Last week, the United States Post Office announced that come summertime, Saturday mail delivery will be a thing of the past. Given the significantly over budget operation and the corresponding decline in physical mail, I understand the business decision. While some in Congress are apparently trying to rekindle Saturday delivery, I am not optimis …
No, I don't have any tips. I am looking for some. About to embark on what I am told is going to be quite the adventure, I am looking for any -- and all -- input from my Gotham family about what to expect and how to approach the process. My 11th grader has a very significant list of schools she is interested in that would have us traveling all ove …
Really? Still? I have an unofficial deadline of January 31. After that date, I will no longer wish someone I haven’t seen a happy new year. I have to say though, somewhere around the middle of the month, it starts to feel awkward -- as if the well wishes are just too late and need to wait another whole year before they are expressed again. …
For what seemed like hours, but was only seconds, Johnny paused to remember those early, happy days with Pauline so many years ago. They had met when they were children, probably no more than 12 years old. Funny, they were the exact same age and shared the same birthday. Pauline lived just down the street from Johnny and Earl. An only child, …
In my youth (I sound ancient, don't I?), I always appreciated a good dose of background noise. Whether a sitcom on TV or a Barry Manilow marathon on the radio (yes, I really do like Barry), my first reach was always to add some noise. While I was cooking, something in the background always kept me company -- whether a movie or a playlist. But tha …
Have you seen the video of the young boy, maybe 10 years old, melting down because his mother let him believe he had mistakenly purchased a $50,000 Mustang on the internet? His mother, the videographer, can be heard encouraging the boy's misconception and laughing in the background as he cries "I am going to have to sell everything I own" and his s …
In the past few years, Dick Clark has not really been an active presence on New Year’s Eve. As his health declined, he just could not play the same type of role he had played in the past. Don’t get me wrong. I like Ryan Seacrest but he isn’t Dick Clark. This year’s New Years show brought Dick Clark back for me. It was so much fun reminiscing …
In this season of giving, I started thinking about what have been my favorite gifts over the years. I for one, feel great stress in deciding on just the right gift to give so when it is perfect, I really get the significance. For me, and this may sound crazy, one of the best gifts my husband ever gave me was a Kitchen Aid mixer. I love to bake an …
With an 11th grader in the house, we spend a lot of time talking about college, undergraduate programs and various career paths. Putting aside for purposes of this blog my daughter's thoughts for her future, this process started me thinking about the college majors that we all chose (more years ago than at least I will admit) and whether in the en …
For those of us who commute on the LIRR (or Metro North), we know all about the “quiet car” where heightened requirements of respecting your neighbors are expected and enforced. But how about the quiet gym? Is there etiquette around gym conversation? Sunday morning I was working my favorite elliptical machine, happily humming to whatever tun …
This past weekend I was with a group of friends that celebrate the holidays together. The discussion about logistics quickly turned to a discussion about specific gifts. One friend insisted that the rules for gifting change this year to specifically exclude gift cards. Gift cards, she argued, are an "easy out", a lazy gift that does not require a …
I was driving to the train station last week listening to a talk show. The topic was the following. A mother complained that her 9 year daughter, an avid girl scout, worked hard to sell the most cookies in her troop. Every year, she and her mom went door to door and for several weeks, set up a cookie sale outside their supermarket. Every year, …
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