"More new and little or no answers to the problems" by: John Sample

   Memorial weekend came a bit early this weekend.    I was lucky enough to spend time with your publisher and some very old high school friends reminiscing about the halcyon days of yore.

PSA: Saving for retirement: Are you guessing or planning?

   How much do you need to save for retirement?    Rather than picking a number out of thin air, $1 million, for example, find a number that will actually support the lifestyle you envision.    Begin by imagining your daily routine: Where are you living?   Are you still in your current home?

"Reel Reviews: CGI octopus best Netflix character for entirety of May" by: Jessica Shepard

   Look, I know that headline is a bit misleading, but I promise it’ll make sense once you’ve read this movie review column.  Last weekend, I was overloaded with graduation ceremony and newspaper coverage so I couldn’t carve out time to attend an in-theatre movie.

The Next Chapter

   There comes a moment in every woman’s life when she looks up from the beautiful, exhausting, purpose-filled work of raising her people and realizes — they are gone.  Not lost. Launched.  My husband and my eldest son are crafting stories frame by frame as a film editor.

"Graduation season always prompts an introspective moment" by: Jessica Shepard

   Graduation season has always had this strange way of yanking me back to my own commencement ceremony.   I mean sure, the songs, flowers and mottos always seem to change, but the seniors don’t.

"More new and little or no answers to the problems" by: John Sample

   We posted a gain last week with the S&P 500, while interest rates climbed higher. The summit in China seemed to be a slight distraction with little to report.   Of interest was the saber rattling by China over Taiwan. It seems that China will take the island.

PSA: Four estate planning myths that could cost your family

   Many people think that estate planning is just for wealthy people, but that’s a myth.   An estate plan is for anyone of any means who has assets to distribute.   They could include a house, investment accounts, or family heirlooms.

"Reel Reviews: ‘Sheep Detectives’ CGI flick funnier than expected overall" by: Jessica Shepard

   I realize it has been a few weeks since my last kid-friendly movie review and when I was eyeballing our local theater’s online ticket sale page, I decided to take a chance on “The Sheep Detectives.

Caught off guard

   There is a quiet tension at the heart of every parent’s love - the pull between protecting your child from the world and allowing the world to teach them.   We want to shield them from every stumble, every poor choice, every consequence.   But deep down, we know that’s not how wisdom grows.

"The sneakiest feline to ever join the Reddell family" by: Jessica Shepard

   We’ve finally reached the point where our orange rescue cat Jack-Jack has clocked into life for a full year old under our roof.  I’m surprised that he’s taller than our other cats purely because his legs are longer.