According to my holiday app, today is “World Compliment Day.” As I was running errands, I picked up my mail to find the March/April issue of Psychology Today in my box. Among the many articles and features is “The Power of a Kind Word: Giving an unsolicited compliment is more rewarding than you might think.” Perfect Timing! The article was …
There are so many powerful components to the inauguration today, and I will write about it elsewhere. But, here, I want to take a moment to tip my hat for the way women of the day used fashion as political and cultural symbols. It became clear, early in the day, that the important women of the highest order were …
For as long as I can remember, the Heifer Project, based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Started by a member of the Church of the Brethren back in the 1940s, Heifer uses innovative marketing and cutting edge nonprofit fundraising strategies to help the poor of the world feed themselves and earn a more sustainable living. The organization is built on the …
I’ve known Tina Doody for more years than I will admit. I first came to know her when I worked at The Century Foundation (it was so long ago, it was then called the Twentieth Century Fund!). Tina was an ambitious new graduate from Rutgers University. She was on a team tasked with getting us into the 21st century on …
For those of you who have a sweet tooth—or need desserts for the holiday season—consider looking up my friend Gloria Tarigo and her NYC company Let Them Eat Cake! I met Gloria many years ago while we were both on a fundraising committee for the New Alternatives for Children gala. Gloria had great dedication and enthusiasm for the cause…and I …
I’ve long known the healing properties of animal companions. But life in New York City is tricky and a lot of places aren’t welcoming to pets. Fast forward to a few months ago and a mouse problem convinced me it was time to get a cat. I started looking in all the usual ways, namely the ASPCA-type shelters. However, beyond …
I’m less than a week into living in Chelsea, and I’m already seeing a lot to like about this area. A sprawling west side neighborhood its boundaries are 14th Street to the South, the Hudson River to the West, Sixth Avenue to the east, with a northern boundary of the upper 20’s or 34th street. A bustling residential and commercial …
In my seemingly never-ending tour of Manhattan neighborhoods, I said goodbye to the Financial District at the end of the month. I’d lived on Wall Street for about 7 months, 3 or more of those in captivity during the pandemic. While I was initially not convinced that this location was for me, I left the area with a deep sense …
I’ve long had an attachment to hard copy books, of all sorts. With limited space in New York City, I have been reluctantly exchanging my books into digital versions on my Kindle. It’s not the same as being surrounded by books, but it’s a good alternative for folks like me, with little room to shelve books. And, obviously, it’s convenient …
I’m not sure when the trend started, but around the country, all kinds of landmarks are equipped to serve as “temporary art installations” through the use of intentional lighting, of various colors. Here in New York, the Empire State Building, for example, changes colors regularly to honor everything from religious and secular holidays (Easter, Valentine’s Day, Hanukah, and Christmas, etc.), …