Decisions, Decisions . . .

We are now serious. We went house hunting with our agent and saw six properties this past Saturday. Many of them were very nice, meaning that they are beyond our budget. It’s too bad that we don’t live in a less expensive area, as I think owning our home would be beneficial to us and [...]

Hanna is Growing Up

Our little Hanna is getting bigger and more enjoyable each day – at least when she’s in a good mood. Here is one of the more recent pictures: hannas-getting-bigger.jpg. Enjoy the weekend.

Journals

I finished reading a book yesterday by Donald Richie titled The Japan Journals. The book covered the almost sixty years that Richie lived in Japan, from 1947 to 2004, and his thoughts, impressions, adventures and experiences in the country as it transformed itself into a global powerhouse. What struck me, however, was the level of detail [...]

Illahee

Some of my fondest memories growing up are centered around Illahee Junior High School. I attended Illahee from 1991-1994 and, looking back, had a great time. In many ways, high school wasn’t as fun as junior high. While in high school, I didn’t care about how we did in sports and all of that activities [...]

House Hunting

Having decided that we would be okay living in New York for many more years, my wife and I have decided to look seriously at buying a house in the area. Not having looked at houses before in my life, I have learned that New York may be a rough place to own one’s first [...]

At The Driving Range

Yesterday was my firm’s annual summer picnic. For the second year in a row, the firm chose to party at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. I enjoyed the party and it was fun to spend time with my coworkers outside of the office. What I really enjoyed, however, was the private golf lesson I received for free. [...]

Explosion in Midtown

You have probably heard by now that a steam pipe exploded yesterday at the height of rush hour at the corner of 41st and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. Yes, I am okay and was not one of those who were covered with steam and mud. The blast shut down Grand Central Terminal and the surrounding [...]

Shoes For Less

Recently I went shopping and came across a Steve & Barry’s. What a great idea. Not one item in their store is over $20. And the clothes were of good quality (or at least as good as most places of the same type). I bought a few things, including some basketball shoes for $14.98. That price [...]

Battery Park City

As a lifelong New York hobbyist, I am often asked where I would choose to live if I lived in Manhattan. Having explored the island more than most, I am confident I have found one of the best living environments in the country for inner-city living. If you can afford it, that is. The area [...]

iTunes

I joined iPod nation well over a year ago and have enjoyed having my music collection with me as I commuted into New York City and back home each day. My iPod has also been with me to the gym and while I travel. I have almost 2000 songs (although sometimes I feel bored with [...]

Thriller

I must admit that I am a Michael Jackson fan. However, all Michael Jackson fans of today, and there are still many millions of them, must always include a caveat at the end that statement. That caveat always goes something like this: Of course, I am a fan of the 1980s MJ and not the weird, creepy [...]

In Ten Years . . .

I remember hearing the rhetorical question when I graduated from high school of, “Where do you want to be in ten years?” Believe it or not, ten years has passed and I can happily say that I am not off track from where I wanted to be. I am now married to a beautiful woman, [...]

Duty. Honor. Country.

This past weekend I made my first trip up to the United States Military Academy, or West Point as it is more commonly known. The campus was beautiful and the views of the Hudson River were gorgeous. What I was impressed with, however, were the cadets, or the almost 4000 students at the Military Academy training [...]

Hanna!

My lovely daughter is seven weeks old today and she is growing like a weed. It’s fun to watch her learn new tricks and develop. I can only imagine what the next several months will bring. Once she starts crawling and walking we’ll have to reconfigure our whole apartment just to keep her safe and [...]

Friends or Foes?

I ask today that age-old question: can men and women truly be friends once they are married? Some people would respond yes, especially if they were close before they met their spouse. And while there is no doubt that men and women can be friends with non-spouses after marriage, the underlying question is whether doing [...]

Firework War

The Fourth of July each year brings memories of growing up and having firework wars with my best friends. What started out as probably a bad idea one year turned into an annual tradition. Basically, we shot fireworks at each other – bottle rockets, roman candles, or anything else that we could easily point and shoot. [...]

iPhone Mania

Never before in my life do I remember so much hype leading up to the release of a consumer electronic device. As you all know, the iPhone came out last Friday and sold out around the country. I got my hands on one on Saturday (no, I didn’t buy a device, but I did get [...]