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Author: James Snyder

The Oriental Trading Company Catalog 2023 Easter Collection – It’s Comedy Gold

The Oriental Trading Company Catalog 2023 Easter Collection – It’s Comedy Gold

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Yes, it’s my favorite time of year.  The 2023 Oriental Trading Company spring catalog is out, and as always, they have astounded me once again with their weird and wonderful Easter offerings.  If you’ve ever wondered how a company can monetize your faith journey, well then this article is for you.  Here are a few of my personal favorites from this year’s catalog. Cross Slow Rising Scented Squishies Yes, for that ADHD kid in your family, why not have them…

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The Game of Life:  Optimizing for Maximum Fulfillment

The Game of Life:  Optimizing for Maximum Fulfillment

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My brother recently turned me onto a podcast where they interviewed an author by the name of Bill Perkins, who was sharing ideas from his latest book ‘Die with Zero’. To summarize, the author theorizes that in order to get the maximum fulfillment out of life, we need to prioritize and allocate our lives based upon three different buckets:  time, money, and health. Building off of the inevitability that our time on Earth is finite – his gauge is approximately…

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OK, Netflix – What in The World Is Going on With You Right Now?

OK, Netflix – What in The World Is Going on With You Right Now?

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Dear, Netflix.  What happened to you? You used to be a rebel.  You broke the back of poor old ‘Blockbuster’ back in the 90’s, offering us a chance to rent movies without late fees – and you even sent them directly to our homes.  No more running to the video store on a Friday night to look for a movie that was already checked out.  It was waiting in our mailboxes when we got home.  The good ‘ol days. Then…

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Personal Finance – Why Don’t We Teach This in School?

Personal Finance – Why Don’t We Teach This in School?

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You’ve probably seen all of the news headlines – “U.S. Credit Card Debt Hits All-Time High”, “Most Americans Can’t Afford Retirement”, “Many Families Living Paycheck to Paycheck”.  Different stories, but all based upon a common theme. Most people don’t know anything about personal finance. Now when I say “don’t know anything”, I’m not exaggerating.  If you think I’m lying, take my little quiz below. See where I’m going?  If you could answer even half of the questions above, you’re miles…

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Egg Prices – What Is Going On?

Egg Prices – What Is Going On?

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Have you bought a dozen eggs recently? Sheeesh.  Talk about sticker shock.  A dozen “Grade A Jumbo” white eggs was running at @ $4.96 at my local supermarket this week. $5 for eggs?  What is happening? Well, it’s really quite simple.  The law of supply and demand.  According to a recent article on CNBC[1], the avian flu has been devastating the egg-laying supply chain.  It’s been described as the deadliest outbreak in U.S history. Normally seen in the early spring…

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Sunday Dinner- A Tradition Worth Saving

Sunday Dinner- A Tradition Worth Saving

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As an adult, I’m a big kitchen person.  I love to cook.  I find it relaxing.  I like trying new recipes, tweaking ingredients, and all of the prep that goes with cooking (I also clean as I go, which my wife is a big fan of).  If there would be a camera on me while I work in the kitchen, you’d see that it’s almost like watching a TV show on the Food Network.  I carefully prep all of my…

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New Year – New You?

New Year – New You?

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2023 is here!  The new year always comes with a review and assessment of the previous year – followed by grand plans of what needs to be done in the coming year (and beyond).  Call it “resolutions”, “goals”, or whatever – these are the things you’ve planned for yourself (either publicly or privately) for the next 365 days. These could be self-care related.  Are you planning on losing some weight, either by diet or exercise?  Have you made some sort…

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Christmas Traditions

Christmas Traditions

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The holiday season brings many, many traditions that are observed by family and friends.  Some of these have been passed down from generation to generation, some are created from the blending of families through marriage or commitment, and some are newly created on the spot in a single year that turn into an annual occurrence. When I was growing up, the big night for our family was Christmas Eve.  Following an evening church service (where my brother and I were…

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Questionable Business Ideas – Who Approved This?

Questionable Business Ideas – Who Approved This?

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I see a lot of what I would consider “questionable” business ideas around my local area.  For example, we’ve got a ‘Bed, Bath, & Beyond’ that seems to be on its last legs in one of our local shopping strip malls, and what did some genius decide to put in just a few storefronts down?  A ‘Home Goods’ store.  Are their pillows really that much better than the ones at BB&B?  Just how many candles holders does one household need,…

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Oh, Presents – How Do I Wrap Thee?  Let Me Count The Ways

Oh, Presents – How Do I Wrap Thee?  Let Me Count The Ways

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All of this holiday shopping has folks flustered and flummoxed trying to find that perfect gift, but buying that perfect present is only part of the story.  There’s still one thing left to do before it can be enjoyed (or hated) on Christmas morning. It still has to be wrapped. There are many schools of thought on this.  There are those who work hard to “theme” their wrapping paper, making sure it either all matches or follows some coordinated color…

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