by Lauren Walker When you're leaving the grocery store, they often put the chocolate bars right at the check out. These are impulse buys. Notice how, when you're cashing out, they seem to call your name? With their brightly wrapped labels and cheap prices, most people pick them up. Why? It's obvious and in your face, so you buy it and eat it. Your impulse is satisfied instantly. Bad habits are like the candy at the grocery store, because they are easy to pick up and will sati

by Shawn Lackie If I have heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times in the crazy world of Real Estate. “Your first offer is usually your best offer.” That’s not always true, but as a rule, I would say it is at least 80% of the time usually because the buyer is all jazzed and ready to go. Obviously, the current economic climate and buy/sell situation vary. Like the pandemic, for example, when you barely had a chance to look at your first offer, and when you did, it was ins

by Tina Y. Gerber - McCurley A quiet, enduring wonder lives in everyday life. Those moments which help ground you and make ordinary days into a beautiful life. God breaks us down so He can build us back up. He cleans away the cob webs of our lives before revealing His plan. Why do we rush? Nothing changes, but everything feels different. We know the earth still turns, and the sun shines even when we feel struck, whether it's from loneliness, stress, or illness. What have you

by Shawn Lackie I just finished reading an article on the thriving real estate market in Monaco. Yes, that would be the one on the southern coast of France. It's the second smallest country in the world behind Vatican City. As they say, though – small but mighty. Check out the prices of some of the homes there, and you’ll get a quick look at how the other half lives. Except, they would be more like the upper, upper, upper scale elites. There are more millionaires AND billiona

by Lauren Walker As some of you know, I am a local visual artist. I've never really spoken about my other passion... writing! While it may be apparent in my weekly articles, I started writing when I was a kid. My first poem was written in grade five and over the years I've published online and have spent many years writing for the The Standard News. My next adventure allows me to marry two things I love the most. I look forward to sharing my journey to writing and illustratin

by Shawn Lackie We live in a democratic society, fought for by generations past. People gave their lives to ensure we could express ourselves, both in word and in how we vote. I know, what does THIS have to do with Real Estate. Well, it could be significant. Over the past few years, Scugog has been exposed to one proposal for development after another. None of these addressed what the area really needs. That would be, affordable housing for young families, seniors and all tho

by Lauren Walker It's pretty sad when people cannot even cross the street without looking at their phone. I've been listening to an audiobook, on Spotify, regarding, how to “stop people pleasing and set boundaries" by Marieme Seck. It is about setting priorities, achieving goals and how to become more focused in life. In an age where we are so connected with everything else, we are terribly disconnected with ourselves. You Are the Product Social media is designed to keep you

by Tina Y. Gerber – McCurley I was blessed to do palliative care and hospice care, within the community, and in Long-Term-Care. Even the most unexpected encounters can change our lives in profound ways. Family, marriage, means you’ve accumulated years of history, like those inside jokes, shared responsibilities, raising a family together and saying goodbyes to a loved one. We know death is an inevitable part of living and the death of a spouse is one of the hardest and most p

By Shawn Lackie I get asked that question a lot. While there is no simple explanation (much like life itself) there are a number of contributing factors. Top of the list would be unreal expectations from sellers. Many believe they should be getting what a neighbour got, just down the street, for the sale of their home, in 2026. Except, the other home sold in 2020, or around that time when the feeding frenzy was at its peak, and actually out of control. So, comparing these two

by Shawn Lackie The Bank of Canada has resisted raising interest rates, over a number of announcements, in the last year or so, with good reason. I am not an expert on exactly how this impacts buyers, but I know someone who does. Brad Vokins, from Dominion Lending Centres, has been in the business for over 20 years and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge along the way. I have always deferred to the experts in this business, so I’m not going to stop now. Especially with a to

by Lauren Walker Did you know that every painting begins with a rough sketch? A sketch is a quick, loose drawing that provides the foundation for any painting. Just like a foundation, you build upon it to create a finished product. Where do you start? Action Lines In my "Beginner Wildlife Painting for Older Adults" course in October, we will learn about action lines. Think of an action line as a line designed to capture your subject's movement. If you're drawing a bird in fli

by Shawn Lackie You know the saying, yes? “The more they stay the same.” In 1988, I decided I needed a change from the Toronto rat race, especially in the television field. I was running Communications for CBC Sports and really wasn’t looking forward to spending 6 weeks in Korea, for the Olympic Games. So I packed it in and came back to Port, to hook up with my Father-In-Law in his business. That was around the time the economy was doing a bit of a dive (tank?), so it was fr

by Geoffrey Carpentier In my last two columns, I spoke about the mechanics of migration – how do birds migrate? What tools do they have to make these perilous journeys? What can go wrong when they lose those tools or use them improperly? Today let’s finish the story and see how the environment itself can cause catastrophic challenges. I mentioned last time that small errors in the chosen migration route will be magnified each time the bird deviates from course. Gradually, the

by Shawn Lackie Many years ago, when we first started our home-owning journey, we looked in a number of areas in Toronto. For us at the time, the main criterion was: could we afford this? Even if it meant living in what would now be called a scuzzy neighbourhood (is scuzzy even a word?). At any rate, we looked everywhere and settled on a place we could afford. That was the main thing. We could afford to buy the place, and that was all that mattered. Well, it seems that’s not

By Shawn Lackie Lately, I have been seeing more and more of AI (Artificial Intelligence) articles being posted. Note, I didn’t say written, as these travesties are far from written pieces of work. They are computer-driven cliched pieces of junk, with absolutely no soul and definitely no feel for the topic being discussed. Here’s a sample: “Allowing Canadians to reflect on the diverse and vibrant nation they call home. With its stunning array of four seasons and rich cultural.

by Tina Y. Gerber-McCurley It's certainly been a challenging year for my husband and I. We both look forward to a fresh start with hope and anticipation. Consequently, as believers, we focus our eyes on Jesus. Many people see an older person as broken, and they somehow need to be fixed! I will admit our bodies do change, sometimes suffer, and their parts no longer work like they once did! Most seniors seem to begin to disappear into the background, and this is a growing probl

by Shawn Lackie If you have been in this business, for any length of time as an agent, you probably get asked, “When is a good time to buy a number of times?” The answer? Who knows. Especially in the last three plus years. This whole market is like playing with stocks. The old adage used to be, 'Buy Low and Sell High' and to a certain extent that still carries some weight. The trick is in figuring out the timing. 2016- 2019 put an entirely different spin on things. When the p

by Tina Y. Gerber - McCurley My husband has always been an inspiration to me. He handles his health issues, and difficulties with grace, mercy, and dignity bearing the cross he was given. Over the last four years, we both have come to understand, the Blessing is, we are considered worthy enough to carry those burdens. We are a vessel for God, allowing God to fill us with His Holy Spirit, for whatever purpose God has for us. I am still struggling with my health issues from Dec

by Lauren Walker I am certainly not one to beat around the bush, so let's get to the point. We all make decisions every day which either help or hurt our wellness. Poor lifestyle choices lead to poor health, there's no way around it. You cannot fix years of ill health in a few months. Choices, choices, choices... it all comes down to choices people! Let's do the Math Over the years, I've come across the same issue over and over again. Bad habits are often easier to invest in

by Lauren Walker Complacency is the enemy of creativity. It's no different in my profession as a personal trainer. When I worked in a gym, I used to watch people do the same routine over and over and never get anywhere. They became comfortable, but the problem is they never got any stronger. If you are locked in a predictable routine, then how will you get any stronger as an artist? Shake it Up Many years before becoming an artist, I was locked into a pattern I didn't like. I