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  • A Saint By Any Other Name

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Mar 4, 2021

    St. Patrick's Day, which is often referred to as "Patty's Day" or "Paddy's Day," is a wildly popular holiday. Though the holiday honors the life of the patron saint of Ireland and has become a way for people from all backgrounds to celebrate Irish culture, celebrants may be surprised to learn that St. Patrick was not really named "Patrick" and he also was not Irish. Historians are uncertain about the actual date of St. Patrick's birth, but many believe he was born in Roman Britain in the 5th...

  • How Often Should You See the Family Doctor

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Mar 4, 2021

    Routine health checkups are a key part of staying healthy. Older adults may feel like they're always visiting one doctor or another. But what is an acceptable frequency for doctor appointments? The answer isn't always so cut and dry, and many health professionals have mixed feelings even among themselves over the magic number. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults over the age of 65 visit the doctor more than twice as often as 18- to 44-year-olds. According to Paul...

  • Did You Know?

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Mar 4, 2021

    Health screenings are a vital component of preventative health care. Specific screenings for older adults can help them stay healthy. Healthline and WebMD recommend older adults schedule these routine tests. The frequency of the screenings may depend on individuals’ health histories, so each test should be discussed with a physician during adults’ annual checkups. • Blood pressure check • Blood test to check cholesterol and triglyceride levels • Colorectal cancer exam starting at age 50 • Weight screening to check for gains or losses • Prostat...

  • Start Thinking About Financial Planning Now

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Feb 25, 2021

    Financial planning has become a catchphrase in recent years, and it’s something many consumers may not fully understand. Learning some key components of financial planning can help people have more capital on hand to help them achieve their short- and long-term goals. A 2018 study commissioned by GuideVine that polled 1,000 Americans 30 and older about their finances found that many lack knowledge of basic financial terms. In addition, the study found that numerous people feel completely lost in regard to having a solid plan with their m...

  • Behaviors That Can Hurt Your Credit Score

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Feb 25, 2021

    Credit plays a vital role in helping people realize their personal and financial goals. A good credit score can help people qualify for favorable home loan terms, ultimately paving the way for them to move into their dream homes. Strong credit histories also can help consumers earn perks, and young people who learn to use credit wisely can avoid potentially costly interest charges that tend to hamper many young adults' financial freedom. Many consumers struggle with managing credit. According...

  • Preparing for Lent and Easter

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Feb 11, 2021

    The Christian tradition of Lent is celebrated across the globe by many different denominations of the faith. Lent is a 40-day period of sacrifice that begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, and culminates with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021. Lent is designed to help Christians prepare for Easter through prayer, repentance of sins, almsgiving, denying the ego, and putting and end to sinful practices. Fasting is a component of Lent, as is abstinence from certain behaviors. In fact, in some...

  • 7 Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day In a Socially Distanced Manner

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Feb 11, 2021

    The last year has been challenging for social butterflies, as the COVID-19 pandemic has limited opportunities to socialize in person with close friends and family members. Social distancing guidelines affected various holidays throughout 2020, but such guidelines were issued after Valentine’s Day 2020. Valentine’s Day may be the easiest holiday to celebrate while still adhering to social distancing restrictions. After all, Valentine’s Day is typically a day to spend time alone with the person you love. The following are seven socially dista...

  • How Adults Can Take Active Roles in Their Health Care

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Feb 4, 2021

    Adults play a significant role in their own health care. Adults focused on getting fit may visit various fitness facilities before signing up for a membership, and individuals who want to improve their diets may spend countless hours poring over healthy recipes and the latest trends in nutrition. Such research pays dividends, and the same commitment can be applied to choosing the right health care services. Adults who are enrolled in employer-sponsored health insurance plans may feel as though their options are limited in regard to their...

  • Understanding Low Vision

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Feb 4, 2021

    Prescription eyeglasses help billions of people across the world improve their vision. In fact, when a person's vision starts to weaken, a new eyeglass prescription is often the solution. However, prescription eyeglasses cannot correct every issue, including low vision. The National Eye Institute defines low vision as a vision problem that makes it hard for people to perform everyday activities. People with low vision may not see well enough to read, drive, recognize people's faces, distinguish...

  • Explaining the Practice of Choosing Confirmation Names

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Jan 28, 2021

    Various sects that fall under the umbrella of Christianity have their own unique traditions when it comes to the sacraments. Roman Catholics about to receive the sacrament of confirmation often are required to choose a confirmation name before they can be confirmed. Some churches no longer require prospective confirmands to choose confirmation names. But those Catholics who will be asked to do so may want to learn about the tradition and why their parish still adheres to it. What is the...

  • Savings Strategies for Weddings

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Jan 14, 2021

    The question was popped; the engagement ring presented. What's the next step on the road to the wedding? Saving should definitely be on couples' minds. A wedding is likely the most costly party couples will ever throw. According to The Knot's 2019 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding in 2019 was $33,900. There are many different costs associated with weddings. Some are predictable, while others are unexpected. Investopedia says the vast majority of couples budget too little for the...

  • Dos and Dont's of Caring for Wedding, Engagement Rings

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Jan 14, 2021

    Jewelry is a key component of weddings. The financial resource CreditDonkey notes that, in the United States, the average amount spent on an engagement ring is $5,500, while Canadians spend an average of $3,500. Jewelry costs can add up, especially when adding in the cost of wedding bands, which can cost as much as $1,000. The cost of jewelry only underscores the importance of learning how to care for it and preserve its value. The best way to maintain jewelry depends on the makeup of the rings....

  • 'Plus One' Etiquette for Wedding Guests

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Jan 14, 2021

    Making a wedding guest list is seldom an easy task. Couples often find that many people are worthy of an invitation, which can make creating a guest list tricky for those with budgets in mind. According to data from the online wedding resource The Knot, the average wedding catering cost per guest is roughly $70. However, catering costs will vary depending on the reception venue, the number of guests, the foods chosen, and the region of the country where the wedding takes place. When creating...

  • Did You Know?

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Jan 14, 2021

    Flowers can have sentimental value, particularly those received as gifts or those that were part of momentous occasions, like weddings. Fresh flowers have finite life spans unless measures are taken to preserve the blooms. The flower experts at ProFlowers say pressing flowers can preserve them for years to come. While flower lovers can invest in a flower press, other heavy objects also can be effective at pressing flowers. Start by choosing flowers that are either still in bud form or are freshly bloomed. Dry the flowers out as quickly as possi...

  • Did You Know?

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Jan 7, 2021

    Until recently, private funds or long-term care insurance had been the only ways to finance long-term care like skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities or home health aides, which are not covered by traditional health insurance. However, a new option is now available. According to the online financial resource NerdWallet, for those concerned about the financial risk of buying long-term care insurance and never using it, combination long-term care/life insurance policies may be better options. Depending on the policy, a portion of the...

  • Did You Know?

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Jan 7, 2021

    According to the Cancer Patients Alliance, between 20 and 30 percent of pancreatic cancer cases are believed to be attributable to smoking. Other forms of consuming tobacco, including smokeless forms like chewing tobacco, also are associated with increasing a person’s risk of developing pancreatic cancer, which the World Cancer Research Fund notes is the 12th most commonly occurring cancer in men and the 11th most commonly occurring cancer in women. Men once accounted for a significant portion of pancreatic cancer cases, but estimates from t...

  • Religious Giving and Tithing Today

    METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION|Jan 24, 2019

    Nonprofit organizations rely on the generosity of donors to help them meet their mission statements. Billions of dollars are donated to charities each year, but few people may know that religious organizations are among the biggest beneficiaries of Americans’ charitable largesse. According to data from the National Study of American Religious Giving and the National Study of American Jewish Giving, American households donated a median of $375 to congregations, $150 to religiously identified nonprofit organizations and $250 to secular c...