I am walking through Union Square with a student.  It is one of the coldest days of the year.

The next step in the process, I tell him, is to simply ask someone for directions.

There are people walking toward us.  I stop a cute woman.

“Hey,” I say smiling.  “Can you tell me how to get to the library?”

She stops and turns and starts talking to us.

She is smiling and friendly.  She’s happy to be talking to us, even though it is freezing cold out.

She explains how to get to the library.

And she keeps explaining. Continue Reading »

“80 percent of success is just showing up” — Woody Allen

7:00 AM.  My alarm goes off.  Time to get out of bed and go running.

I don’t know why but I always seem to choose either the hottest, most humid day of the year to start running again, or the coldest, snowiest day.

I really don’t want to do this.  I’ve been putting it off for the last few days.  But due to some shenanigans, I hurt my back again.  And running is the best thing for it.

It’s dark in my apartment as I get out of bed.  I walk into the living room and look out the window.

It’s dark outside.  And snowing.  I stand there in my long johns and look out the window.

The excuses begin. Continue Reading »