About once a week I receive a copy of the Vineyard Gazette in the mail. It’s the local newspaper from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.We’ve been visiting the Vineyard for years and, for the limited time we spend there, we consider it one of our homes away from home. We always read the Gazette when we are on the Vineyard.

May is dream time for NBA and NHL fans.  It seems that every night features intense games that really matter.  The regular season games often feel like routine exercises.  But, in the playoffs, the players bring their hearts and souls to every game.   The best of seven games series are wars of strategy and attrition. Coaches and players must figure out new ways to maximize their strengths and and compensate for their injuries game to game.  

  Do you have a happy place?  After being squarely in one of mine last week,  I decided I was pretty lucky to actually have a long list of happy places.    My top five came down this way:  

We’ve all been there. Those weeks where work is all consuming. You finally get home and you need something to help you mentally unwind a bit. Perhaps, a guilty pleasure?   

No surprises this year. And I get spend part of it with two of the three moms in my life. You see I enjoy two moms; not of the Heather has two variety but it would be okay if that were the case. One I share with my brother Richy and our step-bro Jeff, whose dad, since passed, married our mom. Richy and I share with Rob, his mom Jean and our late dad. Mom Phyllis (Pic from her reaching 3/4 at left.) lives in Florida (Her gift arrived yesterday.).

I met David in 2005, at a Commerce Group meeting.  We hit it off immediately, passing notes on our phones, making bad jokes, until Fred had to school us.  From that first meeting onwards, he adopted me as his mentee, invited me to various events, Gotham Queens, the Havana Club, etc.  He also introduced me to Steve Lichtenstein – someone I was terrified of approaching, because I was in awe of him.

Yes, I am happy to be home safe and sound, but parting is such sweet sorrow.  We have reveled in Paradise for 4 months and Paradise Lost is not an easy read or feeling.  See you soon!

The other day a guided meditation asked me to consider the teachers in my life.As I focused on my breathing, I searched for the single person who stood out in my mind as being nurturing, encouraging and a guide on my journey.I searched my memory bank and on