Grammie’s Gift

“Some people buy teddy bears, but this is something that will make a difference in his life as he grows”. This was the message from my great-grandmother roughly 42 years ago when she delivered my first birthday present.  The gift was a whole life insurance policy.  Grammie Gladys was a wise lady. While we weren’t […]

If you earn it, you can manage it

A while back I attended a conference called the Wealth Summit and it changed the way I think about “wealth” and money management. The presenters were great, the wealth information spanned a wide range (not just money), and the energy in the room was very positive.  As positive as this experience was, the most profound […]

Countdown to kickoff

The college football season kicks off in just a few days and it’s an exciting time to live in a university town.  The weather in the Midwest and the energy in Iowa City are tough to beat during the early fall.  We’ll save the frustration and heartbreak that tends to follow for a future post.  […]

Back to School!

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”  – attributed to Mark Twain We’ve reached that time of year again and school is back in session.  In the spirit of Mr. Twain’s timeless quote, let’s focus on post high-school opportunities for a moment. The parents and professors in our little university town may […]

Be the Thermostat

As we enter the dog days of summer here in the heartland I have been thinking how common it is to complain about the weather and how easily everyone falls into this routine.  I’m sure there have been studies done on this, but my unscientific opinion is that it’s easy to relate to something we […]

Love and marriage…and money

My cousin is getting married this weekend and this week we have reached critical mass.  Or maybe mass hysteria is the term I’m looking for.  Do we have everyone properly seated at the reception?  Does everyone know where they need to be and when they need to be there?  Is everyone getting into town on […]

I’ll start saving when…

“But, Dad, when I have enough to buy this Lego set, then I’ll start saving.”  Do these words from my 10-year-old son sound familiar?  Odds are you have either heard something like this from a child, from a friend, or even coming out of your own mouth.  It’s possible that you heard/said/thought something like this […]

Give Me Liberty…

One week ago we celebrated one of the greatest of American holidays, the 4th of July.  This post may seem to be a week late, but the spirit of liberty is not reserved for one day of the year.  Also, I was busy celebrating like the rest of you.  Joey Chestnut inhaled 72 hot dogs(!) […]

Walk the talk

Previously posted June 7, 2016 This post has been ruminating in my head for some time now, and today is the perfect day to turn it loose. It occurred to me a while back that I both read and write a lot about self-improvement, productivity, and generally trying to be better every day.  The issue […]

Revitalization

Previously posted May 13, 2016 The other day I attended a groundbreaking for a new hotel that will be built in Coralville, IA.  As is typical of these events, there was a lot of excitement and speeches about how this is a great project and how everyone working on it is top notch.  After a […]