Just over a week ago, I attended another show with Marisa. If not for that week’s proud parent moment covered last Sunday, today’s blog would have appeared that day.

America once thrived on a spirit of working together for the greater good. When people wanted change, it came from individuals banding together, mostly within the law. The America I grew up in was built on freedom, shared purpose, diversity, compassion, law-abiding, and peace. It was okay to disagree and argue, so long as we ultimately compromised and moved forward.   Today, fear is wielded as a tool of control to exploit our institutions for self-interest. Our challenge appears simple to me: choose unity and a greater purpose, or lose what once made us strong.

I am a long time Football Giants fan.  In 1956, I attended the 47-7 NFL title game victory over the Chicago Bears at Yankee Stadium, when the Giants wore sneakers on an icy field. I returned two years later to witness Pat Summerall's 49 yard game winning field goal into the snow against the Cleveland Browns and, two weeks later, suffered the "Greatest Game Ever Played", when the Baltimore Colts defeated the Giants 23-17 in overtime (I still believe Gifford made the first down and that they should have gone for it on 4th down). 

Generally speaking, we like choices and options.And one choice we face almost daily is whether to pay by credit card or cash. (Whether influenced by the ubiquitous added fee or not.)There’s an ice cream shop in Edgartown that is “cash only”.

SUmmer has come and gone. It goes so fast. Is Labor Day the end of summer or the GOtham Golf outing? Were you able ot do everything you wanted to do when summer started, not me. Still a few golf courses I wanted to play and a few trips i wanted to make. 

Although technically not correct, Labor Day has always felt just like starting a new year to me.  Maybe it is because the time of year brings back that feeling of the end of summer and start of a new school year.  

Today is Labor Day. As always, I spend Labor Day by my pool with my family lamenting the  end of summer. 

Starting the week I expected today’s commentary to review a concert attended this past Thursday with my daughter; that plan changed (last) Tuesday morning (August 26) after I read a story posted to Jewish Insider that New York Governor Kathy Hochul was