"It was a good night to be pleasantly surprised" by: Mike Reddell

   Wednesday night at the Matagorda County Economic Development Corporation’s annual banquet, I was startled – and I mean startled.   I was listening as Jessica Russell was announcing this year’s George Holst Award and was really surprised by the two words community journalism.

"Getting the worst Christmas present I’ve ever had" by: Jessica Shepard

   I officially got the worst and most-unexpected Christmas gift last week.   What initially started as seasonal allergies decided to take the turn for the worst and morphed into an Upper Respiratory Infection in three short days.

"We are into the Christmas week and things are merry and bright " by: John Sample

   That is unless you are a CEO and you reported less than expected earnings.   You only have to look at Nike, Oracle or Lululemon.  It is not enough to have made money with good cash flow, you are mandated to project fabulous growth over the next several quarters.

"Reel Reviews: ‘Avatar 3’ brings repetitive storyline, epic battles to big screen again" by: Jessica Shepard

   I don’t know about you, but the longer it takes for sequels and other subsequent movies to come out, then the less it takes for my interest to stick around.   Even worse, when films seem to perpetually continue the same storyline!

Beginner’s Mind

   In a world where competition, accomplishments and mastery of talents is recognized as success, it’s a relief to know that 99.9% of us started with a beginner’s mind.

"There’s no such thing as a trash tree when other trees are dying" by: Mike Reddell

   We’ve reached a really neat pattern with fall colors.    I drove down to Matagorda last weekend and was struck, as I always am, by the splash of color from tallow trees.    There’s something truly magnificent about the different colors these natives to eastern China flash.

"Counting down the busiest days until Christmas" by: Jessica Shepard

   For me, the entirety of December feels like a mad rush to get as much done before the holidays as possible.    Now, I never noticed it so much as child, but once I reached adulthood, it only seems to get busier!    Well, save for that stretch during the COVID pandemic at its peak.

"Hopefully your savings will survive your Christmas generosity" by: John Sample

   We are in the last full week of trading for 2026 with S&P 500 hovering above 6800.    You can make any prediction for next year that suits your taste.    I would say that most forecast future growth for equities, but some see this coming to a sharp turn south.

PSA: Managing risk at different stages of life

   As an investor, risk is always part of the journey – but how you manage it can depend on where you are in life.    Early in your career, you can invest for growth and take on more risk, knowing you have time to recover from market downturns.

"Reel Reviews: ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ continues PG-13 horror from first film" by: Jessica Shepard

   I feel like I’m drowning in movie sequels as of late, but there aren’t many choices left at the end of the year.