Dr. Seuss, Dr. Spock and Dr. T. Barry Brazelton

There are three great doctors who had a tremendous influence on my life and that of my fellow baby boomers — Dr. Seuss, Dr. Spock and Dr. T. Barry Brazelton.

Doctor Spock wrote the book that my mom used in raising me and my three brothers. He deserves to be recognized for the courageous stand he took and the role he played in ending the Vietnam War. He didn’t want these babies of his slain needlessly and brought back in body bags.

Dr. S euss wrote some of the books my mom read to us, the greatest of which was “The Cat in the Hat.” Dr. Seuss, aka Theodore Geisel, got very frustrated with the limited vocabulary that he was allowed in writing books for first grade readers. Then he got into a groove and wrote “The Cat in the Hat,” and it’s hard to describe how much of a hit that was. I’ll bet you that book was read to nearly every member of my generation.

“Look at me, look at me, look at me now. It’s fun to have fun, but you have to know how.”

These words have guided me all my life, and what’s more they are the guiding philosphy of GoNOMAD.com. I have always searched for people who know how to have fun, and you never have to search far, just find some kids, no matter what their age may be. Don’t bother with the grown-ups; they’re no fun at all.

Lastly, Dr. T. Barry Brazelton. I saw him on TV — he’s famous and has been on some great TV shows — and I said, “That guy looks really familiar.” I asked my mom, and it turns out he was my pediatrician when I was a newborn in Cambridge, Massachusetts back in 1952. That’s more than half a century ago.

I knew I recognized that guy!