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 ...

Do you know the difference? Virtues are instilled. They are manifested by what molds and shapes us; usually character building opportunities produce virtues. Typically, virtues are taught by our parents, teachers, coaches, and the like. From the time we are wee boys and girls, these important people shape the virtues we become, from the inside out. Our values are what we claim. Words that define what we believe in social settings. They help us connect with other like-mi...

  These are strange times. Grocery shopping now is always an adventure. (Yes, I am still going albeit with utmost caution and protection and only when absolutely necessary). Forget about going with a pre-determined list. Flexibility is the key. My supermarket is rationing items. Frozen vegetables, of all things, are restricted. Four to a shopper. And then, the question is choice. Broccoli is abundant. Corn is plentiful. Peas, on the other hand, for some reason are ...

These are strange times. Grocery shopping now is always an adventure. (Yes, I am still going albeit with utmost caution and protection and only when absolutely necessary). Forget about going with a pre-determined list. Flexibility is the key. My supermarket is rationing items. Frozen vegetables, of all things, are restricted. Four to a shopper. And then, the question is choice. Broccoli is abundant. Corn is plentiful. Peas, on the other hand, for some reason are in ...

  With Memorial day weekend upon us, hopefully everyone is outside enjoying much needed fresh air. And, when I think of Memorial Day, I think of bar-b-ques. A thought I do not believe the current situation will change. In fact,  I believe we need our bar-b-ques even more this year. So the natural question is, what is your preference? Are you a hamburger person or hotdog person? Or both?           I am a hot dog person. I am not a fan of hamburgers, at all. Although I like my ...

This time of year, I usually look to gather lists of summer concerts, many free, to recommend. Not this year. Often, the discussions about music involve what great show got canceled, postponed or rescheduled. Not sure how many texts and emails I’ve exchanged with my friend Jason about changes involving shows planned at Jones Beach this year. We’ve talked about things such as drive-in concerts – not something either one of us consider an acceptable option; a drive-in movie inv...

Boy are we angry...having been out and about (don't worry, mask and gloves are on) I can tell you that people are angry. Apparently a lot of pent-up tension.   The drivers on the road are excessively agressive which is saying a lot around here. Retailers are getting screamed at in a plant store ?!? They are in a store which has beautiful flora and fauna and they are angry about the establishment running out of basil...   Doctors call these rage attacks; sudden, out-of-control...

Her name was Mary Mallon and she was a rich man’s cook in the early 20th century.   Trouble was that she was an asymptomatic carrier of Typhoid Fever. She denied being “sick” all her life, but she was caught up in the conflict between public health and individual rights. She ended up living out her life in isolation.   Some of us may be asymptomatic carriers of Covid19 who refuse to wear a mask and take other precautions in public.   Don’t be a Typhoid Mary, sublimate your in...

The little notification beep on my phone tells me that there’s motion in my backyard. Sometimes it’s the Cardinal enjoying a snack. Weeks ago, when this was just beginning, we put a little birdseed on the deck to see what would happen. After a few days the cardinals appeared. A sweet couple - bright red with a black face and soft brownish-red. They seem unaware of what’s going on — except I’ve heard that the birds have reduced the volume of their chirping because they’re not ...

“Take the trip, buy the shoes, eat the cake” We’ve all heard that line before and felt its familiar tug, reminding us that life is better when it’s lived, fully. Trading coffee with your family, for on-time arrival to the office, or skipping the walk after lunch, to meet a deadline are familiar, as well. Choices are made many times in a day, probably a hundred times or more. In hindsight, COVID-19 will forever remind me to “take the trip, buy the shoes, and eat the cake”. ...

  As the spring semester of my son’s sophomore year in college comes to a close, I'm not going to lie -- he does miss being on campus.  But an interesting phenomenon has unfolded in my house. Eric is a chemical engineering major. He has a pretty rigorous course load and there is little room for courses outside of a science and math curriculum. But, to fulfill a requirement, he took an American history course this semester covering post-Civil war period through the present. ...

Last week I sat in my new home office--otherwise known as my daughter’s old bedroom--looking at an 800 page deposition transcript that I had to read. Rather than sit in the office and read, I moved to my living room. I made myself a cup of coffee, put my feet up and began reading.   About an hour and a half in, I realized that even though I was sitting on a couch with my feet up drinking coffee, I was very focused on my task. I had taken excellent notes on what I was read an...

Friday, I was finally able to set up outside. I even tweeted about it (See pic above left.). This morning I expect to get some final pieces in place for the deck. It requires a curbside pickup but I prefer not endure a weekday delivery and interference with my workdays/week upcoming It was great to take breakfast yesterday morning and actually read my papers on my reclining chaise lounge; even broke out my outside coffee maker! We got out that afternoon and participated in...

After wiping off all my groceries, I'm not sure I like grapes that smell like baby wipes   Without looking online, I try to guess what's in the Amazon box that's delivered to my front porch seemingly every day   I wonder why I still have a land line. The only people that call want to sell me something.   I'm hoping landscapers learn there are electric mowers and blowers that don't require ear plugs   Didn't realize how much time I spent traveling for work, not sure where that...

While walking Charcoal the other day I came upon the pictured sign. As soon as I spied it my blogger juices began to flow and I quickly captured the pictured image. What a stark, yet elegant statement! Kindness is defined as follows: In these unprecedented difficult days we should all aspire to be kind or more kind as the case may be.  As we can see, it is a shared strength.   I think it meshes well with our “It’s better to give than receive...” mantra! Please join me!...