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Page 6B, The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, July 2, 2008
PRESENTED 0Y
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Where volunteering beginS-
I * : K>iiiil h-v- li:
Finances for Two:
Newlyweds and
Money
FIRST DATES
ACROSS
1. Vietnam's neighbor
5. Special Wednesday for
Christians
8. Surrender
12. Wet nurse
13. Guns aren't much use
without it
14. Voids or vacancies
15. It has minimal distortion
16. Often used in hunting
17. Not the same ones
18. *When love is rarely
found
21. Rubbish
22. Famous T-Rex
23. Hee-hawed, as in donkey
26. Luge rider
30. Tote, as in suitcase
31. Nullify
34. of thumb
35. *You probably want it
portrayed favorably on a first
date
37. DNA transmitter
38. Thrown ahead of band
39. Very bright star
40. *Followed by a movie?
42. Has April 15th as dead
line
43. *Typical date prep
45. Jennifer's role on
"Friends"
47. One who loves attention
48. White tree
50. *Four on the town
52. Approximately
54. Julia's Academy Award
winning role
55. Sudden attack
59. These lips sink ships
60. Trampled
61. A duckling that became
a swan
62. Feeble
63. *Date night?
64. Tree trunk under bark
DOWN
1. Between sol and ti
2. Friend in Paris
3. Goon
4. Evasive
5. Collect
6. *He played dating coach
in "Hitch"
7. *Have the for
someone
8. Official chair of bishop
9. Genuine
Special to the Ledger
By Cathy Elliott
Everything from fresh
fruit to football enjoys
a peak season, although
increasingly some of them
can’t make up their minds
regarding exactly which
season best applies.
Major League Baseball,
for example, while billing
its players as “The Boys of
Summer,” continues to refer
to the season-ending World
Series as the “Fall Classic”.
What’s the deal, base
ball? Make up your mind,
already. You can’t have it
both ways.
On second thought,
perhaps you can. NASCAR
has handily skirted any
such seasonal confusion
by spreading itself evenly
across all four.
Unless you’re one of ice
hockey’s dozen or so fans,
the professional sporting
landscape during the winter
is rather desolate. Winter is
the season with the shortest
days and the lowest aver
age temperatures. In the
northern hemisphere, it is
the only season which spans
two calendar years, making
it seem even longer than it
actually is.
The time of year imme
diately following the Super
Bowl leaves some sports
enthusiasts cold, in more
ways than one. Baseball’s
Opening Day seems such a
distantly futuristic and un
reachable concept it might
fall under the direction of
George Lucas rather than
(MLB commissioner) Bud
Selig. The NBA’s All-Star
Game will be played in Leb-
ruary, marking the season’s
halfway point, but this will
come as a huge surprise to
most of the sports view
ing public, who thought
the league got cranked up
sometime around Mother’s
Day.
Enter NASCAR. The
hottest sport in America
10. Date asked of expecting
women
11. Van Gogh cut one off
13. Wear away
14. *Offers lots of advice for
dating women
19. "Flashdance" Cara
20. Small island
23. *LTnknown date
24. Through the grapevine?
25. American aloe
26. Baseball great Musial
27. Found in Netherlands
is not content to wait until
the winter ice thaws on its
own. Instead, it charges in
to hurry things along, at a
speed of 200 mph or so. The
Daytona 500 steals March’s
slogan along with its thun
der, roaring in like a lion in
mid-February to rouse race
fans from the sound they
hate most — silence.
Cold as it may be, in
NASCAR terms, winter is
pretty darned cool.
Hot (OK, marginally
warmer) on the heels of
winter comes springtime.
Spring is the season of
renewal and growth. Many
plants bloom at this time of
year, some even when snow
is still on the ground. These
bright flowers pop their
heads up and look things
over, and some of them get
pushy and shove their way
to the top, earning some
early attention.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series has its own rites of
spring. These early bloom
ers work to accumulate as
many driver points as possi
ble in order to get a healthy
head start. In a sport filled
with inevitable peaks and
valleys, burnouts as well as
blowouts, it’s never too soon
to let your true colors show.
(It is also no coincidence
that hurricane season begins
in the spring.)
Summertime, the sea
son with the longest days,
warmest temperatures and
largest crowds of vacation
ers of the year, also includes
some of racing’s most popu
lar destinations, with events
like the Allstate 400 at the
Brickyard in Indianapolis,
the night race at Bristol, and
the Pepsi 400 at Daytona on
the Fourth of July weekend.
Some NASCAR drivers
and their teams conclude
this season with a golden
glow, while others just get
burned. Everyone agrees,
however, that while sum
mer isn’t exactly a day at
I..I-
28. *Unwelcome outcome
for parents of those dating?
29. Relating to kidneys
32. "Get a 2 !"
33. Conservative political
commentator Coulter
36. Provider of gas in cities
before natural gas
38. Husk
40. " and Dumber"
41. Found on a "to do" list
44. Popular preparation of
mushrooms
as NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series competi
tion is heating up and reach
ing its height.
The poet John Keats
described autumn as a
time of “mellow fruitful
ness.” While in NASCAR
it is certainly true that fall
will be fruitful indeed for
one driver, it is anything
but mellow. Rather, it is the
season when competitors
literally reap what they’ve
sown, as the top 12 driv
ers who have raced their
way into the Chase for the
NASCAR Sprint Cup are
46. A winged child
48. Known for his "yogi-
isms"
49. Dostoevsky's "The
50. Usually accompanied by
gloom
51. " Make a Deal"
52. " or nothing"
53. Type of constrictor
56. In the past
57. Sick
58. Used for coloring
now vying for ownership of
the champion’s trophy.
It’s sort of the ultimate
Harvest Festival, when you
think about it.
At some point in the year,
almost everything has its
moment to shine. Racing, in
its own unique fashion, has
found a way to encompass
all of them. It effortlessly
bridges the gap from flip-
flops to snowshoes, remind
ing us in winter and spring,
summer and fall, that
NASCAR is always fresh,
in stock, and never, ever out
of season.
June is a popular time for
weddings, and it’s important
that newlyweds get off on
the right foot as far as their
finances are concerned.
A total of 84% of couples
said that money causes
arguments in their mar
riages, according to a Money
magazine survey. But taking
the right steps now can save
a lot of tension and disagree
ment later, according to the
Georgia Society of CPAs.
Here are some recommenda
tions for getting the right
start financially.
BE HONEST
To avoid unexpected
surprises, talk before you tie
the knot about each person’s
financial situation. A mar
riage is sure to get off to a
rocky start if one spouse
learns that the other has
thousands of dollars in debt
or earns far less than they
had claimed. Your spouse
will find out your financial
secrets at some point, so it’s
best to reveal them before
marriage so that both people
enter the union with realistic
expectations.
SHARE YOUR DREAMS
It’s also important to be
candid about your financial
hopes so that you’re sure
your spouse shares them.
There could be disagree
ments down the road if one
spouse is aspiring to a lux
ury lifestyle while the other
has a more low-key approach
in mind. Sit down together
before the wedding and have
a truthful discussion about
your income, your assets
and liabilities and plans for
the future. Talk also about
how you will make financial
decisions in the future and
how you will handle regular
bookkeeping and investment
planning. LTnderstanding
each other now will cut down
on disagreements later.
GET YOUR DOCU
MENTS IN ORDER
Marriage triggers sev
eral changes that should be
reflected in key financial
paperwork. For example, you
may want to add your new
spouse as the beneficiary
for your insurance poli
cies, 401(k) plan, individual
retirement account, invest
ment and savings account or
any other assets. If you are
taking your spouse’s name,
make sure the name change
is made on your Social Secu
rity card, driver’s license and
other identification, as well
as on insurance policies and
bank or retirement accounts.
REVIEW YOUR INSUR
ANCE
A newly married couple
may find that their combined
insurance leaves them with
too much or too little cover
age in some areas. If you
are moving into a new home
or combining households,
assess your homeowner’s or
renter’s policy to make sure
it fully covers your new loca
tion. Look into each spouse’s
health insurance, as well, to
see if one policy is cheaper
and if it can be used to cover
both spouses. This is also a
good time to begin analyzing
your life insurance options
to ensure that each spouse
is well provided for and that
you have chosen the policy
that best suits your needs.
LOOK TO THE FUTURE
To set a sound founda
tion for your future, create a
budget immediately that is
based on your newly com
bined incomes and monthly
expenses, and stick to it. A
realistic budget can help you
avoid financial problems and
disappointments down the
road. It’s also a great tool
to use when setting your
near- and long-term financial
goals.
And, as you begin your
new life together, don’t forget
to write or update your wills.
This step will ensure that
there are no unnecessary de
lays with inheritances later.
YOUR CPA CAN HELP
Smart financial planning
can help contribute to a long
and happy marriage. Turn to
your CPA for advice on any
important financial ques
tions.
The GSCPA is the premier
professional organization for
CPAs in the state of Georgia.
With over 11,000 members
throughout the state, the
purpose of the GSCPA is
to promote the study of
accountancy and applicable
laws, provide continuing
professional education,
maintain high ethical and
work standards, and provide
information about account
ing issues to the membership
and the public. For more
information, access our web
site at www.gscpa.org.
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Flowers and Happy Anniversary
Mr. & Mrs. Don Cornett
Compliments of
Leesburg Flower and Gift
Walnut Street Leesburg, Georgia
Phone 759-6917
Flowers may be picked up at Leesburg Flower and Gift
Wishes a Happy Birthday:
July 3 : Adella Thomas Yarbrough, Richard A. Stastny, Jil
Learn, Savannah Barber, Tim Mears, Joel Eubanks, Glenda
Manders, Gregery Johnson, Rebecca Clark, Marc Phelps,
Joy Mathis, Mary Anne Martinez, Rita Johnson; July 4: Dee
Motto, Eugene Jordan, Haley Fulford, Marti Crawford, Colin
Entz, Nicole Kennedy, Justin Hardy, Cam Deiter, Cheryle Gil-
lin, Larry Breeden, Hannah Crain, Martha Phillips, LaVonda
Paulk, Don Richter; July 5: Betty Haynes, Ryan Graham,
Dana Atkins, Trey Kerce, Andy Spurlock, Nichole L. Floyd,
Wendy Hollomon, Lori Walker, Carolyn Geise, Carl Lewis,
Tod Kennedy, Billy McNeal, Mike Alford, Gwen Knight,
Jason Griffin, Rhonda Moore, Brian Paul, Bobby McClary;
July 6 : Linda Walker, Ethan Grant, Bo Wilcox, Matt Henne,
Earnest Ware, Brittany Rajala, Melvin Eubanks, Wade McKin
non, Justin R. Purvis, David Bowden, Mary O’Hearn, Roby
Medley, Mitchell Taylor, Melissa Hawkins, Kaye Magee; July
7: James Runge, Kaye Smith, Macy Seymour, Jenny Cannon,
Katherine Espy, Ethel Ellington, Vicki Bell, John K. Berryhill,
Ron Dillard, Katie Marie Stripling; July 8: Michael Royals,
Charles Stiles, Beth Roberts, Timmy Jones, John Kerce, Tony
Davis, Dexter Wells, Billy Tucker, Richard Bush, Alan Adams,
Jamie Owens, Larry Willis, Shayna Parsons, Grant Capps,
Maggie Cheek, Jonathan Ouzts; July 9: Barbara Cannon, Lem
Watson, Madison Davis, Stoy Robinson, Janelle Wetherald,
Anissa Henderson, Lamar Hatcher, Dennis Harrell, Terry
Cook, Robert E. Hammack, Jr., Michelle Satterfield, Mark Jen-
nelle, Robby Kirksey, Kenecthia Stubbs, Kevin Paul
Wishes a Happy Anniversary:
July 3 : Mr. and Mrs. Roy Harrell, Mr. and Mrs. George Duke,
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Potter, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Etheridge,
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Baxley, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bush, Mr.
and Mrs. Rickey Gadd, Mr. and Mrs. Mitch Friar; July 4: Mr.
and Mrs. Don Cornett, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Davis; July 5: Mr.
and Mrs. Jesse Glover, Mr. and Mrs. Thad Wilkinson; July 6:
Mr. and Mrs. John Williford, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Richards,
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wimbush, Jr.; July 7: Mr. and Mrs. Bob
Dutton, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Mike Lallathin, Mr. and Mrs. Brian
LeMay, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Toms; July 8: Mr. and Mrs. Don
Gay, Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Hammack, Jr.; July 9: Mr. and
Mrs. Robert Mathis, Mr. and Mrs. Gene Ritchie, Mr. and Mrs.
Sam Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Rusty Muliford, Mr. and Mrs. Steven
McCorkle
On NASCAR: A Sport For All Seasons
the beach for
everyone, it is
definitely one
hot time of year
for racing.
After summer
comes autumn,
the season
when the nights
become notice
ably shorter
and the weather
substantially
cooler. During
the calendar
year’s “winding
down” period,
however, NAS
CAR is doing
just the opposite
Cathy Elliott