Last Sunday we pulled into a restaurant near closing time for a late supper and I noticed an extraordinary thing. The whole waitstaff, even after working a long weekend shift, was all smiling and eager to serve. I can’t explain it, but either there was something in the air or management found the secret to customer satisfaction. What I do know is …
Last night Norm Spizz and his Committee (Corey Bearak, Elizabeth Greenberg, Tessa Marquis, Caitlyn Ryan and Shelley Simpson) presented still another stellar Gotham Film Festival (generously sponsored by Jason Greenberg/Phoenix Public Adjusters Group, Raj and Sharon Goel, Tom Gallin, Klein Zelman Rothermel Jacobs & Schess, 5th Street Advisors, S …
Last week I blogged about superstition and negative Jinxes. This week is the flip side: superstition and good luck charms. You all have them and I’m interested in your reveal!This past week my highly effective good luck charm was/were my “Lucky Shorts”, which I wore constantly (except for bedtime) since I went to the Yankee game with Paul Napolit …
There are thoughts I think which I would never say out loud for fear of Bad Luck or jinxing myself. Where does superstition and the above type of fear spring from?I think it was my mother and all her “Do Nots”, eg, never leave a hat on a bed or walk under a ladder. Thanks for the advice mom!Whatever the root cause, I am it’s captive. You would b …
Last week I had to surrender my phone for nearly a full day to Connor, an IT guy, and, talk about addiction/withdrawal, it was down right horrible!The worst part was not being able to communicate. The isolation was palpable. I had to search out land lines and look up phone numbers to make a call. To say the least, I was floundering…Additionally, …
Last weekend my granddaughter Maggie graduated magna cum laude in Fine Arts from my alma mater, Syracuse University, and we were there to witness it. We are so proud of that talented, kind young woman!During the graduation ceremony the speaker asked those who were the first in their family to graduate college to stand. Without thinking or hesitati …
Neither of my parents graduated high school and my mother made it a priority that I attend college. She acted as if she hit the lottery when I graduated law school :)I graduated Syracuse University in 1963, Joanne attended for 2 years before coming home as prelude to our marriage and our son Alex graduated in 1993. One might say that orange blood c …
Yes, I am happy to be home safe and sound, but parting is such sweet sorrow. We have reveled in Paradise for 4 months and Paradise Lost is not an easy read or feeling. See you soon!
Residing at the southern most point of the continental USA I am constantly confronted by the unaccustomed south land salutation of SIR. I hear it all the time and I look around and discern that it is directed at me. When I question why SIR I am told it is an expression of respect (to an older man). Well you can imagine how that sits with me! Then …
In today’s technologically sophisticated world there are myriad channels of communication. To me, the best and most basic manner of communication is talking face to face, where you can look someone directly in the face and discern facial expressions (“Tells”) while taking in the words, gestures and eye contact. My father’s number one rule of inte …
My feet have been supporting me (so far) to the 80 Mile Marker and, truth be told, they are worse for wear. Rough going to say the least! One day Joanne was going for a manicure/pedicure and being familiar with my feet asked if I’d like to come along and I was game. We went to Amri Day Spa at 1204 Simonton Street in Key West and so …
Did you ever invite someone to dinner and your guest proceeds to order the most expensive steak entree on the menu? It happened to me recently and after getting over my initial penurious shock I was actually and genuinely impressed with the guest’s self possessed chutzpah! So it goes…
Wednesday was my 80th Birthday! 80 is a nice (yes nice) round number which I have been mulling daily throughout my 80th year. Rather than be daunted by it, I am proud of it and hear myself proclaiming my age often. Why not? It is what it is. A number. A mile marker (thank you Erin McKenna and Guy deBoer for the annual ride) along my life journey …
I really can’t explain its genesis, but twice a day I post a somewhat difficult to identify photo of a famous person on Facebook and my followers vie to be the first to guess who it is and earn a Bingo photo. Truth be told, the competition is fierce and it’s as if I’m riding a whirlwind. For whatever the reason, many are quick to hazard a guess …
I recently had an interesting conversation with friends about tipping. Before I relate the conversation , it is useful to explain that “tip” is an acronym for To Insure Promptitude and the custom originated in Europe and is traced back to 17th century England. Whatever it’s origins, tipping has become an integral way of life and sustenance in our …
Fridays With Fred
A perfect way to send you into your weekend