Home Depot wasn’t the story.
There are certain people whose reputation enters the room before they do. Ken Langone was one of them. As he walked onto the stage, the moderator began his introduction. “You were born in Long Island in the middle of the Great Depression.” Ken gently corrected him. “At the end of it.” Ken’s face […]
“Mommy, you’re wasting money”
“Mommy, you’re wasting money.” I knew exactly what he meant. I just didn’t know how to answer. My son had found a phone plan that cost a fraction of what I pay. “Mommy,” he said, “I can save you a lot of money.” “I don’t want to switch.” “But why?” He had facts. He […]
Straight From the Freezer
Last week, a friend asked if I could help with flowers for her son’s pre-wedding celebration. So Friday morning, I headed to Trader Joe’s to choose flowers for the arrangements. As I checked out, I asked the cashier the same question I ask every time I’m at Trader Joe’s: “What’s your favorite item in […]
Still there
I hate clutter. I throw things out without blinking. Except for one note that’s hung in my kitchen for two years. I see it every day. My cousin Rena gave it to me. Rena Baron (left) and me. March 2024 When our children were little, our families got together almost every Tuesday night for […]
These cats eat better than I do.
If my kids had their way, we’d have a dog, turtles, frogs and a bearded dragon living in our house. I had a pocket of time this week, so I took my 6-year-old to PetCo. He disappeared toward the turtles. I wandered into the cat food aisle. Ingredient lists stopped me in my […]
I’m a male model
Last week, I bumped into an old friend at a wedding. He didn’t ask how business was. He didn’t ask about my family. He just smiled and said, “When’s our next shoot?” I laughed. We hadn’t worked together in years. As we caught up, he told me about a recent hospital stay. “The […]
I had to look twice
We were flying down the highway when my daughter suddenly squealed. “Mommy… I think that guy has his foot out the window!” I drive fast, so we’d already passed him. I slowed down. I had to see it for myself. She was right. His left foot was hanging out the driver’s side […]
I chose the wrong business
We had just picked up a bundt cake when I stopped to say hello to a friend. “Did you hear Nothing Bundt Cakes sold for $2 billion?” he asked. A company selling mini bundt cakes. Founded just seven years before Better Co. My first thought was: I should have sold cake. We’d been […]
I had to ban a fake name
Every time we go to the bagel shop, my kids use fake names. “Harry Potter.” “LeBron.” “Donald Trump.” And then we all wait for the poor cashier to yell it across the store with a straight face. The best part is watching the room react. Half the room looks up without even realizing […]
My suitcase was full of tea
I’m not a tea drinker. Which makes what happened in Israel a little ridiculous: Every night for a week, I made myself a cup of tea before bed. The days were packed. But each evening, I’d return to my hotel room, put on the kettle, and sit quietly on the couch with a […]