I had to do something. The pain of the massacre lingered. I couldn’t get my head around it. On Tuesday evening, Flo and I attended the memorial vigil at the JCC in Plainview. Among so many people struggling, as I was, to find meaning. Walking away I was struck by certain powers — The Power of Community, the Power of Music, the Power of Words, and, hopefully, the Power of Love. ...

My dear friend, associate, business mentor and Gothamite Sonia Saleh often puts the hashtag #seebeautyeverywhere on her social media posts. And she always does see it. It is a great reminder for me. I am thinking of starting the hashtag #seegoodeverywhere, because it IS everywhere. Just open your eyes and heart a bit wider. I'm not saying that it is easy, but worth the effort.   From NBC:   A Muslim American group has raised more than $125,000 through an online crowdfunding c...

  Used to be that I would look forward to alone time in the car to crank up the radio and sing at the top of my lungs.     But, I’ve noticed lately that my radio habits have completely changed. Instead of looking for some old Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen or yes, even Barry Manilow, I don’t even reach for the power button to turn the radio on.     I find the quiet calming, particularly driving to the station in the morning as I am contemplating my day.     Just my own o...

I realized something about myself this week, I am squeamish. My stepson’s girlfriend recently severely cut her hand, requiring a trip to the hospital and numerous stitches. She was telling my husband and myself about her injury and offered to show pictures of the wound, stitches etc. to both of us.   My husband was very interested in the pictures and looked at them with her. They were both fascinated with them, looking at the wound from different angles. My stepson and I cou...

The Noreaster caused some concern here going into this weekend. I looked forward to the disposition of many cans of paint that accumulated over several years in the shed, and various closets in my home. Ditto for the remnants of electronic – three laptops and a few external keyboard represented all that remained after taking advantage of various electronic recycling opportunities in Queens. I wondered whether the weather would cancel the Queens Safe Disposal Event at Cunningh...

If one of my entreprenuer students came to me and said they wanted to make and sell a lollipop, I would be supportive of course but I would be thinking it's a crazy idea.   Well, it's not so crazy. Thanks to Alina Morse, an entrepreneurial eighth grader, we now have lollipops that help keep our teeth clean. Called Zollipops, they recently became the top-selling lollipops on Amazon (both in the sugar and sugar free categories), beating out Tootsie, Dum Dums, Blow Pop, and ot...

One of Gotham’s many theme base list serves is Sportstalk (inspired by Ben Geizhals before a long ago Giants Super Bowl).  The concept is for sports fans to discuss sports without clogging up Fredslist.  You need not be a Gotham member and just need to ask us to put you on the list and then email to sportstalk@gothamnetworking.com to join the conversation. Sports are one of my great interests, both participating (the Batmen softball team won its second consecutive Championshi...

I was recently reminded of a danger that hasn’t crossed my mind in a long time. Remember when we were warned not to use cellphones when we pumped gasoline? The danger that the fumes might ignite. And the other day, I pulled up for gasoline, got out of the car, pulled out my iPhone and opened the app from Exxon/Mobil to activate the pump. (The app was promoted and I’ve been using it for several months and find it very convenient.) So there I was the other morning ...

Selflessness, Humanity, or just plain Heroism, it surrounds us everyday and I look forward to acknowledging more and more.   Edited from the NY Times(by David Wolpe,the rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles): In 1939 Chiune Sugihara was sent to Lithuania, where he ran the consulate. There he was soon confronted with Jews fleeing from German-occupied Poland.   Three times Sugihara cabled his embassy asking for permission to issue visas to the refugees. The cable from K. Tanak...

  I have to admit I’m intrigued.     There are so many “meal in the box” services popping up. To me, one looks better than the next. The ingredients look fresh and to make it even more appealing, there would be absolutely no need for me to step foot into a supermarket.     Anyone out there had an experience using one of these services? Is it something you recommend? ...

  I have to admit I’m intrigued.     There are so many “meal in the box” services popping up. To me, one looks better than the next. The ingredients look fresh and to make it even more appealing, there would be absolutely no need for me to step foot into a supermarket.     Anyone out there had an experience using one of these services? Is it something you recommend? ...

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m watching my husband prepare meat and fish for a bar-b-que. All four of our children are coming for dinner with their significant others.   When the kids were young, Sunday dinner was always a must; whether we were cooking dinner or bringing in food. No matter what the kids had to do, reports, homework etc., it all had to be put away for Sunday dinner. In a house with four kids and four different schedules, Sunday dinner was the time that we coul...

After basketball I chatted with Joe who plays (well but) intermittently of late about Shelly’s plans for me. He teased – perhaps he meant it – that I’d be spending hours putting together a chaise she purchased and arrived earlier this week – in three boxes. Yesterday morning before ball, Shelly started to open the boxes. I joined in. I suggested spreading a blanket over the wood floor in what once Jonathan enjoyed as his room. We took all the components apart, out of the boxe...

On the the first day of legal cannabis sales across Canada, a 9 year old girl, Elina Childs, set up outside a marijuana shop to take advantage of the foot traffic.   The girl sold all 30 boxes of cookies she brought in under 45 minutes. "It amazed me how quickly they went," Elina's Father said. "Even people in cars driving on the avenue there would stop and roll down their window and ask for cookies." He said the experience was educational for Elina.   Nothing like selling t...

Having reached a venerable age, yet aspiring to be Forever Young, one notices many not so subtle changes. One of the most obvious is having someone get up and offer a subway seat.  Another is receiving courteous “Sir” greetings. Some would say “It’s all good” and that I earned it. Nonetheless, there is an invidious flip side.  Too often, almost every time we are being seated in a restaurant, we are traveled to a far corner.   In actuality I don’t mind the out of the traffic a...