At 51,000 feet one can begin to discern the curvature of our planet’s surface . From far left to far right you can see 650 miles . The sky is deep blue and the air is still . And so it was 4 years ago as I commanded a Gulfstream Five from Los Angeles to London . 5000 miles on a Great Circle route . Nine hours . A presence . A muffled awareness . A …
Who says you can’t come home again? Whomever it is will get a vigorous argument from me. I’m home. Put me in Coach I’m ready to play!
How often do you wish you could be in two places at the same time? Last weekend, we were supposed to be in Washington for an Crafts Fair and in New York City for the Annual Gathering of Holocaust Remembrance. We had a tradition of attending both; however, this year both fell on the same weekend. We stayed in New York and attended the Annual Gather …
This is a blog of few words because I can’t find the words. Pittsburgh, New Zealand, Poway. And that’s the short list. Are we growing numb to ever burgeoning evidence of unabashed hatred? Does this list really need to continue to grow? Must houses of worship create armed barriers so that their congregants can worship without fear of facing a gun …
As some of you may know, my daughter had been in the hospital for several weeks. She’s a soccer goalkeeper and broke her femur while playing (yes, she made the save). Her injury entailed extensive surgery plus numerous weeks of rehabilitation. Early one evening, I arrived at the hospital, tired, stressed, and sad. As I pulled into the parki …
Just concluded a week of exploration. Sort of. Marisa and Shelly explored Paris. The dad and husband visited mom in Florida. So while my daughter and wife took in The Louvre, The Musée d’Orsay, Eifel Tower and Versailles and its adjoining villas and getaway spots, between various appointments for mom, I found some time to explore where friends made …
I don't know his name but everyone calls him Chief. He sits outside my local 7-11 on the side and greets everyone within hearshot with either How ya doin today? or Change!?! Yes, he's a begger. Every so often I give him my pocket change however I'm now wondering if I should. Last week while walking to my car, I turned around and saw him looking …
One of my earliest memories is hiding my eyes, looking away and cowering behind a movie seat upon watching the appearance of the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz with my mother. Truth be told, the shock and horror has never left me. I looked away and my over stimulated youthful imagination nearly destroyed me. The same thing happene …
There were nine of us around the conference table. As the meeting came to a close, we decided to schedule another meeting. Six smartphones appeared. Two laptops were opened. And my Personal Pocket Journal came out of my pocket. Yes, I have my iPhone and there’s a calendar application that links to my office calendar and our family “shared” calend …
Nothing better than spending the day with my son, Patrick. Last week my son called me complaining about his work load at school. Exhausted, he said “Mom, I just want to spend the day with you. Just you and me.” What an easy one. I cleared my schedule and we spent the day hiking at Tyler Park in Bucks, County, PA. Both of us stayed completely prese …
Some of you may know that my daughter has accepted a new job for the fall. She will be working at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor doing health economics policy research. We are all super excited -- but that is not the purpose of this blog. I am a pretty regular poster on Facebook about my children but for some reason, this news hasn’t …
Fred posted a picture on Instagram that made me smile. It was a picture of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka from the original film, “Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory.” “Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” definitely stands out, for me, as one of my favorite films of all time. It is one of those films that I am guaranteed to stop at if I am aim …
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, …
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 big …
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 hold …
