I very distinctly remember where I was on 9/11. I was on my way into the city merrily sleeping through my everyday ordinary commute on what was not an ordinary day. From the moment I arrived at Penn Station, I knew something had gone terribly wrong. But it took me some time to piece it together. People were talking but there was no real information. I remember taking the bus across town (the subway had been shut down). I was anxious for information and so I didn't finish the ...

A good number of us gather with family this weekend. Some gathered today for Easter. Others including members of my family gathered Friday and Saturday eves for Passover. Usually we host one night and visit with family or friends (Appreciate the invites). Periodically, if find ourselves out of town, we participate in communal seders.   This year, we hosted both nights.   One night her family dad, sister, niece, her husband and their young daughter (who found the Afrikomen!);...

Do you remember Natalie "Nadia" Suleman? I didn't until I ran across a follow up news story.   She is the Octomom, giving birth to 8 babies from one pregnancy. Well, they just celebrated their 10th birthday and all are seemingly healthy and well adjusted. She no dout has her hands full as her 14 children (she already had 6 older children) get bigger and older. In a recent interview she said “Yes, we are struggling, yes, we are in financial hardship.” However, she said her c...

I’ve come to the realization that there are three stages of life: Youth, Middle Age and “You Look Good!” I can’t resist that line when someone tells me I look good.   Actually, in my case, the third stage is what I call my Afterlife.   No matter how long I live I will never retire.  Rather, I will revel in this stage as a sort of enjoyable, no holds barred Afterlife.   My friend Jay Gould said it best re this Afterlife: So true.  My real self, not my roles......

This is a continuation of Nancy’s blog on Tuesday. The vision was familiar. Flames from an iconic building in the City’s skyline. As I watched, the feelings of 9/11 percolated through me. I then remembered. The visits. Walking through the massive doors. The beauty. The history. And I remembered visiting Paris in December after 9/11. It was cold. I wore a scarf fashioned after the American flag. Parisians, not previously known for their friendliness to American tourists...

Never have I ever witnessed harmony in nature like the National Park in Pointe Reyes, California with this special girl named Christie. What a treat to have toured some of the most beautiful terrain in the United States, by foot. Elk, cow, chickens, sheep, oysters, wild birds, redwoods, cyprus, eucalyptus and the ocean all co-exist together, in one environment. The early mornings felt like a cool, crisp fall day. By eleven, the weather blossomed into spring. Noon gave heat ...

  It took more than 8 1/2 hours but the fire at Notre Dame is finally out. I’ve never been to Paris, but I’ve always wanted to go. A bucket list kind of thing. People who have visited speak with such excitement about the Cathedral of Notre Dame, its beauty and history and the amazing artwork. The video coverage was horrifying. Through the scaffolding, the flames were whipping large and everywhere. I can’t imagine what being a Parisian must have been like while this was...

Admittedly, I am writing this blog on Saturday afternoon, but I have only one thought running through my head. And I can’t seem to think about, or write, about any other topic today. My preoccupation is what will the final season of Game of Thrones bring? I don’t recall being so eager to watch the final season of any other television series than that of Game of Thrones.   Will you be watching? What are your thoughts now that winter is here?     ...

Knowing a few folks often becomes a calling card in doing business. The proverbial “large” rolodex (Anyone still use one – I once had two!) became a resource often helpful in developing business prospects, securing introductions, accessing experts and more.   At a recent non-profit board meeting, several matters came up. A board member I had recruited shared some expertise on at the outset of the discussion. On the spot I knew I could reach out to other professional who I co...

What do you do with oil that can't be refined or used for commercial purposes?   Apparently you tell people that it's great for your health. In Azerbaijan's north-western city of Naftalan there is a spa that believes a crude oil bath can cure you of a bunch of things.   The local oil is used to treat to cure muscular, skin and bone conditions as well as gynaecological and neurological problems. According to a legend, the healing properties of Naftalan's "miraculous oil" were ...

I saw The Killer rip it up atop his piano in 1957 to close the show at Alan Freed’s Brooklyn Paramount after Screaming Jay Hawkins rose from his coffin to put an eternal spell on me.  That same year I saw Althea Gibson make everlasting history by winning the Women’s Tennis Singles Final at the old Forest Hills.  I was alone with my idol Elvis at a Vegas crap table in the early 60s, greeted there by sad eyed former Heavy Weight Champion Joe Louis, played pool with Keef, shared...

It was a small innocuous message in a plastic stand on the restaurant table. It could have easily been confused with an invitation to try the breakfast special. But the message was different. It informed the patron that the restaurant was “cashless”. No further explanation…. just information. I have mixed feelings about cashless. On the one hand, it probably doesn’t impact me personally —unless they don’t accept the credit card that I happen to have in my wallet. On the...

Last week, I was inspired by a Nike video showing unabashed confidence women display in sports. As a little girl, both of my parents encouraged us to take risk and rarely applied gender roles. Mom was a “burn the bra” type and Dad gave us his full support. Rarely did I question my ability to at least TRY something new. At times there were quirky stares, inquiries to my hyper-focus to career, athletics and independence, but while it caused me to pause, it certainly didn’t sto...

For those of us in the Northeast, it was in the air today. We’ve flirted with the change in weather a few times over the last few weeks, but today the thermometer hovered around 75 degrees. That got me thinking about summer – and the beach. I’m a big fan of the beach and a book. A day like today reminds me that time of year is just around the corner. It also brings back that back in school feeling knowing that summertime is coming. Do you remember that? How exciting it...

I have recently noticed that I am using keys less and less. I recently leased a new GMC Terrain and, for the first time, I have a keyless car. It has me a bit unnerved because I am afraid that, one day, I will leave the key fob in the car and lock myself out. Or keep the keyfob in my pocketbook and forget to lock the car when I leave. Additionally, my husband has installed “smart” technology in our house. For the past several months my husband and our kids have used an App ...