I don't know how long it has been going on (I suspect many used spears were passed around by forward thinking Neanderthals), but I think reGifting is a great practice and venerable tradition. Everyone drives a "Previously owned" car and lauds recycling as a "Save The World" necessity, but for some incomprehensible reason their first cousin is frown …
Two weeks ago I posted my "No Thanks Given" blog (listing my reaction to irksome conduct of others) on the day after Thanksgiving and received a healthy 19 comments. The comment which motivates and foretold this blog came from Dinner Group member Ted Lanzaro who wrote: All of these are "princess problems". Being truly grateful means being thankful …
The Gotham Foundation gave four Summer of Giving grants of $5500 each at our annual Holiday Party this Tuesday. The grants are one of the best things we do and personify our "It's better to give than receive, but what goes around comes around" mantra in so many ways. As you know, the money was collected at meetings over our extended Summer in small …
As an alternative to this Season's usual profusion of expressions of Thanks I would like to publish a "No Thanks Given", if not worse, list of inappropriate everyday conduct and things which I hate. "Hate" is a very strong word and has a highly negative connotation so maybe I should say "greatly dislike", but you get my drift. Here we go:1) The Cr …
Our firm has had Season tickets to the Knicks (not always a good investment) since the '80s. As such, I have taken my 2 sons to many games over the years. Last Sunday the tradition continued as I took my son David and my 2 grandsons to a 1:00 matinee. See above photo. I have taken Jackson, the older grandson to a number of games in recent years, b …
My Gotham mentor partner, Flo Feinberg, has a wonderful favorite Yiddish word which she often tosses into our free flowing conversation. It is Bashert and it means "meant to be or predestined".I thought of her special word last Saturday when we went into the City to see the Egon Schiele exhibit at the Neue Gallery located at the corner of 5th Avenu …
When I was a boy my only area of reading interest was sports books and the Encyclopedia of Baseball ( for memorization). Only with the advent of audio books did I slowly catch up on fine literature. When my boys were growing up I indoctrinated them pretty well as to sports, bought them Baseball cards and coached them. Now I have 2 grandsons and th …
When we are on vacation we go to a bike friendly place that is flat and has bike lanes. We have been going there for 17 years and have never had a car. Biking is our main transportation, morning, noon and night. We have mid century "cruisers" without gears and pedal reversal brakes.To be honest, biking is always a vacation high light. It is both in …
I have never tired of "After The Gold Rush" and have always been a fan of the great Neil Young. Most recently, I was fascinated by his book "Waging Heavy Peace" and his professed love for his long time wife and collaborator Pegi. But then he divorces the love of his life for a Mermaid. Love can break whose heart?
On Tuesday night October 21, 18 Gothamites who are also members of the Friars Club will meet for drinks in the Club's Lucille Ball Bar to discuss important issues of the day. On the agenda is expanding Friars Club membership in the Tribe. At present, the following Gothamites are fellow Friars: Bruce Swicker, Daniel Hochler, Danny Mizrahi, David Ste …
In addition to this weekly creative outlet I also utilize Facebook daily. Last week I posted the above photo along with the words "Until one has loved an animal part of their soul remains unawakened".Truth be told, they are not my words, but the tag line of our Pet Insurance company. Whatever their origin, these words muster up and describe an inne …
The age old question is: If you could have one thing would it be money, fame or power? What would it be for you and for what reasons?I know what it is for me and will chime in at the end of the day. Weigh in please!
Someone once said there are 3 stages in life: youth, middle age and "you look good". Funny, but so true. My next birthday will be my 73rd and I'm pleased to say I'm comfortably in the third stage and plan to continue until I'm 100. I work very very hard in my daily battle with Father Time. Not many people would be willing to pay that price. Hard wo …
When I was young I had no direction and wondered aimlessly and accomplished little. I can't pinpoint the moment in time when my self hatred overwhelmed my sloth, but there was a metamorphosis as I got into sports and athletics. I learned about training and getting into shape as a competitive necessity. Then the running boom arrived and I became a r …
I started writing this blog on Labor Day, the official start of the end of Summer blues and the unofficial end of Summer. Are my moody blues darker due to having experienced a once in a generation perfect Summer? I don't know for sure, but my wistful earlier blog was not entitled "Endless Summer" by accident. Yeah, Fall is nice, but I have to wond …
Fridays With Fred
A perfect way to send you into your weekend