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Insight - Greedy for gas prices - By Michelle Libby

Remember back a year or so ago, when gas prices were kissing $4 here in Windham. Every time we went to fill up our wallets or credit cards groaned in protest. We considered trading in our big SUVs and purchasing a bike or a Vespa, or at least I did. 

Looking back I think how did we ever survive those prices. Maybe we didn’t and that’s why we have debt that we’re trying to get rid of. (See the Money Matters section for help on this issue.)

When gas hit $1.99 I was thrilled. Giddy, even. On The Biggest Loser, they call it Wonderland when someone reaches the 100s for the first time if a while. $1.99 was gas price wonderland. Now that it’s ever less expensive, I keep hoping to see $.99. I’m a dreamer, what can I say. 

So $1.99 is a great gas price, but in Biddeford it’s $1.79. Holy cow!

I had an appointment in Biddeford and almost drove off the road trying to get to the gas station to fill up my car with the less expensive gas. Most of the time I drive around Windham and Raymond and fill up here, but when I  have the opportunity to fill up for less, I’m all over it. 

I wouldn’t drive to Biddeford, just to fill up…that seems crazy to spend two hours of my day driving back and forth to fill up my 13 gallon tank. That would save me, what, $2.00. It seems like a great deal, but when we get down to it…not so awesome. Of course, if filling up a motorhome with a 200 gallon tank…that might be a different story. 

My question about gas in Windham has always been, how come we have a gas price bubble here. Why are prices 10 or 20 cents more a gallon then Raymond for example? I’ve never understood why Windhamites have to pay more at the pump. Does it have to do with tourists traveling through the region? Or that it takes the trucks more time to get to us? I don’t understand it, but for now I’m thrilled that we are in gas price wonderland and I’m happy to stay there for the foreseeable future.

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Insight - Governor LePage - Make Maine Cool - By Robert Leonard

Governor LePage was in Windham Tuesday night speaking and almost sounding like he was giving a State of the State address.

Of course I don't agree with everything he says, but then again, it would be a boring world if I did.

We heard a lot of statistics from Governor LePage; statistics that were probably very accurate, but presented in such a way to embellish the benefit or the problem. Don’t get me wrong, I embellish, you embellish, and we all embellish to defend our beliefs. What Governor LePage is, is honest - to a fault - "Tell me what you really think Governor", said no one ever. We will have to work on some of those issues where we disagree.

I like Governor LePage because I know he reads his mail - he proved that to me last night.

But let’s expand on what I think will solve all our problems (after all, this is an editorial), problems that both political parties spout and I am pretty sure both parties will agree, keep the best and the brightest here in Maine. Do this by "Making Maine Cool".

Someone needs to market to big business and bring them to Maine. That’s a great thing for small business as big business creates a lot of supporting small business. Prime the pump - seed the farm – market Maine – Get to the executives before they make their decisions. That is your job, Mr. Governor. That means marketing and selling, yes selling, to them all the time. It is my belief that every CEO in this country will take your call and meet with you. I can’t imagine anyone not taking your call, not taking your meeting.

Our brightest are not flocking to Texas because of the better paying jobs, just the opposite. Jobs are lower paying. It is not about pay, there are just a lot of jobs. California, most notably is losing jobs to Austin - where the slogan is "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is an exciting vibrant city. It’s cool.

I heard someone say Tuesday night that “… greater Portland area Democrats are doing everything they can to turn Maine into San Francisco East …" - wouldn't it be a great thing if people, when referring to the High-Tech Bay Area were talking about Casco Bay?

Governor LePage, listen to us - Let's Make Maine Cool

Do you want to bring business to Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to create jobs in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to lower taxes in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to reduce crime in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to keep our smart people in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to keep our young people in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to make Maine Cool? - Make Maine Fun.

When we are done Making Maine Cool, we can change this saying to Keep Maine Cool. Governor LePage, are you listening?

January 15, 2016 - Editorial

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Insight - When things don't go the way you want - By Michelle Libby

Rolling with the punches. Taking what you can get. It’s all for the best. Something better will come along. We can’t all be winners.  

We’ve been told these things over and over again especially when something doesn’t go the way we hoped. Our children decided that they didn’t want to be swimmers, but instead wanted to play hockey. Our spouse decided that he wanted to buy a new car instead of going on that tropical vacation, oh and it’s snowing. We didn’t win the billion dollar Powerball jackpot.

We love to plan and think about how wonderful things would be if we won the big money or we were able to keep up with the Jones. We expected that our children would grow up to get amazing jobs that could help support us in our old age. Sometimes those things just don’t happen.  

So what do we do? Wallow? Sob? Sigh heavily?  

Naw. We need to adjust our course of action. Adjust our dream to work with the other people in our family or at work. Make hay while the sun shines.  

I didn’t win the Powerball, but I am fortunate to have a roof over my head, two children who, despite what I may want, have opinions and dreams of their own. My husband works hard and supports me. That’s winning in my book, and all I had to do was adjust what I thought was best for them to what actually is best for them.  

Just because I didn’t win this jackpot, doesn’t mean I’m going to stop playing. I’m still going to present opportunities to my family and suggest things I think might work for them. However, if they decide that it’s not what they want, I will live with it.  

My word choice for 2016, is “opportunities”. I started to use the word toward the end of 2015, but decided that it was working for me and for my family. Present opportunities, take opportunities and strive for opportunities professionally, personally, together. I encourage all of you to choose a word that you might like to live by this year. Write it out on a big sheet of paper and post it when the whole family can see it. Refer to it often and have an amazing year. 

January 8, 2016 - Editorial

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Insight - By Kelly Mank

Happy New Year everyone! It is that time of year again when we have New Year’s Resolutions, we set goals, look at our bucket lists, re-evaluate where we spend our precious time and how we live our lives. It’s a time of year for new beginnings and to form new habits.  

I personally have vowed once again to lose weight and get in shape. With every excuse in the book: Four kids, four businesses, board of director meetings, it’s too expensive, I don’t have the time, I’m tired at night, I want to sleep in, I don’t have anyone to go with, it’s cold outside, I have too much work to do, the kids need help on their homework, I need a date night with my husband, etc. etc. etc… I have made a promise to myself that this is the year. It is time to make time for me.   

Have you ever made a family resolution? I was reading something from India actually this last week and one family says how they make family resolutions. Some of the examples they gave were: Eating dinner at the table together four days a week, going on a family date once a month, no electronics for one weekend a month, saying something nice to each other every single day, and there were a few others. I sort of love this idea!  What is something I want to work on as a family? Hmm.

Do you write down your New Year’s Resolutions? I slacked on that this year. I was planning on having the kids all write down one New Year’s Resolution they want to make and then a monthly or weekly plan to make that happen. I think I will still do that this weekend. Having that piece of paper as a reminder is a great way to hold yourself accountable to what you say you want to do. I use this technique with my companies. I make sure our goals are on the wall and updated every week. This way… there is no hiding from my goals or New Year’s Resolutions, it is in my face all the time and everyone knows about it.  

This year, at The Windham Eagle Newspaper, we look forward to continuing to put out a great community newspaper, we plan to continue mailing it to every home, and lastly we plan to implement more features, advertising, and coverage on our online edition. We are always looking to help grow our community in a positive way and look forward to your support and ideas to help make this local newspaper the best in the country.   

Take a moment, if you are on Facebook, go online and tell us what your New Year’s Resolution is and how you plan on keeping it. Not only is this going to help you in holding yourself accountable but this will also help other people get ideas and motivate them to do the same.  

From all of us at The Windham Eagle Newspaper, we wish you a very happy and healthy New Year. Thank you for being part of our world!

~ Kelly Mank