It intrigues me that there are people who still believe the earth is flat AND they have arguments to support their belief.   I saw the movie “Moneyball again last week and was reminded of the friction between intuition and science. 

It is that time of year when things slow down, and people take time off.  With that, the topic of conversation often turns to vacation.  Are you taking any vacation this summer, people might ask?  

This is a public service blog.   In late April, I had my annual full body check with my dermatologist. All was well.   About three weeks later I noticed a new small “pimple,” on my nose. I thought nothing of it initially. But when a week passed and then two weeks passed and it did not heal, I became apprehensive. I finally scheduled another appointment with my dermatologist.    

For several weeks I prepared for last Monday morning.  I need to remove my diplomas and bar admission from my office walls; ditto some awards -- including my Gotham Red Bandana plaque. And a photo on me as a young one turned into a painting that once hung in my paternal grandparents' den at their former home in Hollis Hills.  All my signed baseballs, bobbleheads and other mementos got boxed.  I made sure to take pictures so I had a decent idea of the proper place when it came time to restore items to their proper places.

This is not about landscaping...it's about an event in the tiny town of Trumansburg, NY that surprised me. The GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is a four-day celebration that started in 1991 and transforms this sleepy upstate town into a sprawling hub of music, dance, and community spirit.   Music from bluegrass to reggae, and an atmosphere that’s checks all the boxes...both family-friendly and eco-conscious.   

As I mature and my life evolves I amaze myself that I no longer have that unquenchable thirst to take credit for something I did, inspired or created.  Taking credit is the action of allowing people to know that you did something that deserves praise or special attention.

"Interesting".

For the past few years we have heard a lot of news headlines around gas prices. They go up, and they go down. When you get gas, you have a choice of paying with cash or credit. Generally speaking credit is about 10 cents more than cash per gallon. It is estimated that about 15% of all gas purchases are with cash, 85% is credit. The 10 cents is supposed to absorb the credit card transaction fees, but is it? If you go to an Exxon/Mobile station and use an Exxon/Mobile card you get the cash price. Shell stations have a similar deal. Other cards will offer an incentive of 5% cash back.