"Hollywood needs less dumb children roles on screen" by: Jessica Shepard

   I’m really tired of kids in movies not listening to adults in emergency situations.  And I get it - it’s supposed to be that way to move the story along, but really, it irritates me and sometimes sticks out in my thoughts more than the movie did overall.

"We are just weeks away from our distraction of choice" by: John Sample

   We are working our way through the long hot days of summer.  Young men are practicing for the upcoming football season and young ladies are competing in volleyball.  I didn’t even mention that the Little League World Series in Williamsport is starting.

PSA: What does financial fulfillment actually feel like?

   Feeling financially fulfilled means so much more than the number in your bank account.  It’s being able to take your family out to dinner without calculating whether you can afford it.

"Reel Reviews: ‘End of Oak Street’ mingles 1980s suburbia with feathered dinos" by: Jessica Shepard

   While the “Jurassic Park” franchise has a choke-hold on pretty much everything dinosaur related, it’s nice to see the overgrown lizards show up in something else.  And while I know that “Paw Patrol” is currently experiencing the same late Triassic period phenomena – I’ll be passing on that flick!

Full circle of making amends

   A favorite concept of mine often showcased by popular authors and psychologists when it comes to introducing boundaries with others to their clients is: “You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you tolerate, and what you reinforce.

"Seems like this 1,000-piece puzzle is mocking me" by: Jessica Shepard

   While we were celebrating Mike’s birthday last weekend with some much-deserved family time, my sister Ashlee managed to convince my mom that we should put together a Halloween themed puzzle.  Now, I haven’t done a puzzle in over a decade outside of something pixelated on my phone.

"Summer is here and it’s far from the lazy, hazy days" by: John Sample

   Not being able to understand what is happening around you is not all that bad   So much for the lazy hazy days of summer.  The S&P 500 climbed to 7750 last week as concerns over a rate hike were abated due to a drop in non-farm payrolls last month.  It seems that bad news is good news again.

Simple budgeting tips that fit real life

   To help you feel more in control of your money, consider a simple budgeting plan.  An easy starting point is the 50/30/20 rule.  Allocate about 50% of your income to needs such as housing and groceries, 30% to wants - like dining out and streaming services and 20% to saving or paying down debt.

"Reel Reviews: ‘Super Troopers 3’ shows its age, desperation for relevancy" by: Jessica Shepard

   While I really try not to be a snobby movie critic - sometimes the sentiments are impossible to ignore and I find myself mostly agreeing with other movie reviewers.  Take last week’s new release “Super Troopers 3” that pretty much wasted all of its best jokes in the trailer.

A thousand tiny compromises

   Based on national television networks, cable satellite outlets, legacy print, digital print publishers, public media and social platforms, the world is in a free fall to parts of the unknown this current generation views unrecognizable.