As I live my life I concentrate on not allowing my mind to enter dark rooms where depression and despair reside waiting to cloud my outlook on life. Consistent with my oft stated mantra "Up is down and down is up" I always seek to see the bright side of a situation or event. I try to spread this "cheer" to those who have been brought down and defl …
I am a member of a quarterly Gotham breakfast group (pictured). Members are Corey, Bruce Swicker, Robert Intelisano, David Oralevich, Craig Shink, Alan Kreit and David Abeshouse. At our most recent breakfast we discussed the sad news of the passing of David's beloved younger brother Adam and resolved to attend the Shiva together at David's house. …
A person who is incapable of being satisfied is considered insatiable. I'm not sure whether it is a negative or positive (or possibly both) characteristic, but, oft times, it applies to me.I admit to many insatiable hungers. For example, I can't get enough of Aaron Judge, the Yankee baseball superstar. I watch his every at bat, know all his sta …
As follow up to my recent "Taking Credit" blog, where I declared I no longer need to take credit for what has blossomed from a suggestion or idea, I need to add that, nonetheless, an important ingredient of social intercourse is feedback. Feedback is follow-up/response to one's suggestion or idea. By responding one acknowledges receipt and inform …
As I mature and my life evolves I amaze myself that I no longer have that unquenchable thirst to take credit for something I did, inspired or created. Taking credit is the action of allowing people to know that you did something that deserves praise or special attention. For a very long time that was important to me, but lately I have let it go a …
Delegation (or delegating) is the process of distributing and entrusting work to another person. To me, the process of delegating is a powerful offshoot and manifestation of networking. Thus, if one has a potent network, as we do in www.gothamnetwoking.com, we are in a position to accomplish the task at hand in the quickest and most effective mann …
"Triple Crown" is a sports sobriquet denoting the winner of significant 3 titles. My favorite is the Major League Baseball Award to the league batting leader in 3 categories: Batting Average, Runs Batted in and Home Runs. My favorite Baseball Triple Crown winner was, of course, Mickey Mantle in 1956. In Thoroughbred Horse Racing there is also a …
Yes, we are "Snowbirds" (northerners who move to a warmer southern state to escape Winter) and we have been escaping in Paradise (Key West) for four warm, fun filled, months and, truth be told, as I write this, I am sad to leave. But leave we must as Family and an alternative, full, abundant life awaits us in Springtime New York. What will I mis …
This past week has been epic for my grandson Shawn Atom. One could describe it as a "Hat Trick" as he culminated his 7 year quest to become an Eagle Scout (achieved by only 4% of all Boy Scouts), decided to attend the venerable engineering program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and and is attempting to find a vocalist so his band can enter Got …
There is a unique dive bar in Key West called The Chart Room. I learned of it reading Key West Lou's blog. It is hidden away in the bowels of The Pier House at the end of Duval Street. It has quite a storied history, including Mel Fisher, Jimmy Buffet and many other Key West characters and luminaries. To me The Chart Room is the closest approxim …
Recently my friend David Berger commented that I'm relentless. He said it almost as a throw away line, because it wasn't directly on point. I heard it and it got me thinking that he was right on. One of my Rules for Success is to never quit and to out work the competition. David's "relentless" comment resonated so much in my mind that I am now h …
Tomorrow is my birthday and over the last 10 years I have developed a tradition of memorializing it with a photo standing next to the applicable highway mile marker. We "Snow Bird" in Key West which is the southern most point in the continental United States and US Highway 1 begins there at mile marker Zero. Each year we venture up US 1 to the …
I am enamored by the word Puppy (and puppies too)! It is such a positive, loving, warm word, as in "Puppy Love" and all things sweet and adorable ❤️ By strict definition a Puppy is a young (less than 1 year) dog. Yet in my mind our Charcoal (an 11 year old Schnoodle pictured) is still a puppy and, yes, I am still in puppy love with her. She is swee …
Recently we bought a new mattress. The process was a complex one during which we were tested and we tested many mattress options. Price aside (inflation is real), it was a complicated trial and error process. Eventually we decided on a thick pillow top mattress with new (full) box springs. Then it happened, our new bed was delivered and assembl …
Have you ever been asked by a friend to make a donation to their cause? Do you dignify the request with a response? If you comply, what motivates you to do so? Also, what equation goes into the amount of the donation? Lastly, do you remember the amount? I'm not sure if there has been a scholarly study on this subject or that the answers to my above …
Fridays With Fred
A perfect way to send you into your weekend