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March 2018
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A TIME FOR HERITAGE WHAT ST. PADDY’S DAY MEANS TO ME
Well, the Buffalo Bayou won’t be dyed green, but our city will still be getting into the St. Paddy’s Day spirit! The holiday always lands right in the middle of Lent, but thankfully the Lutheran Church gives me a pass to celebrate my heritage. As Martin Luther himself said, “It’s better to think of church in the ale house than to think of the ale house in church.” So this March 17, I’ll raise a pint to a fifth-century Catholic bishop for banishing snakes from Ireland and try not to think too hard about the details. Like many Irish-Americans, St. Patrick’s Day is more about celebrating our family’s heritage than anything else. We still have strong roots tying us back to the old country, and it’s great to have a time of year set aside to honor that storied ancestry. You see, “Brannon” used to be “O’Brennan” when my ancestors lived in County Cork. My great-great-grandparents were forced to flee starvation and turmoil in the mid-1800s, when the potato famine struck. We actually have a copy of the logbook they signed at Ellis Island. Looking at the signature still gives me goosebumps. I imagine my family amid the tired, huddled masses of Europeans, choosing a new name for a new country. When it was their turn to sign, did they have to steady their hands against tremors of hope and fear? Or were they simply relieved to be on dry land after an exhausting Atlantic crossing? It’s amazing how a signature on a piece of paper can carry so much weight.
along the railroad lines. They started as laborers, laying the tracks that tied our young nation together. This connection to the railroad is as recent as my grandfather. He wasn’t hammering railway spikes, though. He’d made his way to engineer. As the dates on the documents draw closer to our own time, the hand-scrawled notes are gradually replaced by the deliberate punchings of early typewriters. Over the course of this paper journey there are splashes of color, like a great-uncle who was ambushed by bootleggers while riding his police motorcycle. One pattern holds true, though: Brannons have boys. Well, until my daughter came along, that is. For five generations, my dad’s side has only had sons. The news that my wife and I would give birth to a little girl was such big news to our extended family that we actually got calls from Ireland! My parents go to visit our Irish relatives every year, so it’s not like we’re out of touch. Still, getting those long- distance calls two decades ago was quite the memorable experience! I still remember some distant relative telling me in a thick brogue over the receiver, “Ye forgot to put the stem on the apple, boy-o!” So as distant as the past may seem, modern databases and telecommunications have done wonders to bridge the gap. Our family’s story is just one bright green thread woven into the tapestry of our nation’s identity. Still, being able to trace the bobs and weaves of that thread, from the mouth of the Hudson to the western plains, has been an eye-opening experience. That’s why this St. Paddy’s Day, I’ll be toasting the past generations of Brannons, O’Brannons, and the ones who will follow in the future.
“Looking at the signature still gives me goosebumps. I imagine my family amid the tired, huddled masses of Europeans, choosing a new name for a new country.”
We have this document and more thanks to my mother. She’s become quite the historian in her spare time, searching Ancestry.com and the Mormon databases for snippets of our family’s story that would otherwise be lost. What she’s collected over the years is fascinating.
–Bra nnon Lloyd
From these records, marriage licenses, and ephemera of a bygone time, it became possible to trace the Brannon’s westward migration
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KEEPING UP WITH YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
What You Need to Do to Stay On Track and Push Forward March is the month of spring time and rejuvenation. It’s also the time when most people have forgotten about the resolutions and goals they set earlier in the year. Have you neglected or given up your goals? If you have, you are far from alone. Most people let their goals fall to the wayside at least by March, if not long before. It comes down to four simple reasons. want to involve anyone else, keep a notebook or diary to track progress. Or if you are learning a new skill, such as a foreign language for a trip next year, the resource you need may be an app on your phone.
When you bring specific goals together with the necessary resources, achieving your dreams becomes more possible than ever before. You just have to take steps to avoid falling into the mistakes listed above. Set attainable concrete goals, track your progress, and check in with someone to keep you accountable. Since it’s been a few months, take a moment to review how far you’ve come since January. What do you need to do to make 2018 your best year yet?
1. They set goals that were out of reach or unrealistic.
2. They had zero accountability.
3. They set abstract goals.
4. They didn’t track progress.
Setting goals is the easy part. A lot of people say they want to lose weight, eat better, learn a new skill, or try a new hobby, but they don’t define their goals any further. Vague goals aren’t really goals at all. The best way to stay on track is to be as specific as possible. Understand what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Make sure you have access to the appropriate resources that will help you make progress. Resources come in all forms. Look to the people around you for accountability — your family, friends, neighbors, or colleagues. If you don’t
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“I have been working with The College Money Guys for a couple of months now, and so far they have really helped me look into schools I’ve never thought about before, as well as showing me how to prepare for testing, etc. I am excited to see what else they have to offer as time goes on.”
“The help I received from The College Money Guys is undeniably one of the main factors that contributed to my acceptance to the colleges I wanted to go to and to the scholarship-winning essays that I was able to write. These are some of the best minds with first-hand experience regarding the admissions process, and I cannot thank them enough for working with me.”
–Hunter M.
–Mariana R.
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ARE PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS WORTH IT? WHEN TO APPLY
APPLYING DOESN’T HURT
This is shaping up to be a banner year for our students! Last year, the self-reported tuition awards from the families we help totaled over $18 million. That’s a lot of savings! But this year, if our early numbers are any indication, we’re on track to reach $20 million. We’ll know once the award letters finish coming in for our seniors. Meanwhile, our juniors and sophomores are hard at work getting those grades up before summer. The combination of grades and athletics is a great way to qualify for merit-based scholarships at the colleges they apply to. While you can’t do your child’s schoolwork for them, you can take a look at another avenue of funding: private scholarships.
However, much like the lottery, “you gotta get in it to win it!” So a little legwork is recommended. These scholarships never have to be repaid and can be a great way to supplement the awards your child already qualify for. Private foundations and organizations offer them to students based on their ethnic background, religious affiliation, talents, hobbies, skills, interests, athletic abilities, etc.
START EARLY
You can only get these sources of funding if you apply for them, and you can only locate and apply for them if you start looking in your child’s junior year of high school . Since most parents procrastinate, you will be competing for these dollars against a smaller playing field!
DON’T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME
We aren’t big believers in allocating a whole lot of time searching for private scholarships, since they only make up approximately 1 percent of all the funds available for a college education. Most award money comes from the federal government, the state you live in, and the universities your child applies to. Focus on financial aid forms and college-specific scholarships before turning your attention to private avenues of funding.
THINK LOCAL
Have your child ask their high school guidance counselor what local scholarships are available, and grab any and all applications for all the programs they think they have a shot at. Then, fill ‘em out, even if you think you don’t have much of a chance. You never know!
HAVE A LAUGH
ZESTY ZUCCHINI ENCHILADAS
INGREDIENTS
• 4 large zucchini • 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
• 2 teaspoons cumin • 2 teaspoons chili powder • 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken • 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 large onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt to taste. Stir to combine. Add chicken and 1 cup enchilada sauce. 2. Use vegetable peeler to thinly slice zucchini. Lay out three slices, slightly overlapping, and spoon chicken mixture on top. Roll the zucchini “tortilla” and place on baking sheet. Repeat until all zucchini and chicken is used. 3. Cover the enchiladas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 20 minutes, and enjoy!
[ Adapted from delish.com ]
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
2000 North Loop West Suite 200 Houston, TX 77018 713.422.2720
INSIDE
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St. Patrick’s Day to an Irish-American Are You Keeping Up With Your Goals?
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Our Clients Say It Best The Dos and Don’ts of Private Scholarships The 3 Best Places to See Beautiful Flowers
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BONUS MONEY-SAVING CONTENT INSIDE!
Spring is here, which means flora will soon be in full bloom. Flowers can be an easy pick-me-up or a great way to add color to your home, but some people take their flower obsession to the next level by planning botanical- themed vacations. Here are some of the most impressive gardens and flower displays in the world. EARTH’S MOST BEAUTIFUL FLOWER DISPLAYS
ANZA-BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK
NETHERLANDS
Desert lavender, flowering cacti, pygmy poppies, and rock daisies are just a few of the many wildflowers decorating Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The various native species are often seen weaved together to form a colorful carpet over any barren patch in the park, which is located just two hours from San Diego. In addition to flowers, visitors often spot bighorn sheep. Wildflower blossoms vary in intensity each year, but they typically begin to bloom in late February or early March.
Holland, most famous for its tulips, always draws visitors at the first sign of spring. One of its most famous destinations, Keukenhof, located in Lisse, is among the world’s largest flower gardens. The park is 79 acres and boasts approximately 7 million flowers each year. This colorful garden is open annually from mid-March to mid-May, but mid-April is the ideal time to see the tulips.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Next time you’re planning a spring trip, consider visiting one of the world’s most beautiful flower displays. No green thumb required.
Besides the monuments and historic buildings, one of the biggest attractions in Washington, D.C. is the cherry tree blossoms. Travelers who visit the Tidal Basin during the spring can witness 3,000 trees, which were a gift from Tokyo in 1912, flaunt their beautiful pink blossoms. The best time to see the spectacle is from the end of March through the end of April.
The Lucord Family • The Hansen Family • The Schaberg Family
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