Akron — Akron Today Magazine

Shopping Around – The New Norm

September 15, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

Shopping around for items is normal, but many people are moving towards shopping for items and services that used to not be questioned. Prices can be very different from one place to another depending on the vendor. And things that used to be a monopoly have a high degree of competition now. This week I saw a friend on Facebook complain about a new medication he needed be $500 a month and not covered by insurance. Within an hour he had people telling him how to get it for $60 and places he could maybe get it free (from manufacturer) and how to do it.

Facebook and other social media channels are helping people collaborate and share information to find better deals on things. But are you looking for better deals when it comes to some of these things?

Utilities – By shopping for utility providers, you can reduce your rate significantly. Put when your contract is up on your calendar and reshop for it once it expires or your rate will go up and not one will notify you.
Medical – The exact same procedure can be radically different from place to place. Some people even find it cheaper to go to another country and have a medical vacation versus just taking the first offer on a medical procedure. (Please do not shop around if it is an emergency though!)
Auto Repairs – If you are one of those people still going to the dealer, you are paying too much for some things. I do like the dealer for maintenance but not for big jobs unless it requires a specialist. That said, this is one area asking around is very important. Just taking the cheapest person to fix your car can be a nightmare.
Prescriptions – Not only does the place matter, but there are programs that will give you a discount at your pharmacy, whether in Akron, Hudson, Fairlawn or Aurora.
Cars – Sure we all shop around for cars already, but did you know if you know what you are looking for and you start calling dealerships (especially if you are a little flexible) you can get a great deal without ever setting foot on the lot (until you buy)?
Entertainment – I cannot even say “TV” or “Cable” anymore because there are so many options for entertainment. Do you just watch movies and tv shows? You probably only need a streaming service. The trick here is to know what you can’t live without and then shop around for the entertainment necessities and cut out the unused stuff.
Insurance – If you got the best price on insurance more than a year ago, why have you not shopped it around again? For example, we got a great deal on insurance a year ago and this year they raised the price about 30% for no reason. Clearly the first year was a discount to get the business and they hope people will not move after year one and the price increase. Time to start calling around.

I wish it was not such a hassle. It is an unfortunate byproduct of our hyper capitalistic economy that businesses are always using gimmicks, specials and tricks to squeeze more money out of you. You can either accept the games and pay more or you can manage your buying and pay less. The choice is yours.

5 Reasons To Cook More At Home

September 11, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

I get a little concerned when I hear that Americans do not cook. I get it if you both have professional jobs working 50+ hours a week and long commutes. I also get it if you live alone and it is easier and sometimes cheaper to go out to eat. But if you have two or more people and you are not making a bunch of money working crazy hours, going out to eat should be more of a treat and not a twice a day occurrence.

From what is reported in the media, it seems like many people did not learn cooking growing up and decide this means it is too late to learn. In fact, it is just a matter of building up your comfort level with different ways to cook and different ingredients. You can do trial and error, starting with easier stuff and building up your competence over time. You can watch cooking channels and try things you see. You can take cooking classes. You could offer to buy ingredients and cook with a friend who is a better cook than you but let them know you want to cook with them and learn.

Here are five very good reasons to cook at home – even if it is going to take you a while to get good at it.

Healthier Food – The top reason is that you know what is going in your food and you can make it healthier. The reality is that it might not taste as good as that unhealthy stuff, but it can be very good and be much better for you. For example, I make Chipotle burritos at home and they are not as good because I put 25% of the cheese and no sour cream. I just can’t bring myself to glob on huge portions like they do in the restaurant (even though it is delicious.)
Less Fried Foods – You can also cut back on fried foods when you eat at home. It is easy to order a side of fries but a pain in the but to heat up the fryer and fry things just for an unhealthy side.
Show Off a Skill – As good cooks get more rare, it is even more impressive when you meet one. The only way you become a good cook is by cooking regularly and experimenting with new recipes. Once you get there you can amaze your friends and family, impress a date and act like a snob know it all in restaurants. So much fun.
Save Money – Sometimes you might spend MORE on a meal than you would have getting the same thing in a restaurant. But what you might not factor in is that you have a lot more food than you would have by going out. So you may get 3 meals for roughly the same spend. Alcohol is one big bonus when it comes to saving money as you buy your bottle of wine or case of beer for what two glasses would have cost in that dinner out.
Get Sick Less – I am not anti-restaurant, but we do notice we get sick more when we eat out more. When you have a restaurant kitchen full of people cooking and prepping your food, it only takes one person with a cold to get the whole family sick. Restaurants do not want employees to come sick, but since the employees most likely do not get sick pay, they need to work when they are feeling under the weather. This results in people working while sick more then you would like to think.

I am not suggesting not eating out anymore. Far from it. But also you do not want to get into the habit of eating out all the time and eating prepackaged stuff at home that you only need to microwave. It is so much healthier, cheaper and more rewarding to learn how to cook nice meals. Start slow and build up your skills until you are an Iron Chef of Akron.

Art in the Park, Kent Ohio

September 10, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

The annual event, Art in the Park in Kent, Ohio is an easy drive for anyone in the greater Akron area. This event is not just art booths, but a very entertaining way to spend a day. It has live music and in many places demonstrations such as glass blowing, blacksmithing, pottery and more. There is even a group demonstrating Medieval fighting, armor, coin making and glass bead making.

There is a lot for kids to do as well. There are art activities for kids and a playground right in the center of the whole event, which includes a play climbing wall. The event is held in Fred Fuller park around the first weekend of each September and is very close to Kent downtown, which is full of restaurants if you are not interested in the park food.

Over the last few years they have added a tent where young artists can also show off and sell their wares.

The booths of local artists include photography, paintings, alpaca woven items, glass and pottery, yard art, jewelry and more. With so many options you can find something to brighten up your home or just spend a few hours browsing and chatting with the artists. To find out more about the Kent Art in the Park event visit the Kent Park and Rec Website.

Decluttering Your Ohio Home

September 6, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

A common expression is that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. It is safe to say that the opposite is true as well. Have you seen when someone leaves a home and leaves many of their belongings in it? Or how about going to a tag sale and seeing all the knickknacks which are on sale for a buck? We should turn that expression around and say “One man’s treasure is many people’s trash.”

Unless you are very disciplined, you most likely have a lot of stuff in your home that you do not use. The longer you have been there the worse it has no doubt gotten.

Decluttering your home will make it more enjoyable. When you go on vacation one of the nicest elements is the lack of clutter in a nice, spacious hotel.

Decluttering will save you money. You can sell valuable things on ebay or amazon and you can just throw away a lot of stuff. This will save you money because the more you throw away, the more thoughtful you are before you buy new things.

Decluttering will help you stay more organized. By only keeping things you really need and keeping things picked up and put away, your life will be simpler and more organized.

Decluttering will make it easier to sell your home or move. The less you have the more show-ready your home is if you decide to put it on the market. Everyone knows the more cluttered a house is the less desirable it is to potential buyers. By keeping it decluttered, you can be ready to move without months of cleaning.

Tips for Decluttering your Akron Home

If you have not used something for more than a year, either put it up for sale or throw it away.
Keep a minimal amount of holiday / seasonal items for decorating. Only keep what you enjoy the most. This stuff has a habit of building up.
Take care of papers, mail and deliveries right away. Do not let stacks grow. Whenever possible, store documents electronically and dispose of papers quickly.
Know where your local recycling center is and have older documents you no longer need shredded. This is often free if you know where to go.
Don’t assign emotions to items. Unless something truly gives you joy see it for the item it is and get rid of it if you do not need it.
Don’t keep clothes you do not wear. Donating them can give you a tax break while helping someone out.

This is a big start to living a fresher, cleaner and more clutter-free life. Enjoy the empty space.

Bullying In Schools

September 5, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

Every school has some level of bullying. Akron area schools are no different. The responsibility of dealing with bullying is not just a teacher or principle, but everyone’s responsibility because you do not know who will seen the warning signs first.

Parents should look for signs not only that their child may be being bullied, but also that they are bullying others. Consequences can be devastating for either party in the end.

Even when these issues do not end in violence, the long term negative consequences can last a lifetime. Someone who has been bullied can lack self confidence and someone who is a bully can have trouble working with others and might lack empathy and care when entering adult life. In many cases this will hurt their ability for advancement and leadership positions in working situations. While some parents may think their kids are “strong,” the lack of compassion for others is not a good thing and can lead to many negative consequences.

How do you spot if your child is being bullied?

Making excuses not to go to school, such as faking illnesses
Unexplained loss or damage of money or items
Lack of appetite
Suspicious injuries
Decrease in self-esteem
More withdrawn, possibly self destructive behavior

And how do you know if your child is bullying others?

Going to principle’s office
Getting into physical and verbal fights
More aggressive
Speaks demeaning of others
Blames others for their problems
Worries about reputation and popularity

These are just some signs. Teachers, parents and other students should all be aware of the signs and report concerns. Silence let’s the problem escalate. Schools have professionals to help with these issues and you should report any concern to the school as soon as possible. For more information, read the government stop bullying site. This has a more comprehensive list and more information if you have any concerns.

Northeast Ohio Is Tennis Hotbed

September 1, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

Northeastern Ohio, including the Akron area, is full of good tennis players passionate about the game. This can be seen by the large number of indoor private tennis clubs around the Akron area in Medina, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Hudson, Aurora and Fairlawn. What is especially noteworthy this year is that many teams from our area have won regionals, districts and now some are playing at the national level.

This does not take into consideration that junior players often start here and move to Florida eventually to improve their craft.

Lauren Davis is a professional tennis player from NE Ohio in the top 100 on the WTA circuit. She grew up in Mayfield. Now she travels the world playing tennis, Not a bad gig.

So while Florida remains the Mecca of tennis in the US, NE Ohio is producing a lot of great players. We recently went to Miami to get some specialized training, and had a great time. Part of our time was at the Rick Macci academy and part in a private residence with specialist Brian Gordon.

Sports, and in particular tennis for us, has given vacations a purpose and the opportunity to meet people and have goals beyond laying on the beach or visiting tourist traps. We still go to the beach, but between tennis matches and training.

Whether you are a junior player, a high school player, a college player or part of the adult team tennis leagues, you can get a lot of value out of the sport if you enjoy it. There is the fitness aspect which is valuable. If you are limited in movement, try doubles which is less running.

In the greater Stow area there is no better place to play indoor tennis than Latuchie Tennis Center - open year round.
LaTuchie Tennis Center

Then there is the competitive aspect. Don’t ask my why, but we humans like to compete. And tennis will give you competition that is fierce like combat.

If you are worried about the fact that Winter makes it hard to play year round, consider joining an indoor club where you can play under a roof and with heat. Junior memberships can be very affordable and it is a great way to stay active during the colder months. It is also convenient for rainy days.

Lastly, unless you live in a city where there is a lot of tennis, it is a great sport for kids who want to play on a varsity high school team but do not have one sport they are itching to play. Tennis in many smaller communities will be easier to make the team as long as the player has some experience. Often kids show up and try out for the team without any experience, so someone who has played in the summers during the middle school years goes out for the high school team, they have a good chance of being an athlete their freshman year.

Outdoor Projects To Get Done Now

July 20, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

Akron area home maintenance is important and a lot of things are easier to do in the Summer.

Summer is slipping by and it is time to start getting some outdoor projects done before the Fall. Here is a list of things to check out on your house while the weather is still good and it is easier to get these things done.

Gutter Guards – Definitely before the leaves start falling you want to consider gutter guards to keep leaves and debris out of your spouting. You can replace gutters with built in gutter guarded spouting or you can buy sheets of screen to lay over your gutters to keep the big stuff out.

Tree Trimming – Now it the right time to spot dead parts of trees and hire a tree trimmer to come in and take those branches out for you.

Window sills and frames – Before the cold comes back you can get window rot and damage fixed to better insulate your home. This could be as inexpensive as adding some caulking to whole home window replacements which can be pricey.

Porch or deck repair – do you have some boards or banners that are loose, or soft? These rotting or damaged parts of your porch or deck can be replaced and then have the whole thing power washed and re-stained to all match.

Roof shingles can also be loose or missing which could cause water damage. Having someone patch one area of your roof to prevent later damage which would be much more costly.

Power washing your home is a way to brighten it up and keep it fresh as well as remove things like mold or splatters which could lead to permanent stains.

Cement repair is another thing to consider. If your driveway is getting uneven you can call a cement leveler and have them inject cement under areas of your cement pads to raise them up and level them out.

I know I like to have a priority list for our home of upcoming projects so we keep the house well maintained and keep improving parts of it as we have the time and money. You should also have a mental list of what needs done and take advantage of good times to do them. A well maintained home will often help you avoid more costly repairs in the future.

Don’t Let Your Lifestyle Choose You

May 19, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

One of the most common things that make me think about moving to a different location from the Akron area is the idea of being in a place where the healthy lifestyle of people is more prevalent. It is a legitimate thought as the healthy lifestyle indexes for Ohio are middling at best.

However, just because the averages are not where someone would like it does not mean you need to let the lifestyle of where you live pick you.

One excuse I often think about is the seasonality of Ohio. You cannot always do the same things year-round. We love hiking as a family but not into Winter hiking. So I tend to do less in Winter.

However, if you look at some of the best places for active lifestyles in the nation, some of the top cities have the same seasons. Wisconsin, Colorado and Idaho all have highly ranked health indexes based on lifestyles.

So, what can you do to not fall into the trap of a less healthy lifestyle in Akron Ohio?

1. It is critical to have a year-round plan. You can choose activities that you can do year-round, such as a gym, indoor tennis, racket ball, basketball, working out on equipment you own, etc.

2. You can also tough out an activity year-round even if it is not traditional. One person I know who is very fit runs every day year-round with a group except for thunder storms. All other conditions she goes out, no matter the temperature or condition.

3. Not planning to do the same thing year-round, know what you can do in each season and have a backup plan for when the weather is not cooperating.

A healthy lifestyle is not just about the excursive. It is also about diet and let’s face it, we have less healthy places to eat and more easy but bad places to eat. But this is a matter of planning and doing a bit of research as well. Places like Chipotle have healthy options for something fast and most places will have healthy options. If you are looking for a breakfast or lunch, First Watch is a great option that is healthy and sprinkled around the Akron area.

We are not going to have all the options of a big city on the West coast any time soon but they do exist. Plan ahead and you will be able to not just default to a bad option when you are famished.

Plus, you can always start preparing some more things in advance and not needing to grab a meal out as often. If you are taking care of more meals at home and taking advantage of outdoor activities such as the wealth of walking paths and hiking trails in Akron you can save a lot of money, improve your fitness and choose the lifestyle you want, instead of defaulting to the one most common near you.

Exploring Nature Spots Near Akron

May 19, 2017 by Freelance Contributor

Akron, Ohio is home to some amazing bike, hike, and walk trails in Ohio. A short distance from
the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and housing a few of its own lengthy hiking trails, there are
plenty of opportunities, and gorgeous hidden nature spots in, and around Akron.

1. Portage Lakes State Park — Wingfoot Lake State Park —993 Goodyear Park Blvd. Suffield,
OH 44260

If you’re looking to do it all, kayaking, boating, swimming, hiking, and having a large group of
people, Portage Lakes State Park will be able to accommodate all of your needs. It features
many different lakes as well as a wetlands area that attracts many different species to the
surrounding area. There are also events that take place in the park which showcase the multipurpose
use of the park.

2. Cascade Valley Metro Park

Located in south Akron, this metro park offers a large range of different trails for you to explore.
The Overlook area offers amazing views and a relatively easy trail which is great for children or
beginners. More experienced hikers might enjoy the moderately challenging Highbridge Trail
which has some beautiful views of the Cuyahoga river.

3. F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm —1828 Smith Rd. Akron, OH 44313

As well as having three walking/hiking trails, this park and nature realm is a great place for
children or adults who want to learn while they hike. There includes seasonal exhibits as well as
a great kids adrea and a on-site naturalist who is happy to answer any kinds of questions about
the area and wildlife. This area houses many beautiful observation decks, ponds, and even a
large ravine. This is a perfect place to take the whole family to enjoy and learn about the
outdoors.

4. Treaty Line Area in Sand Run Metro Park —995 Treaty Line Rd. Akron, OH 44313

For those wanting to work up a sweat, the Treaty Line Area inside the Sand Run Metro Park
might be right for you. It features several challenging hills and workout stations that can further
challenge you during your walk. This trail is also pet-friendly and features restrooms and a
picnic area which makes it well suited for groups.

Get Fit For Spring Hiking

April 6, 2017 by Ron McDaniel

Fitness and endurance are important as you move into the spring, and you must begin by finding places where you will get the best workout. You need not spend your time int he gym if you do not wish to, and you may begin to hike instead. The Akron area has many good hikes, and you will find that hiking is often better for then going to the gym if you are not the fitness type. This article will show you all that is beneficial about hiking, how you must hike and where you may go in the area.

#1: Why Hike?

You may hike for a number of reasons. You may not be a runner, and it is easier to hike because you are not going as hard as you may for many miles at a time. The hiking that you do will be quite a lot of fun because you will see all the sights that you go near, and you will have time to stop and rest while you are moving. Hiking is an event that you may bring the whole family around for, and you will quite enjoy going on hikes that you have selected for their beauty.

#2: How Hard Is Hiking

Hiking is easy for the whole family to, but it is hard on your body. You will get a full workout that pushes you quite hard, and you will feel the burn in all your muscles when your are done. It is wise for you to hike for small periods until your re strong enough to go on for longer, and you will quite enjoy the way it feels to get through a hike where you got a workout without wearing yourself out.

#3: Hikes In The Akron Area

There are three very good hikes in the Akron area that you must try. You may go to Cascade Metro Parks North and South for your next hikes, and they have many trails that you will quite enjoy, and you may bring your children to play in the park at the same time. This is a lovely time for all, and it is a strong hike for someone who loves being on the trail.

You may go to the Sieberling Nature Realm when you wish to be on the trail among all the nature and animals that you may find. The Akron area is filled with wonderful wildlife, and you will quite enjoy seeing the park from a new perspective every time you take a hike there.

Each of these hikes will help you get the workout that you need, and you will feel much better about your body once you are finished.