Craig Ruvere

22Jun 2012 by CJ

Kids will be kids, but they learn much of their behavior from parents

Some people say that “kids will be kids” whenever the subject of bullying fellow classmates comes about. But what do you say when children are bullying a 68-year-old grandmother? Well that’s just what happened to Karen Klein, a school bus monitor in Greece, New York. Yet again technology (in the wrong hands) caught the entire event on camera, which was eventually posted online - going viral in less than 24 hours. Tell me again why technology is a great thing for children to have? I watched the video in sheer disgust and horror. On this blog, I refuse to repeat any of the cruel and utterly heartless statements this group of young boys spouted at Klein, who bravely tried to ignore the torment. Follow the link below if you’re interested.…

22Jun 2012 by CJ

Graduates never let your ego prevent you from accepting a helping hand

Information & Education, Youth

For all the graduates. Well, another school year is almost over - to the cheers and delight of children and teenagers all across the country. It’s been 19 years since I proudly graduated from high school with family and friends looking on. Now instead of referring to myself as a “teenager” or “college graduate,” I find myself using terms like “husband” and “homeowner.” Boy, life certainly has a way of escaping you, doesn’t it? Over the last 19 years, I’ve gained invaluable lessons and have come to understand this: in our youth we’re determined to prove to everyone that we’re independent and wiser than our years might suggest. But as I sit here today at the age of 37, I can tell current graduates that there is no greater value…

07Jun 2012 by CJ

A recipe based on simplicity rather than complexity

Life & Living

My grandmother rarely had a recipe for her cooking. No, it was always a dash of this, a pinch of that and though it always tasted pleasing to the pallet, it was never the same thing twice. I’m just the opposite. I need step by step recipe instructions in order to create anything worth eating, and even then it can be a coin toss. The other night while meandering through a bookstore, I came across this acrylic box which housed five books – each about the size of a large encyclopedia volume – for those of us who still remember what that is. It was called “Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking”. “The authors have created a six-volume, 2,400-page set that reveals science-inspired techniques for preparing food that…

30May 2012 by CJ

R.I.P. Donna Summer and Robin Gibb – you will be missed

Life & Living, Love & Relationships

The world of music lost two greats recently: Donna Summer and Robin Gibb. Two incredibly talented icons of the 1970’s and beyond – each taken much too early in life. What I find most disheartening is there are still some who have no idea of their passing. With the myriad of ways we all gain information about what’s happening around the block or around the world, it seems impossible that such unexpected news somehow missed members of society. The same can’t be said for the passing of Whitney Houston earlier this year and Michael Jackson several years ago. No, their deaths made for sensational headlines, even months after they were finally laid to rest. But not so for Summer and Gibb. There was no mystery surrounding their demise; no juicy…

29May 2012 by CJ

Times of simplicity remind us what true happiness is all about

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living

I’ve never been a fan of the heat. But as any homeowner will tell you, sometimes things just need to get done – regardless of the weather conditions. Who knew it would remind me of times of simplicity. With the upcoming forecast predicting rain over the next several days, today looked like the only nice day to finish up some yard work I’d been putting off. And though I had no desire to stand out in the blazing sun with temperatures approaching the mid to upper 80’s, it looked like I had no choice. While sitting under the patio umbrella wasn’t terribly uncomfortable, once I started moving around I truly got a sense of just how hot it was. Did I mention I wasn’t a fan of the heat? Standing…