In Yiddish the word for jinx is kaynahora. Kaynahora is roughly similar to “knock on wood” and is often spoken to ward off a jinx after praise or good news. Kaynahora is a contraction of three Yiddish words: kayn ayin hara, literally not (kayn) the evil (hara) eye (ayin). Essentially, kaynahora is a word that one uses when they want to ward off the …
I already played two hours of (basket)ball, enough of a workout for any day. I did not anticipate that hours later another workout loomed. When I left early to drop off Shelly’s dad at a medical appointment before heading to the school to play, it snowed lightly. By the time a reached the school there was an inch covering the sidewalk. I was d …
This falls under a broad cateogry I've been calling "Trumpish." I define Trumpish as things people do in honor of Trump becoming our President. Case in point, a Washington state trooper ticketed a single driver trying to get through the carpool lane with a giant cut-out of Donald Trump's head. It cost the driver $136 but the trooper let him kee …
For me 2016 was a very good year. Some highlights: Joanne and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. We visited Cuba. A once in a lifetime, never again experience. Gotham held its best event in it's, about to be, 20 year history; author Tom Rinaldi's Red Bandanna book celebration of Welles Remy Crowther at a Gotham Book Club lunch at the Fr …
We recently visited the Mitzi Newhouse theater at Lincoln Center. As I walked down the stairs to the theater, I thought of the lockers that were available in the lobbies of the theaters at Lincoln Center. Convenient, especially in the winter, for coats. However, the lockers are gone -- removed many years ago for security reasons. In the lobby o …
A very moving experience at the movies on Monday. One of the previews showed a woman hiding Jews from the Nazis (The Zookeeper's Wife, true story). It is still astonishing and upsetting to me that humans could have let this happen. My hope and belief is that we will not let this happen again. We are certainly better equipped today than we were then …
Or maybe it isn’t. At New Year’s every year, I set goals. You could call them resolutions. I prefer goals. My goals range from personal to work, small to large. And they always include something about weight. With all candor, I don’t always achieve my goals. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I get close. But to me, it doesn’t matter because I appreci …
Anyone who knows me knows I love to travel, my fear of flying notwithstanding. And my husband and I have tried to instill our wanderlust into our children. We have always taken them on vacation during Christmas vacation and, in the past, have tried to take them travelling more often than once a year. In addition, on each vacation, I try to sched …
Happy new year! Last week I shared Songs To Ring in the New Year, even though the blog fell on The first day of Chanukah and Christmas Day (I served up my Holiday song list the previous Sunday.). If you expected to escape music from this muse, better stop here and move on. At the end of each year, for six years running, I post to my website comm …
I never really laugh at Mother-In-Law jokes. I understand them from stories and experiences people have recited but never connected with the meaning. That's because my Mother-in-Law was an incredible woman. Strong, resilient, demure, classy, loving, intelligent and so much more. Jean Rack (Nana) was the embodiment of all that is good. Her story is …
Bob Dylan wrote and Rod Stewart cribbed the perfectly poignant ballad: Forever Young. This is for them:ElvisLennonBuddy HollyJanisOtisJimiJim MorrisonJFKBobbyMartinMarilynJames DeanBobby KaplanBasquiatKeith HaringSteve JobsTupacAmy Winehouse CobainThurman MunsonPrincess DiRoberto ClementeErnie DavisPeter SalamoneDavid WolfeKaren LangoneChrista Mca …
So it's time to look back at the past year and, as I think about Gotham and 2016, my thoughts take me to one of the hidden secrets in our Gotham family. It's a small group of Gothamites -- we call them the Advocates-- who quietly help others navigate the complex world of healthcare. Whether it's finding a doctor in some far-away country, getting a …
It's been quite the season of loss and I don't know how to say anything brillaint about that. So I give you this: So this is Christmas And what have you doneAnother year overAnd a new one just begun And so this is ChristmasI hope you have funThe near and the dear onesThe old and the young A very merry ChristmasAnd a happy New YearLet's hope it's a …
Given that we are in the midst of the season of gift giving, I thought I would share my favorite with you. I am notorious for losing my keys multiple times a day, and most often at the worst times. Bill found TrackR which is a tag to attach to my keys which connects to an app on my phone. Now when I am digging frantically in my bag fo …
I have a habit that, I know, annoys my friends and family. I, generally, do not listen to my voice messages on my cell phone. I will, almost always, call them back but, when asked about the message they left, I have to admit that I did not spend the time to listen to it. Conversely, if I call someone on their cell phone, I generally will not …
