The small package was left on my desk. There was a package in a package and on the outside of the inner package was a note. “Ben - Like you, I always keep a pen in my pocket. And, I also loved my Space pen. I don’t have any more of those but thought these might be a nice substitute. Enjoy and be well. Neal” Fellow Gothamite Neal Berman had read my blog last week (about losing my Space pen). His gesture epitomizes what Gotham is all about. “…..what goes around comes around.” T...

Recently, I attended my (97 years young) Grammy’s memorial service in Illinois. COVID had us waiting to be together as a family, but finally we were able to be together to celebrate her life. Grandma Grace and her beloved had 8 children. Those eight, became 41. With spouses, 75 people rolled in to celebrate her life. It was sad to lose granny. She is like a silent force, ever present. However, I do believe she was thrilled at the showing and especially delighted at the love o...

  We have always chuckled at my husband’s special talent. Seriously, he can – and usually does – talk to anyone. It doesn’t matter where he is, what line he is standing in, where he might be going. If he stands next to someone long enough, there is a conversation to get started. A few weeks ago we were in Costco. He commented on this guy’s tee shirt. Next thing you know, he was deep in conversation and figuring out that they knew each other from years back. For the long...

Are you a car person? Admittedly, I am not. To me, my car’s function is to get me to and from where I need to be. Since that sometime means driving through inclement weather, I generally drive a SUV or cross-over.   For the past six years I have leased a GMC Terrain. I loved my Terrain but, for some reason, when the second lease recently ran out I wanted to shake things up. So I walked into an Audi dealer and looked at their SUVs. The cars seemed fine but the salesperson’s a...

Motivated in part by a campaign I enjoy (don’t tell the client) advising in New York City’s Municipal Primary elections, I posted a Gotham promo Friday that opened with the same musical Happy Father’s Day message, I enjoy make a tradition posting when I open my commentary every Father’s Day: a video of current Poco bassist and vocalist Jack Sundrud performing Father’s Day with his Idlewheel partner Craig Bickhardt. In part because of the aforementioned campaign this Father’s ...

Traffic is increasing and we as drivers as well as the roads are struggling to cope. Some say it's because people do not want to take public transportation while a recent report stated that the influx of traffic is directly related to our increase in buying online. Yes. Take a look around (safely) while your driving and you'll notice a tremendous amount more trucks and vans. We are all clicking the Buy Now button on Amazon and most people I talk too won't go back into a gro...

Last night Gotham held its first Virtual Gotham Battle of the Bands (BOTB) competition sponsored by Jason Greenberg and The Phoenix Adjusters Group, Inc. and the Winners were: Tara O’Grady-First Prize($2000 and Show Case at Cafe Wha?), Parkway South-Second Prize ($1000) and Sound Judgment-Third Prize ($500).   It was the first Virtual BOTB and hopefully the last, as we look forward to holding it next year, as in the past-all together, in William Skody’s iconic Cafe Wha? We...

For many, many years I had a black Fischer space pen. The black matt was chipped - a respectable sign of its being well utilized over so many years.Last February, I lost it.I replaced it a few weeks later. New black matt finish.Last weekend, we were sitting outside in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts having an iced coffee. I heard the clink of the pen hitting beneath - having escaped from my pocket. I looked down and saw the spaces between the planks of the wooden deck. No pen...

Yet another shift in our evolving society with the sunsetting pandemic. Recently, I've had numerous conversations with professional colleagues about business and the state of affairs. Consistantly reported, is this zeal for face to face encounters. With the resurgence of in-person meetings, most are redefining productivity. The 'new normal" is in direct opposition with our "natural normal". What has surfaced and what is now trending, is the search for appropriate balance betw...

  I’m afraid I might be single handedly supporting the rejuvenation of the New York economy. It occurred to me recently that I have been out shopping more over the last three weeks than in the last 15 months combined. Restaurants, clothing, gifts, you name it. Although I’m still not comfortable in a mall, I have been able to get comfortable in and out of stores wearing my mask. The past 15 months I have been in and out of supermarkets and the local CVS. Pretty much, ...