OPINION

Balloons invoke a feeling of celebration and can bring a smile. Balloons expand and grow, and can even travel long distances - just like in the book “The Red Balloon” where it travels the streets of Paris. In this week’s paper the balloon as a metaphor to remind you our local newspaper expands and grows your knowledge and allows you to travel through your community. If you find that the paper helps you in this way, we ask for your support with a subscription. Readers are the backbone of our paper, and those who subscribe help keep the paper viable.

To help simplify the process, we have been using a QR code that takes readers to the subscription site. Today we are seeing a solid percentage of our subscribers using the online subscription system. We are also providing an envelope in this week’s paper for those who prefer to mail in a payment. Please remember it can take up to three weeks to start receiving the hard copy of the paper.

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Digital and cloud storage

What ever happened to the family photo album?

We have albums and photo boxes filled with family photos that have been printed over the years. My cell phone and icloud host thousands more, and I have more digital files stored on DVD, jump drives and hard drives. Recently I received a notice from a digital photo service that stores photos for free that my files may be deleted if I didn’t make an annual purchase. I began to wonder how many vendors I have stored photos with and how do I retrieve them? With my cell phone being my primary camera now, can I be certain that everything I think is stored on the cloud actually is? Photos taken on social media platforms adds a whole other element, and are those stored somewhere? What if the platform changes or shuts down? Technology keeps changing, and it’s confusing how to best archive photos and other important documents digitally.

Perhaps some technologies are too good to be true, like totally free digital cloud storage. Our local IT company explained to me how many start-up cloud servers have gone by the wayside because they have been displaced by tech giants. I’m beginning to think the best way to ensure my photos aren’t lost is to go back to storing them on jump drives, and keeping an extra copy with a family member or in a safe or safety deposit box.

Double check where your photos and documents are being stored. It seems advisable to back up in multiple ways, as it is hard to keep up with the speed of technology and know which companies are guaranteed to be around.

Carter Johnson is publisher of Press Publications.

What if today was their last day?

you love. Rather, you’re probably thinking of the things on your to-do list at work, at school, or at home.

Movers & Shakers

Dave Bartholomay

Iwas reading a news story about a woman who died when the plane her family was riding in suddenly started pitching up and down in flight. She was so badly injured that she died at the hospital after landing it was very tragic. Her son was giving a eulogy at his mother’s funeral, and commented on the old saying that a person should ‘live each day as if it’s their last.’ He said that saying should be changed to “You should live each day as if it’s the last day of someone you love.”

Just imagine the difference!

Instead of being focused on yourself, you are focused on someone you love. How can you show your love; how can you make that person’s day better?

If they were in a hospital bed or on hospice, you could probably imagine how you would feel and what you would say. But today is just another day, and like the young man in the story, you’re not thinking that today could be the last day for someone

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But what if it really ended up being the last day for someone you love? What person comes to your mind? Now, take a minute to think of what you would say to them, how you would show your love for that special person. Perhaps you would surprise them with a call, mail them a note, or show up unexpectedly and give them a hug and a smile. I can just imagine you showering them with love in the way you show it. Wow, what a day that would be for them, AND for you! Research shows that we all need those hugs and signs of love. In a time of high stress and anxiety, healthy and caring relationships are the key to not only surviving, but thriving. The support of our friends and family is extremely important to our mental health. With it, we can work our way through tough times. Without it, the path is much more difficult. I am especially concerned about young people, who face social media bullying and other pressures as they try to figure out who they are; how they ‘fit’ into the world. They need our support!

As you walk through school or the community, or see friends and colleagues at work or online, do you sometimes wonder what challenges they are facing in their lives? Would you treat people a little kinder if you knew their struggles?

My friend Roger Worner (retired Centennial School Superintendent) writes note cards to friends, offering words of encouragement and support. With pen in hand, he thinks about the person and then writes a card. He intentionally shares optimism and support for people in the hopes of making their day a little brighter as they know someone is thinking about them, caring for them. I believe sometimes we are the card writer, and sometimes we are the card receiver. Such is the circle of life.

So is today really just another day? Or is today the day to be more special, more intentional, to those you love? Have you thought about anyone you know that could use an unexpected reminder that someone cares for them? Can you send them a personal note or give them a call? It may make all of the difference in their world, and focusing on the needs of others, rather than just on yourself, is the right thing to do.

Dave Bartholomay is the mayor of Circle Pines.

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