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You Can’t Take It With You
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MAy 2026
CLASSICS THAT STILL HOLD UP Why Some Movies Stay With Us
With National Classic Movie Day coming up in May, I found myself thinking about the old movies I keep going back to over and over again. If I made a list, it would probably look a little scattered. I couldn’t leave out “The Godfather” or “Casablanca,” but I’d also have to include “Star Wars,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Grapes of Wrath,” “Apocalypse Now,” “The Maltese Falcon,” and “American Graffiti.” And you have to throw classic comedies like “Some Like It Hot,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Airplane,” and “Caddyshack” into the mix. At first glance, it doesn’t look like a list with much in common. It runs from crime and war to old Hollywood, small-town life, family drama, and slapstick comedy. But the more I look at it, I think all these movies keep circling the same basic question. In one way or another, they focus on what people do when life doesn’t go according to plan. That’s probably what holds my attention more than anything else now. Most of these aren’t clean hero stories. They are about people making hard choices in situations that aren’t very clean or obvious. Loyalty runs through a lot of them as well, whether it’s loyalty to family, country, friends, or an idea of who you are supposed to be. Sometimes those loyalties line up, and sometimes they don’t. A lot of these stories also center on characters figuring out what to do when things don’t turn out as they expected. That ends up being painful for some characters, but for others, it opens the door to something better. A Question to Ask (or Answer for) a Loved One Asking and answering important questions helps preserve your family’s values and life lessons for generations to come. What movie has most inspired you, and why?
All this also got me thinking about how my relationship with movies and stories in general has changed over the years. When I was younger, if a movie caught my interest, that was usually enough to go see it. I didn’t think much beyond that. Now I’m more selective. I’m not going after those with big, exciting plots. In fact, I often remember the dialogue and forget half the plot, which may be why I can watch the same movies over and over and still enjoy them. What I pay the most attention to are those stories that take time to explore why people make the choices they do. That’s probably why I also have less patience now for things that feel manufactured. I don’t mean a familiar story structure. That’s never bothered me. What wears on me is when something feels built from whatever worked last time, with just enough change to pass as new. It seems like a lot of movies coming out today are like that: remakes, sequels, and variations of the same thing. After a while, everything just runs together. The old movies I love don’t feel that way. Most are truly original and have an actual point of view. It also seems like the people who made them were willing to let the stories be a little rough around the edges rather than polish them into something safe but forgettable. The details may not be perfect, but they trusted the audience to pay attention.
It could be that the best movies never get old because they feel alive. Underneath the story, something about people always rings true, even when everything else around them changes.
Philip J. Corson, Founder
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” ECCLESIASTES 1:9
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YOUTH INNOVATION AIMED AT ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS TEEN TESTS A TINY HOME SOLUTION
In London, Ontario, an 18-year-old is getting ready to spend a year in a tiny house he designed himself. His name is Ribal Zebian, and you might recognize it from the headlines he made for an electric wooden car he built while still in high school. Now, his focus has shifted to a different challenge in his hometown. About 1,800 people in London are currently
experiencing homelessness, and that number continues to rise. Zebian hopes to contribute another tool to the growing list of potential solutions. He has designed a modular home that can be assembled in a single day, is affordable, and offers a protective, aesthetically pleasing design. The current design is built from fiberglass panels with a PET foam core, which also helps insulate and support the roof. Right now, the model is a small 8x8-foot shelter, but he says the same design can be scaled up to create larger units. Inside, the prototype is deliberately basic. It’s a secure, compact space with enough room for a bed and a place to store essentials. Zebian wants it to feel like a room someone could actually live in, not a storage bin with a mattress thrown in. The fiberglass and PET foam used for the walls
and roof help reduce drafts and retain heat during cold Canadian winters.
Beginning this month, Zebian plans to test the design’s effectiveness by staying in the house for a full year. He wants to see how it handles summer heat, wet spring weather, and deep-freeze temperatures. That experience will guide the next version and, he hopes, make the design more sturdy and long-lasting. Zebian knows his tiny house isn’t a solution to homelessness. The long-term answers involve a variety of factors, including more affordable housing and better access to support and mental health services. But what his idea can offer is a safer step between a tent and a permanent home. If cities or nonprofits can quickly place a cluster of these units, it could give people a warm, private place to stay while they work on the rest of their lives.
OZEMPIC FOR CATS? How GLP-1s Could Help Pets Slim Down
Though we love our pets no matter what, sometimes the extra treats lead to extra pounds and a visit to the veterinarian for weight-loss recommendations. Could the latest GLP-1 medications, so popular for humans, officially be “going to the dogs” … and the cats, too? If your furry friend could stand to shed some mass, here’s the latest study worth purring about.
which is a different variety than popular weight loss drugs for humans like Ozempic, which uses semaglutide. Whisker Wellness Kitty obesity is a common problem, with over 50% of household cats in the U.S. being overweight. Just as it does for
humans, weight management can extend our pets’ lives and reduce serious health issues like joint pain and diabetes. Okava believes that GLP-1 could offer benefits, such as better heart health and reduced inflammation, for pets that are even more effective than switching their diet and starting an exercise routine. Timeline Tails So, what does the future hold for pet weight loss medications, and does MEOW- 1 mean you may soon be able to buy GLP-1s for your cat or dog? Okava hopes to seek FDA approval between 2027 and 2028 and is already planning to study dogs next. They hope to make the product available for about $100 per month out of pocket. However, experts say large clinical trials are still needed, and it’s uncertain if the drugs can feasibly come in at a price point pet owners are willing to pay.
Feline Findings San Francisco-based Okava
Pharmaceuticals is currently conducting the first-ever clinical trial of GLP-1 weight- loss therapy for household pets. Named MEOW-1, the study aims to determine whether chunky cats can slim down with a miniature implant under the skin that continuously delivers GLP-1 for six months. They will monitor up to 50 cats with the implant and check their weight at three months. Okava’s GLP-1 is called exenatide,
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DISCOVER EGYPT’S ABANDONED OBELISK Cracked Grandeur
TAKE A BREAK
BLOOM CINCO COMIC DERBY EMERALD GEMINI GRADUATION LILY MEMORIAL MOTHER
Sometimes, you need to know when to cut your losses and move on.
This fact hit home for the ancient Egyptian workers who created and ultimately abandoned one of history’s most epic monuments to human failure: the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, Egypt. On paper (or, back then, papyrus ), the Unfinished Obelisk was meant to be a monolithic masterpiece worthy of the gods. Obelisks were monuments made of a single stone slab, erected in pairs outside Egyptian temples. This particular one is believed to have been commissioned by the Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled from 1473–1458 B.C.E., for either the temple of Amun in Karnak or as part of a possible tribute to the sun god Ra. The Unfinished Obelisk was intended to be the tallest and most beautiful granite monument of its kind. When completed, it was meant to stand nearly 140 feet tall, weigh about 2.5 million pounds, and embody breathtaking religious devotion and technical precision. Unfortunately, these epic plans never came to fruition. After months (and possibly even years) spent toiling in the hot sun on the project, the workers discovered a significant crack in the granite, rendering any further construction pointless. What was once imagined as the most ambitious endeavor of its kind was reluctantly abandoned to the shifting sands of time. The Unfinished Obelisk was discovered more than 3,000 years later in an Aswan quarry, still on its side and displaying the chisel marks left by diligent workers who saw their hard work come to a disheartening end. Despite its incomplete state, the site offers a fascinating glimpse into the innovative methods used to create an obelisk, including the use of dolerite rock balls to quarry the granite. Today, it’s part of an open-air museum where people can actually walk on this majestic statue and marvel at one of the world’s most stunning missed opportunities.
RENEWAL VETERANS
Shrimp Taco Soup
• 1 tbsp chili powder • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin Ingredients
• 2 tsp agave • 2 cups water • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained • 10 oz frozen corn • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined • Jalapeño slices,
• 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided • Black pepper, to taste • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 small onion, diced • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
chopped cilantro, Greek yogurt, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges, for toppings as desired
Directions 1. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. 2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, then add onion and peppers; cook 5–6 minutes. 3. Stir in seasoning mix. 4. Add tomatoes, agave, water, remaining salt, and more pepper to taste. Let simmer for 15 minutes. 5. Stir in beans and corn, then add shrimp. 6. Cook 4–5 minutes, until shrimp are cooked through. 7. Add desired toppings before serving.
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
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803-746-7000 planningyourlegacy.com PO Box 100 Bowling Green, SC 29703
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2
The Truth Inside Good Films
A Prototype Home for the Unhoused
Weight Loss Medications Go Fluffy
3
Shrimp Taco Soup
A Queen’s Monumental Misfire
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How 2-Step Verification Could Lock Your Family Out Forever
Today, a tremendous portion of our lives exists online. Bank accounts, investment portals, photo libraries, business tools, medical records, and even sentimental emails are all locked behind passwords and verification codes. But when two-step verification is turned on, those accounts can become permanently sealed after you’re gone. Two-step verification (often called two-factor authentication) is the extra security step many websites and apps now require when you log in. You enter your password, then you’re asked to confirm your identity a second way, usually through a one-time code sent to your phone, email, or an authentication app. It’s designed to keep hackers out, and during your lifetime, it does a great job of that. The problem occurs when that protection creates a mess for your loved ones later. Even when an executor or family member has the legal right to manage your affairs, they may still hit a wall. A code is sent to a phone that’s no longer active. An authentication app is tied to a device that no one can unlock. This can leave loved ones frustrated, facing delays, and sometimes important information or assets that were never meant to disappear get lost. That’s why digital planning has become a critical part of modern estate planning. It’s no longer enough to list your accounts or write down a few passwords. You need a clear plan for how digital access works, who is allowed But Did You Plan for Access Later? You Secured Your Accounts
to step in, and what should happen to those security features when you’re no longer able to use them yourself.
A solid approach includes keeping an updated inventory of your digital accounts, choosing someone you trust to manage them, and storing access instructions in a secure but discoverable place. Just as important, your estate documents should clearly authorize that trusted person to manage your online accounts and to follow platform rules when access is needed. Two-step verification is smart. Planning for it is smarter. With a little foresight, you can protect your digital life now and make things far easier for the people you leave behind.
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