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On the Fly We Recommend We Recommend

On the Fly: Week of 3/22/24

Celebrate spring with a hanami, or Cherry Blossom Picnic, at Memphis Botanic Garden this weekend. (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Botanic Garden)

Memphis Area Master Gardeners Spring Fling
Red Barn Agricenter
Friday-Saturday, March 22-23, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Spring has sprung, baby, so my sinuses are being total jerks with all this pollen in the air. But I’m not mad about it. It’s just a phase, a little fling with seasonal allergies. I, however, much prefer the Memphis Area Master Gardeners Spring Fling, but that’s neither here nor there. The Spring Fling includes educational seminars with regional/local experts, hands-on demonstrations, a 2,000+ plant sale, a mini flea-market with gently used garden items, a Kid’s Corner on Saturday, and so much more. Find a full schedule of events here. The event is free to attend.

MidSouthCon
The Whispering Woods Hotel and Conference Center
Friday-Sunday, March 22-24 
If you identify as a geek, nerd, gamer, cosplayer, or anything of that ilk, you’d best head out to the MidSouthCon, where you’ll be in paradise. Over the course of three days, guests will enjoy gaming, panels, meet-and-greets, workshops, vendors, an art show, and more. More information and a full schedule of events can be found here. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Literacy Mid-South. Tickets are $60/weekend, $30/kids 12 and under, and can be purchased at the door.

“Healing Thru Color”: Alexander Baker Fine Art 
The Medicine Factory
Friday, March 22, 6-9 p.m.
Enjoy fine art, music, wine and beer, and light catering at Alexandra Baker’s art show, where her mission is to “Heal Thru Color.” 

Cherry Blossom Picnic
Memphis Botanic Garden
Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Not only has this week brought us spring; the cherry on top of it all is, this weekend is Memphis Botanic Garden’s Cherry Blossom Picnic. Those who go will get to enjoy fare from Asian-inspired food trucks, listen to 901 Taiko, take a guided tour through the Japanese Garden, and participate in traditional crafts and games. The event is free with garden admission, so $12/adults, $10/seniors (62+), $7/children (2-12), or free if you’re under 2 or a member.

Memphis Ghostbusters Appearance 
Malco Cordova Cinema Grill
Saturday, March 23, 2-4 p.m.
If there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? Ghostbusters! Seriously, you can call them. Did you know that Memphis has its very own Ghostbusters?! You can meet them at the Malco Cordova before you catch Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the latest flick in the franchise. Unlike Bill Murray and gang, these Ghostbusters are the real deal and will be available to take photos, show off equipment, and answer all your paranormal questions.

Seasonal Blooms of Memphis: Floral Arranging Workshop with Midtown Bramble & Bloom 
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
Sunday, March 24, 2-4 p.m.
Florals? In spring? Groundbreaking. Alright, Miranda Priestly, get off your high-fashion high horse. Yes, florals. Yes, in spring. It might not be groundbreaking but this floral arranging workshop will put the devil in Prada, if you know what I mean. (If you don’t know what I mean, I can’t blame you, I was just trying to be punny, and I’m not sure I pulled it off.) Local florist and flower farmer Marisa Mender-Franklin of Midtown Bramble & Bloom will guide you through creating your own stunning arrangement out of flowers grown in Memphis. Reserve your spot here for $55. (Oh, and on the note of Miranda Priestly, the Brooks is opening its Christian Siriano exhibit, “People Are People” this weekend, which will display his bold designs from his extensive archives. Find out more here.)

Pints, Poses & Pups 
Grind City Brewing
Sunday, March 24, 2 p.m.
Downward-facing dog? Upward-facing dog? Sideways-facing dog? Who knows what kind of yoga you’ll be doing when there are puppies involved? Join Grind City Brewing in a puppy yoga class in collaboration with Happy Tails Canine Rescue to raise money for their rescue and hopefully to get some pups adopted. Whether you are looking to support, adopt, or just have a good yoga sesh in the Grind City lawn, it’s going to be a great time. Sign up here. Puppy yoga is $25. 

Memphis Monologues 
Voices of the South
Tuesday, March 26, 7-10 p.m.
The 14th Annual Memphis Monologues benefiting Planned Parenthood Tennessee and North Mississippi is back in person. Memphis women will tell real, personal stories. Some will be funny, some uplifting, some sad, some eye-opening. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here.

Dinner & A Movie: Dune (1984)
Black Lodge
Wednesday, March 27, 6:30 p.m.
Before there were the sandy butthole worms of this generation’s Dune, there was the surreal operatic critically-debated 1984 version from cult director David Lynch. Black Lodge presents a special screening to be enjoyed with a special five-course meal made just for the event. Lodge chef and co-owner James Blair will prepare “Bene Gesserit Tart” (blueberry and goat cheese tart with brown butter crumb), “House Atriedes Salad” (Turkish-style carrot salad with yogurt), “Kwizac Hasherac” (root vegetable hash), “Muad’ib Main” (roasted spicy chicken on a bed of couscous), and “Spice Controls Space Ice Cream” (sesame ice cream). It’s $40 for dinner and movie, or free just to watch the movie. Reserve your spot here. Specialty drinks will be made just for the occasion. 18+.

Golden Girls – The Laughs Continue
Orpheum Theatre
Thursday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.
Picture it: Miami. 2024. The Golden Girls are still up and at ’em. Sophia’s out on bail, naturally. The DEA busted her for running a drug ring for retirees. Meanwhile, Blanche and Rose have founded a dating app for seniors that’s doing quite well (of course); it’s even landed Dorothy her current beau, who just so happens to be Sophia’s prosecuting attorney. Sounds about right, doesn’t it? The cast of Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue seem to think so. The parody show done completely in drag will take over the Orpheum’s stage on Thursday. Tickets ($44-$69) can be purchased here.

There’s always something happening in Memphis. See a full calendar of events here.

Submit events here or by emailing calendar@memphisflyer.com.

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Users Report Ticket Invalidation Prior to Kyle Rittenhouse’s Appearance at U of M

Kyle Rittenhouse via X

Those who reserved tickets to Kyle Rittenhouse’s “Rittenhouse Recap” tonight at the University of Memphis are reportedly having to re-reserve their free tickets.

Several people took to social media to show that they received emails from Turning Point USA that their tickets had been invalidated. In an email shared to X by Tami Sawyer, event organizers said, “Due to the University’s stringent ticketing requirements, your ticket to tonight’s event featuring Kyle Rittenhouse is unfortunately no longer valid.”

While those who reserved tickets were notified that a new link would be made available at 9 a.m., many expressed they believed this was a tactic to disparage the “empty auditorium” protest, as many reserved tickets with no intention of actually going.

The new ticketing process is through the university’s official ticketing site which requires users to create an account or log in. The site shows that the event is being held by the student group Turning Point USA at the University of Memphis and that Rittenhouse will be “sharing his side of the story.”

“Rittenhouse is an advocate for our Second Amendment in the constitution,” the page reads. “He was proven innocent in trial. He was attacked, he defended himself and he was acquitted. Now he plans to share his story for all to hear his point of view aside from how the media framed him.”

Sawyer took to other social media outlets to share her frustration with the university as she said it seems as if “they’ve dug in their heels.”

“Is the University protecting Rittenhouse from the planned empty theatre?” Sawyer asked on Instagram. “Remember how folks urged everyone to ‘stop complaining, just buy a ticket and don’t go.’ The students did that. Now this.”

The university has repeatedly stated that they are not sponsoring the event, as it’s being held by a registered student group (Memphis TPUSA). They also said that under the First Amendment and Tennessee’s Campus Free Speech Act, they cannot “legally prohibit such events from being hosted by a registered student organization.”`

In an email obtained by the Flyer addressed to students, university officials said they heard the concerns from the campus community regarding the event and they understand them; however, they must uphold the principles of free speech as a public institution. 

They also said that the “expression of differing ideas and opinions plays an important role in maintaining a diverse campus environment that is open and inclusive.”

“It is essential that these discussions take place while maintaining a safe environment on our campus,” the university said in the letter. “Speech that includes threats, harassment or attempts to incite violence is not protected under the First Amendment and is strongly prohibited by the University.”

The event is still scheduled for tonight, Wednesday, March 20th at 7 p.m. at the UC Theatre.

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

School Board Sued by The Satanic Temple

Credit: The Satanic Temple

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) filed a lawsuit against the Shelby County Board of Education on behalf of The Satanic Temple over what the club calls discriminatory practices. 

The club has sought to bring its After School Satan Club to Chimneyrock Elementary School since November. The program is “not interested in converting children to Satanism” but only to focus on “free inquiry and rationalism.” The Satanic Temple says it “does not worship or believe in the existence of Satan” and will “only open a club if other religious groups are operating on campus.”

Nonprofit organizations can rent facilities from Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS). The Satanic Temple said the board rents space for the Christian Good News Club. That club is run by Child Evangelism Fellowship, “a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living…”

The After School Satan Club was allowed to meet at Chimneyrock on January 10th after what it described as a laborious process involving attempts to thwart its efforts. The group then submitted four new rental requests for monthly meetings at the school. 

Credit: The Satanic Temple

The board assessed a “special security fee” of $2,045.60 on the Satanic Temple for “additional security.” It also levied a $250 fee for field lights. The Christian Good News Club were not charged any of these fees, according to Satanic Temple. But Satanic Temple paid the fees anyway. These fees are the crux of the FFRF lawsuit. 

MSCS “cannot pick and choose how much it charges an organization renting its facilities based on how much it does or does not favor the organization’s viewpoint, the content of its speech, or its religious beliefs,” reads the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. The district’s “unconstitutional behavior has chilled The Satanic Temple’s speech and substantially burdened its ability to exercise its religiously motivated practice of offering inclusive, welcoming religious clubs at public schools.”

The move violates the group’s First Amendment rights, the lawsuit says. Precedence on the matter has already been set in a Georgia lawsuit decided by the U.S. Supreme Court that ruled such fees against disfavored groups violate free speech laws. 

The Satanic Temple wants prompt approval of its reservation requests without any “discriminatory” rental fee. It also wants a judge to say the school board’s actions violate First Amendment rights. Finally, it wants to stop the board from continuing its discrimination against the After School Satan Club. 

Categories
Opinion The Last Word

The Votes That Count

We the People can bring about change. (Photo: Maria Dryfhout | Dreamstime.com)

In the U.S. there are elections because of our Constitution. There is political bantering over everything, including whether the U.S. is much of a democracy or not. But, make no mistake, starting from the Declaration of Independence, when Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed,” the vote has always been important, and who, what, when, where, why, and how people vote has always been controversial.

There is no shortage of questions about electoral politics. Speaking with a friend recently I heard about a plot to steal the election by allowing immigrants to vote. It struck me that such claims are both unremarkable (complaints about immigrants and illegal immigrants voting being commonplace, with Trump and others making them since 2016) and ignorant of history. Alien suffrage — the voting of noncitizens — was the norm for most of the country for a long time, even predating the establishment of the U.S. It was common practice from 1704 to 1926 (when it was banned state-by-state) and was not explicitly prohibited by U.S. law until the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. It was not addressed in the U.S. Constitution. State laws for non-federal elections still vary, and there are states where aliens can vote for local and state offices and referenda.

Recent cases about whether states can remove Trump from the ballot are another example. Just as electoral politics changed in the 1920s, after World War I, politics changed following the Civil War. The current arguments being made to keep Trump off the ballot use rules put in place to prevent leaders of the Confederacy from attempting to return to elected office or hold power in the public trust. They could not be trusted to honor sworn oaths.

It is not some liberal conspiracy: six Colorado voters — four Republicans and two unaffiliated — brought the lawsuit. The lead plaintiff was 91-year-old Republican Norma Anderson, who says, “Our democracy is too precious to let a Donald Trump be president and destroy it.” It is easy to forget that the case Trump v. Anderson was a test of legal principles. Does the Constitution (the 14th Amendment, Section 3 in this case) mean what it appears to say, or can legal experts manipulate the language and obfuscate it out of practical application?

The challenge is real. On the one hand we have legal requirements that must balance competing values and principles. On the other we have clear interests and desires, and people regularly disagree about what they want. Ideally, we would be able to trust in due process, but the Supreme Court is now stacked. A quick review of cases like Dred Scott v. Sandford, Bowers v. Hardwick, Plessy v. Ferguson, Buck v. Bell, and Korematsu v. United States showcases the appalling willingness of the Supreme Court to allow the prejudicial restriction of rights and freedoms, depending upon the makeup of the court at those times.

Why should anyone expect fair judicial review from justices who’ve lied about things like reproductive rights?

The presidential election is a practice unlike any other. Candidates ultimately compete for electors in an electoral college — which means the candidate who wins the popular national vote may not win the election (e.g., Hillary Clinton beating Trump in 2016 by some 2.8 million votes but losing the Electoral College vote, plus four others who lost the popular vote but won an election thanks to the Electoral College: John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, and George W. Bush). In most of the rest of our democracy, we have a principle of equality; Reynolds v. Sims held that the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment includes “one-person, one-vote.” But the president is not chosen by the popular vote; George W. Bush and Donald Trump both lost the popular vote but managed to become president.

More and more I wonder whose votes count? If you rate voter importance by the attention candidates give them, for example, you discover a hyper-focus on swing states. It is easy to track campaign stops and advertising spending, and it makes sense that candidates spend their time trying to earn the votes of voters that will make the most difference. It is predictable: the closer the polling, the more attention the geography will receive. But safe states receive no campaign attention at all (in 2020 there were 33 safe states).

It is winner-take-all, and it is good to be a winner. I just fear that this all further drives the polarization that is tearing our social fabric apart.

There are many voicing legitimate grievances and fears over a candidate who has declared an interest in being a dictator. It is worth remembering that when We the People disagree, we can petition the government and force change. If we decide that we want all our votes counted, we can demand suffrage. If we decide we want all our votes counted equally, we can demand an end to the Electoral College. If we want to keep insurrectionists off the ballot, we can demand Congress enforce the Fourteenth Amendment.

People power will always win. But it has to be exercised, not simply left on the table for others to grab.

Wim Laven, Ph.D., syndicated by PeaceVoice, teaches courses in political science and conflict resolution.

Categories
Astrology Fun Stuff

Free Will Astrology: Week of 03/21/24

Dario Bronnimann | Unsplash

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus artist Salvador Dali was prone to exaggerate for dramatic effect. We should remember that as we read his quote: “Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary: Rationalize them; understand them thoroughly.” While that eccentric advice may not always be 100 percent accurate or useful, I think it will be true and helpful for you in the coming weeks. Have maximum fun making sacred mistakes, Taurus! Learn all you can from them. Use them to improve your life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The professional fun advisors here at Free Will Astrology International Headquarters have concluded that your Party Hardy Potential Rating for the coming weeks is 9.8 (out of 10). In fact, this may be the Party Hardy Phase of the Year for you. You could gather the benefits of maximum revelry and conviviality with minimal side effects. Here’s a meditation to get you in the right mood: Imagine mixing business and pleasure with such panache that they blend into a gleeful, fruitful synergy.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author and psychotherapist Virginia Satir (1916–1988) was renowned as the “Mother of Family Therapy.” Her research led her to conclude, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” That 12-hug recommendation seems daunting to achieve, but I hope you will strive for it in the coming weeks. You are in a phase when maximum growth is possible — and pushing to the frontiers of hugging will help you activate the full potential. (PS: Don’t force anyone to hug you. Make sure it’s consensual.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Have you been genuinely amazed anytime recently? Have you done something truly amazing? If not, it’s time to play catch-up. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you need and deserve exciting adventures that boggle your soul in all the best ways. You should be wandering out on the frontiers and tracking down provocative mysteries. You could grow even smarter than you already are if you expose yourself to challenges that will amaze you and inspire you to be amazing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I invite you to perform a magic spell that will help prepare you for the rich, slippery soul work you have ahead of you. I’ll offer a suggestion, but feel free to compose your own ritual. First, go outside where it’s raining or misting, or find a waterfall. Stand with your legs apart and arms spread out as you turn your face up toward the falling moisture. As you drink it in, tell yourself you will be extra fluid and flowing in the coming weeks. Promise yourself you will stimulate and treasure succulent feelings. You will cultivate the sensation that everything you need is streaming in your direction.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You are gliding into the climax of your re-education about togetherness, intimacy, and collaboration. The lessons you’ve been learning have deepened your reservoir of wisdom about the nature of love. And in the coming weeks, even further teachings will arrive; even more openings and invitations will be available. You will be offered the chance to earn what could in effect be a master’s degree in relationships. It’ll be challenging work, but rewarding and interesting. Do as best as you can. Don’t demand perfection from yourself or anyone else.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Now is not a favorable phase to gamble on unknown entities. Nor should you allow seemingly well-meaning people to transgress your boundaries. Another Big No: Don’t heed the advice of fear-mongers or nagging scolds, whether they’re inside or outside your head. On the other hand, dear Scorpio, the coming weeks will be an excellent time for the following actions. 1. Phase out attachments to alliances and love interests that have exhausted their possibilities. 2. Seek the necessary resources to transform or outgrow a frustrating fact about your life. 3. Name truths that other people seem intent on ignoring and avoiding. 4. Conjure simple, small, slow, practical magic to make simple, small, slow, practical progress.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Falling in love is fun! It’s also exciting, enriching, inspiring, transformative, world-shaking, and educational. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if we could keep falling in love anew three or four times a year for as long as we live? We might always be our best selves, showing our most creative and generous sides, continually expanding our power to express our soulful intelligence. Alas, it’s not practical or realistic to always be falling in love with another new person. Here’s a possible alternative: What if we enlarged our understanding of what we could fall in love with? Maybe we would become perpetually infatuated with brilliant teachings, magical places, high adventures, and great art and music. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to cultivate this skill.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m perplexed by spiritual teachers who fanatically preach the doctrine that we should BE HERE NOW as much as possible. Living with full enjoyment in the present moment is a valuable practice, but dismissing or demeaning the past is shortsighted. Our lives are forged from our histories. We should revere the stories we are made of, visit them regularly, and keep learning from them. Keep this in mind, Capricorn. It’s an excellent time to heal your memories and to be healed by them. Cultivate deep gratitude for your past as you give the old days all your love. Enjoy this quote from novelist Gregory Maguire: “Memory is part of the present. It builds us up inside; it knits our bones to our muscles and keeps our heart pumping. It is memory that reminds our bodies to work, and memory that reminds our spirits to work, too: it keeps us who we are.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Controversial author William S. Burroughs was a rough, tough troublemaker. But he had some wisdom that will soon be extra useful for you. He said that love is the best natural painkiller available. I bring this to your attention not because I believe you will experience more pain than the rest of us in the coming months. Rather, I am predicting you will have extra power to alleviate your pain — especially when you raise your capacity to give and receive love.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The planet Saturn entered Pisces in March 2023 and won’t depart for good until February 2026. Is that a bad thing or good thing for you Pisceans? Some astrologers might say you are in a challenging time when you must make cutbacks and take on increased responsibility. I have a different perspective. I believe this is a phase when you can get closer than ever before to knowing exactly what you want and how to accomplish what you want. In my view, you are being called to shed secondary wishes that distract you from your life’s central goals. I see this period as a homecoming — your invitation to glide into robust alignment with your soul’s code.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I suspect you will soon have far more beginners’ luck than you ever thought possible. For best results — to generate even more wildly abundant torrents of good luck — you could adopt what Zen Buddhists called “beginner’s mind.” That means gazing upon everyone and everything as if encountering it for the first time. Here are other qualities I expect to be flowing freely through you in the coming weeks: spontaneity, curiosity, innocence, candor, and unpredictability. To the degree that you cultivate these states, you will invite even more beginner’s luck into your life.

Categories
News The Fly-By

MEMernet: Smackdown, Correct, and Peak Tulip

Posted to Reddit by u/TBJosh

Memphis on the internet.

Smackdown

WWE brought Smackdown to town last week and Memphis Memphises pretty hard where wrestling is concerned, especially when Dwayne The Rock Johnson is involved. Johnson’s in-character musical performance at the event poked fun at Ja Morant, according to CBS Sports.

“You’re simply an embarrassment, son,” Johnson sang of a rival. “Just like Ja Morant when he’s waving a gun (I love you Ja).”

Johnson also did an in-store event at the Wolfchase Target, where he talked about his new skin care products.

This is correct.

Posted to Facebook by Memphis Memes 901

Peak Tulip

Posted to Reddit by u/BandidoCoyote

It’s “peak tulip” time at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, reported Reddit user BandidoCoyote. The garden is free. So, hit it up if you need an extra shot of spring.

Categories
News News Feature

Money Scripts

Photo: jesHoots.com | Unsplash

The word “money” can bring up negative emotions and feelings for many people. In fact, money is the most cited factor that negatively affects U.S. adults’ mental health. Therefore, it’s important for us to reflect on our relationship with money, which can impact our financial decisions and relationships.

Many of our subconscious beliefs and attitudes toward money are developed in early childhood from our parents, environment, and socioeconomic status. For example, some children are taught that you should always save your money and try to not spend it. In other households, money is taboo and not discussed at all. Children may experience that when money is brought up it often leads to their parents arguing and creates tension.

“Financial flash points” also have a significant impact and are traumatic or emotional life events associated with money that drive our financial behaviors. For example, growing up in poverty and having uncertainty where your next meal would come from, having a parent lose their job and/or house, or parents getting divorced can make an impact on our financial beliefs as an adult.

Mental health professionals have studied the psychology of money and categorized these financial beliefs into several “money scripts.” There are four main money scripts: money avoidance, money worship, money status, and money vigilance.

Money avoidance is the belief that money is bad or that you don’t deserve money. Individuals with this belief often experience feelings of fear, guilt, disgust, or anxiety toward money. For some people, it may be difficult to accept gifts from others due to feelings of guilt. This negative association with money can create the belief that rich people are greedy.

Money worship is the belief that money is associated with freedom and the solution to all their problems. It’s the viewpoint that the more money you have, the better your life will always be. Money worshippers often seek fulfillment from buying more stuff, which can result in compulsive spending habits and never feeling satisfied.

Money status is the belief that self-worth is directly tied to net worth or financial status. There’s often a competitive nature to this belief, which can result in overspending to appear as being “better off” than others. Even though research has illustrated being too concerned about financial status has been associated with lower levels of well-being, increased anxiety, and unhappiness.

Money vigilance is the belief that money should be saved, not spent. Individuals with this money script often experience excessive wariness or anxiety about their financial future, which often prevents them from enjoying the benefits and experiences money can provide. They tend to be discreet and private about their financial status and hold the beliefs that you should work hard to earn money and people shouldn’t be given “financial handouts.”

There are notable limitations to money scripts theory, just like other human-categorizing theories such as attachment theory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. While there are only four main categories studied, humans are complex, and we don’t all fall into one “box” or belief system. However, this theory provides a great framework to start reflecting on your attitude toward money and why you hold certain subconscious beliefs. This reflection can help you begin to change any mindset that may not serve you well financially and/or emotionally.

If you choose to evaluate and reflect on your own money script beliefs, it’s important to practice mindfulness. Negative emotions such as shame, guilt, and anxiety may come up during this process. Mindfulness is the concentrated effort to simply observe emotions rather than judging and reacting to them. These emotions can become a great learning experience for things holding us back that can later help us make better financial decisions.

Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Partner and Private Wealth Manager with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.

Categories
Fun Stuff News of the Weird

News of the Weird: Week of 03/21/24

Very Senior Year

It’s never too late to graduate, and Fred Allen Smalls of Georgetown, South Carolina, is proof. Smalls took the stage at Georgetown High School on Feb. 4, the day before his 106th birthday, to receive an honorary diploma at a ceremony that came to fruition largely due to the efforts of his granddaughter. Smalls completed eighth grade in the 1930s and moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a janitor and held several other jobs before beginning a career with the District of Columbia, eventually retiring during the John F. Kennedy administration. WPDE ABC 15 reported that the diploma was “something he’s wished for most of his life.” And the diploma wasn’t the first time Smalls made recent news: In 2023, ABC News recognized him as the oldest Philadelphia Eagles fan. [ABC15, 2/20/2024]

Sticky Situation

A coyote that found itself in an ironic predicament in mid-January has the Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) and the Wildlife in Need Center (WINC) of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, to thank for its rescue — maybe with a little help from above? WDJT in Milwaukee reported that the coyote had gotten its head stuck inside a hollow statue of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, while chasing a rabbit. The coyote was spotted dragging the statue and working to free itself, but by the next day, the animal was exhausted and still trapped. HAWS located the coyote and transported it to WINC, where it was freed, treated for minor injuries, and given the nickname “Frannie.” [WDJT CBS 58, 2/12/2024]

Cemetery Shortcut

In the immortal words of Shaggy, “It wasn’t me.” The Lavonia (Georgia) Police Department wants residents to know that a chaotic scene in a local graveyard Feb. 20 had nothing to do with them. “In case you saw or heard the law enforcement commotion,” reads a post on the department’s Facebook page, “well, it wasn’t us.” The commotion in question? Deputies from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in neighboring South Carolina had chased a reckless driver across state lines and into the Lavonia City Burgess Cemetery, reports FOX 5 Atlanta. The driver — who was apparently “late for an appointment” — damaged several graves before attempting to flee on foot. Unsuccessfully. [Fox 5, 2/20/2024]

Animal Antics

• Caterina Sevares of Florida had a late-night craving for tacos on Feb. 13, so she did what many of us have probably done: She placed a DoorDash order and hopped in the shower while waiting for her food to be delivered. But when she opened the door to retrieve the Talkin’ Tacos delivery, Fox 35 reported that she was met by three masked bandits — a trio of raccoons who got to her meal first, eating everything but the tortillas. Sevares began to film the carnage but retreated once the raccoons started engaging — one stood up on its hind legs while the other two stared her down. “Once they started hissing, I shut the door so fast. I was like, ‘They can have the carne asada, it’s fine,’” Sevares said. Talkin’ Tacos caught wind of the bandits’ antics after Sevares’ story went viral on TikTok, and sent her a gift card for her troubles. [FOX 35, 2/14/2024]

• Elsewhere in Florida, bears ransacked a woman’s car — on Valentine’s Day, no less. Cassidy Simoes’ boyfriend left chocolates in the front seat of her car the night before, intending to give them to her the next day. But NBC2 reported that at about 3:30 on Valentine’s morning, the couple woke to find the car in bad shape: “Basically, the whole door panel, I can’t even open the door at all or roll the windows down, nothing,” Simoes said. No word on if the chocolates were replaced. [NBC2, 2/14/24]

Bright Idea

On Feb. 19, neighbors in an apartment building in Wejherowo, Poland, became alarmed as a 19-year-old man tried to lead a full-grown horse up the stairs to his third-floor home, Radio Gdansk reported. Police were called to the building and determined that the mare, worth about $3,800, had been stolen. She was returned to the owner, and the horse thief was charged with theft; he faces five years in prison. [Radio Gdansk, 2/21/2024]

© 2024 Andrews McMeel Syndication.
Reprinted with permission.
All rights reserved.

Categories
We Recommend We Saw You

WE SAW YOU: Science of Wine

Justin Parker (Photos: Michael Donahue)

If you’ve wondered why something you eat pairs perfectly with a particular wine, you can find out at Science of Wine, the annual fundraiser at Memphis Museum of Science & History (MoSH).

Mary Sisson and Jordan Buchanan
Dr. Rosie Richmond and Gerry Dupree

About 400 people attended the event, which was held March 8th. Eighteen food purveyors participated.

Usually, about 600 people attend, says MoSH special events coordinator John Mullikin. “We had to limit the number of ticket sales,” he says. “Only because of Sue.”

Melanie Hill and Tiquan Pryor
Anthony Mendoza
Jeanie Gundlach and Steve Conley

Sue is the full-scale Tyrannosaurus rex cast in MoSH’s current “SUE: The T-rex Experience” exhibit. Sue takes up three rooms.

The VIP area featured fare from Erling Jensen: The Restaurant, The Grecian Gourmet Kitchen, Pete & Sam’s, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and The Blue Room Restaurant.

Haley Lyerly and Robby Cowan
Eddie, Ana, and John Osadzinski

Guests paired duck and amarena tartlets from Erling Jensen’s with a 2018 Rockmere cabernet, and learned from a poster at the booth: “The wine boasts red and black fruit to marry well with the cherry tartlet, while having soft tannin and enough acidity to support the richness of the duck.” Jensen has participated in all eight of the Science of Wine events.

Categories
Fun Stuff Metaphysical Connection

Metaphysical Connection: Spring Renewal

Photo: Larisa Koshkina | Wikimedia Commons

Tuesday was the spring equinox which means that no matter what the weather is doing, it is officially spring. Each season brings us the wonders of nature and reasons to celebrate. But spring excites us in a way that the other seasons often don’t.

The spring equinox brings us officially into the light half of the year. Between the summer and winter solstices, the sun begins setting earlier and earlier every day and the nights get longer. During the dark half of the year, we may find ourselves spending more time at home or being more introspective. The light half, which slowly begins right after winter solstice, encourages us to shift our focus back to the physical world, including the physical body, literal or metaphorical fertility, and the pleasures of food, nature, and friends.

The spring equinox is a day of balance, with the daylight and nighttime hours being roughly 12 hours each. Aside from the extra sunshine, spring brings us hope and renewal. Some of the feeling of hope comes from our bodies absorbing sunlight, which affects our serotonin levels. But spiritually and emotionally, spring brings us optimism and the sense of better days to come. When the weather is nice, and the sun is shining, it is easier to believe that things will turn out well because we feel happier and more hopeful. After the darkness of winter, spring makes us feel like the world has been renewed and us with it.

We can harness this energy to help us in our lives. If we can focus the restless energy we often feel in spring, we can use it to manifest our goals and finish projects. It can be the source of motivation to help us get moving again after the slump of winter and tackle those things we’ve been putting off.

We can also work with the energy of spring to begin planning our goals for the year. Spring is thought of as the beginning of the year by some people. We know the calendar marks it as January 1st, but energetically things do not begin to move until closer to spring. In many alternative spiritual traditions, spring is when we begin to metaphorically plant our seeds for the year. Working with the natural energy of the world, if we begin planning and putting things into action now, those plans will grow more fruitful and closer to completion as the weather warms, the sun spends more time in the sky, and the plants and trees around us come back to life and grow.

You don’t need anything to begin to plant your metaphorical seeds for the year, but many of us like to have physical reminders to keep us focused on the work. And doing an action symbolically can help convince our subconscious that we are working toward and are going to accomplish our goals. If you enjoy having a physical exercise to do to help remind you of your goals, there are many things you can do. Two of the more common activities to do in spring to help focus your manifestations involve planting seeds and making eggs.

If you want to literally plant your metaphorical seeds, you will need a container, dirt, water, seeds, and/or paper. Put your dirt or soil in the container. Hold the seeds in your hands and think about the things you want to accomplish. Put those thoughts into the seeds and then bury them in the soil. If you want, you can also write down your goals and bury the paper in with the seeds or set it under the container. If you like the imagery of eggs, you can make your own version of a dyed egg. Boil your eggs and dye them a color that best corresponds to your needs. You can also draw or paint symbols or affirmations on the egg to support your intention.

We have a whole year ahead of us. Let us use it wisely and for good. Happy manifesting this spring!

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.