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.
Once again, I am inspired by one of the great minds of my generation. I had to know if a picture indeed lasts longer than a lingering stare.
Memorial Day is the time we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. It is a day of remembrance, parades and ceremonies. The Memorial Day weekend is also the kickoff to summer, and many people in Michigan head up north to camp, fish, go boating, or enjoy a picnic or barbecue with family and friends. I recently recalled a particular Memorial Day weekend – the worst ever!
Even with all the reboots, retreads, prequels and sequels at hand, not all the tentpole-franchise news is gloomy this month.
Monaco… the word alone conjures up images of James Bond movies, glamour and Grace Kelly, the Golden Days of Hollywood. Those images are not far off from reality – in fact, on my recent trip to this tiny city-state in France, all of those images became truer than I could have ever imagined.
The national debt and persistent budget deficits are a serious concern. At $19.8 trillion, or $165,500 per taxpayer, the U.S. national debt is at 105 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), a peacetime record. So long as the national debt grows faster than the economy, as it did in 2016, the debt-to-GDP ratio will only increase.
Long before the recent United Airlines incident in which a man was bloodied and dragged off a plane for refusing to give up his seat, I thought air travel was the most dismal form of transportation known to man; with the possible exception of camel.
It’s the perfect time to find out a little more about what Flint has to offer! One great place to start is the Flint River Trail, which runs 17 miles from UM-Flint and Court Street and includes highlights such as Bluebell Beach and Stepping Stone Falls. If you don’t want to bike alone, the Friends of the Flint River Trail lead bike rides every Sunday from May-October, starting at 2pm from the Flint Farmer’s Market.
It has been nearly ten years since the housing crisis led to the worst recession since the Great Depression. Thus, it may be a good time for some reflections.
“Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all other living creatures.”
Whose brilliant idea was this whole Spring Cleaning thing, anyway? If you tell me to “Google” it, I’ll wash your mouth out with soap. Okay, I Googled. Spring Cleaning is a ritual created by people who spent winters in torment, isolated in their homes. When it finally got warm outside, swarms of dust mites descended on the villages and hamlets, strewn across the country side.
