When I was young there were only 48 states, “Under God” was not in the Pledge of Allegiance, we got under our school desk in nuclear attack drills, TV was aborning in black and white with few channels, there was a smoking car on the rail road, pay phones were few and far between, Alan Freed was spawning Rock n’ Roll, I read The Daily Mirror tabloid …
In the whirlwind of the confirmation, the subject of nicknames appears in the periphery. Specifically, the memory of nicknames from our youth. So, I’ll share my story. An attempt to obliterate my nickname of long ago. They called me Benjie. When I went off to college, I was determined to leave my nickname behind forever. I would answer to Ben an …
From HuffPost 2013: "As U.S. lawmakers argue about the economic effects of immigration on the country, they might as well consider that a lot of America’s most profitable companies were founded by people born elsewhere. 3.6 million workers around the world in 2011 and were responsible for more than $1.7 trillion in revenues in 2010, according to …
Bill and I saw Billy Joel perform – again – at Madison Square Garden. It is one of only a few concerts I can think of where you enter the venue singing, sing the whole time and leave thinking about the few songs you didn’t hear. His repertoire is so vast that he could fill many concerns and never repeat a song. And, Billy Joel is so …
With everything that was going on in the news last week, I thought I'd use my blog to relay an act of kindness that I experienced. I was on the train going into New York City last week when I first noticed it, I didn’t have a pen. I can blame the new handbag that I was carrying but that’s a blog for another day. I politely asked the person sitt …
So much experienced last week. Some truly tragic involving loss. Revelations about hurt inflicted on others. Developments (ongoing) on the government side (not just in D.C.). A very successful function supporting a great program including its two centers serving seniors (where I serve as board chair). A great concert and an anniversay both of whic …
I want to share with you two posts my daughter sent me yesterday. They are so pwoerful...
I admit that I go on Facebook, Twitter, and the Gotham Politics listserve in an effort to stir things up and engender intelligent discourse on topics of the day. However, in my opinion, I have failed as more and more, as the days go by, some of the responses are too much, characterized by extreme self serving smug certitude. Some have told me they …
Last weekend we were in DC to visit our granddaughter and her parents. Something special still stirs in me when I first see the Capitol and the city’s skyline. I thought about the first time I drove from New York to the nation’s capital. I was joining a group a students for a solidarity march. I was supposed to be on the bus but it was overbo …
Nothing much more important these days than to make sure everyone you know is registered to vote in November. https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingRegister.html "Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting." - Franklin Delano Roosev …
This past weekend, I experienced a first. My first Big 10 Football game. We were visiting my son for family weekend (how could that have happened already?) and the Maryland campus was ready for football. We walked by many a tailgate tent on our way up to the stadium. OK, I admit to never having seen a tailgate before and the tents were in …
This is a blog that I have been waiting over a year to write. A little more than a year ago, I decided that it would be best for me to terminate my law partnership, sell the office condominium that my partner and I own, and reset my career path. At that time, I was uncertain as to how that new career path would look. What astounded me most …
Today please join me in celebrating two special anniversaries. One involves music and 50 years. Another not yet a decade but many people think much longer. This eve, as some who follow Gotham’s music listserve know, the first of two anniversary concerts recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the iconic Byrds LP, “Sweetheart of the Rodeo,” takes …
Four years ago we needed a new refrigerator. After researching them, reading countless reviews and consulting Consumer Reports. I decided on a Samsung french door. This beautiful looking appliance (pictured here) worked well until about a year ago. It started making really loud grinding noises and the entire unit stopped keeping things cold. Sinc …
I eat a different variety Chobani yogurt every morning. Last Sunday I mentioned that I was enjoying my favorite and Joanne asked “Which one is it?”. I looked at the label and responded S’mores. The name was unusual and new to me, so I asked Joanne it’s meaning and she said “haven’t you ever had a s’more?”. When I told her no, she explained that …
