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Author: James Snyder

March Madness is Here!

March Madness is Here!

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The middle of March brings us to the annual NCAA basketball tournaments (both men’s and women’s).  Sixty-four of the nation’s Division 1 schools compete for the title of national champion.  It’s a time of emotional highs, crushing lows, and thrilling basketball action (especially if your favorite team is participating). Part of the annual tournament is the fun (and in some cases, high stakes) of trying to pick the eventual winner of the event.  You’ve probably seen these brackets floating around…

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Is the 40-Hour Onsite Work Week Becoming Extinct?

Is the 40-Hour Onsite Work Week Becoming Extinct?

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There’s been a lot of talk about the working world lately.  Mainly, there are two distinct movements going on – the availability and accessibility of “remote work” and experiments into shorter work weeks (specifically, a 32-hour work as opposed to the “traditional” 40-hour work week). First, there is the growing desire for more and more Americans to have the opportunity for “remote work”.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some jobs where remote work is not an option.  You can’t…

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Where Are All the Bees?

Where Are All the Bees?

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As another spring quickly approaches, there’s one annual arrival that seems to becoming less and less reliable as the seasons pass.  For example, my flowering cherry trees are blooming early this year due to the mild winter, and so far, they are missing one essential component that heralds the arrival of another growing season. I’m talking about bees. Although they strike fear into the heart of young children, teenage girls, and some older men (I’ve seen fellows my age breathlessly…

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Retirement:  The End Is Near!  (At Least For Me)

Retirement:  The End Is Near!  (At Least For Me)

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Retirement. It is the dream we’ll never catch, right?  It’s hard not to read an article about how working adults don’t save enough for their retirement, how much longer they’ll have to work (if they can stop at all), the “gloom and doom” forecast of Social Security and Medicare, or the staggering amounts of accumulated assets pundits say you’ll need to survive (which are grossly inaccurate, by the way).  You get the idea. All my life, I’ve tried to prepare…

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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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