I am not really a fan of Starbucks coffee. Maybe a Frappuccino on a hot day but for a regular cup of coffee I have other favorites. But today’s news definitely changed my allegiance. Starbucks started a new program to encourage its staff to pursue a college degree. According to one news report, 70 percent of Starbucks workers don’t have a colleg …
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 …
Please tell me that I am not alone. Ann B. Davis played the character of Alice on one of my all-time childhood TV shows, the Brady Bunch. (Don’t get me started – I’ll be talking about I Love Lucy next). Sadly, she passed away this weekend and that had me strolling down memory lane. I am actually a little fanatic about the show. I still sometime …
Anna and Emily Lawrence, twin sisters and juniors at JFK High School in Bellmore, recently made an important observation. Too many people, and in particular, new drivers are distracted by their cell phones and other devices. This is serious –people get hurt and some die. Some statistics show that eleven teens die every day because of texting and …
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 …
Recently, my son announced that he was planning to audition for “The Voice” – and win -- so we had better start preparing for a family trip to Los Angeles. That led to a conversation about which judge to choose if he became a contestant -- Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Shakira or Usher? For the next several days, that’s right days, the conversat …
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 …
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