Here in the middle of the winter, we look for a White Christmas. A cold brisk day with some snow to encourage Santa and the reindeer on his sleigh. The season is noted by beautifully decorated trees visible to passersby. My daughter just came back from Australia where it is the middle of the summer. A balmy 105 degrees just before she left …
Food hacks are all the rage. To me, a food hack is a new or different way to prepare or serve food. Recently, while on the Weight Watchers app, I watched a video of a celebrity chef demonstrate a truly different way to prepare caramelized onions. I had to try it. Essentially, the recipe involved taking a whole, unpeeled onion and giving it a l …
Not a big brother story like Fred blogged but aerie, but in a nice way. Oh and it involves a brother, too. And Fred makes an appearance at that! On Thursday, my brother, Robby, emailed, “My girlfriend Jen picked me up to get my car from the mechanic. She told me she had a freaky story. She wanted to listen to Dylan songs, but not sung by Dyl …
A week ago I was surfing through the internet finding the list of things I needed to do to get my iPhone 7 working again. Apparently, without reason, my phone stopped connecting to the network. No calls in or out and texts only if I was connected to WiFi. It left me wondering how I ever survived without a mobile phone. After reaching out to Appl …
Is Big Brother from “1984” watching me?Something is going on. That much I know!When we get in the car Sunday mornings my phone suddenly lights up and declares “13 minutes to Sea Cliff”, where we usually enjoy brunch at the Oak Room Tavern. Also, at the end of the work day, when I get into my car the phone reports “53 minutes to get home”. I try no …
The idea for this blog came from Fred. In case you missed it, Fred - yes our Fred - suffered from a very bad pre-winter cold. When I recently asked him how he was feeling, he admitted to feeling better, although not completely healed. I responded that he would soon be feeling 100% and, more significantly, that he would soon forget how bad he had …
This is my last blog before December 25th and I'm a bit under the weather so I thought I would share some GREAT seasonal writing... "A merry Christmas, Bob!”, said Scrooge, with an earnestness that could not be mistaken, as he clapped him on the back. “A merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you, for many a year! I’ll raise your …
We said goodbye to Bill’s mom on Sunday. I’ve blogged about her in the past and many of you have heard me talk about my mother in law. She was a sharp, intelligent woman who loved good conversation not only about family but the important issues of the world. She was most knowledgeable both because she was an avid reader and because she lived thr …
I think the internet has changed the importance and use of movie trailers. Before the internet, a trailer would come on television a few weeks before the movie was released. Or, we saw move trailers in theaters before seeing a movie. Now there are previews of the trailers, release dates for the trailers, and multiple trailers. Movie trailers have b …
Though a special netflix program goes "live" today, this blog despite the title, involves that artist not at all. You see this weekend centers around my daughter and a milestone for her. She’s home a week ahead of that and already gathered in family and added some miles to her mom's vehicle re-connecting with friends nearby and regional. She made …
If you've ever wanted a fire to smell like Kentucky Fried Chicken you are in luck. KFC has partnered with Enviro-log to created the first firelog designed to emulate the smell of the fast food chain's Secret Recipe. "At KFC, we have always been proud of our role in bringing loved ones together at the dinner table around a bucket of our world-famo …
Last Friday night, In the words of Dr. John “I been in the right place but it must have been at the wrong time.”We went with my Sea Cliff Book Group (thank you Odey Raviv for arranging) to the Public Theater in chilly NYC to experience the Bob Dylan inspired Girl From The North Country, which is a musical using Dylan’s entire oeuvre (word lifted fr …
We were at the airport and I was waiting for Flo. Nearby on both sides of me were two couples —clearly each a husband and wife. And both were caught up in an argument. I moved away from one only to find the other engaged in almost identical banter. The toxicity was painful – beyond uncomfortable. I could feel it permeating my skin and had to get …
Giving-- According to Charity Navigator (THE charity assessment organization): Total giving to charitable organizations was $410.02 billion in 2017 (2.1% of GDP). Giving has increased in current dollars every year since 1977, with the exception of three years that saw declines: 1987, 2008 and 2009. As in previous years, the majority of that giving …
Giving-- According to Charity Navigator (THE charity assessment organization): Total giving to charitable organizations was $410.02 billion in 2017 (2.1% of GDP). Giving has increased in current dollars every year since 1977, with the exception of three years that saw declines: 1987, 2008 and 2009. As in previous years, the majority of that giving …
