I’ve been an anomaly my entire life. Smart, sassy, creative and bad-a$$y. My secret weapon? I've been living with this unique crown of red locks that often brought about teasing words as a youngster. In college I realized this crown of glory is what made me different. Embracing my difference, I boldly walked into the male dominant field of finance, …
I think every family has a silly thing. Ours is re-enacting scenes from musicals. Yes, musicals. Those musicals range anywhere from Oliver to West Side Story to Les Miserables. But they are all musicals. Any night after dinner, we might be known to literally break into family song and do a kickline or a box step around the kitchen. When Jac …
We often talk about how Gotham is different than most other networking groups. At Gotham, we not only care about the business development, but we care about the people. And I believe that our blogs strongly reflect that. I am not aware of many other networking groups that encourage blogging. And, if they do, the topics are generally limited to …
Strategy matters. A lot. And bad strategy often begets bad outcomes. Speaking of strategy. No plan existed to write this until something unfolded last night. Those who discuss baseball (and softball too) with me know how important I view the construction of a batting order, the ephemeral lineup. I look at constructing (choice of word intended …
Not sure where this quote came from but I had noted it over 3 years ago yet it presented itself to me this morning. "Effortlessly flowing though life doing what I love to do." Now there's a great state of being :) These days I find myself feeling pressed, pressured, and resistant for a variety of reasons. I'm going to "shift my weight" and ref …
I start by positing that most everyone operates as if they are the center of the universe. And most everyone is motivated by self interest. If you recognize and operate under these core principles you will best be able to negotiate the difficult twists and turns of life. Harmony occurs when you find parallel interests with someone. Synergy is …
I was in line at a liquor store on the North Fork of Long Island to purchase a bottle of local wine when the man in front of me bent over to take a small airline size bottle of liquor from the bin in front of the register.“One dollar” said the cashier, “plus tax”.The man put a dollar bill down and reached into his pocket searching to see whether he …
OK, I admit it. I was distracted by the Home Run Derby last night -- and forgot to post my blog! Thanks for the reminder Fred! And for those of you who know me, are you laughing now at the fact that I was watching the Home Run Derby? While I am not really a sports fan, there is something about the derby that is so much more entertainment. I th …
At my weekly WW meeting the topic on Saturday was, “What brings you joy?” With respect to weight loss, the question was relevant as to finding alternatives other than food to self sooth. Also, apparently, the release of endorphins is directly linked to weight loss. When the question was first asked one woman screamed out, “Disco music and I’m no …
One of the (many) things that I look forward to as much of our nation recovers from the impacts of COVID-19 centers around the return of live music, and soon I’ll get to start seeing some of my all-time faves live in concert! Several blogs ago I mentioned a night out to see some live music ahead of the return of Gotham Battle of the Bands®, this …
I went away last week on vacation. No planes, just a stay in an Airbnb about an hour's drive away. Nice place, quiet and on the edge of a perserve so looking out of the back deck there were deer, rabbits and birds doing what they do. It was hard for me to be present and disengaged from work. I tried a bunch of things. This was unusual because fi …
Are you your own worst enemy? Are you afraid to ask someone to do you a favor? Are you a prisoner of your inhibitions? Do you need a push or nudge? Then read on: It is my tried and true experience that, more times than not, when I muster up my pluck and make The Ask I am almost always pleasantly surprised. After all, what’s the worst thin …
We have a bird feeder in our backyard. Watching the birds, I’ve learned a few things.Birds like to eat. Put out bird food and they’ll come.Birds of different species generally do not hang out together. Rarely do I see birds of different species share the feeder. I wish I could change this, but it seems to be true that birds of the same feather floc …
Dinner conversation expanded beyond my fabulous cooking and onto social graces. My husband and I were discussing manners, where they were invented, and what “dressing for the occasion” really meant. Coco Chanel said it best “it’s always best to be a little under dressed.” Presentation is important. It demonstrates respect for yourself and for the …
People in old photos are never smiling. Just think of those generational black and white and fading photos. Well dressed, carefully groomed very formal looking folks – but not a smile in the bunch. I have very distinct memories of an old photo that my grandmother had on her dresser of her mother. Given that my grandmother was born in the very …
