Family And Life History

Family Comes First:  I strive to always be mindful of the critical element of family in my life and I treat it as a (sacred?) mission.  Among other things:

I have been married for almost 40 years to my wife Ann, aka The Sweetie Pig, I have mentioned throughout this website.  After all this time I am like a teenage boy with a crush on her.

I seek to be an inspiring and loving father to my daughters, both of whom are in their thirties — both are black belts – both enjoying fantastic careers – both with men they love – both living the dream – and best friends to each other.  They even like hanging out with me.  I love being their dad and ask for periodic assessments if I am an above (or below) average dad and that sort of thing.

I work to be a good son, including reading to my mother as close to every night as possible.  I owe her a lot.  She was the one who pushed me.  The story I tell is how I got four A’s and an A-minus my first semester at college.  When I told her she said immediately “what did you get the A-minus in?”  Yes, she would have broken many people, but she had the reverse effect on me.  Her faith – and pushing – really created whatever I am today.  Thanks mom.

And I also work to be a high quality uncle, cousin and other family member.  In this initiative.

I am blessed with wonderful in-laws and family members and I am not just saying that because I kind of have to, but because I got lucky and it is totally true.

My dad has passed away, but he did a good job for me and I thank him.

I love family events, especially Thanksgiving, where my wife invites just about everyone.

Family Social Director:  I am (formally?) appointed to this role.  It sounds silly as a title of course, but my family is now strewn about the country and it is critical to keeping us together that someone take on this role.  I am responsible for vacations, dinners, food and everyone having a great time together.  And I find I am pretty good at this.  For example, everyone in the family would rather just let Dad order for the whole table at dinner.

A Word About my Wife:  My wife is, as I like to say, ‘the best person I have ever met.’  She is nicknamed The Sweetie Pig and I do feel that there would be little point to my existence without her.

She is a true Sweetie Pig, which means that love pours out of her to everyone.

She changed my life many years ago by telling me flat out that she looks for the sweetness and good in people.

At first I thought this was mushy and silly, but then, as an epiphany, I realized that this thought is a true key to the universe and to mankind’s success (or not).  I mean, with (almost) all people — even those you don’t like — there is something good in him or her — plus other things you find that are negative.  It really is your choice which you focus on.

I call this The Lesson of the Sweetie Pig.

All of this isn’t just obligatory wife worship – it is recognition of her philosophy, which is embodied in the pig stuff that we do.

Oh and lest you think she is just a sweet woman who is my wife, she is also a sixth-degree black belt in karate – a former marketing executive for a major drug company – chair of multiple prestigious non-profits in New Jersey – a Columbia Business School graduate – in fantastic athletic shape — and an awesome mother to boot.

Education and Professional History – I went to college at Tufts University, where I was a triple major in three years – math, economics, philosophy — and yes that is nutso.  Then I went to Harvard Law School.  And I have been a real estate lawyer in New York City since 1983 – wow, 42 years is a long time to do anything.  I worked crazy hard as you can see.  I don’t regret the hard work, but my biggest regret in my career that I didn’t work ‘smarter.’