I become obsessed when something is lost. The reason for my obsession is the realization that things that are lost do not actually disappear. The mystery is that they exist somewhere but are not found. The challenge is to find what is lost. The challenge is my obsession. The earring slid off Flo’s ear while she was sitting in the front seat of the car and we were certain that, wherever it fell, it was in the car. It was dark and we searched with the light of my cellphone. No...

  I remember the first time I rode the subway next to a woman without pants. That’s right, without pants. As I climbed the stairs to the E Train at Penn Station, I noticed a woman ahead of me wearing a winter coat, hat, fuzzy gloves and boots – but no pants. Odd, I thought to myself, but hey, this is New York. I kept walking. A little way up the platform I came across another woman similarly un-clad. Again, I thought – super odd. But I boarded the train next to her. The wh...

The blog Corey posted yesterday inspired me. Corey wrote, “In these pandemic plagued times where most in person holiday gatherings shrink to households and some enlarge by virtual means, why not add some music to help brighten our moods.” I wanted to take Corey’s topic and go in a different direction. In these pandemic times, when we are constantly being told that the worse is yet to come, how do you find your joy? What thoughts, other than the music that Corey provides fo...

In these pandemic plagued times where most in person holiday gatherings shrink to households and some enlarge by virtual means, why not add some music to help brighten our moods.   This year’s version of Happy Holidays in Song now features 103 songs, albeit one video required a search for a replacement by the same artist (ask off list please but I coincidentally will share same artist needed an update for the new year playlist).   Last year’s blog listed 100 but I defer to ...

A couple of weeks ago, I was participating in a weekly Zoom. There were eight people who shared the same feeling about what is going on in the world and one did not.   The person that did not share the same feeling started to express his point of view using analogies. Within minutes he was viified and although we did move on, he subsequently dropped out of the group.   I was silent during the exchange yet I believe I share responsibility in the meeting going south. It seems ...

Hopefully everyone in the Tribe is familiar with our Season of Giving initiative. In case you’re not, it is a year long drive to fund Gotham Foundation grants which we will be announcing on December 16 at our virtual/Zoom Holiday Party. The number of grants and the amounts thereof have not yet been determined, but it is clear that the amount dispensed will be greater than last year. This is as a consequence of the generosity of those members who chose to donate their meal cos...

My father often said that, as a host, you invite people and put a roof over their heads — the rest is up to them.How true it is in our Gotham family. In person meetings, events, and now, virtual meetings. We invite and put a roof over our heads...and our members do the rest.So it was, again, on Tuesday at our Covid Business Update. Ten joined the meeting to discuss what they had learned in the months of Covid and the lessons that would help them through what lies ahead.The me...

My son and his handsome siamese son skim are on a James Bond streak; watching every James Bond movie while he enjoys a classic gin martini three oloves up... Shaken, not stirred. It is carefully selected to reflect the man-vibes Bond wants his viewers to feel. This evening’s pick, shows our hero Mr. Bond looking up and out of the window-well of a concrete basement. The handsome Bond is wearing a well-tailored, pale blue suit, while the rays of sunshine pierce their way down a...

  I look forward to CyberMonday every year. True, it can sometimes turn into an expensive distraction but its fun nonetheless to look for the sales. Given the complications of shopping in a pandemic, it seems that this year’s CyberMonday could be CyberSeason. I admit I’ve started to buy a few things. The sales this year seem to be better than ever. And I am more confident than any year prior that all of my shopping will be completed online. Have you started your holida...

With respect to news, my habit has been the same for several years. At least twice a day, I click on CNN.com to get my news. Then, at home, I tape and then watch the NBC Nightly National News at 6:30 and the 11:00 local NBC News.     Sporaidically in the past, but with more more frequency since November 3, 2020, I have found myself also clicking on Foxsnews.com after I read CNN. I feel like I am almost fact checking one against another with respect to the accuracy as to the...

Thanksgiving this year flipped the script a bit. We gathered smaller than usual and many use other means such as Zoom or FaceTime to connect with others who usually joined us. Something remains the same: our need to give. Many rose up to support causes we already support, and special associated appeals in light of COVID-19. The focus on giving always deserves its special emphasis around Thanksgiving, the approach of the holiday season, and Giving Tuesday, which takes place on...

Our relationship with technology is continuously evolving. How we engage with our smartphones, fitness trackers, thermostats and our house is very different now than we did 10 years ago.   Imagine how it will look 10 years from now. You don’t have to look hard to find studies on how the use of technology impacts our mental health and well-being, particularly among younger people. There’s little that can’t be done with a swipe, tap, or click.   However, during this pandemic, ...

I know it’s been the toughest of years, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to be thankful for. Words like Silver Lining (in every cloud), glass half full and Bright Side come to mind as we fend and cope. I know that I am very lucky and have a lot to be thankful for.  What about you?...

 

As we think about giving thanks on this Thanksgiving in Covid, I share with you a message posted at our local bagel store:

"This is not the year to get everything you want. This is the year to appreceiate everything you have."

Happy Thanksgiving.

Be safe and healthy.

...

  Amparo’s email on fredslist yesterday got me thinking early.   During the wonderful cooking frenzy on Thanksgiving Day, my mind always goes to my list. My blessings list. It’s sort of my own Thanksgiving tradition with myself. This year, I started early. In a year in which we are struggling through once in a lifetime challenges, my list is longer than ever – and that is at the top of my list. Who would have thought that in a year in which we are all trying to manage a...