Most of the time, my life here in the City of Light is a steady but varied melange (French word) of writing, reading, phone calls, emails, meetings, long walks, and casual conversations. But every once in awhile, the routine’s sidewalk-cafe dreaminess is jolted, and I get cranky. The most recent occasion was marked by a … More The Limits of Belief
Continuing our year of honoring extraordinary women, today we remember Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In addition to the entry that appears in Old Money, New Woman below, she’ll be remembered for raising two very fine children. Happy Birthday, Ms. Kennedy. After attending Vassar, the Sorbonne, and George Washington University, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis landed her first … More Exemplars: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
OMG and contributor “Mary Louise Case” (not her real name, for those of you who’ve inquired) has more on her mind. Enjoy! The luck of the draw An aspect of Old Money that people often cite with wonder is the ever-present luck which Old Money enjoys. From the outside looking in, it appears there is … More Old Money: In Their Own Words
I’ve written before about appropriate, tasteful, and reasonably priced wristwatches, singling out the stainless steel Rolex and the Cartier tank watch as perennial favorites of mine. Preowned models in good condition can be purchased from reputable dealers in the range of 2000 to 6000 dollars. Not inexpensive, but not ridiculous for a lifetime investment. As … More Your Wristwatch: Telling More Than Just The Time
I recently attended a wedding reception here in Paris. A friend had tied the knot with his new love at the 4th arrondissement’s mayor’s office in a simple, charming civil ceremony. The reception was held at a local art gallery, owned by another friend. It was a joyful, fun afternoon filled with laughter, tears, joy, … More The Steering Committee
I recently had coffee here in Paris with “David”, a long time Member of the Tribe and contributor of frequent, eloquent comments here on the blog. This conversation, like our previous ones, ran rampant from subject to subject: current events, culture, our respective work projects, the privileges (and pains) of flying on Air France (too) … More Old Money: In Their Own Words
One of our long-time readers, “Mary Louise Case”, offers another insightful missive on the importance of reading, thinking, and having something interesting to say. Thank you, MLC. The photo of Quentin Crisp is by Ross Bennett Lewis. Enjoy… Wit: The weapon of weapons Years ago, I watched broadcast of several spliced interviews with Quentin Crisp … More Old Money: In Their Own Words
“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Teddy Roosevelt
I received an email the other day. Basically, the issue was this: how do I tell people about my accomplishments without coming across as arrogant, but also without selling myself short? It’s a great question, and a tricky balance, especially for women in the workplace who need to present themselves as qualified and competent, without … More Telling It Like It Is…Wisely
It was Senior week at my small-city university when I asked a very dashing fellow classmate why he was heading to medical school in the Fall. After all, wasn’t that basically like starting school all over again? We had just finished 4 years as undergraduates! When I pressed him to find if there were any … More Old Money: In Their Own Words