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.
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.
