How to track down your forgotten cash
If you’ve ever pulled a $20 bill out of the pocket of an old pair of pants or a mothballed winter overcoat, you know the pure joy of finding money you didn’t know you had.But many of us have much larger sums languishing in old bank accounts, forgotten insurance policies, uncashed paychecks, and other relics of our financial lives.When an account is inactive for a certain period... READ MORE
Sleep gadgets promise better night’s rest
Pillows that track your snoozing patterns? A bed that adjusts based on how much you twist and turn? Companies are adding more technology into their products, hoping to lure customers craving a better night’s sleep. Some specialized businesses are making gadgets that promise to measure and improve the quality of slumber, while mass-market retailers like Best Buy are offering... READ MORE
Inside PBS’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’
A few years ago, a coin shop owner in Vienna, Va., had a customer who coveted a few of the coins in the store. In exchange, the customer offered a set of 15 posters made for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Each poster was signed by the artist, including such modernist luminaries as Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg. The shop owner figured the coins he exchanged were worth about... READ MORE
Rep Stage begins its 25th theater season
Rep Stage, the professional regional theater at Howard County Community College, will mark its 25th anniversary season with three award-winning contemporary American plays —The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill by Lanie Robertson, and True West by Sam Shepard — along with a world premiere about two eccentric sisters from... READ MORE
Parking your car near an airport for less
If you have someone to drive you to the airport and pick you up, or if you live close enough to take a taxi or shuttle to the airport for your summer flight, you can forget about long-term airport parking.But if you don’t have a driver and aren’t close to your departure airport, driving and parking your car at the airport while you’re away can be cheaper than taking... READ MORE
A good problem to have: saving too much
The most fundamental financial advice — to consistently save — is absolutely correct. What’s less obvious, yet equally correct, is that you can also save too much.Your financial plan should not only help you to live better in the long run. It should also help you live better today. The truth is, accumulating more in savings than you will need for retirement can be a... READ MORE
Passion for people, public policy
“My main goal is to help the citizens of Howard County — the older adult community, the very young — live the best life possible,” said Jackie Scott, the new director of the county’s Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS). It’s a tall order, but the position puts Scott, who has lived in Columbia for over two decades, in a strong position to work towards it. The ... READ MORE
It’s back to school season for everyone
If you miss school — but not the homework or exams — look into the many continuing education programs offered in town. From aerobics to zoology, there is sure to be something to pique your interest. Here are just a few:Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson UniversityThe mission of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University is to offer adults age 50 and... READ MORE
Find your inner Picasso and de-stress
Feeling stressed? Pick up a paintbrush and you might just feel lighter and happier.Getting rid of stress was one reason Deborah Hoffman opened Paint and Sip in Owings Mills, a do-it-yourself (DIY) art studio that offers a “unique way to uncork your creativity,” with two-hour classes for painting and glass decoration. Paint and Sip classes cost $40 per painter, which... READ MORE
Yosemite’s wonders of nature and light
Visitors can view (and sometimes even walk through) ancient giant sequoia trees in three groves at Yosemite National Park. Some trees are more than 2,500 years old and more than 40 feet in diameter.Photo by Yongyut KumsriThe sunlight creeps across Half Dome’s mammoth granite face, easing from steel gray to grayish-white to dull yellow-orange to a luminescent blaze orange. Sunrises,... READ MORE
