We recently marked the one-year countdown to the 2020 Summer Olympics which will take place in Tokyo, Japan. This time next year, the world’s greatest and most elite athletes will be gathered together…more than 11,000 athletes representing 206 nations will compete for over 300 gold medals. A year may seem like a long time, but in the world of the Olympic Games, you cannot start planning, training and working soon enough. The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger”. It dates back to 1894 when it was proposed by the French educator and historian Pierre de Coubertin who became known as the ‘Father of the Olympics’ and was responsible for the creation of the International Olympic Committee. The three words “faster, higher, stronger” encourage the athlete to give his or her best during competition and to view their hard work and efforts as a victory. The motto means that winning is not necessarily the biggest and only priority, but that giving one's best, pushing yourself to the next level and striving for personal excellence are exemplary goals to strive towards. This message is a powerful one and it can apply equally to the Olympic athletes and to those of us watching the games from afar. Read More

This joke has been around for a very long time. A tourist gets out of cab on 57th Street in New York City and asks a passerby “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The person replies “Practice, Practice, practice!” The joke is so old and has been repeated so often, that it even has a place on Carnegie Hall’s website. If you have ever had the opportunity to see a performance at the famed and historic concert venue, then you undoubtedly agree that the musicians have spent an entire lifetime ‘practicing, practicing, practicing’ to perform on that hallowed stage. When you wait and work your whole life for such a prestigious honor, then you do not let anything stand in your way. That tenacity, dedication and commitment were on full display this past weekend when the lights went out in NYC and the Millennial Choir and Orchestra’s performance at Carnegie Hall was cancelled due to the complete blackout that took place in the city. Read More

Seven years ago, my husband and I decided to put a swimming pool in our backyard. It was something that we (actually I) had contemplated for many years. I wanted a pool so badly that I went out and bought myself a kiddie pool! If you were ever looking for me on a hot day, I could be found sitting in 12 inches of cool water in a plastic structure shaped like a zoo animal. I must tell you, it was quite a sad sight! After nearly 18 years of repeatedly bringing up the idea of having our own pool, my husband finally agreed that we could “explore” the topic. His resistance was based on very real concerns: “the weather isn’t great in the northeast”, “it’s a very short season”, “our kids are too small”, “we are so busy, we won’t have enough time to use it.” I did what any good researcher would do and I started interviewing every single person I knew who owned a backyard pool. I asked them every question I could think of, from the type of liner they used, salt vs fresh water, maintenance costs, concrete or vinyl, and the most important question of all - “Do you feel as if you use it enough?” Not only did I get the answers to my many pool-related questions, I also learned a valuable life lesson. Read More