Investment advice

Investment Advice for Turbulent Times: 

Kindness pays HUGE dividends, materially and ethereally, forever and ever. 

Did you ever stop and notice?

I have always found the changing of the seasons to be a fantastic way to anchor myself in the present moment.  

Here in my part of the world, we are transitioning from the fall to winter, hopefully it will not be a long winter!  

Mother Nature has other ideas and has some of our plants thinking we are now drifting into Spring. A few days ago I saw buds on some bushes and the beginnings of tulips starting to poke through the soil. Before you know it you will wonder where all the flowers have gone.

I like to play a little game of mindfulness with the help of Mother Nature - and I invite you to join in too!  

Simply pick a tree that you can easily see every day. 

Perhaps it's in your yard or maybe you pass it on your daily commute.  I want you to pick one specific branch of that tree and just spend the next week noticing any changes.

If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you might see some leaves beginning to turn into fall.

If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, you might see the buds starting to bloom.

If you're in the tropics... well, just know that the rest of us would like to come and sit under the palm trees with you!

Have you ever asked this question?

Have you ever taken a look at the things in your life and ask the following question:


Does this improve the quality of my life?


Right now, think of three things you could add to your life that would improve your quality of life.


Perhaps something like:

1. Exercising 
2. Meditating / praying 
3. Spending meaningful time with family or friends 
4. Journaling 
5. Reading more 

Got three things? Good.


Now think of three things you could remove from your life that would improve your quality of life.


Got 'em? Excellent!


Why not pick one in each category and try it for a week? It doesn't have to be a permanent change - just do it for a week and notice the difference.

How serious is Hepatitus C?

It is the deadliest infectious disease in the U.S. This virus accounts for more deaths than all other similar illnesses (including HIV) combined. Worse, the disease is on the rise, and experts say there are probably many more cases than we know about.

Officially, hepatitis C accounted for nearly 20,000 deaths in 2013, the latest year available. That’s more than twice as many as HIV. And data from a large hepatitis study found that only a fraction of people with serious liver disease had HCV listed on their death certificates. On a national scale, this could mean that HCV was actually linked to between 75,000 and 100,000 deaths that year.

HCV Cases In the ER Are Also On the Rise

A 2015 study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine reveals that urban ER physicians are seeing more and more cases of HCV in their emergency rooms – with high rates coming among baby boomers. The research shows that of the of the ER patients tested, 10% of them had the disease, and only about one-fourth of those knew they were infected. And that’s the scary part. Hepatitis C usually shows no symptoms, meaning that many aren’t aware that they’re infected

Who Should Get Screened

You or a loved one may be at risk for Hepatitis C – and not even know it. Consider getting tested if you have one or more of the following risk factors.

1.  You’re 50 or older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that baby boomers account for 75% of cases. So if you were born between the ages of 1945 to 1965, it’s important to get screened.

2.  You have certain symptoms. While HCV symptoms are usually silent, there are two times symptoms may show up: soon after infection, and once the disease has damaged the liver. See a physician if you experience the following: nausea, jaundice, weight loss and loss of appetite, fatigue, itchy skin, brownish urine and discomfort in the upper right abdomen.

3.  You’ve ever shared needles. Whether it’s sharing drugs or getting a tattoo with dirty equipment, exposure to blood is the main transmitter of the disease. Additional risk factors: a blood transfusion or an organ transplant before 1992 or having many sexual partners.