Category: More

Back in 1970, Joni Mitchell, the classic folk artist, wrote her famous ode to environmental protection and lost love, “Big Yellow Taxi”, which includes the following lyrics:

They took all the trees and put ’em in a tree museum
And then they charged the people a dollar-and-a-half just to see ’em
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

 

Hey farmer, farmer, put away the DDT now
Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, please!
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

I’m Not a Political Pundit
(I just play one in my living room)

And I am by no means a “saint” either. In fact, I am positive that there are lots of things that someone could point to that are things I’ve done which are questionable or borderline stepping on the toes of somebody else’s principles and ethics (not many, but some). Continue reading

Good morning, good afternoon, and good night! That’s a baseball phrase you might have heard for strikes one, two, and three on a batter, making him out. But in real life, the difference between morning and night is even more important, at least when it comes to whether you’re an early bird or a night owl. Is it better to be a morning person? There’s a real debate about whether or not that is better when it comes to work, play, productivity, health, and more. Amazingly, there is lots of evidence on both sides of the issue. So with the jury still undecided, I’m going to weigh in on it and make my opinion known about these chronotypes.

My Own Tendency

I have always been a morning person myself. I think it worked best for me and paid off at my workplace. Being in the office to get an early start and organize my day made everything flow much better. On days when I didn’t do that, I felt very much out of sorts and lagging. It is a common thing among early birds. Continue reading

It’s baaaaaaaack! Well, it has been a full year since I awarded the Super Saving Tips first annual awards (given at the halfway mark of the year just to be a little bit different). These are the savings awards that I give to the businesses and products that save you the most money or offer the best deals that earn you the most in cash and rewards! Oh, you haven’t heard about them? Hmmm, that’s strange. As I said last year, it was in all the papers. 😉

Oh, you don’t read the paper? Well, no problem with that. If you did happen to miss the news this year of these very prestigious awards then let me recap them right here for you now. It will save you some time and money. So, here are the “best of” winners for the last 12 months, in my opinion of course. Continue reading

Today’s guest post on funeral expenses is sponsored by Safe Passage Urns.

As funeral costs continue to rise, families are looking for any alternative way to save money. Unless the person who has passed away has a last will or life insurance plan in place, the family of the decedent will be responsible for paying the funeral expenses. These expenses can amount to well over $7,300, which is the national average cost for a burial funeral according to the National Funeral Directors Association. The average American family simply does not have this kind of money laying around to foot the bill, but hopefully, after reading this guide you will be better prepared to save money while planning a funeral.

1. Selecting the Right Funeral Home

The variance between funeral home pricing can be much greater then what you might imagine which is why it is so important to do some comparison shopping beforehand. Some funeral homes charge much more for the same exact services. People will often select a funeral home because it is close to their home or has served their family in the past. It might seem easier to just go with what is most familiar, however, if there is a funeral home that is farther away from your family but it is significantly cheaper than other funeral homes closer by, then it makes sense to drive the extra half hour to save hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars. Continue reading

Last week my wife and I saw the film “Nostalgia” (free of course!) courtesy of AARP’s “Movies for Grown-ups” program for its members and guests that they offer every month or two. Nothing quite like a great night out (with popcorn) and a movie for free! It was great seeing the “Black Panther” premiere the last time too. It’s just another reason why I love the AARP even though some of you have told me that you aren’t particularly a fan. Oh, I might just add that my membership is also free this year thanks to a deal I got through a Walgreen’s promotion, so can that be bad? But I digress, here. The movie we saw, Nostalgia, got us thinking quite a bit. It’s a series of stories about people’s relationships to their memorabilia or the memorabilia of their family members.

What today’s post is all about is a little deeper than just seeing a free movie. It is about the role that nostalgia plays in our lives today and what it may mean to you and your family’s future.
Continue reading

Back at the end of 2013, I was forced to stop working and “retire” because of health issues. I had had a heart attack earlier in the year and was also suffering from increased effects from diabetes, making me feel old and for the most part kind of useless. Yes, you could say I was thinking “pity party” and was selling that idea to anyone who would listen. Problem #2: no one wanted to listen.

Sunday?

So what does a formerly busy guy do when he’s forced to wind his life down and face the reality that he’s entered into a new phase…and he isn’t really mentally prepared for it? I began to call it the “every day is Sunday” syndrome, and looking at it you may see the reason why. Continue reading