In the world of social media, “likes” are very important. I recently noticed that my daughter had taken down a picture she had posted on Instagram. When I asked her why the photograph was removed she told me, “Because I didn’t get enough “likes” in the first hour it was up.” Based on my Facebook year end history I am a good “liker.” Apparently, …
In Yiddish the word for jinx is kaynahora. Kaynahora is roughly similar to “knock on wood” and is often spoken to ward off a jinx after praise or good news. Kaynahora is a contraction of three Yiddish words: kayn ayin hara, literally not (kayn) the evil (hara) eye (ayin). Essentially, kaynahora is a word that one uses when they want to ward off the …
Anyone who knows me knows I love to travel, my fear of flying notwithstanding. And my husband and I have tried to instill our wanderlust into our children. We have always taken them on vacation during Christmas vacation and, in the past, have tried to take them travelling more often than once a year. In addition, on each vacation, I try to sched …
I have a habit that, I know, annoys my friends and family. I, generally, do not listen to my voice messages on my cell phone. I will, almost always, call them back but, when asked about the message they left, I have to admit that I did not spend the time to listen to it. Conversely, if I call someone on their cell phone, I generally will not …
I had an experience this week that truly showed me that, no matter how we perceive ourselves, there are others who see us quite differently. While I am admittedly over fifty years old, I do not perceive myself as being “old” or looking “older.” That perception was challenged this week when I stepped onto the subway in Borough Hall, Brooklyn to g …
I had one of those horrible days at work this week. A client had an angry and emotional breakdown in the halls of the courthouse. Her breakdown had nothing to do with the results we were getting in court--in fact, we had just gotten a highly favorable recommendation from the judge--it was just a function of who she is. I had no time to gauge my o …
I realized the other day that I am a creature of habit. I love my routines. On Saturday mornings, I’m up by 9:00 a.m., then on the treadmill, a shower, coffee, and then, by 10:15, I’m sitting at the kitchen table writing my blog. Sunday mornings one can generally find me drinking my coffee, reading The Times and cooking dinners for the week. My …
My children, every year, immediately get into the holiday shopping season. They love going to the mall at 5:00 a.m. on Black Friday with their friends and cousins. As much as they love the “bargains” they think they are getting, I believe, what they enjoy most is the social aspect of Black Friday; being in the mall in the early morning hours with …
For the first time, in a very long time, I am hosting family and friends for Thanksgiving. For weeks, I have been planning all different menus in in my head. I know, for many, the “star of the show “ for Thanksgiving dinner is the turkey. But, for me, it’s all about the “supporting cast,” the side dishes. I already have four side dishes plann …
Growing up, the topic of proper manners and consideration of others was an important topic for my Mom. We were taught to always say, “please,” thank you,” and “excuse me.” Whenever I called a friend at home I always begin with, “Hello, this is Rona, may I please speak to ____?” I guess with the use of cell phones and caller id, that last lesson is …
I had written a different blog to post today. But after what occurred to my family this weekend, this blog practically wrote itself. On Saturday, my husband realized he was the victim of a computer hack. The hacker first got control of my husband’s business account and started changing passwords and making small transfers. My husband called his b …
Happy Halloween Gotham. When my children were younger Halloween was a big event in my house. We would spend weeks together planning and buying costumes, then the Halloween decorations would come out and finally the big day arrived. Trick or treating was always fun but, I think my favorite part was when trick or treating was done. That was the time …
On Sunday morning, my family woke up early to go to The Jets game. I was not going with them. Yet, I still planned to get up with them. My plan was to exercise, do some fall cleaning (switch out my sandals for my boots) and do some cooking for the week. I had a full morning scheduled. Instead, I spent the morning in bed finishing up the book I s …
It was one of those days you dread while on vacation. As our cruise ship pulled into the port of Corfu Greece, we looked outside our balcony to see drenching rainfall. Given that we were scheduled to take a bus tour of the island, I was not concerned; I did not expect the rain to affect our itinerary. As soon as the bus pulled away from the dock, …
I feel, as if, this month, I am writing a travelling blog. But, as you’re reading this, I will be in the midst of a lifelong ambition, seeing Greece. As a young child, Greek mythology and culture fascinated me. As a teenager, my parents travelled to Greece-without me, my brother and my sister-and the souvenirs they brought back and the stories th …
It's Monday, Monday. Let me know what you think about. . .
