The sounds of bells ringing and the scent of new shoes straight out of the box remind me of the first day of school. I’ll never forget the feeling of excitement that kept me awake the night before that special day. August and December are the months when newspapers have the kids’ attention with the back-to-school sale inserts … we want it ALL!
For our recent trip to London, at the top of the must-do list was taking the train from Waterloo to Hampton Court Palace. Of all the palaces in and around London, and there are a fair few of them, Hampton Court was really on my radar. For two Anglophiles like my husband and me, it seemed a Mecca, a holy grail of sorts for our interests. We’d watched so many BBC specials about the Tudor Monarchs, Castles of Britain, the Secrets of Hampton Court and all the like, that to actually have a ticket that would take us to a place almost mythical in its majesty seemed a dream come true.
This month, two important construction projects will happen in Flint. When these projects are finished, two neighborhood parks, Hasselbring and Broome, will each have brand new playgrounds.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a pretty great summer! As of this writing, we have had rather reasonable weather; not too hot and not too cool – kind of a Goldilocks summer … just right. With the season in full swing, and the end around the corner as we head back to school, I think it’s time to re-visit the subject of budgeting. Many people often wonder, “how much of my income should I be spending on my mortgage? Or my cars? Or my food?” Although there is no hard line in the sand on these questions, there are guidelines to help us spend less than we earn.
It was 43 years ago, August 8, 1974 – a day that I will never forget – when Richard Milhous Nixon resigned as President of the United States of America. For me, it was a very exciting time in my life. I was living in Washington D.C., working as a secretary for President Nixon’s speechwriters. I worked long days and sometimes long into the night when a speech was being written. I had recently married and was enjoying life as a newlywed. After growing up in a very small town, I loved visiting the plethora of museums, restaurants and art galleries, attending cultural events, and all the diversity the city had to offer.
Many people feel that Michigan’s government does not function well. Often blamed for this are term limits, and the fact that Michigan is one of only four states with a full-time legislature. Although it is always tempting to find a convenient scapegoat, this blame is misplaced.
Perhaps you are under the impression that summer is fun and carefree, especially for kids.
National Lighthouse Day is August 7, and Michigan boasts more lighthouses than any other state! According to the Michigan Lighthouse Guide, there are 129 lighthouses in the Great Lakes State.
“What is your advice for new graduates?” asked a reporter friend who was writing a recent newspaper article.
Since we may have been conditioned to expect crashes, here is my “two cents” on the situation. Crashes rarely ever come when most people are asking about them. For example, how many people were asking about the looming housing crash in 2005? In fact, most of my clients were asking why we weren’t riding the real estate boom and what funds are available to invest in that specialized in real estate. People tend to forget that leading up to the tech bubble of 2000, lots of people were quitting their jobs to become day-traders in this new sector called internet commerce. Etoys.com (no longer in business) was going to revolutionize Christmas shopping and people HAD to have that stock. What could go wrong?
Little Caesar’s arena will open with a Kid Rock concert in September and will then be home to the Detroit Pistons and the Red Wings during their respective seasons. With $300 million public money being used to construct the arena, how much economic impact can the State expect as a result? Unfortunately, not much.
If you grew up in this area, you’ve probably enjoyed a scoop or two of Superman ice cream on a summer day – but did you know that the enduring flavor favorite was created right here in Michigan?
