There isn't a day goes by now that I don't get spam calls on my cell phone. I must receive about 5-10 calls a day. And they are very smart because the calls look like they come from local towns around me. It's gotten to the point where I don't answer calls if the phone number is not in my contact list. I even have my number on the Do Not Call …
I usually wake up (without an alarm) before 5:30 and loll a while in bed. However, at this time of year it is far tougher to get out of bed as it is dark. Pitch black. Hello darkness, you’re no friend. No disrespect to the classic Simon and Garfunkel song. At least there is November 3rd Daylight Savings time to look forward to...
It’s that awkward moment. “Hello Ben” she says as she smiles and extends her hand. I have no idea who she is. Several ideas quickly go through my head as I smile and extend my hand to hers. Do I pretend to know her without mentioning a name? Do I apologize and ask her who she is and how she knows me? All the while, I wonder when my puzzled …
Recently, I met a group of people that adopted the Go-Giver attitude toward business and personal relationships. Much like the Gotham mantra, this group shares our philosophy. It always amazes me that when we give, gifts come back With fall in full force, busy schedules prevail. My Go-Giver colleague invited me on an interview to chat about my pa …
September always lights up with the excitement of going back to school. Although I haven’t actually gone back to school in many (many) years, that feeling is reminiscent of such good things. Now this time of year makes me feel like everyone is ready to get back to good networking. Summertime is fun but slower than the rest of the year. I say t …
As I am writing this blog, I am sitting at my desk eating an apple. I’m not usually one for midafternoon snacks. I was at the Farmer’s Market, at the courthouse on Tuesday and the apples looked so good. So I bought a few for home and left a few in the office refrigerator. It's very surprising to me, how much I am enjoying these few moment …
It’s a new beginning today. Yes my Jets start their season this afternoon with many of us holding rather high expectations, especially for the offense. I certainly plan to tune in this afternoon. But today’s blog covers another re-boot of sorts. This beginning involves a homecoming of sorts. A return to New York. Several years ago our daughter …
A new coffee shop opened in my town around the corner from my house. Frankly it surprised me given that Starbucks is right down the road. The store sells specialty coffee from around the word as well as artisan chocolate. The owner, Terry, is really into it. When asked, he'll explain where the different coffee comes from and what it will taste li …
The words Labor Day conjure up images of end of Summer enjoyment on a sandy beach. However, on this Labor Day, as is our contrarian wont (see previous blog re our recent visit to the Guggenheim) we went away from the beach and into the city for a day in lower Manhattan at the Whitney Museum of American Art. We zoomed into the city in record time …
This weekend we will be celebrating my mother’s ninetieth birthday at a small gathering of family and her friends. As the day approaches, I contemplate what few words I might say in her honor and I realize that the words of others would add immeasurably to the predictable words of a biased son. Many of you in the Gotham family have met Esther. …
Up and down the east coast and could go on for days. Having lived through Sandy in 2012, warnings and watches get my attention in a way they didn’t before. It’s not that I was ever cavalier about being in the path of bad weather, but it’s different now. And frankly, compared to so many others, I was one of the lucky ones in 2012. We have fa …
Welcome to September Gotham. As many of you know, I’m a lifelong Weight Watcher. I attend meetings and I follow them on social media. This morning I read something interesting on their Instagram account, a challenge to avoid eating fast food throughout the month of September. When I first read the challenge, I thought it would be easy for m …
You may know I chair the board of director of Services Now for Adults Person, Inc. (“SNAP”) which also includes two fellow Gothamites – Mindy Stern and Renee Richter on its board. SNAP provides direct services to enhance the quality of life of older adults. Operating senior centers serving northeast and southeast Queens, SNAP also delivers meals on …
Have you ever done something nice for someone you didn't know? Like holding the door open. Allowing someone to get in front of you at Starbucks (that may be the hard for some of you:) Or even letting someone in your lane ahead of you while you're driving (that's hard for me!) Small acts of kindness can go a long way. It also can signal what type …
I am a life long Baseball fan. Did you know fan is short for fanatic?Well fanatic is what I am about this year’s Yankee team (and Aaron Judge, but that’s for another blog)! They have suffered unprecedented injuries to countless key players and yet the “Next Man Up” has carried them to First Place in the American League and one of the best records …
