When I was growing up what are now called jeans were called dungarees. That likely derived from the “dungri,” the Hindi name for the thick cloth that was manufactured near Mumbai. A popular brand then and now is Levi’s. It’s got cooper rivets. Why? It’s a very American story. A Bavarian immigrant, Levi Strauss, arrived […]
Author: Dr. Penelope
What If No One Says, “Wow?”
How others respond to us matters. We shape each other by our reactions. We shape our communities by our interactions. Kids doing some daring feat like riding a two-wheel bike solo for the first time, might call out “look at me!” It’s great if someone is there to cheer them on and say, “wow, look […]
Balance, Credit Card Debt and “Her Niece, Elizabeth”
“From now on, I will always [fill in the next part: exercise, control my temper, eat more vegetables, save more money…]. If you are successful in following up on whatever statement you made, bravo. If you continued your plan for a long-time, months, years, you deserve more praise. However, my friend Charlotte says, “People are […]
Seven People, One Bathroom, Equals A Financial Plan
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.6″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.6″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.6″] Part of what is the matter with America today is we have too many bathrooms. How many people shared a bathroom in your home when you were growing up? We were blessed to have one set of grandparents living with us, so we were seven, and we shared […]
A Wonderful Day and Why Words Matter at the Heart of Good Financial Planning & Discerning What Matters Most to Us
I knew it was going to be a wonderful day because as I brought my toothbrush to my mouth, I smelled peanut butter. I had coated my toothbrush with the mini poodle Tilly’s toothpaste. Tilly does not like having her teeth brushed but she tolerates the process because her toothpaste tastes like peanut butter. My […]
You Don’t Need Superpowers to Be Your Own Money Manager
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″] If you’re working and able to contribute to a retirement plan, are you investing in the plan? Who should manage your money? You may be eager to identify the most talented fund manager so you can invest in that […]
Who’s the Kid Messing with Your Money?
Have you ever experienced a smart-foolish event with your money? Suppose pre-Covid-19, you decided to have a garage sale also called by other names like yard sale, and tag sale. It’s a great way to get rid of some of the clutter in the house and raise some money to pay off a bill or […]
Wake Up from Your Nightmares About Long-Term Care
Our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139) and though we may be grateful for whatever capabilities we have, we are also aware that under the surface of well-being, our bodies may be concocting dangerous changes to our health. If you are like me and have or had a beloved parent decline with dementia, […]
Are Financial Losses Haunting You?
Losing money is not desirable but it’s normal. Managing money losses is one of the seven competences for financial success.1 If that seems odd to you, here’s the basis for the claim. Money and time are the dimensions we operate in for work and for buying and selling. We make thousands of decisions. If we […]
Saying “Yes”
About a month into the lockdown here in Boston, my neighbor asked if I’d like some sour dough starter so I could make bread. My first thought was I don’t like most sour dough bread that I have eaten. I said, “Yes,” and shortly after that Kevin was at my door holding a large jar […]