Columns

  Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco” is one of the most significant works of art ever created. Not only is its impact historic in launching Verdi’s successful career as an opera composer and so decidedly affecting the direction of Romantic opera, but it clearly had a historic impact on Italy and European politics. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine what Europe might look like even today if “Nabucco” had not been staged at La Scala in March 1842. Perhaps the greatest miracle of “Nabucco” was that it was the work of a very troubled young composer — certainly a talented man, but …

  Why create an inventory of your assets for long-term care planning? Often we go to the doctor thinking, “I feel fine.” As you are aware, though, the doctor doesn’t simply take your word for it. Rather he or she will do a blood workup to see if he agrees with your assessment. The equivalent of a blood workup for legal and financial advisers is a thorough inventory. Some think that by listing assets on a piece of paper that they have created an adequate inventory of what their assets are. This list certainly is a starting point for the …

      A few years ago, I received a phone call from a cousin I had not heard from in some time. Some years earlier, this distant relative and I had been in regular contact while I was working with them on their branch of the family tree. They gave me the data on the descendants and photographs, so the tree would be up to date. I gave them ancestry going farther back than they ever dreamed. Then they called me years later to tell me that they found the same ancestry data on the internet and I should …

  The Federal Reserve finally pulled the trigger on raising a key short-term rate that will inevitably lead to increases in the rates for credit cards, car loans and home equities. This marked the first time in nine years that the Fed has raised rates and marks the end to near-zero lending rates to banks. What does this mean? Consumers will pay a little more on their loans and savers will earn a little bit more from the money that they have in the bank. The Fed is hoping to raise rates two more times in 2016, but said that …

  Buying a home is one of the largest purchases you’ll make in your lifetime and it could ultimately become a life-altering event. It’s normal for you to be nervous and everyone has some sort of buyer’s remorse, but it’s too late after you sign on the dotted line, so put some thought into your decision before you start your search. The expression “house rich, cash poor” means that you have spent so much on your monthly mortgage payment that you are too broke to do anything else. Just because a bank tells you they can approve you for a …

  Here we are on the cusp of 2016 and I’ve got some updates and clarifications about 2015 topics in my most recent columns. I am also going to continue with a description of my fantastic trip to Italy with the Veneti nel Mondo. First off, let me say that the 42nd Annual Pullman House Tour was a great success and a major reason for that success was the made to order beautiful weather. There were nine houses on the tour this year along with four civic buildings. The first floor of the Hotel Florence was open for viewing and on …

  Going back many years, it is hard to remember a Lyric Opera production that fired on all cylinders so marvelously as on the October 23rd performance of “Cinderella.” (No doubt for marketing purposes Lyric calls Rossini’s comic opera “Cinderella” instead of its original, commonly known title, “La cenerentola.”) During the time I have been reporting on the many productions of operas at Lyric, I have never shied away from pointing out (and occasionally discussing “ad nauseum”) various weaknesses in the musical or dramatic presentations, but in this “Cinderella” I was extremely pleased to find only hearty strengths in every …

  Experiencing Italy with 35 like-minded individuals was a true gift. I can see why many of my fellow travelers were making the trip for the second, third or even fourth time. For some, the trip was an opportunity to visit family while for others like myself, it was a chance to see the many beautiful cities we had heard about throughout our lives. To me, the most enriching and rewarding part of the trip was our “guida’ guide Simonetta Ferramosca, for her third trip guiding a Veneti nel Mondo excursion. In 2009 my son and I visited Rome and …

  Everyone’s decorating style is unique; one person may like a contemporary style while others may like a more classic Victorian look. But the true beauty in real estate is in the eye of the beholder. Many sellers spend thousands of dollars to ‘stage’ their home to show buyers the true potential of the living space. Use neutral colors when staging your home and make sure your tactics will appeal to a majority of buyers coming to see your space. If your furniture is worn out or just plain ugly, why would you stage your home with it? If you …

When I first went to Salt Lake City years ago, I saw a rather elderly lady struggling to drag two large heavy carts of papers with her into the Family History Library. One cart bumped into the door, the other cart fell over. It was not a pretty site. As I rushed to help her, I thought to myself. “Self, make sure all your documents are portable and electronic so you don’t have to lug carts full of papers everywhere you go.” With scanners and cloud storage, you can carry any number of pages with you in a phone or …