When my infant son was accidentally killed by our baby nurse, our friends and family gathered around to offer support, love and to lend us their strength as best they could. We got books I didn’t read like When Bad Things Happen to Good People. We went to bereavement groups where I felt like an intruder on strangers’ grief.   Compassionate Friends offered a measure of solace.  Because, in my grief, I wanted to follow my son into his tiny grave, it was helpful to be surrounded by other mothers who felt the same way. Acquaintances offered words they hoped would soothe. … Continue reading Surviving the Death of our First Child

“How will you get them into Nursery School?” asked one of my very best frenemies.  It’s harder than College applications.  I stared at my adorable twin baby girls sitting in their side by side double stroller and realized she was correct. In New York City, the desks at the best private schools are largely reserved for the children of the one percenters.  But even for the one percenters, the admission competition is fierce. Private schools run the lives of all one percent families because money and connections don’t always work.  I imagine the admissions office politics looks a little like the Republican party back … Continue reading Surviving the NYC Preschool Admissions Process

  For years, I have whined about not having enough time.  I whine largely to myself because most people don’t want to hear a one percenter whine.  I whine because, I feel entitled to have more time. At lunch last month, I was sitting with a one percent friend who created a career.  I am in awe of one percenters who choose to work.  With all the socializing and exercise we do, how do they find the time? Barbara Reich is a very successful organizer. She started organizing her own house and went from there. As she tells it “I put my OCD tendencies to good use.” “How do you find the … Continue reading Social Media and Time Management

I was sitting in therapy, when my phone rang.   For some reason, I felt compelled to answer, despite the unknown number, and despite the scowl on my therapist’s face as I picked up my I-phone. “Please hold to accept a paid call from Riker’s prison,” said the operator. My first reaction was to dive under the coffee table and hide from the phone.  Riker’s Island was no place for a good One Percent girl like me.  My second reaction was to wonder if I should just hang up the phone.  Fortunately, my third reaction – shameless curiosity – won out … Continue reading Surviving Riker’s Island Prison as a One Percenter

The words “One Percenter” have been popping up constantly in the media.  This label refers to the distressing fact that over 40% of the nation’s wealth is held by a mere 1% of the nation’s population.  The top Point One percent of our population is said to have the same wealth as the bottom 90%. I live in a neighborhood surrounded by proud One-Percenters.  Many are outrageously proud of their wealth and achievement, their stellar Ivy League educations, and their equally stellar track records on Wall Street.  They believe that giving money to charity helps to equal the playing field.  But … Continue reading Closet One Percenters

A girlfriend texted me the other day.  “Can we meet for coffee?” She asked.  We arranged to meet a few days later at Maison Kayser, home to the best French baguette in town.  I ordered a dry cappuccino, which means less milk and more foam than a regular cappuccino, and we launched into an introspective conversation.   This friend, I will call her Rachel, is very thoughtful. She grew up Midwest and middle class and now she lives upper west and upper class.  She reached out to me because she wanted to discuss a friend having a hard time financially and emotionally. … Continue reading Work and One-Percent Moms

A girlfriend texted me the other day.  “Can we meet for coffee?” She asked.  We arranged to meet a few days later at Maison Kayser, home to the best French baguette in town.  I ordered a dry cappuccino, which means less milk and more foam than a regular cappuccino, and we launched into an introspective conversation.   This friend, I will call her Rachel, is very thoughtful. She grew up Midwest and middle class and now she lives upper west and upper class.  She reached out to me because she wanted to discuss a friend having a hard time financially and emotionally. … Continue reading Work and One-Percent Moms

The words “One Percenter” have been popping up constantly in the media.  This label refers to the distressing fact that over 40% of the nation’s wealth is held by a mere 1% of the nation’s population.  The top Point One percent of our population is said to have the same wealth as the bottom 90%. I live in a neighborhood surrounded by proud One-Percenters.  Many are outrageously proud of their wealth and achievement, their stellar Ivy League educations, and their equally stellar track records on Wall Street.  They believe that giving money to charity helps to equal the playing field.  But … Continue reading Closet One Percenters