Happy Mother’s Day! To all mama lions and tigers and backyard bears. Proud of mAdBen. My Young Lion. Yes. He Cannes Cannes. Bon weekend.
Violet Glory
On stage at the Javits Center stands Ben with 3 other honored undergrads behind faculty illuminati during NYU’s College of Arts and Sciences graduation. 1,800 classmates cheer him on from the floor as he is introduced recipient of the Borgman-Phi Beta Kappa prize for most outstanding undergrad honors thesis: ‘Functional Data Analysis of Economic Bubbles: Creating a Coherent Shape of Inflationary Phenomena’.
As Ben crosses the stage with his diploma in Economics (highest honors) and Journalism (magna cum laude), President John Sexton reaches for a heartfelt hug. Ben says, ‘Thank you, John’. John replies, ‘Thank you, Ben’. Kleenex please. 
Next day, Violets in Yankee Stadium? A sea of purple stands. Joe’s smilin’. No, not joltin’ Joe. He’s there too with E.A. and Ellis. Bill Clinton emerges from the dugout right in front of Ben & Co. Bill’s speech had that politically charged Clintonesque touch of pure inspiration. Best of all, no purple rain.
Side Trek . NYC 