Every week, on Friday afternoon, towards the end of the workweek, I get a subliminal message reminding me to wish a good friend a "Good Sabbath" - a "Shabbat Shalom" - in anticipation of the imminent arrival of sundown. We exchange the greeting, whether in a text message, voice call or, on rare occasion, in a face-to-face exchange, and whether init …
Last Sunday, I gave a half-full/half-empty canister of cat treats to my longtime neighbor. We kept the treats for the neighbor's cats -- Oreo and Hoppy -- who were frequent visitors to our front porch. Oreo is the friendlier of the two. Hoppy, more guarded. Oreo would wait to see any activity by our front door, or wait for our car to pull up and …
Except, perhaps, for walking and chewing, you really can't do two things at the same time. I was at a conference on health care. Two days of presentations. Lawyers sitting behind long rows of narrow tables. Several laptops and many, many smartphones resting on the tablecloths that covered the tables. My phone found its way to the space in front of …
We live in a condo development. PSE&G just completed a several-week project - replacing power lines. There was lots of equipment around - trucks, cranes,front loaders and a "CallAHead" for the convenience of the crew. The condo is also doing a renovation of our clubhouse. One day, I noticed a second "CallAHead" sitting next to the first. It tu …
The sage advice "Don't believe everything you hear" and "Don't believe everything you read" have taken on ever-increasing meaning. Websites simply make things up and are then quoted, referenced and relied upon. A modern-day version of the parlor game of "telephone" in which the falsehoods are repeated and laundered to become "truth". And the human …
We were at the local Deli and decided to share a hot dog. I reached for the plate and a knife. "I'll cut and you choose." The words (and concept) came straight from my childhood -- an eminently fair way of dividing and sharing with others. The resolution and avoidance of possible conflict. I pondered the similarities between "I'll cut and you ch …
We just installed a new phone system in our office. Even as I attended the orientation session to learn how to use the new phone, I accepted the fact that I would probably never utilize all of its features nor realize all of its potential. I would incorporate what worked for me and settle in to a nice cooperative relationship with my new phone. Th …
I was at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Boston with the Metropolitan Contemporary Glass Group. Since I am secretary of the group, I was scribbling notes when a museum guard came up to me and asked if I was writing with a pen. She didn't confiscate the pen, but advised me that my using it was prohibited and gave me a little pencil. I was fine wit …
Its been almost almost a year since the house that Flo grew up in was sold. It was sold to the caretaker who cared for Flo's mother during the last years of her struggle with Alzheimer's. They loved the house and selling it to them was one way to keep it in the family. We were in the neighborhood the other day and stopped by to see the house. The …
Recently, I was again reminded of the vagaries of life. Those chance occurrences that could make all the difference.We were driving to Washington, D.C. and were about 30 minutes away on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway when traffic suddenly came to a complete stop. Within minutes, at least 10 emergency vehicles passed us. The traffic app told us th …
We were on the ferry from Mukilteo to Whidbey Island, Washington, and Flo struck up a conversation with the man on the motorcycle next to our car. "Do you know that you're going to the longest island in the United States?" Considering that I come from Long Island, that Long Island is about 110 miles long and that Whidbey Island is about 58 miles lo …
Summertime is a time for travel. Traveling involves packing. Some thoughts on packing: Accept and embrace the fact that packing is a necessary part of traveling. Accept that some ‘packs’ are easier than others. Packing doesn't mean you have to re-assess your entire wardrobe. Yes, weather is oftentimes a consideration but being unprepared for unexpe …
As a kid, I grew up believing that, if you were a Mets fan, you really couldn't like (let alone be friends with) a Yankees fan. It was wonderful being with many, many fellow Gothamites at Citifield the other evening watching the Mets and the Yankees play. I put aside that I was sitting among Yankee fans -- arch enemies of a different era. I don't …
I was taking out the garbage the other morning and a bird fell to the ground in front of me. Although alive - I could see its little chest rise and fall - it wasn't moving. My first instinct was to try to do something but I've been taught that, in situations such as this, it is best to let nature take its course. But I watched. After a few mi …
About seven weeks ago, on June 3rd, I saw this quote in the Wall Street Journal. "No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one." (Elbert Hubbard) Approaching the half-way point of this summer, the quote haunts me. I am hearing more complaints about "trying to get away" and "paying for those few days away". I am looking forward t …
