I'm sure you know O'Henry's story of The gift of the Magi wherein a husband-and-wife sacrifice for each other to buy then unusable holiday presents for each other. The closest that I have come to such a scenario occurred when i was very young on a long ago Christmas Day. As I remember it these many years later, on Christmas morning Santa brought …
Unless it touches us directly, we are generally immune to crime. It is something that happens "out there" and “to someone else”. From that perspective, we follow the news and accept crime as part of the landscape. But every once in a while, a crime -- even “out there”-- touches us and gives us pause. Such was the recent car-jacking and murder …
The moral in the story is that dreams can come true. I am speechless -- not a state I find myself in often. As parents, we watch our children work towards their goals. Sometimes they struggle and fall down. We are proud of their accomplishments but also of the path they took to their achievements. It hasn’t always been an easy or even a straigh …
I changed my last name twice in my life. When I married my first husband, I happily gave up the last name “Just” for “Kaplan.” While Just may seem a great name for a lawyer, as a kid it lent itself to a lot of teasing. I also liked the name Kaplan as it put forth my Jewish identity more so than Just. When I divorced my first husband I had the optio …
Coming this week is my holiday drink with Fred. We do it every year in December. We have to meet at 5 pm, I am told, even though it is a bit on the early side. I am not sure if Joanne expects him to be home at a certain time, or if he just needs to get to bed early. Either way it is fine with me and I show up at the appointed hour. We tal …
In a recent study more than half of the population (62%) shop online at least once a month. The most common items we buy are electronics, books, clothing, household goods and office supplies. Retail sales in brick and mortar stores are up by only a small percentage but shopping online is growing at 10-15%. I enjoy buying online. It's so easy an …
During the course of the year I write down qoutes which are inspirational, right on or educational. Here is my latest list: Winners don't always win because they're better than everybody else, but frequently because they outlast everybody, there are a fewer competitors down the road. (Bob Lefsetz – my Oracle) I've always thought it was …
We were in Miami last weekend for Art Miami and got to visit the new Perez Art Museum which opened last Wednesday. If you're in Miami, don't miss the Museum. And try to get there while the "Ai Weiwei- According to What?" exhibit is on. At a time when we contemplate the life of Nelson Mandela, the art of this Chinese dissident/artist is especial …
I have to be honest, when I first heard about it, I just assumed he needed the money...so he got a job (let's be honest, between bad management and bad marriages, this wouldn't exactly require a Sherlock Holmes deduction). In fact, I thought he got one over on the scalpers which to me was even better. The way I heard it, after announcing a ser …
Have you seen this in the news? A new stunt among teenagers appears to be growing in popularity. The “knockout game” entails attacking people without warning and “winning” is achieved by a quick and violent conclusion. A Pittsburgh teacher collapsed head first onto the ground after becoming a “knockout game” victim. A Brooklyn man was” knocked ou …
Anyone who knows me would be shocked to find out the following about me: I do not go to any mall between Thanksgiving and New Years. Even when my children were much younger, and holiday shopping was more complex, I would finish all of my holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. My dislike of crowds is stronger than my love of shopping. Last week my …
The title of the article is "What Lies Beneath." The subheading reads "after years of razors, wax and lasers reducing pubic hair to the bare minimum - or nothing at all - there's a return to a more natural state." I read on. Interestingly, the story goes, Marilyn Monroe had a "bountiful crop" which she bleached platinum to match her hair color. …
Mandela's life and impact is an incredible story. The son of a tribal chief and imprisoned for 27 years, he was elected President of the country that put him in jail only three years after he was released. He become a symbol of racial reconciliation around the world and an inspiration to millions of oppressed people. What amazed me about this m …
Tuesday night we bestowed our treasured "Red Bandana" Award upon Paul Napolitano, Co Chair of our East End Group. The Award is in memory of Welles Remy Crowther, son of Jefferson Crowther, Co Chair of our Open House Group. Welles was an annonymous hero on 9/11 who perished after saving 18 souls while wearing a red bandana to protect his breathing …
“It's better to give than receive, but what goes around comes around.” The Gotham mantra kept going through my mind as I watched us bestow the Red Bandana and the Networkers of the Year Awards, and make the grants to four charities from the Gotham Foundation on Tuesday evening at the Holiday Party. I remember when, years and years ago, we …
