What is the difference between an amateur and a pro? A book, according to Jack Hitt, author of “Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character.” All the bumbling amateur stuff you did on the way to doing something really great (inventing electricity or discovering a new comet) is transformed, in the book version, to become “the memoir that explains how it was all inevitable anyway” glossing over “all the bumbling amateur striving.” That isn’t to say that there’s anything wrong with … [Read more...] about Praise for the Amateur
Columnists
Pacemakers Saving Lives
There are areas in the heart called pacemakers that send electrical signals to the rest of the heart, setting the speed or pace of the heartbeat. These pacemakers speed the heart up during exercise or hard work and slow it down again during rest. If natural pacemakers are injured or fail to do their job, a miniature medical device called a cardiac pacemaker can be implanted in the chest wall. What is the Body’s Natural Pacemaker? The heart's "natural" pacemaker is called the … [Read more...] about Pacemakers Saving Lives
Trust Based Leadership
What is the most important resource effective leaders possess? In my opinion, trust. Formal position does not make a leader. Followers make a leader. During battle, why do soldiers look to the crusty sergeant for leadership rather than turning to the green lieutenant? Trust. The soldiers want leadership from the sergeant because they trust him more than they trust the lieutenant. Simply put, the more followers trust their leader, the more willing they are to follow. Trust in a leader brings … [Read more...] about Trust Based Leadership
Understanding Home Appraisals
It seems that more and more, we get questions about appraisals from homeowners and those about to purchase a home. There is some uncertainty as to how a value is determined and what to prepare for when you schedule an appraisal. First and foremost, all appraisals are requested through a third party company that manages appraisers. An appraiser is not hand selected for a request; instead, a system is used to enforce a non-biased selection. Once an appraiser has been selected, he will reach out to … [Read more...] about Understanding Home Appraisals
March Madness and Massage
While watching March Madness, you may wonder how your favorite athletes are able to go from game to game and still play their best. After giving 100 percent to the game, it’s no easy feat to do it all again only a few days later. However, many athletes incorporate sports massage into their routine, which helps them recover quickly and stay in top shape. No matter what kind of activities you do, from golf and swimming to yoga and running, you can benefit from a sports massage. A sports massage … [Read more...] about March Madness and Massage
Reasons for an Estate Plan
Many people work all their lives to acquire property and income to provide for their needs in their old age and to provide for their children and loved ones upon their death. Unfortunately, despite the best of intentions, the failure to create or use an estate plan could result in the person's wishes not being realized. There are various factors that need to be considered when creating an estate plan. First, you want to ask yourself the first, second and even third choice for a personal … [Read more...] about Reasons for an Estate Plan
Tourism Key to Quality of Life
The hospitality and tourism industry is a significant economic driver for Flagstaff and Northern Arizona, generating more than 5,400 jobs and delivering nearly $390 million in direct spending annually. The Flagstaff CVB promotes the city as a premier travel destination through marketing, sales and public relations efforts in both domestic and international markets. This section also provides professional visitor services and manages the Flagstaff Visitor Center. In 2012, the Visitor Center … [Read more...] about Tourism Key to Quality of Life
Physical Therapy and Wellness
Women’s heart health is one of the most important topics in wellness and fitness today. Up until the mid-1980s, most heart attack deaths occurred in men. But did you know that since the 1990s, more women than men die from heart attacks? In fact, six times more women die of heart attacks than die of breast cancer, a fact not often realized by women. While such a statistic seems grim, the good news is that we know that 75 percent of heart disease is preventable. Seventy-five percent! Simple … [Read more...] about Physical Therapy and Wellness
Tax Cycle
It's that time of year again. You check your mailbox and find all sorts of fun envelopes marked “Important Tax Information.” They contain a myriad of documents, ranging from W-2s to different varieties of 1099s. They represent income and deductions for your tax return. This is also the time of year where you go empty out your filing cabinets (if you have a filing system) or the various garbage bags and nooks and crannies around your house (if you don't have a filing system). You collect receipts … [Read more...] about Tax Cycle
Heart Disease Risk For Women
According to the Women’s Heart Foundation: Worldwide, 8.6 million women die from heart disease each year, accounting for a third of all deaths in women. Eight million women in the United States currently are living with heart disease; 35,000 are under age of 65. 435,000 American women have heart attacks annually; 83,000 are under age 65; 35,000 are under 55; the average age is 70.4. Forty-two percent of women who have heart attacks die within one year, compared to 24 percent of … [Read more...] about Heart Disease Risk For Women