“I hate the stupid coronavirus!” my 5-year-old son wailed in frustration one recent afternoon. I forget the reason why now, but that hardly seems to matter. In his own way, I think he spoke for a nation suffering from corona burnout. Each new round of cancellations or restrictions brings with it a fresh wave of grief, as we mourn the …
Another year, another deadly virus to contend with. Back in 2002, it was SARS making all the headlines. Then in 2009 we were introduced to the “Swine Flu” from Mexico. In 2014, it was the Ebola virus originating in West Africa grabbing world headlines. And now, here we go again with coronavirus (Covid-19) sending the world financial markets into a …
As the holiday season hurtles towards us once more, I find myself feeling both anxious and hopeful at the same time. Anxious that there is so much left to do, and so little time to do it in. Hopeful that the holiday season will offer some reprieve from the slow and steady dribble of bad news. Lucky for me, I …
When Brandon Stanton got laid off from his financial job in 2010, he took a risk that many aspiring artists would like to take: he moved to New York to pursue his passion for photography. Stanton took to the streets with his camera, shooting portraits of random New Yorkers he encountered on his walkabouts of the city. Thus was his …
In ancient Greek mythology, it seems the one thing you never want to do is tick off the gods. If you remember, there was poor Icarus who flew too close to the sun, melting his wax wings in the process before plummeting to earth and a watery grave. There was Achilles, the bravest and most handsome warrior of them all, …
At one time, Iron Mike Tyson was considered the “baddest man on the planet.” As heavyweight champion of the world, he reigned supreme. He also understood the psychology of fear and the human tendency to freeze under attack, short-circuiting years of training and conditioning in his opponents. “Everybody has a plan – until they get punched in the face,” he …
Ours is a culture that loves to worship success. We celebrate our winners with award shows, reward them with trophies, plaster their faces on magazine covers and billboards. We want to know whose clothes they wear, and more importantly, what is the great “secret of their success.” Failure, by contrast, is like the awkward teenage cousin who takes up presence …
Years ago, when I was preparing to run my first New York City Marathon, I remember asking another, far more experienced runner, for some “coaching” advice. Was there anything he could tell me, any tips he could offer that would help me stay the course and (hopefully) finish the course in one piece? He thought about it for a minute …
Bruce Springsteen built his long career on giving voice to some of the most raucous, joyful, and often painful aspects of the human condition. I think his songs resonate for so many people because they describe the intense feelings of love and loss, joy and disappointment that we all share in. His Springsteen on Broadway show (now available on Netflix) …
Out goes the old year, in with the new. As well as the obligatory mumbled “Auld Lang Syne” on New Year’s Eve, we have many pre-ordained rituals that punctuate the human temporal experience. Things like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, graduations, weddings and funerals – all help us mark the passage of time. Even minor rituals like happy hour, dinner time, sporting …