Columns/Opinions

   I might have mentioned it before, but my high school class is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
   Yes, indeed, a half century ago I was like so many teenagers before and since - I couldn’t wait to graduate and be free from the crushing confines of high school and be out in the world.
   At least I think that’s how I thought. 
   At any rate, I’m going to Kerrville this weekend for a round of golf and camaraderie.
   Why, I’ll be able to brag about my brand new hip and the fact I’ve dropped two pounds since I started my class reunion weight plan last January.
   The golf game should be interesting - it’s been 11 years since I played. 
   The Big C played a role in that, but I’ve been swinging a club in our pasture with my collie caddy.
   She’s a big help. Soon as I hit the ball - there’s some wait if I don’t - she chases it down, brings it to me in her mouth, keeps it there and then secrets it away somewhere. 

   Does anyone else talk back to their pets?
   I mean, my cat Domino is a crybaby and always meowing for attention.
   In fact, she often doesn’t stop until someone picks her up and lets her cuddle with them.
   She is the only cat I’ve ever known to do that.
   Plus, we check to make sure it isn’t anything important like food, water, or a clean litter box.
   Then again, we’ve only ever owned six cats in all, so, that’s hardly an accurate representation of the species.
   Domino also meows as she walks from one end of the house to the other to try and find me.
   Not that it’s hard, I’m usually in my room or occupied with work.
   Sometimes we even have whole conversations before she manages to reach me.
   And, to tell the truth, it’s not just her.
   Mike has this weird voice that he uses when talking to the dogs, Padme and Keechi.
   It’s almost like he’s speaking gibberish with an “animated baby tone.”

   EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re running Edward Jones column that should have run last week for Mother’s Day.
   Mother’s Day is almost here. 
   If you’re a mother with grown children, you might receive flowers, candy or dinner invitations. However, you might find that you enjoy the holiday more by giving, rather than receiving.
   Here are a few financial gifts to consider:
   First, you could contribute to your child’s IRA. 
   You can’t contribute directly, but you can write your child a check for that purpose.
   You could also give stocks. 
   You’re probably familiar with the products your children buy, so why not give them some shares of stock in the companies that make those products?
   Also, you may want to donate to a charitable organization your child supports.
   Finally, to help protect the legacy you’d like to leave to your children, take steps to ensure your estate strategies are in order.

   I have to apologize for being missing last week’s column - a fishing trip got in the way. 
   While the fishing was great, I missed talking about Warren Buffet’s interview last week.
   As always, the Oracle of Omaha provided several subjects worth considering, such as revealing that during the first quarter Berkshire eliminated its investment in IBM while adding to the investment in Apple. 
   He also noted his regret in not investing in Alphabet and Amazon. 
   He continues to maintain that, for the small investor, an ETF for the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock-index is the most logical choice. 
   He said you could purchase and come back years later without the worry. I find this interesting since Buffet is a value investor.
      This leads me to evaluating where we are at this time in the market. 

   As a fan of the 1987 original “Overboard” film, I wanted to see what this remake would do to improve upon it.
   Overboard stars Eugenio Derbez, Anna Faris, Eva Longoria, John Hannah and Swoosie Kurtz.
   The plot follows a working-class single mother Kate (Faris) who convinces a rich playboy Leonardo (Derbez) with amnesia that they are a married couple with three daughters.
   Derbez definitely has the rich jerk persona down and plays it well while Faris manages to carry a lot of the comedy on her own – especially when she’s dealing with her “family.”
   Overall the storyline mirrors the original 1987 version with Leonardo having to learn how to function as a “normal” working man trying to provide for his family while learning how to handle being a father when he has no memory of it.

   Because of my Mother’s Day emotions and losing my Mom when I was only 8, I searched for an old column, blog that might grab my sentiments. 
   Today was not the best. I know and trust that tomorrow will be much better. Joy does come in the morning. Here comes my thoughts from years ago about questioning God and wondering why things happen.
On a much needed run this week to clear my head, the thought came to me... Can we question God? 
   I mean like, is it ok to get mad, scream, yell, hit the steering wheel with both hands and ask Him WHY? 
   To really question Him, the creator of all, with tears streaming down your face from a heart so overflowing and full of questions that you can’t even hold it in any longer? (yes, a run on sentence, but if you have ever been in this situation, you know the feeling and can relate it to my grammar!) 
I think the answer is “yes” based on one condition: having a personal relationship with Him. 

   Am I just a sinner saved by grace? Am I a saint? Or am I both? 
   Semantics is the “study of meaning.” I believe that this question has become a bit of semantics. It all has to do with the definition of the word, sinner. 
   If by sinner you mean, “someone who sins” then we are all sinners. On the other hand, if by sinner I mean, “we are born sinners” then only those who are non-believers fall into this category. 
   Why? Because we have been made a new creation through the cross. Our old self has died and we are now born again and are now dead to sin. I play basketball here and there, but I would not introduce myself as a basketball player. Why? Because that is not my identity. Yes, it is something I do from time to time, but it is not something I am defined by. 
   Have I sinned, yes. Do I attach myself to the title of being a sinner? No.

   City Council’s Thursday night agenda offers two items on 2013 city charter amendment corrections that, to me, are light years apart. 
   Light years different they may be, they’ve both been discussed by council and many others for weeks and Thursday’s session will at last, hopefully, the path forward.
   Council Member Chrystal Folse’s agenda item calls for considering a re-vote of the 2013 city charter propositions, or “requesting an opinion from the Attorney General on the City of Bay City Home Rule Charter.”
   That’s the position that Jerry Evans gave the council a few weeks back – either run the corrected 2013 city charter amendment proposals in the Nov. 6 general election, or a registered Bay City voter will contact the Attorney General’s office.
   The mayor’s counter agenda item, would consider an ordinance “correcting unapproved changes” to the charter.

   I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m a huge nerd.
   In fact, I come from a family of nerds.
   And each of us has our own niche piece of nerd fandom to call our own.
   For example, my brother has videogames and amazing IT skills, my sister is a science nerd with plants and cooking while mom is into plants and do-it-yourself projects and dad has an obsession with history, super hero movies and books.
   And those are just the first topics I can pick up offhand!
   Naming all of my fandoms would take too long, but there are some shared interests between my family members and me.
   Especially when two subjects intersect, like history and videogames.
   The perfect example for this is a toss-up between the “Assassin’s Creed” series or the “God of War” series of games.
   Both series feature historical or mythical persons of interest and seek to re-create historical environments.

   As an investor, you have long-term objectives, such as achieving a comfortable retirement. 
   But you will also have short-term goals – you may want to remodel your kitchen, buy a new car or even take a cruise. 
   How should you invest for these goals?
   For one thing, you’ll need to recognize the difference between long- and short-term investing. When your goal is retirement, you need investments that can grow over time, such as stocks.
    But for your short-term goals, you don’t need maximum growth potential as much as you need to be reasonably confident that a certain amount of money will be there for you at a certain time.
   And that means you need to consider investments that offer significant protection of principal, such as certificates of deposit and investment-grade corporate bonds. 
   You’ll also want to be sure the issuers of these investments are strong and stable.