really my husband’s job but I feel his pain every time), trudging through snow and slush to make it to the LIRR, the list goes on and on. A snow day is great every so often, beautiful and relaxing on a quiet Saturda …
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