Have you ever had it happen that a thing you imagined in your mind, something you saw with your heart and created within yourself … that this “thing” came true? A dream, or a setting of a place that you read about and pieced together and wished, wished, wished to someday explore for yourself, even though you knew it was not real, was made up. A place from a time long ago, a place that never was, a place that was no more, or had never been.
Having been a dog owner my whole life, I have decided they are not only as smart as many people – including most of those who run for president – I think we can also learn a lot by observing how they live their lives.
My City Magazine has recently highlighted the art collections of various Greater Flint community members. I’d like to tell you a little about my own.
Meteorologically speaking, the start of summer is June 21 this year. The word “solstice” derives from Latin, meaning “sun stands still” because around this time, the sun appears to be standing still in the sky. The rest of the year, the Earth’s tilt on its axis causes the sun’s path in the sky to rise and fall from one day to the next.
Its temperatures are hotter, the landscape is more desolate, and the source of discontent is different – but the west Texas of the crime thriller Hell or High Water is a place to which Metro Flint can find kinship.
To say that the Trump Administration has been a volatile one would be sugar-coating it. I would estimate that when President Trump was elected, about 55% of U.S. citizens were devastated, 25% were curiously optimistic, and 20% were elated. That last group included what I consider to be the 5% of those who are diehard capitalist and the people who “run the money” when it comes to the markets. The stock markets, in general, have reacted very positively to this new administration.
Healthcare is one of our most pressing political issues, but I think the current debate is missing the mark. The problem is not a lack of insurance coverage, the problem is runaway costs. If healthcare costs can be restrained, coverage will follow.
Èze. I’d never heard of it before, wasn’t even certain how to pronounce it. We found it by chance, just by zooming in and out on an internet map of the French Riviera. The images that came up on the search looked lovely, and on a whim, we booked a hotel and eagerly awaited our trip.
School’s out for the summer! Like most kids, I couldn’t wait for the last day of school when I was growing up. There was so much to look forward to – lazy days in the sun and a huge pile of Nancy Drew mysteries to read while sitting in the old red rocker on the back porch. But what I looked forward to most was our family summer vacation. We always went somewhere exciting.
We are in the middle of a father shortage. Well, maybe I should re-phrase that. There are plenty of dads. Dads are everywhere. Unfortunately, one in three kids does not live with his/her biological father. This adds up to roughly 24-million kids who do not truly know, or have never met their fathers.
I had the following conversation with my son Henry, the teenager, in the car the other day.
The weather is breaking and spring is in full bloom – people are starting projects to update and freshen up their homes. Over the last two months, I’ve made numerous trips to Home Depot in my own attempts to “do it myself.” DIY projects are usually a result of trying to save time or money, or utilize your skills. Some jobs we may choose to take on ourselves; others need a professional’s help. No matter the project, we generally assess the task to determine whether we can DIY or need assistance. I see finances in the same light, and ironically, it comes down to roughly the same three questions. Do I have the time to put in the research? Am I willing to pay advisory fees? How difficult is the financial task I’m trying to accomplish? The following is a list with regard to your finances which, in my opinion, could be DIY – or, they may require investment in expert help.
