COVER FEATURE

Happy Holidays from City pages!

We started this tradition a few years ago during

the holidays, where we ask a couple of get to know you questions. Yes, City Pages is run by real people! So we’re doing the same this year, along with a list of top TV series to binge on. Have a happy holidays from your friends at City Pages.

Todd Sopata

(sales rep, Wausau City Times):

What are you thankful for in 2021, and why?

Jesus and my family, we are all healthy and blessed. What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

Closer to retirement. What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received, and why?

An electric skillet, we use it all the time.

Tim Schreiber

(Regional Manager)

What are you thankful for in 2021, and why?

I’m most thankful for a happy, healthy, family. Everything else is just the frosting, family is the cake. What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

Most looking forward to traveling again. Th e pandemic has interrupted so many people’s plans over the past 2 years and we are hoping that 2022 will allow us to take a few trips that are on our bucket list. What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received, and why?

I remember getting an Atari electronic gaming system when I was young. It came with Pong, and was state of the art for its time. Th at one ball going back and forth with 2 paddles controlled by us. Wow how exciting that was. I remember playing for hours and fi ghting over “I got the next game” with brothers and friends.

Paul Bahr

(Sales Rep)

What are you most thankful for in 2021, and why?

My family and friends is what I am most thankful for in 2021.

My son Matt, daughter Lauren and my beautiful wife Becky are my everything and I am lucky to have them in my life.

Th row in some good friends on the side for good measure and that tops it all off . Most looking forward to in 2022

Hopefully this Covid thing will leave and we can get back to regular activities without worrying about masks and shots. Best Christmas Present Ever

When I fi rst met my wife Becky many years ago and we were dating, her family gave me a Winchester Shotgun/ Rifl e Combo.

I still have it and it is a great gun. B.C. Kowalski

(Editor in Chief)

What are you most thankful for in 2021, and why?

I could name a number of things here, but I’m most grateful for my new dog, Abby. She’s a 9-month-old Golden Retriever and quite possibly the sweetest dog I’ve ever seen. My cat Mr. Higgins is less grateful than I am, but they’re learning to coexist. What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

It’s a little bit of a plug, but I’ve been helping Jarrod Crooks fi lm his Christmas-themed movie, Th e Big Gift, which is set to debut in Christmas 2022. Th e fi lm has been a lot of work since we started it last year, done often in very cold temperatures. I look forward to seeing it live on Amazon Prime next year! Best Christmas present ever?

Honestly, the opportunity to take some time off . I don’t get too much opportunity to take off during the year, so the holidays when everything slows down off er one of the few opportunities to do so. few opportunities to do so.

Abby

(Offi ce therapy dog)

What are you most thankful for in 2021, and why? ful for in 2021, and why?

My new owner, Brian, who feeds me delicious who feeds me delicious treats, scratches my head and calls me a good head and calls me a good girl! I wish he’d play with me more (editor’s note: she means (editor’s note: she means literally ALL THE TIME) literally ALL THE TIME) and give me more treats! and give me more treats! What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

More trips to the dog park! More snowshoe hikes! More treats! More running around chasing my tail! ALL THE PAT-PATS AND HEAD SCRATCHES! Best Christmas present ever?

Christmas? What’s that? I was born in March! What’s Christmas? Can I chew on it or eat it?

Linda Wetzsteon

(Sales assistant)

What are you most thankful for in 2021, and why?

Staying healthy, especially the last couple years! What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

Hopefully being able to travel more eventually. Best Christmas present ever?

A clawfoot bathtub!! My fav time of day - relaxing

Dawn Ricklefs

(Customer Service Rep)

What are you most thankful for in 2021, and why? 1. I am thankful for - literally - everything! My family, my job, my friends, my apartment, my cats (and my extended animal family which includes a lot of dogs), my health, my life in Wausau. (I moved here 5 years ago and it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me!) What are you most looking forward to in 2022? 2. More of the above. Joie de vivre & carpe diem. Best Christmas present ever? 3. Snowshoes + Wisconsin = Winter time fun!! Rhonda Zander

(Designer)

What are you thankful for in 2021, and why?

Th e ability to stay active and share “up north” adventures with family and friends. 2021 highlights included paddling the Wolf River, lake kayaking, hiking alongside rivers and waterfalls and snowboarding (for the fi rst time). Why - because this is living! It’s been wonderful to gather outside together and lift our spirits. I hope this instills in my children the value of a healthy lifestyle. What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

Infusing more art and music into my life! I am excited to attend and perform in concerts again.

I look forward to traveling and hope to fi nd unexpected street art exhibits or murals along the way. I cannot wait to support the young creatives in my life as they expand and grow in their abilities. What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received, and why?

I’m currently in love with the nostalgia I get from a 3-foot Christmas tree that used to be my grandparents. 3-foot Christmas tree that used to be my grandparents. Yearly, I decorate it with lights and handmade ornaments. Yearly, I decorate it with lights and handmade ornaments. It reminds me of the shenanigans shared with cousins, It reminds me of the shenanigans shared with cousins, aunts and uncles. aunts and uncles. to my life <3 that is exciting to me! It was my fi rst experience of them. My husband and I

Julie Bergstrom

(Offi ce Manager)

What are you thankful for in 2021, and why?

My grandkids!! Th ey add so much fun, laughter and love to my life <3 What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

New adventure! A new year brings new possibilities and that is exciting to me! What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received, and why?

I had received tickets to Trans Siberian Orchestra. It was my fi rst experience of them. My husband and I LOVED the experience of the concert and we had a fabulous weekend in the city!

Ben Graewin

(Big Guide guru)

What are you most thankful for in 2021?

Response: I’m thankful for getting a new job. With Covid going on, I wasn’t sure if getting a new job during a pandemic was a good idea. I have a chance of trying a job out in a completely new fi eld and setting as well as learning so much that I never would have learned about before I started working. What are you most looking forward in 2022?

Response: I hope the gaming industry improves for the next year. 2020 wasn’t exactly the best year for video games due to Covid and 2021 didn’t seem that much better. I have a feeling next year will be a better year. What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received and why?

Response: Back when I was in high school, I wanted a black trench coat. I asked my mom and she answered that she couldn’t get me one since they’re too expensive. Surprisingly, I ended up getting one from my sister-in-law for Christmas. I’ve unfortunately grown out of it but I still hold onto it. It’s both stylish and kept me comfortable from the cold, snow and rain from high school all the way into my mid 20s.

Binging TV for the holidays

The holidays can be a crazy busy time of year,

but once it’s all over, often we fi nd ourselves with a health dose of down time. So, let the Netfl ix binging begin! Here are some picks from our reviews this year, as well as some choices recommended by City Pages staff .

Tiger King (Netfl ix) Although Tiger King came to somewhat defi ne the pandemic lockdowns, this year we’ve seen two Tiger King docs to follow the original: Tiger King 2 and Tiger King: Th e Doc Antle Story. My binge advice: Watch Tiger King again, then follow it up with Tiger King 2, which gives viewers an update about everything that’s happened since the original debuted. If you’re bored you might add the three-episode Doc Antle doc (now that’s a funny phrase) but whereas Tiger King 1 and 2 are entertaining in their ridiculousness, Antle is more straight up true crime and maybe the most disturbing of the three.

Money Heist (Netfl ix) I was debating whether to include Money Heist on the list, but if you’re learning or fl uent in Spanish it has an added language development bonus. Money Heist is the tale of a man who puts together a crew for a very elaborate bank heist. And apparently, a very long one. Th e mastermind takes into account that there would be a police standoff , and the dynamic creates a fascinating cat and mouse as he seems to continually elude police while his handpicked crew follow (or fail to follow) the plan.

How to sell drugs online (fast) (Netfl ix) I promise you I won’t fl ood you with a ton of foreign language TV shows, but this one is very much worth it. Moritz is a teen who just lost his girlfriend and can’t seem to get his startup company off the ground with his coding genius best friend. But when Moritz adapts his friend’s code to sell drugs online, suddenly the profi ts start rolling in; along with the headaches and dangers. Watching the meek Morit attempt to mimck the Meta CEO Mark Zuckerburg is entertaining and the German language adds a delightful fl avor to the show. The Expanse (Amazon Prime)

If there were a show that made a Prime subscription worth it, it’s Th e Expanse. (I mean, it’s not like you’re getting 2-day delivery any more, amirite?) Th e Expanse is a fascinating space drama, and at its best when it blends interpersonal confl ict with intergalactic politics between Earth, the Mars colonies and the spacers who tend to live on the asteroids. Based on a series of novels, the characters pop off the page and the show is a visual delight. If you’ve been disappointed with the newest Star Trek series, this very well could be your jam instead.

Squid Game (Netfl ix) Well, if you’re the one person who didn’t watch Squid Game last fall, you should probably add this to your list. It’s not for the squeamish however; Squid Game is brutal, reminiscent of Japanese manga and anime series such as Battle Royale and Gantz. But the extreme violence of the games forces out the humanity of the players who survive - both the good and the bad. If you can stomach it, it’s well worth it.

The Boys (Amazon Prime)

I’m going to be honest with you, it takes a lot to get me to watch a superhero movie these days. So Th e Boys did a great job of bringing me back to the superhero realm. But this isn’t the universe of Batman or Spiderman — the superhero force, it turns out, is corrupt and volatile behind the scenes, full of egos. Caring for humanity is replaced by a love of popularity, and it takes a team of would-be disruptors, including a main character whose girlfriend was killed by a reckless superhero, to take them down. Like Squid Game it’s a pretty violent show, but it’s also gripping and you won’t be able to quit watching and rooting for the unlikely hero.

The Beatles: Get Back

(Disney+)

I have to admit, I haven’t gotten around to watching and reviewing this three-part Beatles documentary. Th ere was an excellent and long documentary on George Harrison Netfl ix had in its catalogue, which essentially served as a documentary on the Beatles too. But this one, directed by Peter Jackson, is essentially a docuseries about a documentary, making use of the hours and hours of unused footage when making the 1970s documentary of the Let it Be album. And since it is Peter Jackson, of course each installment is hours long. Plenty of material for holiday binging, anyway.

From the Attorney’s Desk

by Jason Krautkramer, J.D.

ECKERT & KRAUTKRAMER, LLC

325 N. 1st Ave., Suite 1 • Wausau,630 N. 4th St., Wausau, WI 54403 WI 715-842-0907 • jason@eckertlawllc.com

Benefits of a Life Estate

Whether you are using a life estate deed or a trust to create this type of split interest in property, probate avoidance is one of the major benefits.

A life estate can be helpful when someone in a second (or third or fourth) marriage wants to allow their new spouse to continue to live in the family home until the spouse dies, with the home ultimately passing to the original owner’s children.

A life estate in property can also be useful in Medicaid planning. A homeowner may want to continue to live in their home as long as possible but may not want their home to be sold to repay Medicaid if they should ever need to rely on Medicaid to pay the nursing home expenses. It is important to note, however, states vary as to how they treat life estates for Medicaid purposes.

Next week I’ll discuss drawbacks of life estates.

Other staff picks:

Echo in the Canyon (Netfl ix)

As someone who once did a deep dive on the 60s, digging up just about every documentary and even reading pdfs of old magazines, I loved this documentary, which Linda recommended. Essentially Jakob Dylan (of Wallfl owers fame) gathers a group of modern musicians to record old 60s classics while exploring Echo Canyon, a major musicians’ hub in California in the 1960s.

Breaking Bad (Netfl ix) Dawn suggested Breaking Bad, which is a great show. I was late to the party on Breaking Bad, watching it long after the hype faded. I have to say the story of Walter White, a chemistry teacher who learns he has cancer and decides to grow and sell meth is a gripping story. I also loved, and might even like more, Better Call Saul. I was hooked by the opening moment in the courtroom when the judge is waiting for Saul — the uncomfortable silence broken by chairs shifting or muted coughs reminded me of my days covering crime. Both are a great way to while away the time. The Mandalorian (Disney+) Rhonda suggested the Star Wars show Th e Mandalorian, which is interesting because for a long time my tradition was to watch the trilogy in order starting on Christmas Day. Th en the prequels came out, and then it got complicated from there and I stopped. But I have watched Th e Mandolorian over the holidays before and Rhonda is right — it’s worthy! For those not into sci-fi , she recommends Yellowstone, which has been on my to-watch list as well.

Maid (Netfl ix)

Julie recommended this show as a good one to binge on. Maid follows the story of a young woman who escapes from an abusive relationship. To provide for her daughter, she gets a job cleaning houses. It’s touching the lengths she will go to for her daughter and seems true to life, Julie says.