Columns/Opinions

   After careful deliberation, mom and I finally decided Monday afternoon on the first recipe to cook in her Instant Pot.
   We settled on an “Apple glazed Pork Loin” roast with a few tweaks.
   The recipe seemed a little weak in the seasoning department, so we added more.
   That’s sort of standard whenever we encounter any recipe.
   I can’t help it, we like flavor!
   The funniest part was when it came down to venting the pressure on the Pot and mom was scared to do it herself.
   After all, there’s been plenty of horror stories circulating Facebook and other social media sites about Pot explosions and steam burns.
   That means I was the one to do the honors and I had no problems what-so-ever.
   Overall, I think the whole experience was pretty positive.
   Granted, we only made the roast in the Pot and made sides in other pans.
   But, cooking the pork loin under pressure cut the cooking time drastically.

   As you know, it’s an election year. As a citizen, you’ll be interested in the issues being discussed.
   But as an investor, should you care greatly about the outcomes?
   Maybe not so much.
   After all, at different times, the financial markets have performed well and poorly under different administrations and when different parties have controlled Congress.
   Ultimately, your investment success will depend, at least in part, on moves you can control.
   For example, try to follow a long-term strategy based on your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.
   And keep investing, where appropriate, in all markets – up, down and sideways.
   Here’s another important move: Avoid investment mistakes, such as chasing after “hot” investments you see mentioned on the cable shows and the internet.
   By the time you find these investments, they may already have cooled off – and they might not even be suitable for your needs.

   My oldest turned twenty in December. Before her birthday, we had four teenagers living under the same roof at times. 
   We currently have three. I never really think about it; however, when trouble comes – it becomes crystal clear that we share the responsibility of our pack.
   The teen years are like no other! If young parents think the “terrible twos” are challenging, just hang on! 
   Thank the Lord, my four have done okay. Okay describes us all well, myself included. Great would be an overstatement.
   How do teens pass the time these days? 
   Thankfully, they have schoolwork and school activities. The more involved they are, the better! 
   Coaches, band directors, and sponsors of various clubs become co-parents. FFA also reaches out and pulls in the masses. When there is not homework, projects, games, or other events on the school calendar, most kids can be found staring at their phones. 

   A fellow stuck on his rooftop in a flood prayed to God for help. 
   Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.” 
   The stranded fellow shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.” 
   So the rowboat went on. Then a motorboat came by. “The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.” 
   The stranded man said, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.” 
   So the motorboat went on. 
   Then a helicopter came and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.” 
   The stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.” 
   So the helicopter left. Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. 

   “Bad Boys for Life” is an action comedy film starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and is the sequel to Bad Boys II (2003) in the Bad Boys franchise. 
   That means the 15-year wait is finally over! 
   I’ve been a fan of the Bad Boys franchise since the very beginning and they really haven’t messed with the formula – plenty of bullets, explosions and comedic banter. 
   The film was directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Smith, and Doug Belgrad. 
   The movie stars Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Paola Núñez, Kate del Castillo, Nicky Jam, Jacob Scipio, Rory Markham, Ivo Nandi, and Joe Pantoliano. 
   Set 17 years after the last film in 2020, Miami detective Marcus Burnett (Lawrence), who just witnessed the birth of his grandson, tells his partner Mike Lowrey (Smith) his intentions to retire, much to Mike’s chagrin. 

   Matagorda County Commissioner Precinct One, Gary Graham, has announced that he will seek re-election. 
   Gary was born in Bay City and after serving four years in the U.S. Navy and attending college in Waco and College Station, he made his way back to Matagorda County and has lived in Precinct 1 for over 35 years. 
   He and his wife, Barbara, have three children and three grandsons and are members of Holy Cross Church. 
   Graham was a business owner in Bay City for 25 years prior to being elected as Commissioner in the 2016 election.
“My first term has been filled with many challenges, and I have worked hard to try and address them,” Graham said. “Hurricane Harvey caused major damage to homes, roads and river banks in Precinct 1. 
   I have been working with the General Land Office, FEMA, LCRA and our state and federal representatives in order to obtain funding to address these issues.”

   So, we’ve finally managed to get all of the Christmas decorations and trees packed up and put away in the attic. 
   My sister Ashlee had promised to come from College Station and lend a hand in boxing everything back up, but, she’s too busy packing for a business trip. 
   That leaves me, mom and Mike to tie up all of the loose ends. 
   And if I’m being honest with myself, it’s strange to see those blank spots against the wall and assorted lighted decor everywhere. 
   I had the other decorations for roughly two months and had gotten used to them, now, I feel like we need something to take up space again. 
   This brings me to the next, upcoming holiday: Valentine’s Day. 
   Oddly enough, I’ve seen a couple of home and garden magazines and blogs hinting at making Valentine’s trees a “thing.” 
   And by “thing,” I mean the newest, greatest trend. 

   We turned the calendar over and the earnings reports are coming in.  
   The first to report are the financials and the bluest of the blue chips, JP Morgan Chase came in better than expected.  
   The same could not be said for Wells Fargo who has a new chairman and still dealing with old issues.  
   I would note that Citicorp came in with positive earnings and is a company one might consider.  
   This is a financial firm that not only posts positive earnings, it continues to raise its dividend.  
   I always warn friends not to go just for high yield. More times than not, the dividend yield is so high is because the company is in financial difficulty.  
   I would rather have a company like Citi that posts positive earnings and then rewards its stockholders by raising the dividend. 

   We’re now entering tax season. 
   As you prepare your tax returns, you might be wondering how you could improve your tax-related financial outcomes, now and in the future. 
   One key opportunity is to connect your tax professional with your financial advisor. 
   This collaboration can benefit you in several ways. 
   For example, your tax advisor, working with your financial advisor, could help you determine if a Roth or traditional IRA makes more sense for you. 
   Your financial advisor can then help you choose the right investments within the IRA. 
   Also, your tax professional can identify how much you need to contribute to an IRA to possibly lower your taxable income. 
   Your financial advisor can then plug this figure into your projected retirement savings as part of your total financial picture. 

   Taking a risk this week, living on the edge… Trust me, my “edge” does not compare to most thrill seekers.  
   The greatest risk I ever witnessed was reaching Pikes Peak with my four children. Husband stayed home with the dogs and worked. I hit the road in our Honda Pilot with the kids.  
   We were Denver bound, but spent the first night in lovely Manitou Springs.  
   Brazos, our risk taker, exited the cog train when we reached the top and took off. When I caught my breath, because it is hard to breathe at that elevation, I spotted him on the side of the mountain.  
   I glanced, prayed, and then forced myself to look away. Anxiety hit me like a ton of bricks.  
   My son was an inch away from falling off of the peak. I cannot recall what I did or said.  
   I just remember being on the train, praising the Lord, and safely descending.