Simple Pleasures

1 - The stock market lost ground last week, bringing the losing streak to six weeks; the last time that happened was nearly nine years ago. Before you get too depressed, though, check out the article below entitled "Reasons for Optimism." I have been reviewing many client portfolios, and for the most part, things still look pretty good overall, although it is shaping up to be a losing quarter for most clients.

2 - Our movie event for veterans of World Ward II was successful and fun. What an honor it was to just spend time in the presence of so much living history. Along with the guests of honor, there were quite a few others there to watch the movie and express their gratitude.

3 - The 18th annual Blue Ridge BBQ Festival (last week's update incorrectly said it was the 17th) appears to have been a success. It certainly was a success as far as crowd size and visitor fun. As for the financial question, it's now a matter of adding up the debits and credits over the next few weeks, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

They say a change is as good as a rest, and that seems to be true in my case. These days, my job at the festival involves managing traffic flow. Although it is physically and mentally demanding (think two 18-hour days followed by an exhausting clean-up), it exercises completely different parts of the brain and body than does my day job. So today I'm a little tired but strangely refreshed. Go figure.

Have a cool week!

-Andy

             A good time was had by all:

 Libbie took this photo during intermission on Monday. They are veterans all, and all but three of them served in WWII.

I took this photo from behind the stage at the Blue Ridge BBQ Festival on Saturday at 7:51pm.  

D-Day Special Event & A Little QQB Fun!

1 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2.3% last week; that's five weeks in a row that stocks have been down, and the market is off 5% from its recent high in May. But a news story by Reuters indicates that most investors are more cautious than panicked.

The recent slew of unsettling news -- weak jobs data, government debt squabbles, European debt problems, and unrest in the Middle East, among others -- has been building for some time. We need to understand that our economic problems are not over. Things will likely be rocky for some time to come. As is always the case, we need to be vigilant an continue to work our plan.

2 - Before we get too caught up in 2011's problems, we should consider what it must have been like to live through a real life-or-death struggle. Today is the 67th anniversary of D-Day, and along with the Tryon American Legion post, we are saying "thank you" to local World War II veterans by screening The Longest Day. The movie is a re-enactment of D-Day; it stars John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, and nearly every other male actor who was famous in 1962. The show starts at 1:30pm on the big screen in the Depot Room. If you can, come spend the afternoon with us while we honor a few members of the Greatest Generation.

3 - This week also marks the Blue Ridge BBQ Festival's 17th anniversary. This is the biggest community event in Polk County, and I, along with hundreds of others, will be volunteering yet again. On Friday night (which is also graduation at Polk County High), up-and-coming country music artist Chuck Wicks will perform, and it looks like my parking crew may have a challenge on its hands. At least I hope so.

Have a cool week!

-Andy

             D-Day:

 

Where They Landed: Americans, Canadians, and Brits departed from various points in England and converged on the beaches of Normandy.

Ike talks with troops before sending them into harm's way on June 6, 1944.

Love - Honor - Country

1 - Please remember our upcoming event: this coming Monday, June 7, at 1:30pm, we will be showing the classic D-Day movie The Longest Day. The purpose of the event, which we are presenting in conjunction with American Legion Post 250, is to honor our World War Two veterans. Our event coordinator Libbie Johnson reports that we have received RSVPs from over 30 veterans and their spouses. If you know any WWII veterans, please encourage them to call us and reserve their spot -- and please come yourself if you can.

2 - Speaking of veterans, Memorial Day weekend is always a great time to remember the sacrifices made by countless ordinary and extraordinary men and women so that we can enjoy the good life. I spent much of the weekend watching classic war movies, which always helps bring the message home for me.

3 - Juliet and I recently completed two one-day training programs with important technology providers. The first was an in-depth update from AssetBook, the company that provides our portfolio management software (the program that provides our client reports and performance calculations, among other things) at their headquarters in Maryland. The second was a training day in Atlanta with Redtail, which provides our CRM (client relationship management) program. Both systems are vital to our day-to-day operations, and the sessions were very valuable.

Enjoy your week!

-Andy

Celebrations in Polk County

It was a great weekend for the Millard Family. On a Mother's Day that started out rainy but cleared up just in time for the ceremony, our son Drew graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill along with about 6,000 of his closest friends. Juliet's daughter Adriana also graduated from Bob Jones University, making it a proud time for Millard & Company.

Each individual graduation is a big "mission accomplished" moment for an entire family -- in Drew's case, nine family members were there to share in it -- but it is also a daunting time of closure and uncertainty for the graduate.

Drew told me that, after four years of college, the most important thing he has learned is that he knows nothing. It seems to me that such a realization may be the best possible outcome of a quality education. If properly viewed, it can lead to a healthy humility and a determination to make a mark on the world in spite of any odds.

Watching the ceremony, seeing the camaraderie between such a large group of young people, and witnessing the rituals and traditions, one is struck by the feeling that each of these new adults, like those of us who have gone before and others who will follow generations hence, is a part of the long procession of history. It sort of puts our everyday endeavors into perspective.

This is the only shot we will get at this week, so let's make the most of it!

-Andy