As I sit here thinking about Thanksgiving 2023, I realize how much of the tradition has changed, mainly due to family no longer with us or distance away from who is left. My parents are both gone for quite some time now, as is my oldest brother. My only remaining brother and his wife are in Hawaii. My in-laws and step kids are still in NY. I have …
The other day, someone was explaining to me the importance of good listening and said – “there is a reason that we have two ears and one mouth.” That resonated with me. The art of good listening comes naturally to some but it can also be an acquired skill. When you are meeting a new client for the first time, if you use your one mouth more th …
I have lived on Long Island since I was six years old. As such, I pride myself on knowing how to get to most anyplace on Long Island. I still, however, use Google Maps as a backup if I am going somewhere I have never been or have not been in a long time. This recently occurred on Friday when I had to venture from my Garden City office which is l …
Black Coffee starts the title of one of my fave tunes as well as the title of this blog. A few weeks back we dined at our son's and coffee followed via his espresso machine. Well Shelly decided she wanted one and dutiful daughter helped her mom place the order. The device arrived ahead of the weekend and our son, Jonathan and daughter-in-law Car …
Yesterday morning I taught a workshop on AI and using it for your business. The reason why I am writing about it here is I added so many caveats to the presentation I questioned whether it was worth it. I talked about validating every point AI provides, that information inputted is shared with the world, and that the dangers of AI are very rea …
Last Monday was my wife Joanne's birthday and I noticed a number of nice birthday greetings on her rarely visited Facebook page. Being the ever nice spouse, I alerted her to it and directed her to them. Of course, she was pleased and I encouraged her to "Like" each message. When she questioned why, I explained that it was "social media intercours …
Texts versus emails - is that the question?It has become increasingly clear to me that, if you really need to get in touch with someone, texting is more effective than email. The reasons abound. I even find myself texting someone to tell them that I sent them an email.There was a time when it was acceptable to not share your cellphone number. Covid …
“Don’t discuss politics or religion – it's going to cause an argument - it's not all that productive, “ they say. “Don’t be controversial,” they say, “it’s bad for business and could be dangerous.” I am on social media and do live videos regularly. I try to be thought provoking and entertaining, eschewing controversy; I even try to avoid what use …
This time of year makes me happy. The excitement between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is special. The city sparks a different energy and focus. The lights, decorations, not to mention the sales. Black Friday is around the corner. And, of course, the tree at Rockefeller Center. This year, something particularly special is coming our way …
Do you post political posts on social media? I posted something a few years ago about a political issue that is important to me. Unfortunately, I thought at the time that my Facebook was private. Apparently, it was not, and I lost a few clients who had seen my post. So, I decided not to post politically anymore. In the past month, I felt the stro …
A Gotham mantra – it’s better to give than receive...” – takes a special meaning this month. Not just because Gotham approaches a countdown to when our tribe announces the recipient charities of its annual Season of Giving. In just over two weeks, the first Tuesday, after Thanksgiving, that’s Tuesday, November 28, this year 2023, Giving Tuesday tak …
It's that time again :-) My favorite holiday is right around the corner...Thanksgiving! That means this weekend is all about the prep...we've got the whole family coming so here's what I'm doing... Ordering two turkeys and two ducks Buying peanut oil and green apples Preparing the grill, smoker, and the turkey frier Checking the propane tanks an …
On Sunday I viewed the Oppenheimer movie for the second time. This time in IMAX and, to be honest, it was not the spectacular experience I was lead to anticipate.Yes, the sound was pronounced and surrounding, but is was not the "so much more" I was led to believe would be delivered. It was just louder with surround pounding. Nonetheless, the seco …
What’s in a name?My last name has always been a challenge of sorts. Hard to spell, difficult to pronounce and, given its meaning in German— roughly translated to “cheapskate” — a chuckle or two from people who know German.What I didn’t know, until recently, is that the name saved my life (well, actually, my father’s life and, by extension, mine).Wh …
This week was a "Mid-Term" election. So often these elections are over looked. Turnout is really low. These are the local issues that in recent years you hear so much about. It makes voting that much more important. In recent years they have expanded the window to vote with early voting hours, unclear how many people take advantage of this. But its …
