“I DON’T NEED A VILLAGE… I’M MARRIED”

March 31, 2019"I don't need a village"

      Who is in your “VILLAGE”? I mean …who are the people you count on in your life… on who you can lean on in tough times and celebrate with in victory. Who are the people you’d rescue, whatever their crisis? I hope you will let them know how important they are to […]

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MORE IMPORTANT TO BE KIND OR HAPPY?

February 25, 2017BULLIES

Just ask the GIRL SCOUTS:  Turns out it’s more important to be kind than to be happy! At least, we know, that being “kind” is more likely to come first. Research suggests that caring, respectful and responsible adults are the ones who live the happiest and most successful lives … and even make the most […]

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ANOTHER “TIGER MOM” FOLLY

June 18, 2016"fractured families

  Amy Chau, the infamous  “TIGER MOM,” and contract lawyer from Yale University, has now presented her grown up kids with a “rental agreement.” Really??? Amy and her husband, Jed, the father of her daughters, live in the suburbs of New York and have a well-loved, pied-a terre in the city, which was once their […]

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UN-SPOIL YOUR KIDS

April 9, 2016"fractured families

I’ve dared to imply that over-indulged children may end up causing grief for other family members, as well as for themselves. In my mailbox were letters from so many parents. Perhaps it was the term,  “AFFLUENZA,” which attracted the attention. “Affluenza” is NOT a mental condition, at least, not yet. Never the less, it has […]

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“FRACTURED” FAMILIES

March 25, 2016"cracked" communication

I must of hit a nerve with my post entitled, “I’VE DIVORCED MY DAUGHTER”. First to respond was my own daughter, who read it and called to ask if there was something we needed to talk about. I think she was kidding… but I reassured her anyway. Then the responses to my e-mail account poured […]

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“I HAVE DIVORCED MY DAUGHTER”

March 12, 2016Bill of Rights For Parents

Surely, sometimes it is reversed, but when things are not right with one’s adult children, it too often, is more of a profound, life-changing disappointment to the elder generation.  Life throws us sucker punches for sure. But, could it be that there is nothing is more painful than being estranged from an adult child? After […]

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FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS

November 22, 2015Commitment

 At it’s best, Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate family and love. It is also a time to remember and salute, those who are no longer with us, and on whose shoulders we stand. Today, I bow to my creative mom. She was a poet, of sorts, with not much of a filter and was […]

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“I’M SORRY”

November 10, 2015apology

  You did something wrong, for sure… and you really are sorry. Perhaps you’ve gossiped without knowledge, broke a confidence, let somebody down, or acted selfishly. Maybe you’ve broken a promise. Not to worry; everyone’s been guilty. But for now what you want, is for whatever you did to go on automatic re-wind… and quickly. […]

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BONDING IN THE BERKSHIRES

October 25, 2015BALANCE

  It took too many hours to get from Orange County, California to Canyon Ranch, Lenox, but it was worth it. The leaves had turned to the most wonderful colors. The weather was cold and crisp with sunny skies. The hotel/spa grounds are magnificent, decorated with good art from local artists. The activities, indulgences and side […]

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A “BRUIN” IN BALANCE

October 11, 2015BALANCE

My sister’s hubby, a loyal  BRUIN, was one of my favorite people. Not because he’s bowled a 300 game. Never mind that he was professionally successful, adored by his family, proficient in most sports, maker of the best margaritas. He was a guy who knew how to be a good friend and how to have […]

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manners

Learning Manners From a New Yorker?

July 12, 2015Blog

July 12, 2015 I couldn’t wait to share my city of origin with my seven-year-old grandson. Aidan with his giant back-pack, rolled his suitcase into our hotel in New York City, to begin our wonderful adventure. It was just the two of us. Which meant, of course, he needed to be in charge of some […]

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i'm the boss of me

From Brooklyn… Armed With Love

April 19, 2015Blog

April 19, 2015 Sunset. Gorgeous yachts. Paddle-boarders with long blond hair. Electric boats carrying waving children. Friends drinking wine, laughing, waving back. It all seemed surreal. How did I get here… this sort-of poor kid from Brooklyn? Do you ever think about things like that? I don’t, very often, but I did the other gorgeous […]

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2015

“WOOP” It Up In 2015

December 29, 2014Blog

December 29, 2014 Do you “wish” some part of your life were different? Around the turn of a new year, most of us at least, think about, thinking about these kinds of things. Unless you believe in magic, you also know that you are going to have to do something different if you want things […]

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turkey

Tame Those Turkeys

November 24, 2014Blog

November 24, 2014 Have a relative you’re not looking forward to hanging out with this Thursday? You’re not alone. Maybe you even love that person, but his/her likely behavior when the family gathers, is intolerable to you. Here’s a few things you can do to make things better: 1. If Old Uncle What’s-His-Name starts in […]

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robin

Robin Williams, My Friend Katy and What You Can Do

August 16, 2014Blog

August 16, 2014 Suicide sometimes looms like a permanent option for what usually turns out to be a temporary problem. How sad that is. The decision to take one’s life is usually made in a fuzzy brain state, colored by some event or disappointment that may seem insurmountable. “Life isn’t for everyone.” Robin Williams was […]

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quote

He Can So Change

August 10, 2014Blog

August 10, 2014 “Larry,” 46, is on a mission of self discovery. A mid-life crisis? Maybe. In any event, his therapy has been centered around re-thinking his own self-image. I first met Larry six months ago. He was, by his own admission, twenty pounds, over-weight. His exercise program was “stalled,” he says, because of a […]

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wealthy

“Affluenza”

December 28, 2013Blog

December 28, 2013 Were you also outraged by the story about the “wealthy” teenager who will serve no prison time after getting drunk from stolen beer, and killing four people? Mostly, on this blog, I write about grownups and the best ways they can love each other. This time, however, I invite you to hear […]

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ny

New York, Salvation Army Ladies and Phony Weddings in Paris

December 8, 2013Blog

December 8, 2013 I’m on an airplane, on the way home from New York. Yes, again. The pull to spend time in my hometown remains persistent. For me, it is energizing to pound the pavement… beats a treadmill any day. I always expect something wonderful to happen. Sometimes it does. The Christmas windows at Bergdorf, […]

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Thanksgivakah

“Thanksgivukah”

November 30, 2013Blog

November 30, 2013 Jews celebrated Thanksgiving and Hanukah together this year. The Hebrew calendar just worked out that way. The second night of Hanukkah was dubbed, “Thanksgivakah” . At first, it all sounded too weird to think about. Especially since it has never happened before in my lifetime and is not about to happen again […]

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ny ny

New York and Nude Models… With New Eyes

September 21, 2013Blog

September 21, 2013 Nude models… a young man and a young woman… a quartet playing soft background music, forty or so artists and some wannabees, sketching, a bar, snacks for sale and the most exquisite, illustrative art on the walls. A perfect New York experience. As a former New Yorker who can still fake it, […]

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seniors

On Becoming an “Elderly, Optimistic Orphan”

June 10, 2013Blog

June 10, 2013 I’m working at becoming an “optimistic orphan.” My mom died last year, at ninety-five and a half, fifty years after my dad’s death. Most people would say she lived a long-enough life and that I should be grateful not only her longevity, but for the promise of my own. I am grateful. […]

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love

“Amour”… About Love and the End of Life

December 26, 2012Blog

December 26, 2012 “Amour”… About Love and the End of Life – I think a lot about “love,” even when it’s not the holidays. I read a about relationships and seek out movies about people who care about each other. You’d probably agree that this is a good thing for the “love-doctor” to do. So, […]

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victory Lap

Victory Lap Time

January 29, 2012Blog

January 29, 2012 Victory Lap Time – Unlike Betty White, I’m not quite old enough to brag about my age but I’ve decided that fifty years of marriage is worthy cause for celebration. Our kids apparently thought so too. I admit all this celebrating makes me a little uncomfortable. People whose pictures I see in […]

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Be Kind

Random Acts of Kindness

December 29, 2011Blog

December 29, 2011 Random Acts of Kindness – Seven out of ten pet owners bought their pets holiday gifts. It must be true because I read it on Facebook! I also read a story in the New York Times on Sunday, about a single mom and her teen age kids, all veterans of Christmas morning […]

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optimism

Optimism Intact

December 23, 2010Blog

December 23, 2010 Optimism Intact – I’m a morning person. I wake up every day, okay almost every day, full of hope. I like to think I don’t exactly sit around waiting; I’ve lived long enough to know better. I work hard at my optimism. Now, just like you, I face a new year and […]

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promises

Forget Wishes: Make a Promise Instead

November 24, 2010Blog

November 24, 2010 Forget Wishes: Make a Promise Instead – For better and worse, tomorrow is Turkey Day. Families and friends gather to mark another year, celebrate, feast and give thanks. People often reminisce on Thanksgiving. As a child, I also loved this holiday. It was a time to get dressed up, and mingle with […]

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Pugs make me happy

What Really Makes You Happy?

October 16, 2010Blog

October 16, 2010 What Really Makes You Happy? – Some scrooge-like outliers seem to get off on never finding peace or joy in anything or anybody. That seems to make them as happy as they are capable of being. Most everyone else searches for another way. Does being married make you happy? If you’re in […]

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soul mates

“Soul-Mates”

July 4, 2009Blog

July 12, 2015 I couldn’t wait to share my city of origin with my seven-year-old grandson. Aidan with his giant back-pack, rolled his suitcase into our hotel in New York City, to begin our wonderful adventure. It was just the two of us. Which meant, of course, he needed to be in charge of some […]

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old friend

Learning About Love From an Old Friend

January 19, 2009Blog

January 19, 2009 Learning About Love From an Old Friend – An old friend gave himself a birthday party this weekend, It was a celebration of love and accomplishment. At the risk of sounding sentimental and icky, I was happy to be included and I’ll admit it… I cried. He and his wife have remained […]

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two wolves

The Two Wolves Inside of Us

November 1, 2008Blog

November 1, 2008 The Two Wolves Inside of Us I’ve had this profound incredible love experience! When my grandson Aidan was born six months ago, I learned about still another kind of ecstasy; I thought I had that part of my life covered until I hugged that child. Love… romantic or parental … comes with […]

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ceo

‘CEO’ DOE: Guilty as Charged

October 21, 2008Blog

October 21, 2008 ‘CEO’ DOE: Guilty as Charged – News Flash: How much you suffer from these unsettling times depends not only on the value of your portfolio. Real survivors are those who are  insulated by things, other than financial! I know a man I’ll call, “John Doe.” Along with the rest of us, John […]

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blogger

Welcome Me To The Electronic Age

May 25, 2008Blog

May 25, 2008 – Welcome me to the electronic age! Writing a blog is like having a few shots of mental botox… it makes me feel young, I’ll try to keep this interesting enough for you to check in from time to time. Thank you for listening… or whatever you call it.

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