I’m a 33-year-old nurse in a five-month “friends with benefits” thing with a doctor co-worker. I am only 18 months out of an abusive 10-year relationship and wanted something fun and light. We get along well, but he rarely asks me ahead of time about getting together. I know he has a busy schedule, but […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
Witchful Witchful thinking
I’m a retired pastor in my 50s. A nearby church wanted my help with their Christmas musical, and I asked my wife of five years, who played bass at my church, to join me. She became angry at this suggestion and said I should do my own thing on Christmas and she’d do hers. She […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The ballad of Tom Irwin
To call Tom Irwin a fixture on the Springfield music scene would be something of an understatement. Beginning in the mid-1970s as a bass player and eventual frontman for various local rock bands, straight through to his present status as an accomplished songwriter and bandleader, Irwin has been a popular draw in local clubs since […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Don’t blame community banks
It could have been avoided. The housing crash, the widespread home foreclosures, the credit crisis, the rampant bank closures, and ultimately the Great Recession of the past four years never had to happen. That’s the message of a 439-page report from the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, the study group appointed by Congress to figure out […]
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Plan ahead to survive the next recession
The economy is still reeling from the recession, and the question of when the global economy’s struggles will end remains a mystery. One thing we do know is that when the economy does finally rebound, it won’t remain stable forever, and it’s imperative that men and women prepare for the next recession, even if that […]
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How to manage personal debt
As if anyone needs their memory jogged, debt is a substantial problem for men and women living in fully developed countries. Estimates vary, but numerous surveys have indicated the average American household has more than $10,000 in credit card debt, a figure that doesn’t include debt such as mortgages, car loans or student loans. The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Simple ways to save money
If the ongoing recession has taught people anything, it’s the need for saving money. Many people were caught off guard by the recession, and studies have shown just how little men and women had saved before the bottom fell out on the economy. In a 2011 poll from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 64 […]
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Cultivate your own bounty of vegetables
It only makes sense to turn a little patch of your property into a personal supply of organic food. Quality and cost control are the top reasons to do it – and avid gardeners will tell you that there is a special kind of joy in planting, growing, picking and serving the freshest produce possible. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The business of fitness
Old city directories and phone books tell the story. Thirty years ago, fewer than five health centers, fitness clubs, gymnasiums – pick a noun – did business in Springfield. Twenty years ago, there were fewer than ten. Today, nearly 20 fitness centers in the Springfield area troll for customers in the yellow pages. “It’s extremely […]
Posted inArts & Culture
I smell a rut
I just got dumped by a guy who swore he was ready to settle down (after years of serial monogamy). His relationship history reminded me of the man you wrote about recently who had been married and divorced five times and was on relationship number six. Woman number six wrote you, “He’s in his 50s; […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Here’s how I did it
My weight has been an issue for me for much of my life. I was a stocky kid off and on throughout my childhood. Just before my senior year of high school, I was able to lose a large amount of weight, and that weight loss changed my life. I was thrilled with the way […]
Posted inArts & Culture
You are what you…DRINK
Incorporate healthy beverages into your diet to improve your overall health and not hinder weight-control plans. People have long been told by doctors and health experts that the foods they eat have a direct correlation to personal health. But the beverages individuals choose to drink could be equally as influential. Choosing the right beverages can […]
