A Snowy Auld Lang Syne

On this snowy New Year's Eve day on Nantucket, I want to take this opportunity to wish happiness and good health to friends and family near and far. About nine years ago during a concert performed by the Nantucket community chorus, I heard the traditional version of "Auld Lang Syne" sung for the first time. Here it is for you to enjoy as you watch the Nantucket snowflakes fall in the cold outdoors. Happy New Year!

Christmas in Bethlehem

What better place to spend Christmas Eve than Bethlehem! After a week of visiting with family and friends in the south, we've headed east on our road trip for our eventual return to Nantucket. On Christmas Eve we found ourselves staying overnight in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and took some time earlier on Christmas Day to explore the city and find out more about its history and customs. One of the most interesting aspects of Christmas in Bethlehem is the importance of the "putz," which is basically a miniature of the nativity scene. The tradition dates back to Bethlehem's first settlers--the Moravians--who brought their putz figures with them in the 18th century. The Moravians settled in Pennsylvania after an unsuccessful attempt to establish a Moravian settlement in Georgia (1735-1740). Moravian settlers purchased 500 acres to establish the settlement of Bethlehem in 1741. The historic Hotel Bethlehem and adjacent Main Street shops were bustling with tourists and activity. Travelling along the snow-shoveled streets of Bethlehem provided us a truly memorable Christmas adventure we'll not soon forget.

One of the benefits of being on the road on Christmas Day was listening to some awesome holiday stories on NPR. If you haven't heard these stories, take a minute to hear them at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17488106

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

California Celebration

It's great being in California to celebrate our family's newest and only lawyer! At the same time, it's a bittersweet trip after receiving the news yesterday that Lynn Livingston of the Orange County landmark advertising/PR firm Cochrane Chase, Livingston & Co. (CCL) passed away over the weekend. CCL was where I got my first big career break and I've always been indebted to Lynn and to Cochrane Chase for the opportunity of being a part of the agency. We were 100+ strong back when I was there and a major marketing powerhouse. My son Ben was just starting elementary school in Irvine, I was in the midst of a divorce and just finishing up my master's classes and starting up on thesis work. So many stories and so many friends who may be near and far but are still treasured in memory.