It seems that there is always a current “what we thought was good for you, isn't”. Something that was considered healthy and even recommended, suddenly falls out of favor. Low dose aspirin. Take one a day. Now, not so good for you. Don't take low dose aspirin. Talk to your doctor. Coffee. Doesn't count toward your necessary daily f …
There’s a detached garage at Flo’s mother’s house in Queens -- the house that Flo grew up in, my father-in-law lived in until his death five years ago, and her mother still lives in. The garage is used for storage and in all of the years that I took things in and out of that garage, the garage door was never locked -- until two weeks ago when I …
Red light cameras are showing up everywhere. The cameras that are at intersections which are coordinated with the traffic lights to photograph the license plates that go through red lights or commit other violations (like rolling through a right turn on red). Recent reports are that, after a few years since being introduced, revenues from the r …
We are privileged to have Jefferson Crowther, his wife Allison, and their family, in our Gotham family. Although there were 34 (mostly-unrelated) people around the table at yesterday’s meeting of Formica and Open House, for me it was a family meal in which one of the family members shared something special -- something very special. As Jefferso …
I won’t drink and drive, so why would I risk reaching for a smart phone to check for emails or text messages? The point was driven home last Thursday at the Gotham Long Island meeting by Mike Jakob. Mike, an insurance agent, talked about the problem and a new program that his agency is undertaking to educate the public about the hazards of smartpho …
Brooklyn Technical High School is one of the specialized high schools in New York City. It is in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn. Last weekend I went on a casual walk in Fort Greene and walked past my high school. When I went to Brooklyn Tech, you simply didn’t take a causal walk in the neighborhood. Most, if not all, of the students “commut …
When I finish a novel, I feel that I've said goodbye to a friend. There's a feeling of loneliness and a time to reflect upon the times we shared. I soon turn to finding a new book to put on the coveted spot on my night table that is reserved for my current read. There is always an abundance of books to choose from. (It seems that, with the bes …
Dan shaded his eyes as they adjusted to the sunlight and he tried to fathom what he saw. There, on the far side of the courtyard was Duardo kicking a soccer ball as only a three-year old could to an unshaven man. But this was no playground. Dan looked up at the high walls surrounding the courtyard. The razor wire that capped the walls and the t …
It was a few hours before Passover and we were on our way to the family Seder. One of our many traditions is to call relatives who we will not be seeing and wishing them a “Sweet Passover”. Flo called her Aunt Lillie who lives in Florida. After exchanging holiday greetings, Lillie mentioned to Flo that it was a significant day for her and her s …
Fred keeps a diary and has for many, many years. I know this because Fred has shared some of his entries from years ago with me. Here is one that he shared and I must share. “4/9/80 - Had a life experience tonight running across 59th Street Bridge with Benj in near hail torrent getting soaked and running on water and splashing through streams.. …
It was in the personal section of yesterday's Wall Street Journal -- carrying two cell phones. For me, it started rather innocently. When Flo upgraded to a newer iPhone, her iPhone became available. I have always had a Blackberry (perhaps the subject of a another blog) which had increasingly become more of an office number. Our grandson had just …
I reached across the desk for the stapler, carefully positioned the papers, and squeezed. Nothing. The stapler was empty. So I reached into the drawer and took out the plastic box of staples. I was amazed that there were only five strips left. I checked the drawer. No strips had fallen out. There are 5,000 staples to a box. 210 staples to a …
I like to vacation in familiar places. We have a time share in Aruba and, at last count, have been back seven times (plus a few times before we got the time share). Our son and daughter-in-law, Jason and Alyssa have been with us seven times -- and their son, our grandson, Jackson, was with us for the first time (but certainly not last) two week …
Last week Fred blogged about "Menu Management" -- managing the food that his wife Joanne orders. If it turns out that she doesn't like what she ordered, Fred (gladly) switches plates. Flo and I have a similar arrangement at theaters. With few exceptions, Flo usually finds the tallest person in the theater to sit in front of her. And once that pe …
It was time for our grandson, Jackson, to take his nap. Our daughter-in-law picked him up saying “It’s time for me to put Jackson down.” A strange choice of words. While in context they made sense, they still struck me as odd. In veterinary circles, the words “put down” certainly convey a very different message. In social settings “putting …
