Whats on my mind (read the whole thing!)
Hey Y'all. I hope you had a great week. I spent this week in Green Bay for three days of professional development at our annual Wisconsin Park & Recreation Association state conference. This was a great opportunity to network with colleagues around the state, hear new ideas and see new products, while leaving rejuvenated heading back to my workplace. Attending this conference always leaves me feeling refreshed and passionate about the field I work in.
At the conference we attend sessions on a variety of topics that may pertain to current work or future offerings and content areas. We also find plenty of time between sessions and at the socials in the evening to catch up with old friends and make new ones. At dinner on Thursday night in a small group of eight, one of my colleagues mentioned my blog and others were a bit interested. Before sharing any information, I listened to what they had to say about what they do financially and why it works for them.
The first and most important part of our plan that I shared was our "why" which is being on the same page with my spouse and having a plan together. I briefly shared the premise of our plan and they began sharing what their family or they do themselves. At this dinner there was single people, married people ready to have their first child or recently had two kids as well as older adults. The main thing I tried to share is that I believe we are the fastest learning and most technologically advanced generation and yet, we can't seem to figure out finance. We weren't formally educated on it and we are too gullible in terms of believing marketing campaigns about credit card points/miles or that fancy cars with big payments are important.
In this blog I consistently try to share that the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps and Total Money Makeover book are the plan that we use. This does not mean it is the only plan, it is just the one that has worked for us because of it's simplicity and order, allowing focus on one to two things to help us feel like we are accomplishing something while we are certainly making progress. I shared some of the key parts of this plan - being on the same page with your spouse and communicating your goals, having an order of how you spend, and tracking your budget with the EveryDollar website/app. I'm hoping some of them give this plan (book/podcast/plan/budget app) a try because I think they'll find success.
I typically get one haircut a month at Supercuts and have been going to the same barber, Mario, for a couple years now. He does a nice job and always has good conversation which is important to me since pretty much anyone could give me the haircut I get. Mario is a very positive person and is enjoyable to be around. When I got back from the conference on Friday I stopped in to see Mario and brought him a copy of the Total Money Makeover. When I was there in October, he mentioned some of the things he does like not using credit cards and saving up to buy a new car in a few years after his 2003 model eventually breaks down. Yesterday's conversation was great and he was really excited to get started reading with his girlfriend. He said he isn't wild about reading but she is so she will often read to him and I shared how important it is to be on the same page as the person you care about so that you can hold each other accountable and make progress together.
Why Recreation Matters:
I've been living in or near Milwaukee for 10 years now. I love the city, but as I'm sure most of you know, Milwaukee has seen a ton of segregation and crime. When I was at conference I learned a few things Milwaukee Recreation continues to do to help improve the city. They have a ton of great and very affordable classes, but a few new ones are crucial to helping some at risk populations. They have a Midnight Basketball League that is available for age 18-25 males and plays two days per week at two different locations (4 total nights) from 8 pm - midnight keeping these individuals in a safe supervised space and doing something they care about.
The other great program they created recently was "MPS Drive" helping their 16-year old students get their driver's license in high school so they can have transportation to work and not be held back from many of the privileges most of us receive. Removing this transportation block helps them get to and from work without having to rely on public transportation and be part of the workforce. The class also teaches them the importance of safe driving and works to prevent the Milwaukee stereotype of car theft, speeding, accidents and hit-and-runs.
While I have nothing to do with Milwaukee Recreation, as a citizen or someone who drives in Milwaukee everyday, the MPS drive program is a great resource for these kids. You all know that I have a passion for basketball and hearing about their Midnight Basketball League is a great outlet for these young men. Being at the state conference made me once again realize how much we do to help our communities and make people's lives better. If you aren't involved in recreation programs in your city, you should be. If you aren't interested, consider it for your kids or grandparents and help them find a lifelong hobby and way to connect with others in their city.
Getting personal -
As I got home and settled in on Friday night, I had a few minutes of reflection in terms of the person I've become and what works for me. I was going to relax Friday and had some NBA games on the tv, but put together a to-do list for Saturday that included some things around the house (unpacking, cleaning, laundry, throwing out veggie plants from garden, rake and cut the grass), some physical activity (playing basketball, lifting weights) and some mental health items (blog, yoga). Being organized is one thing that makes me tick and helps me from being anxious. I love crossing things off my list no matter what those are. It is the daily progress and makes me feel like I've accomplished something. We are all different and it is important to respect that. Figure out who you are, what works for you and what makes you happy or what would make you more happy. Pictured: the yard after raking and cutting grass Saturday, then Sunday morning...these are in order before and after, not the other way around :(
While working out on Friday night, I got a FB message from my mom and thought it was some silly video or something that we usually share with each other. I waited to view it till I was home and sat down and was shocked at what I was looking at. I was reading a nightmare about a guy I worked with at my first job at the YMCA, knew about in the community and had played with or against in basketball and had seen coach his kids when I was reffing later in life. He had suffered an aortic aneurysm and was being taken flight for life to Milwaukee. This is a guy whose family depends on him and wants him to be there. Obviously with things like this there are so many things to think about and money is on the list right after life. It creates and solves so many problems. Every month we look for things to give to and each month is different. If you're in a position, consider giving something to his fund here and know that you helped a family in need.
His story hit me really hard because it was someone I knew, has kids, coaches basketball and my dad suffered a heart attack years back. It is a terrifying situation that no one ever hopes to go through. Tell your family you love them every chance you get. When faced with adversity, keep fighting. We're all stronger than we think.
At the conference we attend sessions on a variety of topics that may pertain to current work or future offerings and content areas. We also find plenty of time between sessions and at the socials in the evening to catch up with old friends and make new ones. At dinner on Thursday night in a small group of eight, one of my colleagues mentioned my blog and others were a bit interested. Before sharing any information, I listened to what they had to say about what they do financially and why it works for them.
The first and most important part of our plan that I shared was our "why" which is being on the same page with my spouse and having a plan together. I briefly shared the premise of our plan and they began sharing what their family or they do themselves. At this dinner there was single people, married people ready to have their first child or recently had two kids as well as older adults. The main thing I tried to share is that I believe we are the fastest learning and most technologically advanced generation and yet, we can't seem to figure out finance. We weren't formally educated on it and we are too gullible in terms of believing marketing campaigns about credit card points/miles or that fancy cars with big payments are important.
In this blog I consistently try to share that the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps and Total Money Makeover book are the plan that we use. This does not mean it is the only plan, it is just the one that has worked for us because of it's simplicity and order, allowing focus on one to two things to help us feel like we are accomplishing something while we are certainly making progress. I shared some of the key parts of this plan - being on the same page with your spouse and communicating your goals, having an order of how you spend, and tracking your budget with the EveryDollar website/app. I'm hoping some of them give this plan (book/podcast/plan/budget app) a try because I think they'll find success.
I typically get one haircut a month at Supercuts and have been going to the same barber, Mario, for a couple years now. He does a nice job and always has good conversation which is important to me since pretty much anyone could give me the haircut I get. Mario is a very positive person and is enjoyable to be around. When I got back from the conference on Friday I stopped in to see Mario and brought him a copy of the Total Money Makeover. When I was there in October, he mentioned some of the things he does like not using credit cards and saving up to buy a new car in a few years after his 2003 model eventually breaks down. Yesterday's conversation was great and he was really excited to get started reading with his girlfriend. He said he isn't wild about reading but she is so she will often read to him and I shared how important it is to be on the same page as the person you care about so that you can hold each other accountable and make progress together.
Why Recreation Matters:
I've been living in or near Milwaukee for 10 years now. I love the city, but as I'm sure most of you know, Milwaukee has seen a ton of segregation and crime. When I was at conference I learned a few things Milwaukee Recreation continues to do to help improve the city. They have a ton of great and very affordable classes, but a few new ones are crucial to helping some at risk populations. They have a Midnight Basketball League that is available for age 18-25 males and plays two days per week at two different locations (4 total nights) from 8 pm - midnight keeping these individuals in a safe supervised space and doing something they care about.
The other great program they created recently was "MPS Drive" helping their 16-year old students get their driver's license in high school so they can have transportation to work and not be held back from many of the privileges most of us receive. Removing this transportation block helps them get to and from work without having to rely on public transportation and be part of the workforce. The class also teaches them the importance of safe driving and works to prevent the Milwaukee stereotype of car theft, speeding, accidents and hit-and-runs.
While I have nothing to do with Milwaukee Recreation, as a citizen or someone who drives in Milwaukee everyday, the MPS drive program is a great resource for these kids. You all know that I have a passion for basketball and hearing about their Midnight Basketball League is a great outlet for these young men. Being at the state conference made me once again realize how much we do to help our communities and make people's lives better. If you aren't involved in recreation programs in your city, you should be. If you aren't interested, consider it for your kids or grandparents and help them find a lifelong hobby and way to connect with others in their city.
Getting personal -
As I got home and settled in on Friday night, I had a few minutes of reflection in terms of the person I've become and what works for me. I was going to relax Friday and had some NBA games on the tv, but put together a to-do list for Saturday that included some things around the house (unpacking, cleaning, laundry, throwing out veggie plants from garden, rake and cut the grass), some physical activity (playing basketball, lifting weights) and some mental health items (blog, yoga). Being organized is one thing that makes me tick and helps me from being anxious. I love crossing things off my list no matter what those are. It is the daily progress and makes me feel like I've accomplished something. We are all different and it is important to respect that. Figure out who you are, what works for you and what makes you happy or what would make you more happy. Pictured: the yard after raking and cutting grass Saturday, then Sunday morning...these are in order before and after, not the other way around :(
While working out on Friday night, I got a FB message from my mom and thought it was some silly video or something that we usually share with each other. I waited to view it till I was home and sat down and was shocked at what I was looking at. I was reading a nightmare about a guy I worked with at my first job at the YMCA, knew about in the community and had played with or against in basketball and had seen coach his kids when I was reffing later in life. He had suffered an aortic aneurysm and was being taken flight for life to Milwaukee. This is a guy whose family depends on him and wants him to be there. Obviously with things like this there are so many things to think about and money is on the list right after life. It creates and solves so many problems. Every month we look for things to give to and each month is different. If you're in a position, consider giving something to his fund here and know that you helped a family in need.
His story hit me really hard because it was someone I knew, has kids, coaches basketball and my dad suffered a heart attack years back. It is a terrifying situation that no one ever hopes to go through. Tell your family you love them every chance you get. When faced with adversity, keep fighting. We're all stronger than we think.
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