Has anyone else developed ambivalence for New Year’s Eve as they’ve gotten older? This year finds me totally unconcerned about the event; I guess it’s finally happened that I’ve become my mother. I don’t remember my parents ever going out for New Year’s Eve; they always thought it was too... read more

Most people have a variety of friends throughout life, all filling different needs. Most friends seem to enter life for a reason, as confidant, social buddy or just someone to bounce ideas off of. Having these casual relationships become life-long friendships is rare unless one is fortunate. In one... read more

I always felt this time of year to be rather odd. It’s a bit like the summer, when all of the kids are out of school (without camps or activities to distract them, though) but with many adults still working. When one does go to work, it’s pretty much business as usual, even though there’s madness... read more

One summer a number of years ago, I had time on my hands and the good fortune to know a gentleman who had retired after spending most of his career at a family owned watch band and case supplier, founded by his father, but now owned by outsiders who took it out of bankruptcy caused by unprofitable Vietnam... read more

Do you have one of those places of worship in your town that is more a live entertainment venue than a traditional service? I’m talking about a facility whose light show, visual productions, acoustics and caliber of talent rival that of any Broadway production. Well, almost… We have one, and it’s... read more

A watch sparkling with red, white and blue gems (rubies, diamonds and sapphires, to be precise) emits a sparkle that denotes a wealth of luxury that to many consumers is a very glamorous personal accessory, while simultaneously, more prosaically, for people who work in the business it is a reliable... read more

One of the downfalls of living in this day and age is that there are way too many “big” gifts waved in front of kids: high end, high-tech expensive items “everyone” has. It’s been a headache for me, and I continue to be shocked by the way almost every parent I know shells out the money. Even... read more

So something got me thinking, as I’ve been developing The Internet Jewelry Forums , and that is whether a niche could truly become too saturated and thus not be worth getting into? I mean, look at Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. I know around my old state of CT, there were several stores of the same... read more

Has anyone else noticed what seems like a glut of phone calls from various organizations with whom they do business? At a recent social event, I was speaking with a woman who told me that she had booked a party at an elegant restaurant for her dad’s 70th birthday. She stressed that it was a surprise... read more

It’s the time of year when I start asking myself about the cumulative psychology of the hundreds of millions, or billions, who will be celebrating Christmas in a few days. For the majority, it’s ingrained in us that the big deal is waking up on Christmas morning and opening presents. Of course,... read more