I discovered music in high school. It started with Barry Manilow (yes, I did just admit that) and Bill Joel, but soon Bruce Springsteen took center stage. I have vivid memories of long summer nights with friends hanging out outside of our houses and singing Bruce’s latest hits at the top of our lungs. Not sure the neighbors loved our performances …
It is a rite of passage for a 16 year old to go down to DMV for that coveted driver’s permit. A day filled with excitement and anticipation. Imagine your horror when you go to look for your permit one day and realize it’s not there. Change scenes. Last week, my husband stopped at the local 7 Eleven for a cup of coffee. As he was walking up to th …
Last Wednesday, my daughter graduated from high school. It was a memorable night in our family but even more memorable for another local family. The speeches had ended. The principal and school board members had started the process of announcing each (and every) name and personally handing each of the 580 graduates a well-earned diploma. Midway t …
Ponder this. In an attempt to assist the continuing quest to fund your child’s college education, a friend gives your graduating high school senior a lottery ticket as a gift. So, what if you hit the jackpot? Would you share the proceeds with your friend? Would you buy your friend a lavish gift? Conversely, would you do anything at all to acknowl …
I am not really a fan of Starbucks coffee. Maybe a Frappuccino on a hot day but for a regular cup of coffee I have other favorites. But today’s news definitely changed my allegiance. Starbucks started a new program to encourage its staff to pursue a college degree. According to one news report, 70 percent of Starbucks workers don’t have a colleg …
Our Gotham family gatherings twice a year always bring out the best in Gotham. Last night’s cocktail party was no exception. Gotham members from different groups came together with their friends for an evening of great conversation with beautiful views at The Top of the Garden. (Thanks Ashley!) And, there were many new friends to meet last night …
Please tell me that I am not alone. Ann B. Davis played the character of Alice on one of my all-time childhood TV shows, the Brady Bunch. (Don’t get me started – I’ll be talking about I Love Lucy next). Sadly, she passed away this weekend and that had me strolling down memory lane. I am actually a little fanatic about the show. I still sometime …
Anna and Emily Lawrence, twin sisters and juniors at JFK High School in Bellmore, recently made an important observation. Too many people, and in particular, new drivers are distracted by their cell phones and other devices. This is serious –people get hurt and some die. Some statistics show that eleven teens die every day because of texting and …
We have a contract in our house. The subject is driving. Anyone with a license for less than one month – ok, you get the point – must agree to its terms and sign before being offered the privilege of car keys. The contract covers things like: a) cell phones in the car; b) who can and cannot be a passenger; c) in whose car the new driver may be a …
I want to. I recently decided to dust off my twitter account and see if I could figure out how it works. (My daughter figured that out when she asked me why I “liked” her tweet from over a year ago.) From what I have seen so far, I think I like Twitter. A whole lot of information can be conveyed in such a small number of characters. That said, I …
Recently, my son announced that he was planning to audition for “The Voice” – and win -- so we had better start preparing for a family trip to Los Angeles. That led to a conversation about which judge to choose if he became a contestant -- Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Shakira or Usher? For the next several days, that’s right days, the conversat …
As the sedan pulled away, Dan fell over into Roberta’s lap. Confounded by a mix of emotions, Roberta looked down at Dan who now seemed peaceful, not the agitated man he had been just a little while before. She found herself stroking his hair, something she had only dreamed about. Of course, Roberta knew that this calm was false, or better put, d …
There is something special about the friends that know you from back when. Last weekend, we had dinner with friends I have had since just after I started practicing law. (You know who you are!) For perspective, I am coming up on thirty years. When you have known each other that long, everything that happens has context. You don’t have to explain …
That is what over 20,000 Long Island students said last week when it was time to take the standardized ELA tests for Grades 3 – 8. In a continuing attack on the Common Core standards, a movement spread largely through social media resulted in a dramatic refusal by students all over the island to sit for the test. It was interesting to watch real …
Baseball season started yesterday with the composition of the middle school team. This year, sixteen boys and one girl. The girl on the team has been playing since she was little and really, really wanted to play on the boys team. She had to pass a physical test that the boys did not but she didn’t care. She wanted to play. Last year, she tried b …
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